The Shipbuilding Crisis Threatening U.S. Naval Power
Description
On April 22, 2026, Shelby Oakley, Director, U.S. Government Accountability Office, delivered testimony before the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives. We testified before Congress on Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding challenges. Our testimony is largely based on:
• Shipbuilding and Repair: Navy Needs a Strategic Approach for Private Sector Industrial Base Investments
• Offshore Patrol Cutter: Coast Guard Should Gain Key Knowledge Before Buying More Ships
• Navy Shipbuilding: Increased Use of Leading Design Practices Could Improve Timeliness of Deliveries
Additionally, we shared preliminary observations from our ongoing work about the timeliness and cost of Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding efforts, and the shipbuilding trades workforce. Further, we reviewed Department of Defense and Navy investments in strengthening the submarine-building industry and recommended that DOD address issues we found. We also reported on the Navy and Coast Guard's progress in addressing our prior shipbuilding recommendations.
• Shipbuilding and Repair: Navy Needs a Strategic Approach for Private Sector Industrial Base Investments
• Offshore Patrol Cutter: Coast Guard Should Gain Key Knowledge Before Buying More Ships
• Navy Shipbuilding: Increased Use of Leading Design Practices Could Improve Timeliness of Deliveries
Additionally, we shared preliminary observations from our ongoing work about the timeliness and cost of Navy and Coast Guard shipbuilding efforts, and the shipbuilding trades workforce. Further, we reviewed Department of Defense and Navy investments in strengthening the submarine-building industry and recommended that DOD address issues we found. We also reported on the Navy and Coast Guard's progress in addressing our prior shipbuilding recommendations.