Page 21: of Marine News Magazine (June 2021)

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ing our ? eet in a timely manner and allowed China to begin challenging

American supremacy at sea.

China’s shipyards enable Beijing to project power

China has become our primary strategic rival and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. Although our military enjoys technological ad- vantages, China’s Navy has eclipsed ours in terms of sheer size, surpassing 350 ships. China has achieved this massive naval force by dramatically expanding its shipbuilding and main- tenance base, with more than 1,000 shipyards now supporting its sprawl- ing ? eet. The United States has sig- ni? cant ground to make up.

The Navy has been doing the best it can with the resources at its disposal.

In 2018, the Navy released a 20-year plan for revitalizing its shipyards. But 20 years is far too long to meet our pressing security needs.

The SHIPYARD Act would help speed up the Navy’s plan by funding it all at once, with appropriations that would not expire at the end of any ? scal year. This would give the Navy ? exibility to ramp up operations on the most ef? cient timeline possible.

The Navy would be able to put these funds toward projects at a range of fa- cilities, including major shipyards and the many contractors and suppliers that help build U.S. Navy ships.

Shipyards are not our military’s only infrastructure need, but they are the source of our nation’s sea power and are playing an increasingly pivotal role in the global balance of power. As Con- gress considers what infrastructure pri- orities will best serve our communities and advance our national security, our nation’s shipyards must be a priority.

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