Archives

By JAMES D. HESSMAN
Editor in Chief

Increased funding for all of the nation's sea services and for a stronger national defense program in general. A renewed focus on international terrorism. Maintenance of the U.S. defense industrial base. The design, development, and deployment of a National Missile Defense system "as soon as is technologically feasible." And greater public and private-sector support for youth programs to prepare the nation's young men and women "not only to meet the challenges inherent in the complex American society, but also to shoulder the mantle of leadership that will be theirs."

Those are among the key tenets of the Navy League's 1999-2000 Maritime Policy Statement adopted on 24 July at the Annual Meeting of Members on the last day of the 1999 NLUS National Convention in Chicago. The Maritime Policy Statement, introduced by Resolutions Committee Chairman Lou Kriser and adopted unanimously, also:

• Encourages the increased investments in advanced technology that will be needed "to ensure that the U.S. Navy of the 21st century possesses the sensor, communications, electronics/avionics, and information-processing systems needed to ensure success on the electronic battlefield of the future."
   

• Rejects the so-called "gapping" policy--which because of the diminished size of the fleet leaves some areas of potential conflict virtually unprotected for varying periods of time. The gapping of naval forces "is not a prudent risk, as it is sometimes described," the policy statement asserts. "It is an invitation to conflict."
    

• As a corollary, reaffirms the Navy League's previously stated position that a minimum of 15 aircraft carrier battle groups--"the number long postulated [by the Joint Chiefs of Staff] as required for national defense"--must be maintained in the active fleet.
    

• Expresses increased concern over "the expanding naval/military strength of the People's Republic of China (PRC)"--and, in some of the strongest language ever included in an NLUS policy statement, adds that the Navy League is "outraged at the growing evidence that PRC military capabilities may have been strengthened through the sale of advanced U.S. dual-use technology, as well as [by] unprosecuted espionage."
    

• Supports maintaining the Marine Corps "at its current authorized strength of approximately 172,000 Marines ... and 42,000 in the Marine Corps Reserve--and modernizing the Corps' Total Force with the aircraft, weapons, rolling stock, electronics and avionics systems, and other supplies and equipment needed to gain and maintain combat superiority on the littoral and inland battlefields of the future."
    

• Recommends full funding for the Coast Guard's "Deepwater" project, which would replace the multimission service's current fleet of cutters, aircraft, and shore facilities--almost all of which are now technologically obsolescent and costly both to maintain and operate--with integrated, cost-effective, advanced-technology assets better geared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The rationales for the preceding and other recommendations are postulated in the Preface to the 1999­2000 policy statement, which briefly reviews the U.S. naval/military debacles and disappointments--successes and triumphs as well--of the 20th century. With the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Preface points out, the United States is now the world's only economic and military superpower--" ... [and] therein lies the principal danger for the future."

Thanks in large part to "the quick and seemingly easy successes of the Gulf War and the air campaign against Yugoslavia," the Preface continues, the United States is now "suffering from the same hubris and sense of invulnerability that afflicted Greece, Rome, Persia, and ... other great powers of ages past."

Today's world is far more complex, and far more dangerous, the Preface suggests, than ever before: " ... So rapid has been the pace of technology that it will no longer be sufficient to remember the lessons learned and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. With weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them now available even to Third World nations America's political and military decisionmakers will no longer have any room for error, or any time to prepare. The winning of future conflicts will never be easy, and may in fact be impossible. The focus now and for the foreseeable future must be on the deterrence of war, not the waging of war.

"Achieving that focus will not be easy. It will require not only the continued funding of the national defense infrastructure needed to combat a broad ... spectrum of military and political threats ... but also a cultural change on the part of the American people and the U.S. political leadership.

"If the United States does not meet that challenge, for years and perhaps decades to come, the American century will truly have come to an end. If, however, this most favored nation under God perseveres and surmounts the many obstacles facing it on the long and difficult road ahead the future could be not just a century of peace but a millennium of peace."

