Dale Bumpers: “from 1993 to 1997, the Navy retired seven Los Angeles class attack submarines--seven in that 4-year period. In that same…”

“from 1993 to 1997, the Navy retired seven Los Angeles class attack submarines--seven in that 4-year period. In that same period, we were in the process of building three Seawolf submarines at a cost of $13.2 billion. Not one of those submarines that we have decommissioned, all of which had a 30-year life expectancy, not one that we retired had less than 12 years left on its life expectancy, and several of them had 14 years left on their life expectancy. In that same period of time, we retired two nuclear-powered guided- missile cruisers, the Virginia and the Mississippi. Both of those ships had 20 years left on their life expectancy. And just last month, the Navy decommissioned another Virginia class guided missile cruiser, the U.S.S. Arkansas. That ship is near and dear to my heart because my wife Betty christened it. The U.S.S. Arkansas, incidentally, had sailed for only 18 years, and had a life expectancy of 20 years left on it. CGN- 41. That stands for cruiser, guided missile, nuclear. In that same period of time, 1993 to 1997, we decommissioned five frigates, everyone of which had anywhere from 14 to 16 years left on their 35-year life expectancy. In that same period of time, we also decommissioned nine guided- missile frigates, every one of which, but one, had a 21-year life expectancy left.”