Reindustrializing America: Wisdom from the Father of the Nuclear Navy
The MOC
By
Charles Yang
July 17, 2025
Reindustrializing America: Wisdom from the Father of the Nuclear Navy
Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, widely recognized as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy”, was a singularly driven, lifelong naval officer whose relentless leadership propelled the development of nuclear propulsion for the U.S. Navy and contributed to the nascent civilian nuclear power industry. The advent of submarine nuclear propulsion under his direct leadership and management proved pivotal in establishing and advancing U.S. strategic nuclear delivery capabilities. Beyond spearheading the creation of a major dual-use technology from within the naval establishment, Rickover forged an exceptionally effective engineering organization in Naval Reactors, which has an unparalleled nuclear safety record that endures to this day.
Today, the United States is re-entering an era of strategic competition. The need for effective engineering management at our shipyards, the urgency of integrating dual-use military technologies to enable new strategic capabilities, and the renewed importance of energy infrastructure for economic competitiveness, all make understanding Rickover’s methods and techniques more important than ever.
In that spirit, the Center for Industrial Strategy is publishing the Rickover Corpus, a digitized collection of the Rickover Papers which were recently donated to the U.S. Naval Academy Archives. Our published corpus comprises over 1,800 pages of digitized speeches and memos by Rickover—much of which has never before been publicly accessible. Our objective is to make Rickover’s profound insights and operational philosophy more widely available, and provide valuable primary source material for contemporary strategists, reformers, and energy policy analysts.
Below, we present selected excerpts from this corpus on a diverse array of topics, each speaking directly to the enduring relevance of Rickover thought in today’s complex environment.
On Nuclear Reactor Safety:
The first factor is to have people in charge who are thoroughly competent in the design and operation of reactors, both the scientific and engineering aspects people who follow the work every minute of the day and night and do not depend on anyone else to do this for them. The second factor is the acceptance of personal responsibility. Without acceptance — unlimited acceptance — of complete responsibility by the individual you cannot avoid ultimately having accidents.
On Designing, Constructing, and Operating the First Civilian Nuclear Power Plant at Shippingport:
A single phrase such as ‘government’ or private ‘industry’ is not adequate to describe our method of operation. We have built up something unique and new, and I believe this method of operation is in itself an important development. We have worked out a system which combines the peculiar abilities and experience of industry, the utility industry, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Congress. In addition, of course, we draw on our experience and capabilities in the Navy, and the Navy in turn benefits from the things we learn at Shippingport.
This arrangement combines centralized decision-making and responsibility – which enables us to move just as fast as would be possible a totalitarian state – but with private industrial ingenuity and democratic processes; our work is under constant scrutiny by Congress which controls the expenditure of funds, and has final authority over the entire program.
First, the laws and regulations concerning defense procurement are toothless, loose, and outmoded. They contain many loopholes that industry is able to exploit. Defense procurement rules need drastic overhaul and tightening.
Second, in procurement matters, the Department of Defense is too much influenced by the industry viewpoint. Procurement rules are interpreted to benefit industry rather than to protect the American public.
Third, Congress will have to take the initiative in correcting deficiencies in defense procurement. Neither the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, nor the General Accounting Office will do it. It should not be left to a self-interested defense industry to decide what is the best for the American people.
To an educationist, a person who is not a “professional” educator can offer no valid criticism since education is not This is not a sincere argument, for the leaders of American education are extremely intolerant of criticism by members of their own profession as well. A teacher jeopardizes his job if he exercises the right of free speech in a manner even implying mild criticism. I myself and most other critics have received many letters from teachers expressing their deep dissatisfaction with American education but begging not to be quoted by name. Virginius Dabney, winner and editor of the Richmond, Virginia Times-Dispatch commented editorially in 1954 on this tacit censorship by the educationist top command: “It is highly disturbing,” he said, “that teachers in good standing feel they cannot constructively criticize things that are happening in the schools…without risking their jobs. For such thought-conformity to be forced upon teachers of all people – the very members of society who are supposed to be promoting intellectual freedom and the healthful interchange of opinion – is double shocking.
The important officials affected by a decision should be present and heard when the decision is being discussed. Therefore, the decision should be in writing and communicated to all concerned. The result is a trusted and respected President and administrator. One of the most difficult things for a man is to remove those who have started with him and who have been loyal to him. But the need for removing some men occurs at all times. This is difficult if they are the first incumbents, particularly if they assisted him to achieve office…
The illusion has been created that a cloud of secrecy has been thrown over every act of government to hide its dark motives. But not all secrets are evil. The drafting of sensible policies requires candid speech, because only in this way can leaders fully explore various alternatives. Confidentiality is often essential to candor. Otherwise nothing is achieved as rival factions seek media support before a decision is reached.
Democracy is the only government worthy of free men; it is also the most difficult. It will not run well unless all the people, or at least a majority, possess those qualities of mind and character that in other forms of government are needed by none but a small governing group. We are not born with these qualities. We must acquire them through effort; we must be carefully guided and taught by home, church, and school. Hence the overriding importance of education in a democracy, education which enhances the human personality – not narrow vocational training to equip young people with a saleable skill – for in a democracy people are much more than mere breadwinners.
On every issue relevant to strategic competition today, from nuclear energy dominance to shipbuilding, to democracy and public education, the experience of Admiral Hyman Rickover – founder of Naval Reactors, who built the nuclear industry and reshaped naval strategic capabilities – still has wisdom to offer us today.
Charles Yang is the founder and executive director of the Center for Industrial Strategy, a bipartisan think tank developing policies to build U.S. industrial strength.
The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.
