Navy Adjusts Another Major Program

The Navy has all but finalized an adjustment to another major program of record, this one the Sea Base. The change is to remove the aviation ships from the current Sea Basing program of record and build them to the regular military standard including weapons. This move will remove the aviation component of the Sea Base program.

The deal was apparently completed to support the Marine Corps requirements for 11 LHA/LHDs, 11 LPDs, and 11 LSDs for a total of 33 ships. InsideTheNavy reporter Zachary M. Peterson has an article out dated Monday, October 20th with some of the details and reactions. As we like to do, we'll quote Bob Works assessment as offered in the article.

I think this all boils down to a matter of choice,” Robert Work, a naval analyst and vice president at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, told ITN. “Potentially, I believe there is enough money to either get 11 big-deck [ships] in the amphibious force or put three big decks in the MPF(F), but not enough for both.

“Obviously, the Marines would like both, but I think the Navy is signaling that just isn’t in the cards,” Work continued. “I think this is actually good thing because I think it will spur another review of the MPF(F) concept in the 2009 [Quadrennial Defense Review].”

However, the Defense Department official argued taking the MPF(F) big-deck amphibious ships out of the POM-10 plans reduces the capability of the prepositioning force because these ships not only posses aviation capabilities but also command-and-control assets and a robust medical capacity.

A new review of Sea Basing for the 2009 QDR would be welcome news, because it simply is not a fully developed idea. I would like to see the Navy use the USS Enterprise until it retires as a Sea Basing platform, considering Carriers have been used in both Haiti and Afghanistan for supporting troops in the past. It makes sense, in my opinion, to use a carrier for testing because the capabilities are beyond simply an enormous flight deck and tremendous size, fresh water creation and space for medical facilities are at least two of many other advantages CVNs bring to Sea Basing. What is an aircraft carrier? An air force base at sea flying Navy jets, or said another way, a sea based air station.

As far as the loss of medical facilities to the MPF(F), this goes right back to the issue of building hospital ships. A new article on this topic is out, written by a pair of bloggers no less, and we intend to discuss it in the future.

In my opinion, the Marines made the right choice and the Navy made the right choice. If you can't get both, go for capabilities. Is Marine aviation a problem at sea? Yes. But one step at a time. 33 amphibious ships is a step in the right direction, but still short of what I would suggest. This move makes amphibious ships our bases at sea, which is smart because they are well suited for that role. Lets build a bunch of forward operating bases at sea and think about how our naval forces can both use them and support them.

The change to the Sea Base plan is part of an emerging total revamp of the entire shipbuilding plan. This week I intend to discuss shipbuilding in more detail as the theme, and there were many events this week regarding the way the Navy is taking control of shipbuilding. There is major news on the surface combatant front, both CG(X) and DDG-??, big news on the LCS program, and now big news on the Sea Basing program. There is a pattern developing that gives the impression the Navy is looking to take total control of every program, including deciding where what ships will be built without a competition. Right or wrong, the Navy leadership is giving me the impression they have decided this is the best use of taxpayer funds in their opinion, and regardless of what it looks like they are removing as many questions in shipbuilding as possible to create stability. This week we will speculate what it will look like after POM10.