WEBVTT

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This morning the committee meets to

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receive testimony on the posture of the

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Department of the Navy . I want to

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thank our witnesses , Acting Secretary

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of the Navy Hung Coo , Chief of Naval

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Operations , Admiral , uh , Darryl

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Caudle , and , uh , Commandant of the

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Marine Corps General Eric Smith for

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being here , uh , for their

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distinguished service and also for

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their testimony early , early in a

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classified . Uh , session , I want to

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begin by applauding President Trump's

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fiscal year 2027 budget request . It

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proposes $65 billion for shipbuilding

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to buy 18 battle force ships and 16

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support vessels . It builds directly on

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last year's substantial increase ,

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including the funding from last year's

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reconciliation law which jumpstarted

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procurement for support ships and

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unmanned . Naval vessels .

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Previous shipbuilding plans were not

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based on realistic assumptions about

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industrial base growth and cost

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reductions . Those plans assumed the

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world at peace , not one that demands

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active deterrence . Um , the can was

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kicked down the road instead of

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investing in American shipyards and

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workers . The statute , the new statute

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requires a 3 , well , let me put this ,

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for , for over a decade , the statute

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has required a 355 ship fleet . This is

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the law signed by the President of the

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United States , but no plan over the

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last decade succeeded even though they

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promised to build a navy with more than

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300 ships . Today we sit at just .

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291 ships in our fleet . This budget

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changes that trajectory . Over the next

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5 years , it plans more than $50

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billion annually for battle for ships ,

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a welcome change from the roughly $30

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billion we saw in past requests ,

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$50 billion versus $30 billion .

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Congress has . Had to add funding every

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year since 2013 to make up for

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inadequate shipbuilding requests . I'm

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pleased that we may finally enter a

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period where the budget is adequate and

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realistic . This is the kind of

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leadership our Navy and our industrial

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base need . So thank you and

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congratulations . However , I must note

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some concerns . Current requirements

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dictate that we need . The continuous

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presence of 3 amphibious readiness

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groups , each should be built around a

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simple formation 1 large deck

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amphibious warfare ship , and 2 small

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deck ones . This plan does all it can

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over the next 5 years but still leaves

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the fleet stuck around 31 amphibious

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ships . This still leaves us

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approximately 9 ships short of the 3

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amphibious readiness group requirement .

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Um , I'm also troubled about the

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reduction to just one destroyer per

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year . The reduction is coming just

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as we will begin retiring large surface

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combatants . Uh , maybe I should say

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the reduction would come if that stays

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the case , uh , just as we begin

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retiring large surface combatants ,

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which we will do at an average rate of

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more than 3 per year over the coming

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decade . That math doesn't add up . The

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risk to our fleet is simply too high .

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Regarding unmanned systems , the Navy's

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commitment is equally inadequate .

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Congress invested $5 billion in

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unmanned maritime systems in last

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year's defense reconciliation bill . In

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this shipbuilding plan , we see a

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desire to build unmanned vessels at

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scale , unmanned surface vessels at

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scale . However , we see zero funding

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for small vessels and the procurement

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of only 10 to 12 medium

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vessels annually . Our small and medium

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medium shipyards need much higher

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demand than that . Um , I'm also

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puzzled by the department's failure to

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request funding for the nuclear sea

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launched cruise missile program .

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Despite explicit statutory direction to

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do so in last year's NDAA bill .

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Passed by the House , passed by the

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Senate , signed by President Trump . Uh ,

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as I told the Secretary of Energy , uh ,

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publicly last week , this is simply a

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matter of complying with the law . The

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United States cannot afford to forego

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credible , flexible response options

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while our adversaries' nuclear forces

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grow . By the day , finally , we must

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address any move to outsource

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shipbuilding to foreign countries ,

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whether modules or entire hulls . I do

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not believe the American people favor

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such an approach . We've yet to see

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concrete details or proposals for the

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NDAA , and time is running short . I

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look forward to hearing from our

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witnesses on these issues . We must

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work together to grow the capacity of

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our navy and our industrial base to

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deliver the best naval forces for the

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United States in our increasingly

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contested world . As I mentioned

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earlier , um , my colleague , the

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ranking member Senator Reed , um ,

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has asked us to go ahead . He will

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submit his opening statement for the

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record . And we are now prepared to

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hear opening statements . Secretary

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Cowell , you are recognized first ,

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then let's take Admiral Caudle and then

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General Smith . Mr . Secretary , you

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are recognized . Good morning ,

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Chairman Wicker , commander Reed ,

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distinguished members of the Senate

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Armed Service Committee . Thank you for

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allowing me to testify before you today .

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America's sailors and Marines are

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currently on the front lines of freedom

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in operations to protect our republic .

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Lincoln and Bush carrier strike groups

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and Tripoli amphibious ready groups

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with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit

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are in the Arabian Sea protecting

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merchant ships and stopping illicit

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shipping from bioterrorist regime .

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Destroyers Arle Burke , Oscar Austin .

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Bulkley and Gonzalez are protecting our

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allies in the Mediterranean against

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cruise missiles from Iran . In the

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Caribbean , Iwo Jima Argmu is stopping

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narco-terrorists from poisoning

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Americans with illegal drugs . In the

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Pacific , Boxer Argmu and Destroyer

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Squadron 7 are enforcing the freedom of

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navigation in the South China Sea . At

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home , we're preparing Macon Island ,

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Argmu , and USS Dwight D . Eisenhower ,

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a 49-year-old . Nuclear powered

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aircraft carrier for deployment . On

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the southern border , our sailors and

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marines stand watch tonight , saying

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nothing will hurt you , not on my watch .

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For 4 weeks ago , I was tasked by

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President Trump to lead the United

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States Navy and the United States

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Marine Corps . My 3 priorities are to

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take care of our sailors and marines ,

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build ships , and protect our homeland .

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120 years ago , the Great White Fleet

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extended America's reach across the

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globe . We are currently at the

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forefront of history with a budget that

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will create the Golden Fleet , which

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renews that maritime dominance . We

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have the obligation to give our sailors

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and marines the very best equipment to

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do their jobs . In our historic budget

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of $377.5 billion we're adding 34 new

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ships and 5 unmanned ships . In 5 years ,

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we will Add 122 manned and 63

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unmanned ships . We will add 123 new

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aircraft and 5 unmanned ships as well .

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We are funding the readiness of our

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fleet to 95% . We're procuring

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exquisite munitions that will keep our

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forces outside the weapon engagement

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zone while investing in research

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development for the fight of the future .

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More importantly , we're increasing our

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service member pays , investing in

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family and unaccompanied housing ,

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child development centers so that our

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sailors and marines have a safe , clean

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and comfortable place to live and not

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have to worry about their families when

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deployed in harm's way . We have

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greatly exceeded recruiting and

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retention goals , and that is due

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solely to the sheer leadership of

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President Trump and Secretary Hegseth .

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Two weeks ago , I was aboard USS Gerald

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R . Ford , USS Winston Churchill , and

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USS Bainbridge as they're returning

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from the 11-month combat deployment in

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2 theaters . Do not believe the fake

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news . That Claims food shortages ,

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backed up toilets , and low morale .

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What I witnessed were motivated and

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professional young Americans pushing

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the boundaries of performance for their

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country . It is imperative that we pass

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this budget . Ship construction and

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readiness were bill payers for Iraq and

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Afghanistan for 20 years . While our

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industrial base atrophied , America's

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peer competitors grew stronger and

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threatened our sovereignty . Their 100

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year plan has one goal total global

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domination . But one thing stands in

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their way , and that is the United

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States of America . The Navy Marine

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Corps are America's 911 force capable

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of being anywhere as a carrier strike

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group or marine air-ground task force

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with overwhelming firepower , as we saw

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in absolute resolve and epic fury . A

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year ago , I testified in my

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confirmation before this body that it

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would create the most lethal Navy

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Marine Corps team the world has ever

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seen . I will keep that promise ,

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having worn the cloth of our nation for

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32 years , most of which was in combat .

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I also do this because I will not allow

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my oldest son , who will be

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commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of the

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United States Marine Corps in 3 days ,

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to go to war the way I did without the

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equipment that we needed . I will not

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allow this for any of America's sons

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and daughters . They signed a blank

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check to this nation up to including

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their lives , and we owe it to them to

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do our due diligence to fund a historic

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budget that will care for them and

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their families while giving them all

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the tools that they need . I have seen

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firsthand what communism and

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authoritarian regimes have done to

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thriving nations . Members of my family

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were murdered by communists . In 1975 ,

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we had no flag to stand under or

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country to call our own , but the

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United States gave us hope and a future .

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I've dedicated my entire adult life to

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defend this nation under God , so that

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this would never happen to my children ,

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your children , or our grandchildren .

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Thank you again , Chairman , for your

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time and uh this opportunity to testify

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before you . I'm ready to answer your

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question , sir . Uh , thank you ,

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Secretary Cow , and congratulations ,

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um , on your son . I think I know where

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you'll be 3 days from now and , um ,

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I'm sure you are as proud of him as ,

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as I was to see my son commissioned

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some years ago . Uh , Admiral Caldwell ,

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your opening statement , sir . Good

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morning , uh , Chairman Wicker and

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Ranking Member Reed and distinguished

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members of the committee . Good morning

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and thank you for the opportunity to

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testify on the posture of the United

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States Navy . I'm honored to be joined

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by Acting Secretary of the Navy , Hung

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Kao and my good friend Eric General

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Smith . We appreciate the committee's

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steadfast support for our sailors ,

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marines , civilian workforce , and

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their families as well as the resources

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you provide to defend our nation . This

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past year , our navy celebrated 250

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years of American sea power . Today our

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founding fathers would scarcely

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recognize the modern fleet , ballistic

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missile submarines deterring strategic

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attack , nuclear powered aircraft

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carriers projecting power across the

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globe , and an all-domain naval force

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delivering precision , lethality at

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scale . And while the platforms have

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changed , one truth has not . The

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sailor remains our greatest competitive

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advantage and the heartbeat of our

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fleet . This July , our nation's 250th

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birthday , our sailors will carry that

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legacy forward wherever our nation

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requires presence , power , and resolve .

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Since assuming the duties of the Chief

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of Naval Operations , I have been

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focused on one central objective ,

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ensuring the Navy never loses its

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differentiated value . In February we

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released the United States Navy

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fighting instructions , which is

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designed to operate operationalize my

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priorities of foundry , fleet , and

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fight and provide clear guidance on how

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we will build , generate , and employ

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naval combat power for the conflicts we

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must be prepared to win . These

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instructions reflect a simple reality .

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The Navy's value lies in our ability to

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generate decisive combat power from the

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sea with tailorable formations ,

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sustain them forward , and deliver

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lethal effects across every domain at

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the time and place of our choosing

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globally . Operation Epic Fury is

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proving in real time what the Navy

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delivers . For , persistent combat

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power from the sea , sovereign options ,

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independent of basing , survivable and

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resilient under pressure , and able to

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strike decisively . That is our

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differentiated value on full display .

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To preserve that advantage , we're

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executing a head strategy to ensure the

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fleet we built today is ready for the

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fight we face now and adaptable and

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scalable to the one we will face

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tomorrow . That strategy is realized

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through the Golden Fleet Initiative , a

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fleet design that blends high and lower

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end combatants , integrates robotic and

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autonomous systems , and enables

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scalable formations to outpace emerging

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threats . This approach increases our

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ability to scale combat mass ,

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distribute risk , and maintain

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escalation dominance against the

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operational challenges our combatant

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commanders face globally . It also

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requires integrating technologies like

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artificial intelligence , advanced

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manufacturing , directed energy , and

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containerized systems as operational

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capabilities that expand our reach ,

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persistence , and lethality across our

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kill chains and kill webs . Our FY 27

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budget request is strategy driven and

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aligned to the Department of the Navy's

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priorities and the objectives of the

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national defense strategy . Leveraging

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the concepts outlined in the United

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States Navy fighting instructions to

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ensure our investments directly

14:05.627 --> 14:07.682
strengthen the foundry , the fleet ,

14:07.682 --> 14:09.627
and the way we fight . It reflects

14:09.627 --> 14:11.979
disciplined choices to ensure we first

14:11.979 --> 14:14.580
always build a credible and highly

14:14.580 --> 14:17.010
effective sea-based strategic deterrent ,

14:17.250 --> 14:19.250
and second , we invest in the right

14:19.250 --> 14:20.972
capabilities that preserve our

14:20.972 --> 14:23.194
warfighting advantage . To do that , we

14:23.194 --> 14:25.880
focus on 4 priorities , sailors first .

14:26.179 --> 14:28.401
Quality of service is not a luxury . It

14:28.401 --> 14:30.512
underwrites combat readiness and must

14:30.512 --> 14:32.735
always be our first priority . Second ,

14:32.735 --> 14:34.901
the foundry . The founders were combat

14:34.901 --> 14:37.012
power is forged , and we must not use

14:37.012 --> 14:40.080
it as a bill payer . A hollow foundry

14:40.080 --> 14:42.570
results in a hollow navy . Third , the

14:42.570 --> 14:44.969
fleet . The fleet is our most flexible

14:44.969 --> 14:46.969
and decisive military instrument of

14:46.969 --> 14:49.099
national power . Therefore , we must

14:49.099 --> 14:51.409
build the right mix of forces to

14:51.409 --> 14:53.187
realize the Golden Fleet's full

14:53.187 --> 14:55.298
potential through a smart application

14:55.298 --> 14:57.580
of the head strategy . And 4th , the

14:57.580 --> 14:59.979
fight . Winning will depend on the

14:59.979 --> 15:02.090
strength and adaptability of our kill

15:02.090 --> 15:04.580
chains and kill webs . From robust

15:04.580 --> 15:06.580
counter-targeting to leveraging new

15:06.580 --> 15:08.820
stealth technologies to an abundance of

15:08.820 --> 15:11.020
longer range munitions to enhanced

15:11.020 --> 15:13.260
mission command , we must integrate and

15:13.260 --> 15:15.520
synchronize our capabilities seamlessly

15:15.690 --> 15:17.900
with our joint force teammates , our

15:17.900 --> 15:20.190
partners , and our allies . It is the

15:20.190 --> 15:22.301
honor of my lifetime to serve as your

15:22.301 --> 15:24.549
Chief of Naval Operations . With your

15:24.549 --> 15:26.716
continued partnership , we will ensure

15:26.716 --> 15:28.938
the United States Navy remains the most

15:28.938 --> 15:31.105
capable , most ready , and most lethal

15:31.105 --> 15:33.160
maritime force in the world . I look

15:33.160 --> 15:35.382
forward to your questions , sir . Thank

15:35.382 --> 15:37.327
you . Thank you very much for that

15:37.327 --> 15:37.150
statement . General Smith . You are

15:37.150 --> 15:39.809
recognized , sir . Well , good morning ,

15:40.059 --> 15:42.337
Chairman Wicker . Ladies and gentlemen ,

15:42.337 --> 15:44.503
I'm honored to appear before you today

15:44.503 --> 15:46.448
alongside Acting Secretary Cow and

15:46.448 --> 15:48.900
Admiral Caudle to to represent your

15:48.900 --> 15:50.900
Marine Corps . I'd like to start by

15:50.900 --> 15:52.956
recognizing the significance of this

15:52.956 --> 15:55.159
year's president's budget . It is a

15:55.159 --> 15:57.270
generational investment that supports

15:57.270 --> 15:59.690
the Marine Corps's top four focus areas .

16:00.179 --> 16:02.979
One , restoring a 3.0 amphibious Ready

16:02.979 --> 16:04.757
Group Marine Expeditionary Unit

16:04.757 --> 16:07.400
presence . 2 , setting the theater , 3 ,

16:07.479 --> 16:09.201
accelerating modernization and

16:09.201 --> 16:11.035
lethality , and 4 , building and

16:11.035 --> 16:13.880
sustaining a lethal force . Restoring a

16:13.880 --> 16:15.769
3.0 amphibious ready Group Marine

16:15.769 --> 16:17.713
Expeditionary Unit presence is our

16:17.713 --> 16:19.880
North Star . It's the thing that keeps

16:19.880 --> 16:21.769
me up at night . It consists of 3

16:21.769 --> 16:23.713
continuously 4 deployed amphibious

16:23.713 --> 16:25.824
Ready Group Marine Expeditionary Unit

16:25.824 --> 16:28.102
teams , one source from the East Coast ,

16:28.102 --> 16:27.679
one from the West Coast , and 14

16:27.679 --> 16:29.960
deployed from Okinawa , Japan . Each

16:29.960 --> 16:32.809
embarked on 3 amphibious warships . The

16:32.809 --> 16:34.920
ARG , the amphibious ready group with

16:34.920 --> 16:37.031
marine expeditionary units embarked ,

16:37.031 --> 16:39.031
is the most agile , versatile , and

16:39.031 --> 16:41.365
responsive formation of the joint force ,

16:41.365 --> 16:43.429
hands down . It's how our nation's

16:43.429 --> 16:45.651
leaders sustain forward posture , deter

16:45.651 --> 16:47.762
aggression , and respond to crisis or

16:47.762 --> 16:50.559
conflict across the globe . Today we

16:50.559 --> 16:52.448
have a 3.0 amphibious ready Group

16:52.448 --> 16:54.615
Marine Expeditionary Unit presence and

16:54.615 --> 16:56.880
its strategic value is clear . The 22nd

16:56.880 --> 16:59.047
Marine Expeditionary Unit is combating

16:59.047 --> 17:01.269
narcoterrorism in the Caribbean , while

17:01.269 --> 17:03.436
the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and

17:03.436 --> 17:05.602
the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are

17:05.602 --> 17:07.658
providing operational flexibility to

17:07.658 --> 17:09.824
maintain security and stability in the

17:09.824 --> 17:11.991
Middle East and the Indo-Pacific . But

17:11.991 --> 17:14.158
this is not something we can sustain .

17:14.158 --> 17:16.047
We need to enhance our amphibious

17:16.047 --> 17:18.269
warship readiness and increase the size

17:18.269 --> 17:20.269
of our amphibious force . I want to

17:20.269 --> 17:22.380
extend my sincere appreciation to the

17:22.380 --> 17:22.369
Secretary of War , the Acting Secretary

17:22.369 --> 17:24.425
of the Navy , and my shipmate Darryl

17:24.425 --> 17:26.425
Caudle for their unwavering support

17:26.425 --> 17:28.591
towards our shared goal of restoring a

17:28.591 --> 17:30.480
3.0 amphibious Ready Group Marine

17:30.480 --> 17:32.369
Expeditionary Unit presence . Our

17:32.369 --> 17:34.202
second focus area is setting the

17:34.202 --> 17:36.313
theater . We are committed to project

17:36.313 --> 17:38.719
to projecting . To protecting our

17:38.719 --> 17:40.719
interests , deterring adversaries ,

17:40.719 --> 17:42.941
reassuring allies , and creating a more

17:42.941 --> 17:45.239
agile and resilient global sustainment

17:45.239 --> 17:47.280
network , one that seamlessly

17:47.280 --> 17:49.869
integrates with the joint force . To

17:49.869 --> 17:51.760
achieve this , we're ensuring an

17:51.760 --> 17:54.400
optimized force posture while also

17:54.400 --> 17:56.233
investing in littoral mobility ,

17:56.560 --> 17:58.859
prepositioning equipment and supplies ,

17:58.969 --> 18:01.136
and digital manufacturing and additive

18:01.136 --> 18:02.747
manufacturing , and enhanced

18:02.747 --> 18:06.000
installation resilience . We're we're

18:06.000 --> 18:08.056
refining our approach to logistics ,

18:08.380 --> 18:10.491
prioritizing resilience , speed , and

18:10.491 --> 18:12.547
adaptability to generate and sustain

18:12.547 --> 18:15.040
forces . Our third area of focus is

18:15.040 --> 18:16.762
accelerating modernization and

18:16.762 --> 18:19.199
lethality . Force design underpins

18:19.199 --> 18:21.510
everything that we do . We remain

18:21.510 --> 18:23.510
committed to modernizing everything

18:23.510 --> 18:25.677
from our marine expeditionary units to

18:25.677 --> 18:27.566
our marine expeditionary forces ,

18:27.579 --> 18:29.619
focusing on precision fires , air

18:29.619 --> 18:31.949
defense , unmanned systems , resilient

18:31.949 --> 18:33.393
command and control , and

18:33.393 --> 18:35.750
electromagnetic warfare . We're gaining

18:35.750 --> 18:37.972
momentum , but we have to accelerate to

18:37.972 --> 18:40.028
ensure our Marines are more lethal ,

18:40.028 --> 18:41.861
survivable , and resilient . And

18:41.861 --> 18:43.528
finally , we are building and

18:43.528 --> 18:45.790
sustaining a lethal force . The quality

18:45.790 --> 18:47.901
of life of Marines and their families

18:47.901 --> 18:50.179
directly impacts readiness , retention ,

18:50.179 --> 18:52.280
and lethality . We're deliberately

18:52.280 --> 18:54.502
investing in Marines and their families

18:54.502 --> 18:56.224
to improve living conditions ,

18:56.224 --> 18:58.224
institutionalize Marine Corps total

18:58.224 --> 19:00.447
fitness , and ensure support for family

19:00.447 --> 19:02.613
resources . Before I close , I want to

19:02.613 --> 19:04.780
take a moment to recognize the members

19:04.780 --> 19:06.947
of this committee and other committees

19:06.947 --> 19:06.430
with jurisdiction over our national

19:06.430 --> 19:08.510
defense who will be retiring . On

19:08.510 --> 19:10.677
behalf of all Marines , we thank you .

19:11.000 --> 19:13.000
Thank you for your leadership , but

19:13.000 --> 19:15.222
most of all for your partnership . Your

19:15.222 --> 19:17.167
constant and steadfast support has

19:17.167 --> 19:19.222
ensured the readiness of your Marine

19:19.222 --> 19:21.278
Corps . We wish you the very best in

19:21.278 --> 19:23.444
the next chapter of your service . I'd

19:23.444 --> 19:25.556
like to close by stating your Marines

19:25.556 --> 19:27.611
are ready . Your corps is a globally

19:27.611 --> 19:29.959
responsive , lethal combined arms naval

19:29.959 --> 19:32.810
expeditionary force that is capable of

19:32.810 --> 19:34.921
projecting power from sea to land and

19:34.921 --> 19:37.800
from land to sea and to maneuver across

19:37.800 --> 19:39.550
multiple domains and contested

19:39.550 --> 19:41.709
environments to deter , deny , and

19:41.709 --> 19:43.765
defeat adversaries . Thank you again

19:43.765 --> 19:45.987
for your trust and support , and I look

19:45.987 --> 19:48.098
forward to your questions , Secretary

19:48.098 --> 19:50.859
Cowe . I'm sure you're I'm very proud

19:50.859 --> 19:54.650
and pleased to To be supported by

19:55.369 --> 19:58.430
The gentleman on your right and left ,

19:59.030 --> 20:01.197
uh , General Smith , you mentioned the

20:01.197 --> 20:03.308
3.0 , uh , we're , we're not gonna be

20:03.308 --> 20:06.290
able to sustain that , are we ? Sir ,

20:06.329 --> 20:08.385
we will not . And , and , and so how

20:08.385 --> 20:11.510
soon will we be able to rectify ? That

20:12.459 --> 20:15.140
um Shortage . Well , sir , that's going

20:15.140 --> 20:17.380
to take years of steady , predictable

20:17.380 --> 20:19.547
funding from this body , uh , from the

20:19.547 --> 20:21.602
Congress to make sure that we have a

20:21.602 --> 20:23.713
sufficient amphibious force to meet a

20:23.713 --> 20:25.880
3.0 . Be more specific though . Well ,

20:25.880 --> 20:28.047
sir , what we have now is 31 . We want

20:28.047 --> 20:30.324
you to tell , to tell us what you need .

20:30.324 --> 20:32.436
Yes sir , we have 31 amphibs now . We

20:32.436 --> 20:35.810
think the number is closer to 40 . OK .

20:36.060 --> 20:38.171
Well , uh , well , again , uh , thank

20:38.171 --> 20:42.050
you for , uh , Identifying that and and

20:42.050 --> 20:44.550
um Just be aware that we want to help

20:44.819 --> 20:46.652
now , um , on , let's talk about

20:46.652 --> 20:48.875
unmanned systems and I'll move to you ,

20:48.875 --> 20:50.930
Admiral , and then maybe back to the

20:50.930 --> 20:53.140
general . Uh , the reconciliation bill

20:53.140 --> 20:55.699
last year invested $5 billion to

20:55.699 --> 20:57.650
unmanned systems for the Navy ,

20:58.140 --> 21:00.520
including $2.1 billion for medium .

