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SLIDESHOW | images | Acting Chief of Naval Operations Attends BAE Systems Shiplift & Land Level Facility Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby participates in a ribbon cutting at the Shiplift and Land Level Repair Facility in Jacksonville, Florida, June 2, 2025. The facility enables faster, more efficient repairs of vessels up to 25,000 tons. This expansion advances the Navy’s priorities by revitalizing shipbuilding and enhancing fleet operational readiness to support national defense. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Elliott Fabrizio.)

Good morning!

Representative Bean, Admiral Greenert, industry partners, Navy civilians and teammates, it is great to be back in Jacksonville for this ribbon cutting ceremony.

A few weeks ago, I spoke to the Shipbuilders Council of America.  I conveyed that there’s great change in the air on shipbuilding and ship repair

I’m seeing a national consensus start to form around the importance of our maritime industrial base.

For the first time in my Navy life, I see stars aligning and momentum building:

The creation of the White House Shipbuilding Office;  

The introduction of the SHIPS for America Act and the FORGED Act 

US Trade Representative’s 301 actions on China’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistical, and Shipbuilding Sectors; 

Increased visibility from the Department of Defense. Shipbuilding is SECNAV’s #1 priority.   

And bipartisan support in Congress for re-investing in our manufacturing and shipbuilding sectors.  

All of this points to one thing: we as a Nation are waking up to the reality that a strong maritime industrial base is a matter of national security. 

It will take national effort and commitment to rebuild our capacity and expertise.  

There’s a lot of work to be done.

We are focused on building the readiness and lethality needed to prevail in a future conflict by January 1st, 2027.

To get after this, we are increasing the number of ships, submarines, and aircraft that are combat surge ready.

Achieving and sustaining 80% combat surge ready ships is a big goal and requires focus, effort, and investments.

It relies heavily on increasing our ship repair capacity and performance to get our existing Fleet – the one we will fight with in 2027 – in and out of maintenance, on-time and on-cost.

That means reducing availability delays and challenging our traditional approaches of how we man, train, sustain, and modernize the force.

These are the biggest levers I can pull to generate more ready platforms it’s the fastest way I can provide more ready, capable ships to our combatant commanders.

BAE’s new Shiplift and Land Level Repair Facility is a significant investment that will pay dividends for both our Navy and our commercial partners in the years to come.

It’s part of that national effort and commitment I discussed earlier one we very much need.

It’s replacing World War II-era ship repair facilities and drydocks, while expanding the capacity of ship repair threefold.

It’s improving production efficiency and overall reliability by providing a 300% increase in drydock capacity.

That means greater lethality. It means warfighting effectiveness.  It’s what our Navy needs for the future fight a more robust, ready Fleet with adequate ship repair facilities on both coasts. 

From my vantage point, this Shiplift and Level Repair Facility is contributing to a national movement that is making America safer and more secure.  

It’s a necessary element in forging a defense industrial base able to support, sustain, and generate our Fleet.

And it will definitely contribute to our goal of achieving 80% Combat Surge Ready ships.

The Secretary of the Navy and I are aligned. America cannot have a strong Navy and Marine Corps team without a strong maritime industrial base.

So let me end by saying thank you. 

Thank you for your service, thank you for your partnership, thank you for what you do for our Nation.  

I am excited for you, I am excited for our Navy and I am excited to see the capacity and readiness that this new facility will bring to bear.