▶ 0:30:29>> the committee is receiving testimony on the part or the navy -- posture of the navy. I would like to thank hung cao, admiral daryl caudle, and commandant of the marine corps general eric smtih for their distinguished service and for their testimony early in a classified session.
▶ 0:30:56I want to begin by plotting president trump's fiscal year 2027 budget request. It proposes $65 billion for shipbuilding, to buy 18 bettel force ships and 16 support vessels. It builds directly on last year's substantial increase, including the funding from last year's reconciliation law that jump started procurement for support ships and unmanned naval vessels.
▶ 0:31:27Previous shipbuilding plans were not based on realistic assumptions about industrial base growth and cost reductions. Those plants assumed a world at peace, not one that demands active deterrence. The can was kicked down the road instead of investing in shipyards and workers. The statute requires -- for over a decade the statute has required a 355 ship fleet.
▶ 0:31:59This is the law signed by the president of the united states. No plan in the last decade succeeded even though they promised to build the navy with more than 300 ships. Today we sit at just 291 ships in the fleet. This budget changes that trajectory. Over the next five years it plans more than $50 billion annually for battle force ships, a welcome change from the lovely $30 billion we saw in past requests.
▶ 0:32:2950 billion versus 30 billion. Congress had to add funding every year since 2013 to make up for inadequate shipbuilding requests. I am pleased we may finally enter a period where the budget is adequate and realistic. This is the leadership our navy and industrial base needs. Thank you and congratulations. I must note some concerns.
▶ 0:32:54Current requirements dictate we need their continuous presence of three amphibious readiness groups. Each should be built around a simple formation. One large deck, amphibious worship and two small deck ones. The planned is all I can on the next five years but still le aves 31 amphibious ships, nine short of the three amphibious readiness group requirement.
▶ 0:33:29I am troubled about the reduction to one destroyer per year. The reduction is coming as we will begin retiring large surface combatants. Maybe I should say the reduction would come if that stays the case. Just as we begin retiring large surface combatants, which we will do at an average rate of more than three per year over the coming decade. The math does not add up. The risk to the fleet is simply too high.
▶ 0:34:00Regarding unmanned systems, the navy's commitment is equally inaccurate -- inadequate. Congress invested $5 billion in unmanned systems and last year's defense reconciliation bill. This shipbuilding plan we see a desire to build unmanned vessels at's -- unmanned surface vessel at scale. We see zero funding for small vessels in the procurement of only 10 to 12 medium vessels annually.
▶ 0:34:29Are small and medium shipyards need higher demand than that. I'm puzzled by the department's failure to request funding for the nuclear sea launched cruise missile program. Despite explicit statutory direction to do so in last year's ndaa bill passed by the house and by the senate, signed by president trump as I told the secretary of energy, publicly
▶ 0:35:01Last week, this is a matter of complying with the law. The united states cannot afford to forgo credible flexible response options while at the series nuclear forces grow by the day. We must address any move to outsource shipbuilding to foreign countries, whether modules or entire hulls.
▶ 0:35:27We have yet to see concrete details or proposals for the ndaa and time is running short. I look forward to hearing from witnesses on these issues. We must work together to grow the capacity of our navy and industrial base to deliver the best naval forces for the united states and our contested world. As I mentioned earlier, my colleague, the ranking member, senator reed, has asked us to go ahead.
▶ 0:35:58He will submit his opening statement for the record and we are now prepared to hear opening statements. Secretary cao, you are recognized first and then admiral cay admiral caudle and then general smith.
▶ 0:36:20Asst. Sec. Cao: Thank you for allowing me to testify today. America's sailors and marines are on the front line of freedom and operations to protect our public. Lincoln and bush carrier strike groups are in the arabian sea protecting merchant ships and stopping illicit shipping from a terrorist regime.
▶ 0:36:46Asst. Sec. Cao: Destroyers are protecting our allies in the mediterranean against cruise missiles from iran. In the caribbean, iwo jima's starkey narco terrorism from poisoning americans with illegal drugs. In the pacific, destroyer squadron 7 is enforcing freedom of navigation in the south china sea. At home, we are preparing a 49-year-old nuclear powered aircraft carrier for deployment.
▶ 0:37:14Asst. Sec. Cao: On this on a border are sailors and marines stand watch tonight saying nothing will hurt you on my watch. Four weeks ago, I was tasked by president trump to lead the U.S. navy and marine corps. My priorities are to take care of our sailors and marines, build ships, and protect our homeland. 120 years ago, the great white fleet extended america's reach across the globe. We are at the forefront of history with the golden fleet that renews that maritime dominance.
▶ 0:37:44Asst. Sec. Cao: We have the obligation to give our sailors and marines the best equipment to do their jobs. In our budget of $377.5 billion we are adding four new ships and five unmanned ships. In five years we will add 122 men and 63 unmanned ships. We will add 123 new aircraft and five unmanned ships as well. We are funding the readiness of our fleet to 95%.
▶ 0:38:11Asst. Sec. Cao: We are procuring exquisite munitions to keep forces outside the weapon engagement zone while investing in research and development for the fight of the future. We are increasing our service member pay, increasing family housing, child development centers so the sailors and marines have a safe, clean and comfortable place to live and not have to worry about their families when they are deployed in harm's way. We have greatly exceeded recruitment and retention goals. That is due solely to the shared leadership of president trump and secretary hegseth.
▶ 0:38:42Asst. Sec. Cao: Two weeks ago, I was aboard the gerald r. Ford, the winston churchill and uss bainbridge returning from the 11 month, deployment in two theaters. I don't believe the fake news that claims food shortages, backed up toilets and low morale. What I witnessed were motivated yet professional young americans pushing the boundaries of performance for their country. It's imperative we passed the budget.
▶ 0:39:10Asst. Sec. Cao: Ship construction -- while industrial base atrophied come up america's competitors grew stronger and threatened sovereignty. Their plan has one goal. Total global domination. One thing stands in their way, the united states of america. The navy and marine corps are the 911 force capable of being anywhere as a carrier strike group or marine air ground task force with overwhelming firepower as we saw an absolute resolve and epic fury.
▶ 0:39:40Asst. Sec. Cao: A year ago I testified in my confirmation before this body that I would create the most lethal navy marine corps team the world has ever seen. I will keep that promise, having warned the cloth of our nation for 32 years, most of which was in combat. I do this because I will not allow my oldest son who will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the marine corps in three days to go to war the way I did, without the equipment we needed. I will not allow this or any of america's sons and daughters.
▶ 0:40:11Asst. Sec. Cao: They signed a blank check to this nation up to and including their lives and we owe it to them to do our due diligence to find a historic budget that will care for them and their families while giving them all the tools that they need. I have seen firsthand what communism and authoritarian regimes have done to thriving nations. Members of my family were murdered by communists. In 1975, we had no flag to stand under or country to call our own but united states us hope and a future.
▶ 0:40:39Asst. Sec. Cao: I have dedicated my adult life to defending this nation under god so this would never happen. My children, your children, or grandchildren. Thank you again for your time and this opportunity to testify before you. I am ready to answer your questions.
▶ 0:40:53Chair Wicker: Thank you, secretary cao. Congratulations on your son. I think I know where you will be three days from now. I am sure you are as proud of him as I was to see my son commission. Admiral, your opening statement.
▶ 0:41:16Adm. Caudle: Good morning and thank you for the opportunity to testify on the posture of the united states navy. I'm honored to be doing the actors secretary the navy hung cao, good friend general smith. 'we appreciates the committee support for sailors, marines, workforce and their families and the resources you provide to defend our nation.
▶ 0:41:42Adm. Caudle: This past year our navy celebrated 250 years of seapower. Our founding fathers would scarcely recognize the modern fleet. Ballistic missile submarines deterring strategic attack, nuclear powered aircraft carriers projecting power across the globe, and a domain naval force delivering lethality of scale. While the platforms have changed, one truth is not. The sailor is our greatest competitive advantage in the heartbeat of our fleet.
▶ 0:42:13Adm. Caudle: This july, our nation's 200 50th birthday, our sailors will carry that legacy forward wherever our nation requires presence, power, and resolve. Since assuming the duties of the chief of naval operations I have been focused on one central objective. Ensuring the navy never loses.
▶ 0:42:32Adm. Caudle: In february, released the navy fighting instructions which is designed to operate operationalize my priorities, and provide clear guidance on how we will build, generate an employee naval combat power for the conflicts we must be prepared to win. These reflect the simple reality.
▶ 0:42:52Adm. Caudle: The navy's value is indecisive combat power from the sea with tailorable formations, sustain them forward, and deliver lethal effects across every domain at the time and place of our choosing globally. Operation epic fury is proving in real time what the navy delivers. Forward persistent combat power from the sea. Sovereign options, independent of base.
▶ 0:43:22Adm. Caudle: Survivable and resilient under pressure he can strike decisively. That is our differentiated value on full display. To preserve the advantage we are executing a head strategy to ensure the fleet we build today is ready for the fight we face now and adaptable and scalable to the one we will face tomorrow. That strategy is realized through the golden fleet initiative. A fleet design that blends higher and lower income battens integrates robotic and autonomous systems, and enables scalable formations to outpace emerging threats.
▶ 0:43:53Adm. Caudle: This increases our ability to scale combat mass, distribute risk and maintain escalation dominance against the operational challenges are combat and commanders phase globally. It requires integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, directed energy, and containerized systems as operational capabilities that expand our reach, persistence, and lethality across our killed chains and kill webs.
▶ 0:44:19Adm. Caudle: Our budget request is strategy driven and aligned to the department of the navy's priorities and objectives of the national defense strategy. Leveraging the concepts outlined in the united states navy fighting instructions to ensure our investments directly strengthen the foundry, fleet, and the way we fight.