21:01.709 --> 21:04.310
Unmanned surface vehicles and 1.5

21:04.310 --> 21:07.609
billion for small unmanned surface

21:07.750 --> 21:11.369
vehicles . The FY

21:11.550 --> 21:15.479
27 shipbuilding plan . So the Navy is

21:15.479 --> 21:17.479
quote aggressively pursuing unquote

21:17.479 --> 21:19.369
these unmanned systems and has

21:20.130 --> 21:22.810
committed to build at scale unquote .

21:24.209 --> 21:26.431
However , the budget has no funding for

21:26.431 --> 21:29.349
small US fees . And procures between 10

21:29.349 --> 21:32.810
and 12 million USBs annually in future

21:32.810 --> 21:36.689
years at a cost of 600 to $800 million .

21:36.849 --> 21:39.180
Um , so , um .

21:41.930 --> 21:44.209
Is there a gap between rhetoric for

21:44.209 --> 21:46.609
unmanned systems and the budget ,

21:46.849 --> 21:50.719
Admiral ? Sir , we , uh , I ,

21:50.890 --> 21:53.369
I don't think so . You know , if you

21:53.369 --> 21:56.729
look back , um , FY 25 , uh , based on

21:56.729 --> 21:58.840
my notes here , we're talking about ,

21:58.930 --> 22:02.400
we bought about 360 small unmanned

22:02.400 --> 22:06.119
surface and then in FY 26 , uh ,

22:06.250 --> 22:10.010
we had about , um , Uh , about 3

22:10.010 --> 22:12.121
times that that we bought and then we

22:12.121 --> 22:14.232
dropped that back down in FY 27 and ,

22:14.232 --> 22:16.750
and have , I think , in a smart way ,

22:17.119 --> 22:20.050
prioritized , uh , a significant amount

22:20.050 --> 22:22.272
of effort and funding toward our medium

22:22.272 --> 22:25.229
unmanned surface vessel . From the navy

22:25.229 --> 22:27.699
perspective , they take longer .

22:27.949 --> 22:29.739
They're significant . I can put

22:29.739 --> 22:31.906
containerized payloads on it and we're

22:31.906 --> 22:33.795
all ahead flank on building those

22:33.795 --> 22:35.850
containerized payloads . Those range

22:35.850 --> 22:38.709
from deception to fires to drone swarms

22:38.709 --> 22:42.270
to tow array systems . And so in the

22:42.270 --> 22:44.214
balance of what we're doing in the

22:44.214 --> 22:46.979
unmanned space between UUVs , UASs ,

22:47.030 --> 22:49.709
and USVs , I think we've looked hard at

22:49.709 --> 22:51.653
that balance and tried to get that

22:51.653 --> 22:54.640
right . Can additional funding do more

22:54.640 --> 22:57.969
in the small kind of surface attack

22:57.969 --> 23:00.770
vessels ? Sure it could , uh , but as

23:00.770 --> 23:02.826
you know , we discussed a bit in the

23:02.826 --> 23:04.937
classified session , uh , the concept

23:04.937 --> 23:06.881
of deployment there is still under

23:06.881 --> 23:08.937
development , and how we actually go

23:08.937 --> 23:10.770
bring that capability to bear is

23:10.770 --> 23:12.881
something we're not ready . We're not

23:12.881 --> 23:15.930
ready to use . That many small .

23:16.760 --> 23:19.520
SUVs we are , we are always ready to

23:19.520 --> 23:21.742
launch them and we're ready for them to

23:21.742 --> 23:23.964
go do their thing within the range that

23:23.964 --> 23:26.131
they would do that in , which is , you

23:26.131 --> 23:28.242
know , in the sustainment of how long

23:28.242 --> 23:30.353
they last at sea . But in the concept

23:30.353 --> 23:32.631
of employment against high-end threats ,

23:32.631 --> 23:34.576
our ability to actually have those

23:34.576 --> 23:37.140
staged and ready to be brought to bear

23:37.319 --> 23:39.597
from good solid concepts of deployment ,

23:39.709 --> 23:42.119
employment and operations , uh , we

23:42.119 --> 23:44.119
need more work to do there . And so

23:44.119 --> 23:46.341
that's a command and control and how we

23:46.341 --> 23:48.341
build that out . You know , we have

23:48.341 --> 23:50.479
just stood up our USV Rs . We're just

23:50.479 --> 23:52.400
deploying our first MUSV with the

23:52.400 --> 23:54.729
Theodore Roosevelt strike group . So in

23:54.729 --> 23:56.951
the ability to actually do this the way

23:56.951 --> 23:59.007
we do it in the Navy in an effective

23:59.007 --> 24:01.173
and sustained way , we are still early

24:01.173 --> 24:03.229
in that stage . OK , let me , let me

24:03.229 --> 24:05.340
move to General Smith . What , what's

24:05.340 --> 24:05.209
the Marine Corps planning to do with

24:05.209 --> 24:07.219
unmanned systems ? Sir , we're

24:07.219 --> 24:09.219
primarily focused on small unmanned

24:09.219 --> 24:11.108
systems , small drones , swarming

24:11.108 --> 24:13.349
drones , using them as munitions as an

24:13.349 --> 24:15.405
extender of our infantry battalion's

24:15.405 --> 24:17.520
range . So what we're looking at is

24:17.520 --> 24:20.599
with the small UAS having hand thrown

24:20.599 --> 24:22.800
or manned portable drones that can be

24:22.800 --> 24:24.967
used again as a munition so that I can

24:24.967 --> 24:27.078
extend the lethality and range of our

24:27.078 --> 24:28.911
infantry battalions . That's our

24:28.911 --> 24:31.133
primary focus on our unmanned systems .

24:31.133 --> 24:33.244
Are there enough ? In the pipeline on

24:33.244 --> 24:35.467
the way for you at the moment there are

24:35.467 --> 24:37.578
not , sir . We can't go fast enough .

24:37.578 --> 24:39.633
We've got to make sure that we don't

24:39.633 --> 24:41.633
get tied down to one manufacturer .

24:41.633 --> 24:43.856
That we we're able to procure them from

24:43.856 --> 24:45.967
across the spectrum because there are

24:45.967 --> 24:48.078
multiple companies who make a one-way

24:48.078 --> 24:50.244
attack . What needs to happen ? Well ,

24:50.244 --> 24:49.650
sir , frankly , we just have to get

24:49.650 --> 24:52.489
them , get the budget that we need to

24:52.489 --> 24:54.322
procure them and then go out and

24:54.322 --> 24:56.545
procure them without having all the red

24:56.545 --> 24:58.822
tape that we , we have had in the past ,

24:58.822 --> 25:00.545
we don't have now to get after

25:00.770 --> 25:03.050
procuring from multiple vendors without

25:03.050 --> 25:05.217
getting quote vendor lock . OK , we're

25:05.217 --> 25:07.890
going to need you to amplify that in

25:07.890 --> 25:11.089
your response to . To , uh , written

25:11.089 --> 25:13.130
questions , but thank you both . I

25:13.130 --> 25:15.408
appreciate your service . Senator Reed ,

25:15.408 --> 25:17.408
you are recognized . Welcome back .

25:17.408 --> 25:19.186
Thank you very much , uh , Mr .

25:19.186 --> 25:21.408
Chairman , and , uh , gentlemen , thank

25:21.408 --> 25:23.408
you for your testimony and also for

25:23.408 --> 25:25.352
your service to the nation in many

25:25.352 --> 25:29.040
different capacities . Sell it .

25:31.300 --> 25:33.750
Secretary Cow , uh , the latest update

25:33.750 --> 25:35.917
we received from the Navy , uh , about

25:35.917 --> 25:37.949
two weeks ago is that the contract

25:37.949 --> 25:41.770
negotiations for the Virginia block 6

25:41.890 --> 25:45.449
boats for FY 25 to 29 , 10

25:45.449 --> 25:48.589
boats , and for the Columbia build 2

25:48.589 --> 25:52.349
boats , uh , from FY 26 to 30 , 5 votes

25:52.349 --> 25:54.849
are very close to being finalized . Uh ,

25:55.750 --> 25:57.861
what is the status of this contract ?

25:57.861 --> 25:59.917
When will they be completed ? Do you

25:59.917 --> 26:03.699
have an idea ? Ranking member ,

26:04.020 --> 26:06.131
thank you for the question . We are ,

26:06.131 --> 26:08.131
uh , we're trying to accelerate the

26:08.131 --> 26:10.680
block buys and also accelerate the , uh ,

26:10.699 --> 26:12.866
actual production of the submarines as

26:12.866 --> 26:15.143
well . That's why Vice Admiral Goucher ,

26:15.143 --> 26:17.310
uh , has been in charge of the DIRPA .

26:17.310 --> 26:19.588
So everything's aligned underneath him .

26:19.588 --> 26:21.310
He has all the authorities and

26:21.310 --> 26:21.000
everything he needs in order to make

26:21.000 --> 26:23.222
these things happen and move the . Uh ,

26:23.222 --> 26:25.278
and accelerate the production to the

26:25.278 --> 26:27.333
left , and I'll turn over to Admiral

26:27.333 --> 26:29.500
Cottle to kind of tell you what , what

26:29.500 --> 26:31.278
our plan is for the , uh , uh ,

26:31.278 --> 26:33.389
accession of these . Thank you , Mr .

26:33.389 --> 26:32.880
Well , sir , I'll just tell you we need

26:32.880 --> 26:35.047
to get the contract done , um , but we

26:35.047 --> 26:37.324
want to make sure it's , uh , you know ,

26:37.324 --> 26:39.324
uh , has what's baked into it , the

26:39.324 --> 26:40.991
lessons we've learned on poor

26:40.991 --> 26:42.936
contracting strategies , uh , that

26:42.936 --> 26:44.880
we've not always been in the right

26:44.880 --> 26:46.769
position to have the right , uh ,

26:46.769 --> 26:49.040
oversight and the right incentives and

26:49.040 --> 26:51.262
the right mechanisms and so I'm sure we

26:51.262 --> 26:53.373
get them delivered on time . So there

26:53.373 --> 26:55.596
has been a thoughtful approach by the ,

26:55.596 --> 26:57.818
the , the Secretary of War's team and ,

26:57.818 --> 26:59.873
and the Navy team here under the PAE

26:59.873 --> 27:02.040
structure to actually get that right .

27:02.040 --> 27:04.040
Uh , I expect at any time . I can't

27:04.040 --> 27:06.151
give you the exact time , but it , it

27:06.151 --> 27:08.207
will be made , and we're just making

27:08.207 --> 27:10.429
sure that we get that contract language

27:10.429 --> 27:12.429
correct , sir . Well , I appreciate

27:12.429 --> 27:14.596
that . Uh , I had an opportunity to go

27:14.596 --> 27:16.762
up to Ponte Point , and I believe it's

27:16.762 --> 27:18.818
retired Admiral McKee who is there ,

27:18.818 --> 27:20.929
and he's doing a very good job . Uh ,

27:20.929 --> 27:23.040
but the sooner we get the contract in

27:23.040 --> 27:25.040
and the sooner the company can just

27:25.199 --> 27:27.920
keep proceeding ahead much more rapidly

27:27.920 --> 27:30.459
than before . Uh , sir , I would just

27:30.459 --> 27:32.681
add , I mean , not , I don't wanna take

27:32.681 --> 27:34.903
any more of your time , but it does add

27:34.903 --> 27:34.469
to our , you know , our ability to

27:34.469 --> 27:36.469
actually execute our budget that we

27:36.520 --> 27:38.242
have from FY 26 in the one big

27:38.242 --> 27:40.479
beautiful bill as well . So it's tied

27:40.479 --> 27:42.590
to that . So we're , we are trying to

27:42.590 --> 27:44.535
get that done so that we have high

27:44.535 --> 27:46.590
execution numbers on both of those .

27:46.590 --> 27:48.757
Thank you , sir . Uh . Another issue ,

27:48.757 --> 27:50.146
Mr . Secretary , for the

27:50.146 --> 27:52.257
industrial-based program , that's the

27:52.689 --> 27:55.770
The supply chain , uh , workers , all

27:55.770 --> 27:58.079
those things , uh , the Navy's budget

27:58.079 --> 28:01.650
request is for $788 million for the

28:01.650 --> 28:03.849
submarine industrial base in the

28:03.849 --> 28:06.229
discretionary category , which we will

28:06.609 --> 28:09.170
look at , but another $205 million in

28:09.170 --> 28:12.189
the mandatory reconciliation column

28:12.689 --> 28:15.670
and um . There's always an issue of

28:15.670 --> 28:17.780
whether or not reconciliation will

28:17.780 --> 28:20.030
become a reality and what would happen

28:20.030 --> 28:23.109
to you if that 205 million was not

28:23.109 --> 28:26.229
available . Thank you again for that

28:26.229 --> 28:28.340
question , uh , ranking member . This

28:28.340 --> 28:30.562
is why we need the whole bill . We need

28:30.562 --> 28:32.400
$1.5 trillion for the , uh , the

28:32.400 --> 28:34.733
Department of War , but also , uh , the ,

28:34.733 --> 28:37.280
the $1733.5 billion for the United

28:37.280 --> 28:39.459
States , uh , the Department of Navy

28:39.880 --> 28:42.670
because we just can't , I mean , we're ,

28:42.760 --> 28:45.219
we're , we're prioritizing everything

28:45.219 --> 28:47.330
right now and everything . Everything

28:47.330 --> 28:49.275
is a priority because we , we need

28:49.275 --> 28:51.497
unmanned systems . We need submarines .

28:51.497 --> 28:53.608
We need ships . We need , we now need

28:53.608 --> 28:53.535
auxiliary ships . We also need quality

28:53.535 --> 28:55.646
of life for our sailors and marines ,

28:55.646 --> 28:57.979
and this is why we need this whole bill .

28:57.979 --> 29:00.257
So , whether you pay it as one bill or ,

29:00.257 --> 29:02.479
or , or two separate bills to , to us ,

29:02.479 --> 29:04.479
it's we're agnostic to it . We just

29:04.479 --> 29:06.646
need to move forward , Senator . I , I

29:06.646 --> 29:08.646
know you're agnostic . You want the

29:08.646 --> 29:10.757
money , but uh . Uh , I would kind of

29:10.757 --> 29:12.757
rate the possibility of getting the

29:12.757 --> 29:14.979
president's budget in some form through

29:14.979 --> 29:17.091
as higher than another reconciliation

29:17.091 --> 29:19.359
bill , and you might have to plan for

29:20.939 --> 29:23.969
accommodating that situation . It'd be

29:23.969 --> 29:27.819
worthwhile to do so . Fleet readiness ,

29:27.890 --> 29:30.112
Admiral Corle , we talked about this in

29:30.112 --> 29:32.223
the closed session , but here in this

29:32.223 --> 29:35.040
open session , uh . You always can do

29:35.040 --> 29:37.151
something to improve readiness , even

29:37.151 --> 29:39.520
in the calmest of moments . This is not

29:39.520 --> 29:41.520
one of them . So can you give us an

29:41.520 --> 29:43.670
idea of the readiness steps you're

29:43.670 --> 29:47.140
taking now ? Well , sir , you know ,

29:47.260 --> 29:49.482
readiness , we look at across a typical

29:49.482 --> 29:51.819
acronym PESTO , which is people ,

29:51.880 --> 29:54.158
equipment , our supply and sustainment ,

29:54.158 --> 29:56.380
our training and our ordinance , and uh

29:56.380 --> 29:58.260
this budget funds our readiness

29:58.260 --> 30:00.359
accounts to 95% . That is incredible

30:00.359 --> 30:02.526
for a service chief . You know , I had

30:02.526 --> 30:04.526
to work very hard to figure out the

30:04.526 --> 30:06.637
puts and takes to get to that level ,

30:06.637 --> 30:08.803
even though I love readiness . So this

30:08.803 --> 30:10.970
is ship operating calls , ship depot ,

30:10.970 --> 30:13.137
our air operations , our sparing , our

30:13.137 --> 30:15.359
paying our manpower bills , of course ,

30:15.359 --> 30:17.581
and our ordinance . And so I think this

30:17.581 --> 30:19.526
budget goes a long way . It's it's

30:19.526 --> 30:21.692
generational in what it's trying to do

30:21.692 --> 30:23.915
to ensure we don't have a hollow navy ,

30:23.915 --> 30:26.026
we have a ready navy . And so there's

30:26.026 --> 30:28.248
been all types , you know , there's all

30:28.248 --> 30:28.040
types of initiatives that we have from

30:28.040 --> 30:30.207
record recruiting to works we're doing

30:30.207 --> 30:32.040
with our vendors to ensure we're

30:32.040 --> 30:34.151
improving ordinance production to our

30:34.151 --> 30:36.373
4th generation models to ensure they're

30:36.373 --> 30:38.373
actually delivering the navy we can

30:38.373 --> 30:40.318
give our combatant commanders . So

30:40.318 --> 30:42.373
there's a lot in your question , but

30:42.373 --> 30:44.429
I'm , I'm very happy with the levels

30:44.429 --> 30:44.310
that we have baked into this budget ,

30:44.439 --> 30:46.606
sir . Very good . General Smith , I'll

30:46.606 --> 30:48.550
catch you on the 2nd round , sir .

30:48.550 --> 30:50.717
Thank you . Thank you , Senator Reid .

30:50.717 --> 30:52.606
Senator Fisher , thank you , Mr .

30:52.606 --> 30:54.828
Chairman . Uh , Secretary Cow , I agree

30:54.828 --> 30:57.270
with the chairman's opening comments .

30:57.390 --> 31:00.439
I was disappointed to see that the FY

31:00.439 --> 31:03.709
27 budget did not include funding for

31:03.709 --> 31:06.920
Slick A in . Our adversaries are not

31:06.920 --> 31:09.560
hesitating to expand their nuclear

31:09.560 --> 31:13.520
arsenals . The navy must prioritize

31:13.520 --> 31:15.631
the command appropriately so that you

31:15.631 --> 31:18.060
can meet the statutory deployment date

31:18.199 --> 31:21.920
of 2032 , and I am hopeful that this

31:21.920 --> 31:25.280
will be corrected . Adam ,

31:25.400 --> 31:28.660
or Admiral , I have an Adam at home .

31:29.479 --> 31:32.619
Admiral , uh , how is the Navy working

31:32.619 --> 31:35.479
to accelerate delivery of the Columbia

31:35.479 --> 31:39.069
class submarine program ? Well , um ,

31:39.229 --> 31:41.229
ma'am , first on slick a man , if I

31:41.229 --> 31:43.396
could , can I give you one sentence on

31:43.396 --> 31:45.618
that ? You know , we all looked hard at

31:45.618 --> 31:47.673
this with Johnny Wolf because I knew

31:47.673 --> 31:49.785
this would come up and Admiral Wolf ,

31:49.785 --> 31:51.896
and , um , he has assured me that the

31:51.896 --> 31:54.118
money in the One Big Beautiful bill and

31:54.118 --> 31:56.949
the FY 26 budget , $2 billion is the

31:56.949 --> 31:58.893
right amount of money that we have

31:58.893 --> 32:00.893
currently that can be executed with

32:00.893 --> 32:03.380
fiscal responsibility . So he is , I

32:03.380 --> 32:05.047
think , FY 28 , you'll see an

32:05.047 --> 32:07.219
additional ask , but in the phasing of

32:07.219 --> 32:09.219
that money , that is what he thinks

32:09.219 --> 32:11.052
needs to be spent . Admiral , my

32:11.052 --> 32:13.569
concern with that is , um , not on ,

32:13.739 --> 32:16.459
not on your part , and it's not on

32:16.459 --> 32:18.675
Admiral Wolff's part . Either it is on

32:18.675 --> 32:21.915
the part of Congress where we seem uh

32:21.915 --> 32:25.055
bound and determined uh to move forward

32:25.055 --> 32:27.714
with continuing resolutions which you

32:27.714 --> 32:31.415
and I both know is to the detriment of

32:31.425 --> 32:35.015
of the defense of this country and if

32:35.025 --> 32:38.755
if the money is not put in a budget

32:38.755 --> 32:40.824
request and is not part of the

32:40.824 --> 32:44.015
appropriations process you're behind

32:44.015 --> 32:47.040
the eight ball to begin with . You're

32:47.040 --> 32:50.640
behind that and not able to meet what

32:50.640 --> 32:54.439
is required of you when it comes to

32:54.439 --> 32:57.550
slick amend . I want to make sure that

32:57.550 --> 33:00.839
the funding will be there no matter how

33:00.839 --> 33:04.739
this Congress may act . And and enable

33:04.739 --> 33:07.260
the department and the Department of

33:07.260 --> 33:10.239
Navy to be able to meet their

33:10.339 --> 33:13.489
obligations under the law and for the

33:13.489 --> 33:16.760
defense of this country to give our com

33:16.760 --> 33:19.790
combatant commanders . Uh , the

33:19.790 --> 33:21.846
opportunity to present the president

33:21.846 --> 33:24.349
with the options that he needs . That

33:24.349 --> 33:27.030
is why I am requesting that is , am I

33:27.030 --> 33:29.030
gonna be docked for all that time I

33:29.030 --> 33:31.459
just took , Senator , We're , we're ,

33:31.699 --> 33:33.977
we're , we're , we're on the same page .

33:33.977 --> 33:36.143
I , I know we are . We want to deliver

33:36.143 --> 33:38.405
this , so , and I know you , I know you

33:38.405 --> 33:41.045
do , but I'm looking at the realities I

33:41.045 --> 33:43.484
face , uh , in the political world and

33:43.484 --> 33:46.125
what happens here in Congress . So tell

33:46.125 --> 33:48.125
me , uh , what's happening with the

33:48.125 --> 33:50.347
Colombia . Well , Colombia , you know ,

33:50.347 --> 33:52.569
currently 18 months off plan and , uh ,

33:52.569 --> 33:54.847
working hard to get it delivered in 28 .

33:54.847 --> 33:56.958
Uh , that's our goal , of course , as

33:56.958 --> 33:59.069
we've talked about before under , you

33:59.069 --> 34:01.014
know , new leadership on how we're

34:01.014 --> 34:03.181
putting heat and light on that project

34:03.181 --> 34:04.958
is with Admiral Goucher through

34:04.958 --> 34:06.792
Director of Submarine Programs ,

34:06.792 --> 34:08.625
dual-hatted as the Durram to the

34:08.625 --> 34:10.125
Undersecretary and the PAE

34:10.125 --> 34:12.280
Undersecretary Cow . So , uh ,

34:12.290 --> 34:14.620
leadership matters there , but also

34:14.620 --> 34:16.860
production matters . And , and so , you

34:16.860 --> 34:19.540
know , a visit up at Kwanza Point , of

34:19.540 --> 34:21.596
course , electric boat where all the

34:21.596 --> 34:23.820
super modules are now in place . And so

34:23.820 --> 34:25.653
we're now in the final stages of

34:25.653 --> 34:27.820
putting those super modules together .

34:27.820 --> 34:29.709
And so we're trying to knock down

34:29.709 --> 34:31.487
barriers that have historically

34:31.487 --> 34:33.598
prevented us from getting that done .

34:33.598 --> 34:35.653
Some things on new technologies that

34:35.653 --> 34:35.388
we're bringing to bear of how we're

34:35.388 --> 34:37.555
actually doing non-destructive testing

34:37.555 --> 34:39.666
in the off hours , how we're bringing

34:39.666 --> 34:41.666
in more robotic welding , how we're

34:41.666 --> 34:43.555
improving artificial intelligence

34:43.555 --> 34:45.610
utilization to improve workflows and

34:45.610 --> 34:47.610
management of actual technical work

34:47.610 --> 34:49.721
documents . So there's a lot going on

34:49.721 --> 34:51.949
up at EB . Hiring is a big initiative

34:51.949 --> 34:54.116
to make sure the workforce is in place

34:54.116 --> 34:56.227
and the development of that workforce

34:56.227 --> 34:58.449
to make sure we have no in the armor to

34:58.449 --> 35:00.671
keeping those shifts rolling as we move

35:00.671 --> 35:02.671
forward on that delivery timeline .

35:02.671 --> 35:04.782
That's good to hear . Can you give me

35:04.782 --> 35:06.870
an update on the Navy's efforts to

35:06.870 --> 35:09.840
extend The hulls of some of the Ohio

35:09.840 --> 35:12.570
class submarines , especially given the

35:12.570 --> 35:14.792
delays we're seeing with the Columbia .

35:14.820 --> 35:16.764
I can , uh , you know , what we're

35:16.764 --> 35:18.764
going to do is , you know , we were

35:18.764 --> 35:20.876
looking at , you know , a number like

35:20.876 --> 35:23.042
between 4 and 5 of these pyras we call

35:23.042 --> 35:24.764
them , these post , you know ,

35:24.764 --> 35:27.042
inactivation restricted availabilities ,

35:27.042 --> 35:29.098
and now the plan's changed a bit and

35:29.098 --> 35:31.320
we're going to do one for sure , and we

35:31.320 --> 35:33.376
have confidence . Now because of the

35:33.376 --> 35:35.376
work we've done to look hard at the

35:35.376 --> 35:37.431
Ohio class , that what we will learn

35:37.431 --> 35:39.653
during that one will allow us to target

35:39.653 --> 35:41.764
the any additional ones we need to do

35:41.800 --> 35:43.856
without necessarily having to do the

35:43.856 --> 35:45.911
PIRA . So we're going to utilize the

35:45.911 --> 35:48.022
one to learn from that and then scale

35:48.022 --> 35:50.189
that across the number we need to make

35:50.189 --> 35:52.356
sure we have a clean make before break

35:52.356 --> 35:54.522
transition between Ohio and Columbia .

