tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post5629524738635721940..comments2024-03-28T02:26:00.323-07:00Comments on Navy Matters: Pick A Number, Any NumberComNavOpshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09669644332369727431noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-32220385957378775412017-03-26T16:10:54.107-07:002017-03-26T16:10:54.107-07:00CNO,
Its funny, we're now on our, what, Third...CNO,<br /><br />Its funny, we're now on our, what, Third Iraqi War in the span of a generation.<br /><br />Maybe the Iraqi War(s) are to the Army as the Burke's & Virginia's are to the Navy.<br /><br />No one t'all can articulate how they fit into the strategic goals of the nation, but they sure result in a lot of $$$-flow to the contractors and they don't cause enough domestic damage for people to pay attention.<br /><br />We can always use another one. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-14327300805044143462017-03-24T11:01:04.491-07:002017-03-24T11:01:04.491-07:00I'm as cynical as you re Naval leadership but ...I'm as cynical as you re Naval leadership but having a budget (maybe?) with something to spend the money on (ships in production) is better than it was in the reality of a year ago...with same/same as past 8 looming..<br /><br />To answer your question. Yes, a tiny bit of "progress" is possible. However, there aren't any Mahans, Lehmans or Teddy Roosevelts around when you need 'em. Not sure Mattis is a naval expert...my gut feel again is- no. Hiring from within isn't possible because the culture of the recent past hasn't trained anybody to think this big. They are victims of their own boxed limitations and the results are reflected in their lousy acquisition record. I always knew my generation of baby boomers would be in trouble as soon as the WW2 gen started dying off and dudes like Clinton came on line leading to the past 8 years of stasis at best.... However, even I never thought it would be this bad....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-65412541969750988182017-03-24T10:26:00.562-07:002017-03-24T10:26:00.562-07:00The problem is that the "gross mismanagement&...The problem is that the "gross mismanagement" is within the military in the form of horribly mismanaged projects, lack of clearly defined design features, a failed NAVSEA/INSURV, etc. The defense industry is not unilaterally making themselves rich. The military is making them rich by happily and willingly going along with them. Unfortunately, none of that will change with govt owned industries. It will simply be redirected towards the govt organization rather than private organization. The mismanagement isn't suddenly going to improve just because the manufacturer is owned by the govt instead of private companies. We'll just wind up with govt owned industries that are run like the VA hospitals!ComNavOpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09669644332369727431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-60905190405308669742017-03-24T09:57:05.704-07:002017-03-24T09:57:05.704-07:00There is a strategy. Make the defense industry ric...There is a strategy. Make the defense industry rich.<br /><br />I've repeatedly called for a state owned defense industry to compete or perhaps even nationalizing the whole thing because of this gross mismanagement.AltandMainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01014823246265859953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-78941768258104207852017-03-24T08:12:50.602-07:002017-03-24T08:12:50.602-07:00"Is that progress?"
You read the blog. ..."Is that progress?"<br /><br />You read the blog. You probably know my answer. What's your answer? Is this progress?ComNavOpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09669644332369727431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-13446320045690309762017-03-24T07:42:31.895-07:002017-03-24T07:42:31.895-07:00When Lehman came up with that plan we already had ...When Lehman came up with that plan we already had a lot of successful irons in the fire post Vietnam- Spruance, Nimitz, Perry, LA class programs in production. At the time 600 was a good Cold War number, a defeat the USSR number--- I think we reached 530. As a result we defeated the USSR and communism...<br /><br />I would say all the "cerebral thought" here given to what size, totals, etc is actually sort of secondary to buying what works and is in production (Burke,VA class) or what is critical (Ford). Dudes like Moran weren't saying this 6 months ago....and not 2 years ago, either...<br /><br />Comnav- Is that progress? <br /><br />b2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-39790815357687715332017-03-24T07:09:08.572-07:002017-03-24T07:09:08.572-07:00Good post. I got nothin, except I think we need a ...Good post. I got nothin, except I think we need a lot of SSNs for China.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13659754829333251878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-59133020858862350082017-03-23T16:20:42.094-07:002017-03-23T16:20:42.094-07:00"USN ... just want to get as much money as po..."USN ... just want to get as much money as possible from Congress/White House and those are the 2 weapon systems that actually kind of work so let's buy more of them!"