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Senators press nominee for 30‑year shipbuilding plan, faster submarine production and stronger industrial base
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Summary
Lawmakers pressed Admiral Daryl Caudle to deliver a long‑range shipbuilding plan, stabilize demand signals for yards and sharply boost submarine production to meet AUKUS and U.S. deterrence goals.
Senators at the July 24 hearing pressed Admiral Daryl Caudle on the Navy’s ability to increase ship output and stabilize the maritime industrial base, telling the nominee the service needs a durable, multidecade plan and faster yard production.
Sen. Angus King and others told the nominee a consistent demand signal and multiyear procurement are critical to allow yards to hire and retain skilled workers. “You can’t change a 30‑year shipbuilding plan every year,” a senator said, urging a stable horizon for the private sector to plan hiring and deliveries.
Admiral Daryl Caudle endorsed multiyear buys and incremental funding, saying he is “an advocate” for stable demand signals and that he supports measures to stabilize the shipyard workforce. He told the committee he favors outsourcing modular construction where sensible, and said new approaches and “creativity” will be needed to reach production goals.
Submarine production and AUKUS obligations drew particular attention. Senators noted the Navy’s obligations under the trilateral AUKUS pact and asked about hitting a target near 2.2–2.3 Virginia‑class submarines per year. Caudle agreed that achieving that output will require “transformational” improvements at the two primary yards and called for “an all hands on deck approach” to stop attrition, increase capacity and boost efficiency.
Committee members also discussed the need for a 30‑year shipbuilding plan timed to the president’s budget request. Caudle pledged to work with the secretary of the Navy to deliver a multidecade plan and said he would press for multiyear procurement, incremental funding and other contracting techniques that help stabilize production.
Why it matters: Shipbuilding capacity and a reliable long‑term plan affect deployment schedules, interference with allied commitments such as AUKUS, and the Navy’s ability to meet peacetime presence and wartime surge requirements. Senators warned that without a stable demand signal, yards cannot hire and train the workforce needed for accelerated production.
