To Bridge Navy Shortfalls, Analysts Urge Using Japanese and South Korean Yards

Overview

• Breaking Defense contributors propose near-term cooperation with trusted allies to offset U.S. shipbuilding delays and cost overruns highlighted by Navy Secretary John Phelan’s June testimony.
• An immediate expansion of maintenance, repair, and overhaul work in allied yards is urged, citing Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ 2019 USS Milius repair and faster recent turnarounds by Hanwha Ocean and Hyundai Heavy Industries.
• A formal Mine Countermeasures Pact with Japan is recommended to leverage Awaji-class minesweeper expertise and close a persistent capability gap as Littoral Combat Ship fixes lag.
• Authors suggest piloting allied hull production for Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, noting U.S. output of roughly 1.5 ships annually versus Hyundai’s reported capacity of up to five comparable destroyers per year, with final U.S. adaptations on delivered hulls.
• The piece flags Buy American constraints, congressional job concerns, and trust frictions, while noting national security exemptions and the Ensuring Naval Readiness Act now under consideration as potential pathways.