Center for Maritime Strategy
By Charles Yang
Reindustrializing America: Wisdom from the Father of the Nuclear Navy
Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, widely recognized as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy”, was a singularly driven, lifelong naval officer whose relentless leadership propelled the development of nuclear propulsion for the U.S. Navy and contributed to the nascent civilian nuclear power industry. The advent of submarine nuclear propulsion under his direct leadership and management proved pivotal in establishing and advancing U.S. strategic nuclear delivery capabilities. Beyond spearheading the creation of a major dual-use technology from within the naval establishment, Rickover forged an exceptionally effective engineering organization in Naval Reactors, which has an unparalleled nuclear safety record that endures to this day.
Today, the United States is re-entering an era of strategic competition. The need for effective engineering management at our shipyards, the urgency of integrating dual-use military technologies to enable new strategic capabilities, and the renewed importance of energy infrastructure for economic competitiveness, all make understanding Rickover’s methods and techniques more important than ever.
In that spirit, the Center for Industrial Strategy is publishing the Rickover Corpus, a digitized collection of the Rickover Papers which were recently donated to the U.S. Naval Academy Archives. Our published corpus comprises over 1,800 pages of digitized speeches and memos by Rickover—much of which has never before been publicly accessible. Our objective is to make Rickover’s profound insights and operational philosophy more widely available, and provide valuable primary source material for contemporary strategists, reformers, and energy policy analysts.
Below, we present selected excerpts from this corpus on a diverse array of topics, each speaking directly to the enduring relevance of Rickover thought in today’s complex environment.
On Nuclear Reactor Safety:
The first factor is to have people in charge who are thoroughly competent in the design and operation of reactors, both the scientific and engineering aspects people who follow the work every minute of the day and night and do not depend on anyone else to do this for them. The second factor is the acceptance of personal responsibility. Without acceptance — unlimited acceptance — of complete responsibility by the individual you cannot avoid ultimately having accidents.
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, 1961
On Government Efficiency:
Well I know that if we cut the people in the Pentagon by about twenty to thirty percent, a lot of the work would go on much quicker than it does now.
CBS, Meet the Press, 1960
On Designing, Constructing, and Operating the First Civilian Nuclear Power Plant at Shippingport:
A single phrase such as ‘government’ or private ‘industry’ is not adequate to describe our method of operation. We have built up something unique and new, and I believe this method of operation is in itself an important development. We have worked out a system which combines the peculiar abilities and experience of industry, the utility industry, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Congress. In addition, of course, we draw on our experience and capabilities in the Navy, and the Navy in turn benefits from the things we learn at Shippingport.
This arrangement combines centralized decision-making and responsibility – which enables us to move just as fast as would be possible a totalitarian state – but with private industrial ingenuity and democratic processes; our work is under constant scrutiny by Congress which controls the expenditure of funds, and has final authority over the entire program.
Shippingport Lessons Learned, 1959
On Defense Procurement:
First, the laws and regulations concerning defense procurement are toothless, loose, and outmoded. They contain many loopholes that industry is able to exploit. Defense procurement rules need drastic overhaul and tightening.
Second, in procurement matters, the Department of Defense is too much influenced by the industry viewpoint. Procurement rules are interpreted to benefit industry rather than to protect the American public.
Third, Congress will have to take the initiative in correcting deficiencies in defense procurement. Neither the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, nor the General Accounting Office will do it. It should not be left to a self-interested defense industry to decide what is the best for the American people.
Joint Economic Committee, 1968
On Education:
To an educationist, a person who is not a “professional” educator can offer no valid criticism since education is not This is not a sincere argument, for the leaders of American education are extremely intolerant of criticism by members of their own profession as well. A teacher jeopardizes his job if he exercises the right of free speech in a manner even implying mild criticism. I myself and most other critics have received many letters from teachers expressing their deep dissatisfaction with American education but begging not to be quoted by name. Virginius Dabney, winner and editor of the Richmond, Virginia Times-Dispatch commented editorially in 1954 on this tacit censorship by the educationist top command: “It is highly disturbing,” he said, “that teachers in good standing feel they cannot constructively criticize things that are happening in the schools…without risking their jobs. For such thought-conformity to be forced upon teachers of all people – the very members of society who are supposed to be promoting intellectual freedom and the healthful interchange of opinion – is double shocking.
Education, Our First Line of Defense, 1958
On Democracy and Presidents:
The important officials affected by a decision should be present and heard when the decision is being discussed. Therefore, the decision should be in writing and communicated to all concerned. The result is a trusted and respected President and administrator. One of the most difficult things for a man is to remove those who have started with him and who have been loyal to him. But the need for removing some men occurs at all times. This is difficult if they are the first incumbents, particularly if they assisted him to achieve office…
The illusion has been created that a cloud of secrecy has been thrown over every act of government to hide its dark motives. But not all secrets are evil. The drafting of sensible policies requires candid speech, because only in this way can leaders fully explore various alternatives. Confidentiality is often essential to candor. Otherwise nothing is achieved as rival factions seek media support before a decision is reached.
Some Thoughts on the Presidency
Democracy is the only government worthy of free men; it is also the most difficult. It will not run well unless all the people, or at least a majority, possess those qualities of mind and character that in other forms of government are needed by none but a small governing group. We are not born with these qualities. We must acquire them through effort; we must be carefully guided and taught by home, church, and school. Hence the overriding importance of education in a democracy, education which enhances the human personality – not narrow vocational training to equip young people with a saleable skill – for in a democracy people are much more than mere breadwinners.
On Democracy and Competence, 1959
Conclusion:
On every issue relevant to strategic competition today, from nuclear energy dominance to shipbuilding, to democracy and public education, the experience of Admiral Hyman Rickover – founder of Naval Reactors, who built the nuclear industry and reshaped naval strategic capabilities – still has wisdom to offer us today.
The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.