Posted on 03/23/2012 9:08:26 PM PDT by U-238
A "force structure" review that is about to be completed is likely to recommend that the Navy needs around 300 ships to meet its future demands.
The study is not yet finished, but could be presented to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus as early as next week, said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert.
A 300-ship Navy is slightly larger than the current fleet of 285, but it is smaller than previous recommendations. Navy leaders since 2006 have said the fleet should grow to 313 ships.
During a breakfast with reporters March 16, Greenert said the review is not "budget driven" but is based on what the Navy projects it will need to carry out global responsibilities by 2020.
After Mabus gives the study the green light, it will be sent to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for approval, and then presented to congressional committees before it is publicly released, Greenert said.
The 300-ship recommendation is likely to spur criticism from Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee, who have chided Navy leaders for under-funding shipbuilding accounts at a time when naval forces are in high demand, and a potential crisis is brewing in the Persian Gulf.
From the current fleet of 285 ships, 100 are deployed, said Greenert.
He pushed back on the criticism that the Navy is not budgeting enough money as it seeks to expand its presence in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and increase support of Southern Command's antidrug campaign. "I am comfortable that we can resource the strategy properly," Greenert said.
The 300-ship Navy, however, would not materialize until after 2020. The current budget forecasts a 285-ship force at least through 2017.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationaldefensemagazine.org ...
do the launches, gigs, water taxis and whatnot count against the 300?
No.
I can’t remember
What did Reagan want?
600?
In regard to the 600 Ship Navy, understand that the mission has changed, the enemies have changed, and the technologies have changed.
While you still need a certain amount of iron-on-target, 100% control of the world’s sea lanes against a huge, worldwide naval adversary is no longer required.
If 0bama gould get away with it, he’s sell the US Navy to the Chinese or Russians.
Yes. 600 minimum.
You just can't have Too Much Navy.
Which in the long run will bring serious issues. The ratio for standard deployments should be about 1:4 meaning three ships to one deployed either in overhaul, brief shipyard period {three months post deployment}, doing pre-deployment work ups {which is not same as a deployment} or deployed. There just isn't much way too keep the fleets maintained right otherwise. 400 active duty should be minimal.
I want the go back to the days where we had a 600 ship navy.
In 1990, we had the largest fleet in the world.With 15 carrier battle groups, four battleship surface action groups, and over 100 attack submarines.
The nuke powered subs had a service life of about 20-25 years and could not be extended. When their time was up many were decommissioned with no replacement.
Congress, POTUS, Sec of Defense, and Service Secretaries of the post-Reagan years basically let things start declining and none of them had the ambition nor will to stop the gutting of our military in either party.
The way that ship construction costs are going through the roof, the Navy won’t be able to AFFORD a 300 ship fleet, unless you count lifeboats and rafts.
I agree with you.
100% control of the world’s sea lanes against a huge, worldwide naval adversary is no longer required....
At this time.
Ok, I’ll settle for 400.
I believe that was then SecNav Webb, that requested a 600 ship navy. Subsequently, he resigned because he refused to reduce the size of the navy.
Let's mandate that the ratio of flag officers/Navy ships be capped at 1/4. It seems to me that four ships per admiral is reasonable. /S
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