Posted on 05/03/2010 4:36:43 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday called into question the Navy's heavy and expensive arsenal of ships and subs.
In a speech before naval officers and contractors, Gates did not say he was planning to cut any programs or its budget.
But he did say the military must rethink whether it can afford such a massive naval fleet at a time when the Army and Marine Corps need more money to take care of troops and their families.
"Do we really need 11 carrier strike groups for another 30 years when no other country has more than one?" Gates asked.
He noted that the Navy's most expensive resources aren't on the front lines when it comes to countering many modern threats, such as piracy.
"As we learned last year, you don't necessarily need a billion-dollar guided missile destroyer to chase down and deal with a bunch of teenage pirates wielding AK-47s" and rocket-propelled grenades, Gates said.
John Pike, director of the GlobalSecurity.org defense website based in Alexandria, Va., said this is the first time, as far as he knows, that Gates has addressed the cost of maintaining the roughly 300-ship Navy.
Pike said that Gates, by raising the issue of the size and composition of the fleet with the Navy league, had entered "the Lion's den" — a reference to the pushback he's likely to get from Congress. Many lawmakers protect the Navy shipbuilding industry because it means jobs in their districts.
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Here we go
this dude is a first rate disaster. better to have an all out leftist in this position than a loser masquerading as a moderate republican.
Massive naval fleet my ass. Get busy and build more, you morons.
When is Gates going to retire?
Exactly
If we don’t have a Navy and Air Force to transport them and dominate the battle space they move in the families of those Marines and soldiers Gates alludes to will be attending their spouse’s funerals.
bump
oh great . . ..
They have already destroyed it and mothballed the rest.
"In the Naaaaavy . . . ."
So is he saying that the big Commie threat is now over?
He wants to concentrate on fighting pirate ships now??
Oh no, here we go again, disarming ourselves while China ups the ante.
Put the Marines in charge of the Navy, for a change.
/johnny
This is the Pantywaist Pissant Preschoole president’s idea. Cut the size of the military appartus, weaken America’s defense. remmember he wrote a college paper in 1980’s regarding demilitarizing the military. This jerk is America’s greatest Threat. gates is just the fall guy in case of anything goes wrong Zero can transfer the blame to Gates.
A Boy Zero-Ship Navy?
They are just going to buy some 24 ft Boston Whalers and some 200 Etecs... and Daisy BB guns... and a sling shot.
LLS
US Navy: soon to be replaced by a highly trained civilian corp. /s
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