The size of the U.S. Navy’s fleet and the debate over how to increase it took center stage at a Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing Tuesday. Senators expressed concern after a recent study found multiple important shipbuilding programs are running years behind schedule, calling it a major problem that puts national security at risk. Subcommittee chairman Jon Tester, D-Montana, stated that both Congress and the shipbuilding industry need to be held accountable for the delays.
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro largely blamed the shipbuilding industry for the delays, noting challenges with design maturity and a shortage of workers. He criticized shipyards for not making enough contribution to increasing production rates. Del Toro also called out shipyards for prioritizing stock buybacks over investing in their own facilities to meet timelines and budgets.
HII, for example, defended its investments in workforce, facilities, and technology at its shipyards, emphasizing its commitment to partnering with the Navy. Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., blamed the Navy for not having a better plan to grow the fleet and criticized the minimal increase in the Navy’s fiscal 2025 budget request. He urged Navy leaders to work on a plan to achieve the Navy’s goals for manned and unmanned ships by 2043.
