August 30, 2017
Our navy is broken, and that is a bad thing
The recent string of ship collisions in the western Pacific is a clarion call to the American nation that its Navy is on the brink of combat ineffectiveness. This dismal condition is the result of a long string of irresponsible budgetary actions and strategic mistakes on the part of the nation’s leaders. While it is true that the string of mishaps has, thus far, been limited to one region of the world, the underlying contributing factors of a steady demand for 85-100 deployed ships, a shrinking fleet, and shorter and inadequately resourced maintenance and training periods are eroding the fleet’s effectiveness everywhere. The unique stresses of the western Pacific simply present the ships operating there as the canaries in the proverbial coal mine.
Read the full op-ed in Defense One.
More from CNAS
-
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: Getting Force Design Right in the Next National Defense Strategy
Commentary
Biden should narrowly focus the DoD on high-end deterrence against China and Russia instead of strategic competition or managing an expanded array of lesser threats....
By Stacie Pettyjohn & Becca Wasser
-
Presentation is key: Why the Pentagon’s budget data needs a makeover
Commentary
As technology advances, Congress and the DoD need to not only focus investments on capabilities, but also on DoD processes and organizational culture....
By Jennie Matuschak
-
How Air Warfare is Changing
Podcast
Guests Stacie Pettyjohn and Becca Wasser join Defense One Radio to describe lessons from Iraq, Azerbaijan, Gaza, and more in the future of air warfare. Listen to the full con...
By Stacie Pettyjohn & Becca Wasser
-
Confronting Chaos: a New Concept for Information Advantage
Commentary
The side that can deal with chaos and operate more effectively with degraded systems will likely seize the initiative....
By Chris Dougherty