35:55.120 --> 35:57.342
Thank you . Thank you , Mr . Chairman .

35:57.879 --> 36:00.500
Uh , yes , uh , thank you very much ,

36:00.600 --> 36:02.429
Senator King . Thank you , Mr .

36:02.439 --> 36:04.495
Chairman . First , Secretary Coo , I

36:04.495 --> 36:06.495
wanna also congratulate you on your

36:06.495 --> 36:08.717
son's commissioning . That's a , that's

36:08.717 --> 36:10.661
a great story . You yourself are a

36:10.661 --> 36:12.661
great American story . I appreciate

36:12.661 --> 36:14.828
your presence here today , um . I want

36:14.828 --> 36:16.995
to start with uh , I , I woke up about

36:16.995 --> 36:18.772
a month ago to one of the press

36:18.772 --> 36:21.360
conferences of Secretary Hegseth and

36:22.209 --> 36:24.989
Admiral Cain , General Kean , and

36:24.989 --> 36:27.229
General Kean said the following , I

36:27.229 --> 36:29.969
perked right up . When we talk about an

36:29.969 --> 36:31.969
American destroyer , it's important

36:31.969 --> 36:33.802
that you and the American people

36:33.802 --> 36:35.802
understand their capabilities , and

36:35.802 --> 36:37.858
Arley Burke class destroyers are the

36:37.858 --> 36:39.969
backbone of the United States surface

36:39.969 --> 36:41.636
fleet , and this chart really

36:41.636 --> 36:43.747
illustrates that . If you could raise

36:43.747 --> 36:45.969
it up a little bit . When the fire bell

36:45.969 --> 36:48.025
rang in the Middle East , it was the

36:48.025 --> 36:50.191
destroyers that answered the call that

36:50.191 --> 36:52.191
are there . There are 11 now in the

36:52.191 --> 36:54.649
vicinity of Iran , also in the Med ,

36:54.729 --> 36:57.620
also in the Pacific . It's one of the

36:57.620 --> 36:59.731
most , uh , it is the backbone of the

36:59.731 --> 37:01.620
fleet . In fact , I don't have to

37:01.620 --> 37:03.787
assert that . That's what General Kane

37:03.787 --> 37:05.787
said . These ships are armed to the

37:05.787 --> 37:07.842
teeth . This is a General Kane again

37:07.842 --> 37:10.176
with surface to air missiles , missiles ,

37:10.176 --> 37:12.120
land attack cruise missiles , anti

37:12.120 --> 37:14.120
anti-ship missiles , anti-submarine

37:14.120 --> 37:16.009
rockets , torpedoes , 5-inch guns

37:16.009 --> 37:18.120
extending the reach and capability of

37:18.120 --> 37:20.398
each and every one of these destroyers .

37:20.398 --> 37:20.379
What puzzles me is that the budget

37:20.379 --> 37:22.712
that's been submitted only requests one .

37:23.139 --> 37:26.590
And I , I just , I , I don't really

37:26.590 --> 37:28.757
understand that , uh , particularly as

37:28.757 --> 37:30.757
as Chairman pointed out , there are

37:30.757 --> 37:33.034
going to be retirements coming in , in ,

37:33.034 --> 37:35.146
in the , in the future . So we're not

37:35.146 --> 37:37.146
even if there are 3 retirements and

37:37.146 --> 37:39.368
we're only building 1 a year , that's ,

37:39.368 --> 37:41.312
that's we're going into the hole .

37:43.300 --> 37:45.078
Every hearing we've had in this

37:45.078 --> 37:47.300
committee for the past , I don't know ,

37:47.300 --> 37:49.356
6 months has talked about rebuilding

37:49.356 --> 37:51.620
the industrial base . The only way to

37:51.620 --> 37:53.620
rebuild the industrial base is with

37:53.620 --> 37:57.189
consistent demand signals . You can't

37:57.189 --> 37:59.245
expect our private sector industrial

37:59.245 --> 38:01.467
base to make significant investments if

38:01.467 --> 38:03.633
they don't know where the next project

38:03.633 --> 38:05.745
is coming from or if they're going to

38:05.745 --> 38:07.911
run out of work in a year or two , and

38:07.911 --> 38:10.078
that's the situation that comes . So I

38:10.078 --> 38:12.133
hope you will reconsider the request

38:12.133 --> 38:14.078
for only 1 destroyer as we've been

38:14.078 --> 38:16.245
doing it over the years . It's been 31

38:16.245 --> 38:18.411
year , 2 the next , 3 the next , and 2

38:18.411 --> 38:20.719
after that . Uh , and I , I hope that

38:20.719 --> 38:22.830
we can return to the this is the year

38:22.830 --> 38:25.209
that should be 3 rather than 1 . So ,

38:25.270 --> 38:27.270
Mr . Secretary , I hope you'll look

38:27.270 --> 38:29.492
carefully at that because we're talking

38:29.492 --> 38:31.714
about the backbone of the Navy here and

38:31.714 --> 38:33.714
these , these shipyards and Admiral

38:33.714 --> 38:35.881
Cauley , you've been to Bath . I thank

38:35.881 --> 38:37.937
you for doing that . They can't turn

38:37.937 --> 38:40.159
off their workforce and back on again .

38:40.159 --> 38:42.270
If welders leave , they're gone . And

38:42.270 --> 38:44.270
so we have to maintain a consistent

38:44.270 --> 38:46.850
work level , uh , and one another term

38:46.850 --> 38:49.770
for a backlog is a consistent demand

38:49.770 --> 38:52.449
signal . And Mr . Secretary , I hope

38:52.449 --> 38:54.560
you'll take some cognizance of that .

38:55.270 --> 38:57.437
Senator , thank you for the question .

38:57.437 --> 38:59.492
And again , I , I , I , I , I'm with

38:59.492 --> 39:01.548
you . This is the backbone of the US

39:01.548 --> 39:03.603
fleet , and it's the workhorse . But

39:03.603 --> 39:05.770
the fact is right now we have 80 ships

39:05.770 --> 39:07.937
on contract , uh , uh , throughout the

39:07.937 --> 39:10.159
various yards , uh , 59 in construction

39:10.159 --> 39:12.381
in Bath alone , sir , is , uh , there's

39:12.381 --> 39:14.548
11 destroyers that are on contract for

39:14.548 --> 39:16.714
Bath alone and 7 are in construction .

39:16.714 --> 39:19.048
We haven't even begun cutting metal for ,

39:19.370 --> 39:21.426
for the , the . 4 , I'm just , we're

39:21.426 --> 39:23.648
trying to allow for the industrial base

39:23.648 --> 39:25.759
to catch up , but I would love to put

39:25.759 --> 39:27.926
10 destroyers in there in the budget .

39:27.926 --> 39:29.981
But the fact is that I need for this

39:29.981 --> 39:32.203
industrial base to catch up , Senator ,

39:32.203 --> 39:34.314
and I agree with you , but one way to

39:34.314 --> 39:33.929
do that is to provide the demand

39:33.929 --> 39:37.709
signals so that the shipyards can make

39:37.709 --> 39:39.653
the additional capital investments

39:39.653 --> 39:41.439
along with the navy in order to

39:41.439 --> 39:43.383
increase productivity , and that's

39:43.383 --> 39:45.328
happening at Bath . I'm there very

39:45.328 --> 39:47.383
frequently . But I think that's uh I

39:47.383 --> 39:49.328
think we agree on that . Now , the

39:49.328 --> 39:52.000
second part of this is there's talk uh

39:52.000 --> 39:54.659
around this budget about building ships ,

39:55.260 --> 39:58.280
and even destroyers in Japan and Korea .

39:59.379 --> 40:01.601
That's the worst idea since the Red Sox

40:01.601 --> 40:03.601
traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees . I

40:03.601 --> 40:05.823
mean , it just doesn't make sense to be

40:05.823 --> 40:08.046
handing over that level of technology ,

40:08.280 --> 40:11.239
even , even to our allies , and I have

40:11.239 --> 40:13.295
two reports I want to submit for the

40:13.295 --> 40:15.959
record , both about substantial , even

40:15.959 --> 40:18.399
higher backlogs in Japan and Korea and

40:18.399 --> 40:20.919
shipyards . So Mr . Chairman , I'd like

40:20.919 --> 40:23.086
the permission to put these reports in

40:23.086 --> 40:25.308
the record . Is there objection without

40:25.308 --> 40:28.300
objection ? And also let's put the

40:28.300 --> 40:31.570
chart . Which you've just

40:31.899 --> 40:34.219
referred to in the record also is an

40:34.219 --> 40:36.699
objection . Without objection , that's

40:36.699 --> 40:38.643
done . I mean the idea of building

40:38.643 --> 40:40.810
ships , building naval ships in a in a

40:40.810 --> 40:42.780
foreign shipyard , I just don't

40:42.780 --> 40:44.947
understand . Admiral . Every stitch of

40:44.947 --> 40:47.113
clothing you have on is required to be

40:47.113 --> 40:49.139
made in the USA under the Barry

40:49.139 --> 40:52.139
Amendment . If we require our sailors

40:52.139 --> 40:54.939
to wear shirts made in the USA , but

40:54.939 --> 40:57.050
their ships can be made abroad , that

40:57.050 --> 40:59.129
just doesn't make sense to me . So I

40:59.129 --> 41:01.760
hope we can revisit this terrible idea

41:01.939 --> 41:04.161
of talking about building naval vessels

41:04.161 --> 41:06.328
abroad , both from a national security

41:06.328 --> 41:08.649
point of view , but also rebuilding the

41:08.649 --> 41:11.379
industrial base means providing the

41:11.379 --> 41:13.268
demand signal that will allow our

41:13.268 --> 41:15.520
industrial base to reconstitute itself

41:15.649 --> 41:17.610
and to meet the demand that we're

41:17.610 --> 41:20.320
placing on them , so . Uh , I , I

41:20.320 --> 41:22.431
appreciate your , your , your work on

41:22.431 --> 41:24.653
this , Admiral . I certainly appreciate

41:24.653 --> 41:26.820
you saw those incredible men and women

41:26.820 --> 41:28.764
at Bath that are doing , I think ,

41:28.764 --> 41:30.820
building the most complex product in

41:30.820 --> 41:32.876
America , uh , and , uh , we want to

41:32.876 --> 41:34.987
strengthen their ability to do that ,

41:34.987 --> 41:36.764
their productivity , and that's

41:36.764 --> 41:38.542
happening . So thank you , Mr .

41:38.542 --> 41:40.764
Chairman . I appreciate the time . Um ,

41:40.770 --> 41:42.937
thank you for those comments , Senator

41:42.937 --> 41:44.826
King , Senator Budd . Thank you ,

41:44.826 --> 41:47.048
Chairman . Uh , thank you all for being

41:47.048 --> 41:49.159
here . Thank you for your service and

41:49.159 --> 41:51.214
that of your teams behind you . Adam

41:51.214 --> 41:51.050
McConnell , it's , uh , great to see

41:51.050 --> 41:52.883
another North Carolinian , North

41:52.883 --> 41:54.994
Forsyth High School , if I believe is

41:54.994 --> 41:58.030
correct , um . So a question for both

41:58.030 --> 42:00.197
uh you , Admiral Caudle and uh General

42:00.197 --> 42:02.770
Smith as well . Uh , so I visited DARPA

42:02.770 --> 42:04.969
last week and I learned about their

42:04.969 --> 42:07.409
artificial blood program . So , so

42:07.409 --> 42:09.689
what's the Navy doing to have enough

42:09.689 --> 42:11.800
blood on hand in the event of a large

42:11.800 --> 42:14.250
scale uh operation or combat operations

42:14.250 --> 42:16.472
in the Pacific ? We'll start with you ,

42:16.472 --> 42:20.439
Admiral . Sir , I , I just visited

42:20.439 --> 42:22.550
DARPA myself not too long ago and got

42:22.550 --> 42:24.661
the maybe the same brief that you got

42:24.661 --> 42:27.590
on the initiatives there . This is FS ,

42:27.679 --> 42:29.899
uh , HAP , uh , this type of , uh ,

42:29.909 --> 42:32.131
synthetic blood and synthetic platelets

42:32.131 --> 42:34.353
that they're working on . That is the ,

42:34.353 --> 42:36.631
the keys to the kingdom on battlefield ,

42:36.631 --> 42:38.798
you know , survivability , ensuring we

42:38.798 --> 42:40.965
can meet the golden hour across a vast

42:40.965 --> 42:43.149
Indo-Pacific . So synthetic blood

42:43.149 --> 42:45.149
products is something that I'm very

42:45.149 --> 42:47.260
interested in . I don't think we have

42:47.260 --> 42:49.427
got it to a place in the , uh , from a

42:49.427 --> 42:51.427
perspective of fielding it where we

42:51.427 --> 42:53.538
should be . I know BMed has worked on

42:53.538 --> 42:55.705
this , probably not with enough energy

42:55.705 --> 42:58.149
and effort . I know personally now the

42:58.149 --> 43:00.316
director of health agency , Department

43:00.316 --> 43:03.590
of Health agency . Um , Darren Vy knows

43:03.590 --> 43:05.423
about this program and knows how

43:05.423 --> 43:07.257
important it is . So you have my

43:07.257 --> 43:09.312
commitment to look at this and along

43:09.312 --> 43:11.479
with my , my good shipmate here , Eric

43:11.479 --> 43:13.590
Smith , it's important to keeping his

43:13.590 --> 43:15.812
marines alive as well , sir . Thank you

43:15.812 --> 43:15.610
for that , Admiral . Uh , General ,

43:15.790 --> 43:17.846
that , uh , same question , but also

43:17.846 --> 43:19.512
are there any , any policy or

43:20.179 --> 43:22.530
resourcing challenges that I can help

43:22.530 --> 43:24.850
with ? Well , sir , on the , on the

43:24.850 --> 43:26.739
room temperature blood products ,

43:26.739 --> 43:28.794
that's the holy grail of battlefield

43:28.794 --> 43:30.906
medicine . Uh , you know , when I was

43:30.906 --> 43:32.850
shot in 2004 , I bled , I , I came

43:32.850 --> 43:34.794
close to bleeding out . Um , I was

43:34.794 --> 43:34.770
fortunate to be medevaced to a hospital

43:34.770 --> 43:36.770
in Baghdad and , and had 5 units of

43:36.770 --> 43:39.610
blood pumped into me . Um , but had I

43:39.610 --> 43:42.489
had the ability to , to do room

43:42.489 --> 43:44.378
temperature blood products on the

43:44.378 --> 43:46.600
battlefield , I would have been in much

43:46.600 --> 43:48.711
better shape . I'm still here , but ,

43:48.711 --> 43:48.209
but that is the holy grail of

43:48.209 --> 43:50.810
battlefield medicine . Thank you both .

43:51.360 --> 43:53.582
Secretary Cal , uh , General Smith . So

43:53.582 --> 43:55.582
I had the chance to see some of the

43:55.582 --> 43:57.840
Cherry Point F-35s , uh , a week or so

43:57.840 --> 44:00.879
ago , and I noted that their surface to

44:00.879 --> 44:02.959
air missile threat trainers on their

44:02.959 --> 44:05.800
range , they seem outdated to be able

44:05.800 --> 44:08.260
to replicate , uh , modern threats . So

44:08.439 --> 44:11.040
what's the plan to modernize electronic

44:11.040 --> 44:13.207
warfare ranges at Cherry Point and all

44:13.207 --> 44:15.262
along the East Coast for our F-35s ?

44:15.919 --> 44:18.141
Sir , we're going to have to do that in

44:18.141 --> 44:20.363
simulators . Uh , we've got to increase

44:20.363 --> 44:22.197
our simulation abilities and our

44:22.197 --> 44:24.030
capabilities in those simulators

44:24.030 --> 44:25.975
because once we go into , into the

44:25.975 --> 44:28.030
certain modes of the F-35 , you're ,

44:28.030 --> 44:30.030
you're lighting up like a Christmas

44:30.030 --> 44:32.141
tree , and the overhead persistent SR

44:32.141 --> 44:34.030
by the PRC will pick that up very

44:34.030 --> 44:36.141
quickly . So , you know , my , my own

44:36.141 --> 44:38.252
aide , Colonel Putty Shoup , callsign

44:38.252 --> 44:40.719
Putty . is an F-35 pilot , and he can

44:40.719 --> 44:42.830
tell you that that we have to do that

44:42.830 --> 44:45.052
in simulation underneath closed doors .

44:45.052 --> 44:46.997
We've got to get the money for the

44:46.997 --> 44:49.108
simulators . We've got to get them up

44:49.108 --> 44:51.275
to speed . We've got to get them to be

44:51.275 --> 44:53.386
able to replicate what an F-35 can do

44:53.386 --> 44:56.929
in full mode . Thank you , uh , General

44:56.929 --> 44:59.040
Smith . Another question , um , about

44:59.040 --> 45:01.209
the Marine Raiders . So MSOC is

45:01.209 --> 45:03.639
authorized to have uh 3337 billets ,

45:03.689 --> 45:06.770
3,337 billets . Yet a recent

45:06.770 --> 45:08.770
congressional inquiry revealed that

45:08.770 --> 45:11.530
only 2,802 positions are filled . So

45:11.530 --> 45:14.370
over 500 short . Are there any

45:14.370 --> 45:16.426
production or retention challenges ,

45:16.426 --> 45:18.648
and , and how are you addressing it and

45:18.648 --> 45:20.814
how can we help ? Well , sir , I don't

45:20.814 --> 45:20.729
think there's actually anything we can

45:20.729 --> 45:22.785
do to help that . Uh , we're holding

45:22.785 --> 45:25.007
our standards high . Uh , our attrition

45:25.007 --> 45:27.173
rate through the pipeline is something

45:27.173 --> 45:29.396
that I'm concerned with . Uh , I've got

45:29.396 --> 45:31.507
our MARSOC commander working mightily

45:31.507 --> 45:33.673
on that . Um , we , we are , we hold a

45:33.673 --> 45:35.673
very , very high standard for those

45:35.673 --> 45:37.785
MARSO Marines . And so what we've got

45:37.785 --> 45:39.951
to do is expand the input to make sure

45:39.951 --> 45:42.173
that people aren't afraid of , of the ,

45:42.173 --> 45:44.229
the standard , if you will . They're

45:44.229 --> 45:46.285
not afraid of the NDOC to be able to

45:46.285 --> 45:48.173
get a higher percentage of people

45:48.173 --> 45:50.340
through that . Because our standard is

45:50.340 --> 45:52.173
our standard , um , and I too am

45:52.173 --> 45:54.340
concerned about being able to fill the

45:54.340 --> 45:56.173
Raider ranks , but I'm also more

45:56.173 --> 45:56.080
concerned with being able to make sure

45:56.080 --> 45:58.270
the Raiders stay the Raiders . Um ,

45:58.919 --> 46:01.141
thank you for that . Another question ,

46:01.141 --> 46:03.197
General . Uh , so I'm concerned with

46:03.197 --> 46:05.141
the lack of counter UAS systems at

46:05.141 --> 46:04.580
Cherry Point when I was down there

46:04.580 --> 46:07.260
recently , um , protecting our aircraft

46:07.260 --> 46:09.371
facilities and most importantly , our

46:09.371 --> 46:11.649
people . Um , that's a no fail mission .

46:11.649 --> 46:13.760
So how are we investing in delivering

46:13.760 --> 46:15.860
quickly to prevent an enemy drone

46:15.860 --> 46:17.804
strike on our bases ? Well , sir ,

46:17.804 --> 46:19.749
we're not going fast enough . Uh ,

46:19.749 --> 46:21.749
there's multiple systems that we're

46:21.749 --> 46:23.860
investing in . To get after a counter

46:23.860 --> 46:25.860
UAS system , the small UAVs are our

46:25.860 --> 46:28.138
primary concern right now at our bases .

46:28.138 --> 46:30.193
Most of them are looky-loos , people

46:30.193 --> 46:32.304
that are flying drones on their own .

46:32.304 --> 46:34.527
They happen to violate our airspace and

46:34.527 --> 46:34.189
we bring them down , but we've got to

46:34.189 --> 46:36.411
do better than drone defender and drone

46:36.411 --> 46:38.522
guns , and that is something that I'm

46:38.522 --> 46:40.689
working on . We have not yet found the

46:40.689 --> 46:42.856
solution . That is man portable enough

46:42.856 --> 46:44.911
to be useful both at an installation

46:44.911 --> 46:44.709
and in combat because what I don't want

46:44.709 --> 46:46.931
to do is train my people up on multiple

46:46.931 --> 46:48.876
systems . I want to have a generic

46:48.876 --> 46:51.042
system that works both in garrison and

46:51.042 --> 46:53.209
in the field . It is something we have

46:53.209 --> 46:55.376
not gone fast enough on . The solution

46:55.376 --> 46:57.598
is out there . We just haven't found it

46:57.598 --> 46:59.765
yet , sir . Thank you all , Chairman .

46:59.765 --> 47:01.709
Thank you , Senator Budd . Senator

47:01.709 --> 47:05.620
Hirono . Thank you , Mr .

47:05.629 --> 47:09.260
Chairman . Uh , this is for .

47:10.050 --> 47:12.161
Uh , Secretary Coo and , um , Admiral

47:12.889 --> 47:15.409
Caudle , the , the Navy spent $70

47:15.409 --> 47:18.530
million in planning and design funds

47:18.530 --> 47:20.689
over the last , uh , several years on

47:20.689 --> 47:23.570
Pearl Harbor's new shipyard waterfront

47:23.570 --> 47:26.310
production facility , uh , which was to ,

47:26.330 --> 47:29.139
uh , go hand in hand with the new , uh ,

47:29.169 --> 47:32.449
dry dock that is being built , uh , at

47:32.449 --> 47:34.530
the , at Pearl Harbor and only to

47:34.530 --> 47:36.474
determine after spending that much

47:36.474 --> 47:38.949
money . Uh , recently to determine that

47:38.949 --> 47:41.489
the original site was cost prohibitive ,

47:42.060 --> 47:44.227
uh , which I believe was , uh , pretty

47:44.227 --> 47:46.393
obvious from the start , given that it

47:46.393 --> 47:48.616
was planned to go on top of the current

47:48.616 --> 47:50.838
site of an existing dry dock . So , you

47:50.838 --> 47:53.550
know , $70 million I , I don't think it

47:53.550 --> 47:56.620
can be justified . But on the , uh , I

47:56.620 --> 47:59.320
just wanna ask both of you that , um ,

47:59.780 --> 48:02.419
how , how is the Navy going to course

48:02.419 --> 48:05.580
correct ? And ensure that we will still

48:05.580 --> 48:08.300
achieve the optimization and efficiency

48:08.300 --> 48:09.967
gains originally envisioned ,

48:10.100 --> 48:12.479
envisioned under P SIOP . The idea was

48:12.479 --> 48:14.535
to have the production facility near

48:14.535 --> 48:16.649
the dry dock , but now that , that's

48:16.649 --> 48:18.649
not gonna happen . So , how are you

48:18.649 --> 48:21.139
gonna ensure that the supplies that ,

48:21.189 --> 48:23.860
that will be needed to do the , do the

48:23.860 --> 48:25.979
dry , to do the job on the dry dock

48:25.979 --> 48:29.340
will be nearby ? Do you have a plan for

48:29.340 --> 48:31.820
that , Senator ? We , we can , we ,

48:31.939 --> 48:34.106
we're , uh , again , we need , we need

48:34.106 --> 48:36.161
a , a forward staging area for , for

48:36.161 --> 48:38.419
repair . And again , the workers in ,

48:38.780 --> 48:40.891
uh , Hawaii Hawaii are , are probably

48:40.891 --> 48:42.724
some of the best , uh , shipyard

48:42.724 --> 48:44.836
workers out there . And so we need to

48:44.836 --> 48:44.659
make sure we have the right equipment

48:44.659 --> 48:46.659
and right facilities for them . And

48:46.659 --> 48:48.659
this is why that study was there to

48:48.659 --> 48:50.826
make sure that whether or not it was ,

48:50.826 --> 48:52.992
uh , feasible , and we will definitely

48:52.992 --> 48:55.159
look at somewhere around there to , to

48:55.159 --> 48:57.270
make this happen , center . I'm gonna

48:57.270 --> 48:59.030
want to uh uh uh uh get a uh a

48:59.030 --> 49:01.389
description of what you all intend to

49:01.389 --> 49:03.909
do to optimize the situation after

49:03.909 --> 49:06.131
spending $70 million which in my view .

