• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Daily The Business
  • Privacy Policy
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Daily The Business
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
DTB
No Result
View All Result
DTB

The US Navy needs to find more ships it can load up with missiles amid shipbuilding delays, Congress says with eyes on China

July 12, 2024
in china, Military & Defense
The US Navy needs to find more ships it can load up with missiles amid shipbuilding delays, Congress says with eyes on China
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsapp
  • Congress ordered the US Navy to look into new ships and weapons platforms amid shipbuilding delays.
  • The requested study is in direct response to the delays of a new frigate class.
  • Lawmakers are concerned the US Navy is at risk of being unable to China in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview

Bull

Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go.

By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the email.

Bull

Advertisement

Congress has requested that the US Navy conduct a study looking into other ships it can arm with missiles given the pressing need to maintain US naval power amid ongoing shipbuilding delays.

The potential short-term solutions, it said, are key to keeping up US strength in the Indo-Pacific region, especially as China continues building up its naval forces.

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider
subscribers.
Become an Insider
and start reading now.

Have an account? .

In a report accompanying a new draft of the annual defense policy bill for the 2025 fiscal year, the US Senate Armed Services Committee wrote that it was “concerned with the number of Navy battle force ships” and vertical launch platforms for missiles over the next two years.

“Given the ongoing naval buildup by the People’s Republic of China, the committee believes these projected declines increase risk to US forces in the US Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility,” lawmakers wrote.

Advertisement

The committee report added that it doesn’t believe the Navy is adequately preparing to meet requirements for those capabilities in the near-term.


Related stories

The request comes in response to delays on the first new Constellation-class guided missile frigate, which won’t be delivered until at least 2029, three years behind schedule, per a Navy report earlier this year. The second ship in the class is also delayed.


Newport News Shipbuilding workers and Navy sailors walk past USS George Washington.

Newport News Shipbuilding workers and Navy sailors walk past the USS George Washington as it rests pier side.

Jonathon Gruenke/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service via Getty Images



Congress’ push for short-term naval combat solutions is also linked to the slow procurement of new large, unmanned surface vessels, which is not expected to begin until 2027.

With this in mind, “the committee believes the US Navy needs to focus more on supplementary options for increasing ship numbers and missile-launching capacity in the nearer term.”

Advertisement

By April 2025, Congress expects the Navy to pursue a number of solutions, including a crewed version of the LUSV, more missile-launching capacity, “foreign, commercial, or US government ship designs” that could be adapted for the Navy, and existing Navy platforms “that could be quickly modified into missile-firing ships through the addition of VLS (vertical launch system), bolt-on, or containers missile launchers.”

In its report, the committee acknowledged its concerns that these near-term solutions are needed to keep the US Navy in fighting shape should conflict in the Indo-Pacific region arise, especially considering the massive naval buildup seen in China.

Back in April, a 45-day review showed major delays for most of the Navy’s big shipbuilding projects, including its Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, a top priority for the Department of Defense. Due to plans to retire previous ships, the delay will likely keep the Navy from meeting its obligation of having 10 ballistic missile submarines ready to deploy at all times. But this isn’t the only problem.


A rendering of a Columbia class SSBN missile submarine sailing at sea.

An artist rendering of a future Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine.

US Navy



Other ships, like the Navy’s next Ford-class carrier, are also notably delayed. At the time of the review, Navy officials attributed the issues to the lingering effects of COVID-19 on the workforce and supply chain, though some issues have long been around.

Advertisement

Beyond the Navy’s shipbuilding woes, other US military deficiencies have prompted lawmakers and other national leaders to raise concerns about how the Pentagon is prioritizing its military capacity in the Pacific in order to counter and deter China. In May, 13 members of Congress wrote to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro about the glaring vulnerabilities of US Pacific air bases and aircraft in the face of a missile barrage from China, for example.

With China’s current missile strike capabilities,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter, “China can attack all US bases in the region, targeting US service members from Okinawa to those on US territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.”

Tags: advertisementbusiness insiderChinacommitteeCongressdelayfiscal yearindo-pacific regionlawmakermissileNumberreportshipbuilding delaystoryus navy
Share15Tweet10Send
Previous Post

Record-Breaking 315mmRainfall in Lahore Smashes 30-Year Record

Next Post

Sindh Becomes First Province to Cultivate Jackfruit in Pakistan

Related Posts

New Russian footage shows North Korean troops training with modern rifles, grenade launchers, and anti-drone tactics
kim-jong-un

New Russian footage shows North Korean troops training with modern rifles, grenade launchers, and anti-drone tactics

April 29, 2025
I'm a luxury handbag authenticator. Here's why you should avoid Chinese manufacturers on TikTok who try to sell 'real' Birkins for cheap.
as-told-to

I’m a luxury handbag authenticator. Here’s why you should avoid Chinese manufacturers on TikTok who try to sell ‘real’ Birkins for cheap.

April 28, 2025
Northrop Grumman is taking a financial hit on its B-21 Raider stealth bomber
b21

Northrop Grumman is taking a financial hit on its B-21 Raider stealth bomber

April 23, 2025
Russia and Ukraine are pointing fingers over alleged violations of Easter cease-fire
Military & Defense

Russia and Ukraine are pointing fingers over alleged violations of Easter cease-fire

April 20, 2025
I moved to Shanghai from the Midwest 10 years ago. I struggle to relate to friends back home.
china

I moved to Shanghai from the Midwest 10 years ago. I struggle to relate to friends back home.

April 15, 2025
China vows to 'fight to the end' in an ever-uglier trade war with the US
china

China vows to ‘fight to the end’ in an ever-uglier trade war with the US

April 8, 2025

Popular Post

  • FRSHAR Mail

    FRSHAR Mail set to redefine secure communication, data privacy

    126 shares
    Share 50 Tweet 32
  • How to avoid buyer’s remorse when raising venture capital

    33 shares
    Share 337 Tweet 211
  • Microsoft to pay off cloud industry group to end EU antitrust complaint

    45 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • Saudi Arabia Launches World’s First Self-Driving Flying Taxi to Transport Hajj Pilgrims

    43 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • SingTel annual profit more than halves on $2.3bn impairment charge

    42 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
American Dollar Exchange Rate
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Daily The Business
  • Privacy Policy
Write us: info@dailythebusiness.com

© 2021 Daily The Business

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Daily The Business
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 Daily The Business

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.