Graphic rendering of the future USS Lafayette (FFG 65), named in honor of Marquis de Lafayette and his service during the American Revolutionary War. (Navy)
WASHINGTON — Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has ordered a “comprehensive shipbuilding review” to assess both “national and local causes of shipbuilding challenges.”
“I remain concerned with the lingering effects of post-pandemic conditions on our shipbuilders and their suppliers that continue to affect our shipbuilding programs, particularly our Columbia Class Ballistic Missile Submarines and Constellation Class Frigate,” Del Toro said in a brief statement Thursday evening announcing the new review.
“The American public should know that the Department of the Navy is committed to developing, delivering, and sustaining the finest warfighting capability to our sailors and Marines. We will continue to work with industry and all other stakeholders to strengthen our national shipbuilding capacity, both naval and commercial,” the statement continues.
Del Toro didn’t explain if any specific development prompted the review, though the two programs his statement mentions by name — the Constellation-class frigate and the Columbia-class submarine — have been closely monitored by lawmakers and outside observers for any signs of unexpected hiccups.
Columbia is the Navy’s number one acquisition priority and considered an essential element of the nuclear triad. The new frigate is the successor to the Littoral Combat Ship, a program infamously associated with schedule delays, cost overruns and, more recently, exceptionally early retirements.
The secretary’s statement also came just hours after several reports were published of anticipated delays to the frigate due to workforce shortages at prime contractor Fincanteri Marinette Marine.
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One of the bays of “Building 34” at Fincantieri Marinette Marine. (Justin Katz/Breaking Defense)
At least one of those reports stated the frigate could be delayed by one year. A Navy spokesman referred Breaking Defense to Del Toro’s statement about the shipbuilding review when asked about how long the frigate program would be delayed.
The shipbuilding review will be conducted by Nickolas Guertin, who was recently confirmed as the Navy’s new service acquisition executive, and Vice Adm. James Downey, also recently confirmed and promoted to commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, the Navy agency primarily responsible for shipbuilding construction and maintenance.
An “interim progress review” is due to the secretary within 45 days.
It is not clear from the statement how this unanticipated review will factor into the next president’s budget request, which is traditionally published in March.
Last year Del Toro frustrated lawmakers on Capitol Hill who questioned the purpose or need for his “strategic pause” into amphibious ship production given the issue had been studied numerous times previously and that Congress had already mandated the minimum number of amphibious ships in the Navy’s fleet be 31.
Similarly, lawmakers have also taken to task Navy leadership from both the Biden and Trump administrations for failing to regularly provide long-term shipbuilding plans alongside their budget submissions.
