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Testimony: Navy Shipbuilding: Enduring Challenges Call for Systemic Change

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Opening Statement by Shelby Oakley, GAO Director, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 to the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Seapower.

The Navy has failed to increase its fleet size over the past 20 years--despite nearly doubling its shipbuilding budget. Over this period, GAO has found that the Navy's shipbuilding acquisition practices consistently resulted in cost growth, delivery delays, and ships that do not perform as expected. For example, the Navy's frigate program began construction before completing ship design and expects the first ship to deliver at least 3 years late.

As adversary threats grow, the Navy needs to take a new approach to increase its fleet size. To start, it could apply leading ship design practices used by commercial shipbuilders and address other recommendations we've made over the last decade.