NORFOLK, Va. - — Hampton Roads lawmakers are responding after Republican presidential candidates were asked whether they think it should grow during last week's debate.
Currently, the Navy has a fleet of 291 ships. The candidates were asked whether it needs to expand to offset potential aggression from China towards Taiwan.
Republican presidential candidates' lofty shipbuilding expectations
"I've already released a plan. We're going to get to 355 ships by the end of the first term, 385 ships by the end of the second term, but we're going to have a path to 600 ships over the next 20 years," said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the debate, which aired on NBC News.
"We won't even have 350 ships in two decades," said former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. "America needs to modernize our military."
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called for more nuclear submarines; while businessman Vivek Ramaswamy called for the Navy to increase in capacity by 20-percent over the next several years.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who says since dropped out of the race, said the military needs to be prepared to fight in conflicts in three continents.
Is that actually attainable?
The Navy had a stated goal of 355 ships in 2016, which Congress approved.
Fast forward to seven years later and the Navy is about 60 ships below that.
The Congressional Research Service says the Navy has been below 300 ships since 2003.
"I think 355 was a statement at the time that we did it, less about a precise number and more about the capacities they would provide," Sen. Tim Kaine told News 3 Thursday.
Local Congresswoman Jen Kiggans told News 3 the Navy should have a minimum of 350 ships.
"I think now people are looking at China and their growing Navy," she said. "They're outpacing us."
Does the Navy need that many more ships?
The executive director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Alliance told News 3 in order to grow the fleet the Navy needs to build more ships than are being retired.
"I think it's well understood or agreed that the Navy is too small for what the nation is asking it to do," said Rick Dwyer.
Getting there would require existing shifts to meet their lifespans, meaning the ship repair industry would be vital.
"I think that makes it all the more critical and probably the highest priority in regards to where we're going with this is to maintain and properly and adequately fund repairs to the existing fleet," said Bill Crow, the president of the Virginia Ship Repair Association.
The Congressional Research Service says there are several shipbuilding plans with alternatives.
The most aggressive one would increase the size of the fleet to 356 in 2042 and then 367 in 2053.
As DeSantis said during the debate, he's pushing the Navy to get to 600 ships in 20 years.
News 3 asked Kiggans whether that's attainable in that time frame.
"I think we have a long way to go," she answered.
