US Navy Targets 306 Ships in Its 30-Year Shipbuilding Plan

The United States Navy has drafted a 30-year shipbuilding plan and provided the Congress with relevant information tables from the plan. Despite numerous struggles with the budget cuts and the sequester, the US Navy is persistent in pursuing the fleet modernization plan, the ultimate target being at least 306 ships.

“Today (on April 23) we provided Congress information tables from our draft 30-year shipbuilding plan. We believe the information found in these tables clearly articulates our intention to modernize and grow the fleet to our required minimum of 306 ships. We have been upfront and transparent about the need to decommission older ships, while at the same time introducing new and more capable platforms. Both Secretary Mabus and Admiral Greenert have been clear about the need to further our success in shipbuilding. Indeed, under Secretary Mabus’ leadership the Navy has put 43 new ships under contract. We look forward to working with the Congress to discuss the way forward,” Rear Admiral John Kirby, Navy Chief of Information said in a statement.

Unless Congress takes action, the U.S. economy will be hit with harmful automatic cuts that threaten hundreds of thousands of middle class jobs.  In concrete, many of the 5,000 companies and small businesses from across the country that supply Newport News Shipbuilding with parts and equipment will be impacted, which will affect the firm’s productivity.

The threat of these cuts has already forced the Navy to cancel the deployment and delay the repair of certain aircraft carriers, and postpone building of additional vessels. If the cuts are implemented, numerous workers will be forced to take unpaid leave from their jobs, creating a ripple effect on thousands of other jobs.

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Press Release, April 24, 2013