Washington, D.C.-- Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) was informed by Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen today that the Department of Defense will support authorization and funding in fiscal year 1998 for an additional DDG-51 which likely would be constructed at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Cochran has submitted a request for these additional funds to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, of which he is a senior member.

Secretary Cohen also plans to advance the time-table for engineering work necessary for the overhaul of the Navy's cruiser fleet and will direct that the work be done by Ingalls. This action is expected to produce between 400-500 engineering jobs at Ingalls.

Following is Senator Cochran's reaction to Secretary Cohen's decisions:

"The decision to award engineering work to Ingalls for cruiser overhaul is very good news for our state. It produces jobs and helps ensure that Ingalls will be an active contractor for the Navy in the years ahead. Additional ship construction will follow as funding is secured in the Congress."