The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) transits the South China Sea March 6, 2017. If U.S. lawmakers fail to approve a full-year budget and rely on a stopgap measure instead, the Navy will face maintenance backlogs and other shortfalls that will keep carriers from deploying on schedule and leave critical coverage gaps around the world, an official said. (U.S. Navy photo/Devin M. Monroe)
DoD Buzz: Admiral: Carrier Gaps Could Return in 2018
If U.S. lawmakers fail to approve a full-year budget and rely on a stopgap measure instead, the Navy will face maintenance backlogs and other shortfalls that will keep its biggest warships from deploying on schedule and leave critical carrier gaps around the world, an official said.
Vice Adm. Joseph Mulloy, deputy chief of naval operations for integration of capabilities and resources, this week said the prospect of shutting down two air wings, going to minimal operations on three more, and delaying 14 ship maintenance availabilities — a scenario predicted by Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran in February — was the minimum damage the Navy could expect if the service did not receive the readiness finding it needed for the rest of the fiscal year.
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WNU Editor: I suspect that this budgetary problem that has produced these carrier gaps will be resolved by spending more money in the coming weeks/months. But the real issue on what are U.S. strategic objectives .... and why must they have these aircraft carriers .... has yet to be discussed.
5 comments:
THANX OBAMA!
Carrier gaps brought to you by liberal Obama.
"Defense Sheefense" - Obama
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" I suspect that this budgetary problem that has produced these carrier gaps will be resolved by spending more money in the coming weeks/months."
A) Months at best to boost the spending. As the Zombie Eyed Granny Starver Paul Ryan "edumacated" Hair Furour via twitter, Congress makes and passes the Budget, the POTUS merely makes up a wish list.
B). The "Carrier Gap" isn't caused by a "budgetary shortage", 16 years of failed wars and ramped up deployments, plus the first Ford Class Carrier being 3 years behind schedule, has created the so called"gap".
Jay,
With point B you are unfortunately materially correct. Now the US military is worn down to the point that even basic national defense is problematic.
The editor is correct that a debate needs to be had on why these carriers are needed. I've already spelled out the top three threats to US national security on this wrbsite multiple times. Essentially aircraft carriers are useless in each of these. As such, I'd say zero aircraft carriers are needed. Disband the ones we have. Save the money or better yet spend that money in ways that give us a better chance to counter the three nain threats.
Canada and Australia don't have aircraft carriers. The citizens of both nations are more secure, healhier, and wealthier than Americans are. America should strive to be more like Canada and Australia.
As to why wr can't seem to have the debate the editor correctly suggests we need to have, two basic reasons seem to be the main reason. 1.) America's "allies" have used and abused it for many years. As in many such relationships, the abused has much difficulty in breaking away. This is further enhanced by the fact that when the abused dares suggest the relationships might possibly need to change the abusers run to the media and complain hysterically. The abused caves even though such subservience harms their own interests. 2.)Hysterical anti-Americanism often animates such discussions. Americans are eeeeeevil!! In such an environment, frank discussions become impossible and policies remain unchanged.
Fortunately the American people are changing. The foreign deployments are ending and we can look forward to a saner defense policy for America assuming America survives long enough to do this. Of course America's "allies" may be most displeased. The question for them is will the transition be orderly or disorderly. Regardless the transition will happen.
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