WASHINGTON — The goal is "to rebuild the U.S. military and defense industrial base for a generation."
The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, this week released a detailed plan, "Peace Through Strength: A Generational Investment in the U.S. Military."
It calls for an additional $55 billion for the Fiscal Year 2025 Defense budget.
"We need to invest more, and we need to invest more wisely," he said during a hearing in April.
Much of the money would go toward revitalizing the nation's defense-industrial base: $20 billion over five years for workforce development, supply chain resiliency, and shipyard modernization and expansion.
Under the plan, the Navy fleet would grow to 357 ships by 2035, an increase of 41 ships in 10 years over current plans.
"This is a realistic, executable plan.," the document concludes.
Another measure that should help the defense industrial base is a provision in the just-passed House Armed Services Committee National Defense Authorization Act for FY'25.
It changes the current Navy policy of soliciting ship repair contracts on a coast-wide basis from availabilities longer than 10 months to only those projected to last more than 18 months.
"It will make a huge difference for our local ship repair industry. This was an important piece and a big win for them," said Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia, 2nd District).
The full House of Representatives must still vote upon that chamber's version of the NDAA.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to begin debate on its version of the measure in mid-June.