49:06.340 --> 49:08.340
Uh , it can't be justified for

49:08.340 --> 49:10.396
Secretary Cao . So you don't need to

49:10.396 --> 49:12.618
answer that particular question , and I

49:12.618 --> 49:14.673
have another one for you , Secretary

49:14.673 --> 49:16.840
Cao . The DOD has a significant number

49:16.840 --> 49:18.896
of military construction projects on

49:18.896 --> 49:21.118
Guam , and I know you are familiar with

49:21.118 --> 49:23.284
the situation there . So in Guam , CNN

49:23.284 --> 49:25.396
NY and Wake Islands , and for that we

49:25.396 --> 49:27.396
need to continue to extend the H-2B

49:27.396 --> 49:30.580
visas , and we keep doing this in this

49:30.580 --> 49:33.649
short periods of time and . The current ,

49:33.659 --> 49:36.090
uh , the visa authorization expires in

49:36.090 --> 49:38.889
2029 . We're gonna need to , uh , uh ,

49:38.899 --> 49:41.899
authorize an extension , uh , so I ,

49:41.979 --> 49:44.090
I'd like to know if you would support

49:44.179 --> 49:46.800
extending the H-2B visa authority

49:46.800 --> 49:50.689
through 2035 . Senator , Guam is

49:50.689 --> 49:52.800
near and dear to my heart . I'm right

49:52.800 --> 49:54.578
now as the , uh , the confirmed

49:54.578 --> 49:56.689
Undersecretary of the Navy , I am the

49:56.689 --> 49:56.530
senior defense official in Guam , which

49:56.530 --> 49:58.752
is kind of funny because 51 years ago I

49:58.752 --> 50:00.863
landed in Guam as a refugee , so that

50:00.863 --> 50:03.197
was my first taste of freedom . Uh , in ,

50:03.197 --> 50:05.540
in the world , but , uh , we , we do

50:05.540 --> 50:07.651
want to , uh , extend the , uh , H-2B

50:07.651 --> 50:09.651
visas . I've been working with your

50:09.651 --> 50:11.762
counterparts in the House in order to

50:11.762 --> 50:13.984
make this happen , Senator , and I hope

50:13.984 --> 50:16.151
to , to have your support as well to ,

50:16.151 --> 50:18.429
to push this through to 0 to 2035 , uh ,

50:18.429 --> 50:20.318
uh , yes , Senator , around there

50:20.318 --> 50:22.429
because it drives up the cost of some

50:22.429 --> 50:22.139
stability here . Yeah , you're

50:22.139 --> 50:24.361
absolutely right , because it drives up

50:24.361 --> 50:26.472
the cost 4 times if we don't have the

50:26.472 --> 50:28.583
H-2Vs visa center . Exactly . Admiral

50:28.583 --> 50:30.917
Carter and General , uh , General Smith ,

50:30.917 --> 50:33.028
do you agree ? I agree wholeheartedly

50:33.028 --> 50:35.250
so we can look for your support ma'am .

50:36.709 --> 50:38.931
So , um , I have a question about the ,

50:38.931 --> 50:41.750
the condition of , um , uh , the

50:41.750 --> 50:43.989
airfield at Joint Base Pearl Harbor

50:43.989 --> 50:46.189
Hickam , and the , the ramp at the

50:46.189 --> 50:48.300
airfield is in a state of disrepair .

50:48.300 --> 50:51.649
For example , 62% of parking spots

50:51.750 --> 50:55.070
there cannot support max weight C-17

50:55.070 --> 50:57.429
aircraft , and given the Navy and Air

50:57.429 --> 51:00.469
Force's agreement on a 10-year repair

51:00.469 --> 51:02.691
schedule , I , I would just like to get

51:02.691 --> 51:05.139
your commitment , Admiral , that , uh ,

51:05.149 --> 51:09.129
this , uh . Agreement will be adhered

51:09.129 --> 51:12.320
to . And that that that the navy will

51:12.320 --> 51:15.040
adhere to the schedule of repairs . On

51:15.040 --> 51:16.929
the ramps and execute the plan as

51:16.929 --> 51:19.207
agreed to with the Air Force . Senator ,

51:19.229 --> 51:21.340
you have my full commitment on that .

51:21.340 --> 51:23.340
It's a long time coming and finally

51:23.340 --> 51:25.562
there is an agreement . I think the Air

51:25.562 --> 51:27.396
Force would very much appreciate

51:27.396 --> 51:29.562
keeping to a schedule . There's been a

51:29.562 --> 51:32.709
lot of emphasis on the negotiation of ,

51:32.719 --> 51:35.229
uh , several leases in Hawaii and main

51:35.350 --> 51:37.879
mainly that's involved the Navy , but

51:37.879 --> 51:41.780
for Ameercado , uh . For the army

51:41.780 --> 51:44.179
rather , uh , the , the Navy though has

51:44.179 --> 51:47.620
a very important lease in Hawaii for

51:47.620 --> 51:50.370
the Pacific Missile Range Facility PMRF ,

51:50.449 --> 51:52.560
and I'd like to get your commitment .

51:52.560 --> 51:54.850
That uh you will continue to coordinate

51:54.850 --> 51:57.399
closely with the state and members of

51:57.399 --> 51:59.455
the public , particularly the native

51:59.455 --> 52:01.677
Hawaiian community , in negotiating the

52:01.677 --> 52:04.810
lease uh PMRF . My full commitment on

52:04.810 --> 52:07.100
that . It's a world class , uh ,

52:07.399 --> 52:09.343
operation there . You have my full

52:09.343 --> 52:11.288
commitment . Thank you very much .

52:11.288 --> 52:13.343
Thank you , Senator Hirono , Senator

52:13.343 --> 52:15.510
Scott . Thank you , Chairman . First ,

52:15.510 --> 52:17.566
I want to thank each of you for your

52:17.566 --> 52:19.732
service and all the men and women that

52:19.732 --> 52:21.732
work with you . Um , Gerald Smith ,

52:21.732 --> 52:23.899
thanks for , uh , passing audits . I'm

52:23.899 --> 52:25.955
a business guy , so audits , I think

52:25.955 --> 52:28.066
are pretty big . Um , so I understand

52:28.066 --> 52:30.010
the importance of that . So , um ,

52:30.300 --> 52:32.979
Acting Secretary . So what you just

52:32.979 --> 52:34.923
talked , got the job , so sure you

52:34.923 --> 52:37.090
don't have a solution for everything ,

52:37.139 --> 52:40.179
but talk about what you need to do to

52:40.179 --> 52:42.401
be , because the Navy has not been able

52:42.401 --> 52:44.401
to do theirs , and the Marines have

52:44.401 --> 52:46.457
been able to do theirs , OK ? And so

52:46.457 --> 52:48.679
you're , you're , uh , you're on top of

52:48.679 --> 52:50.735
it . So , how are you gonna get this

52:50.735 --> 52:52.901
done ? Senator , thank you so much for

52:52.901 --> 52:54.735
that question . Uh , uh , as the

52:54.735 --> 52:56.901
Undersecretary , uh , when I came in 7

52:56.901 --> 52:59.123
months ago , I've been pushing hard for

52:59.123 --> 53:01.401
the clean audit . So , uh , again , we ,

53:01.401 --> 53:01.139
we made sure the Marine Corps met their

53:01.139 --> 53:03.209
3rd clean audit , and for the Navy ,

53:03.260 --> 53:05.300
we're well ahead of schedule . I'm

53:05.300 --> 53:07.356
talking about months for the working

53:07.356 --> 53:09.411
capital fund , and , and we're gonna

53:09.411 --> 53:11.633
finish the , uh , the general fund next

53:11.633 --> 53:13.856
year . So we will meet the deadlines or

53:13.856 --> 53:16.078
exceed the deadlines . Make , make sure

53:16.078 --> 53:18.189
we do it ahead of time , sir . Do you

53:18.189 --> 53:20.411
have from , um , from auditors , do you

53:20.411 --> 53:22.467
have a good list of exactly what you

53:22.467 --> 53:24.633
have to do ? Yes , Senator . We , we ,

53:24.633 --> 53:26.689
we have a plan , plan and milestones

53:26.689 --> 53:28.911
that we're meeting every single day . I

53:28.911 --> 53:31.022
mean , just everything from just even

53:31.022 --> 53:30.770
looking at the , uh , the real estates

53:30.909 --> 53:32.965
and , and just quantifying the , the

53:32.965 --> 53:35.131
cost of the , the land and , and doing

53:35.131 --> 53:37.076
the inventory , we're , we're well

53:37.076 --> 53:39.020
ahead of schedule , Senator . Uh ,

53:39.020 --> 53:41.353
General Smith , you brought up the , um ,

53:41.353 --> 53:43.353
the , um , your need for 40 or more

53:43.353 --> 53:45.353
amphibious ships , uh , to meet the

53:45.353 --> 53:47.409
requirements . So , um , Secretary ,

53:47.409 --> 53:49.409
can you talk about , you know , how

53:49.409 --> 53:51.409
you're going to get that done ? And

53:51.409 --> 53:53.465
what's , what's the plan to get that

53:53.465 --> 53:55.409
done ? Because I , I , as far as I

53:55.409 --> 53:54.800
understand , it's still not part of the

53:54.800 --> 53:57.120
Navy's plan , uh , to get the 40

53:57.120 --> 53:59.231
amphibious ships , but . Can you talk

53:59.231 --> 54:01.342
about how you're going to get there ?

54:01.350 --> 54:03.350
Thank you , Senator . Yes , we , we

54:03.350 --> 54:05.199
have a , uh , amphibious forces

54:05.199 --> 54:07.310
readiness board that's chaired by the

54:07.310 --> 54:09.477
Vice Chief of Naval Operations as well

54:09.477 --> 54:11.421
as the Assistant Commandant of the

54:11.421 --> 54:11.189
Marine Corps , and they just , uh ,

54:11.199 --> 54:13.032
submitted a report to me which I

54:13.032 --> 54:14.921
forwarded to the Secretary of War

54:14.921 --> 54:17.270
yesterday which uh plans out there's

54:17.270 --> 54:19.270
two courses of action and the , the

54:19.270 --> 54:21.270
course of action that we , we would

54:21.270 --> 54:23.159
like to pursue would be able to .

54:23.159 --> 54:26.594
Extend the OFRRP to 56 months allowing

54:26.594 --> 54:28.538
us to have two workup cycles , two

54:28.538 --> 54:30.705
integrated , uh , training cycles , as

54:30.705 --> 54:32.895
well as two , deployments for every ,

54:33.034 --> 54:35.314
uh , uh , ship . So for that we would

54:35.314 --> 54:37.536
require 40 amphibious ships . Right now

54:37.536 --> 54:40.074
we're 31 , uh , and in , in the fit up

54:40.074 --> 54:43.094
right now we have 1 LPD per per year ,

54:43.475 --> 54:45.754
uh , and , and then , uh , an LHA with

54:45.754 --> 54:48.225
a , a center of every 2 years , uh , in

54:48.225 --> 54:50.514
order to accomplish this . So how long

54:50.514 --> 54:52.514
will it take to get there ? It will

54:52.514 --> 54:54.681
take uh probably to the end of the fit

54:54.681 --> 54:57.239
up uh center until the , the , uh ,

54:57.250 --> 54:59.472
future year development plan which goes

54:59.472 --> 55:02.050
from 28 to 3032 .

55:03.429 --> 55:06.070
So , uh , 23rd too , sir . OK . All

55:06.070 --> 55:08.340
right , um , you took it , you , um ,

55:08.550 --> 55:10.606
coming in , you and , uh , the prior

55:10.606 --> 55:12.661
secretary took over , uh , a need to

55:12.661 --> 55:14.661
start building ships . Can you talk

55:14.661 --> 55:16.717
about what you're gonna , what , how

55:16.717 --> 55:18.772
you're gonna change to start getting

55:18.772 --> 55:20.994
this done because the navy's had a very

55:20.994 --> 55:23.217
difficult time . Uh , to build ships on

55:23.217 --> 55:25.272
budget and on time and so talk about

55:25.272 --> 55:27.439
what , what the plan is to get there .

55:27.439 --> 55:29.772
You absolutely right , Senator . We are ,

55:29.772 --> 55:31.717
uh , right now there's 80 ships on

55:31.717 --> 55:33.883
contract and , uh , 59 in construction

55:33.883 --> 55:33.629
alone , and you know we're just not

55:33.629 --> 55:35.851
moving fast enough . It's taken about 6

55:35.851 --> 55:37.573
to 8 years for us to develop a

55:37.573 --> 55:39.709
destroyer . We are looking at various

55:39.709 --> 55:43.189
ways to energize and induce , uh , you

55:43.189 --> 55:46.429
know , more I guess competition to the ,

55:46.550 --> 55:48.820
the , uh , the industrial base . And

55:48.820 --> 55:51.179
this is , I know what we've been told

55:51.179 --> 55:53.401
earlier , hey , we're buying ships from

55:53.401 --> 55:55.457
overseas . We're not , we're , we're

55:55.457 --> 55:57.568
looking at whether or not those ships

55:57.568 --> 55:59.679
are , are feasible to work inside our

55:59.679 --> 56:01.790
formation . And then what we're doing

56:01.790 --> 56:03.679
is having those foreign shipyards

56:03.679 --> 56:05.679
invest in the United States . We're

56:05.679 --> 56:07.790
going to create 540,000 jobs in order

56:07.790 --> 56:09.957
to get where we are right now in order

56:09.957 --> 56:12.123
to build ships . That includes pushing

56:12.123 --> 56:11.850
the supply chain and giving everything

56:12.310 --> 56:14.421
in the United States in order to make

56:14.421 --> 56:16.479
this happen , sir . Again , it's not

56:16.479 --> 56:18.479
just about warships . We're talking

56:18.479 --> 56:20.535
about merchant ships as well . Right

56:20.535 --> 56:22.757
now in the United States there's only .

56:22.757 --> 56:24.923
Only 188 flagged commercial commercial

56:24.923 --> 56:26.812
US ships and 105 military Seal of

56:26.812 --> 56:29.090
Command ships . We need more than that .

56:29.090 --> 56:31.146
In fact , the Chinese right now have

56:31.146 --> 56:33.257
11,000 merchant ships out there , out

56:33.257 --> 56:35.035
there , and we are a , we are a

56:35.035 --> 56:37.035
maritime nation that borders on the

56:37.035 --> 56:39.146
Atlantic and Pacific , and we require

56:39.146 --> 56:41.257
this in order to thrive as a nation ,

56:41.257 --> 56:43.423
sir . Why can't you design a ship in 6

56:43.423 --> 56:45.535
months ? I mean , is it , I mean , it

56:45.535 --> 56:47.757
just , it doesn't make sense to me that

56:47.757 --> 56:49.923
you , if you got everybody in a room ,

56:49.923 --> 56:52.035
I mean , I've built a lot of stuff in

56:52.035 --> 56:51.800
my life , and I've not built a ship ,

56:51.840 --> 56:53.896
but you just get everybody in a room

56:53.896 --> 56:55.951
and make a decision . And you know ,

56:55.951 --> 56:58.062
the way , the way I've always thought

56:58.062 --> 56:58.020
about it is , we shouldn't be buying ,

56:58.320 --> 57:00.653
you know , expensive , you know , stuff ,

57:00.653 --> 57:02.820
but we should buy what we exactly what

57:02.820 --> 57:05.042
we need and and quit changing it . Um ,

57:05.280 --> 57:07.790
so , I don't , it doesn't make sense to

57:07.790 --> 57:09.846
me . So take the time to answer that

57:09.846 --> 57:11.790
question , Mr . Secretary . You're

57:11.790 --> 57:13.901
absolutely right , uh , Senator , and

57:13.901 --> 57:16.068
this is exactly why we need the Golden

57:16.068 --> 57:18.179
Fleet , which , which goes from small

57:18.179 --> 57:19.957
to large combatants . The small

57:19.957 --> 57:22.123
combatants are , are , we're investing

57:22.123 --> 57:24.234
in a ship that's already been planned

57:24.234 --> 57:26.290
and built right now , which is the ,

57:26.290 --> 57:28.401
the National Security cutter . It's ,

57:28.401 --> 57:30.679
it's already out there and it's proven ,

57:30.679 --> 57:32.734
so we would commission this ship and

57:32.734 --> 57:34.846
and build it and then uh and put Mark

57:34.846 --> 57:37.068
70 launchers on the . So it's basically

57:37.068 --> 57:39.290
containerized systems . So , you know ,

57:39.290 --> 57:41.234
the hardest thing we have in uh in

57:41.234 --> 57:43.290
warfare is the uh uh vertical launch

57:43.290 --> 57:45.290
system , the replenishment at sea .

57:45.290 --> 57:47.457
We've been trying that for years , but

57:47.457 --> 57:49.679
in containerized systems you're able to

57:49.679 --> 57:51.568
pull in any port and using gantry

57:51.568 --> 57:53.457
cranes you can pull those , those

57:53.457 --> 57:53.409
containers on and off quickly . And so

57:53.409 --> 57:55.631
this is why we need the low to high mix

57:55.631 --> 57:57.409
of ships because I can't have a

57:57.409 --> 57:59.242
destroyer do everything like for

57:59.242 --> 58:01.298
example , the missions down in South

58:01.298 --> 58:03.465
America or even , uh , you know , uh ,

58:03.465 --> 58:05.576
escorts as well . I hope that answers

58:05.576 --> 58:07.649
your question , Senator . Uh , um ,

58:07.889 --> 58:10.000
thank you . I just wanted to 6 months

58:10.000 --> 58:12.222
is a good time to get it all designed .

58:12.699 --> 58:14.866
You , you may want to follow up with a

58:14.866 --> 58:17.032
question on the record , Senator Scott

58:17.032 --> 58:19.479
Senator Rosen . Uh , well , thank you ,

58:19.560 --> 58:21.782
Chairman Wicker , Ranking Member Reed ,

58:21.782 --> 58:23.893
for holding this hearing , and , uh ,

58:23.893 --> 58:25.782
excuse me , I'd like to thank the

58:25.782 --> 58:27.893
witnesses , uh , for testifying today

58:27.893 --> 58:30.060
and for your service to this country .

58:30.060 --> 58:32.227
We appreciate you . And I wanna talk a

58:32.227 --> 58:34.250
little bit about Fallon Naval Air

58:34.250 --> 58:36.472
Station and modernization . I see you ,

58:36.472 --> 58:38.194
you know a lot about it . So ,

58:38.194 --> 58:40.139
Secretary Cow and Admiral Caudle ,

58:40.179 --> 58:42.235
Nevada . I'm gonna tell everyone who

58:42.235 --> 58:44.401
doesn't know here , Nevada is proud to

58:44.401 --> 58:46.512
host Naval Air Station Fallon . Yes ,

58:46.512 --> 58:48.735
we have a naval base in Nevada . We are

58:48.735 --> 58:50.901
proudly home to Top Gun , our nation's

58:50.901 --> 58:53.012
premier carrier air wing , and SEAL .

58:53.012 --> 58:55.389
Training centers among other things .

58:55.739 --> 58:57.628
And as you well know , the Nevada

58:57.628 --> 58:59.961
delegation worked closely with the Navy ,

58:59.961 --> 59:02.183
federal agencies , tribal governments ,

59:02.183 --> 59:04.183
and local stakeholders for years to

59:04.183 --> 59:06.017
secure the Fallon Range Training

59:06.017 --> 59:09.020
Complex modernization in FY 23 NDAA ,

59:09.300 --> 59:11.850
expanding the range by over 600,000

59:11.850 --> 59:13.739
acres to meet critical national

59:13.739 --> 59:16.939
security training needs . So now we're

59:16.939 --> 59:19.189
nearly 4 years into the modernization

59:19.189 --> 59:21.750
effort , and I've made it clear each

59:21.750 --> 59:23.694
time that Navy leadership has come

59:23.694 --> 59:25.750
before the committee that as part of

59:25.750 --> 59:27.917
the deal you struck in 2022 , you have

59:27.917 --> 59:30.083
to fully , completely compensate those

59:30.083 --> 59:31.917
grazing permit holders for their

59:31.917 --> 59:34.469
lifetime loss because the payments

59:34.469 --> 59:36.469
offered to the ranchers in the B-16

59:36.469 --> 59:39.010
range complex completely , it's missing

59:39.010 --> 59:40.989
the mark . The two-year clock for

59:40.989 --> 59:43.045
payments to the ranchers on the B-17

59:43.045 --> 59:45.439
range has already begun . So we just

59:45.439 --> 59:47.495
have to get this right . You have to

59:47.495 --> 59:49.383
get this right . I'm disappointed

59:49.383 --> 59:51.606
there's still significant discrepancies

59:51.606 --> 59:53.828
in valuing the permanent loss to forage

59:53.828 --> 59:55.772
and considering the loans that the

59:55.772 --> 59:58.469
permittee must um repay because permit

59:58.469 --> 01:00:00.840
grazer's losses should be treated as a

01:00:00.840 --> 01:00:03.280
complete loss . It's not a buyout and

01:00:03.280 --> 01:00:05.280
in many cases in Nevada , these are

01:00:05.280 --> 01:00:07.760
multi-generational families . They've

01:00:07.760 --> 01:00:10.229
just been there forever , and they're

01:00:10.229 --> 01:00:13.250
giving up . Not just the grazing rights ,

01:00:13.379 --> 01:00:15.157
their livelihood and what their

01:00:15.157 --> 01:00:17.101
family's done for generation after

01:00:17.101 --> 01:00:19.268
generation , and we're giving it up in

01:00:19.268 --> 01:00:21.379
service to our country . And so these

01:00:21.379 --> 01:00:23.601
Nevadans have kept up their side of the

01:00:23.601 --> 01:00:25.546
bargain , and we have to do what's

01:00:25.546 --> 01:00:27.546
necessary for our aviators and SEAL

01:00:27.546 --> 01:00:29.712
teams , as you know , Mr . Secretary ,

01:00:29.712 --> 01:00:31.768
and the best training in a realistic

01:00:31.768 --> 01:00:33.823
environment , so now it's the Navy's

01:00:33.823 --> 01:00:36.070
turn . So to the Secretary and Admiral

01:00:36.070 --> 01:00:38.439
Coo , uh , Cowel , um , how has the

01:00:38.439 --> 01:00:40.495
Navy reviewed and reassessed payment

01:00:40.495 --> 01:00:42.606
offers based on the latest input that

01:00:42.606 --> 01:00:44.383
the team in Northern Nevada has

01:00:44.383 --> 01:00:46.161
received to ensure every single

01:00:46.161 --> 01:00:48.328
permittee , um , is made whole in this

01:00:48.328 --> 01:00:50.439
process ? Well , Senator , if I could

01:00:50.439 --> 01:00:52.717
just take 2 seconds to , to brag about ,

01:00:52.717 --> 01:00:52.620
uh , Fallon because I've , I've spent a

01:00:52.620 --> 01:00:54.676
lot of time there clearing that that

01:00:54.676 --> 01:00:56.842
was built in World War II when we , we

01:00:56.842 --> 01:00:59.009
had to fight two sides . And we didn't

01:00:59.009 --> 01:01:01.120
know if we're going to , if we had to

01:01:01.120 --> 01:01:03.231
give up one side , we would basically

01:01:03.231 --> 01:01:05.120
give up the Pacific and fight the

01:01:05.120 --> 01:01:07.009
Atlantic and use , use bases like

01:01:07.009 --> 01:01:06.834
Fallon on the other side of the

01:01:06.834 --> 01:01:09.001
mountain to do a counterattack to take

01:01:09.001 --> 01:01:11.056
back California . So that's , that's

01:01:11.056 --> 01:01:13.056
the really the , the history of the

01:01:13.056 --> 01:01:14.945
base . And right now every single

01:01:14.945 --> 01:01:16.890
carrier air wing goes out there to

01:01:16.890 --> 01:01:18.945
train , to go out there . That's how

01:01:18.945 --> 01:01:21.167
we're able to do epic fury and absolute

01:01:21.167 --> 01:01:23.390
resolve so well because of the training

01:01:23.390 --> 01:01:25.556
ranges there . Uh , again . Fallon has

01:01:25.556 --> 01:01:25.219
done a lot of things over the years . I

01:01:25.219 --> 01:01:27.386
remember back in the days we put the ,

01:01:27.386 --> 01:01:29.608
the , um , um , solar panels all around

01:01:29.608 --> 01:01:32.699
the bases , in order to pay back to the ,

01:01:32.820 --> 01:01:35.379
the city to , uh , export the energy

01:01:35.379 --> 01:01:37.212
out there . We , we have been in

01:01:37.212 --> 01:01:39.490
negotiations with the , the , the , uh ,

01:01:39.490 --> 01:01:41.546
uh , ranchers , and , uh , again , I

01:01:41.546 --> 01:01:43.780
have a fiduciary responsibility also to

01:01:43.780 --> 01:01:46.058
the United States Navy to make sure we ,

01:01:46.058 --> 01:01:48.280
we get the best deal for us as well and

01:01:48.280 --> 01:01:50.447
we . We are , I , I'd love to come out

01:01:50.447 --> 01:01:52.724
there and visit the base one more time .

