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Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top House Democrat grills Hegseth on submarine spending plans: 'Give us the details'
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a heated House Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday over years-long lags in the nation's shipbuilding capacity. The top Appropriations Democrat accused the Defense Department (DOD) of failing to present a clear, transparent plan to ramp up production at a time when China's shipbuilding capabilities are estimated to be 230 times greater than the U.S.'s. She said the Biden administration had been similarly opaque. DeLauro zeroed in on what she characterized as a troubling shortfall between the Navy's current production capacity and future strategic needs. "Do you know where our submarine production currently stands and whether current production is sufficient to bridge the gap between current fleet size and projected need?" she asked. Hegseth Defends National Guard La Deployments, Says Ice Agents Must Be Protected "There is a gap," Hegseth admitted, "but we believe we are closing it." Read On The Fox News App But DeLauro wasn't satisfied, demanding detailed data to back up that claim. "We do not have any information or data that can substantiate what you're saying," she shot back. "Give us the details." "We've had difficulty with the prior administration, and I don't mind calling them out. What is your plan for the future?" Asked what the status is of the department's investment in submarine programs, Hegseth boasted of a 14% increase in funding in the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and a "substantial increase" in the Virginia-class fast-attack submarines as well. But the congresswoman raised concerns about reports that the Pentagon plans to shift $3.1 billion in funding for the Columbia-class submarine program from FY2026 to FY2027 and FY2028. "This creates a serious problem for industry in the short term and hampers shipbuilders' ability to reach an adequate production rate," DeLauro warned. "Have you been in contact with Electric Boat or Huntington Ingalls about your plans?" Hegseth pushed back, saying top Pentagon officials were in regular communication with shipyards. "Almost every day," he said. "We're actively engaged… to make sure their needs are being met and their shortfalls are being addressed so we can close that gap in real time." DeLauro pointed to a missed deadline for placing key submarine contracts authorized under the December continuing resolution. Congress had approved $5.7 billion for two Block IV and one Block V Virginia-class submarines, with the understanding that contracts would be in place by February 2025. The Defense Department did not finalize the contracts until April 30. "We have made a serious investment," DeLauro said. "Now we want to know where that is going and what your plan is." Move Over, Black Hawk: Army Unveils The Mv-75, Tiltrotor Aircraft To Replace Iconic Assault Chopper When pressed for specifics, Hegseth thanked the committee for its flexibility and acknowledged prior mismanagement under previous administrations. But DeLauro cut him off. "I want your plan," she said. "Can we get that in writing and on paper? Because we don't have anything today. We have zip, nada." Hegseth promised to provide the committee with written details of the department's submarine production plan. "We have the details, and we will provide them," he said. DeLauro insisted she wanted the information before the committee's markup later the same day. The U.S. Navy's shipbuilding capacity has been on the decline since the Cold War. In the 1980s, the U.S. aimed for a 600-ship fleet; today, it struggles to maintain 300 operational vessels. The Navy currently operates under 50 attack submarines, well below the long-term requirement of 66 boats, as outlined by recent Navy force structure assessments. Shipyards like Electric Boat (General Dynamics) in Connecticut and Huntington Ingalls Industries in Virginia and Mississippi are the primary builders of nuclear submarines—but both are operating near maximum capacity and face major workforce and supply chain challenges. Shipbuilders report significant difficulties in hiring, training and retaining welders, pipefitters, engineers and designers. Shipbuilding's highly specialized supply chain was hit especially hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and has been slow to article source: Top House Democrat grills Hegseth on submarine spending plans: 'Give us the details'
Newsweek