▶ 0:44:39Adm. Caudle: It reflects disciplined choices to ensure we first always field a credible and highly advanced give -- effective deterrent and second, the right capabilities that preserve our were fighting advantage. To do that we focus on four priorities. Sailors first. Quality of service is not a luxury. It underwrites combat readiness and must be the prosperity. The founders -- foundry's where combat power is forged.
▶ 0:45:10Adm. Caudle: A hollow navy. Third is the fleet. The fleet is the most flexible and decisive military instrument of national power. We must field the right mix of forces to realize the golden fleet's full potential through a smart application of the head strategy. Fourth, the fight. Winning will depend on the strength and adaptability of our killed chains and kill webs.
▶ 0:45:33Adm. Caudle: From robust counter targeting to leveraging new stealth technologies to an abundance of long-range musicians to enhance mission command, we must integrate and stigmatize our capabilities seamlessly whether joint force teammates or partners and allies. It's the honor of my lifetime to serve as your chief of naval operations. With your continued partnership we will ensure that U.S. navy remains the most capable, most ready and most lethal maritime force in the world.
▶ 0:46:02Adm. Caudle: I look forward to your questions. Thank you.
▶ 0:46:04Chair Wicker: General smith, you are recognized.
▶ 0:46:06Gen. Smith: Good morning, chairman wicker. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored to appear today alongside acting secretary cao and admiral caudle. I would like to recognize the significance of this year's budget. It is a generational investment that supports the marine corps's top four areas. Restoring a 3.0 amphibious ready group marine expeditionary unit presence. Two, theater.
▶ 0:46:38Gen. Smith: Three, increasing lethality, and forth is maintaining a lethal force. Restoring the amphibious ready group is our northstar. That keeps me up at night. It consist of three continuously forward deployed ready group teams. One on the east coast, one for the west coast and one in okinawa, japan. Each embarked on three amphibious warships.
▶ 0:47:03Gen. Smith: The arm of the amphibious ready group is the most agile, versatile, and responsive formation of the joint force, hands down. It is our nation's leaders sustaine forward posture. Today we have an amphibious ready group and its strategic value is clear.
▶ 0:47:27Gen. Smith: The 22nd marine exhibition erie unit is combating narco terrorism and the 30 terrorism and the 31st are providing operational flexibly to maintain security and stability in the middle east and in the pacific. -- indo pacific. We need to enhance our amphibious worship readiness and increase our force. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the secretary of war, acting secretary the navy and my shipmate daryl caudle for their unwavering support.
▶ 0:48:02Gen. Smith: Our second focus area is setting the theater. We are committed to protecting our interests, deterring adversaries, reassuring allies and creating more agile and resilient global sustainment network. One that seamlessly integrates with the joint force.
▶ 0:48:19Gen. Smith: To achieve this we are insuring an optimized force posture while also investing in mobility, pre-positioning equipment and supplies and digital manufacturing and enhanced installation resilience. We are refining our approach to logistics, prioritizing speed and adaptability to generate interesting forces. The third area is accelerating modernization and lethality. Force design underpins everything we do.
▶ 0:48:50Gen. Smith: We remain committed to modernizing everything from our marine expeditionary units to marine exhibition erie forces, focusing on precision fires, air defense, unmanned systems, resilient command and control and electromagnetic warfare. We are gaining momentum but we have to accelerate to ensure our marines are more lethal, survivable, and resilient. Finally, we are building and sustaining a lethal force. The quality of life of the marines and their families directly impacts readiness, retention, and lethality.
▶ 0:49:21Gen. Smith: We are to liberally in marines and their families to improve living conditions, institutionalized marine corps total fitness, and is your support for family resources. Before I close I want to take a moment to recognize members of this committee and other committees with jurisdiction of the national defense you will be retiring. On behalf of all the marines, we thank you. Thank you for your leadership and most of all for your partnership. Your constant and steadfast support has insured readiness of your marine corps. We wish you the very best in the next chapter of your service.
▶ 0:49:52Gen. Smith: I would like to close by stating your marines are ready. Your core is a globally responsive, lethal, combined arms naval exhibition reports that is capable of rejecting power from sea to land and from land to sea, and maneuver across multiple domains and contested environments to deter, deny, and defeat actors. Thank you for your trusted support and I look forward to your questions.
▶ 0:50:16Chair Wicker: Secretary cao, I'm sure you are very proud and pleased to be supported by the gentleman on your right and left. General smith, you mentioned the 3.0. We will not be able to sustain that arbery? -- sustain that, are we?
▶ 0:50:40Gen. Smith: No, we will not. That will take years of steady predictable funding from this body, from the congress to make sure we have a sufficient amphibious force to meet at 3.0.
▶ 0:50:54Keep Chair Wicker: Be more specific. Tell us what you need.
▶ 0:50:58Gen. Smith: We have 31 amphibious now think it's closer to 40.
▶ 0:51:04Chair Wicker: Again, thank you for identifying that. Just be aware that we want to help. Let's talk about unmanned systems, admiral, then maybe back to the general.
▶ 0:51:22Chair Wicker: The reconciliation bill last year invested $5 billion to unmanned systems in the navy, including $2.1 billion for medium unmanned surface vehicles and $1.5 billion for small unmanned surface vehicles. The fy 27 shipbuilding plan said the navy is "aggressively pursuing" please unmanned systems and has committed to build that scale.
▶ 0:51:53Chair Wicker: -- at scale. The budget has no funding for small and procures between 10 to 12 manned annually in future years at a cost of 600 to $800 million. -- $600 million $800 million. Is there a gap between rhetoric for unmanned systems in the budget, admiral?
▶ 0:52:18Adm. Caudle: Sir, I don't think so. You look back, fy 25, based on my notes, we are talking about my notes, we are talking abou $360 $t 360 small and into surface and we had about three times that.
▶ 0:52:41Adm. Caudle: Then we dropped that down and fy 27 and I think it is smart why prioritized effort and funding towards the medium unmanned surface vessels. From the navy perspective, they take longer. They are significant. I can put containerized payloads on it and we are all had flank on building those containerized payloads.
▶ 0:53:06Adm. Caudle: They range from deception to fires to drone swarms to array systems. In the unmanned space, I think we have looked hard at that balance and try to get that right. Can additional funding to do more in the small surface attack vessels? Sure, it could. We discussed in the classified section the concept of deployment is under development.
▶ 0:53:37Adm. Caudle: How we actually bring that capability to bear --
▶ 0:53:39Chair Wicker: We are not ready to use that many small suvs?
▶ 0:53:51Adm. Caudle: We are always ready to launch them and ready for them to go do their thing within the range that they would do that, which is the sustainment of how long they last at sea. In the concept of employment against high-end threats, our ability to have those staged and ready to be brought to bear from good solid concepts of deployment, employment and operations, we need more work. As a command and control and out. We just did of the U.S.
▶ 0:54:24Adm. Caudle: We just did of the u.sv's. To do it the way we do it in the navy in a sustained way we are still early in that stage.
▶ 0:54:30Chair Wicker: Let me move to general smith. What is the marine corps planed to do with unmanned systems?
▶ 0:54:37Gen. Smith: We are focused on small drones, swarming drones, using them as an extender of our infantry battalion range. With the small uis having hand thrown or manned portable drones that it can be used as a munition to extend the lethality and range of our infantry battalions. That is our primary focus on unmanned systems.
▶ 0:54:59Chair Wicker: Is there enough in the pipeline on the way at the moment?
▶ 0:55:06Gen. Smith: There are not. We can't go fast enough. We can't get tied down to one manufacturer. That we can procure them from across the spectrum because our multiple companies that make a one-way attack drone. We just have to get the budget we need to procure them and then go out and procure them without having all the red tape we have had in the past to get after procuring from multiple vendors without getting vendor lock.
▶ 0:55:35Chair Wicker: We will need to amplify that in your response to written questions. Thank you both. Senator reed, you recognize.
▶ 0:55:46Sen. Reed: Thank you very much, Mr. chairman. Gentlemen, thank you for your testimony and also for your service to the nation in many different capacities. Secretary cao, the latest update from the navy about two weeks ago was that the contract negotiations with the virginia block six, 10 boats.
▶ 0:56:17Sen. Reed: For the columbia build, two boats from fy 26 to 2030, are close to being finalized. What is the status of this contract? When will they be completed?
▶ 0:56:31Sec. Cao: Thank you for the question. We are still trying to rate the block buys and the actual production of the submarines. That's why vice admiral goucher has been charged of the -- everything is aligned. He has all the authorities and everything he needs to make these things happen and move and accelerate the production. I will turn it over to admiral caudle to tell you are planned for the session.
▶ 0:57:00Adm. Caudle: We need to get the contract done. We want to make sure what is baked into it, the lessons we learned on contracting strategies that we have not always been in the right position to have the right oversight and the right incentives and the right mechanisms to get them delivered on time. There has been a thoughtful approach.
▶ 0:57:25Adm. Caudle: The secretary of war's team and the navy's team to get that right. It will be made. We are making sure we get that contract language correct, sir.
▶ 0:57:39Sen. Reed: I appreciate that. I had an opportunity to go out to the point. I believe retired admiral mckee is there and doing a very good job. The sooner we get the contract in and the company can keep proceeding ahead much more rapidly than before.
▶ 0:57:59Adm. Caudle: I don't want to take up more of your time but it adds to our ability to actually execute our budget that we have from fy 26 in the one big beautiful bill as well. We are trying to get that done so we have high execution numbers on both of those.
▶ 0:58:14Sen. Reed: Thank you, sir. Another issue for the industrial base program, the supply chain, workers, all those things. The budget request is for $788 million for the submarine industrial base. Another in the reconciliation column.
▶ 0:58:43Sen. Reed: There's always an issue whether or not the reconciliation becomes reality. What would happen if that was not available?
▶ 0:58:56Sec. Cao: This is why we need the whole bill. $1.5 trillion for the department of war but $733.5 billion for the U.S. department of the navy. We are prioritizing everything right now. Everything is a priority because we need unmanned systems and submarines and ships. We get auxiliary ships. We need quality of life for sailors and marines.
