[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6212620,"mediaKeyId","3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de","parentId",3683779,"title","Marine Corps, Navy outline steps to restore amphibious capacity; lawmakers press for LSM procurement and maintenance focus","audioSeconds",418,"startMs",1486000,"endMs",1904000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de&start=1486&end=1904","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de/thumbnail_1486000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6212620/Marine-Corps-Navy-outline-steps-to-restore-amphibious-capacity-lawmakers-press-for-LSM-procurement-and-maintenance-focus","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212620-fa34dd02a2f46158fdb13b8fe3e6e005/orig.mp4?Expires=1773576426&Signature=FUy7-CRE6ZJ7PRYAje7MafbQnCBvHIT17qZcq3v7BfwA5n65doYHy5JVCxudlPNGh0SqgWphixPPjsFzYaDNOvDfgsh8k0A7Q9JZCGeWZo0d68KnDPYVwDrIzmTsYHP-OnAssNFpVHbgrDqo2Pfd6X96uuWF7D5Lu9NeNBwOog1stW5pEUIYTaAN3ZYH7uym1NN0WMYaK0GGJbI6FPfslMgH0B6pd0yJpMxNYZgwh71bWqwOwC5GK4ug7ywj-8HOu~SDVL1yun0pUbLpzq0n~1CwcvF3Ly5u0ll4SwMlwfrho~4HTcE1-cmdQyBrWO5l9RhxZw~SRSq7bjpgAAIXNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Armed Services Committee","date","2025-06-05T08:18:31Z","article","Marine Corps and Navy witnesses told the House Armed Services Subcommittee on June 4 they are pursuing accelerated procurement and a bridging strategy for surface mobility while lawmakers urged a stronger maintenance and procurement approach to restore amphibious readiness.

Lieutenant General Austin, a Marine Corps witness, told the committee the force is “executing force design” and pressing to field a “medium landing ship” (LSM) capability that is “central to the success of our stand in forces.” He said the LSM Block 1 is on the verge of procurement as a non-developmental vessel and that the service is using fast transports, landing craft and commercial shipping as a bridging strategy until LSM is operational.

Why it matters: Several members emphasized the importance of a continuous three ARG/MEU presence as the Marine Corps’ “North Star.” Lawmakers said achieving that posture requires not only procuring new hulls but also improving amphibious ship maintenance and reducing availability timelines so ships can return to sea for training and deployment. Representative Rob Wittman and others told the services that a statutory inventory of amphibious ships (the committee discussed a 31-ship floor in law) may not be sufficient and that readiness assumptions must be explicit.

Witnesses described near-term actions. Austin said the LSM plan is a three-tiered approach: procure a non-developmental Block 1 item as authorized in the FY25 NDAA, experiment and refine future blocks, and use bridging logistics until production ramps. Admiral Pitts said Navy efforts include “signature availability pilots” that lock maintenance work packages earlier to give yards and maintenance teams time to prepare material and reduce time in maintenance.

Members asked how procurement pacing and maintenance investments will be reflected in the shipbuilding plan and the Navy’s Program Acquisition and Materiel (PAM) timelines. Witnesses committed to further analysis and to provide details for the record. Members repeatedly urged that maintenance be treated as a priority in planning documents (the “plan of record”/POA&M) so that amphibious availability and sustainment do not become a bottleneck to achieving a three-ARG/MEU persistent presence.

