US Naval Shipbuilding Strained by Labor Shortage: Naval Analyst

Kevin Hogan
By Kevin Hogan
August 13, 2024NTD Good Morning
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America’s ability to produce warships is at its lowest point in a quarter of a century, according to Eric Labs, a senior naval analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. The ships being referred to are vessels such as the guided-missile frigates used to counter Houthi missile attacks in the Red Sea. A labor shortage is cited as one of the main reasons.

NTD gets an in-depth analysis of the shipbuilding dilemma from Cameron Hamilton, a Navy SEAL combat veteran and a former division director at the Department of Homeland Security. Hamilton says the strain on shipbuilding largely stems from federal acquisition regulations and a dampened economy—one in which blue-collar jobs are increasingly being abandoned for remote work or IT positions.