..so does our country. And it seems that our Navy is getting scuttled piece by piece by a certain administration
Alfred Thayer Mahan, the 19th century father of the modern U.S. Navy, first noted strong foreign policy and economics derives from the ability to project naval power. Adherence to his theories helped transform the United States from a third-rate power to superpower in the 20th century.
Just some examples:
- U.S. Navy plans to buy 198 warships between now and 2040 falls considerably short of its needs in the same period,
- It also suggests the Navy’s plans call for an increased emphasis on support ships, such as supply ships rather than the more expensive warships that had been intended to replace existing vessels.
- The navy has decided to cancel a class of new advanced cruisers, known as the CG(X) program, intended to replace the aging Ticonderoga-class cruisers, which the Navy plans to retire in the next 15 years
All i can say is listen to Frank Gaffney:
“They really are cutting back on the power-projection capabilities of the United States,” said Frank Gaffney, founder and president of the Center for Security Policy. “The inventory of ships, both surface and subsurface, is really worrying.”
Gaffney finds the emphasis on building littoral combat ships, designed to fight in shallow water near the shoreline, particularly disturbing because they are not designed for fighting in the open ocean.
“I think what we are going to find is the hollowing out of the Navy, and a sort of deficit … in the ability of this country to fight the nation’s wars if they have to be fought someplace else, particularly projecting power from the sea, “ he said. “These are the sorts of things that are going to be the legacy of the Obama administration.
“It strikes me that there is going to be a far less capable navy than we had in the past and that we certainly need today.”If the U.S. Navy retreats from its role as the guarantor of peace and commerce on the high seas and who will replace it - China?
No comments:
Post a Comment