US Navy unable to build ships; Cramer explains

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Recent reports have indicated the United States Navy has been unable to build ships and the Chinese Navy outnumbers our fleet.

The U.S. Naval Institute released a report to Congress last October that said the Chinese Navy’s strength is expected to grow to 395 ships by 2025 and 435 ships by 2030.

Senator Kevin Cramer said President Biden’s budget for this year reduces the number of ships to be built by nine. He said going forward, the budget continues to reduce the defense budget.

Cramer said by 2030, the Biden administration’s idea of shipbuilding is to have the same number of ships as we do right now.

“We need to find a way to add to what we call the top line of our defense budget. A one percent increase is really a three percent cut in this inflationary time. Our adversaries continue to build more and bigger. We still are more lethal and experienced. We are technologically advanced, that helps. We have a lot more allies, which also helps a lot,” said Cramer.

Cramer said our allies look to the United States for technological and advanced leadership and our country is not meeting that demand right now.

He said the way to move forward is to increase the defense budget and add more ships. He said that would demonstrate strength instead of weakness.