US Hawks Want 12 Aircraft Carriers for US Navy

[Zarvan]

A lawmaker is pushing to increase the number of operational aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy from 11 to 12.
In reaction to the revelations during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that the Navy will not have the capabilities to provide a “continuous” aircraft carrier presence in both the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific until 2021, Republican representative Mike Conaway of Texas introduced legislation to increase the number of operational aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy fleet mandated by law from 11 to 12.

“The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) can be scheduled for completion in 2023, at which point the U.S. Navy will again have 12 operational aircraft carriers. The number of carriers mandated by Congress should match shipbuilding plans already in place in order to set the standard for the future,” he said in a press release.

“Since World War II, the U.S. Navy has depended on its aircraft carriers to provide forward presence and power projection. From the Korean War until 2000, the Joint Chiefs of Staff aimed to maintain a 15-carrier Navy. However, declining military budgets forced the Navy to reduce to 12 aircraft carriers by 1998, and to 11 aircraft carriers by 2007. Congress then set the number at 11 to prevent even further reductions,” the congressman stated.

“Today, there is a gap in carrier presence in the Persian Gulf as the Iran nuclear deal goes into effect, and Navy acquisition chief Sean Stackley testified before a House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing today that gaps in presence will continue until 2021.”

Similar to some of his fellow lawmakers (some of whom I previously labelled strategic hedgehog-tactical fox hybrid analysts), Conaway is concerned over the relative decline of U.S. military power and the lack of resolve vis-à-vis the United States’ adversaries in the world (e.g., China and Russia):

Our adversaries threaten our freedom of the seas and doubt America’s military might. Now is the time to show strength and resolve to both our military members and to the international community by raising the number of operational aircraft carriers so that the U.S. Navy can meet its commitments at home and abroad.

As I noted before (See: “What Hawks Have to Say About the US Navy’s New Maritime Strategy”), this is one of the usual straw man arguments used by hedgehog analysts suffering from the “Gathering Storm Syndrome” (I wrote about it here and here), and fails on many analytical levels.

It will also be difficult in times of budget austerity to argue for yet another vulnerable weapons platform costing on average $13 billion in taxpayers money (See: “Closest Encounter Since 2006: Chinese Submarine Tailed US Aircraft Carrier”).

Additionally, from a pure “signalling resolve” perspective, the world’s most powerful navy does not need to “show” its resolve and strengths; rather, let the Navy’s capabilities and size speak for itself. The difference between 11 or 12 carriers is largely irrelevant in that regard—the U.S. Navy will remain the unchallenged ruler of the waves, even with “merely” ten operational aircraft carriers. One or two carriers less will not substantially affect Chinese or Russian calculations and increase their aggressiveness on the world’s oceans.

Furthermore, many analysts have repeatedly argued that aircraft carriers as used today are obsolete given the burgeoning anti-access/area denial capabilities (A2/AD) developed by states such as China, Iran and Russia. For example, a recently published report by the Center for New American Security states the U.S. Navy “faces a future in which its increasingly expensive carriers have been rendered ineffective by defensive systems being developed, fielded, and exported by our competitors (…).”

Nevertheless, the author does note that there “are paths back to relevance for these symbols of national greatness if the Navy makes the right investments. New capabilities in the areas of unmanned systems, stealth, directed energy, and hypersonics could be combined to provide the range required to perform deep strike missions.”

However, this would require a major shift in strategy, and something that is, unfortunately, not addressed in the current proposal by representative Conaway.

US Hawks Want 12 Aircraft Carriers for US Navy | The Diplomat

 

[war&peace]

Good practice targets for DF21

 

[Shotgunner51]

Republican representative Mike Conaway of Texas introduced legislation to increase the number of operational aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy fleet mandated by law from 11 to 12

So next, budget. How about tax? Debt ceiling?

By the way this guy Conaway served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972, was an accountant and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1974, chief financial officer at a bank, and from 1981 to 1986 was the chief financial officer of Arbusto Energy Inc, an oil and gas exploration firm operated by George W. Bush.

 

[war&peace]

So next, budget. How about tax? Debt ceiling?

USA has been on the verge of default for many years but with raw power and manipulation, it have been successful in fooling the world. USA will allocate that money since it knows that is only survival technique.

 

[danger007]

Good practice targets for DF21

you can target without DF 21 all you need is good sleep..

 

[Beast]

USA has been on the verge of default for many years but with raw power and manipulation, it have been successful in fooling the world. USA will allocate that money since it knows that is only survival technique.

That is only possible with US currency as it world currency and no other economy power to challenge it. The Soviet only challenge the political and military aspect of USA. If China manage to dethrone US currency and up-sit USA as world largest economy power. US printing money policy will end and its current policy cannot be sustain economically.

 

[war&peace]

you can target without DF 21 all you need is good sleep..

You are teaching us hindu mandir school techniques

That is only possible with US currency as it world currency and no other economy power to challenge it. The Soviet only challenge the political and military aspect of USA. If China manage to dethrone US currency and up-sit USA as world largest economy power. US printing money policy will end and its current policy cannot be sustain economically.

Yeah but first China itself needs to replace dollar as its foreign currency reserves and sell dollar out in the world and dollar will crash immediately.

 

[danger007]

You are teaching us hindu mandir school techniques


Yeah but first China itself needs to replace dollar as its foreign currency reserves and sell dollar out in the world and dollar will crash immediately.

if you believe in that, why not...

 

[CHI RULES]

Pls don't count 100% on missiles as even against ground targets they have mixed results keeping big naval targets apart with effective counter measures.

 

[boomslang]

Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face. And, in time of strife, that's exactly what those carriers would do to an enemy. Punch them square in the face. The air wings of just two U.S. carriers could destroy most countries entire air force.

 

[Beast]

You are teaching us hindu mandir school techniques


Yeah but first China itself needs to replace dollar as its foreign currency reserves and sell dollar out in the world and dollar will crash immediately.

She is doing now Read up more financial news. When the moment China attain world largest economy title. It is the day China start dumping all its US bond We are currently doing step and step and US will have a slow death.

 

[war&peace]

She is doing now Read up more financial news. When the moment China attain world largest economy title. It is the day China start dumping all its US bond We are currently doing step and step and US will have a slow death.

That will be a great moment and we wait for it I don't like monopolies, the world should have equal opportunities for all.

 

[Ankit Kumar]

Well if an American is pro America then you cannot call him an hawk.
By this logic all people here on pdf are hawkish.

On the Topic, they should increase the number of submarines and proper frigates to dominate. 8 Carriers and a good number of proper frigates and submarines would do much more good.

 

[Taygibay]

11 carriers being bare minimum to maintain the present doctrine of their use, 12 is not hawkish anyhow.

Jus' sayin' Tay.

 

[gambit]

Yeah but first China itself needs to replace dollar as its foreign currency reserves and sell dollar out in the world and dollar will crash immediately.

I bet that you, like your Chinese friends here, can barely balance a check book. But now you are blathering about international finance and economics ?