The hearing produced no immediate procurement awards; members and witnesses agreed on follow-up oversight and additional questions for the record on lifecycle costs, midlife extension options for existing amphibious hulls and the detailed timeline for LSM block buys.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SPF Hearing: Update on Navy Programs and Capabilities for Seapower and Projection Forces","oneSentenceSummary","Marine Corps and Navy witnesses told the House subcommittee they are pursuing a three-tier plan for the Medium Landing Ship (LSM), a bridging strategy to fill gaps until LSM is fielded, and joint actions to restore amphibious ship readiness to support a continuous three Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) presence.","taxTitle","Armed Services: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1833,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6212625,"Navy tells House subcommittee Columbia remains top priority; members press for faster Virginia-class cadence and workforce support",2528,1215000,3743000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de&start=1215&end=3743","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de/thumbnail_1215000.jpg","/articles/6212625/Navy-tells-House-subcommittee-Columbia-remains-top-priority-members-press-for-faster-Virginia-class-cadence-and-workforce-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212625-dcbac32f4e85266933b9857ac42e4a0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773576426&Signature=TxK5lrsnU19T6IgGl6hQLZEHByFvX6mPEEJcThoAegWkM2V8MFJTmyO~s4GOWuamHzNucRpD0VZvREs7BFQxTgt4IaG~qi7-ipMVFkJcRatNghhTS~qZy463JBAewgMHZb1sNxF8VtAml9ou5~WRTfuszE8splldoR64Ht6rT3sWGjAD8YjyhfWSgUOHRFEMiiyT5L7-X0xHBbbgxuqJ0gJJix~4EIK4Iq-K-u4ypLnLvF~9AVg6MZpHS2Th-y999vjn1CLsFeHqsM7LwtGlV65a6kERdeTmxDIbo6RUGgwM~Vts9-tVYFCdru~4RfDOofFBRNl8ST6m0cIChvWleA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Navy witnesses told the House Armed Services Subcommittee on June 4 that the Columbia-class submarine program remains the Department of the Navy’s top acquisition priority, and lawmakers pressed for stronger steps to increase Virginia-class production and address shipyard workforce shortages.

Admiral Pitts, the Navy’s deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities, said the Navy’s priorities include to “fully fund the Columbia class submarine, the Department of Navy’s highest acquisition priority.” Representative Rob Wittman and other members raised concerns about the current Virginia-class production rate, which one member said stood at about 1.1 boats per year and is “not where it needs to be.”

Why it matters: Lawmakers said submarine production cadence is central to deterrence and to avoiding a net decline in undersea platforms. Representative Whitman and others noted Congress has appropriated funds in recent years to expand production capacity; they pressed witnesses for an accounting of how those funds were used and whether the Navy expects to accelerate Virginia-class buys in the fiscal 2026 proposal.

Witnesses described where earlier industrial-base investments were applied. Admiral Pitts told the subcommittee that congressional funding for the submarine industrial base has been used for workforce hiring and retention, supply-chain resiliency, yard modernization, strategic outsourcing and infrastructure. He said those investments are producing measurable improvements in workforce and supply-chain metrics, but cautioned that ships take time to build and that the tail effects of investments are not immediate.

Members raised recent layoffs at some yards. Admiral Pitts acknowledged layoffs reported at Newport News Shipbuilding and reiterated the need for predictable work to sustain employment.

Representative Courtney and other members also credited recent appropriations that increased shipyard wages; Courtney said shipyard workers “are gonna see their paychecks go up as a result of that funding” and that wage increases are a necessary step but must be sustained beyond a single year to reset the labor market.

No final production decisions were issued at the hearing. Witnesses said final determinations on program buys will depend on the FY26 budget request and any reconciliation allocations; several lawmakers asked for follow-up material and for detailed responses for the record about how prior congressional funds were applied and what is required to move to higher production rates.

