Wicker: Shipbuilding too slow

WASHINGTON, DC – If Congress will pay for it, Navy Under Secretary Thomas Modly “believes” the service could get to a 355-ship Navy by the 2030s. The Navy’s long-range shipbuilding plan hits 355 hulls in the 2050s; and changing that rate is up to Congress. “An acceleration of this plan to achieve 355 ships is certainly possible, but it will require a much more aggressive funding approach and one that must recognize that shipbuilding is just the first step,” Modly stated. The plan as is has drawn the ire of both Republicans and Democrats. The Senate Armed Services’ Seapower Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said the Navy was moving too slow in building ships. After the hearing, Modly said the Navy has evaluated other plans to speed shipbuilding. (Source: USNI News 03/06/18) Gulf Coast Note: Wicker is up for re-election to another six-year term to the Senate this year.