At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, members and nominees singled out acquisition reform and ship sustainment as urgent priorities, citing delays to aircraft carriers, destroyers and submarine programs and maintenance shortfalls that reduce fleet availability.

Senators and the Navy nominee, Hung Kao, discussed the need to reduce bureaucratic impediments in procurement and maintenance chains. Chairman Wicker and other members referenced the FORGE Act — an acquisition reform measure discussed at the hearing — designed to strengthen program managers' authorities and limit low‑level blocks to program delivery. Kao told the committee, "We need acquisition reform. The way the military has been working is not working and that's why we are falling short on ship and submarine production," and said he would work to "keep technical warrant holders accountable" to reduce design drift that has hindered commonality on ship classes.

Committee members gave examples to illustrate the problem. The hearing transcript cites a reported decline in design commonality for the Constellation‑class frigate (from a starting target of about 85% commonality to a reported 15%) as a case where engineering changes and change orders increased cost and schedule risk. Senators pressed nominees on how to restore production schedules and improve maintenance so vessels can achieve higher operational availability.

Brent G. Ingram, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, framed acquisition reform as a mix of authorities and process changes: acquiring the right data rights and intellectual property up front, using multiyear contracting to provide industry a steady demand signal, leveraging open systems architectures, and strengthening the acquisition workforce. Ingram told senators he would "ensure the right data rights in intellectual property are written in the contract upfront" and supports a broad "right to repair" posture to speed depot and field repairs.

Senators emphasized that acquisition reform must go hand in hand with industrial base revival: multiyear procurements, secure domestic supply chains, and better workforce planning to ensure companies will invest in capacity. Several senators warned that failure to address sustainment as well as production will persistently undermine fleet readiness.

No formal committee action on acquisition legislation took place at the hearing. Senators said they expect continued oversight and follow-up questions for nominees to provide more detail on specific reform measures and program timelines.