True, the ships we build are more capable than ever before, but forward presence, deterrence, and the capability to respond quickly requires numbers. The oceans have not shrunk. A 360-ship fleet requires a stable annual build rate of 12 ships per year for 30 years. This means a doubling of the rate of ship procurement over that of the past decade. The most cost-effective and efficient means to achieve this higher, stable rate of ship production requires a combination of increased funding and acquisition approaches designed specifically for ships.
Ships are unlike planes, tanks, and guns.
Yet ships are procured in the same way as planes, tanks, and guns, which are bought in large quantities annually, and which are manufactured in a matter of months.