01:01:52.724 --> 01:01:52.675
Again , I love riding around the ATV

01:01:52.675 --> 01:01:55.074
slapping C4 on those , uh , all , all

01:01:55.074 --> 01:01:57.074
those unexploded munitions and blow

01:01:57.074 --> 01:01:59.241
them up , but I'll , I'll go out there

01:01:59.241 --> 01:02:01.407
with you , Senator , and , and we'll .

01:02:01.407 --> 01:02:03.407
Perfect . So we have a , a bunch of

01:02:03.407 --> 01:02:05.574
other things . Um , I'm gonna have the

01:02:05.574 --> 01:02:07.741
admiral speak to this too , but , uh ,

01:02:07.741 --> 01:02:09.963
we have other roads out there that have

01:02:09.963 --> 01:02:09.475
to be moved around . We have some

01:02:09.475 --> 01:02:11.754
flooding issues on the B-16 range , so .

01:02:12.100 --> 01:02:14.322
Uh , I welcome you to come to my office

01:02:14.322 --> 01:02:16.433
and we can discuss it in length . You

01:02:16.433 --> 01:02:18.600
know it well , and we can , um , get ,

01:02:18.600 --> 01:02:20.600
go , uh , moving forward , please ,

01:02:20.600 --> 01:02:22.711
Admiral . Well , Senator , you know ,

01:02:22.711 --> 01:02:24.822
we've talked , I'm committed to doing

01:02:24.822 --> 01:02:26.989
what's right by the ranchers there . I

01:02:26.989 --> 01:02:26.820
want to , and , but , you know , these

01:02:26.820 --> 01:02:28.820
things are delicate and they've got

01:02:28.820 --> 01:02:30.931
both sides and there's rubrics on how

01:02:30.931 --> 01:02:33.153
we evaluate these things and uh there's

01:02:33.153 --> 01:02:35.209
escrow accounts and all these things

01:02:35.209 --> 01:02:37.320
that are going on from really outside

01:02:37.320 --> 01:02:39.487
my lane , but you have my full support

01:02:39.487 --> 01:02:41.598
on the importance of Fallon . It goes

01:02:41.598 --> 01:02:43.764
without saying . I mean we have worked

01:02:43.764 --> 01:02:45.764
very hard there to deliver a lot of

01:02:45.764 --> 01:02:47.931
quality of service improvement there .

01:02:47.931 --> 01:02:50.098
The housing there is a challenge , and

01:02:50.098 --> 01:02:52.153
you know over 100 , I think it's 172

01:02:52.153 --> 01:02:54.209
military homes that need to be , you

01:02:54.209 --> 01:02:56.431
know , completed there and we need even

01:02:56.431 --> 01:02:58.653
more than that . We need infrastructure

01:02:58.653 --> 01:03:00.709
as well . The demand is outstripping

01:03:00.709 --> 01:03:02.876
our supply . Yes ma'am , yes , because

01:03:02.876 --> 01:03:04.987
there are Uh , men and women who work

01:03:04.987 --> 01:03:07.098
out there and their families , they ,

01:03:07.098 --> 01:03:07.080
they're having to live an hour away in

01:03:07.080 --> 01:03:09.191
Reno where housing is already short .

01:03:09.191 --> 01:03:11.302
So there's a lot to do . I'd love for

01:03:11.302 --> 01:03:13.469
you to come talk with my team , and we

01:03:13.469 --> 01:03:15.358
can , uh , review that and , uh ,

01:03:15.360 --> 01:03:17.560
continue to move forward and keep

01:03:17.560 --> 01:03:20.340
Fallon as , um , amazing place as it is .

01:03:20.560 --> 01:03:22.838
Thank you . Thank you , Mr . Chair you ,

01:03:22.838 --> 01:03:25.060
Senator Rosen . There's a vote going on

01:03:25.060 --> 01:03:27.338
on the floor , but I think we can , uh ,

01:03:27.338 --> 01:03:29.449
conclude . Uh , within time , Senator

01:03:29.449 --> 01:03:31.727
Banks , you are recognized . Thank you ,

01:03:31.727 --> 01:03:33.560
Mr . Chairman . Admiral Caudle ,

01:03:33.560 --> 01:03:35.393
Secretary Cal , I wanna start by

01:03:35.393 --> 01:03:37.560
thanking both of you for your decision

01:03:37.560 --> 01:03:39.989
to assign a one-star reserve flag

01:03:39.989 --> 01:03:42.629
officer at Crane Navy Base in Indiana

01:03:43.000 --> 01:03:45.222
by the end of the fiscal year . This is

01:03:45.222 --> 01:03:47.222
a really big deal for Indiana , for

01:03:47.222 --> 01:03:49.444
Crane , and I think for the country and

01:03:49.444 --> 01:03:51.444
a game changing moment for Crane to

01:03:51.444 --> 01:03:53.510
help accelerate . And fields , slick

01:03:53.510 --> 01:03:56.459
them in and CPS . Can , Secretary Cow ,

01:03:56.550 --> 01:03:58.661
can you elaborate for a minute on the

01:03:58.661 --> 01:04:00.661
strategic importance of this move ?

01:04:00.860 --> 01:04:03.138
Thank you , Senator , for the question .

01:04:03.138 --> 01:04:05.304
Again , this is so important to us . I

01:04:05.304 --> 01:04:07.416
mean , conventional prompt strike , a

01:04:07.416 --> 01:04:09.527
missile they can't stop that that can

01:04:09.527 --> 01:04:11.360
go from here to California in 16

01:04:11.360 --> 01:04:13.527
seconds , be launched from a ship like

01:04:13.527 --> 01:04:15.527
the US's Zumwalt that can't be seen

01:04:15.527 --> 01:04:17.527
from the air or or on , uh , I mean

01:04:17.527 --> 01:04:19.693
this is exactly what we need or from a

01:04:19.693 --> 01:04:21.804
submarine . And as well as slick them

01:04:21.804 --> 01:04:23.916
in , uh , we , we talked about before

01:04:23.916 --> 01:04:25.916
having the strategy of having slick

01:04:25.916 --> 01:04:25.790
them in on a submarine . So instead of

01:04:25.790 --> 01:04:27.846
14 ballistic missile submarines , we

01:04:27.846 --> 01:04:30.379
add the other 48 fast attack submarines

01:04:30.550 --> 01:04:32.606
as part of the arsenal for strategic

01:04:32.606 --> 01:04:34.969
strikes as well . So the only way to

01:04:35.060 --> 01:04:37.227
Make this to accelerate this program ,

01:04:37.227 --> 01:04:39.393
make it go faster is to put an admiral

01:04:39.393 --> 01:04:41.449
up there that will have oversight of

01:04:41.449 --> 01:04:43.282
these programs , sir . Admiral ,

01:04:43.282 --> 01:04:45.282
anything to add ? How , how is this

01:04:45.282 --> 01:04:47.338
good for the Navy , sir ? You know ,

01:04:47.338 --> 01:04:46.780
first of all , thank you for your

01:04:46.780 --> 01:04:49.002
persistent leadership on advocating for

01:04:49.002 --> 01:04:51.113
Crane . It is a , you know , one of a

01:04:51.113 --> 01:04:53.340
kind . facility out there that does

01:04:53.340 --> 01:04:55.360
things for Slick Aman and CPS as we

01:04:55.360 --> 01:04:57.471
discussed , but missile electronics ,

01:04:57.471 --> 01:04:59.804
radar electronics , systems integration ,

01:04:59.919 --> 01:05:02.030
the launch systems that we have to do

01:05:02.030 --> 01:05:04.699
to launch Slick Aman and launch CPS ,

01:05:05.000 --> 01:05:07.439
all of that technology is , is at the

01:05:07.439 --> 01:05:09.790
heart of Crane's operation . And so ,

01:05:09.840 --> 01:05:11.810
you know , what they putting flag

01:05:11.810 --> 01:05:13.866
leadership out there really gives an

01:05:13.866 --> 01:05:16.088
opportunity , I think , to go re-wicker

01:05:16.088 --> 01:05:17.866
a bit , the command and control

01:05:17.866 --> 01:05:20.143
structure of how that's being overseen .

01:05:20.143 --> 01:05:22.254
So while the first step has been done

01:05:22.254 --> 01:05:24.588
to commit to the , the new flag officer ,

01:05:24.588 --> 01:05:26.699
there's work to be done to go land on

01:05:26.699 --> 01:05:28.866
what that organizational structure can

01:05:28.866 --> 01:05:28.790
be in the future to be most effective .

01:05:29.149 --> 01:05:31.260
Secretary Cowell , can you talk for a

01:05:31.260 --> 01:05:33.205
moment about , Secretary Hegseth ,

01:05:33.205 --> 01:05:35.260
President Trump , and your vision to

01:05:35.260 --> 01:05:37.870
move more program offices closer to

01:05:37.870 --> 01:05:39.981
where the programs are administered ,

01:05:39.981 --> 01:05:41.981
not just in this case Ukraine , but

01:05:41.981 --> 01:05:44.037
across the board . How , how is this

01:05:44.037 --> 01:05:46.092
good for the Navy ? Center , again ,

01:05:46.092 --> 01:05:48.037
you can't , you know , it's one of

01:05:48.037 --> 01:05:50.259
those things , leadership by presence .

01:05:50.259 --> 01:05:49.540
You , you actually have to walk around

01:05:49.540 --> 01:05:51.707
and be there and it's just hard to fly

01:05:51.707 --> 01:05:54.040
around , you know , not everybody has a ,

01:05:54.040 --> 01:05:56.262
a , a Gulfstream or something like that

01:05:56.262 --> 01:05:58.318
to fly around . So it's best to have

01:05:58.318 --> 01:05:58.179
them right there at , at the , the

01:05:58.179 --> 01:06:00.235
production site the same way we have

01:06:00.235 --> 01:06:02.304
Rob Goucher , uh , and , and . Um ,

01:06:02.485 --> 01:06:05.574
Kavon Hakimzade just to , to look at ,

01:06:05.955 --> 01:06:08.122
you know , ship production , nuclear ,

01:06:08.122 --> 01:06:09.955
uh , aircraft carriers , nuclear

01:06:09.955 --> 01:06:11.955
submarines . This is why we have to

01:06:11.955 --> 01:06:14.066
have leaders right where , where they

01:06:14.066 --> 01:06:16.177
are to motivate and , and push , uh ,

01:06:16.177 --> 01:06:18.288
industry and push our , our civilians

01:06:18.288 --> 01:06:17.834
too . Thank you . I , I want to thank

01:06:17.834 --> 01:06:19.834
you too , Mr . Secretary , for your

01:06:19.834 --> 01:06:22.155
leadership in deploying Ship OS

01:06:22.635 --> 01:06:24.715
throughout the country . Ship OS is

01:06:24.715 --> 01:06:27.695
exactly the kind of modern AI enabled

01:06:28.274 --> 01:06:30.107
software infrastructure that our

01:06:30.107 --> 01:06:32.274
shipbuilding industrial base . Needs .

01:06:32.274 --> 01:06:35.379
What is your vision for scaling Ship OS

01:06:35.379 --> 01:06:37.939
across the fleet beyond submarines and

01:06:37.939 --> 01:06:39.840
the broader shipyard enterprise ?

01:06:41.810 --> 01:06:44.189
Senator , the , the . You know , the

01:06:44.189 --> 01:06:46.300
fact that , that we're still going on

01:06:46.300 --> 01:06:48.522
clipboards and Excel spreadsheets and ,

01:06:48.522 --> 01:06:50.633
and , and Foreman going down the line

01:06:50.633 --> 01:06:52.689
and going , OK , I , I need two guys

01:06:52.689 --> 01:06:54.800
that can , uh , can weld today , OK ,

01:06:54.800 --> 01:06:56.856
Hung and Jim , and , and like , OK ,

01:06:56.856 --> 01:06:58.800
but we need somebody to do the gas

01:06:58.800 --> 01:07:00.800
re-engineering . So it just doesn't

01:07:00.800 --> 01:07:00.790
work that way . It's just best to use

01:07:00.790 --> 01:07:02.899
these . AI systems in order to drive

01:07:03.560 --> 01:07:06.520
efficiencies and streamline processes

01:07:06.520 --> 01:07:08.687
so we can get our ships out in time so

01:07:08.687 --> 01:07:10.742
we can get our destroyers out faster

01:07:10.742 --> 01:07:12.909
than 6 to 8 years . We need to develop

01:07:12.909 --> 01:07:15.020
them within 2 years because our fleet

01:07:15.020 --> 01:07:17.353
needs it and our country needs it , sir .

01:07:17.353 --> 01:07:19.187
I know you're hitting the ground

01:07:19.187 --> 01:07:21.409
running and Uh , new in the acting role

01:07:21.409 --> 01:07:23.520
and hopefully , um , in the permanent

01:07:23.520 --> 01:07:25.687
role soon , but what , what's been the

01:07:25.687 --> 01:07:27.853
whole , we , we funded Ship OS and the

01:07:27.853 --> 01:07:30.076
Big Beautiful Bill , uh , well over a ,

01:07:30.409 --> 01:07:32.969
it was a year ago . What's the holdup ?

01:07:33.129 --> 01:07:35.351
What , what's taking so long ? What are

01:07:35.351 --> 01:07:37.573
the obstacles with , with , um , with ,

01:07:37.573 --> 01:07:39.518
uh , fully , uh , accelerating the

01:07:39.518 --> 01:07:41.830
expansion of Ship OS ? Well , sir , a

01:07:41.830 --> 01:07:43.941
lot of that money I know you funded a

01:07:43.941 --> 01:07:45.886
year ago . We do , we just got the

01:07:45.886 --> 01:07:47.997
money and right now I know that we're

01:07:47.997 --> 01:07:50.052
at 19% execution , but by the end of

01:07:50.052 --> 01:07:52.163
the , the , uh , July we'll be at 63%

01:07:52.163 --> 01:07:54.330
execution for all the , the money that

01:07:54.330 --> 01:07:56.274
we process and by , uh , September

01:07:56.274 --> 01:07:58.497
we'll be at 98% . So it's just a matter

01:07:58.497 --> 01:08:00.497
of getting the money in time and on

01:08:00.497 --> 01:08:02.552
time and this is why it's , uh , you

01:08:02.552 --> 01:08:04.274
know , shutdowns and continued

01:08:04.274 --> 01:08:06.441
resolutions don't help us because it ,

01:08:06.441 --> 01:08:08.663
it just delays everything . It's , it's

01:08:08.663 --> 01:08:10.774
like the accordion effect . It's like

01:08:10.774 --> 01:08:10.209
when you're running in formation , you

01:08:10.209 --> 01:08:12.320
know , one person speeds up and slows

01:08:12.320 --> 01:08:14.487
down . It just causes that and exactly

01:08:14.487 --> 01:08:16.709
why we need this , this bill , the full

01:08:16.709 --> 01:08:18.987
bill in order to pay , uh , for it and ,

01:08:18.987 --> 01:08:21.209
and really take care of the Navy Marine

01:08:21.209 --> 01:08:23.431
Corps , sir . Senator , if , if I could

01:08:23.431 --> 01:08:25.653
just add one , I think one thing that's

01:08:25.653 --> 01:08:27.820
key to this too is , um , the Palantir

01:08:27.820 --> 01:08:29.876
system has to tap authoritative data

01:08:29.876 --> 01:08:31.598
sources , and those things are

01:08:31.598 --> 01:08:31.160
disparate . They're just , they're ,

01:08:31.290 --> 01:08:33.234
we're all over the map on our data

01:08:33.234 --> 01:08:35.346
strategy . So getting the connections

01:08:35.346 --> 01:08:37.568
to the data sources that we can rely on

01:08:37.568 --> 01:08:39.679
so we can see ourselves through these

01:08:39.679 --> 01:08:41.790
type of AI AI technologies has been a

01:08:41.790 --> 01:08:43.790
limp fact , but we're moving out at

01:08:43.790 --> 01:08:45.846
speed just like the Secretary said .

01:08:45.846 --> 01:08:47.957
That's helpful . Thank you . I yelled

01:08:47.957 --> 01:08:47.660
back . Thank you , Central Bank .

01:08:47.779 --> 01:08:50.220
Senator Kaine . Thank you , Mr . Chair ,

01:08:50.250 --> 01:08:52.580
and to our Navy and Marine and to the

01:08:52.580 --> 01:08:54.779
committee , a compliment on the timing

01:08:54.779 --> 01:08:57.219
of this hearing . Um , president's

01:08:57.219 --> 01:08:59.579
budget first , shipbuilding plan to a

01:08:59.579 --> 01:09:01.523
second hearing third . I love that

01:09:01.523 --> 01:09:03.738
order . In past years we've sometimes

01:09:03.738 --> 01:09:05.905
done the posture hearing before we had

01:09:05.905 --> 01:09:07.682
the budget or before we had the

01:09:07.682 --> 01:09:09.905
shipbuilding plan , but this year we've

01:09:09.905 --> 01:09:11.960
timed it right , which means that we

01:09:11.960 --> 01:09:14.071
can do work we need to do . Secretary

01:09:14.071 --> 01:09:16.182
Cow , I'm going to ask you a question

01:09:16.182 --> 01:09:18.460
that I hadn't intended to ask , but Um ,

01:09:18.460 --> 01:09:20.516
in your , in your verbal testimony ,

01:09:20.516 --> 01:09:20.419
you said something that perked my ears

01:09:20.419 --> 01:09:22.569
up because I didn't remember it from

01:09:22.569 --> 01:09:24.569
your written testimony , and I went

01:09:24.569 --> 01:09:26.291
back and looked at the written

01:09:26.291 --> 01:09:28.291
testimony and I , I think you added

01:09:28.291 --> 01:09:30.625
something . You were talking about , um ,

01:09:30.625 --> 01:09:32.458
deploying recently with the Ford

01:09:32.458 --> 01:09:34.625
carrier strike group and how proud you

01:09:34.625 --> 01:09:36.736
are and we are of their service . And

01:09:36.736 --> 01:09:38.958
then you use this line , do not believe

01:09:38.958 --> 01:09:40.680
the fake news that claims food

01:09:40.680 --> 01:09:43.779
shortages , backed up toilets , and low

01:09:43.779 --> 01:09:46.490
morale . And my ears perked up at that ,

01:09:46.589 --> 01:09:49.089
um , particularly the , the subject of

01:09:49.089 --> 01:09:52.049
backed up toilets . Um , it has been

01:09:52.049 --> 01:09:54.569
widely reported by the Navy Times and

01:09:54.569 --> 01:09:57.310
the Military Times , by BBC and NPR

01:09:57.890 --> 01:10:00.001
that there was a problem of backed up

01:10:00.001 --> 01:10:02.350
toilets on the Ford . Um , it had

01:10:02.350 --> 01:10:05.020
actually been predicted in a GAO report

01:10:05.020 --> 01:10:07.799
that was done in 2020 that the design

01:10:07.799 --> 01:10:10.859
of the plumbing system on Ford was

01:10:10.859 --> 01:10:13.660
insufficient for 4000 sailors and could

01:10:13.660 --> 01:10:15.979
lead to problems . And we also have a

01:10:15.979 --> 01:10:18.201
lot of constituents in Virginia who are

01:10:18.201 --> 01:10:20.423
connected to the Ford , and we've heard

01:10:20.423 --> 01:10:23.220
this from constituents . Um , are you

01:10:23.220 --> 01:10:25.276
saying , and , and if I could , Mr .

01:10:25.276 --> 01:10:27.331
Chair , I'd like to introduce one of

01:10:27.331 --> 01:10:29.664
the articles , uh , for the record . Um ,

01:10:29.664 --> 01:10:31.660
it , the Navy Times , the Navy's

01:10:31.660 --> 01:10:33.882
largest ship continues to be plagued by

01:10:33.882 --> 01:10:37.160
plumbing issues dated January 2 , 2026 .

01:10:37.740 --> 01:10:39.573
Are you saying that these public

01:10:39.573 --> 01:10:42.580
reports and our constituents and the

01:10:42.580 --> 01:10:44.160
GAO report are lies ?

01:10:46.660 --> 01:10:48.899
Center , uh , in my years in the navy ,

01:10:48.939 --> 01:10:50.939
it wouldn't be a sea story if there

01:10:50.939 --> 01:10:52.995
wasn't some embellishment again with

01:10:52.995 --> 01:10:55.217
the food and stuff like that . I mean ,

01:10:55.217 --> 01:10:55.100
we , I was serving these guys food and

01:10:55.100 --> 01:10:57.156
there's a lot of things up toilets ,

01:10:57.156 --> 01:10:59.044
but , but backed up toilets , the

01:10:59.044 --> 01:11:00.989
commanding officer did show me the

01:11:00.989 --> 01:11:00.660
backed up toilets . It's actually next

01:11:00.660 --> 01:11:02.771
to the where the fire was . So , uh ,

01:11:02.879 --> 01:11:05.157
it's , it hasn't backed up since , but ,

01:11:05.157 --> 01:11:07.212
uh , it's just we , we have finished

01:11:07.212 --> 01:11:09.046
some this stuff , but , uh , the

01:11:09.046 --> 01:11:11.268
Admiral Caudle wants to comment on some

01:11:11.268 --> 01:11:13.435
of these , you know , I , I'd like him

01:11:13.435 --> 01:11:12.629
to , but I just wanna say if somebody

01:11:13.799 --> 01:11:16.160
tells me that something that is in the

01:11:16.160 --> 01:11:19.799
record as true is fake news , that's

01:11:19.799 --> 01:11:22.077
essentially telling me that it's a lie ,

01:11:22.359 --> 01:11:24.470
and it raises honesty issues , but it

01:11:24.470 --> 01:11:26.692
raises another issue when somebody says

01:11:26.692 --> 01:11:29.680
a problem is fake news . Then that

01:11:29.680 --> 01:11:31.902
makes me think they're not going to fix

01:11:31.902 --> 01:11:34.124
the problem because they're denying the

01:11:34.124 --> 01:11:36.347
problem . Now , Admiral Caudle , are we

01:11:36.347 --> 01:11:38.779
taking steps ? With respect to the Ford

01:11:38.779 --> 01:11:41.060
and other ships in that category to

01:11:41.060 --> 01:11:43.250
make sure that the plumbing system is

01:11:43.250 --> 01:11:45.250
sufficient for the needs of sailors

01:11:45.250 --> 01:11:47.306
deployed . Of course , sir . I think

01:11:47.306 --> 01:11:49.306
what the Secretary is trying to get

01:11:49.306 --> 01:11:51.194
across is , you know , it's not a

01:11:51.194 --> 01:11:53.528
binary state on calling out the article .

01:11:53.528 --> 01:11:55.750
It's that to what extent ? 5000 sailors

01:11:55.750 --> 01:11:57.694
a day flush the commode at least 4

01:11:57.694 --> 01:12:00.009
times a day at least over a 10-month

01:12:00.009 --> 01:12:02.231
deployment , which is what , you know ,

01:12:02.231 --> 01:12:04.342
this went a little bit into almost 11

01:12:04.342 --> 01:12:06.419
exactly . That's 6 million flushes .

01:12:06.859 --> 01:12:09.529
That's a lot of flushes . So this is a

01:12:09.529 --> 01:12:11.970
less than a 1% problem . Now it's a

01:12:11.970 --> 01:12:14.081
significant problem and the heads are

01:12:14.081 --> 01:12:16.192
down , but the , but the time between

01:12:16.192 --> 01:12:18.359
somebody flushing a t-shirt in there ,

01:12:18.359 --> 01:12:20.303
a rag in there , something else in

01:12:20.303 --> 01:12:22.470
there that's not supposed to be by our

01:12:22.470 --> 01:12:24.637
procedure till it was up again is like

01:12:24.637 --> 01:12:26.748
a , a couple of hours type of thing .

01:12:26.748 --> 01:12:28.692
Let me say it this way . The , the

01:12:28.692 --> 01:12:30.859
reports that I've read , including the

01:12:30.859 --> 01:12:32.914
one I put into the record , the Navy

01:12:32.914 --> 01:12:34.748
acknowledged that it's a problem

01:12:34.748 --> 01:12:36.859
they're working on . The navy did not

01:12:36.859 --> 01:12:38.970
say this is fake news or a lie . They

01:12:38.970 --> 01:12:41.026
acknowledged that it was a problem .

