POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES ON MINIMUM NUMBER OF BATTLE FORCE SHIPS.

SEC. 1025. [10 U.S.C. 7291 note] POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES ON MINIMUM NUMBER OF BATTLE FORCE SHIPS. (a) Policy.—It shall be the policy of the United States— (1) to have available, as soon as practicable, not fewer than 355 battle force ships, comprised of the optimal mix of platforms, with funding subject to the availability of appropriations or other funds; and (2) that the United States shipbuilding defense industrial base is fundamental to achieving the shipbuilding requirements of the Navy and constitutes a unique national security imperative that requires sustainment and support by the Navy and Congress. (b) Battle Force Ships Defined.—In this section, the term “battle force ship” has the meaning given the term in Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5030.8C.