Faced with a struggling shipbuilding industry, the US Navy must look to its allies, particularly Japan and South Korea, to meet its growing maritime needs, argues Craig Fischbach, a US Navy Surface Warfare Officer, in a recent analysis.
„All our programs are a mess.”
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan’s stark assessment before Congress in June 2025 highlights the urgency of the situation. Fischbach proposes three key areas for enhanced shipbuilding cooperation with allies to revitalize the US maritime industrial base and maintain a credible forward presence.
Focus on Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO)
Expanding MRO cooperation across allied yards is the most feasible and pressing challenge. Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has already broken ground by repairing the USS Milius, and South Korean firms like Hanwha Ocean and Hyundai Heavy Industries have successfully completed repairs on Navy combat support ships faster than many American yards. Fischbach recommends scaling up this cooperation through permanent liaison offices and a regional coordination center in Japan or Guam.
Mine Countermeasures Pact with Japan
Prioritizing collaborative development and production of minesweepers with Japan, a leader in this area, is crucial. Japan’s modern fleet of minesweepers, including advanced Awaji-class ships, provides a solid foundation for joint efforts. Fischbach proposes a Mine Countermeasures Pact with Tokyo, modeled on the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort with Canada and Finland, to pool expertise, coordinate development, and share technology.
Supplement Arleigh Burke Destroyer Production with Allied Assistance
Cautiously supplementing Arleigh Burke-class destroyer production with assistance from Japan and South Korea can bridge near-term shortfalls while the US works to rebuild its own shipbuilding base. These allies already build comparable destroyers that integrate US subsystems and can produce them faster and cheaper. Fischbach suggests establishing trilateral working groups and launching a pilot program to produce a limited number of destroyers abroad, with American firms undertaking final adaptations.
Overcoming Obstacles
These proposals face challenges, including resistance from members of Congress with shipyards in their districts and legal barriers such as the Buy American Act. However, Fischbach notes that strategic necessity is starting to outweigh these concerns, as evidenced by the „Ensuring Naval Readiness Act,” which would allow the Navy to construct ships in foreign yards in a NATO or Indo-Pacific ally.
A Strategic and Incremental Approach
The path forward is strategic but incremental. Expanding MRO cooperation, forging a mine countermeasure pact with Japan, and selectively supplementing destroyer production abroad would address immediate fleet needs while strengthening long-term capacity. These measures would lay the foundation for a sustainable maritime strategy built with allies, sharing industrial burdens to secure the maritime commons, according to Fischbach.
