U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Plan for Fiscal 2027 Includes Consideration of Foreign Yards

U.S. manufacturing ships at foreign shipyards. U.S. Navy and Marine Corps leaders to prioritize America’s maritime industrial base amid recent discussions about potentially building ships abroad.

The hearing addressed the fiscal 2027 Defense Department budget request and was attended by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith.

U.S. Navy SEAL Rep.

U.S. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle voiced similar concerns about preserving American shipbuilding capacity even as they acknowledged short-term limitations. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told lawmakers that the service needed 540,000 jobs to build the ships in the Navy pipeline.

U.S. Was needed to bring the workforce up to where it needed to be to address demand. U.S. fleet.

He pointed to the fact that some foreign shipbuilders churn out one to two destroyers a year. Defense News reported that the hearing came several days after the Navy released its shipbuilding plan that codified the possibility of the service looking to foreign partners for help.

The acting secretary emphasized the exploration was aimed at alleviating pressure on the domestic industrial base, which faces significant labor capacity issues.

U.S. shipbuilding contends with workforce shortages that have limited its ability to meet current production goals. Cao’s comments underscored a dual-track approach: immediate relief through potential foreign partnerships paired with long-term investment in American shipyards and workers.