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Business Insider
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The US Navy needs a big fix to get ready for a war with China. Here's the top admiral's plan.
Bogged down by shipbuilding struggles and maintenance woes, the US Navy faces an uphill battle to get its fleet ready for the next high-end conflict, which could be against China and its rapidly modernizing military. Adm. James Kilby, the acting chief of naval operations, outlined for Business Insider how the US plans to maintain its edge and fix long-standing readiness problems. "The Navy is committed to maintaining a ready fleet," Kilby said, explaining that the Navy is working to increase its ship readiness by improving the maintenance processes and reducing delays, increasing the procurement of spare parts, and taking a "focused and deliberate" approach to "manning, training, modernization, and sustainment." Kilby said that the "goal is to achieve and sustain an 80% combat-surge ready posture by 2027," the year that China's military is expected to be ready to fight a war over Taiwan. Such a war could quickly become a conflict in the Western Pacific, drawing in American and allied militaries against China. Naval forces would have a critical part to play in that fight. The acting CNO said in April that the Navy's average combat-surge readiness was about 68%. Last September, then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti released a plan to increase readiness by 2027, which included a focus on streamlining warship maintenance to eliminate delays, pushing to integrate drones into fleet operations, and retaining personnel to prevent the loss of valuable workforce experience that can be difficult to replace. "To increase our combat surge readiness," Kilby explained, "we are reducing the number of platforms in depot maintenance through improved business and maintenance practices, as well as certifying training earlier in the force-generation cycle." The Navy's issues are centered on strained public yards, tremendous maintenance backlogs for combat ships, and stresses on the American shipbuilding industry, hollowed out in the years since the end of the Cold War. Rising costs, deferred maintenance for aging hulls, staffing shortfalls, and industrial and supply chain limitations have created a situation where existing ships aren't being adequately maintained and new ones aren't coming fast enough. China has the largest navy in the world, and it is building new warships at a faster pace than the US. A larger force size and stronger industry could allow Beijing to endure more losses than Washington in a major conflict between the two adversaries. US Navy readiness for a Pacific conflict has been a heightened concern since the US became heavily involved in the Middle East conflicts. Aircraft carriers and warships have rotated in and out of the region since the fall of 2023 for near-constant operations focused on threats from Iran and Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. For instance, during Israel's brief war against Iran last month, the Navy positioned two carrier strike groups in the Middle East and moved several other warships capable of ballistic missile defense into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea — putting an immense amount of firepower around the region. These operations have resulted in extended deployments for aircraft carriers and their crews and have depleted critical missile interceptors that would be needed in substantial quantities for a war against China. The Middle East conflicts have put a strain on the Navy. Some analysts argue that these fights offer only a glimpse of the kind of high-intensity combat operations that the sea service would potentially face in a Pacific fight. "While the Navy must respond to today's crises, it cannot do so at the expense of future readiness," Kilby said. He added that "we must exercise strategic discipline of the use of our forces, while increasing the surge readiness of our Navy without sacrificing scheduled maintenance so that the fleet stands ready for high-end conflict with China."
Business Insider
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The US Navy's overreliance on top missile interceptors is 'unsustainable' in more intense fights, top admiral warns
US warships fighting around the Middle East have been leaning hard on top ballistic missile interceptors. That won't be sustainable in high-tempo combat operations that can fast consume key munitions, a top Navy admiral cautioned. Adm. James Kilby, the acting chief of naval operations, told Business Insider that cheaper alternatives for air defense are needed to preserve critical munitions stockpiles. The Navy has regularly found itself in air defense engagements around the Middle East since a fresh wave of violence swept across the region in October 2023. In the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, American warships have shot down hundreds of missiles and drones that the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched at merchant shipping lanes. And in the Eastern Mediterranean, US warships have intercepted massive Iranian ballistic missile salvos targeting Israel over three separate exchanges of fire. Kilby said the Navy has fired "significant numbers of advanced munitions" in support of these operations. However, "while the Navy remains fully capable and ready to respond to any contingency today, the pace and volume of these high-end weapon expenditures were neither anticipated by the Navy nor the defense industrial base." "As a result, our inventory of the most capable interceptors is reduced and requires an increased munitions delivery rate," he said. Kilby said the Navy is working with the US Missile Defense Agency, the Maritime Industrial Base Program Office, and its industry partners to expand interceptor production capacity. The efforts, he stressed, will help rebuild and sustain munitions stockpiles. Officials and analysts have said the Navy needs more of its best interceptors for higher-level threats in the Pacific, like China and its expanding ballistic missile arsenal. Some observers have raised concerns that US warships are rapidly expending essential munitions without adequate plans to replace them. A specific concern is the Standard Missile-3, or SM-3, interceptor inventory. These weapons can take