Following, by title, are summaries of the Navy League's policy positions, and recommendations, on the most important national defense issues now facing the United States and on specific sea-service programs:

Global Strategy: The deterrence of nuclear war "remains the No. 1 priority of the U.S. global defense strategy. The key to implementation of this strategy is the Navy's ballistic missile submarine force." The second priority is to design, develop, and deploy "area, theater, and national missile-defense systems. Economics and naval/military logic dictate that these defense systems be sea-based in whole or in part." A third "extremely important strategic goal" is the deterrence and/or swift resolution of regional conflicts "that could adversely affect America's economic, political, and military interests and/or jeopardize world peace and stability." In most potential areas of conflict the Navy/Marine Corps team "will already be on the scene, in international waters, and will need the permission of no other sovereign nation to take what-ever actions are necessary to protect U.S. interests." The U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard are today the best in the world. All are underfunded and overcommitted, however, and unless remedial action is taken in the near future will be unable to carry out their missions in the future. The U.S.-flag Merchant Marine is essential to national defense and to America's economic prosperity. It is now in danger of extinction, however, and remains "the Achilles' Heel of the U.S. defense infrastructure." The rebuilding of the U.S.-flag fleet "must be an urgent national priority."

National Missile Defense System: The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and of "related delivery systems," has left the United States, and the American people, vulnerable to enemy missile attacks. The quickest and most cost-effective way to defend against such attacks is to deploy sea-based systems based on the investment already made in the Navy's Aegis ships. The Navy League supports: (a) the early development and deployment of a national missile-defense system; (b) continued funding for the Navy's theater missile-defense system; (c) appropriate follow-on funding for space-based missile-defense systems; and (d) an early and candid reevaluation of America's ABM (antiballistic missile) Treaty obligations to ensure that those obligations "do not hamper the technological development, testing, and deployment of U.S. missile-defense systems."

Information Warfare Programs: IW systems "give U.S. forces a powerful capability that will have profound implications in the many ways that naval forces influence, deter, and, if necessary, fight wars." The Navy "must embed IW capabilities into its ships, aircraft, and weapon systems." The Navy League supports "adequate funding" for, among other systems and programs, the CEC (Cooperative Engagement Capability) and NCW (Network Centric Warfare) programs, Navy/Marine Corps Intranet, the Navy's IT-21 Initiative, and such "quality-of-life" initiatives as At-Sea Telephone, Direct TV, and Tele-Medicine."

Space Programs: U.S. space systems are now "an essential prerequisite to deterrence, combat success, military action, and everyday naval/military operations." As the principal user of space products, the Navy "should play a leading role in their development, deployment, operation, and control." To counter the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, space-based infrared systems "should be accelerated to the maximum extent possible, consistent with reliability." The United States "also must develop the ability to deny the use of space by an adversary in future military conflicts."

Terrorism and Its Price: The rise of international terrorism "poses a continuing and increasing threat to domestic and global peace." The Navy League supports efforts to deter and counter terrorism, and believes: (a) that military, economic, and political pressure "must be brought to bear on those responsible for international acts of terrorism"; and (b) that military support and assistance to civil authorities "should continue to be a vital mission in homeland defense."

The Kyoto Treaty on Global Warming: The Navy League recognizes "the potentially very serious implications of the global warming phenomenon, about which there are differences of opinion in the scientific community itself," but is concerned about requirements of the Kyoto Treaty "that would impose disproportionate restrictions on the use of fossil fuels by the United States and several other industrialized nations ... and would force the armed forces of the United States ... to reduce training and other operations to unacceptable levels that would result in a loss of combat capability." The Navy League recommends that the U.S. Senate not ratify the treaty in its present form "and that the Congress not permit its adoption by other means."

The U.S. Navy: With fewer U.S. air and ground units based overseas, forward-deployed Navy and Marine Corps forces "have become even more essential in meeting U.S. national-security requirements." The Navy's "present resources--in personnel and equipment--are inadequate to meet current requirements." Moreover, "currently projected hardware acquisitions and personnel resources will be less than are needed for forward-deployed Navy/Marine Corps forces to carry out all of their assigned missions in the future." The Navy League urges early additional funding for Navy shipbuilding, aircraft, and weapons programs, rebuilding the active fleet to 350 ships or more--including 15 aircraft carriers, at least 72 nuclear-powered attack submarines, and more mine warfare, amphibious, and auxiliary ships--and the modification of four Trident submarines (now slated for deactivation) to an SSGN or guided-missile submarine configuration.

The U.S. Marine Corps: Today's Corps is perhaps the most flexible, mobile, and responsive combat-ready force available to demonstrate U.S. resolve and protect America's interests throughout the world in operations "across the entire spectrum of conflict." To maintain its current capabilities, though, the Corps' equipment must be modernized and upgraded virtually across the board. The Navy League urges full funding for, among other programs, the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, the advanced amphibious assault vehicle, additional large-deck amphibious assault ships, the joint strike fighter, maritime prepositioning ships, and the numerous other systems and equipment items needed for combat success on the littoral and inland battlefields of the 21st century. The Marine Corps also must be maintained "at its full statutory strength of three expeditionary infantry divisions, three aircraft wings, and three service support groups."

