“If you are a supplier, and your lead time is too long, and you refuse to work with us” on 3D printing alternative spare parts, said Rear Adm. Jon Rucker, “we're going to figure it out. Not a threat – a fact of life.”
The Alexandria's service life was extended by three years through September 2025, a service official told Breaking Defense.
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The Navy says the facilities are not in any immediate risk, but 100 experts will evaluate the dry docks for necessary mitigation measures moving forward.
“We are in our most dangerous decade right now with the geopolitical threats we face,” said Vice Adm. Bill Houston, commander of submarine forces.
"What is our true capability and capacity?" Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker said. "If we make the assumption that we're never going to get better, the answer is we don't have enough [shipyards]. But we're doing a lot of stuff" to improve the service's infrastructure in the meantime.