Modern Warship Manufacturing Practice: Impact on Acquisition Cost Schedule, and Industrial Mobilization

摘要

The US Navy is being challenged by both China and Russia for blue water supremacy, once the exclusive domain of the US. Recent reports show that China is building a highly capable Navy including aircraft carriers, submarines, and surface combatants. This emerging threat coupled with their highly capable offensive missile force pose a strategic threat to the US Pacific fleet. An additional concern is China's increasing hostile posture that escalates the risk of a hot conflict with US forces.A new concern is the scope of military losses such an intense conflict might inflect. This requires a relook at the ability of US industry to mobilize and replace these potential losses. These increasing world challenges highlight the need for the US Navy to maximize use of best practices to design and build a fleet of modern highly capable warships as rapidly and efficiently as the shipbuilding budget allows. It also illustrates the need to maintain an efficient shipbuilding base with the capability to rapidly mobilize to support wartime requirements.