out short- to intermediate-range missiles during the midcourse phase of flight. Unlike other ship-launched munitions, the SM-3 can engage threats in space. US warships in the Eastern Mediterranean have used the powerful SM-3s to defend Israel from Iranian missile attacks. These interceptors, produced by Raytheon, Aerojet, and, for newer types, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, are exceptionally effective weapons, but they come at a high price tag, between $10 million and $30 million, depending on the variant. Another Navy ballistic missile interceptor is the roughly $4 million SM-6, suited for defense against aircraft and cruise missiles, as well as terminal defense against ballistic missile threats. "The Navy's current reliance on high-cost interceptors, such as SM-6 and SM-3, is unsustainable in high-tempo operations," Kilby warned. He added that the military "must shift to use lower-cost alternatives while preserving expensive defenses for strategic weapons — or risk running short when it matters most." Navy leadership has pointed to the Red Sea conflict as a clear example of the problem, as US warships have been forced to expend multimillion-dollar missiles to destroy cheap Houthi drones that can cost just thousands of dollars. Alternative options are limited for ballistic missile threats, but there are some better choices for drones that are being used to reduce pressure on interceptor arsenals. As the Red Sea conflict dragged on, US forces increasingly found themselves relying on lower-cost alternatives to preserve the expensive missiles. During the weekslong Operation Rough Rider targeting the Houthis earlier this year, for instance, American fighter jets used cheap laser-guided rockets for around half of all Houthi drone kills. The $25,000 AGR-20 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System rocket is significantly cheaper than a $500,000 air-to-air missile. And these rockets are substantially cheaper than ship-launched SM-2 interceptors — weapons on the lower end of the Navy's missile defense capabilities that cost more than $2 million. The Navy has made it a priority in its current and future operations to bring the cost difference between air defense weapons and the threats they engage much closer to parity, especially as drones become increasingly relevant in naval warfare. Kilby said the Navy is also consistently evaluating and updating its tactics, techniques, and procedures to prepare for future operations. This includes finding ways to speed up the learning process, leading to more efficiency on the water. For instance, Kilby said data from the Navy's advanced Aegis Weapons System — which is equipped on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers — previously took weeks to process after an air defense engagement. But thanks to collaboration between the sea service, industry, and tech community, that timeline has decreased to just 24 hours. "The 24-hour assessment timeline allows our ships and weapons systems operators to improve tactical proficiency and effectiveness while remaining in combat," Kilby said.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Navy warships are firing top ballistic missile interceptors at an 'alarming rate,' admiral says
Since last year, US warships have repeatedly fired SM-3 interceptors to defend Israel from Iranian missiles. A top Navy admiral told lawmakers Tuesday that the SM-3s have been depleted at an "alarming rate." These are assets the US would need in a high-end fight. US Navy warships are burning through one of the top ballistic missile interceptors at an "alarming rate," the admiral overseeing naval operations told lawmakers on Tuesday. During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said US forces have expended large amounts of munitions to defend Israel from Iranian strikes during the latest round of conflict in the Middle East and asked whether the Navy has all the Standard Missile-3 interceptors that it needs to be ready for other global threats. Adm. James Kilby, acting chief of naval operations, said that the service does have a sufficient supply of interceptors, but, he said, "we are, to your point, using them at an alarming rate." "As you know, those are missiles procured by the Missile Defense Agency and then delivered to the Navy for our use," he added. "And we are using them quite effectively in the defense of Israel." The SM-3 is a missile interceptor that uses a kinetic kill vehicle to destroy short- to intermediate-range missiles during the mid-course phase of flight. It is part of the Navy's highly advanced Aegis Combat System, equipped on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. Unlike the Navy's other missile interceptors, the SM-3 can engage targets in space. The SM-3 missile comes in multiple variants, which can cost as much as $10 million on the low end and almost $30 million on the high end, according to the MDA. The weapon is made by US defense contractor RTX and, for the newest variant, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The Navy first used the SM-3 interceptor in combat to defend Israel from Iran's unprecedented missile and drone attack in April 2024. American warships then fired the interceptors again several months later, in October, when Tehran launched over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. A US official told Business Insider last week that Navy warships in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea had launched missile interceptors to defend Israel from Iranian attacks amid the latest round of fighting between the two enemies. The official, however, did not specify what type of interceptors. It is unclear how many SM-3s might have been launched as part of these efforts, and it is also unclear whether there were any confirmed interceptions of Iran's missiles in the latest engagements. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to BI's request for additional information. Navy leadership has previously stated that it needs a lot more SM-3s to counter higher-level threats in the Pacific, like China and its large arsenal of ballistic missiles. Analysts, however, have raised concerns that the sea service is rapidly expending these interceptors in Middle East conflicts without sufficient plans to replace them. The fiscal year 2025 defense budget request cut procurement of SM-3 Block IB interceptors from around 150 to zero over the next five years, and only called for production of a dozen of the newer SM-3 Block IIA variants every year for the same period. The defense appropriation bill reversed some of those plans, providing additional funding for more SM-3 production. In May, the Pentagon awarded a substantial contract to RTX for dozens of SM-3 IBs. And there's also been further support aimed at boosting production of newer SM-3 variants. The outlook for the coming fiscal year isn't totally clear, but the emphasis on missile defense could reflect a favorable environment for increasing SM-3 interceptor stockpiles. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
