The future of the Aircraft Carrier in a conflict with China

The Future of the Aircraft Carrier

With the shift of the US Strategy in foreign policy and defense more toward the Pacific Rim and less toward Europe. This has brought attention to a weakness in our naval strategy as it relates to the Pacific.  This weakness is because of several factors;  One, the navy has increased the numbers and length of deployments of almost all class of ships, two, the aircraft carrier has not changed it basic mission and reason for existing.  It is a mobile naval airbase.  Three, the assumed threat is China and it has been aggressive in developing a anti-ship and anti access capability or its official term anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) threat.  It is the capability to deny naval forces in to areas they consider territorial and national coastal areas.  The current problem is China is in dispute with both the Philippines and Vietnam with the Spratly islands and Japan with the Senkaku Islands.

The (A2/AD) threat is a long-term situation that has to be mitigated in some way if the United States is to freely engage in that area and insure freedom of navigation for all.  However, from a military standpoint the carrier require a heavy support system for survival. The aircraft that are assigned to the carrier have a short range without constant refueling.  The aircraft’s weapons are only short range stand-off weapons.  The carrier air wing must also supply its own  air defense suppression capability.  An air wing cannot sustain heavy flight operation tempo for more than a few days.  A wing cannot hit multiple targets effectively if they have a strong air defense system. 

No matter the reason of the conflict between the US and China and part of the conflict requires military air strikes in to China, the aircrafts  from the carrier are going to be first needed as part of the (A2/AD) threat suppression just to get in range to effective strike the targets necessary as to positive conclude the conflict.  So the question boils down to this.  Should the Aircraft Carrier be consider a primary weapons system/platform to risk it?  To expand the energy to get it in place for continuous air operations or is it a platform that is primarily used to defeat the A2/AD threat in the case of a conflict with China.  Or, is the carrier a too costly of a platform to even be used?

Are we using our tier 1 forces properly

United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and SF Detachment-Delta

If you read about direct actions by United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) they have conducted many operations in Iraq and Afghanistan going after High Value Target.  Reading such books like “Cobra II”, “Master of Chaos”, “Lone Survivor” and the recent book on the Bin laden raid has given many of us an insight of their missions.  The thing I have noticed about many of these missions is that do they truly rate the necessity of using these tier 1 units.  In Cobra II a Delta mission was describe of seizing a dam that was believed to in poor shape and needed to be taken.  Delta got the mission, but in reading about the mission makes you question was this a Delta mission and did they take it just to be in the war.

With the recent Helicopter crash of a CH-47 that held 15 Seal members, you have to question why was Seals used as a QRF.  This also goes for the Lone Survivor rescue attempt when a RPG brought down a chopper full of Seal Team members.

My question boils down to this.  Are many of these missions Require these two Tier 1 forces or could regular seal teams and Army Special Forces A-teams be used.  By using them, are we truly using these valuable resources to their maximum potential?

Stewardship and value with taxpayer money

With the end of the year situation with sequestration and many tax cuts expiring the government, country and the defense budget faces many issues and hard times over the next several years.  However, as tough as it will be, this might be the best medicine this country could have have at this time.  No matter who is President and the make up of the congress, this is time to put long term fixes in to structure, model and procedures on the way this country does things and how they do business with the individual states.  Tax laws must be streamed lines.  Corporate welfare must end as we know it.  If we assist corporations in anyway, there must be a return on the assistance.  If federal research is used for commercial reasons, then the government must be compensated at the market rate.  Rules and regulations must be in place to insure honesty, integrity and compliance with the law.  Enforcement and Judicial mechanisms must be in place to properly handle enforcement and investigations on a timely manner.  All laws that have been and will be passed, must have the means identified and put in to place to be in forced properly.  All government entitlement programs must come with the capability to be regulated, monitored and all unlawful usage identified and prosecuted aggressively. 

the governors of the 50 states must come together on how they want to conduct business with the federal government as it deals with rules, regulations, mandates and funding for various projects.  Mechanisms must be put in to place that trigger changes immediate changes to programs when revenue amounts are below what is need and programs can be adjusted.

The department of defense needs to streamline acquisitions and purchasing.  Congressional earmarks must not be for military equipment or aircraft.  If they are stilled allowed then the earmark must be for the initial purchase, long term maintaince and modifications that can be project.  Department of Defense must be allowed to do another base closure commission. 

Mainly what I am getting at their must be better stewardship and value in the taxes that are collected from the people of this country.

It is been a long time since I posted in my blog.  I decided I needed to start again to amplify my views.  I first want to state that both political parties are broken and do not serve their cause or this country.  This country has two dysfunctional parts of the legislative branch of government.  You can play the blame game, but both the house and senate has failed leadership.  The executive branch is no better. 

To see this country waiting to see what direction the government is going.  People in food lines, people unemployed and people underemployed.  No matter what your political beliefs, personal beliefs or professional beliefs there has to be a idea to mitigate the situation are people are going through.  To prepare them to take that new jobs that will be coming. 

Now is not the time for the same old way of doing business politically, now is the time to true question your belief and understand political issues are there to be solved, not to be used to politically beat each other up. 

Where is the true leadership in this country?