The discussion about enhancing naval ship acquisition emphasizes the need for the U.S. Navy to reclaim some of its ship design and construction capabilities in-house. Suggestions include expanding NAVSEA's staff of Naval Architects significantly to improve efficiency and address issues of feature creep in ship design. Critics highlight the inefficiencies in current practices, such as outsourcing design and reliance on complex technologies like high-end radars that may not justify their costs. Others advocate for a more competition-based model of procurement, where government retains more of the R&D ownership, enabling better future innovation and cost management, while some propose re-establishing in-house navy yards to ensure the Navy is not overly dependent on defense contractors. The potential for drone technology and AI in naval operations is also mentioned, signaling a trend towards more automated and agile naval units.