Sea Based Air Power Is Petraeus Doctrine

Last week the United States Navy quietly surged the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) into the Indian Ocean to beef up American airpower in support of Afghanistan war operations. Joining the USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75), that gives the US Navy two aircraft carriers to support war efforts against the Taliban. Under current US Navy battle doctrine, 24/7 air operations from the sea against targets on land are preferably conducted with two aircraft carriers, often in 12 hour shifts. This approach doubles the availability of tactical strike aircraft from the sea while allowing both carriers to operate for much longer periods of time, pausing only for logistical purposes.

The USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) deployed in May 2010, but due to delays in the refit of the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) last year, it was decided last year that the Truman deployment would be extended two months - an eight month deployment - rather than the typical six month deployment. In theory this would extend the time the Truman would be in the region until late December, and with the Lincoln deploying in September and just arriving on station, two carriers will likely remain involved in Afghanistan operations for at least the next two months. It is unclear if this 'surge' of naval airpower will continue beyond December, but it is certain that there will be additional carrier deployments in a few months that could certainly give the US the option of keeping 2 aircraft carriers operating off Afghanistan again in 2011.

Over the same time period, the FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) will also be supporting operations over Afghanistan, meaning a full quarter of the worlds nuclear aircraft carrier force will be involved in the Afghanistan war effort at the same time by years end.

In hindsight, this should have been an expected development, as it fits the historical pattern for General Petraeus COIN operations. In 2007 the US Navy deployed 2 aircraft carriers in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to add additional airpower to General Petraeus at that time as well. If you recall, 2007 was the year where US forces went on the offensive becoming the year where the highest number of US casualties were suffered. 2007 is also considered by many to be the turning point of the Iraq war.

It is unclear if we are at such a turning point in Afghanistan, but what is noteworthy is how the US is concentrating a great deal of combat power into the region during a ~45-60 day window before the winter takes hold in Afghanistan. I think it is an interesting and important development, because in the war in land locked Afghanistan the United States is quickly surging airpower from the sea, and in an interesting twist of irony, just off the coast of Pakistan - meaning as an added bonus the US just doubled the number of fixed wing aircraft flying sorties over that nation as well.

Also worth noting is the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) was last reported to also be operating off Pakistan in support of humanitarian operations for flood victims. If we examine naval operations today in the context of the big picture, that means that half of the deployed strike/support groups globally are currently involved in operations either directly or indirectly supporting operations for Operation Enduring Freedom.

I am not sure whether that little operational detail speaks to the priority the US Navy has regarding war operations today, or the extent to which degradation of the US Navy fleet size can stretch the fleet so thin, so easily. The answer is probably both.

* Bloggers Note *

I have linked the Facebook page of both carriers above. If you use Facebook, there is one US Navy unit I would suggest following - the Facebook page of the USS Abraham Lincoln. There is something about this LCDR William Marks guy that is just different - or said another way - he has a way of making everything more interesting. While I observe Facebook pages for Navy ships are most commonly utilized to communicate fleet to family, the Lincoln page is that and more.