China’s shipbuilding capacity dwarfs America’s.
According to the Pentagon, the Chinese navy will have constructed 440 warships by 2040. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy is unlikely to meet its goal of 355 ships as a result of the severe limitations of current shipyards.
Today’s shipyards also are incapable of effectively maintaining the Navy’s current fleet. Existing proposals fall short of reversing the industry’s decline, which will require increased financial commitment in the defense budget.
Given its long history in the industry and skilled workforce, however, the Gulf Coast has great potential for expanded shipbuilding and ship maintenance.
Within the past few months, a leaked Navy briefing sounded the alarm on the increasingly vast gap between Chinese and American shipbuilding.
China’s shipbuilding capacity is 232 times greater than American…
