In a recent keynote speech at the Navy League's Sea Air Space conference, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro expressed his concern over the severe delays in the Navy's top shipbuilding programs. This comes as the US faces challenges in maintaining its shipbuilding pace against great power rivals. Del Toro's comments were made following an internal review that revealed significant delays in crucial programs, including submarines, guided-missile frigates, and aircraft carriers.

During his trip to South Korea, Del Toro was "floored" by their advanced shipbuilding capabilities. He praised the level of digitization and real-time monitoring of shipbuilding progress, with accurate information down to individual pieces of stock materials. Del Toro noted that South Korean executives could provide precise delivery dates for their ships, which stood in stark contrast to the US's struggle with shipbuilding capacity, labor availability, and resources.

Given the growing concerns over China's shipbuilding dominance, Del Toro highlighted the importance of South Korean shipbuilding as an asset to the US. He also praised Japan for its ability to build high-quality ships on time and on budget.

The US Navy has been grappling with delays primarily caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which have further exacerbated existing supply chain and labor issues. Del Toro ordered a review earlier this year to assess the progress of top shipbuilding programs, followed by a subsequent review to find solutions for the delays.

In a bid to address these challenges, Del Toro visited South Korea's shipyards in February and encouraged companies to invest in shipbuilding facilities in the US. He identified several former shipyard sites in the US that were ripe for redevelopment. The move is part of an effort to bolster the country's shipbuilding capacity and reduce dependence on foreign nations.

According to retired Marine Corps Maj. Jeffrey L. Seavy, China holds approximately 47% of the global shipbuilding market, while South Korea and Japan follow with 29% and 17% respectively. In comparison, the US accounts for a mere 0.13% of the market share.

The Navy is now focused on finding solutions to improve its shipbuilding capabilities and mitigate delays. Hon. Nick Guertin, the Navy acquisition executive, noted that the review had identified major initiatives to drive improvement, which the Navy plans to pursue.

As the US aims to maintain its dominance and warfighting capabilities, addressing shipbuilding challenges has become a top priority. The Navy recognizes the need to overcome delays and ensure timely delivery of key warfighting tools for its naval forces.

With the spotlight on South Korea's shipbuilding prowess, indications are that the US Navy will look to learn from their success to bolster its own shipbuilding capabilities and strengthen its position on the global stage.