US Navy Faces Worst Shipbuilding Struggles In 25 Years, Lags Behind China in Production
The U.S. Navy is encountering its worst shipbuilding crisis, lagging far behind China in production due to severe labour shortages, cost overruns, and continuous design modifications.
Despite efforts to overcome these challenges, the Navy’s shipbuilding capability remains extremely limited.
A naval analyst stated that there isn’t any quick or easy way to get out of this situation as it took them a lot of time to get into it, describing the situation as a terrible state.
In response to the workforce crisis, the U.S. Navy has allocated $100 million, with up to $10,000 of it going for retention bonuses.
Regular changes in ship design requirements have made the Navy’s issues worse, leading to higher costs and further delays.
The redesign of 85% of the new frigates, expected to speed up production and reduce costs, has instead led to increased expenses & delayed delivery dates.
According to the US Office of Naval Intelligence, China’s naval production capacity greatly outpaces that of the United States, with ships being produced 200 times faster.
Shipyard consolidation and funding uncertainty have also disrupted the shipbuilding cycle, affecting long-term planning and investment.