Page 22: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2016)

MARKET INSIGHT: U.S. NAVY

The future guided- missile de- stroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) departs the Bath Iron Works ship- yard for its second at-sea period to conduct builder’s trials,

Photo: U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy Must Invest

As the world becomes increasingly volatile, the U.S. Navy must invest to address challenges, new & old

BY EDWARD LUNDQUIST he U.S. Navy remains the The U.S. is being confronted with a U.S. Navy “freedom of navigation” ex- Some assert that these new anti-ship world’s most powerful ? ghting reckless Russia and a emboldened Chi- cursions have demonstrated to the world weapons will render the carriers and force on, under or above the na, with and legally unsupported territo- that the U.S. will go where it chooses their air wing and escorts vulnerable and

Tseas. While the need for our rial annexations of Russia in Crimea and in international waters. Sooner or later, obsolete. That assumption may be pre-

Navy has never diminished, there are China in the South China Sea presented China will feel the need to defend its mature; the U.S. has some anti-access challenges to its dominance that haven’t to the world as faits accomplis. self-proclaimed sovereign territory. tricks up its sleeve, too.

been seen in more than two decades. While some may sea Putin’s close air The sailing of USS Lassen in the vi- Meanwhile, the demand signal by the

The world’s trade is carried at sea. encounters with U.S. Navy surface com- cinity of the Spratly Islands and nearby combatant commanders for naval forces

Ships carry 90% of commercial trade, batants and a show of strength, others arti? cial reefs in the South China Sea continues to exceed supply. The Navy connecting continents. But this com- view them as unnecessarily provocative last fall was a “visible demonstration” continues to be forward and present. mercial traf? c is not evenly distributed; and unprofessionalism. of America’s commitment to maintain- The Navy is in every ocean, and every it is often forced through narrow choke China’s land grabs in the South China ing freedom of navigation for everyone,. continent. But it is spread thin. Deploy- points, or hugs the coastlines, or concen- Sea, which it now claims to own virtu- USS Curtis Wilbur conducted a similar ments are being extended, and coverage trates near the busiest ports. So in addi- ally in its entirety, are being challenged freedom of navigation patrol near the is being gapped.

tion to blue water superiority, expertise in International Court. It is certain to disputed Triton Island earlier this year. The defense budget continues to sup- and capability is also required to operate lose, and will likely ignore the verdict Both Russia and China are ? elding port the acquisition of ships, submarines and dominate in the crowded littoral re- and defy any ruling to vacate the islands new weapons designed to counter the and aircraft. As always, there is the ten- gions of the world. it has built on top of rocks and reefs. The Seapower of the carrier strike group. sion of ? nite resources and rising costs. 22 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • JUNE 2016

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