In the Age of Transformation we can simply identify as "present" … and that's all we require. Now pardon my physical absence. Gotta go update the pronouns in my e-mail signature block.
- We only ever had 9 Nuclear Cruisers /Frigates CGN/DLGN spread in 5 classes with no serial production. We switch the need for fuel with the need for a larger crew needing more food. The Coast Guard can supply stores for 60 days, let's work on that first with conventional fueled hulls. We complain about minimal manning, but Japan is now doing their frigates with a crew of 90 and Singapore has done it with their frigates for a long time. Clearly human resource management and retention needs work in the USN. So does ship design. Don't walk away from things which need to happen. We have allies, keep working with them to find and fast implement best practices.
- We need to stop burning the carriers up right now. We need to make sure they can be ready in the fall of 24 through early 25.
- Surging the ability to threaten adversary assets. So getting the ordnance on a target is the key. We should have our targeting network built to be resilient and in place with cheap presence assets on day 1. Let the fleet train and stay well prepared at home. We need JASSM/LRASM on P-8s along with MALD and JSMs. Be ready with rapid Dragon. If having Marines and Army on shore doesn't help as much as at sea assets, this is even more a case for an armed and likely manned version of the MUSV. 16 strike length cells on a 35 million dollar hull. Fast reload with a crane ship or at a container terminal.
It is absolutely essential to talk about readiness when having a presence discussion. The old 1993 Bottom Up Review document had an important document that highlighted what it takes in terms of carriers to achieve 1.0 presence in 3 forward hubs:
See page 50. It takes 15 carriers in the inventory to achieve 1.0 presence, if that is still the platform of choice. We have 10? The math does not add up. Having a fleet of less than 300 ships and keeping 100 of those deployed at all times? That math also does not add up. :-(
Seems a bit schizophrenic if he wants this by 2050...no way that it can be incremental and not repeat the attempts at evolutionary leaps that resulted in the mistakes with LCS and Zumwalt.
Barney Rubel had a snippet: “presence means being there.” (Or something similar)
In the Age of Transformation we can simply identify as "present" … and that's all we require. Now pardon my physical absence. Gotta go update the pronouns in my e-mail signature block.
A few comments.
- We only ever had 9 Nuclear Cruisers /Frigates CGN/DLGN spread in 5 classes with no serial production. We switch the need for fuel with the need for a larger crew needing more food. The Coast Guard can supply stores for 60 days, let's work on that first with conventional fueled hulls. We complain about minimal manning, but Japan is now doing their frigates with a crew of 90 and Singapore has done it with their frigates for a long time. Clearly human resource management and retention needs work in the USN. So does ship design. Don't walk away from things which need to happen. We have allies, keep working with them to find and fast implement best practices.
- We need to stop burning the carriers up right now. We need to make sure they can be ready in the fall of 24 through early 25.
- Surging the ability to threaten adversary assets. So getting the ordnance on a target is the key. We should have our targeting network built to be resilient and in place with cheap presence assets on day 1. Let the fleet train and stay well prepared at home. We need JASSM/LRASM on P-8s along with MALD and JSMs. Be ready with rapid Dragon. If having Marines and Army on shore doesn't help as much as at sea assets, this is even more a case for an armed and likely manned version of the MUSV. 16 strike length cells on a 35 million dollar hull. Fast reload with a crane ship or at a container terminal.
It is absolutely essential to talk about readiness when having a presence discussion. The old 1993 Bottom Up Review document had an important document that highlighted what it takes in terms of carriers to achieve 1.0 presence in 3 forward hubs:
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA359953.pdf
See page 50. It takes 15 carriers in the inventory to achieve 1.0 presence, if that is still the platform of choice. We have 10? The math does not add up. Having a fleet of less than 300 ships and keeping 100 of those deployed at all times? That math also does not add up. :-(
There are many realities in reality. We have a people problem and a money problem. We also have an unbalanced fleet.
"Being obsessed with the size of one's antlers and neglecting the musculature that carries it is the path to extinction." - The Irish Elk
A ship needs stores for as much fuel as it has: If it can cruise for 15 days, why does it need food for 60?
Sal...wondering about your take on this - https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/11/rand-what-the-u-s-navy-really-needs-by-dr-scott-savitz/
Seems a bit schizophrenic if he wants this by 2050...no way that it can be incremental and not repeat the attempts at evolutionary leaps that resulted in the mistakes with LCS and Zumwalt.