The U.S. Coast Guard: The Coast Guard plays a vital role not only in national defense but also by carrying out numerous missions that support U.S. economic and foreign policies. Coast Guard people are perennially overworked, however, and the service's ships, aircraft, and shore facilities are in urgent need of replacement and/or significant upgrading. The Navy League supports full funding of the Coast Guard's present budget request and congressional as well as administration approval of the Integrated Deepwater System (IDS). If its current antiquated assets are not replaced in the very near future "major reductions--in search and rescue, drug-interdiction, pollution prevention and cleanup, and numerous other Coast Guard missions--will be inevitable."

Reserve Forces: Under the total-force concept "supported by all of the nation's armed services" the reserve components have been playing an increasingly important role in support of the active-duty forces. The Navy League supports the total-force concept and urges full funding of the budget proposals for all of the nation's reserve components. The League also supports DOD plans: (a) to make reserve forces available to state and local authorities "for responses to terrorism, missile attacks, and natural disasters"; and (b) to maintain at least one major reserve complex "in each of the 50 states ... to continue the important exposure of the Reserves, and of naval/military recruiters, to the American public."

The U.S.-Flag Merchant Marine: The United States is by far the world's largest trading nation, "but less than three percent of America's export and import tonnage is carried in U.S.-flag ships." The U.S.-flag fleet is essential to America's national defense as well as to the U.S. economy, and plays an important role in maintaining a viable maritime industrial base. The Navy League supports: the Jones Act and related maritime cabotage laws; proposals that would shift truck, car, and passenger traffic from coastal highways and train corridors to "deepwater ships operating in U.S. coastal and inland waterways"; and other budgetary and legislative measures that would help maintain "a robust and economically competitive Merchant Marine and Marine Transportation System and its supporting infrastructure."

The NOAA Corps: "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its Commissioned Corps carry out a broad spectrum of missions essential to the safety and well-being of the U.S. economy ... [and] to the effectiveness of the nation's armed forces. The Navy League supports "all budgetary measures" needed to ensure that NOAA "is able to continue carrying out its important economic, national security, and environmental missions.

Military Personnel--Quality of Life: The quality of life of America's young men and women in uniform today "is key to the recruiting and retention of the motivated and highly skilled force necessary for ... military readiness." Military compensation is now inadequate, retirement benefits have been eroded, and family housing and other personnel facilities have not been properly maintained and upgraded. The Navy League believes that the nation's "political and military leaders must, on an urgent basis," address these and other issues that, if not resolved, will result in the short- and long-term escalation of already evident recruiting, retention, and readiness problems.

Youth Programs: The Navy League "firmly believes that there must be a concerted effort to achieve excellence in all areas of the education and training of America's youth," supports public and private-sector support of a broad spectrum of youth programs, urges the allocation of federal funds "to meet the ever-increasing training and travel costs of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps," and recommends the withdrawal of federal funds from schools that deny recruiter access to their students "or ... otherwise discriminate against the armed forces of the United States."

The Industrial Base: The U.S. defense industry is "an integral partner with the military in defending America's national-security interests." Without "reliable and affordable equipment" the nation's armed services "cannot fulfill the missions that have been assigned to them under the national defense strategy." The Navy League supports: the Navy's ongoing Revolution in Business Affairs; multiyear procurement programs; "greater cooperation between the sea services and industry in the design and development of platforms and systems"; increased reliance on commercial-off-the-shelf systems and equipment; and numerous other measures needed both to reduce defense costs and to ensure the viability of the defense industrial base.

U.S. Shipbuilding Programs: The Navy League recommends: (a) "a high-level review of short- and long-term plans ... to maintain a 350-ship Navy"; (b) the appointment of a senior-level task force to determine what is needed "to build, maintain, and otherwise support" the new-construction needs of the Navy, Coast Guard, and U.S.-flag commercial fleet; (c) the MARITECH and Title XI loan guarantee programs (both of which are essential to the viability of the U.S.-flag Merchant Marine); "continuation, without change or modification, of the Jones Act and the Passenger Vessel Services Act"; and "the increased use of commercial specifications by the services ... and other measures ... to build more affordable ships." 

The full text of the Navy League's 1999­2000 Maritime Policy Statement is posted on the Navy League's web site [http://www.navyleague.org/legislative/preface.htm].