washington u.s. president donald trump say want build dozens new warships one big peace-time expansions u.s. navy interview ship-builders unions review public internal document show major obstacles plan initiative could cost nearly 700 billion government fund take 30 years complete require hire tens thousands skilled shipyard workers many exist yet still need hire train accord interview document review trump vow huge build-up u.s. military project american power face embolden china russia include expand navy 350 warships 275 today provide specifics include soon want large fleet graphics project strength u.s. navy shipyard employment see tmsnrt.rs/2n3vor0 navy give defense secretary jim mattis report explore country industrial base could support high ship production admiral bill moran vice chief naval operations oversight navy shipbuilding outlook tell reuters decline give detail interview story say clearly two big issue enough skilled workers market electricians welders years historically low production shipyards suppliers include nuclear fuel producers struggle ramp years sure first big hurdle trump overcome persuade cost-conscious congress fund military buildup white house decline comment navy spokeswoman say increase consider beyond current shipbuilding plan would require sufficient time allow company ramp capacity two large u.s. shipbuilders general dynamics corp gd.n huntington ingalls industries inc hii.n tell reuters plan hire total 6,000 workers 2017 meet current order columbia class ballistic missile submarine general dynamics hop hire 2,000 workers electric boat year currently project order level would already require shipyard grow less 15,000 workers nearly 20,000 early 2030s company document review reuters show huntington ingalls large u.s. military shipbuilder plan hire 3,000 newport news shipyard norfolk virginia another 1,000 ingalls shipyard mississippi year fulfill current order spokeswoman beci brenton say company say eager work trump build big navy expand hire difficult receive new order officials say hard look beyond current order brenton say small shipbuilders suppliers also cautious hire people nothing say jill mackie spokeswoman portland oregon-based vigor industrial llc make combat craft navy special warfare units fund ... bring workers company hire excess workers advance huge challenge expand workforces rapidly shipbuilding boom materialize say bryan clark lead strategic plan navy special assistant chief naval operations 2013. union shipyard officials say find skilled labor work already challenge demand pipeline welders strong make much 300,000 per year include overtime benefit say danny hendrix business manager pipeliners local 798 union represent 6,500 metal workers 42 state much work submarine yards also require security clearance many get say jimmy hart president metal trade department afl-cio union represent 100,000 boilermakers machinists pipefitters among others help grow large labor force grind general dynamics electric boat partner seven high school trade school connecticut rhode island develop curriculum train next generation welders engineer historically take five years get someone proficient shipbuilding say maura dunn vice president human resources electric boat take many seven years train welder skilled enough make complex type weld radiographic structural weld need nuclear-powered submarine say lennon vice president shipyard columbia class submarine program navy envision trump could create 50,000 job shipbuilders council america trade group represent u.s. shipbuilders repairers suppliers tell reuters u.s. shipbuilding repair industry employ nearly 100,000 2016 labor department statistics show industry many 176,000 workers height cold war early 1980s unite state build fleet nearly 600 warships end decade apart labor shortage also serious capacity supply chain issue would severely strain plan expand navy especially submarine fleet expand navy 350 ship simple add 75 ship many ship current 275-vessel fleet need replace mean navy would buy 321 ship 2046 reach trump goal congressional budget office say report february shipyards make nuclear submarine general dynamics electric boat groton connecticut huntington newport news produce many seven submarine per year early 1980s decade yards build two per year nuclear-powered virginia class columbia class submarine among large complex vessels build first columbia submarine set begin construction 2021 take seven years build two three additional years test retool long-dormant shipyard space take several years significant capital investments big problem expand supply chain say clark former strategist navy senior fellow center strategic budgetary assessments makers submarine components reactor core big cast forgers propellers shaft would need five years double production say congressional official knowledge navy long-term plan size industrial base two submarine year throw one two top say oh dial switch produce four reactor core year instead two official say first budget proposal congress thursday trump propose boost defense spend 54 billion fiscal 2018 year 10 percent increase last year also seek 30 billion defense department supplemental budget fiscal 2017 least 433 million earmark military shipbuilding 350-ship navy would cost 690 billion 30-year period 23 billion per year 60 percent average fund navy receive shipbuilding past three decades congressional budget office say senator john mccain chairman senate arm service committee major say approve defense budget say statement reuters support trump vision increase size navy deter adversaries `` however blank check `` say click graphic 'fleet expansion miss trump 's grand navy plan skilled workers build fleet