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Announces 'Game Changer' Missile Upgrade to Rival China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States is set to equip its destroyers with the anti-ship variant of the combat-proven Tomahawk long-range cruise missile by late September to counter China's naval buildup. In a statement to Newsweek, Chip Whipkey, the Tomahawk deputy program manager, said the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) would be ready for deployment on U.S. destroyers by the end of fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters The Tomahawk cruise missile—capable of striking targets from up to 1,000 miles away—is deployed on U.S. Navy ships and submarines. According to its manufacturer, Raytheon, U.S. and allied militaries have used this precision weapon for combat more than 2,350 times. The Chinese navy—the world's largest by hull count—enables Beijing to expand its military reach and presence. In addition to deploying the MST, the U.S. is arming its allies and partners in the western Pacific Ocean with various anti-ship missiles. A Tomahawk cruise missile being launched aboard the United States Navy destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur during a live-fire demonstration in the Philippine Sea on May 27, 2019. A Tomahawk cruise missile being launched aboard the United States Navy destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur during a live-fire demonstration in the Philippine Sea on May 27, 2019. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino/U.S. Navy What To Know Bloomberg first reported the deployment schedule of the MST on Saturday, citing Admiral Daryl Caudle, the commander of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The U.S. Navy is planning to acquire up to 1,302 "game changer" Tomahawk anti-ship variants, the report said. "MST early operational capability is planned for the end of FY25," Whipkey confirmed to Newsweek, adding that, subject to ship testing availability, the missile would be available for deployment on nuclear-powered attack submarines in the third quarter of the next fiscal year. There are two variants of the Tomahawk in service: the Block IV and Block V. Both are designed for land-attack operations. The Block V is a recertified and modernized Block IV missile with upgraded navigation and communication systems, according to Raytheon. In a 2021 news release, the U.S. Navy announced that it had received the first Tomahawk missile configured to Block V, noting that future Block V capabilities would build upon the Block IV upgrade and include the MST variant, known as Block Va. Meanwhile, Block Vb—a sister variant of Block Va—is also expected to be introduced in the future, armed with a warhead capable of striking "more diverse land targets." In 2015, the Tomahawk showcased its capability to hit a moving target at sea during a test near San Nicolas Island in California. The missile—a Block IV variant—was launched from a destroyer and changed course in flight after receiving position updates of the target. A Tomahawk cruise missile hitting a moving maritime target after being launched from the United States Navy destroyer USS Kidd near San Nicolas Island in California on January 27, 2015. A Tomahawk cruise missile hitting a moving maritime target after being launched from the United States Navy destroyer USS Kidd near San Nicolas Island in California on January 27, 2015. U.S. Navy What People Are Saying The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command said on its website: "Tomahawk cruise missiles are designed to fly at extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds, and are piloted over an evasive route by several mission tailored guidance systems." Raytheon, a U.S. defense contractor, said on its website: "The Tomahawk cruise missile is a precision weapon that launches from ships, submarines, and ground launchers and can strike targets precisely from 1,000 miles away, even in heavily defended airspace." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether U.S. warships forward-deployed in the western Pacific Ocean, including those stationed in Japan, will be the first to receive the new Tomahawk missile.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's how Trump's pick to lead the US Navy wants to fix the submarine shipbuilding problem
President Trump's nominee for Navy secretary said the service's shipbuilding problem is a top challenge. Phelan said he wanted to examine the core issues, particularly with the Navy's submarine projects. US shipbuilding issues are multifaceted and not easily solvable. President Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of the Navy offered up his vision for fixing the sea service's submarine construction shortfalls on Thursday. A bunch of Navy shipbuilding projects are delayed, with a Navy review finding last year that the Block IV Virginia-class attack submarines are years behind schedule. The new Columbia-class ballistic missile subs are also dragging. Submarines are considered a Trump administration priority, as well as a key capability the US needs to confront top adversaries. The president's nominee for SECNAV said that Trump's priorities are clear: "shipbuilding, shipbuilding, shipbuilding." He also said the Navy is "at a crossroads," grappling with "systemic failures" that include inadequate maintenance, massive cost overruns, and delayed shipbuilding. Early in his confirmation hearing Thursday, John Phelan, a businessman with no prior military experience, was asked what he plans to do to get the submarine construction programs back on track. Phelan, who identified Navy shipbuilding as a top challenge in his answers to advanced policy questions, wants