The View from the Top

Unless there was any question where this is heading, I think it has become pretty clear what the Secretary of Defense thinks.

"As we saw last week, you don't necessarily need a billion-dollar ship to chase down a bunch of teenage pirates," Gates said.

Although he has praised the precision training of Navy SEAL snipers who killed three pirate hostage-takers Sunday, the secretary was referring to the imbalance of massive U.S. warships and dazzling weaponry corralling the pirates' tiny lifeboat. The Somali pirates were armed with automatic weapons and pistols and holding an American cargo ship captain for ransom.

The question is whether Gates believes the Littoral Combat Ship is a one ship solution, or whether the Navy will be pushed to looking into into even smaller, less expensive platforms.

I think it is pretty amazing we think we can duplicate port systems and move an entire brigade of Marines through one of these sea basing squadrons, but the Navy can't see the value in building a port system at sea to operate small boats squadrons in places like Somalia.

I do not think Somali piracy is unique per se, rather representative of the challenges we will see as push back from globalization in the 21st century maritime environment. The Navy's role in Iraq is very similar to what is being asked of the Navy off Somalia, but Iraq is easier to manage because Iraq has a tiny coastline compared to Somalia. With that said, there are almost as many ships operating around Iraq as there are Somalia.

I don't see the Navy taking seriously the limitations of the Littoral Combat Ship concept. At over half a billion dollars each, it is too expensive to build enough of ships to deal with these asymmetrical challenges from countries with long coast lines, whether that is Somalia, or even a nation like Iran.

I don't understand how Germany was able to raid the US east coast with a 500 ton submarines in 1942, but in the 21st century the Navy claims they are unable to support inexpensive 600 - 1000 ton vessels for maritime security operations in forward theaters, and concentrates on building these much larger vessels. The USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) is clearly over kill for Somali piracy, and good for Gates for point it out.

Hopefully Gates starts asking tough questions about asymmetrical threats. If you think Somali piracy is challenging, break out Google Earth and take a closer look at Iran. There are over 1500 armed small vessels in Iran, and they are much better armed than Somali pirates. A lot of countries have similar capabilities, and after seeing the worlds major naval powers get flanked all over the Indian Ocean, it would appear these small vessels are a more effective capability at sea than the US Navy allowed for during those streetfighter debates at the turn of 21st century.