Why the US Navy must look to allies if it wants to catch up to China at sea

Washington’s plans to work with allies on warship design and construction face steep opposition at home, but analysts warn that the US must outsource shipbuilding to South Korea and Japan if it wants to close its gap in fleet size with China. The US budget submission for the next financial year includes US$1.85 billion for a study on outsourcing parts of the design and construction of frigates and