to start by reinvigorating the US industrial base. "That could come from a couple of different angles," he said. Phelan pointed to several ideas from the SHIPS Act, such as incentivizing the private sector to invest in shipyards and helping make a shipbuilding career attractive to skilled workers with competitive pay. He also said there were some lessons to learn from foreign shipyards, something previous Navy secretaries have highlighted as well. On submarines, Phelan said the priority Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine is critical. He said he needed to examine the "root cause analysis" of the delays and cost overruns on the major programs, including in industry. "I do think we need to analyze ways to create more competition for some of the components" for the submarines, he said, and that comes from working with and incentivizing the private sector. "What you want to try to do is make it so that the private sector, you make the pie bigger, and so they can have a smaller slice of a bigger pie," he said. "And I think if we can create the right incentives, that's the right way." In answers to pre-hearing questions, Phelan said he wanted to "push for a more agile, accountable, and flexible shipbuilding strategy by streamlining procurement, enhancing budget flexibility, strengthening partnerships with the defense industrial base, and holding contractors accountable for cost and schedule overruns." He also said modernization with the help of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence is key. During the hearing, Phelan, who highlighted his experience as a businessman as a complement to Navy expertise already available in the department, said he is "candidly fearful" for what he will discover once he starts reviewing contracts. He added that if confirmed, he wants to return to the concept of shared risk, saying that while it's okay for the private sector to make a profit, it should be based on their share of the risk. General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is building Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines, announced earlier this year that it plans to hire 3,000 additional workers in 2025, building on the expansion of its workforce. At Phelan's confirmation hearing, Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi and the committee chairman, didn't mince words when describing the Navy's shipbuilding problems. "If we threw a zillion dollars at the Department of the US Navy today, we couldn't build the ships because we don't have the industrial base. We've got to fix that," he said. Navy officials, industry leaders, and experts have said that US shipbuilding problems are complex and not easily solved. Many top Navy projects are seriously over budget and behind schedule. While the Navy has attributed these delays and overruns to COVID's lasting impact on the workforce and supply chain, the problems run deeper. Many issues stem from the post-Cold War slowdown in Navy ship demand, which shrunk industry and the workforce, ultimately hollowing it out. Industry leaders have said the long-term consequences of that left them with less experienced shipbuilders and uncertainty, making it hard to produce ships at scale. The increasing complexity and sophistication of Navy warships exacerbates that challenge, as do shifting requirements. The US Government Accountability Office has said inconsistent demand signals from the Navy have been a major problem for industry and shipyards, often involving changing the number of ships ordered or scrapping entire programs altogether. Speaking Thursday, Phelan identified budget shifts, cost, and spending transparency as major issues he'd tackle, which falls in line with both Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's priorities for the military and broader government. The budget for the Pentagon is a bit of a moving target at the moment. Hegseth has ordered the military to reallocate $50 billion to Trump priorities by pulling funding for certain legacy programs. The cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has also been invited in to find fraud and waste in the Pentagon. That could involve sacking thousands of probationary employees within the Department of Defense. During Phelan's hearing, senators expressed concern about how the cuts could affect the Navy's public shipyards. Outside of the hearing, other lawmakers have likewise taken issue with the cuts. Rep. Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat, wrote a letter to Hegseth Thursday outlining "the danger of your department's disastrous layoff plans" and expressing his concerns over how they could impact firefighters at the Navy's Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut, home to a bulk of the Navy's submarine force. Courtney said firefighters are "an essential component of force readiness and safety," handling emergencies such as shipboard fires, hazardous material incidents, medical emergencies, and mutual aid support. "Reducing their numbers in the name of efficiency does not enhance our military readiness," Courtney wrote. "It weakens it." Read the original article on Business Insider
