Righting the Ship: Strengthening US Navy Shipbuilding and Ship Repair

February 2025

Past Event

Righting the Ship: Strengthening US Navy Shipbuilding and Ship Repair

Past Event

Hudson Institute

February 19, 2025

Caption: Fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756) prepares to depart the floating dry dock ARCO (ARDM 5) at Naval Base Point Loma, California, on September 4, 2024. (US Navy photo by Aaron T. Smith)

Fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756) prepares to depart the floating dry dock ARCO (ARDM 5) at Naval Base Point Loma, California, on September 4, 2024. (US Navy photo by Aaron T. Smith)

February 2025

Past Event

Speakers:

Hon. Nickolas Guertin

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition

Glen Kim

Director, Naval Affairs and Strategy Development, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries

Brian Holland

President and General Manager, MHI Ship Repair and Services

Greg Little

Senior Counselor, Palantir Technologies

Tom Moore

Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Huntington Ingalls Industries

Paul Clifford

General Manager, General Dynamics NASSCO–Norfolk

Brad Moyer

Vice President, Business Development and Strategic Planning, BAE Systems Ship Repair*

Rob Lehman

Cofounder and Chief Commercial Officer, Saronic

Chris Clark

Vice President of New Construction, TOTE Services

Moderators:

Listen to Event Audio

The United States Navy faces challenges across many of its shipbuilding programs. Thanks to numerous causes, some programs are years behind schedule. At the same time, China is building up its fleet and intensifying threats against US allies. The chief of naval operations and other Pentagon leaders are concerned that Beijing may be preparing to move against Taiwan in the next two years. While the US may be unable to surge production of existing ships by that time, the Navy could increase the number of available vessels by improving ship repair, accelerating new, smaller ship classes, and buying or chartering ships built by shipyards in allied countries.

Please join Hudson Senior Fellow Tim Walton for a discussion with Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition Nickolas Guertin. Following the discussion, two panels of industry experts will address further challenges and opportunities to expand the US Navy fleet.

Agenda

10:00 a.m. | Fireside Chat

Hon. Nickolas Guertin, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition
Tim Walton, Senior Fellow, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology, Hudson Institute

10:30 a.m. | Panel 1: Ship Construction

Glen Kim, Director, Naval Affairs and Strategy Development, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Tom Moore, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Huntington Ingalls Industries
Rob Lehman, Cofounder and Chief Commercial Officer, Saronic
Chris Clark, Vice President of New Construction, TOTE Services

Moderator

Michael Roberts, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute

11:15 a.m. | Panel 2: Ship Repair

Brian Holland, President and General Manager, MHI Ship Repair and Services
Greg Little, Senior Counselor, Palantir Technologies
Paul Clifford, General Manager, General Dynamics NASSCO–Norfolk
Brad Moyer, Vice President, Business Development and Strategic Planning, BAE Systems Ship Repair

Moderator

Tim Walton, Senior Fellow, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology, Hudson Institute

May 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Environmental Agendas, Geopolitical Ends: Climate Policy and Great Power Competition

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

Zineb Riboua

Brenda Shaffer

Sam Cooper

May 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

Environmental Agendas, Geopolitical Ends: Climate Policy and Great Power Competition

To examine this emerging challenge, Senior Fellow Dr. Michael Doran will convene a conversation with Research Fellow Zineb Riboua, Professor Brenda Shaffer—Research Faculty Member at the US Naval Postgraduate School and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council—and Sam Cooper, an award-winning investigative journalist focusing on China-Canada relations.

Featured Speakers:

Michael Doran

Zineb Riboua

Brenda Shaffer

Sam Cooper

Learn More

May 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers

Featured Speakers:

Sarah B. Rogers

Zineb Riboua

Eric Schmitt

Michael Doran

May 2026

In-Person Event | Invite Only

A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers

Please join the Hudson Institute for a conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers and Hudson Research Fellow Zineb Riboua on how the United States is adapting its public diplomacy tools to advance its interests abroad, counter censorship, promote free speech, and leverage artificial intelligence to deliver more effective, targeted messaging.

Featured Speakers:

Sarah B. Rogers

Zineb Riboua

Eric Schmitt

Michael Doran

Learn More

May 2026

Past Event

Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China

Featured Speakers:

Eyck Freymann

Jason Hsu

May 2026

Past Event

Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China

With Jason Hsu, Freymann will discuss how the United States and its partners can adapt to China’s evolving strategy and develop a coherent plan to prevent conflict while safeguarding Taiwan’s future.

Featured Speakers:

Eyck Freymann

Jason Hsu

Learn More

May 2026

Past Event

Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury

Featured Speakers:

Zineb Riboua

Mariam Memarsadeghi

Samira Gharaee

May 2026

Past Event

Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury

Research Fellow Zineb Riboua will discuss how the war is reshaping Iranian society with Mariam Memarsadeghi, who researches civil society, democratic movements, and civic education inside Iran and Samira Gharaei, who reports on political developments and public sentiment across Iranian media.