Lisa Murkowski

I think many of us in this committee, in this Congress are very concerned about where we are with our naval fleet.

Thank you all for being here and your focus on what we need to be doing better when it comes to accelerating in the acquisition space.

I think would be a strategic critical error.

The United States is an Arctic nation, and of course, this is a strategically important region to us.

Thank you for being here, thank you for your leadership.

I look at the Marines' role in Arctic Ops as absolutely necessary.

I need to know and I'd like your commitment, Admiral, that the Navy as the contract agent for this effort is proactively supporting the Coast Guard and their acquisition of additional icebreakers.

We're moving forward with the first deep water Arctic port, the Port of Nome. It's going to be incredibly important to our national defense interests.

Count me amongst those that are worried about our shipbuilding capacity and our infrastructure.

The concern here of course is that you are going to have an impact on the mission on our preparedness.

More than 50 percent said they would not transfer to the Active Duty Space Force.

Last year you testified that the Air National Guard makes up 30 percent of our Nation's Space Force capacity.

I, too, am concerned about the border as we all are.

As an Arctic Nation, when we have one operational Polar Class vessel, and it doesn't even get to the Arctic, we are woefully behind.

We are appreciative and grateful. We recognize, so many of us recognize just the role of our Reserve Forces and all that they bring in terms of talent and experience to the fight.

I know that this is, again, one of those issues that is generating a lot of debate out there.

If we don't take care of our people, if we don't give them predictability, those decades of experience that they have, that will take decades to replace, they are going to vote with their feet, and they are going to do something else.

In its 2021 Arctic Strategy 'Regaining Arctic Dominance', the Army asserts that a Multi-Domain Task Force in Alaska is the first step in setting the conditions for success in the Arctic.

We are trying and we are making some headway, but again, it is these little things.

We talk a lot about the various aircraft, the equipment, but I think we know that as good as that may be if we fail to invest adequately in our soldiers, that is where we fail, that is where we have the vulnerabilities.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Maybe sluggish is even too kind of a word but if you have to really critically assess where we are in and how we're improving the acquisition process.

I feel it is important to always underscore that we never take our eye off of North Korea.

So, you think it's a good idea, but we're not quite there yet in terms of making sure that we are implementing to scale?

I think would be a strategic critical error.