Senators told Admiral Daryl Caudle at his confirmation hearing that stabilizing shipbuilding demand, expanding industrial capacity and rebuilding the shipyard workforce are top priorities for the Navy.
Lawmakers repeatedly asked Caudle to commit to delivering a 30‑year shipbuilding plan with the president's budget. "You have my complete commitment on that," Caudle said in response to a direct request that the plan be timely and provide the private sector with a predictable demand signal.
Multiple senators warned that inconsistent multi‑year signals and maintenance shortfalls have strained yards and the public ship maintenance enterprise. Senator Kaine urged a 30‑year plan so the private sector can hire and stabilize its workforce; Senator Kaine and others pressed for multiyear procurement, incremental funding and multi‑ship buys to stabilize yard employment.
AUKUS obligations also featured prominently. Senators and the nominee agreed the U.S. must increase Virginia‑class submarine output to meet commitments with the United Kingdom and Australia. Caudle said the nation needs a "transformational improvement" in production capacity, not incremental gains, and supported working with program offices and industry partners to double delivery rates to the 2.2–2.3 submarines per year range discussed for AUKUS pillar 1.
Committee members raised the role of public shipyard modernization funds, the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), and the need to accelerate projects at facilities such as Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Caudle pledged to prioritize key SIOP efforts that enable refueling and intermediate maintenance capacity but noted funding shortfalls could require him to advise the secretary of the Navy on budget tradeoffs.
Senators also pressed the nominee on broader industrial and workforce solutions: opening recruiting beyond traditional local catchment areas for shipyard employment, expanding apprenticeships, leveraging modular and outsourced construction methods, and considering international partners as temporary capacity relief while domestic yards scale up. Caudle said he supported broader outsourcing and national recruitment campaigns and that "the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time to plant it is today," noting new yards and workforce investments will take years.
Committee members emphasized that a credible, transparent 30‑year plan and stable procurement profile are essential to raise ship availability, accelerate maintenance cycles, and meet the Navy's global commitments.