The U.S.-based Navy League has released a new policy proposal that calls for a minimum of $40 billion in investments each year to strengthen the country’s naval power and prepare for large-scale wars. According to Defense News, the document focuses on key areas such as modernizing naval shipyards, expanding the Coast Guard’s polar icebreaker fleet and allocating more budget to ammunition production.
U.S. Challenges and Needs at Sea
The global security threats facing the United States, particularly territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, tensions between NATO and Russia in the Baltic Sea, competition for Arctic sea lanes, and the Chinese threat to Taiwan, make the need to increase naval power even more urgent. To counter these threats, the Navy League proposes to increase the number of warships in the U.S. Navy fleet and accelerate modernization.
381 Warship Target and $1 Trillion Budget
The latest shipbuilding plan presented by the US Navy calls for an investment of $40,1 billion each year, with a total budget of $2054 trillion by 1. The plan aims to increase the US Navy’s warship fleet to 381. The US Navy, which currently has 295 warships, is expected to reduce this number to 2027 by 283. This is because 13 older ships will be retired in that year, while only 10 new ships are planned to enter service.
Economic Challenges and Tough Decisions from Congress
However, these proposals may be more difficult to win than expected in Congress. The policy document was designed to provide information to members of Congress, but making these investments under current economic conditions poses a significant challenge, said Jonathan Kaskin, Navy League Merchant Fleet Affairs Director.
Productivity Problem in Shipyards
Shipyards in the US have struggled to meet ship production targets in recent years. Many ship production projects have been delayed for years due to labor shortages and cost overruns. Therefore, increasing the budget alone will not be enough; it is also emphasized that shipyards must increase their efficiency. Modernizing shipyards and making production processes more efficient is critical to achieving these goals.
The $40 billion annual investment required to increase U.S. naval power is imperative as the global security environment becomes increasingly competitive and uncertain. However, achieving these goals requires both congressional approval and increased shipyard production efficiency. These investments to modernize U.S. naval power and strengthen the warship fleet are crucial to preparing for future large-scale wars.
