Navy secretary warns shipyards must ‘act like we’re at war’ as China’s AI-powered fleet races ahead
The Navy is warning that the United States must treat shipbuilding and weapons production with the urgency of a country preparing for conflict, with Navy Secretary John Phelan declaring that...
By Fox News · Fox News
The Navy is warning that the United States must treat shipbuilding and weapons production with the urgency of a country preparing for conflict, with Navy Secretary John Phelan declaring that the sea service "cannot afford to stay comfortable" as it confronts submarine delays, supply-chain failures and a shipyard system he says is stuck in another era. Phelan delivered the blunt message as he launched the service’s new Rapid Capabilities Office — an organization he says will slash development timelines, hold programs accountable and inject commercial technology into the fleet far faster than the Pentagon’s traditional acquisition system allows. "We’re shifting from process to performance," Phelan told an audience of defense companies, investors and Navy officials Tuesday in Washington. "Programs are treated like entitlements. That ends now." US TO EXPEDITE NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBS TO AUSTRALIA THAT WILL SIT NEAR CHINA’S DOORSTEP His remarks come as the Navy faces years of criticism from Congress and outside analysts over submarine production delays, chronic maintenance bottlenecks and missed shipbuilding targets — problems service leaders warn now carry real strategic consequences. China, meanwhile, is racing ahead with heavily automated, AI-enabled shipyards that have allowed Beijing to expand its fleet far faster than the U.S. Phelan urged shipyards and program offices to "act like we’re at war" when it comes to production and readiness. He argued that the Navy's existing acquisition model, in which major programs spend a decade navigating paperwork before reaching the fleet, is no longer viable. "Modern weapons systems take ten years or more to design. You’d never accept that in private markets, and neither will we," he said. "Our adversaries are not slowing down. We must evolve faster." His call for a wartime footing comes as Beijing rapidly modernizes its navy and pours AI-driven automation into its shipyards. Chinese state shipbuilders have spent the past decade b…