The Rapidly Disappearing U.S. Aircraft Carrier

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise conducts an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Supply in the Persian Gulf, Oct. 4, 2007, while the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke and the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg follow behind. Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing One are currently underway on a scheduled six-month deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class N.C. Kaylor

Down To Nine -- Information Dissemination

Interesting. OPNAV NOTICE 5400 (PDF) from August 1st is worth a few comments.

1. Purpose. To approve the change in permanent duty station (PDS) for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) NINE per reference (a).

2. Background. Per POM-12 guidance, Navy will resource and align CSG staffs equal to the number of operational CVNs. CSG-9 will change PDS from Everett, WA to San Diego, CA and will change carrier assignment from USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) to USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN-76). LINCOLN will shift homeport from Everett, WA to Newport News, VA for Refueling and Complex Overhaul in August 2012. CSG-9 will be reassigned to REAGAN, homeported in San Diego, replacing CSG-7 due to CSG-7 deactivation.

The deactivation of CSG-7 brings the total number of carrier strike groups to nine, and there is no reason to believe the Navy will operate more than nine carrier strike groups for the next several years, despite the US Navy currently owning 11 carriers. This is one example of where budget cuts to the Navy are already having impacts.

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My Comment: Galrahn at Information Dissemination nails it perfectly .... this is one of my must reads for today.