▶ 0:59:25Sec. Cao: That is why we need this as one bill or two separate bills. To us, we are agnostic to it. We just need to move forward.
▶ 0:59:34Sen. Reed: You want the money but I would rate the possibility of getting the president's budget as higher than another reconciliation bill. You might have to plan for accommodating that situation. It would be worthwhile to do so. Fleet readiness. We talked about this in closed session.
▶ 1:00:01Sen. Reed: In the open session you can always do something to improve readiness, even in the call must have moments. Can you give us an idea of the steps you are taking now?
▶ 1:00:15Adm. Caudle: Readiness across the typical acronym pesto, people, equipment, supply, sustainment, training, and ordinance. This budget funds are readiness accounts the 95%. I had to work very hard to figure out the takes to get to that level.
▶ 1:00:38Adm. Caudle: Ship operating costs, ship depot, air operations, paying manpower bills, and forcing -- enforcing ordinance. It is generational to ensure we don't have a hollow navy and have a ready navy.
▶ 1:00:55Adm. Caudle: There are all types of initiatives we have from record recruiting to the works we are doing with vendors to ensure we are moving ordinance production to make sure the models are delivering the navy for what we can give to our combatant commanders. I'm happy with the levels we have baked into this budget.
▶ 1:01:13Sen. Reed: General smith, I will catch you in the second round.
▶ 1:01:17Chair Wicker: Senator fischer.
▶ 1:01:20Sen. Fischer: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Secretary, I agree with the opening comments. I was disappointed to see the fy 27 budget did not include funding for seleka men. Adversaries are not hesitating to expand their nuclear arsenals. The navy must prioritize to meet the statutory deployment date of 2032.
▶ 1:01:50Sen. Fischer: I am hopeful this will be corrected. Admiral -- I have an atom home -- an adam at home. How's the navy improving the columbia program?
▶ 1:02:10Adm. Caudle: Can I give you one sentence on that? I looked at this hardwood johnny wolf, admiral wolf. The money in the one big beautiful bill and the fy 26 budget, $2 billion, is the right, the money that we have currently that can be executed with fiscal responsibility. I think fy 28 you will see an additional ask. In the phasing of that money, that is what he thinks needs to be done.
▶ 1:02:39Sen. Fischer: My concern is that not on your part, and is not on admiral wolf's part. It is congress where we seem bound and determined to move forward with continuing resolutions, which you and I both know is to the detriment of the defense of this country.
▶ 1:03:06Sen. Fischer: If the money is not put in, the budget request, and not part of the appropriations process, you are behind the eight ball to begin with. You are behind that and not able to meet what is required of you when it comes to slick amend.
▶ 1:03:25Sen. Fischer: I want to make sure the funding will be there no matter how this congress may act and enable the department and the department of the navy to be able to meet their obligations under the law and for the defense of this country to give our combatant commanders the opportunity to present the president with the options that he needs. That is why I am requesting that.
▶ 1:03:57Sen. Fischer: Am I going to be doctor all the time I just took?
▶ 1:04:01Chair Wicker: Absolutely.
▶ 1:04:02Adm. Caudle: We are on the same page. We want to deliver this.
▶ 1:04:06Sen. Fischer: I know you do, but in looking at the realities I f■ace in the political world and what happens here in congress. Tell me what's happening with the columbia class.
▶ 1:04:19Adm. Caudle: 18 months off plan. Working hard to get it delivered in 2028. That is our goal. As we talked about under new leadership on how we are putting heat and light on the project is through admiral goucher. The p.a.d. Undersecretary cao. -- under secretary cao.
▶ 1:04:49Adm. Caudle: A visit at quantum point where the super modules are in place. We are at the final stages of putting the super modules together. We are trying to knock down barriers that have historically prevented us from getting that done. Some things on new technologies we are bringing to bear of how we are doing nondestructive testing and the off-hours and bringing in more robotic welding, improving artificial intelligence utilization to improve workflows and management of actual technical work documents. There's a lot going on.
▶ 1:05:20Adm. Caudle: Hiring is a big initiative to make sure if workforce is in place and the development of the workforce to make sure we have no chinks in the armor as we move forward on the delivery timeline.
▶ 1:05:31Sen. Fischer: Can you give me an update on the navy's efforts to extend the hulls of the ohio class submarines?
▶ 1:05:45Adm. Caudle: We were looking at the number between four and five of these pyres, post inactivation restricted availabilities. The plan has changed and we will do one for sure. We have confidence now because of the work we have done to look hard at the ohio class. What we will learn during that one will allow us to target any additional ones we need to do without necessarily having to do the pyro.
▶ 1:06:14Adm. Caudle: We will utilize the one to learn from that and then scale that across the number we need to make sure we have a clean make before break transition between ohio and columbia.
▶ 1:06:25Sen. Fischer: Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 1:06:27Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator king.
▶ 1:06:33Sen. King: I also want to congratulate you on your son's commissioning. You are a great american story and I appreciate your presence here today. I want to start with -- I woke up a month ago to one of the press conferences of secretary hegseth and admiral cain -- general caine. General caine said the following. I perked right up. When we talk about an american destroyer, it's important you and the american people understand their capabilities.
▶ 1:07:05Sen. King: And arley burke destroyer is the background -- backbone of the surface fleet. This chart illustrates that. When the fire bell rang in the middle east, it was a destroyers and answered the call. There are 11 now in the vicinity of iran. Also in the med and pacific. It is the backbone of the fleet. I don't have to assert that. That is what general caine said.
▶ 1:07:35Sen. King: These ships are armed to the teeth with surface-to-air missiles, land attack, cruise missiles, antiship missiles, antisubmarine rockets, five inch guns, extending the reach and capability of every one of these destroyers. The budget only requests one. I don't really understand that. Particularly they will be retirements coming in the future.
▶ 1:08:04Sen. King: If there are three retirements and we are only building one year, we are going into the hole. Every hearing for the past six months talked about rebuilding the industrial base. The only way to rebuild the industrial base is with consistent demand signals.
▶ 1:08:26Sen. King: You can't expect our private sector to make significant investments if they don't know where the next project is coming from or if they will run out of work in a year or two. That is the situation. I hope you will reconsider their request for only one destroyer as we have been doing it over the years. I hope we can return -- this is the year that should be three rather than one. Mr.
▶ 1:08:56Sen. King: Secretary, I hope you look at that. We are talking about the backbone of the navy. These shipyards -- admiral caudle, you have been to bathe, they can't turn off the force and turn it back on again. If the welders leave, they are gone. We have to maintain a consistent work level. Another term for backlog is a consistent demand signal. Mr. secretary, I hope you will take some cognizance of that.
▶ 1:09:24Sec. Cao: Thank you for the question. I am with you. This is the backbone of the U.S. fleet in the workforce. The fact is right now we have 80 ships on contract throughout the various yards. 59 in construction and bath alone. There are 11 destroyers that are on contract for bath alone and seven under construction that we have not begun cutting metal for. We are trying to allow for the industrial base to catch up.
▶ 1:09:54Sec. Cao: I would love to put 10 destroyers in the budget but the fact is I need the industrial base to catch up.
▶ 1:10:00Sen. King: One way is to provide the demand signals so the shipyards can make the additional capital investments, along with the navy, to increase productivity. That is happening at bath. I am there frequently but I think we agree on that. The second part is there is talk around the budget about building ships and even destroyers in japan and korea.
▶ 1:10:29Sen. King: That is the worst idea since the red sox traded babe ruth to the yankees. It just doesn't make sense to be handing over that level of technology even to our allies. I have two reports I went to submit for the record. Both about substantial, even higher backlogs in japan and korean shipyards. I would like permission to put these reports in the record.
▶ 1:10:53Chair Wicker: Without objection. Let's put the chart which you just referred to in the record also. Is there objection? Without objection, that is done.
▶ 1:11:07Sen. King: The idea of building naval ships in a foreign shipyard I don't understand. Every stitch of clothing you have on was required to be made in the usa under the barry amendment. If we require our sailors to wear shirts made in the usa but there ships can be made abroad, that doesn't make sense to me.
▶ 1:11:28Sen. King: I hope we can revisit this terrible idea of talking about building naval vessels abroad, both for the national security point of view but also rebuilding industrial base means providing the demand signal to allow our industrial base to reconstitute itself and meet the demand we are placing on them. I appreciate your work on this.
▶ 1:11:53Sen. King: Admiral, you saw those incredible men and women at bath that are doing -- building the most complex product in america. We want to strengthen their ability to do that, their productivity. That is happening. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 1:12:09Chair Wicker: Thank you for those comments, senator king. Senator budd.
▶ 1:12:16Sen. Budd: , thank you for your service. Admiral, great to see another north carolinian. A question for both you, admiral caudle, and general smith. I visited darpa last week and I learned about their artificial program. What is the navy doing to have enough blood on hand in the event of a large-scale operation or combat operation in the pacific?
▶ 1:12:46Adm. Caudle: I just visited darpa myself not too long ago and got maybe the same brief that you got on the initiatives. This is fs harp. This type of synthetic blood and synthetic platelets they are working on. That is the keys to the kingdom on battlefield survivability. Ensuring we can beat the golden hour across a vast indo pacific. Synthetic blood products is something I'm very interested in.
▶ 1:13:15Adm. Caudle: I don't think we have got it to a place from a perspective of fielding it where we should be. Probably not with enough energy and effort. I know now the director of the health agency, department of health agency. He knows how important it is. You have my commitment to look at this, along with my good shipmate here, eric smith. It's important for keeping his marines alive as well.
▶ 1:13:43Sen. Budd: General, same question but also any policy or research -- resourcing challenges I can help with?
▶ 1:13:55Gen. Smith: On the room temperature blood products, that is the holy room temperature blood products, that is the holy grail of battlefield medicine. When I was shot in 2004, I came close to bleeding out. I was fortunate to be medevaced to a hospital in baghdad and had five units of blood pumped into me. But had I had the ability to do room temperature blood products on the battlefield, I would have been in much better shape. I'm still here, but that is the holy grail of battlefield medicine.
