By Navy League National President Bill Stevenson
This is blog post appears in the January Almanac issue of Seapower magazine, the official magazine of the Navy League of the United States.
The United States is nearing a critical inflection point related to American sea power.
In a 2020 discussion that detailed this strategy document, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said, “We strongly feel that the balance of power in the maritime could potentially be significantly affected in this decade, and the time to act is now. … To leverage our investments in new technologies. To not just close known gaps that we have with our competitors but to open them, and to put us in a place … to fight and win, should we come to crisis or conflict.”
China and Russia, among other competitors, are vying for a shift in the world order by enhancing their shipbuilding, staking claim to foreign ports, making grabs at Arctic dominance, attacking the U.S. via cyberthreats in an endless digital war and creating strategic chokeholds around the globe. It is our mission at the Navy League of the United States to express to our fellow Americans the path ahead to ensuring our country maintains its naval prowess in these next 10 years.
There have been several force structure assessments that detail the ship number the Navy must build toward to maintain its prowess, in addition to its C4ISR, cyber, aircraft and weapons needs. We are encouraged by the vision of the Navy-Marine Corps realignment in the Commandant’s Planning Guidance released by Gen. David Berger, which foretells of a more integrated naval force. This bold course for the Marine Corps will create a leaner structure but one that prioritizes naval readiness beyond what our adversaries could handle.
Our Coast Guard continues to preserve our borders, protect our ports and respond in times of crises at a rate of return to all Americans that is unparalleled. Its diverse mission set requires the right personnel, resources and assets through added operations and maintenance support.
The nation continues to have a shortage of about 1,800 merchant mariners to crew all required commercial and government reserve sealift vessels for a period of more than six months. To meet the needs of the 2018 National Defense Strategy and address the real threats posed by China and Russia, the U.S.-flagged fleet needs additional manpower, not to mention additional ships for its aging fleet.
America is a maritime nation. It is how we project power, how we maintain peace, how goods come into our country and how commerce is safely controlled inside our own waterways. Our way of life is forged by the sea, and our status as a beacon of liberty is preserved through our maritime strength.
For these reasons, the Navy League of the United States encourages all Americans to stand tall in support of our sea services.