The submarine discussion was part of a broader panel examination of shipbuilding, aviation and unmanned systems during the Navy’s posture hearing.","At a House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing, Navy witnesses said the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine is the department’s highest acquisition priority while members pressed for higher Virginia-class build rates and continued workforce and wage initiatives to sustain the submarine industrial base.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6212630,"House subcommittee presses Navy on late budget, weakened shipbuilding demand signal",222,509000,731000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de&start=509&end=731","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3683779-1fcbacf78b732883d73884838520a2de/thumbnail_509000.jpg","/articles/6212630/House-subcommittee-presses-Navy-on-late-budget-weakened-shipbuilding-demand-signal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212630-c3fb7aa179cde5a3b24f5e94449c70ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1773576426&Signature=EmI6IJ4c-Zu47FKVK3aKZjpdEmN4Lpl67gVlEkGjNibOrfoYb-Q0IXbybAFEM5xzXJiacTG81D-Im21jX6bIsmC51ECREfNfk0aDr4deIdIALcXSy5N9O~tgqukbq6x95c-9yB0DVi9IbsSkVljpI-vKxMCKyavl9T2Hy0EN0qr8NdjXGpajxtZECxDC6H9htpoRgK5HpvW8PbGxOB8a2v3x2oMQnbGuPp0mztmhn8HOrkkqzK5bG2nAjFI7YlhSHoQ1DwyqkROVO03Yk9Z0xYnfJwhhXxIzK3GNnYb9-AQDptDCEgDbRb4wu4kZ58kNg601BhVxpHiil4FjloOQYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House Armed Services Subcommittee said on June 4 that delays and top-line reductions in the Department of the Navy’s fiscal 2026 budget are creating uncertainty that could harm shipbuilding capacity and workforce recovery.

The subcommittee’s chair, Chairman Kelly, opened the hearing by saying lawmakers expect additional budget details in coming weeks and that the panel “looks forward to seeing how the budget decisions for fiscal year 2026 measure up to our current threat environment.” The ranking member, Representative Joe Courtney, told the panel the administration had not yet delivered a complete budget and that an appendix released with topline numbers lacked account-level breakdowns.

Why it matters: Committee members and witnesses repeatedly said the industrial base needs a consistent, multiyear procurement signal so primes and yards can hire, retain and invest. Representative Courtney said the appendix posted last Friday “provided only top lines for accounts with no funding line breakdown.” He noted the appendix included a request of $20,800,000,000 for the Navy’s Shipbuilding and Conversion (SCN) account, which he said is roughly $15.7 billion less than the $36.6 billion that became law in the last appropriation cycle.

Witnesses echoed the need for a steady demand signal. Dr. Seidel, a Department of the Navy witness, said the Navy is “working hard…how to be more directive about holistic governance of our acquisition so that we can send that demand signal in a healthy way.” Admiral Pitts, the Navy’s deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting requirements and capabilities, emphasized procurement stability as a priority and the services’ desire to “deliver more readiness in both the near and long term.”

Members pressed how the budget and reconciliation process interact. Courtney and others noted the pending reconciliation legislation contains shipbuilding funds (he referenced a $33 billion figure included in previous drafts) but said reconciliation text varies between chambers and that funds in reconciliation can be obligated over multiple years through Sept. 30, 2029, which complicates assumptions about what is available for FY26 procurement.

Committee and witnesses cited mechanisms they believe can improve industrial-base certainty, including multiyear contracts, robust and timely funding, advanced procurement for long-lead material, and clearer program stability. Dr. Seidel told members the Navy and Congress have previously used these tools to create procurement stability and that the department is trying to improve governance to avoid “cyclical problems” that disrupt yards and workforce.

The subcommittee sought commitments that planned advanced procurement — particularly for carrier and ship programs — remain aligned with schedules that keep production lines active and prevent workforce attrition. Members warned that moving advanced procurements between fiscal years or failing to provide account-level detail would undercut those goals and result in higher costs and slower build rates.

The hearing did not produce binding decisions on account allocations; witnesses repeatedly said final budgets and reconciliation language would determine what funds are available and that some questions would need to be taken for the record. Several members said they expect follow-up work with witnesses and staff to ensure that account-level plans match the industrial-base objectives the committee cited.

The hearing moved on to program- and platform-level topics after this discussion; members directed several follow-up questions to witnesses for the record.","Members of the House Armed Services Subcommittee warned that the Navy’s late fiscal 2026 budget submission and a reduced Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy (SCN) topline risk undermining a reliable procurement \"demand signal\" needed to stabilize shipyards and the maritime industrial base.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Marine Corps, Navy outline steps to restore amphibious capacity; lawmakers press for LSM procurement and maintenance focus

Navy tells House subcommittee Columbia remains top priority; members press for faster Virginia-class cadence and workforce support

House subcommittee presses Navy on late budget, weakened shipbuilding demand signal