The Quadrennial Defense Review News

The Navy's top leader has released a detailed plan that highlights the U.S. Navy's intended track and investments for the next 5 fiscal years, informs Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert's 2015-2019 Navigation Plan defines how the Navy will use its resources to safely and effectively pursue the vision detailed in Sailing Directions. "This navigation plan defines the course and speed we will follow to organize, train and equip our Navy over the next several years," said Greenert in the document. "Crafting this year's budget included tough choices across a wide range of competing priorities - we focused first on building appropriate capability, then delivering it at a capacity we could afford," said Greenert.

"Commonly referred to as the 30-year shipbuilding plan, we have highlighted a path forward that captures the required number of ships by type, as outlined in the FY12 Force Structure Assessment (FSA). Our FSA identified those forces that most efficiently execute the missions and priorities of the Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Strategic Guidance (DSG) and meets requirements in the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review. This report builds and maintains a battle force inventory of near or above 300 ships, and ultimately shows that we can achieve the FSA objective of 306 battle force ships. As we have done with previous submissions our plan assesses Department of the Navy (DoN) investments in battle force ships in three 10-year periods — near-, mid-, and far-term.

By operating from forward locations, the Navy and Marine Corps provide President Barack Obama with options to deal promptly with global contingencies, Navy Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, the chief of naval operations (CNO) explained during a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee's defense sub-committee, adding that Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. "As we conclude over a decade of wars and bring our ground forces home from extended stability operations, your naval forces will remain on watch," Greenert said.

According to a June 3 report from United Press International, several Republican congressmen are pushing to get U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates to put together a 30-year plan for building warships. Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, said a quadrennial defense review to be presented to Congress early next year will lay out the shipbuilding issues. (Source: United Press International)

An April 28 report from Reuters stated that Ray Mabus, President Barack Obama's nominee to become Navy Secretary, vowed to put an intense focus on cost overrun and acquisition reform if confirmed for the job. Mabus said he would be closely involved with the Pentagon's upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review, if confirmed, and said it could lead to changes in the Navy's shipbuilding plan, which now calls for a 313-ship fleet. (Source: Reuters)

The Navy announced today that it will issue a revised Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Future Surface Combatant Program. Formerly known as DD 21, the program will now be called DD(X) to more accurately reflect the program purpose, which is to produce a family of advanced technology surface combatants, not a single ship class. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz approved the revised program focus and reaffirmed the Department's support for the Future Surface Combatant Program. "President Bush has made transformation of the Department of Defense a high priority. Through DD(X), the Navy has charted a course to transformation that will provide capability across the full spectrum of naval warfare. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics E.

"There is a powerful agent, responsive, quick, and easy to use, pliable enough to meet all our needs on board. It does everything. It supplies light and heat for the ship and is the very soul of our mechanical equipment. Jules Verne's classic novel first appeared in 1869. Today, the Navy is standing at the threshold of remarkable capabilities that Jules Verne could barely imagine-a "revolution at sea" akin to the change from sail to steam and from oil-fired plants to nuclear power. But the process for the Navy has not been easy. As a Navy integrated electric drive (IED) insider told me privately: "Innovation is one thing; if you're asking us to change the way we do business…

The American Shipbuilding Association has long bemoaned the level of U.S. Navy funding, arguing that the amount of spending on new ships would, in the future, leave the force woefully under-equipped to handle its duties of defense. Though the ASA is but the lobbying voice of the country's "Big Six" shipbuilders — by consolidation now reduced to, in effect, the Big Two — would be the primary beneficiaries of a spending splurge, it now seems the arguments presented were visionary, as the U.S. enters a gray area in international relations with the recent terrorist attacks in New York and Washington and the resultant war in Afghanistan.

Despite the renewed vigor for military activities due to the prolonged commitment to fighting terrorism at home and abroad, it seems that lawmakers are still reticent — via the proposal of a Navy Budget for Fiscal Years '02 and '03 — to spend adequate levels of money to maintain a strong fleet. According to the American Shipbuilding Association (ASA), The Defense Authorization Bill for FY02, that passed both the House and Senate (S.1438) on December 13, authorizes a paltry 5 and 1/7 new naval ships, despite the ASA's contention that 12 ships per year are needed to sustain the 305-ship navy mandated in the 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review. Meanwhile, a draft of the Navy's FY03 budget proposes to buy only five new ships.

Yesterday in Washington, D.C., leaders from the Senate, the military and business met to discuss strategies to increase FY 03 procurement funding by at least $2.9 billion to build more new navy ships. Concerned that funding is inadequate to maintain the Federally mandated 300-ship navy as required by the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review, leaders sought to bring publicity to their plight, magnifying the depth of their need while celebrating the success of the navy in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The current budget requests $6.1 billion for five new ships, a figure that is $5 billion below the previous administrations FY ‘01 shipbuilding procurement budget.

