Shipbuilders’ group warns US failing to tap full naval industry capacity
Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan prepares for a dead-stick underway. (Photo: US Navy)
The Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition has pointed out that issues related to bureaucracy, prerequisites and predictability have been limiting the involvement of smaller shipyards in military acquisition programmes in the US.
The US may not be fully utilising its current shipbuilding capacity, despite the pressing concern to keep pace with Chinese naval advancements. Difficult-to-attain requirements, low levels of predictability and bureaucracy have been cited by the Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition (AWIBC) as issues preventing small and medium suppliers from participating in US Navy (USN), Marine Corps (USMC), and Coast Guard (USCG) programmes.
Relying on a few traditional shipyards for decades has resulted in multiple postponements of milestones of acquisition effort in addition to over costs, the coalition said.
Speaking to Shephard, AWIBC chair Paul J. Roden explained that
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Ireland releases maritime strategy as it looks to new naval bases and stronger partnerships]()
Ireland releases maritime strategy as it looks to new naval bases and stronger partnerships
Ireland has a maritime area ten times the size of its land mass but has a limited naval capacity and faces an ongoing threat to critical underwater infrastructure. A new strategy is looking to address the challenge.
-
![How the Golden Fleet will change the US Navy acquisition process]()
How the Golden Fleet will change the US Navy acquisition process
The procurement of the future USN Golden Fleet is planned to be less bureaucratic than previous strategies, involving AI-enabled designs and scheduling tools to increase productivity and avoid delays.
-
![What capabilities are being tested under AUKUS Pillar II?]()
What capabilities are being tested under AUKUS Pillar II?
Collaboration on AUKUS Pillar II extends beyond the core trilateral agreement, presenting global opportunities for companies with advanced technologies.