01:12:41.430 --> 01:12:44.189
What is being done right now with

01:12:44.189 --> 01:12:46.300
respect to future deployments to make

01:12:46.300 --> 01:12:48.549
sure that the plumbing systems on these

01:12:48.549 --> 01:12:51.220
Ford class are sufficient ? I think the

01:12:51.220 --> 01:12:53.387
plumbing system on the Ford class is a

01:12:53.387 --> 01:12:55.276
good design . We went away from a

01:12:55.276 --> 01:12:57.442
gravity drain and normal flushing type

01:12:57.442 --> 01:12:59.609
system to any current effort to do any

01:12:59.609 --> 01:13:01.664
improvement ? Are you 100% satisfied

01:13:01.664 --> 01:13:03.950
with ? No , I think it's , I'd have to

01:13:03.950 --> 01:13:06.061
check on the specifics and whether or

01:13:06.061 --> 01:13:08.172
not there's a limb fact in the volume

01:13:08.172 --> 01:13:10.359
of certain . Piping systems that allow

01:13:10.359 --> 01:13:13.100
a sailor to do something wrong and clog

01:13:13.100 --> 01:13:15.211
it and take it down and put it out of

01:13:15.211 --> 01:13:17.544
commission that I could go improve upon .

01:13:17.569 --> 01:13:19.236
If that system is operated in

01:13:19.236 --> 01:13:21.236
accordance with procedure , then it

01:13:21.236 --> 01:13:23.347
does not clog . So would you say that

01:13:23.347 --> 01:13:25.402
the reports of backed up toilets are

01:13:25.402 --> 01:13:27.569
fake news ? Would , would you use that

01:13:27.569 --> 01:13:29.458
phrase ? I would say that they're

01:13:29.458 --> 01:13:31.680
highly exaggerated . That's OK . That's

01:13:31.680 --> 01:13:33.625
what you would say . Um , two last

01:13:33.625 --> 01:13:35.791
points that I'll just make as points .

01:13:35.791 --> 01:13:38.620
One , 250,000 civilians in the Navy .

01:13:38.939 --> 01:13:40.979
No proposal for a pay raise for

01:13:40.979 --> 01:13:43.529
civilians . There's a bonus pool , but

01:13:43.529 --> 01:13:45.418
good proposals for pay raises for

01:13:45.418 --> 01:13:47.473
sailors , as there should be , we'll

01:13:47.473 --> 01:13:49.307
support that . I worry about the

01:13:49.307 --> 01:13:51.473
message it sends when we're increasing

01:13:51.473 --> 01:13:53.473
the budget from $800 billion to 1.5

01:13:53.473 --> 01:13:55.529
when there's zero proposal for a pay

01:13:55.529 --> 01:13:57.585
raise for Navy civilians . I'll have

01:13:57.585 --> 01:13:59.751
other questions for the record , but I

01:13:59.751 --> 01:14:02.470
yield back . Admiral Caudle , it is .

01:14:03.319 --> 01:14:06.279
Is there more of a problem on the

01:14:06.279 --> 01:14:10.129
bathtub toilets than usual ? I

01:14:10.129 --> 01:14:13.379
think that's the question . I think

01:14:13.379 --> 01:14:16.779
Ford has a newly designed system . It

01:14:16.779 --> 01:14:19.859
does require a tighter adherence to

01:14:19.859 --> 01:14:23.040
misuse where we would find routinely ,

01:14:23.379 --> 01:14:26.140
you know , underwear , t-shirts , large

01:14:26.140 --> 01:14:29.220
rags in our sanitary tanks because the

01:14:29.220 --> 01:14:31.259
previous system would let that go

01:14:31.259 --> 01:14:33.580
through . It is more susceptible to

01:14:33.580 --> 01:14:36.470
misuse like an airplane's vacuum drag

01:14:36.470 --> 01:14:39.879
system . So um . Whether or not , you

01:14:39.879 --> 01:14:41.657
know , I can put things in that

01:14:41.657 --> 01:14:43.823
sailorproof that I need to talk to the

01:14:43.823 --> 01:14:45.990
design engineers , but I would say the

01:14:45.990 --> 01:14:48.212
fact that the time it's offline , sir ,

01:14:48.212 --> 01:14:50.379
from the time it clogs to offline is a

01:14:50.379 --> 01:14:53.319
less than 1% problem of its overall use .

01:14:53.520 --> 01:14:55.879
Is it , is it fair to say that your

01:14:55.879 --> 01:14:58.479
testimony is that Most of the problem

01:14:59.180 --> 01:15:01.549
resulted from misuse . There's no

01:15:01.549 --> 01:15:03.493
question to the , to the extent we

01:15:03.493 --> 01:15:05.899
actually started standing a watch in

01:15:05.899 --> 01:15:08.580
our heads to ensure people complied

01:15:08.580 --> 01:15:10.580
with the procedures to keep it from

01:15:10.580 --> 01:15:13.419
being misused . So the system is again

01:15:13.419 --> 01:15:16.220
a vacuum drag system and whether or not

01:15:16.220 --> 01:15:18.276
that's robust enough for sailors , I

01:15:18.276 --> 01:15:20.500
can look at . Uh , OK , very , very

01:15:20.500 --> 01:15:22.833
good . Thank you for that clarification ,

01:15:22.833 --> 01:15:24.889
and I'm sure there'll be , um , some

01:15:24.889 --> 01:15:27.111
more discussion there . Senator Moody ,

01:15:27.111 --> 01:15:27.009
I believe you're next . Thank you , Mr .

01:15:27.129 --> 01:15:29.689
Chairman , uh , Acting Secretary Coo ,

01:15:29.850 --> 01:15:31.906
Admiral Cottle , and General Smith ,

01:15:31.906 --> 01:15:33.850
thank you for being here today and

01:15:33.850 --> 01:15:35.906
thank you to everyone , uh , sitting

01:15:35.906 --> 01:15:38.128
here that wears a uniform for answering

01:15:38.128 --> 01:15:40.239
the call and choosing service as your

01:15:40.239 --> 01:15:42.406
profession . I , I greatly respect you

01:15:42.406 --> 01:15:44.517
for making that , that choice in your

01:15:44.517 --> 01:15:44.160
life . Thank you very much and the

01:15:44.160 --> 01:15:46.271
American people , thank you . Uh , as

01:15:46.271 --> 01:15:48.382
you know , Florida is home to several

01:15:48.382 --> 01:15:50.604
naval installations including Naval Air

01:15:50.604 --> 01:15:52.160
Station Pensacola , Mayport

01:15:52.160 --> 01:15:54.160
Jacksonville , Key West , many more

01:15:54.160 --> 01:15:56.479
support offices across our state . When

01:15:56.479 --> 01:15:58.646
the average American , and I , I think

01:15:58.646 --> 01:16:00.812
many watch these hearings , these open

01:16:00.812 --> 01:16:03.035
hearings , they think of the Navy , the

01:16:03.035 --> 01:16:04.979
first thing that comes to mind are

01:16:04.979 --> 01:16:07.090
submarines or carrier strike groups .

01:16:07.090 --> 01:16:09.257
Oftentimes people forget the platforms

01:16:09.257 --> 01:16:11.368
needed to support the Navy's missions

01:16:11.368 --> 01:16:13.899
across the globe . Without proper

01:16:13.899 --> 01:16:15.720
testing of future systems and

01:16:15.720 --> 01:16:17.890
prototypes , the Navy cannot innovate

01:16:17.890 --> 01:16:19.668
at a pace it needs to deter our

01:16:19.668 --> 01:16:21.612
adversaries . In fact , in many of

01:16:21.612 --> 01:16:23.779
these hearings , many sitting in those

01:16:23.779 --> 01:16:26.330
chairs will say , we have to

01:16:26.490 --> 01:16:28.689
reconfigure how we do things from

01:16:28.689 --> 01:16:30.745
procurement to training to keep pace

01:16:30.745 --> 01:16:32.245
with innovation . So we're

01:16:32.245 --> 01:16:34.964
strategically outpacing our adversaries .

01:16:35.314 --> 01:16:37.674
The Eglin Gulf Test and Training range

01:16:37.674 --> 01:16:39.841
plays a vitally important role in that

01:16:39.841 --> 01:16:41.952
mission . It supports the testing and

01:16:41.952 --> 01:16:43.730
evaluation of weapons systems ,

01:16:43.730 --> 01:16:45.507
unmanned surface and underwater

01:16:45.507 --> 01:16:47.730
vehicles , hypersonic platforms , and a

01:16:47.730 --> 01:16:49.841
wide range of other capabilities that

01:16:49.841 --> 01:16:52.540
the fleet depends on . At 180,000

01:16:52.540 --> 01:16:54.540
square miles of controlled airspace

01:16:54.540 --> 01:16:56.479
stretching from Key West to North

01:16:56.479 --> 01:16:58.312
Florida , the Eglin Range is the

01:16:58.312 --> 01:17:00.580
largest test and training range in the

01:17:00.580 --> 01:17:02.700
continental United States , and the

01:17:02.700 --> 01:17:04.867
Department of War has identified it as

01:17:04.867 --> 01:17:07.620
a national military asset that cannot

01:17:07.620 --> 01:17:09.564
be replicated anywhere else in the

01:17:09.564 --> 01:17:11.959
country . From hypersonic weapons

01:17:11.959 --> 01:17:14.279
testing to unmanned systems development

01:17:14.279 --> 01:17:16.279
to live fire evaluation , the work

01:17:16.279 --> 01:17:18.279
being done on that range directly

01:17:18.279 --> 01:17:22.140
shapes the lethality of the future navy ,

01:17:22.359 --> 01:17:24.581
and I would argue the future success of

01:17:24.581 --> 01:17:27.479
our military . Admiral Cottle , I'd

01:17:27.479 --> 01:17:30.060
like to start with you and give you an

01:17:30.060 --> 01:17:32.004
opportunity to speak on the record

01:17:32.004 --> 01:17:34.060
about the importance of that range ,

01:17:34.060 --> 01:17:36.839
the Eglen Gulf test and training range

01:17:37.339 --> 01:17:39.859
to the Navy . From your perspective as

01:17:39.859 --> 01:17:41.637
Chief of Naval Operations , how

01:17:41.637 --> 01:17:43.637
critical is the range to the Navy's

01:17:43.637 --> 01:17:45.192
testing , development , and

01:17:45.192 --> 01:17:47.359
modernization efforts ? Specifically ,

01:17:47.819 --> 01:17:49.986
what does that range contribute to the

01:17:49.986 --> 01:17:52.240
Navy that the service could not get or

01:17:52.240 --> 01:17:54.620
could not get as effectively from any

01:17:54.620 --> 01:17:57.140
other location in the country ? Well ,

01:17:57.379 --> 01:17:59.435
Senator Moody , thank you . I mean ,

01:17:59.435 --> 01:18:01.490
you're , you're like pushing an open

01:18:01.490 --> 01:18:03.435
door here for , you know , on this

01:18:03.435 --> 01:18:05.601
question . You know , with the 96 test

01:18:05.601 --> 01:18:07.268
wing that's there , the joint

01:18:07.268 --> 01:18:09.323
integration we do with the Air Force

01:18:09.323 --> 01:18:11.546
there , collaborative platforms there ,

01:18:11.546 --> 01:18:14.000
uh , we have F-35 Charlie , uh ,

01:18:14.180 --> 01:18:16.299
training there , EOD school , weapons

01:18:16.299 --> 01:18:18.500
testings as you've laid out , all of

01:18:18.500 --> 01:18:20.279
those things are significantly

01:18:20.279 --> 01:18:22.279
important . Important to the United

01:18:22.279 --> 01:18:24.501
States Navy . It's , uh , we have a lot

01:18:24.501 --> 01:18:26.779
of joint integration that's done there .

01:18:26.779 --> 01:18:28.890
And so Eglin serves a very vital role

01:18:28.890 --> 01:18:31.001
in everything you laid out toward our

01:18:31.001 --> 01:18:33.168
gaining lethality . And as you look to

01:18:33.168 --> 01:18:32.560
where the Navy is going , and certainly

01:18:32.560 --> 01:18:35.359
we can look at conflicts that have just

01:18:35.359 --> 01:18:37.470
recently happened , how important the

01:18:37.470 --> 01:18:39.081
Navy is , unmanned systems ,

01:18:39.081 --> 01:18:41.026
hypersonics , advanced munitions ,

01:18:41.026 --> 01:18:43.137
distributed maritime operations , how

01:18:43.137 --> 01:18:44.970
essential is preserving the full

01:18:44.970 --> 01:18:47.081
footprint of that range to delivering

01:18:47.081 --> 01:18:49.359
those capabilities to the fleet ? Well ,

01:18:49.359 --> 01:18:51.581
like you said , it's a national asset .

01:18:51.581 --> 01:18:53.748
So when you start shrinking these type

01:18:53.748 --> 01:18:53.620
of ranges down and I don't get the

01:18:53.620 --> 01:18:55.979
ability to conduct full range maneuvers

01:18:55.979 --> 01:18:58.259
of these very advanced systems , then

01:18:58.259 --> 01:19:00.426
you're going to limit me somehow to do

01:19:00.426 --> 01:19:02.648
real world testing and result mostly to

01:19:02.648 --> 01:19:04.759
simulation , which doesn't completely

01:19:04.759 --> 01:19:06.481
give us the full answer on our

01:19:06.481 --> 01:19:08.703
capabilities . And I want to just shift

01:19:08.703 --> 01:19:10.592
over to Acting Secretary Cowell .

01:19:10.930 --> 01:19:13.152
Shifting from capability to policy , as

01:19:13.152 --> 01:19:15.529
you know , since 1983 and codified by

01:19:15.529 --> 01:19:17.696
the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act

01:19:17.696 --> 01:19:20.689
in 2006 , the military mission line has

01:19:20.689 --> 01:19:22.800
served as the boundary protecting the

01:19:22.800 --> 01:19:24.800
range from encroachment by offshore

01:19:24.800 --> 01:19:26.930
drilling or oil and gas activity that

01:19:26.930 --> 01:19:28.874
is fundamentally incompatible with

01:19:28.874 --> 01:19:31.049
military testing and training . The

01:19:31.049 --> 01:19:33.279
Pentagonon itself reaffirmed this

01:19:33.279 --> 01:19:35.609
position in its May 2018 report to

01:19:35.609 --> 01:19:37.680
Congress , and I'll quote . It was

01:19:37.680 --> 01:19:40.040
titled Preserving Military Readiness in

01:19:40.040 --> 01:19:42.040
the Eastern Gulf of Mexico , and in

01:19:42.040 --> 01:19:44.151
that report , the department stated ,

01:19:44.151 --> 01:19:46.373
quote , If oil and gas development were

01:19:46.373 --> 01:19:48.262
to extend east of the MML without

01:19:48.262 --> 01:19:49.818
sufficient surface limiting

01:19:49.818 --> 01:19:51.839
stipulations and or oil and gas

01:19:51.839 --> 01:19:53.950
activity restrictions mutually agreed

01:19:53.950 --> 01:19:56.160
by the DOD and DOI , military

01:19:56.160 --> 01:19:58.382
flexibility in the region would be lost

01:19:58.382 --> 01:20:00.438
and the test and training activities

01:20:00.438 --> 01:20:02.327
would be severely affected . This

01:20:02.327 --> 01:20:04.438
result would be less capable and less

01:20:04.438 --> 01:20:06.604
prepared military force . This outcome

01:20:06.604 --> 01:20:08.660
would be in direct conflict with the

01:20:08.660 --> 01:20:10.549
national defense strategy . So if

01:20:10.549 --> 01:20:12.827
that's the department's own assessment ,

01:20:12.827 --> 01:20:14.993
and the strategic environment has only

01:20:14.993 --> 01:20:17.520
sharpened since 2018 . Even if you

01:20:17.520 --> 01:20:20.120
fully support American dominance and

01:20:20.120 --> 01:20:21.898
energy and exploring all of the

01:20:21.898 --> 01:20:23.898
available resources to support that

01:20:23.898 --> 01:20:26.950
mission , how important is it that we

01:20:26.950 --> 01:20:30.720
maintain and preserve that uh MML and

01:20:30.720 --> 01:20:33.479
that , that , that testing range ?

01:20:34.140 --> 01:20:36.084
Again , Senator , I , I've spent 5

01:20:36.084 --> 01:20:38.196
years of my career in the panhandle ,

01:20:38.196 --> 01:20:40.418
some of it in , in Eglin . Uh , there's

01:20:40.418 --> 01:20:42.584
no other place and also in industry we

01:20:42.584 --> 01:20:44.584
did a lot of counter US signals . I

01:20:44.584 --> 01:20:46.751
mean , there's an unfederated EW range

01:20:46.751 --> 01:20:48.751
that we can do a lot of testing and

01:20:48.751 --> 01:20:50.862
facilitating there . So , yes , Eglin

01:20:50.862 --> 01:20:52.918
is extremely important to the United

01:20:52.918 --> 01:20:55.251
States Navy and , and to our , our , uh ,

01:20:55.251 --> 01:20:55.240
mission and preserving that testing

01:20:55.240 --> 01:20:57.296
range is incredibly important to the

01:20:57.296 --> 01:20:59.339
future of the navy . Thank you ,

01:20:59.439 --> 01:21:01.359
Senator Moody , Senator Kelly .

01:21:03.439 --> 01:21:05.759
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Uh , Mr .

01:21:05.770 --> 01:21:08.450
Secretary , I want to discuss how we

01:21:08.450 --> 01:21:11.470
revitalize our maritime industrial base .

01:21:11.890 --> 01:21:14.089
So the Navy's shipbuilding delays ,

01:21:14.209 --> 01:21:16.265
maintenance backlogs , and workforce

01:21:16.265 --> 01:21:19.500
shortages are not isolated problems .

01:21:20.009 --> 01:21:22.549
They're symptoms of a broader decline

01:21:22.549 --> 01:21:24.609
in US shipbuilding capacity that has

01:21:24.609 --> 01:21:27.299
developed over decades . Meanwhile ,

01:21:27.580 --> 01:21:29.740
China has built a massive maritime

01:21:29.740 --> 01:21:32.379
industrial base by linking commercial

01:21:32.379 --> 01:21:35.609
shipbuilding and naval shipbuilding and

01:21:35.609 --> 01:21:38.259
naval production together . I want to

01:21:38.259 --> 01:21:40.350
start out with just some basic

01:21:40.350 --> 01:21:44.169
questions , uh , yes or no . Would you

01:21:44.169 --> 01:21:46.225
agree that the source of many of the

01:21:46.225 --> 01:21:48.058
Navy's challenges delivering new

01:21:48.058 --> 01:21:50.649
warships on time and on budget are due

01:21:50.649 --> 01:21:52.899
to a weakened shipbuilding industrial

01:21:52.899 --> 01:21:56.680
base ? Yes , Senor . Would

01:21:56.680 --> 01:21:58.680
you agree that looking at the other

01:21:58.680 --> 01:22:00.847
great shipbuilding powers in the world

01:22:00.847 --> 01:22:02.902
today , Korea , Japan , China , even

01:22:02.902 --> 01:22:05.680
the Europeans , their shipyards benefit

01:22:06.040 --> 01:22:08.779
from having business from both

01:22:08.779 --> 01:22:11.720
commercial ship owners and military

01:22:11.720 --> 01:22:14.600
shipbuilding orders . Yes , Senator .

01:22:15.660 --> 01:22:17.716
So would you agree that the US would

01:22:17.716 --> 01:22:20.810
benefit from having a viable market for

01:22:20.810 --> 01:22:23.129
US-built commercial vessels ,

01:22:23.479 --> 01:22:25.729
especially since that would mean having

01:22:25.729 --> 01:22:28.609
a resilient supply chain that can

01:22:28.609 --> 01:22:30.850
support both commercial and military

01:22:30.850 --> 01:22:33.740
shipbuilding ? Yes sir , as I said

01:22:33.740 --> 01:22:35.796
earlier , I mean , we , we only have

01:22:35.796 --> 01:22:37.962
188 commercial flagged , uh , US ships

01:22:37.962 --> 01:22:39.962
and 105 military sea lift commander

01:22:39.962 --> 01:22:42.073
ships , and we need thousands the way

01:22:42.073 --> 01:22:44.296
the Chinese have . Would you agree that

01:22:44.296 --> 01:22:46.518
in a major conflict , the United States

01:22:46.518 --> 01:22:48.700
military depends heavily on commercial

01:22:48.700 --> 01:22:50.819
sea lift capacity to move fuel ,

01:22:50.899 --> 01:22:53.250
equipment , ammunition , and supplies

01:22:53.250 --> 01:22:55.779
overseas ? Senator , logistics wins the

01:22:55.779 --> 01:22:57.879
wars . And would you agree that our

01:22:57.879 --> 01:23:00.959
current sealift fleet is aging and the

01:23:00.959 --> 01:23:03.181
United States lacks sufficient domestic

01:23:03.181 --> 01:23:06.000
shipbuilding capacity to recapitalize

01:23:06.000 --> 01:23:08.520
that fleet quickly ? Yes , Senator ,

01:23:08.560 --> 01:23:10.727
it's not just the number of ships . We

01:23:10.727 --> 01:23:12.949
also need merchant mariners as well . I

01:23:12.949 --> 01:23:15.004
mean , that's why we need to push US

01:23:15.004 --> 01:23:14.799
Merchant Marine Academy . We need to

01:23:14.799 --> 01:23:16.466
push Maine Maritime Academy ,

01:23:16.640 --> 01:23:18.862
Massachusetts , all New York Maritime ,

01:23:19.040 --> 01:23:21.096
all those uh avenues in order to get

01:23:21.096 --> 01:23:23.040
more merchant mariners out there .

01:23:23.120 --> 01:23:25.342
Thank you for that as a graduate of the

01:23:25.342 --> 01:23:27.064
US Merchant Marine Academy , I

01:23:27.064 --> 01:23:29.120
appreciate that . I wasn't trying to

01:23:29.120 --> 01:23:31.176
placate you , but I guess I , I want

01:23:31.176 --> 01:23:33.120
something . Would , would you also

01:23:33.120 --> 01:23:35.231
agree that in a prolonged conflict in

01:23:35.231 --> 01:23:37.176
the Indo-Pacific , we can't assume

01:23:37.176 --> 01:23:39.398
foreign shipyards or foreign-controlled

01:23:39.398 --> 01:23:42.169
shipping networks will remain fully

01:23:42.169 --> 01:23:44.669
available to the United States ? Well ,

01:23:44.979 --> 01:23:46.923
Senator , I think , I think I know

01:23:46.923 --> 01:23:48.979
where you're going with this . We're

01:23:48.979 --> 01:23:48.430
trying to bring these to the United

01:23:48.430 --> 01:23:50.541
States , sir . I mean , when , when I

01:23:50.541 --> 01:23:52.597
buy my Toyota or whatever , it's not

01:23:52.597 --> 01:23:54.763
built in Japan anymore . It's built in

01:23:54.763 --> 01:23:54.759
the United States . Yeah , we want them

01:23:54.759 --> 01:23:56.759
investing in the United States . We

01:23:56.759 --> 01:23:58.759
want them investing in us , sir . I

01:23:58.759 --> 01:24:00.592
agree . And would you agree that

01:24:00.592 --> 01:24:02.315
rebuilding American commercial

01:24:02.315 --> 01:24:04.426
shipbuilding and sea lift capacity is

01:24:04.426 --> 01:24:06.890
not just an economic issue , but a core

01:24:07.229 --> 01:24:10.200
wartime readiness issue ? Yes , sir .

01:24:10.629 --> 01:24:12.629
All right . And so taken together ,

01:24:12.629 --> 01:24:15.250
would you agree then that as a matter

01:24:15.250 --> 01:24:17.390
of government policy , we should be

01:24:17.390 --> 01:24:20.740
working to develop such a commercial

01:24:20.740 --> 01:24:24.410
industry through re um

01:24:24.410 --> 01:24:26.521
regulation reforms , tax incentives ,

01:24:26.521 --> 01:24:28.799
and more . We , we need to pull all

01:24:28.799 --> 01:24:31.160
levers center , it includes like for ,

01:24:31.259 --> 01:24:33.315
for example , for shipyard workers ,

01:24:33.315 --> 01:24:35.537
there's a lot of young people out there

01:24:35.537 --> 01:24:37.537
that went to college with the , the

01:24:37.537 --> 01:24:37.379
hopes of getting a job , and they ,

01:24:37.779 --> 01:24:39.835
they can't do anything else . So why

01:24:39.835 --> 01:24:42.168
can't we freeze their , their loans and ,

01:24:42.168 --> 01:24:44.057
and for every year they work in a

01:24:44.057 --> 01:24:46.223
shipyard , we , we , we forgive that ,

01:24:46.223 --> 01:24:48.335
that year . I mean , these are levers

01:24:48.335 --> 01:24:48.100
we need to pull as a country in order

01:24:48.100 --> 01:24:50.378
to get our industrial base going , sir .

01:24:50.378 --> 01:24:52.156
Well , that could be a possible

01:24:52.156 --> 01:24:54.500
addition to my Ships for America Act .

