Righting the Ship: Strengthening US Navy Shipbuilding and Ship Repair

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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