Are We About To Miss Our Chance To Build the Navy America Needs?
We are now past Memorial Day, midterm election handicapping is in full swing and a Congressional recess is right around the corner—these realities, more than any maritime security crisis ought to scare the hell out of navalists and defense hawks around the country! We are one domestic crisis and a year-long continuing resolution away from missing the most significant naval opportunity in a generation.
For the first time in decades, the stars seemed to be lining up for a larger and more capable U.S. Navy.
The White House is talking about shipbuilding. Congress is paying attention. Navy leaders are sounding the alarm about the growing threat from China; while fighting a maritime conflict in the Middle East, Industry is signaling a willingness to invest. After years of talking about the problem, there finally appears to be real momentum behind rebuilding American sea power.
And that’s exactly why this moment feels so important, but also so wasted.
The concern isn’t that people disagree on what needs to be done. The concern is that everyone agrees—and yet not enough is actually happening.
China continues to expand its fleet at a remarkable pace while the United States struggles to maintain the ships it already has. New shipbuilding programs move too slowly. Maintenance delays keep warships tied to the pier. Public shipyards are overloaded. Private shipbuilders face workforce shortages and supply chain challenges. Everyone acknowledges these problems but solving them remains frustratingly slow.
The danger is that we spend years talking about fleet growth without making the decisions necessary to achieve it.
The Navy needs a realistic plan that can actually be executed. Congress needs to provide stable funding instead of governing through continuing resolutions and annual uncertainty. Industry needs the confidence to invest in facilities, equipment, and workers. And all of them need to recognize that shipbuilding is not a quarterly business cycle—it is a national undertaking that requires decades of commitment and popular support.
Most Americans don’t spend much time thinking about maritime strategy, but they understand rising prices, supply chain disruptions, and economic instability. The connection is straightforward. Ninety percent of global trade moves by sea. When shipping lanes are threatened in places like the Red Sea or the Strait of Hormuz, costs go up and uncertainty spreads through the economy. A strong Navy helps prevent that.
The opportunity in front of us is real. Political support exists. The strategic case is clear. The resources may finally be available.
But moments like this don’t last forever—contracts must be awarded, procurement must accelerate, and the bureaucracy must match the urgency of the political rhetoric.
History is full of examples where America recognized a challenge, talked about it extensively, and then moved on before the hard work was done. If the Navy, Congress, industry, and national leaders fail to turn today’s momentum into actual ships, shipyards, and sailors, we may look back a decade from now and realize we had the support, the resources, and the warning signs—and still missed our chance.
The question is no longer whether America needs a larger Navy.
The question is whether we have the discipline and urgency to build one while we still have the opportunity.
Chris Servello is a retired naval officer, co-founder of Provision Advisors and co-host of the award winning maritime podcast CavasShips