01:24:54.990 --> 01:24:57.212
Because we're trying to strengthen this

01:24:57.212 --> 01:24:59.434
legislation right now , and it tries to

01:24:59.434 --> 01:25:01.601
do all these things . And I think it's

01:25:01.601 --> 01:25:03.601
important that we recognize that no

01:25:03.601 --> 01:25:05.819
country has ever become a great

01:25:05.819 --> 01:25:08.180
shipbuilding power on the backs of

01:25:08.180 --> 01:25:11.240
military shipbuilding alone . Chinese

01:25:11.500 --> 01:25:14.640
have learned that lesson . Um , so

01:25:14.640 --> 01:25:17.080
given all that , I'm concerned by the

01:25:17.080 --> 01:25:19.136
growing discussion about outsourcing

01:25:19.136 --> 01:25:21.024
navy shipbuilding work to foreign

01:25:21.024 --> 01:25:23.859
shipyards . To me , it risks treating

01:25:24.080 --> 01:25:26.200
the symptom instead of fixing the

01:25:26.200 --> 01:25:28.367
underlying problem . The United States

01:25:28.367 --> 01:25:30.200
maritime industrial base did not

01:25:30.200 --> 01:25:32.256
decline overnight . It happened over

01:25:32.256 --> 01:25:34.367
decades . Now , to be clear , we need

01:25:34.367 --> 01:25:37.319
to work with our allies closely and

01:25:37.319 --> 01:25:39.486
partners like Japan and South Korea to

01:25:39.486 --> 01:25:41.763
counter China's shipbuilding advantage .

01:25:41.763 --> 01:25:43.486
We should also be sharing best

01:25:43.486 --> 01:25:45.279
practices , deepening repair

01:25:45.279 --> 01:25:47.240
cooperation and leveraging allied

01:25:47.240 --> 01:25:49.790
expertise to cut down on our

01:25:49.790 --> 01:25:51.679
shipbuilding costs and production

01:25:51.679 --> 01:25:53.734
timelines . But there's a difference

01:25:53.734 --> 01:25:55.512
between working with allies and

01:25:55.512 --> 01:25:57.623
partners to strengthen our industrial

01:25:57.623 --> 01:25:59.679
base here and becoming strategically

01:25:59.679 --> 01:26:01.457
dependent on foreign shipping .

01:26:01.457 --> 01:26:03.623
Shipyards that could themselves become

01:26:03.623 --> 01:26:06.839
vulnerable to Chinese attacks in a

01:26:06.839 --> 01:26:09.172
conflict . So to put a fine point on it ,

01:26:09.172 --> 01:26:11.359
we want to encourage these world-class

01:26:11.359 --> 01:26:13.581
shipbuilders to come here to the United

01:26:13.581 --> 01:26:16.359
States and invest here in the United

01:26:16.359 --> 01:26:18.040
States , and that's what the

01:26:18.040 --> 01:26:20.959
president's maritime action plan and

01:26:20.959 --> 01:26:23.589
the Ships for America Act seeks to do .

01:26:24.160 --> 01:26:26.649
But for these foreign shipyards , If

01:26:26.649 --> 01:26:29.450
it's a lot cheaper for them to just get

01:26:29.450 --> 01:26:31.609
paid by the US Navy to build ships in

01:26:31.609 --> 01:26:33.831
their existing shipyards , then they're

01:26:33.831 --> 01:26:35.609
probably not going to seriously

01:26:35.609 --> 01:26:37.850
consider investing in our maritime

01:26:37.850 --> 01:26:40.250
shipbuilding capability and capacity

01:26:40.250 --> 01:26:44.120
here . So , I'm interested

01:26:44.120 --> 01:26:46.287
in working with you , Mr . Secretary ,

01:26:46.359 --> 01:26:49.919
on this . It's clear to me that it is a

01:26:49.919 --> 01:26:52.560
national security and economic

01:26:52.560 --> 01:26:56.379
imperative that we rebuild the maritime

01:26:56.379 --> 01:26:58.439
industry here in the United States .

01:26:58.640 --> 01:27:00.584
It's going to help the Navy . It's

01:27:00.584 --> 01:27:02.696
going to help the Marine Corps . It's

01:27:02.696 --> 01:27:04.918
also going to create good paying jobs .

01:27:04.918 --> 01:27:06.807
You referenced , you know , young

01:27:06.807 --> 01:27:08.696
people who could have these great

01:27:08.696 --> 01:27:10.807
paying careers . Admiral , we can get

01:27:10.807 --> 01:27:12.973
up to 2 submarines a year . One of the

01:27:12.973 --> 01:27:15.140
things that can help is rebuilding the

01:27:15.140 --> 01:27:17.759
commercial sector . And Mr . Chairman ,

01:27:17.839 --> 01:27:19.950
I'm just sorry I'm over my time , but

01:27:19.950 --> 01:27:22.117
this is one of my top priorities , and

01:27:22.117 --> 01:27:24.283
I look forward to talking to you about

01:27:24.283 --> 01:27:26.395
this with some of my colleagues maybe

01:27:26.395 --> 01:27:28.450
later this month . Would there be an

01:27:28.450 --> 01:27:31.209
objection to asking Admiral Caudle what

01:27:31.209 --> 01:27:33.890
he thinks of your questions ? No

01:27:33.890 --> 01:27:37.250
objection , sir . Go ahead . Well , you

01:27:37.250 --> 01:27:40.330
know , this is a complex topic . I need

01:27:40.330 --> 01:27:42.560
ships . I need them now . I need

01:27:42.560 --> 01:27:44.439
capacity . We have workforce

01:27:44.439 --> 01:27:46.129
limitations here . We have an

01:27:46.129 --> 01:27:48.296
industrial base that can't support the

01:27:48.296 --> 01:27:50.018
load without being creative on

01:27:50.018 --> 01:27:52.250
modularity and these new construction

01:27:52.250 --> 01:27:54.306
techniques . This is an all hands on

01:27:54.306 --> 01:27:56.472
deck thing . But what I will commit to

01:27:56.472 --> 01:27:58.472
is when we look at this and we're ,

01:27:58.472 --> 01:28:00.639
we've got the money to go look at this

01:28:00.639 --> 01:28:02.750
hard , that the secretary in my chain

01:28:02.750 --> 01:28:04.806
of command will get my best military

01:28:04.806 --> 01:28:07.028
advice on it . This is not a no-brainer

01:28:07.028 --> 01:28:08.972
decision . When you start bringing

01:28:08.972 --> 01:28:08.859
foreign shipbuilding in and foreign

01:28:08.859 --> 01:28:11.120
ships into the United States Navy

01:28:11.120 --> 01:28:13.342
arsenal , I have to look closely at how

01:28:13.342 --> 01:28:15.509
we fight that ship , man it , how we ,

01:28:15.509 --> 01:28:17.453
you know , damage control it , the

01:28:17.453 --> 01:28:19.676
procedures associated with it , and the

01:28:19.676 --> 01:28:21.731
parts support that supply it . So it

01:28:21.731 --> 01:28:23.953
will get a full hard look for me and my

01:28:23.953 --> 01:28:26.064
best military advisor . Admiral , but

01:28:26.064 --> 01:28:28.064
what , what about the , the earlier

01:28:28.064 --> 01:28:31.930
point . Of , of , um Of utilizing the

01:28:31.930 --> 01:28:35.779
commercial shipyards in

01:28:35.779 --> 01:28:38.299
conjunction with building our military .

01:28:38.359 --> 01:28:40.303
Well , Senator Kelly and I , we've

01:28:40.303 --> 01:28:42.470
talked about this before . There is no

01:28:42.470 --> 01:28:44.692
question he is right that when you gain

01:28:44.692 --> 01:28:47.180
the competency and capacity and the

01:28:47.180 --> 01:28:49.140
expertise . And subject matter

01:28:49.140 --> 01:28:51.790
expertise of actually building ships in

01:28:51.790 --> 01:28:54.180
our country that that will translate

01:28:54.180 --> 01:28:56.459
naturally to a workforce that does that

01:28:56.459 --> 01:28:58.459
for a living , which will extend by

01:28:58.459 --> 01:29:00.819
definition over to being able to build

01:29:00.819 --> 01:29:02.875
more combat ships . You said there's

01:29:02.875 --> 01:29:04.930
really no question on that that he's

01:29:04.930 --> 01:29:08.080
right . And I want to congratulate both

01:29:08.080 --> 01:29:11.709
of you . For your statements today ,

01:29:12.450 --> 01:29:15.990
um , because I think that is That

01:29:15.990 --> 01:29:18.509
that's an opportunity that somehow

01:29:19.529 --> 01:29:22.509
we've been missing in recent decades .

01:29:23.009 --> 01:29:25.176
Um , Senator Sullivan , you recognized

01:29:25.569 --> 01:29:26.549
for 2 minutes .

01:29:30.379 --> 01:29:32.339
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Um ,

01:29:32.509 --> 01:29:34.787
gentlemen , thank you for your service .

01:29:35.410 --> 01:29:37.632
Uh , General , I wanna begin with you .

01:29:37.632 --> 01:29:39.854
Um , I wanna commend you and the Marine

01:29:39.854 --> 01:29:42.560
Corps for the new , uh , Marine Forces

01:29:42.560 --> 01:29:45.790
Alaska campaign and operation plan .

01:29:46.209 --> 01:29:49.029
General Shea did a great job . Up in my

01:29:49.029 --> 01:29:51.810
state last weekend . This is , you know ,

01:29:52.229 --> 01:29:54.870
uh , has a training , kind of

01:29:54.870 --> 01:29:58.290
rotational force , uh , 6 Anglico .

01:29:59.100 --> 01:30:02.180
Uh , reserve active component . So

01:30:02.180 --> 01:30:04.180
thank you , first of all , a lot of

01:30:04.180 --> 01:30:05.902
excitement in Alaska . On this

01:30:05.902 --> 01:30:08.124
initiative . Uh , can you talk a little

01:30:08.124 --> 01:30:10.347
bit about it , uh , general , and maybe

01:30:10.347 --> 01:30:14.140
give your vision a Future ops , uh , in

01:30:14.140 --> 01:30:16.196
the great state of Alaska , the most

01:30:16.196 --> 01:30:17.918
strategic place in the world ,

01:30:17.918 --> 01:30:19.807
according to Billy Mitchell , the

01:30:19.807 --> 01:30:21.862
father of the US Air Force . Sir , I

01:30:21.862 --> 01:30:21.580
can . One , you know , I was taught as

01:30:21.580 --> 01:30:23.747
a young officer the cold makes cowards

01:30:23.747 --> 01:30:25.747
of us all , and the extreme cold of

01:30:25.747 --> 01:30:27.747
Alaska is something that we want to

01:30:27.747 --> 01:30:29.747
train in . It puts Bridgeport , our

01:30:29.747 --> 01:30:31.858
mountain warfare training center , to

01:30:31.858 --> 01:30:31.700
shame in terms of the extreme

01:30:31.700 --> 01:30:33.756
conditions . Very , very , very cold

01:30:33.756 --> 01:30:35.811
winter in Alaska . It is very cold ,

01:30:35.811 --> 01:30:37.978
sir . So , you know , the , the Arctic

01:30:37.978 --> 01:30:40.033
is growing in its importance . It is

01:30:40.033 --> 01:30:42.200
not decreasing in its importance . And

01:30:42.200 --> 01:30:44.367
the Marine Corps has to be prepared to

01:30:44.367 --> 01:30:46.478
operate in those extreme conditions ,

01:30:46.478 --> 01:30:48.644
and the Marine Rotational Force Alaska

01:30:48.644 --> 01:30:50.867
and Supporting Arms Liaison Team Alaska

01:30:50.890 --> 01:30:53.100
keeps Marines forward postured and

01:30:53.100 --> 01:30:55.156
ready for those extreme conditions ,

01:30:56.109 --> 01:30:57.998
and those are exped expeditionary

01:30:57.998 --> 01:31:00.240
conditions . Supporting arms liaison

01:31:00.240 --> 01:31:02.919
Team Alpha Alaska 6th Anglico

01:31:02.919 --> 01:31:04.959
Detachment provides a permanent

01:31:04.959 --> 01:31:07.240
attachment to integrate with allies and

01:31:07.240 --> 01:31:10.270
enable rapid expansion . And again , a

01:31:10.270 --> 01:31:13.279
permanent capable platform to integrate

01:31:13.279 --> 01:31:15.501
with allies and partners and to set the

01:31:15.501 --> 01:31:18.270
theater because again , you can , uh ,

01:31:18.439 --> 01:31:20.717
we are , we are very , very close , uh ,

01:31:20.717 --> 01:31:22.772
when you get up into Alaska , you're

01:31:22.772 --> 01:31:24.995
very , very close into the Indo-Pacific

01:31:24.995 --> 01:31:27.106
theater . You have a reach our F-30 .

01:31:27.106 --> 01:31:29.217
Fives love training there . They love

01:31:29.217 --> 01:31:31.383
the wide open airspace because you can

01:31:31.383 --> 01:31:31.145
do anything there . You can go into

01:31:31.145 --> 01:31:33.367
full mode . You can use the entirety of

01:31:33.367 --> 01:31:36.274
the F-35 spectrum up there . So Alaska

01:31:36.274 --> 01:31:38.441
for us is vital , sir . Great . Well ,

01:31:38.441 --> 01:31:40.496
I appreciate that . And I was with a

01:31:40.496 --> 01:31:42.663
number of the military leadership from

01:31:42.663 --> 01:31:44.774
the Army in the Air Force just in the

01:31:44.774 --> 01:31:47.115
last week back home , and uh they are

01:31:47.115 --> 01:31:50.154
excited about more training , uh , with ,

01:31:50.305 --> 01:31:52.527
with the Marines in Alaska . So I think

01:31:52.527 --> 01:31:54.305
it's going to be a great , uh ,

01:31:54.305 --> 01:31:56.472
Initiative and I appreciate you , uh ,

01:31:56.472 --> 01:31:58.694
working with me and others . And like I

01:31:58.694 --> 01:32:00.805
said , General Shea did a great job .

01:32:00.805 --> 01:32:02.749
Mr . Secretary , congratulations .

01:32:02.749 --> 01:32:04.972
Appreciate the hard work you're doing .

01:32:04.972 --> 01:32:07.027
You know , uh , I want to talk about

01:32:07.027 --> 01:32:09.027
another initiative in Alaska . Last

01:32:09.027 --> 01:32:10.972
year in the , the , this committee

01:32:10.972 --> 01:32:13.209
appropriated $115 million to rebuild

01:32:13.660 --> 01:32:16.830
the Navy base at ADA , uh , which is

01:32:16.830 --> 01:32:19.910
very strategic , 1100 miles west of

01:32:19.910 --> 01:32:21.743
Hawaii . A lot of people don't .

01:32:21.759 --> 01:32:23.759
Recognize that both the Indo Paycom

01:32:23.759 --> 01:32:26.660
commander and the NTCOM commander in ,

01:32:26.669 --> 01:32:29.080
uh , testimony here in front of this

01:32:29.080 --> 01:32:31.319
committee said they strongly

01:32:31.319 --> 01:32:33.799
recommended , uh , reopening that Navy

01:32:33.799 --> 01:32:37.419
base , uh , for its strategic location .

01:32:37.959 --> 01:32:40.070
Uh , we're off to a strong start with

01:32:40.070 --> 01:32:42.270
that funding . A lot of partners now ,

01:32:42.359 --> 01:32:44.680
not just the Army or the Navy and the

01:32:44.680 --> 01:32:46.959
Marine Corps and the , Coast Guard ,

01:32:47.080 --> 01:32:49.279
but the state of Alaska is putting in

01:32:49.279 --> 01:32:51.390
money , the private sector is putting

01:32:51.390 --> 01:32:53.446
in money . Uh , it looks like a real

01:32:53.446 --> 01:32:55.959
innovative approach . Can you commit to

01:32:55.959 --> 01:32:58.640
work with me and my team on this

01:32:58.640 --> 01:33:00.696
initiative ? And , uh , I know we're

01:33:00.696 --> 01:33:02.918
both trying to get out there soon . You

01:33:02.918 --> 01:33:06.240
and I , um , Uh , to have , have you

01:33:06.240 --> 01:33:08.407
and I both walk the ground there , but

01:33:08.407 --> 01:33:10.518
can you give me your vision on that ?

01:33:10.518 --> 01:33:12.629
It's going well , but I think we need

01:33:12.629 --> 01:33:14.629
the top leadership from the Navy on

01:33:14.629 --> 01:33:16.851
this . Absolutely , Senator . Thank you

01:33:16.851 --> 01:33:19.018
for the question . Again , I , I think

01:33:19.018 --> 01:33:21.073
I love the most is when we look from

01:33:21.073 --> 01:33:23.351
bird's-eye view of on top of the polls ,

01:33:23.351 --> 01:33:25.573
how close Alaska is , especially , uh ,

01:33:25.573 --> 01:33:27.684
ADA and all those , uh , the Aleutian

01:33:27.684 --> 01:33:29.459
Islands , is to . To our , our

01:33:29.459 --> 01:33:31.626
competitors up in , uh , whether China

01:33:31.626 --> 01:33:33.903
or , or Russia , Russia , I mean , you ,

01:33:33.903 --> 01:33:36.015
you've always shown that chart of all

01:33:36.015 --> 01:33:38.070
these SAGs that gone through there ,

01:33:38.070 --> 01:33:40.126
and it's unacceptable that we do not

01:33:40.126 --> 01:33:42.379
have the , uh , ISR along that area .

01:33:42.509 --> 01:33:44.620
So I will work with you , sir , and I

01:33:44.620 --> 01:33:46.620
will , I'd love to go to Alaska . I

01:33:46.620 --> 01:33:48.787
just didn't want to do it in January ,

01:33:48.787 --> 01:33:48.140
sir , because I didn't want to get

01:33:48.140 --> 01:33:50.251
stuck there , but I would love to get

01:33:50.251 --> 01:33:52.529
to a , we'll get you there at any time .

01:33:52.529 --> 01:33:54.640
Let me , uh , let me end here . I'm ,

01:33:54.640 --> 01:33:56.751
I'm , I'm gonna submit a question for

01:33:56.751 --> 01:33:58.862
the record on the Straits of Hormuz .

01:33:58.862 --> 01:34:01.084
CETCOM commander who I think is doing a

01:34:01.084 --> 01:34:03.029
great job testified last week . If

01:34:03.029 --> 01:34:05.084
given the order , uh , he could open

01:34:05.084 --> 01:34:07.307
that with the Joint Force , then led by

01:34:07.307 --> 01:34:09.473
the Marine Corps and the Navy , by the

01:34:09.473 --> 01:34:09.259
way , Admiral , the Navy's doing an

01:34:09.259 --> 01:34:12.250
amazing job . But very quickly , the ,

01:34:12.259 --> 01:34:16.229
um , Vice Chairman , uh , in the

01:34:16.229 --> 01:34:18.285
recent review , Vice Chairman of the

01:34:18.285 --> 01:34:21.759
Joint Chiefs validated the MUU 3.0

01:34:21.759 --> 01:34:24.330
concept . I think the MUARG is clearly

01:34:24.330 --> 01:34:26.497
proving its worth throughout the world

01:34:26.497 --> 01:34:28.830
right now in terms of combat operations .

01:34:29.209 --> 01:34:32.450
Um , it talked about an actual AMIB

01:34:32.450 --> 01:34:35.410
fleet of 40 AMIBs , and that would ,

01:34:35.580 --> 01:34:37.850
that was if there would be a 36 month .

01:34:38.720 --> 01:34:40.942
Uh , maintenance cycle . We know that's

01:34:40.942 --> 01:34:43.109
kind of ambitious . If it's a 44 month

01:34:43.109 --> 01:34:44.998
maintenance cycle , the number is

01:34:44.998 --> 01:34:47.319
closer to 47 amphibs . So , can I get a

01:34:47.319 --> 01:34:49.486
commitment from all of you ? This is a

01:34:49.486 --> 01:34:51.597
really important issue to all of us ,

01:34:51.597 --> 01:34:53.597
particularly the Marine Corps . Why

01:34:53.597 --> 01:34:55.930
don't we start with you , General Smith ,

01:34:55.930 --> 01:34:57.930
just on the 3.0 mute . Uh , are you

01:34:57.930 --> 01:35:00.152
supporting the vice chairman's review ,

01:35:00.152 --> 01:35:02.263
and Mr . Secretary and Admiral , uh ,

01:35:02.263 --> 01:35:04.486
I'd like to get your views on that very

01:35:04.486 --> 01:35:06.375
quickly as well . Well , the vice

01:35:06.375 --> 01:35:08.375
chairman is one of the smartest men

01:35:08.375 --> 01:35:08.299
I've ever met , so it's very smart . If

01:35:08.299 --> 01:35:10.355
he says it , then you can take it to

01:35:10.355 --> 01:35:12.466
the bank , sir . Mr . Secretary , you

01:35:12.466 --> 01:35:14.299
Senator , I just sent forward my

01:35:14.299 --> 01:35:16.243
recommendation to the , the , uh ,

01:35:16.243 --> 01:35:18.021
Secretary of War for , uh , a ,

01:35:18.021 --> 01:35:20.750
basically the , uh , The 56 month OFRP ,

01:35:21.209 --> 01:35:24.490
which includes 40 ships for the AGMser ,

01:35:24.609 --> 01:35:26.665
and most importantly , Admiral , how

01:35:26.665 --> 01:35:29.080
about you ? 40 amphibs from the US Navy ,

01:35:29.250 --> 01:35:31.209
fully committed . If you've got 9

01:35:31.209 --> 01:35:33.689
deployed worldwide and you got a 4 to 1 ,

01:35:33.759 --> 01:35:36.089
that's 36 . If you have a 5 to make 1 ,

01:35:36.290 --> 01:35:39.185
that's 45 . So just I mean 40 just

01:35:39.185 --> 01:35:41.407
makes a lot of sense that it's going to

01:35:41.407 --> 01:35:43.463
take that to give me the friction in

01:35:43.463 --> 01:35:45.904
there necessary to have a persistent 30 ,

01:35:45.984 --> 01:35:48.040
sir . So I think it's , it's a solid

01:35:48.040 --> 01:35:50.095
number , but we'll refine that as we

01:35:50.095 --> 01:35:52.206
look hard at it . But it's , it's a ,

01:35:52.206 --> 01:35:54.317
it's a correct number . Great . Thank

01:35:54.317 --> 01:35:56.540
you . Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Thank

01:35:56.540 --> 01:35:56.064
you , Senator Sullivan , for that

01:35:56.064 --> 01:35:58.600
excellent line of questioning . Um ,

01:35:58.799 --> 01:36:01.399
Senator Shaheen , you're , um , thank

01:36:01.399 --> 01:36:03.799
you all for being here . Secretary Cow ,

01:36:03.879 --> 01:36:05.959
I want to begin with you because

01:36:05.959 --> 01:36:09.080
Congress has passed legislation . I

01:36:09.080 --> 01:36:10.747
know because I was one of the

01:36:10.747 --> 01:36:13.319
co-sponsors that exempts the four

01:36:13.319 --> 01:36:15.520
public shipyards from future civilian

01:36:15.520 --> 01:36:18.470
hiring freezes . Implementation on that

01:36:18.470 --> 01:36:22.149
has lagged , um , so much so that I had

01:36:22.149 --> 01:36:23.982
the opportunity to raise it with

01:36:23.982 --> 01:36:26.038
Secretary Hegseth when he was before

01:36:26.038 --> 01:36:27.816
the committee . He committed to

01:36:27.816 --> 01:36:29.871
investigate the hiring delays , um ,

01:36:29.871 --> 01:36:32.580
before he left as Secretary of the Navy .

01:36:32.779 --> 01:36:34.890
Secretary Phelan committed that there

01:36:34.890 --> 01:36:37.112
would be no further reductions in force

01:36:37.112 --> 01:36:39.279
at our public shipyards . Can you tell

01:36:39.279 --> 01:36:41.612
us what the status is currently of that ?