▶ 1:14:20Sen. Budd: Thank you. Secretary cao, general smith, I had a chance to see the cherry point f-35's, and I know their surface to air threat missile trainers seem outdated to be able to replicate modern threats. What is the plan to modernize electronic warfare ranges along the east coast for f-35's?
▶ 1:14:46Gen. Smith: Sir, we have to do that in simulators. We have to increase our simulation abilities and capabilities because once we go into the certain modes of the f-35, you are lighting up like a christmas tree, and the overhead persistent sr by the prc will pick that up quickly. My own aid is an f-35 pilot and can tell you we have to do that in simulation underneath closed doors.
▶ 1:15:15Gen. Smith: We have to get the money for the simulators. We have to get them up to speed. We have to get them to be able to replicate what an f-35 can do in full mode.
▶ 1:15:23Sen. Budd: Thank you. General smith, another question about the marine raiders. Authorized to have 3,337 billets, yet a recent congressional inquiry revealed 2,802 positions are filled, so over 500 short. Are there any production or retention challenges, and how can we help?
▶ 1:15:49Gen. Smith: I don't think there is anything we can do to help that. We are holding our standards high. Our attrition rate through the pipeline is something I am concerned with. I have our commander working mightily on that. We hold a very high standard for those marines, so what we have to do is expend the input to make sure people are not afraid of the standard if you will, they are not afraid to be able to get a higher percentage of people through that because our standard is our standard.
▶ 1:16:20Gen. Smith: I too am concerned about being able to fill the raider ranks but more concerned with making sure the raiders stay the raiders.
▶ 1:16:28Sen. Budd: Thank you for that. Some concern with the counter you a s -- counter uas systems. Protecting our people, that is a no fill mission. How are we investing to prevent an enemy drone strike on our bases?
▶ 1:16:47Gen. Smith: Sir, we are not going fast enough. There are multiple systems we are investing into good after a counter uas system. The small uav's are the primary concerns. Most of them are people flying drones on their own that happen to violate our airspace and we bring them down but we have to do better with joan defender and drone guns. That is something I am working on. We have not found a solution man portable enough because what I don't want to do is train my people up on multiple systems.
▶ 1:17:17Gen. Smith: I want to have a generic system that works both in garrison and in the field. It is something we have not gone fast enough on. The solution is out there. We just have not found it yet.
▶ 1:17:27Sen. Budd: Thank you.
▶ 1:17:28Chair Wicker: Thank you, senator budd. Senator hirono.
▶ 1:17:32Sen. Hirono: Thank you, Mr. chairman. This is for secretary cao and admiral caudle. The navy spent $70 million in planning and design funds over the last several years on this new shipyard waterfront production facility which was to go hand in hand with the new drydock that is being built at pearl harbor only to determine
▶ 1:18:05Sen. Hirono: After spending that much money, recently to determine the original sought was cost prohibitive, which I believe was pretty obvious from the start given that it was planned to go on top of the current site of an existing drydock. The $70 million, I don't think it can be justified.
▶ 1:18:25Sen. Hirono: I just want to ask both of you that, how is the navy going to course correct and ensure we will achieve the optimization and efficiency gains originally envisioned? The idea was to have the production facility near the drydock, but now that is not going to happen.
▶ 1:18:49Sen. Hirono: So how are you going to ensure the supplies that will be needed to do the job on the drydock will be nearby? Do you have a plan for that? Admiral?
▶ 1:19:03Sec. Cao: Senator, we need a forward staging area. Workers in hawaii are probably some of the best shipyard workers out there, so we need to make sure we have the right equipment and the right facilities for them. It is why this study was there, to make sure whether or not it was feasible. We will definitely look at somewhere around there to make this happen.
▶ 1:19:24Sen. Hirono: I am going to want to get a description of what you all intend to do to optimize the situation after spending $70 million, which in my view cannot be justified. For secretary cao, you don't need to answer the particular question. I have another one for you. Dod has a significant number of construction projects in guam, and I know you are familiar with the situation there.
▶ 1:19:53Sen. Hirono: For that, we need to continue to extend the h-2b visas. We keep doing this in short periods of time. The current visa authorization expires in 2029. We are going to need to authorize an exemption. So I would like to know if you would support extending the h-2b visas through 2035.
▶ 1:20:20Sec. Cao: Guam is near and dear to my heart. I am the senior defense official of guam, which is kind of funny because 51 years ago I landed in guam as a refugee, so that is my first taste of freedom in the world. But we do want to extend the h-2b visas. I have been working with your counterparts in the house in order to make this happen, senator, and I hope to have your support as well.
▶ 1:20:44Sen. Hirono: So to 2035?
▶ 1:20:47Sec. Cao: Yes, senator. Around there.
▶ 1:20:50Sen. Hirono: I need some stability here.
▶ 1:20:52Sec. Cao: You are absolutely right. It drives up the cost four times if we do not have the h-2b visas.
▶ 1:20:58Sen. Hirono: Do you agree?
▶ 1:21:02Adm. Caudle: I agree wholeheartedly.
▶ 1:21:04Gen. Smith: Yes, ma'am.
▶ 1:21:06Sen. Hirono: I have a question about the condition of the airfield at joint base pearl harbor. It is in a state of disrepair. For example, 62% of parking spots there cannot support c-17 aircraft.
▶ 1:21:27Sen. Hirono: Given the navy and air force's agreement on a 10 year repair schedule, I would like to get your commitment, admiral, that this agreement will be adhered to and that the navy will adhere to the scheduled repairs on the ramps and execute the plan as agreed to with the air force.
▶ 1:21:48Adm. Caudle: Senator, you have my full commitment on that.
▶ 1:21:50Sen. Hirono: It is a long time coming. Finally there is an agreement. We very much appreciate keeping the schedule. There has been a of emphasis on the negotiation of several leases in hawaii, mainly that involves the navy.
▶ 1:22:09Sen. Hirono: But for admiral caudle, for the army rather, the navy has a very important lease income important lease incin kawaii, and I would like to get your commitment that you will continue to coordinate closely with the state and members of the public, particularly the native community, in negotiating the lease.
▶ 1:22:33Adm. Caudle: Michael commitment on that. It is a world-class operation there. You have my full commitment.
▶ 1:22:39Sen. Hirono: Thank you very much.
▶ 1:22:40Chair Wicker: Thank you, senator hirono. Senator scott.
▶ 1:22:43Sen. Scott: Thank you, chairman. First come I want to thank each of you for your service and the men and women that work with you. Thanks for passing audits. I am a business guy so audits are pretty big. I understand the commitments of that. You just got the job so I am sure you don't have the solution for everything.
▶ 1:23:08Sen. Scott: Talk about what you need to do because the navy is not able to do there is in the marines are able to do theirs. You are on top of it, so how will you get this done?
▶ 1:23:23Sec. Cao: Senator, thank you so much for that question. I have been pushing for the clean audit. We make sure the marine corps met their third clean audit. And for the navy, we are well ahead of schedule. I am talking about months for the working capital fund. We are going to finish the general fund's year, so we will meet the deadlines or exceed the deadline and make sure we do it ahead of time, sir.
▶ 1:23:48Sen. Scott: From auditors, do you have a list of exactly what you need to do?
▶ 1:23:53Sec. Cao: Yes, senator. We have a plan and milestones we are meeting every single day. Looking at the real estate and just quantifying the cost of the land and doing the inventory, we are well ahead of schedule, senator.
▶ 1:24:07Sen. Scott: General smith, you brought up your need for 40 or more amphibious ships to meet the requirements. So, secretary, can you talk about how you are going to get that done, and what is the plan to get that done? As far as I understand, it is still not part of the navy's plan to get to 40 amphibious ships. Can you talk about how you will get there?
▶ 1:24:31Sec. Cao: Thank you, senator. Yes, we have an amphibious services readiness board. They just submitted a report to me which I forwarded to the secretary of war yesterday which plans out there are two courses of action.
▶ 1:24:49Sec. Cao: The course of action we would like to pursue would be being able to extend the ofrp to 60 months, allowing us to have two markup cycles, two integrated training cycles, as well as two deployments for every ship. So for that, we would require 40 amphibious ships. Right now, we are at 31. In the set up right now, we have one lpd per year and an lha with two years to compass this.
▶ 1:25:19Sen. Scott: So how long will it take to get there?
▶ 1:25:22Sec. Cao: Probably until the end, senator. Until the future your development plan, which goes from 2028 to 2032. So 2032, sir.
▶ 1:25:35Sen. Scott: All right. Coming in, you and the prior secretary took over a need to start building ships. Can you talk about how you are going to change to start getting this done? Because the navy has had a very difficult time building ships on budget and on time. Talk about what the plan is to get there.
▶ 1:25:55Sec. Cao: You are absolutely right, senator. Right now, there are 80 ships on contract. 59 in construction alone. We are just not moving fast enough. It is taking six to eight years for us to develop a destroyer. We are looking at various ways to energize and induce more competition to the industrial base. I know we have been told earlier we are buying ships from overseas. We are not.
▶ 1:26:25Sec. Cao: We are looking at whether or not those ships are feasible to work inside our formation, and then what we do is having those shipyards invest in the united states. We will create 549,000 jobs in order to get where we are right now and build ships. That includes pushing the supply chain in the united states in order to make this happen. It is not just about warships. We are talking about merchant ships as well. Right now in the united states, there is only 188 flagged commercial U.S.
▶ 1:26:54Sec. Cao: Ships and 105 U.S. military sealed ships. We need more than that. In fact, the chinese right now have 11,000 merchant ships out there. We are a maritime nation that borders on the atlantic and pacific, and we require this in order to thrive as a nation.
