U.S. Navy seeks to expand submarine and carrier production as industrial base faces pressure

Matthew D. Sermon, who leads the Navy’s maritime industrial base programme, said efforts are underway to modernise manufacturing and support supply chains. “The Navy is working closely with our industrial base partners and has launched nearly 1,200 supplier development, workforce and advanced manufacturing projects in 40 states,” he stated.

These initiatives aim to improve production efficiency, address labour shortages, and modernise ageing infrastructure. Sermon highlighted that since 2018, submarine parts delivery has increased by over 250%, but must now double to meet current fleet demands.

The Navy is also investing in future technologies, including 3D printing at the Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Danville, Virginia. “[They’ve] already printed more than 270 parts, and this year, will partner with the advanced manufacturing industry to mitigate over 1,000 days of delay in parts availability,” Sermon said.

Rear Admiral Todd S. Weeks, responsible for strategic submarines, stressed that the Columbia-class submarine remains the Navy’s top acquisition priority. “The Columbia-class is the Navy’s No. 1 acquisition priority and a critical once-in-a-generation recapitalization effort for this foundational leg of the nation’s nuclear triad,” he told lawmakers.

Although delays are expected with the USS District of Columbia, the class’s lead vessel, progress on subsequent submarines is improving. “Wisconsin is approximately 5% ahead of where the lead ship was at the same point in time during her construction,” Weeks added.

Early work is also in motion for the next five Columbia-class submarines, which are described as the most advanced the U.S. has ever developed. Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Jonathan E. Rucker reported that 24 Virginia-class submarines have been delivered, with 14 more under construction.

Production, however, remains behind schedule, with the Navy producing just 1.13 Virginia-class submarines annually—short of its 2.0 target. Rucker attributed this to workforce limitations, material delays, and infrastructure constraints, all contributing to rising costs and late deliveries.

To address these shortfalls, the Navy is collaborating with industry to improve delivery timelines and build capacity. Parallel improvements are also being made to aircraft carrier production.

Rear Adm. Casey J. Moton stated the USS Gerald R. Ford, the first of its class, is preparing for its second deployment after returning from operations in the eastern Mediterranean. “Our future Ford-class aircraft carriers are under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding, where we continue working closely with the shipbuilder to address challenges and improve performance,” he said.

The USS John F. Kennedy, the next carrier in line, is now 95% complete, though critical systems remain under development. Two additional ships, the USS Enterprise and USS Doris Miller, are being built simultaneously in a shared drydock, benefiting from shipyard innovation.

Source: U.S. Department of Defense.