The military's 'war for talent' is affecting what the Navy's future ships will look like

More than one senior military leader has said the services are facing a "war for talent," as a stronger economy and two decades of war, among other factors, make military service less appealing to young Americans.

The Army, striving to reach 500,000 active-duty soldiers by the end of this decade, has rolled out an esports team to attract recruits. The Air Force, facing a protracted pilot shortage, capitalized on the recent blockbuster "Captain Marvel" with a recruiting drive.

For the Navy, which wants more ships to do more operations across a greater area, the effort to attract more people — and the right people — and to retain them is influencing ship design, the service's top civilian official said this week.