▶ 1:27:10Sen. Scott: Why can't you design a ship in six months? It does not make sense to me. If you have if you h got everybody in a room, I built a lot of stuff in my life but not a ship. Just get everybody in the room and make a decision. We should not be buying expensive stuff, but we should buy exactly what we need. And quit changing it. So it does not make sense to me.
▶ 1:27:37Chair Wicker: Take the time to answer that question, Mr. secretary.
▶ 1:27:41Sec. Cao: You are absolutely right, senator, and this is why we need the golden fleet, which goes from small to large combatants. Small combatants -- we are investing in a chip that has already been planned and built right now, which is the national security cutter. It is already out there and is proven so we would commission the ship and build and and put launchers on there.
▶ 1:28:07Sec. Cao: The hardest thing we have in warfare is the vertical logic system, the replenishment at sea. We have been trying that for years, but in the systems, you can pull those containers on and off quickly. This is why we need the low to high mix of ships because I cannot have a destroyer do everything, like for example the missions down in south america or escorts as well. I hope that answer your question, senator.
▶ 1:28:39Sen. Scott: Six months is a good time to get it all designed.
▶ 1:28:42Sec. Cao: Yes, sir.
▶ 1:28:44Chair Wicker: You may want to follow up with a question on the record. >> thank you for holding this hearing. I would like to thank the witnesses for testifying today and for your service to this country. We appreciate you. I want to talk a little bit about the naval air station and modernization. I see you know a lot about it.
▶ 1:29:11Chair Wicker: Nevada, I will tell everybody who does not know here, is home to the naval air station. Yes, we have a naval base in nevada. We are proudly home to top gun, our nation's premier carrier air wing and seal training centers among other things.
▶ 1:29:26Chair Wicker: As you well know, you nevada delegation has worked closely with the navy, federal agencies, tribal governments, and stakeholders for years to security, and range training complex modernization fy 23 ndaa, expanding the range by over 600,000 acres to be critical national security training needs. So now we are nearly four years into the modernization effort.
▶ 1:29:50Chair Wicker: And I made it clear each time that navy leadership has come before the committee that as part of the deal you struck in 2022 we have to fully and completely compensate those grazing permit holders for their lifetime loss. Because the payments offered to the ranchers in the b 16 range complex completely is missing the mark. The two-year clock prepayments for the ranchers and the b-17 range is done.
▶ 1:30:21Chair Wicker: I am still disappointed there are significant discrepancies to forage and considering the loans of the permitting must be paid because permit razors losses should be treated as a complete loss. It is not a buyout. In many cases in nevada, these are multigenerational families that have been there forever. And they are giving up not just the grazing rights, the livelihood, what their family has done for generation after generation, and giving it up in service to our country.
▶ 1:30:50Chair Wicker: So these nevadans have kept up their side of the bargain and we have to do what is necessary for our aviators and cl teams come as you know, Mr. secretary. It is the best training in a realistic environment so now it is the navy's turn. Secretary cao and admiral caudle , how has the navy assessed and reviewed payments based on the information the team nevada has received to assure every committee is made whole in the process?
▶ 1:31:19Sec. Cao: If I can take two seconds to brag about fallon.
▶ 1:31:22Sen. Rosen: Please.
▶ 1:31:23Sec. Cao: That was built in world war ii when we had to fight two sides, and we did not know if we had to give up one side, we would basically give up the pacific and fight the atlantic, and use bases like fallon on the other side of the mountain to do a counterattack to take back california. That is really the history of the base. Right now, everything right now, ever every single carrier goes out there to train. That is how we were able to do operation fury and absolute resolve so well.
▶ 1:31:54Sec. Cao: Fallon has done a lot of things over the years. I remember from back in the day the solar panels all around the bases in order to pay back to the city to export the energy out there. We have been in negotiations with the ranchers. Again, I have a fiduciary responsibility also to the united states navy to make sure we get the best deal for us as well. I would love to come out there and visit the base one more time.
▶ 1:32:22Sec. Cao: Again, right around the atv, slapping c4 on all of those unexploded munitions and blow them up, I will be out there with you.
▶ 1:32:29Sen. Rosen: Perfect. We have a bunch of other things. I will have the admiral speak to this too. We have other roads out there that have to be moved around. We have some flooding issues in the b-16 range. I welcome you to come to my office. You can discuss it at length. You know it well and we could get going moving forward. Please come admiral.
▶ 1:32:51Adm. Caudle: Senator, I am committed to doing what is right by the ranchers there. These things are delicate, and they have both sides and there are rubrics on how we analyze these things. Things from outside of my language. You have my full support on the importance of fallon. It goes without saying. We have worked really hard they are to deliver a quality of service improvement there. The housing there is a challenge.
▶ 1:33:19Adm. Caudle: I think it is 172 military homes that need to be completed there.
▶ 1:33:24Sen. Rosen: And we need even more than that. We need infrastructure as well.
▶ 1:33:27Adm. Caudle: The demand is outstripping our supply. Yes, ma'am.
▶ 1:33:32Sen. Rosen: Our men and women who work out there and their families, they are having to live one hour away in reno, where is already short. There is a lot to do. I would love for you to come talk to my team and we can review that and continue to move forward and keep fallon as an amazing place as it is. Thank you.
▶ 1:33:50Chair Wicker: Thank you, senator rosen. There is a vote going on on the floor. I think we can conclude within time. Senator banks.
▶ 1:34:00Sen. Banks: Admiral caudle, secretary cao, I want to start with thanking the both of you for assigning at navy base of indiana by the end of the fiscal year. This is a really big deal for indiana, for crane, and I think for the country. A game changing moment for crane to help accelerate and field slcmn. Secretary cao, can you elaborate on the strategic importance of this move?
▶ 1:34:29Sec. Cao: Thank you, senator, for the question. Again, this is so important to us. A missile that cannot stop, that can go from here to california in 16 seconds can be launched from a ship that cannot be seen from the air. This is exactly what we need. Or from a submarine. As well as slcmn. We talked before about having the strategy, having slcmn on a submarine.
▶ 1:34:57Sec. Cao: Instead of 14 ballistic missile submarines, we add the other 48 attack submarines as part of the arsenal for strategic strikes as well. The only way to accelerate this program, make it go faster is to put an admiral there that will have oversight of these programs, sir.
▶ 1:35:12Sen. Banks: Admiral, anything to add?
▶ 1:35:16Adm. Caudle: Thank you for your persistent leadership for advocating for crane. It is a one-of-a-kind facility out there that does things for slcmn as we discussed. Missile electronics, radar electronics, system integration, the logic systems we have to do to launch slcmn and cps, all of that technology is at the heart of crane. Putting flag leadership out there really gives an opportunity.
▶ 1:35:48Adm. Caudle: The command and control structure of how that is being overseen. While the first step has been done to commit to the new flag officers, there is work to be done to land on what that organizational structure can be in the future to be most effective.
▶ 1:35:58Sen. Banks: Secretary cao, talk about secretary hegseth, president trump, and your vision to move more program offices closer to where the programs are administered across the board. How is this good for the navy?
▶ 1:36:13Sec. Cao: Senator, again, it is one of those things, leadership by presidents. You have to walk and be there. Not everyone has a gulfstream to fly around so it is best to have them write their at the site -- right there at the site. Just to look at ship production, nuclear aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines.
▶ 1:36:40Sec. Cao: This is why we have to have leaders right where they are, to motivate and push industry and pushover civilians too.
▶ 1:36:46Sen. Banks: Thank you. Thank you Mr. secretary for your leadership in deploying the ship os throughout the country. Ship os is exactly the kind of modern ai enabled software infrastructure that our shipbuilding industrial base needs. What is your vision for scaling ship os across the fleet beyond submarines and the broader shipyard enterprise?
▶ 1:37:10Sec. Cao: Senator, the fact that we are still going on clipboards and excel spreadsheets and foremen going down the line, I need two guys that can weld today. We need somebody that can do the gas reengineering. It just does not work that way.
▶ 1:37:30Sec. Cao: It is best to use these ai systems in order to drive efficiencies and streamline processes so we can get our ships out in time, so we can get our destroyers out faster than six to eight years. We need to develop them within two years because our fleet needs it and our country needs it.
▶ 1:37:47Sen. Banks: I know you are hitting the ground running and new in the acting role. Hopefully in the permanent role soon. We funded ship os in the big beautiful bill well over -- it was a year ago. What is the hold up? What is taking so long? What are the obstacles with fully accelerating the expansion of ship os?
▶ 1:38:10Sec. Cao: Sir, a lot of the money I know you funded a year ago. We just got the money right now. We are at 19% execution. By the end of july, we will be at 63% execution for all the money we process. By september, we will be at 98%. It is just a matter of getting the money in time and on time. This is why shutdowns and continued resolutions do not help us. It just delays everything.
▶ 1:38:41Sec. Cao: It is like the accordion effect. When running information, one person speeds up and slows down, it causes that. Exactly why we need this full build in order to pay for it and take care of the name recourse r.
▶ 1:38:53Adm. Caudle: One thing that is key to this is the palantir system has to tap authoritative data sources and those things are disparate. All over the map on our data strategy, so getting the connections to the data sources we can rely on so we can see ourselves through these types of ai technologies. We are moving out at speed just like the secretary said.
▶ 1:39:15Sen. Banks: That is helpful. Thank you.
▶ 1:39:17Chair Wicker: Senator kaine.
▶ 1:39:21Sen. Kaine: Thank you. To the committee, a complement on the timing of this hearing. The pri love that order. In past years, we have done posture hearing before we had the budget or shipbuilding plan. This year, we have timed it right, which means we can do what we need to do. Secretary cao, I will ask you a question I had not intended to ask.
▶ 1:39:47Sen. Kaine: But in your verbal testimony, you said something that perked my ears up because I did not remember it from your written testimony. I went back and looked at the written testimony, and I think you added something. You were talking about deploying recently with the three carrier strike group and how proud you are and we are of their service. And then you used this line "do not believe the fake news that claims food shortages, backed up toilets, and low morale." my ears perked up at that.