<br /><br />The Navy just wants more money. The choice of more Burkes and Virginias is slightly more involved than just the fact that we know how to make them. The key is that they've already been through the approval process. New ships (new designs) would require new approvals and testing and milestones and such. The Navy wants to get hulls (not even finished, combat ready ones anymore!) into the water as fast as possible to avoid Congress asking questions and changing their minds. So, the Navy opts to go with already approved and tested Burkes and Virginias. This is also why the Navy chose the LCS as the new "frigate" and the LPD-17 as the LX(R) - not because they were good designs (they aren't!) but because they've already been approved.ComNavOpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09669644332369727431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-87709749323065742322017-03-23T16:03:09.858-07:002017-03-23T16:03:09.858-07:00Not that long ago, not sure what was the topic on ...Not that long ago, not sure what was the topic on CNO but I said that I was OK with Navy only building Burkes and Virginia's since it appeared USN wasn't capable of fielding anything anytime soon with any sort of combat capability,wow,it looks like USN has come to the same conclusion! There's no policy or statement of what is really needed as CNO clearly explains, I don't see anything coming from USN that would indict otherwise, they just want to get as much money as possible from Congress/White House and those are the 2 weapon systems that actually kind of work so let's buy more of them! Sounds like that's what the best the USN could come up with....<br /><br />BTW, why isn't Congress/Senate asking some questions about these numbers?!?NICOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14567491909555759918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-44207583330283670402017-03-23T11:10:03.898-07:002017-03-23T11:10:03.898-07:00He means the Ford Class LPHs. They still haven'...He means the Ford Class LPHs. They still haven't solved the decade old problems with new launch and recovery systems, and the second in the class is now 50% complete!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-43731534888819210632017-03-23T10:43:37.496-07:002017-03-23T10:43:37.496-07:00A very good point!A very good point!ComNavOpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09669644332369727431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-2389683333257371102017-03-23T10:21:51.132-07:002017-03-23T10:21:51.132-07:00It sounds like the worst kind of mid level manager...It sounds like the worst kind of mid level managers. Don't tell upper management 'no' and grind what you have to bits trying to match inflated expectations. <br /><br />Without a strategy, it's quite possible it will never be enough ships. Because the more ships we have the more crap they'll find to do. You can't say 'X amount fits the strategy so build to that, size the industrial base to that'. You just say 'more!'JFWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16095723023404412328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-71878161877835181432017-03-23T10:13:24.105-07:002017-03-23T10:13:24.105-07:00Forgetting Strategy for a moment, because you hit ...Forgetting Strategy for a moment, because you hit htat nail right on the head.<br /><br />What do the Gen/Adms learn at Flag school about Economics? Do they take only take an "ECON I WANT IT" course?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579907756656776056.post-44517745226591490902017-03-23T10:03:49.518-07:002017-03-23T10:03:49.518-07:00"This is a pure and simple money grab by the ..."This is a pure and simple money grab by the Navy."<br /><br />I appreciate this post. It cost me some dental work, but I appreciate this. <br /><br />Back in the early 80's it was my understanding, from what I've read, that Lehman came up with a strategy for countering the Soviet Union, and then ship building and force structure was created around that. This is why some ships that might have been retired were kept longer; and why we had more of an emphasis on ASW with the Spruance and FFG 7 class, not to mention the pre-existing Knox class, etc. <br /><br />We ended up with capable ships that fit what we wanted to do. <br /><br />I'm honestly against spending more money on the Navy till the Navy comes up with a strategy for what it wants to do; unless that money is to be spent on maintenance. Otherwise we'll just build more 'stuff' and that will both give us a mis-matched fleet, but weaken the Navy's argument for construction in the future because 'We gave you more money and your ships aren't doing what we want'. <br /><br />"our fleet size target has been around 280 because that’s what we’ve been at and no Navy leader has objected. "<br /><br />This really burns me. <br /><br />I'm hearing more and more about how the Navy has deferred maintenance in ships and aircraft, and how this is costing us now. <br /><br />We now have a pattern of the flag officers saying to the politicians FOR YEARS that they'll do whatever; and grinding the fleet to rust. Why? The only thing I can surmise is that they wanted to be politically correct. Don't muss the President's feathers. Don't anger Congress. If you say no both might get angry and you'll lose budget. <br /><br />Because at least from what I, as a civilian can see, there is a huge dissonance from what the Admirals were saying in terms of being able to perform missions and what they were saying in terms of what they needed for ship maintenance. Why didn't someone say STOP!. We CAN'T keep deploying. We CAN'T keep burning hours on SH's. Not and keep a credible fleet. <br /><br />*sigh*<br /><br />JFWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16095723023404412328noreply@blogger.com