Posted on 09/12/2013 10:05:22 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Funding cuts would weaken U.S. submarine readiness: Navy
(Reuters) - Top U.S. Navy officials warned Congress that any further delays or cuts in funding would undercut the readiness of the declining submarine fleet, already slated for reduction by nearly 30 percent to 52 ships from 73, before an expected 2030s' rebound.
Even as missile threats grow, the Navy's ability to keep its attack and guided missile submarines deployed around the world will be lessened by 40 percent over the next 15 years, the officials told the sea-power subcommittee of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.
They said military commanders already wanted twice as many submarine patrols as they could supply, citing a growing importance of the undersea domain for telecommunications cables, pipelines, increased shipping, and oil drilling, as well as shrinking ice in the Arctic.
Rear Admiral Richard Breckenridge, director of undersea warfare, and Rear Admiral David Johnson, program executive officer for submarines, said budget decisions in the 1990s shrank the U.S. submarine fleet by 12 ships, and that mandatory budget cuts would exacerbate the situation.
Under the 2011 Budget Control Act, the Pentagon must cut spending by $500 billion over the next decade, on top of $487 billion in already planned cuts. The first round took effect in March, with more reductions slated for October 1, although U.S. defense officials are still hoping Congress might reverse the cuts required under sequestration later in the year.
Its situation is particularly dire, the Navy says, since it is to pay around $60 billion in the coming years to develop and build a new ballistic missile submarine, while replacing aging submarines, surface warships and carrier-based fighter jets. They also need to restart torpedo production after 48 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
When part of your crew comes down pregnant when war breaks out, that is hard on readiness too and those guys bopping each other in the bunks is probably bad for morale too
This is exactly why I am so strongly against sending US manufacturing abroad.
We need to support America.
With manufacturing and to such an extent, that America runs a balanced budget.
We are not currently running a balanced budget. We are accumulating ever more debt, and sending our manufacturing overseas.
This is a recipe for disaster.
Bring back US manufacturing, and stop offshoring.
Bring it back. Now.
Unlike surface ships and aircraft, there is an absolute limit to the lifespan of a submarine. Although they can be slightly extended, the hulls are designed and certified only for a certain number of years. After that, they MUST BE REPLACED.
“When part of your crew comes down pregnant when war breaks out, that is hard on readiness too and those guys bopping each other in the bunks is probably bad for morale too”
Yes, this goes on all the time. It’s not only frustrating but extremely costly to turn the ship around and bring the girl(s) home. Worse, many never intended to carry the baby to term in the first place (just got pregnant to avoid a mission she didn’t like), and kill the baby shortly after she gets home.
That does make it a lot worse!
let me be the first with the spoiler that there will be NO funding or fleet increase in the 2030s.
Obama's goals are being achieved, one by one.
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