▶ 1:40:18Sen. Kaine: Particularly the subject of backed up toilets. It has been widely reported by the navy times and military times, by bbc, and npr that there was a problem with backed up toilets on the ford. It had actually been predicted in a gao report done in 2020 that the design of the plumbing system on the ford was insufficient for 1000 sailors and could lead to problems.
▶ 1:40:46Sen. Kaine: We also have a lot of constituents in virginia who are connected to the ford. We have heard this from constituents. Are you saying that ship I could, Mr. chair, I would like to introduce one of the articles for the record. The navy times, the nagy's largest ship continues to be plagued by plumbing issues.
▶ 1:41:05Chair Wicker: Without objection.
▶ 1:41:07Sen. Kaine: Are you saying that these public reports and our constituents and the gan constituents and the ggao report are lies?
▶ 1:41:18Sec. Cao: In my years in the navy, it would not be a sea story if there was not embellishment. With the food and stuff like that, I was serving these guys food.
▶ 1:41:27Sen. Kaine: Backed up toilets.
▶ 1:41:28Sec. Cao: The committee showed me the backed up toilets. It was next to where the fire was. It has not backed up since. We finished the stuff. Admiral caudle wants to comment on some of these.
▶ 1:41:41Sen. Kaine: I would like him to come of it if somebody tells me that something that is in the record as true is fake news, that is essentially telling me that it is a lie. And it raises honest issues, but it raises another issue. When somebody says a problem is fake news, that makes me think they are not going to fix the problem because they are denying the problem.
▶ 1:42:03Sen. Kaine: Admiral caudle, are we taking steps with respect to the ford and other ships in that category to make sure that the plumbing system is sufficient for the needs of sailors deployed?
▶ 1:42:14Adm. Caudle: Of course, sir. I think what the secretary is trying to get across is it is not a binary state on calling out the article. It is to what ■extent. 5000 sailors a day, flushing the commode at least four times a day at least, over a 10 month deployment. This when it into 11 exactly. That is 6 million flushes. That is a lot of flushes. This is a less less than 1% problem.
▶ 1:42:43Adm. Caudle: It is a significant problem in the heads are down but the time between summary flushing a t-shirt in there, a rag in there, something else that is not supposed to be in by our procedure until again is another couple hours.
▶ 1:42:56Sen. Kaine: Let me say it this way. The reports I read including the when I put in the record, the navy acknowledged it is a problem they are working on. The navy did not say this is fake news or a lie. Acknowledged it was a problem. What is being done right now with respect to future deployments to make sure the plumbing systems on the ford class are sufficient?
▶ 1:43:19Adm. Caudle: I think the plumbing system on the ford class is a good design. We went away from the gravity drain and flushing type system.
▶ 1:43:28Sen. Kaine: Is there any current effort to do improvement or are you 100% satisfied?
▶ 1:43:32Adm. Caudle: I would have to check on the specifics of whether or not there is a limit fact in the volume of certain piping systems that allow a sailor to do something wrong and clog it and take it down and put it out of commission that I can go improve upon. That system is operating in accordance with procedure, then it does not clog.
▶ 1:43:52Sen. Kaine: So would you say the reports of backed up toilets are fake news? Would you use that phrase?
▶ 1:43:58Adm. Caudle: I would say they are highly exaggerated.
▶ 1:44:00Sen. Kaine: That is what you would say. Two last points that I will just make as points. One, 250,000 civilians in the navy, no proposal for a pay raise for civilians. There is a bonus pool. But good proposals for bonus pay raises for sailors. I support that. I worry about when we are increasing the budget from $800 million to $1.5 billion when it is zero pay raise for civilians. I will have other questions for the record. I yield back.
▶ 1:44:29Chair Wicker: Admiral caudle, is there more of a problem on the backed up toilets than usual? I think that is the question.
▶ 1:44:41Adm. Caudle: I think ford has a newly designed system. It does require a tighter adherence to misuse where we would find routinely, you know, underwear, t-shirts, large rags in our sanitary tanks because the previous system would let that go through. It is more susceptible to misuse, like an airplane's vacuum drag system.
▶ 1:45:09Adm. Caudle: Whether or not I can put things in to sailor proof that, I need to talk to the design engineers, but I would say the fact that the time it is off-line, sir, from the time it clogs to off-line is less than a 1% problem of its overall use.
▶ 1:45:22Chair Wicker: Is it fair to say your testimony is that most of the problem resulted from misuse?
▶ 1:45:29Adm. Caudle: There is no question. To the extent we actually started standing a watch in our heads to ensure people complied with the procedures to keep it from being misused. The system again is a vacuum drag system. Whether or not that is robust for sailors, I can look at.
▶ 1:45:48Chair Wicker: Ok. Very good. Thank you for that clarification, and I am sure there will be more discussion. Senator, you are next. >> thank you for being here today. Thank you to everyone sitting here that wears a uniform for entering the call and choosing service as your profession. I greatly respect you for making that choice in your life. Thank you very much, and the american people thank you.
▶ 1:46:17Chair Wicker: As you know, florida is home to several naval installations, including pensacola, jacksonville, key west. Many more support offices across our state. When the average american, and I think many watch these hearings, these open hearings, they think of the navy. The first thing that comes to mind are summaries, carrier strike groups. Oftentimes, people forget the platforms that need to support the navy's missions across the globe.
▶ 1:46:43Chair Wicker: Without proper testing of future systems and prototypes, the navy cannot innovate at a pace it deter our adversaries. In fact, in many of these hearings, many sitting in those chairs will say we have to reconfigure how we do things from procurement to training to keep pace with innovation so we are strategically outpacing our adversaries.
▶ 1:47:06Chair Wicker: At the test and training range, and plays a vital role in that mission and supports the testing and evaluation of weapon systems , unmanned surface, and underwater vehicles, hypersonic platforms, and a wide range of other capabilities that the fleet depends on.
▶ 1:47:22Chair Wicker: At 180,000 square miles of controlled airspace searching from key west north florida, the range is the largest tested training range in the continental united states, and the department of war has identified it as a national military asset that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the country.
▶ 1:47:40Chair Wicker: From hypersonic weapons testing to unmanned systems development to live fire evaluation, work being done on that range directly shapes the lethality of the future navy, and I would argue the future success of our military.
▶ 1:47:56Chair Wicker: Admiral caudle, I would like to start with you and give you an opportunity to speak on the record about the importance of that range, the test and training range, to the navy from your perspective as chief of naval operations. Critical is the range to the navy's testing, developing, and modernization efforts? Specifically, what does that range contribute to the navy that the service could not get or could not get as effectively from any other location in the country?
▶ 1:48:26Adm. Caudle: Senator moody, thank you. You are like pushing an open door here for me on this question. The 96th testing that is there, the joint integration with the air force, collaborative platforms there, we have f-35 charlie training there, eod school, weapons testing is as you laid out, all of those things are significantly important to the united states navy. We have a lot of joint integration that is done there.
▶ 1:48:56Adm. Caudle: Eglin serves a vital role and everything you pointed out to our beginning lethality.
▶ 1:49:01Sen. Moody: As you look to where the navy is going, and certainly we can look at what just happened without imported the navy is, hypersonic, advanced munitions, maritime operations, how essential is preserving the full footprint of that range to delivering capabilities to the fleet?
▶ 1:49:18Adm. Caudle: Like you said, it is a national asset. When you start shrinking these types of ranges down, the ability to conduct maneuvers of these very advanced systems, you will limit me somehow to do real-world testing and resolve most to simulation which does not give us the full answer on our capabilities.
▶ 1:49:36Sen. Moody: I just want to shift over to acting secretary cao. Shifting from capability to policy. Since 1983 and codified by the gulf of mexico energy security act of 2006, the military mission line has served as the boundary protecting the range from encroachment by offshore drilling or oil and gas activity that is fundamentally incompatible with military testing and training. It was reaffirmed in the may 18 report to congress.
▶ 1:50:07Sen. Moody: It was titled preserving military readiness in the eastern gulf of mexico. In that report, the department stated "if oil and gas to extend east of the mml without sufficient limitations or oil and gas activity restrictions we truly agreed by the dod and doi, military flux ability in the region would be lost and the test and training activities would be severely affected. This result will be less prepared and less capable military force.
▶ 1:50:36Sen. Moody: This outcome would be in conflict with the national defense strategy." if that is the department's own assessment and the strategic environment has only sharpened since 2018, even if you fully support the american dominance in energy and exploring all of the available resources to support that mission, how important is it that we maintain and preserve that mml and that testing range?
▶ 1:51:04Sec. Cao: Senator, I spent five years of my career in the panhandle, some of it in eglin. We did a lot of counter U.S. signals. There is a range that we can do a lot of testing and facilitating there, so yes, it is extremely important to the united states navy and to our mission.
▶ 1:51:23Sen. Moody: And that range is incredibly important to the future of the navy.
▶ 1:51:28Sec. Cao: Yes, senator.
▶ 1:51:29Chair Wicker: Thank you, senator moody. Senator kelly.
▶ 1:51:33Sen. Kelly: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Mr. secretary, I want to discuss how we revitalize our maritime industrial base. So the navy's shipping delays, maintenance backlog's and workforce shortages are not isolated problems. They are symptoms of a broader decline in U.S. shipbuilding capacity that has developed over decades.
▶ 1:51:57Sen. Kelly: Meanwhile, china has built a massive maritime industrial base by linking commercial shipbuilding and naval shipbuilding and naval production together. I want to start out with just some basic questions, yes or no. Would you agree that the source of many of the navy's challenges delivering new warships on time and on budget are due to a weakened shipbuilding industrial base?
▶ 1:52:25Sec. Cao: Yes, sir.
▶ 1:52:26Sen. Kelly: Would you agree that looking at the other great shipbuilding powers in the world today, korea, japan, there shipbuilding benefits from having business from both commercial shipowners and military shipbuilding?
