USS KENNEDY, the second FORD-class carrier, is scheduled to be commissioned in 2020. (U.S. Navy)
Will America's Next Aircraft Carrier Shrink the Navy? -- Everett Pyatt, Real Clear Defense
Nuclear carriers are a fundamental part of U.S. military strategy. They have proven to be a flexible diplomatic tool, an important military asset, even in a land war, and are likely to grow in importance as more issues arise in the Pacific basin. Congress recognized this role and passed a law requiring eleven carriers in the national arsenal. Few other weapons systems have this degree of national consensus.
They also have a long lifetime and but still require periodic replacement. USS ENTERPRISE was retired after 60 years operation and the fuel core ran out on the predicted schedule. A new carrier class was planned to be available then, but the defense acquisition system failed to produce that ship and is now several years late depending upon the amount of operational testing needed to confirm performance. In the meantime, the current fleet is operating at a higher tempo and the sailors are enduring extended deployments to accommodate this failure.
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My Comment: More sequestration budget cuts are now coming down the pipeline .... I have trouble seeing how the US Navy can even maintain 6 or 7 aircraft carrier groups let alone 11.
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