US Navy warships are firing top ballistic missile interceptors at an 'alarming rate,' admiral says
US Navy warships are burning through one of the top ballistic missile interceptors at an "alarming rate," the admiral overseeing naval operations told lawmakers on Tuesday. During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said US forces have expended large amounts of munitions to defend Israel from Iranian strikes during the latest round of conflict in the Middle East and asked whether the Navy has all the Standard Missile-3 interceptors that it needs to be ready for other global threats. Adm. James Kilby, acting chief of naval operations, said that the service does have a sufficient supply of interceptors, but, he said, "we are, to your point, using them at an alarming rate." "As you know, those are missiles procured by the Missile Defense Agency and then delivered to the Navy for our use," he added. "And we are using them quite effectively in the defense of Israel." The SM-3 is a missile interceptor that uses a kinetic kill vehicle to destroy short- to intermediate-range missiles during the mid-course phase of flight. It is part of the Navy's highly advanced Aegis Combat System, equipped on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. Unlike the Navy's other missile interceptors, the SM-3 can engage targets in space. The SM-3 missile comes in multiple variants, which can cost as much as $10 million on the low end and almost $30 million on the high end, according to the MDA. The weapon is made by US defense contractor RTX and, for the newest variant, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The Navy first used the SM-3 interceptor in combat to defend Israel from Iran's unprecedented missile and drone attack in April 2024. American warships then fired the interceptors again several months later, in October, when Tehran launched over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. A US official told Business Insider last week that Navy warships in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea had launched missile interceptors to defend Israel from Iranian attacks amid the latest round of fighting between the two enemies. The official, however, did not specify what type of interceptors. It is unclear how many SM-3s might have been launched as part of these efforts, and it is also unclear whether there were any confirmed interceptions of Iran's missiles in the latest engagements. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to BI's request for additional information. Navy leadership has previously stated that it needs a lot more SM-3s to counter higher-level threats in the Pacific, like China and its large arsenal of ballistic missiles. Analysts, however, have raised concerns that the sea service is rapidly expending these interceptors in Middle East conflicts without sufficient plans to replace them. The fiscal year 2025 defense budget request cut procurement of SM-3 Block IB interceptors from around 150 to zero over the next five years, and only called for production of a dozen of the newer SM-3 Block IIA variants every year for the same period. The defense appropriation bill reversed some of those plans, providing additional funding for more SM-3 production. In May, the Pentagon awarded a substantial contract to RTX for dozens of SM-3 IBs. And there's also been further support aimed at boosting production of newer SM-3 variants. The outlook for the coming fiscal year isn't totally clear, but the emphasis on missile defense could reflect a favorable environment for increasing SM-3 interceptor stockpiles.
India.com
15-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
China Ramps Up Military Incursions Around Taiwan, Tensions Rise
New Delhi: Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said it detected six Chinese Naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Sunday. Contrary to the usual, no Chinese aircraft were detected in this timeframe. In a post on X, the MND said, " 6 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." Earlier on Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said it detected eight Chinese Naval vessels operating around its territorial waters. In a post on X, the MND said, "8 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe." Meanwhile, the US Navy is intensifying its global war game exercises to counter a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, aiming to make the self-ruled island "a very difficult target to take," US Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James Kilby said during a congressional testimony on Wednesday. According to a report by the Taipei Times, Admiral Kilby testified before the US House Armed Services Committee that the US Navy has been conducting regular simulations, primarily at the Naval War College, focused on deterring Beijing's military ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. "Our focus is on long-range strike capabilities, countering China's command and surveillance systems, terminal ship defence, contested logistics, and unconventional maritime denial strategies," Kilby said. He added that the Navy is also experimenting with new technologies in each area, with increased urgency following recent consultations with Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo and Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler. On whether deploying a USD 13 billion aircraft carrier or autonomous systems would be more effective for Taiwan's defence, Kilby mentioned that drones would be a preferred choice. "If I could put those drones on Taiwan, I'd put them on Taiwan," he said, indicating a shift toward unmanned assets in countering China's expanding military capabilities.
