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WASHINGTON: Top Pentagon procurement officials on Wednesday reviewed the Navy's DDG-1000 guided-missile destroyer program, but made no decisions, Defense Department spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said.
One industry source, who asked not to be named, said he expected the Pentagon to proceed as planned in fiscal year 2008, with continued funding for the two lead ships being built by Northrop Grumman Corp. and General Dynamics Corp.
The Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board, which oversees the purchase of major weapons systems, wanted to review work on the destroyer before the Navy can exercise contract options for construction of the two lead ships, Irwin said.
Pentagon officials also wanted more data as they work on the fiscal 2008 defense budget, she said.
The White House will send its 2008 budget request to Congress in February.
Congress last month approved $2.6 billion to start work on the two lead DDG-1000 ships in fiscal year 2007, which began on Saturday.
Officials at Northrop and General Dynamics had no immediate comment on the meeting about the destroyer formerly known as DD(X), the first in a new family of Navy warships.
