BATH

Shipbuilders at Maine’s Bath Iron Works will learn within weeks whether they’re getting a critical multi-year contract.

The U.S. Navy has told U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King it intends to issue a contract for 10 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers by June 4, with work to be completed over five years from fiscal 2013 through 2017.

The fact that the Navy is moving forward is considered a positive sign, Collins and King say.

Collins, R-Maine, says the contract would have been in jeopardy under a long-term continuing resolution on the budget and that a Bath win would mean job security for shipyard workers.

King, I-Maine, says Bath is a strong competitor on the project.

In their first event together in Maine, Collins and King visited BIW in February to express their intention to work together to protect the Bath shipyard amid the then-imminent “sequestration” — big, automatic budget cuts set in motion by Congress’ failure to craft a deal on reducing the nation’s deficit.

In March, the senators advocated for the passage of a full Defense Appropriations bill to fund construction of the ships.

“This is certainly welcome news for BIW, its dedicated work force and for the state of Maine,” Collins said in a news release. “The fact that the Defense Department is committing to building up to 10 DDG-51s over the next five years means a guaranteed opportunity for BIW to compete to build these ships. It provides a much-needed sense of job security for the highly-skilled men and women who work there.”

In the release, King added: “The talented work force at Bath Iron Works builds some of the best ships in the world, and I have no doubt that they are strong competitors to build a significant number of these vessels.”

¦ THE U.S. NAVY has told U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King it intends to issue a contract for 10 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers by June 4, with work to be completed over five years from fiscal 2013 through 2017.