▶ 1:52:43Sec. Cao: Yes, senator.
▶ 1:52:46Sen. Kelly: So would you agree the U.S. would benefit from having a viable market for U.S. build commercial vessels, especially since that would mean having a resilient supply chain that could support both commercial and military shipbuilding?
▶ 1:53:03Sec. Cao: Yes, sir. As I said earlier, we only have 188 commercial flagged ships and 105 military ships. We need thousands.
▶ 1:53:13Sen. Kelly: Would you agree that in a major conflict, the united states military depends heavily on commercial seated capacity to move fuel, equipping, ammunition, and supplies overseas?
▶ 1:53:23Sec. Cao: Senator, logistics wins wars.
▶ 1:53:26Sen. Kelly: Would you agree are a current sealift fleet is aging and the united states lacks sufficient domestic shipbuilding capacity to recapitalize that fleet quickly?
▶ 1:53:37Sec. Cao: Yes, senator. Is not just the number of ships. We need merchant mariners as well. That is why we need to push the marine academy, massachusetts, new york, maritime, all of those avenues to get more out there.
▶ 1:53:52Sen. Kelly: Thank you. As a graduate of the academy, I thank you for that.
▶ 1:53:59Sec. Cao: I was not trying to.
▶ 1:54:02Sen. Kelly: Would you agree with a prolonged conflict in the in the pacific, we cannot assume foreign shipyards or foreign controlled shipping networks will remain fully available to the united states?
▶ 1:54:13Sec. Cao: Senator, I think I know where you are going with this. We are trying to bring this to the united states. When I buy my toyota, it is not built in japan anymore. It is built in the united states.
▶ 1:54:26Sen. Kelly: We want them investing in the united states.
▶ 1:54:28Sec. Cao: We want them investing in us, sir.
▶ 1:54:30Sen. Kelly: I agree. Would you agree the capacity is not just an economic issue but a core wartime readiness issue?
▶ 1:54:37Sec. Cao: Yes, senator.
▶ 1:54:40Sen. Kelly: So taken together, would you agree then that as a matter of government policy we should be working to develop such a commercial industry through regulation reforms, tax incentives, and more?
▶ 1:54:57Sec. Cao: We need to pull all levers, senator. That includes, for example, for shipyard builders.there is a lot of people young people out there that went to college hoping to get a job and cannot do anything else. Why can we not freeze their loans for every year they work in the shipyard? These are levers we need to pull as a country to get our industrial base going, sir.
▶ 1:55:20Sen. Kelly: That could be a possible addition to my ships for america act. Because we are trying to strengthen this legislation right now. And it tries to do all these things. I think it is important that we recognize no country has ever become a great shipbuilding power on the backs of military shipbuilding alone. Chinese have learned that lesson.
▶ 1:55:44Sen. Kelly: So, given all that, I am concerned by the growing discussion about outsourcing navy shipbuilding work to foreign shipyards. To be, it risks treating the system instead of fixing the underlying problem. The united states maritime industrial base did not the client overnight. It happened over decades. To be clear, we need to work with our allies closely and partners like japan and south korea to counter china's ship building advantage.
▶ 1:56:12Sen. Kelly: We should also be sharing best practices, deepening repair cooperation, and leveraging allied expertise to cut down on our shipbuilding costs and production timelines come but there is a difference between working with allies and partners to strengthen our industrial base here and becoming strategically dependent on foreign shipyards that could then themselves become vulnerable to chinese attacks in a conflict.
▶ 1:56:38Sen. Kelly: To put a fine point on it, we want to encourage these world-class shipbuilders to come here to the united states and invest here in the united states. That is what the president's maritime action plan and the ships for america act seeks to do. But for these foreign shipyards, if it is a lot cheaper for them to just get paid by the U.S.
▶ 1:57:01Sen. Kelly: Navy to build ships in their existing shipyards, they are probably not going to seriously consider investing in our maritime shipbuilding capability and capacity here. So, I am interested in working with you, Mr. secretary, on this. It is clear to me that it is a national security and economic imperative that we rebuild the maritime industry here in the united states.
▶ 1:57:29Sen. Kelly: It will help the navy, the marine corps permitted and will also create good paying jobs. You referenced young people who can have these great paying careers. Admiral, we can get up to two submarines a year. One of the things that can help is rebuilding the commercial sector. Esther chairman, I am sorry I am over my time, but this is one of my top priorities. And I look forward to talking with you about this with some of my colleagues maybe later this month.
▶ 1:57:58Chair Wicker: Objection to asking -- would you be an objection to asking admiral caudle what he things of your questions?
▶ 1:58:05Sen. Kelly: No objection.
▶ 1:58:06Chair Wicker: Go ahead.
▶ 1:58:07Adm. Caudle: This is a complex topic. I need ships. I need them now. I need capacity. We have workforce limitations here. We have an industrial base that cannot support the load without being creative on modularity and these new construction techniques. This is an all hands on deck thing. What I will commit to is when we look at this and have the money to look at this hard that the secretary, my chain of command will get the best military advice on it.
▶ 1:58:37Adm. Caudle: We start bringing foreign shipbuilding in and foreign ships into the united states navy arsenal, I have to look closely at how we fight that ship, man it, damage control it, the procedures associated with it, the parts support that supply it. It will get a full hard look from me.
▶ 1:58:55Chair Wicker: What about the earlier point of utilizing the commercial shipyards in conjunction with building our military?
▶ 1:59:10Adm. Caudle: We talked about this before. There is no question he is right that when you gain the competency and capacity and the expertise and subject matter expertise of actually building ships in our country, that will translate naturally to a workforce that does it for a living, which will extend by definition over to being able to build more combat ships.
▶ 1:59:31Chair Wicker: You said there is really no question on that. He is right. I want to congratulate both of you for your statements today. Because I think that is an opportunity that somehow we have been missing in recent decades. Senator sullivan, you are recognized for two minutes.
▶ 1:59:58Sen. Sullivan: Thank you, Mr. chairman. Gentlemen, thank you for your service. General, I want to begin with you. I want to commend you and the marine corps for the new marine forces alaska campaign and operation plan. Did a great job up in my state last weekend.
▶ 2:00:26Sen. Sullivan: As you know, as a training rotational force, reserve, active component. So thank you, first of all. A lot of excitement in alaska. This initiative, can you talk a bout it -- can you talk about it, general, and future ops in alaska?
▶ 2:00:49Gen. Smith: Sir, I can. I was taught as a young man that cold makes covereds of us all in the extreme of alaska something we want to train in.
▶ 2:01:02Sen. Sullivan: Very, very cold winter in alaska.
▶ 2:01:05Gen. Smith: It is very cold. The arctic is growing in its importance. It is not decreasing in its importance. The marine corps has to be prepared to operate in this extreme the marine rotational force of alaska and supporting liaison team of alaska keeps marines for an postured and ready for those extreme conditions, and those are expeditionary conditions.
▶ 2:01:29Gen. Smith: Supporting arms liaison team of alaska provides a permanent detachment to integrating with allies and enable rapid expansion. Again, a permanent capable platform to integrate with allies and partners and set the theater because, again, we are very, very close when you get up into alaska. You are very close into the indo pacific theater. You have the reach.
▶ 2:01:58Gen. Smith: Our f-35's love training there and the wide-open airspace. You can do anything there. You can go into wide-open mode and used entire spectrum.
▶ 2:02:07Sen. Sullivan: I appreciate that. I was with a number of the military leadership from the army and air force last week back home, and they are excited about training with the marines in alaska, so I think it will be a great initiative, and I appreciate you working with me and others. General did a great job Mr. secretary, congratulations. I appreciate the hard work.
▶ 2:02:38Sen. Sullivan: Last year in alaska, the community appropriated $115 million to rebuild the navy base , which is very strategic. 1100 miles west of hawaii. A lot of people don't recognize that. Two commanders in testimony here in front of this committee said they strongly recommended reopening that navy base for its strategic location.
▶ 2:03:09Sen. Sullivan: We are up to a strong start with that funding. A lot of partners now. Not just the navy and the marine corps and the coast guard, but the state of alaska is putting in money, the private sector is putting in money. It looks like a real innovative approach. Can you commit to working with me and my team on this initiative? I know we are both trying to get out there soon, you and I, to have you and I walk the ground there. Can you give me the vision?
▶ 2:03:41Sen. Sullivan: It is going well but I think we need top leadership from the navy on this.
▶ 2:03:44Sec. Cao: Absolutely, senator. Thank you for the question. The thing I love most is when we look from a birds eye view on top of the pools how close alaska is to our competitors, whether china or russia. You have always shown that chart of all the sags that go through there.
▶ 2:04:10Sec. Cao: It is undetectable that we do not have the isr along that area. I would love to go to alaska. I just did not want to do it in january because I did not want to get stuck there.
▶ 2:04:21Sen. Sullivan: I will get you there anytime. Let me end here. I will submit a question for the record on the strait of hormuz. Centcom commander testified last week he can give an order led by the marine corps, the navy, by the way.
▶ 2:04:40Sen. Sullivan: But very quickly, the vice chairman in a recent review, the vice chairman of the joint chiefs, validated the 3.0 concept. I think it is clearly proving it's worth throughout the world right now in terms of combat operations. It talked about an actual amphibious fleet of 40 amphibious, and that would be if there was a 36 month maintenance cycle.
▶ 2:05:09Sen. Sullivan: We know that is kind of ambitious. If it is a 44 month maintenance cycle, that number is closer to 47 amphibious. Can I get a number from all of you? This is an important issue for all of us. Why don't we start with you, general smith? Just on the 3.0, are you supporting the vice chairman's review? Mr. secretary and admiral, I would like to get your views on that very quickly as well.
▶ 2:05:34Gen. Smith: The vice-chairman is one of the smartest man I ever met.
▶ 2:05:38Sen. Sullivan: He is very smart.
