The U.S. Navy expects to announce contracts for up to 10 DDG-51, Arleigh Burke-class, destroyers by June 4.
While the contracts have not been awarded, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King said in a prepared statement that Bath Iron Works will be a strong competitor for the ships to be built between 2013-2017.
The Navy moved ahead with its five-year contract planning, despite automatic federal budget cuts, after Congress passed the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act.
That authorization bill, passed in December as part of the resolution to keep the federal government running through the end of the fiscal year, authorized about $3 billion in defense spending.