(NationRise.com) – Experts are sounding the alarm about the direct impact that President Joe Biden’s policies have on the US Navy.
The Navy has faced a series of problems in recent years related to ship production. Reports continue to show that the Navy’s shipbuilding efforts are behind schedule across the board. Even worse, new ships that were supposed to have already been deployed won’t be delivered for several more years. As a result, some believe the military will likely face a significant national security risk in the near future.
Further, a series of budget requests passed down by the Biden administration have resulted in delays to modernization efforts, reduced procurement requests, and the premature retirement of several ships. The current budget calls for 19 more ships to be decommissioned. Those vessels include powerful nuclear-powered submarines and guided-missile cruisers. Meanwhile, it will only allow six new vessels to be built. Analysts are calling the looming shortfalls the “Terrible ‘20s.”
Representative Ken Calvert (R-CA), who serves as chairman for the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said he is concerned about the Navy falling behind while noting that it’s already behind. He echoed concerns that ships are being retired faster than they’re being built and delays in the manufacturing of Columbia class submarines that are crucial for success after they’ve already been funded. He said there is no longer a margin for error over the next ten years if the US military hopes to keep up with other countries.
Meanwhile, China continues to expand its navy forces and fleets at a record price. The communist nation has already become the world’s largest shipbuilder. Thomas Shugart, who serves as one of the Center for a New American Security’s adjunct senior fellows, said the scale of their manufacturing is almost hard to fathom.” Experts agree that at the current pace, western naval forces will soon be irrelevant.
China’s shipbuilders are also producing large numbers of trade and commercial vessels. That could give the Communist Chinese Party a significant economic advantage across the globe.
China also recently severed US shipments of crucial materials used to build warships and other critical military infrastructure. Some of these metals remain unknown and inaccessible to the general public, hidden away in classified documents. The Pentagon confirmed the US Defense Department’s plans to expand domestic mining for crucial metals, but setting those operations up could take years in some cases.
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