▶ 2:05:39Gen. Smith: If he says it, you can take it to the bank.
▶ 2:05:42Sec. Cao: I just sent forward my recommendation to the secretary of war for basically the 56 month ofrp, which includes 40 ship.
▶ 2:05:54Sen. Sullivan: Most important become admiral, how about you? 40 amphibious from the U.S. navy.
▶ 2:05:59Adm. Caudle: Fully committed. You got 90 point worldwide and 36 -- you got nine worldwide. It will take the friction to have the persistent 3.0. I think it is a solid number. It is a correct number.
▶ 2:06:22Sen. Sullivan: Thank you.
▶ 2:06:23Chair Wicker: Thank you senator sullivan for that excellent line of questioning. Senator shaheen.
▶ 2:06:29Sen. Shaheen: Thank you all for being here. Secretary cao, I want to begin with you because congress has passed legislation. I know because I was one of the cosponsors. That exempt the four public shipyards from future civilian hiring freezes. Implementation on that has lagged. I raised the opportunity before secretary hegseth when he was before the committee.
▶ 2:06:59Sen. Shaheen: He committed to investigating the hiring delays. For he left, the secretary of the navy committed there would be no further reductions in force at our public shipyards. Can you tell us what the status is on that?
▶ 2:07:12Sec. Cao: Thank you for your question because the workers at the ports of the naval shipyard a the ports of the naval shipyard some of the best in the world. I know there are rumors. We are not playing off all of the workers have been exempt from any cutbacks. We will make sure we do not cut any more workers from there. You have my pledge we will not cut workers from shipyards.
▶ 2:07:37Sen. Shaheen: Thank you. I very much appreciate that. The other question is also an issue that has come up with the shipyard because civilian shipyard workers who were represented by the middle trades council have fired an unfair labor practice with the federal label relations -- labor relations authority related to changes in rent changes in r workplace conditions.
▶ 2:08:01Sen. Shaheen: Adjective order 14251 was cited, which stripped certain federal employees of collective bargaining rights. They have refused to process it despite an existing court injunction on the executive order. In his testimony and in his testimony a in the house, secretary hegseth and has effective efficiency, but he could not articulate any specific examples.
▶ 2:08:29Sen. Shaheen: I would ask you, secretary cao, the same thing. Beyond that, has the navy assessed whether current uncertainty surrounding labor protections will be affecting workforce morale and readiness at our shipyards.
▶ 2:08:46Sec. Cao: Anytime there are rumors of layoffs or anything else, it always affects morale. And workmanship and everything else. We will do everything we can to protect the workers coming apart figures, molders, electricians, everybody that works very hard in the shipyard. We need to get this industrial base going. We need to build ships and need to do it yesterday so we will make sure we will protect our workers.
▶ 2:09:12Sen. Shaheen: I assume the navy will comply with the court order.
▶ 2:09:16Sec. Cao: Senator, if it is court ordered, then we will do our best to comply to it.
▶ 2:09:22Sen. Shaheen: Thank you. My next question is really for both admiral caudle and general smith because what we have seen from the operations in southcom and the middle east is that it has pulled equipment and resources from those arenas and also from the indo pacific.
▶ 2:09:48Sen. Shaheen: So can you talk about how you are addressing readiness given those unexpected operations and what that means as you are thinking about the future? Admiral caudle, I would ask you to go first.
▶ 2:10:00Adm. Caudle: Senator, thank you, and thank you for the advocacy for the shipyard, to state that. The navy is designed to do what we are doing in epic fury. It does go to the well to deliver that combat power for sustained operations. We are built to do that. We will have to have some time to recover post epic fury to rebuild some of that readiness.
▶ 2:10:23Adm. Caudle: But I am in good communication through the chairman and with admiral cooper on any limitations, pushing parts, food, munitions through the theater to sustain operations, and to make sure we are baking in time for sailors and marines to take a knee periodically in those operations so we can sustain that fight. Yes, it is straining. It does distract from conducting some operations in other theaters by its very nature.
▶ 2:10:54Adm. Caudle: But I am fully confident we can continue this the president can do this until he needs not to any longer.
▶ 2:11:02Sen. Shaheen: General smith?
▶ 2:11:04Gen. Smith: The marines like to deploy. We are but on a one to 3, 6 away, 12 home, six away, but capable of operating on anyone to two, six away, six home, six away, six home. We did that in iraq and afghanistan. I get rusty when I stay home too long. We are fully capable of being able to keep up this pace in perpetuity.
▶ 2:11:28Sen. Shaheen: I am almost out of time, but I want to ask a final question about taiwan because, general smith, I recently traveled to taiwan. We had a briefing from the third marine expert sherry force during a stop in okinawa. It was very clear as part of that briefing how critical our presence is.
▶ 2:11:51Sen. Shaheen: One of the things I happened troubled by and I will not ask you to respond to this because I don't want to put you all in a difficult situation, but it was very clear from our time in taiwan, I think that was reinforced by the president's meeting with president xi in beijing, that china still is very much eyeing taiwan. That is one of their priorities.
▶ 2:12:21Sen. Shaheen: Our presence and our support for taiwan is absolutely critical. That is why it is so troubling to me that the president is holding the $14 billion in sales to taiwan that were approved by a notice to congress in january. Mr. chairman, I will not ask for a response from folks, but I do think it is important for us to weigh in on how important providing those sales to taiwan are.
▶ 2:12:45Chair Wicker: Thank you, senator shaheen. Senator peters, have you voted?
▶ 2:12:50Sen. Peters: I have.
▶ 2:12:52Chair Wicker: How is your vote? Getting. -- kidding.
▶ 2:12:58Sen. Peters: It is public. Thank you for your service. General smith come as you know very well, the medium landing ship is going to allow the marine corps to rapidly move equipment, troops, and supplies without needing to rely on existing infrastructure. That will be a central for the marine corps and any potential conflict, but in particular in the indo pacific.
▶ 2:13:26Sen. Peters: So my question for you is, can you share the importance with this committee of the medium landing ship to the marine corps, including your ship requisition plans as well as your desired fielding timeline? I know this is an important project for you.
▶ 2:13:43Gen. Smith: Yeah, I will do the last part first. We need them yesterday. The lsm is our interisland connector. It is what enables us to disaggregate and re-aggregate forces to make ourselves less targetable than we otherwise would be by the prc. Primarily useful in the indo pacific but useful globally. It disaggregate and reaggregate our forces.
▶ 2:14:06Gen. Smith: It moves our medium missile batteries, our radar, and moves them into places that are not otherwise targetable by an adversary. Fixed ports which are all well known. This thing with the shallow beach gradient can get you into multiple smaller ports and complicate an adversary's targeting regime, targeting calculus.
▶ 2:14:29Sen. Peters: I just want to follow. Mr. secretary, as a commandant outlined, the medium landing ship is key to the future of the marine corps. It is absolutely essential as it was outlined.
▶ 2:14:57Sen. Peters: In michigan, they will construct six of the planned vessels in the fy 27 budget. I understand there are additional construction capacity now to not only excel at the program which is incredibly important. They have to maintain their skilled workforce in that part of the country, and if they don't, hard to reconstruct that and we cannot lose those folks.
▶ 2:15:19Sen. Peters: So my question to you, how is the navy ensuring that the landing ship by results and quick acquisition and the four ships can be facilitated?
▶ 2:15:33Sec. Cao: Thank you for the question, senator. This is why we are going with a proven design ship. The marines already walked the ship to make sure it was fit with the marine corps's needs. The first ship will be built in mississippi and the next five will be built and that is why we need to get that echoing.
▶ 2:15:56Sen. Peters: You are committed to making sure that happens, that the marine corps has the tool it needs?
▶ 2:16:02Sec. Cao: Yes, sir.
▶ 2:16:03Sen. Peters: Admiral caudle, as we discussed last year, the university of michigan has the last indolent naval architecture and marine and for structure program at a university in the entire country. The program can also rely upon access to world-renowned researchers and academics and nuclear engineering and industrial operations to support their extensive naval engineering efforts there.
▶ 2:16:31Sen. Peters: So my question for you, sir, what role could the naval architecture program get in mitigating the workforce shortage we are facing now? If unaddressed, it may certainly continue to delay submarine production as well as efforts.
▶ 2:16:50Adm. Caudle: A huge role. We look at workforce shortages. We tended to immediately go to the vocational wage grade blue-collar type jobs which are vital. Electricians, plumbers, welders, ship builders. But to understand how to build and design ships, it is a critical part of the workforce we need at every commercial yard and every guard that builds our combat ships.
▶ 2:17:20Adm. Caudle: As far as it takes so long to design the ship, we don't have folks that can understand what can be done with state-of-the-art computer aided design, manufacturing, software tools, and artificial intelligence to accelerate designs and get them into our people to get them more quickly so this is what we need to expand on at scale. >> how are you working to promote that?
▶ 2:17:47Adm. Caudle: It is part of the industrial base, part of the efforts that the p.a.t. Under sees. Leveraging that. I can talk to him specifically about this one use case, the broader effort. We need to expand that type of stem degree engineering majors in this field to get on top of that on this issue. >> thank you. I would love to talk more about that to strengthen this program.
▶ 2:18:19Adm. Caudle: Thank you.
▶ 2:18:20Chair Wicker: Very important point to end on. Thank you for an excellent hearing. A lot of good information. We stand ready at this committee to help you make a quantum leap. Let us know what you need. >> can I add one more quick thing?
▶ 2:18:43Chair Wicker: Mq-25 reach milestone c which is huge because now we have in-flight refueling that is unmanned. That is something I wanted to bring up at the close hearing this morning. It is a great capability for unmanned aircraft to have refueling.
▶ 2:18:59Chair Wicker: Feel free to expand on that on the record. This concludes the open portion of today's hearing. Thanks to our witnesses. The information and questions for the record will be due to the committee within two business days of the conclusion of this hearing. We are adjourned.