Commentary
June 12, 2026
In this handout released by the U.S. Navy, a sailor conducts preflight checks on an F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 87, aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while operating in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2, 2026 in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
7 min read
As Congress debates the 2027 defense authorization bill, the House Armed Services Committee has proposed another study on shipbuilding and acquisition from the Navy. It’s one of a series of studies on the topic. While scrutiny is welcome, and the new request is specific in focusing on the viability of the new proposed nuclear-powered guided-missile battleship, the announcement drew predictable grumbles. After all, the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service, not to mention nongovernmental experts, have identified the same set of structural impediments to shipbuilding for more than 30 years. And during that time, the shipbuilding budget has doubled while the fleet has not grown at all.