01:36:42.109 --> 01:36:44.165
Senator , thank you so much for your

01:36:44.165 --> 01:36:46.276
question because the , the workers at

01:36:46.276 --> 01:36:48.387
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are some of

01:36:48.387 --> 01:36:50.450
the best in America and , uh , we ,

01:36:50.830 --> 01:36:52.941
again , I know there's been rumors we

01:36:52.941 --> 01:36:55.108
are not laying off . In fact , all the

01:36:55.108 --> 01:36:57.052
wage grade workers are , have been

01:36:57.052 --> 01:36:58.830
exempt from from . From the any

01:36:58.830 --> 01:37:00.886
cutbacks and so we will make sure we

01:37:00.886 --> 01:37:03.108
don't cut any , any more , uh , workers

01:37:03.108 --> 01:37:05.052
from , from there . So you have my

01:37:05.052 --> 01:37:07.052
pledge we , we will not cut workers

01:37:07.052 --> 01:37:09.219
from the shipyards . Thank you . I , I

01:37:09.219 --> 01:37:11.330
very much appreciate that . The other

01:37:11.330 --> 01:37:13.819
question is also , um . An issue that's

01:37:13.819 --> 01:37:15.819
come up at the shipyard because

01:37:15.819 --> 01:37:17.708
civilian shipyard workers who are

01:37:17.708 --> 01:37:19.930
represented by the Metal Trades Council

01:37:19.930 --> 01:37:21.930
have fired an unfair labor practice

01:37:21.930 --> 01:37:23.763
with the Federal Labor Relations

01:37:23.763 --> 01:37:25.541
Authority related to changes in

01:37:25.541 --> 01:37:28.299
workplace conditions . The FLRA has

01:37:28.299 --> 01:37:30.620
refused to process this charge , citing

01:37:30.620 --> 01:37:34.620
Executive Order 14251 , which

01:37:34.620 --> 01:37:36.731
stripped certain federal employees of

01:37:36.731 --> 01:37:38.787
collective bargaining rights , and .

01:37:39.810 --> 01:37:42.032
They have refused to process it despite

01:37:42.032 --> 01:37:44.330
an existing court injunction on the

01:37:44.330 --> 01:37:46.819
executive order . In his testimony in

01:37:46.819 --> 01:37:48.875
the House , Secretary Heggs has said

01:37:48.875 --> 01:37:50.986
that collective bargaining agreements

01:37:50.986 --> 01:37:53.080
have affected efficiency , I quote ,

01:37:54.020 --> 01:37:56.419
but he couldn't articulate any specific

01:37:56.419 --> 01:37:58.859
examples . So I would ask you ,

01:37:59.020 --> 01:38:01.370
Secretary Cowell , the same thing , but

01:38:01.779 --> 01:38:03.779
beyond that , has the Navy assessed

01:38:03.779 --> 01:38:06.720
whether current uncertainty surrounding

01:38:06.859 --> 01:38:09.640
labor protections . are going to be

01:38:09.640 --> 01:38:12.069
affecting workforce morale and

01:38:12.069 --> 01:38:15.890
readiness at our shipyards . Again ,

01:38:16.029 --> 01:38:18.140
Senator , anytime there's rumors of ,

01:38:18.209 --> 01:38:20.431
of layoffs or anything else , it always

01:38:20.431 --> 01:38:22.542
affects morale and morale and , and ,

01:38:22.542 --> 01:38:24.653
and workmanship and everything else ,

01:38:24.653 --> 01:38:26.653
and we will do everything we can to

01:38:26.653 --> 01:38:28.876
protect the , uh , wage grade workers ,

01:38:28.876 --> 01:38:30.931
basically your , your pipe fitters ,

01:38:30.931 --> 01:38:30.569
your ship fitters , your welders , your

01:38:30.569 --> 01:38:32.569
electricians , everybody works that

01:38:32.569 --> 01:38:34.680
works really hard in the shipyard . I

01:38:34.680 --> 01:38:36.458
mean , we , we need to get this

01:38:36.458 --> 01:38:38.625
industrial base going . We need to get

01:38:38.625 --> 01:38:38.339
America going . We need to build ships ,

01:38:38.520 --> 01:38:40.742
and we need to do it yesterday . And so

01:38:40.742 --> 01:38:42.853
we will make sure that we protect our

01:38:42.853 --> 01:38:44.909
workers . And I assume that the Navy

01:38:44.909 --> 01:38:46.853
will comply with the court order .

01:38:47.919 --> 01:38:49.975
Senator , if , if it's court order ,

01:38:49.975 --> 01:38:52.220
then we will , uh , we will , uh , do

01:38:52.220 --> 01:38:54.859
our best to comply to it . Thank you .

01:38:55.399 --> 01:38:59.129
Um , My next question is really for

01:38:59.129 --> 01:39:01.450
both Admiral Cottle and General Smith

01:39:01.450 --> 01:39:03.729
because what we've seen from the

01:39:03.729 --> 01:39:07.290
operations in SouthHCOM and in the

01:39:07.290 --> 01:39:11.220
Middle East is that It's pulled um

01:39:11.729 --> 01:39:14.649
equipment and resources from those

01:39:14.649 --> 01:39:17.569
arenas and also from the Indo-Pacific .

01:39:17.890 --> 01:39:19.723
So can you talk about how you're

01:39:19.723 --> 01:39:22.009
addressing readiness , um , given those

01:39:22.009 --> 01:39:25.450
unexpected um operations and , and what

01:39:25.450 --> 01:39:27.672
that means as you're thinking about the

01:39:27.672 --> 01:39:29.839
future ? Admiral Cottle , I'll ask you

01:39:29.839 --> 01:39:31.894
to go first . Well , Senator , thank

01:39:31.894 --> 01:39:34.117
you and thank you for your advocacy for

01:39:34.117 --> 01:39:36.283
the shipyard there too to state that ,

01:39:36.283 --> 01:39:38.061
um , you know , um , the Navy's

01:39:38.061 --> 01:39:40.283
designed to do what we're doing in Epic

01:39:40.283 --> 01:39:42.506
Fury . You know , it does , we do go to

01:39:42.506 --> 01:39:44.672
the well here to actually deliver that

01:39:44.672 --> 01:39:46.617
kind of combat power for sustained

01:39:46.617 --> 01:39:48.950
operations , but we're built to do that .

01:39:48.950 --> 01:39:51.006
And , uh , we will have to have some

01:39:51.006 --> 01:39:53.061
time to recover post epic fury to go

01:39:53.061 --> 01:39:55.228
rebuild some of that readiness , but ,

01:39:55.228 --> 01:39:57.450
uh , I am in good communication through

01:39:57.450 --> 01:39:59.672
the chairman with Admiral Cooper on any

01:39:59.672 --> 01:40:01.894
limitations , uh , uh , pushing parts ,

01:40:01.894 --> 01:40:04.061
food , and munitions to the theater to

01:40:04.061 --> 01:40:06.283
be able to sustain those operations and

01:40:06.283 --> 01:40:08.339
to make sure that we're , you know ,

01:40:08.339 --> 01:40:10.394
we're baking in time for sailors and

01:40:10.394 --> 01:40:12.561
marines to take a knee periodically in

01:40:12.561 --> 01:40:14.783
those operations so that we can sustain

01:40:14.783 --> 01:40:16.506
that fight . So er yes , it is

01:40:16.506 --> 01:40:18.561
straining , it is , it does distract

01:40:18.561 --> 01:40:20.979
from er conducting some operations in

01:40:20.979 --> 01:40:23.899
other theaters by its very nature , but

01:40:23.899 --> 01:40:25.955
I am fully confident we can continue

01:40:25.955 --> 01:40:28.010
this until the president needs us to

01:40:28.010 --> 01:40:29.955
not do it any longer . Thank you ,

01:40:29.955 --> 01:40:32.066
General Smith . Senator , I'll echo ,

01:40:32.066 --> 01:40:34.288
my shipmate Darryl Caudle , the Marines

01:40:34.288 --> 01:40:36.510
like to deploy . We're we're built on a

01:40:36.510 --> 01:40:40.189
1 to 36 away , 12 home , 6 away , but

01:40:40.189 --> 01:40:43.319
we're capable of operating on a 1 to 26

01:40:43.319 --> 01:40:45.520
away , 6 home , 6 away , 6 home . We

01:40:45.520 --> 01:40:47.242
did that for years in Iraq and

01:40:47.242 --> 01:40:49.353
Afghanistan , and the Marines like to

01:40:49.353 --> 01:40:51.839
deploy . In fact , I get rusty when I

01:40:51.839 --> 01:40:54.520
stay home too long , so we are fully

01:40:54.520 --> 01:40:56.640
capable of continuing to keep up this

01:40:56.640 --> 01:41:00.520
pace in perpetuity . Um , well ,

01:41:00.600 --> 01:41:02.767
I'm almost out of time , but I do want

01:41:02.767 --> 01:41:04.822
to ask a final question about Taiwan

01:41:04.822 --> 01:41:06.767
because General Smith , I recently

01:41:06.767 --> 01:41:08.839
traveled to Taiwan and we had a

01:41:08.839 --> 01:41:10.450
briefing from the 3rd Marine

01:41:10.450 --> 01:41:12.561
Expeditionary Force during a stopover

01:41:12.561 --> 01:41:15.109
in Okinawa and it was very clear as

01:41:15.109 --> 01:41:17.331
part of that briefing just how critical

01:41:17.331 --> 01:41:21.120
our presence is and , um , one of the

01:41:21.120 --> 01:41:23.231
things that I have been troubled by ,

01:41:23.231 --> 01:41:25.453
and I'm not gonna ask you to respond to

01:41:25.453 --> 01:41:27.564
this because , um . I don't wanna put

01:41:27.564 --> 01:41:30.399
you all in a difficult situation , but

01:41:31.359 --> 01:41:33.520
It was very clear from our time in

01:41:33.520 --> 01:41:36.839
Taiwan . I think that was reinforced by

01:41:36.839 --> 01:41:38.617
the president's meeting with um

01:41:38.617 --> 01:41:42.379
President Xi in Beijing um that

01:41:42.839 --> 01:41:45.490
China still is very much eyeing Taiwan

01:41:45.759 --> 01:41:48.759
that is one of their priorities and .

01:41:49.140 --> 01:41:52.830
Um , our presence and our support for

01:41:52.830 --> 01:41:55.109
Taiwan is absolutely critical . That's

01:41:55.109 --> 01:41:57.331
why it's so troubling to me that we are

01:41:57.331 --> 01:41:59.442
holding that the president is holding

01:41:59.442 --> 01:42:01.665
the $14 billion in sales to Taiwan that

01:42:01.665 --> 01:42:03.776
were approved by a notice to Congress

01:42:03.776 --> 01:42:06.470
in January . So Mr . Chairman , I'm not

01:42:06.470 --> 01:42:08.581
gonna ask for a response from folks ,

01:42:08.581 --> 01:42:10.803
but I do think it's important for us to

01:42:10.803 --> 01:42:12.870
weigh in on how important providing

01:42:12.870 --> 01:42:15.870
those sales to Taiwan are . Uh , thank

01:42:15.870 --> 01:42:18.189
you , Senator Shaheen . Senator Peters ,

01:42:18.270 --> 01:42:21.419
have you voted ? I have . How'd you

01:42:21.419 --> 01:42:23.609
vote ? I'm just kidding . Uh , um ,

01:42:23.660 --> 01:42:25.930
you're recognized . Thank you , thank

01:42:25.930 --> 01:42:28.152
you , Mr . Chairman . Gentlemen , thank

01:42:28.152 --> 01:42:30.374
you , uh , for being here today . Thank

01:42:30.374 --> 01:42:32.541
you for , uh , for your service , uh ,

01:42:32.541 --> 01:42:31.879
to our , to our country as well .

01:42:32.330 --> 01:42:34.609
General Smith , um , uh , as , uh , you

01:42:34.609 --> 01:42:36.665
know very well , uh , the , uh , the

01:42:36.665 --> 01:42:38.942
medium landing ship is gonna allow the ,

01:42:38.942 --> 01:42:41.053
uh , the Marine Corps to rapidly move

01:42:41.053 --> 01:42:43.220
equipment , uh , troops , and supplies

01:42:43.220 --> 01:42:45.720
without needing to rely on existing ,

01:42:45.729 --> 01:42:47.507
uh , port infrastructure . Uh ,

01:42:47.507 --> 01:42:49.229
Certainly , that's going to be

01:42:49.229 --> 01:42:51.340
essential for the Marine Corps in any

01:42:51.340 --> 01:42:53.285
potential conflict , but , uh , in

01:42:53.285 --> 01:42:55.229
particular , uh , in , uh , in the

01:42:55.229 --> 01:42:57.340
Indo-Pacific . So my question for you

01:42:57.340 --> 01:42:59.729
is , can you share the importance with

01:42:59.729 --> 01:43:02.279
this committee of the medium landing

01:43:02.279 --> 01:43:04.335
ship to the Marine Corps , including

01:43:04.335 --> 01:43:06.446
your ship acquisition plans , as well

01:43:06.446 --> 01:43:08.970
as your desired fielding timeline ,

01:43:09.049 --> 01:43:11.049
because I know this is an important

01:43:11.049 --> 01:43:13.216
project for you . Yeah , the last part

01:43:13.216 --> 01:43:15.271
first , we can't go fast enough . We

01:43:15.271 --> 01:43:17.438
need them yesterday . Uh , the landing

01:43:17.438 --> 01:43:20.060
ship medium or LSM is our inter-island

01:43:20.060 --> 01:43:22.060
connector . It's what enables us to

01:43:22.060 --> 01:43:24.500
disaggregate and re-aggregate forces to

01:43:24.500 --> 01:43:26.740
make ourselves less targetable than we

01:43:26.740 --> 01:43:28.859
otherwise would be by the PRC ,

01:43:29.180 --> 01:43:31.347
primarily useful in the Indo-Pacific ,

01:43:31.347 --> 01:43:33.509
but useful globally . Um , it

01:43:33.509 --> 01:43:35.509
disaggregates and re-aggregates our

01:43:35.509 --> 01:43:37.565
forces . It moves our medium missile

01:43:37.565 --> 01:43:39.565
batteries . It moves our ground air

01:43:39.565 --> 01:43:41.787
task oriented radar , and it moves them

01:43:41.787 --> 01:43:43.731
into places that are not otherwise

01:43:43.731 --> 01:43:45.898
targetable by an adversary . You don't

01:43:45.898 --> 01:43:48.065
pull into your fixed ports , which are

01:43:48.065 --> 01:43:50.009
all well known . This thing with a

01:43:50.009 --> 01:43:52.231
shallow beach gradient can get you into

01:43:52.231 --> 01:43:55.229
multiple smaller ports and complicate

01:43:55.229 --> 01:43:57.339
an adversary's targeting regime and

01:43:57.339 --> 01:44:00.450
targeting calculus . Great . I just

01:44:00.450 --> 01:44:02.728
wanted to follow , uh , Mr . Secretary ,

01:44:02.728 --> 01:44:05.006
uh , as the commandant , uh , outlined ,

01:44:05.006 --> 01:44:07.061
uh , the medium landing ship is , is

01:44:07.061 --> 01:44:09.172
certainly key , uh , to the future of

01:44:09.172 --> 01:44:11.394
the Marine Corps , uh , and it's , uh ,

01:44:11.394 --> 01:44:11.370
I think it's absolutely central as the

01:44:11.370 --> 01:44:13.426
general outlined that the , the Navy

01:44:13.426 --> 01:44:15.703
accelerates this program , at least as ,

01:44:15.703 --> 01:44:17.981
as much as possible . Uh , as you know ,

01:44:17.981 --> 01:44:20.148
Mr . Secretary , um , Nick and Terry ,

01:44:20.148 --> 01:44:22.426
uh , Marionette Marine , which is , uh ,

01:44:22.426 --> 01:44:22.000
kind of , it's uh over in Wisconsin ,

01:44:22.049 --> 01:44:23.993
but half the workers are , uh , in

01:44:23.993 --> 01:44:26.216
Michigan , to , to , to be very clear .

01:44:26.216 --> 01:44:28.382
Uh , we'll construct , uh , several of

01:44:28.382 --> 01:44:30.930
the , uh , 6 planned vessels in FY 27

01:44:30.930 --> 01:44:33.180
budget . Uh , I understand , uh , Fin

01:44:33.180 --> 01:44:35.291
and Terry has additional construction

01:44:35.291 --> 01:44:37.402
capacity right now , uh , to not only

01:44:37.402 --> 01:44:39.600
accelerate the program , but also ,

01:44:39.819 --> 01:44:41.875
which is incredibly important . They

01:44:41.875 --> 01:44:43.597
have to maintain their skilled

01:44:43.597 --> 01:44:45.819
workforce in that part of the country ,

01:44:45.819 --> 01:44:45.419
and if they don't , uh , it'd be hard

01:44:45.419 --> 01:44:47.530
to reconstruct that and we can't lose

01:44:47.530 --> 01:44:49.641
those folks . So , my question to you

01:44:49.641 --> 01:44:52.089
is , how is the Navy ensuring , uh ,

01:44:52.100 --> 01:44:54.459
that the , uh , At the landing ship ,

01:44:54.470 --> 01:44:57.939
uh , by results , uh , uh , in a quick

01:44:57.939 --> 01:45:00.106
acquisition and the 4 ships that Finin

01:45:00.106 --> 01:45:02.379
Try can build very quickly can be

01:45:02.379 --> 01:45:04.640
facilitated . Thank you for that

01:45:04.640 --> 01:45:06.696
question , Senator . Again , this is

01:45:06.696 --> 01:45:08.751
why we're going with a proven design

01:45:08.751 --> 01:45:10.751
ship . I mean , the Marines already

01:45:10.751 --> 01:45:12.751
walked from , uh , stem to stern of

01:45:12.751 --> 01:45:14.973
that ship to make sure it fits with the

01:45:14.973 --> 01:45:16.862
Marine Corps needs , and that's ,

01:45:16.862 --> 01:45:16.770
that's why we need to get it out there

01:45:16.770 --> 01:45:18.770
quickly . Like you said , the first

01:45:18.770 --> 01:45:20.381
ship will be built in , uh ,

01:45:20.381 --> 01:45:22.492
Mississippi , and the next , uh , the

01:45:22.492 --> 01:45:24.714
next 5 will be built in , uh , at Pinke

01:45:24.714 --> 01:45:26.881
Terry , and this is why we need to get

01:45:26.881 --> 01:45:26.729
that , that going . Great , and you're

01:45:26.729 --> 01:45:28.951
committed to make sure that happens and

01:45:28.951 --> 01:45:31.007
make sure the Marine Corps has the ,

01:45:31.007 --> 01:45:33.340
the tool that they need . Yes , Senator ,

01:45:33.340 --> 01:45:35.562
good to hear . Thank you . Uh , Admiral

01:45:35.562 --> 01:45:35.520
Cattle , uh , as we , uh , we discussed ,

01:45:35.569 --> 01:45:37.791
uh , last year , uh , the University of

01:45:37.791 --> 01:45:40.410
Michigan has the last stand-alone naval

01:45:40.410 --> 01:45:42.419
architecture and marine engineering

01:45:42.419 --> 01:45:44.910
program , uh , at an R1 university , uh ,

01:45:44.919 --> 01:45:47.450
in the entire country . UFM's unique

01:45:47.450 --> 01:45:49.830
program can also rely upon access to

01:45:49.830 --> 01:45:51.939
world , world-renowned , uh ,

01:45:51.970 --> 01:45:54.810
researchers , and academics in nuclear

01:45:54.810 --> 01:45:56.921
engineering , industrial operations ,

01:45:57.209 --> 01:45:59.370
uh , to support their extensive naval

01:45:59.370 --> 01:46:01.500
engineering , uh , efforts there . So

01:46:01.500 --> 01:46:03.500
my question for you , sir , is what

01:46:03.500 --> 01:46:05.500
role could UFM's naval architecture

01:46:05.500 --> 01:46:07.580
program play in mitigating what is a

01:46:07.580 --> 01:46:09.747
real technical workforce shortage that

01:46:09.747 --> 01:46:12.089
we're facing right now ? Uh , and if

01:46:12.089 --> 01:46:14.220
unaddressed , uh , uh , certainly may

01:46:14.220 --> 01:46:16.053
continue to delay both submarine

01:46:16.053 --> 01:46:18.580
production as well as other naval ship

01:46:18.580 --> 01:46:21.430
building efforts . A huge role . You

01:46:21.430 --> 01:46:23.470
know , it often when we look at

01:46:23.470 --> 01:46:25.950
workforce shortages , we tend to

01:46:25.950 --> 01:46:28.061
immediately go to the vocational wage

01:46:28.061 --> 01:46:30.589
grade , blue collar type jobs , which

01:46:30.589 --> 01:46:32.700
are vital . Electricians , plumbers ,

01:46:32.700 --> 01:46:34.950
ship builders , fitters , welders , but

01:46:34.950 --> 01:46:37.006
these engineers that come from these

01:46:37.006 --> 01:46:39.540
types of degrees that understand how to

01:46:39.540 --> 01:46:42.060
actually build and design ships is a

01:46:42.060 --> 01:46:44.310
critical part of the workforce we need

01:46:44.310 --> 01:46:46.629
at every commercial yard and every yard

01:46:46.629 --> 01:46:48.970
that builds our combat ships . Senator

01:46:48.970 --> 01:46:51.081
Scott asks , why does it take so long

01:46:51.081 --> 01:46:53.414
to design a ship ? Well , quite frankly ,

01:46:53.414 --> 01:46:55.637
it's because we don't have enough folks

01:46:55.637 --> 01:46:55.600
to understand what can be done with

01:46:55.600 --> 01:46:57.759
state of the art , computer-aided

01:46:57.759 --> 01:46:59.981
design , computer-aided manufacturing ,

01:46:59.981 --> 01:47:01.879
software tools , and artificial

01:47:01.879 --> 01:47:03.823
intelligence integrated into those

01:47:03.823 --> 01:47:05.879
tools to accelerate designs and get

01:47:05.879 --> 01:47:07.823
them into the drawing hands of our

01:47:07.823 --> 01:47:10.046
people to build these more quickly . So

01:47:10.046 --> 01:47:12.157
places like this are exactly the type

01:47:12.157 --> 01:47:14.490
of thing we need to expand on and scale .

01:47:14.490 --> 01:47:16.712
And how are you working to promote that

01:47:16.712 --> 01:47:18.546
in places like the University of

01:47:18.546 --> 01:47:18.479
Michigan it's part of the submarine

01:47:18.479 --> 01:47:20.701
industrial base and maritime industrial

01:47:20.701 --> 01:47:22.535
base funding , part of the forge

01:47:22.535 --> 01:47:24.757
efforts . It's part of the thing that I

01:47:24.757 --> 01:47:27.279
think our PAE , uh , uh , undersea and

01:47:27.279 --> 01:47:29.335
DURPA , uh , Admiral Goucher will be

01:47:29.335 --> 01:47:31.501
doing to leverage that . I can talk to

01:47:31.501 --> 01:47:33.501
him specifically about this one use

01:47:33.501 --> 01:47:35.723
case , but through the broader effort ,

01:47:35.723 --> 01:47:37.946
I think we need to . Expand this , that

01:47:37.946 --> 01:47:39.835
type of STEM degree , engineering

01:47:39.835 --> 01:47:42.057
majors in this field to actually get uh

01:47:42.057 --> 01:47:44.335
on top dead center on this issue , sir .

01:47:44.335 --> 01:47:46.501
Great . Well , thank you . I'd love to

01:47:46.501 --> 01:47:46.180
talk more about that and how we can

01:47:46.180 --> 01:47:48.236
strengthen that program to meet this

01:47:48.236 --> 01:47:50.458
critical need . Thank you , gentlemen .

01:47:50.458 --> 01:47:52.458
Thank you Chairman . Very important

01:47:52.458 --> 01:47:54.402
point to end on , Senator Peters .

01:47:54.402 --> 01:47:56.624
Thank you , gentlemen , for , um , uh ,

01:47:56.624 --> 01:47:59.180
an excellent hearing and a lot of good

01:47:59.180 --> 01:48:02.799
information , um . We stand ready

01:48:03.060 --> 01:48:05.259
at this committee to help you make a

01:48:05.259 --> 01:48:08.459
quantum leap . Uh , let us know what

01:48:08.459 --> 01:48:10.792
you need . OK , can I just add 11 thing ,

01:48:10.890 --> 01:48:12.946
a quick thing , sir ? I'm sorry . As

01:48:12.946 --> 01:48:15.112
long as no one else walks in , Mr . MQ

01:48:15.112 --> 01:48:17.859
25 reached milestone C , which is huge

01:48:17.859 --> 01:48:20.081
because now we have in-flight refueling

01:48:20.081 --> 01:48:22.303
that's unmanned , and there's something

01:48:22.303 --> 01:48:24.359
I wanted to bring . Up at the closed

01:48:24.359 --> 01:48:24.259
hearing this morning , but it's just ,

01:48:24.580 --> 01:48:26.580
it's a great capability , sir , for

01:48:26.580 --> 01:48:28.913
unmanned aircraft and refueling as well .

01:48:29.100 --> 01:48:31.100
Thank you very much and feel , feel

01:48:31.100 --> 01:48:33.267
free to expand on that on the record .

01:48:33.379 --> 01:48:35.323
This concludes the open portion of

01:48:35.323 --> 01:48:37.435
today's hearing . Thank our witnesses

01:48:37.660 --> 01:48:39.438
for the information of members'

01:48:39.438 --> 01:48:41.493
questions . For the record , will be

01:48:41.493 --> 01:48:43.660
due to the committee within 2 business

01:48:43.660 --> 01:48:45.938
days of the conclusion of this hearing ,

01:48:45.938 --> 01:48:45.939
and we are adjourned .