The President is proposing a much needed, and long overdue increase of $49 billion in his fiscal year 2003 budget for National Defense. What is astonishing is that this larger budget proposes slashing the Navy's shipbuilding procurement account below that recommended by the previous Administration. Why is this astonishing? If it were not for ships of the Navy and Marine Corps, the U.S. would not have been able to defend America from additional attacks from the air and sea, or retaliate in Afghanistan after the September 11 attack on New York and Washington, D.C. Long before the terrorist attacks, the commanders-in-chief (CINCs) of the…

Commander Pacific Fleet Adm. Robert Willard discussed the Navy’s evolving maritime strategy and the shift of emphasis from the Atlantic to the Pacific Fleet during a breakfast meeting in San Diego on June 21. During the morning address to local military and civilian leaders, Willard discussed the changing approach of the U.S. Navy in regard to its maritime strategy. The strategy is one that strikes a balance between what he called “high-end warfare” and “low-end warfare” that is playing out in the Pacific area of responsibility that includes Iraq, Afghanistan and the southern Philippines. He characterized “high end” by acknowledging the deterrent and dissuasion effect the Navy has with its forward forces in the Pacific…

The Sun Herald has reported that 16 senators, including Mississippi Republican Trent Lott added their names to the list of lawmakers urging Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to increase funding to the Navy in 2008 to pay for more ships. The lawmakers told Rumsfeld the new ships were needed to counter an emerging threat from the rapidly expanding Chinese navy. The request comes on the heels of a similar call last week by 69 members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Gene Taylor, a Bay St. Louis Democrat. The group wants Rumsfeld to up the Navy's budget proposal to $14.1 billion in fiscal 2008, which begins Oct. 1, 2007. That figure represents the amount that Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Mullen says is necessary to meet the Navy's national security requirements.

Ships assigned to Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) assemble in a formation for a photo exercise. The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) was established to monitor, inspect, board, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the war on terrorism and includes operations currently taking place in the North Arabia Sea to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. Countries contributing to CTF-150 currently include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Bart Bauer. Department of the Navy leaders recently provided an update to representatives of the Navy and Marine Corps Council at the Army Navy Country Club on May 3, 2006.

The Navy announced today that the first four Littoral Combat Ships LCS) will be homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif. scale. efficiencies are developed. Quadrennial Defense Review. establish synergy between the ships and with local commands," said Vice Adm. Terry Etnyre, commander, Naval Surface Forces, based in Coronado, Calif. innovative and tailored mission modules. unmanned vehicles, off-board sensors, and mission-manning detachments. warfighting missions. warship designed to provide assured access for our joint forces. carrier strike groups, expeditionary strike groups or surface strike groups. The innovative concepts in LCS do not end with its modularity. maintenance, logistics, training and administration. Independence (LCS 2), on Jan. 19, 2006.

The following is a statement, in its entirety, from Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen regarding his nomination to be commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, given before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Washington - Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Committee. I am honored to be before you today and look forward to listening to your views and answering your questions. I am grateful for the confidence of President Bush in nominating me to be the 23rd Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. I can think of no greater honor and no better way to continue serving our Nation than through our Coast Guard, a Service whose embedded responsibilities impact every American.

PICTURED: Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Mullen, Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), the Honorable Donald C. Winter and Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) Gen. Michael W. Hagee appear before the House Armed Services Committee to give testimony and answer questions concerning the 2007 fiscal year National Defense Authorization budget request. U.S. The nation’s top Navy and Marine Corps leaders told members of Congress March 1 that the Navy Department’s proposed $127.3 billion budget request for fiscal year 2007 (FY07) fully supports the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and will help win the global war on terrorism. In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Donald C. Winter, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm.

Navy officials held firm to a decision to buy only one submarine annually for the next several years, despite a strong reaction from lawmakers concerned that the limited procurement would exacerbate problems in the struggling shipbuilding industry. During their annual budget presentation to the House Armed Services Committee, Navy leaders argued increasing submarine purchases in the short term would throw the service's carefully balanced shipbuilding plan off kilter, forcing substantial cuts elsewhere. At more than $2 billion each, submarines are one of the priciest items on the Navy procurement menu. Current plans call for the service to increase buys to two subs a year in 2012 -- but not before then.

The Pentagon, in its strategic Quadrennial Defense Review, supports an increased Navy presence in the Pacific but gave few details on how this vision might take shape. The Pentagon has indicated that the decision would not be made until after release and evaluation of the Quadrennial Defense Review. Guam and Hawaii are being considered as possible locations for Navy carriers. It’s been reported that the estimated cost of basing an aircraft carrier on Guam is $5 billion, compared to $2.2 billion for Hawaii. The Pentagon report offers no details about carrier basing, noting only that the Navy plans to have at least six operationally available and sustainable carriers in the region.

The Defense Department’s recently released Quadrennial Defense Review will “vector” the Navy toward the development of new skills and critical missions. The review calls on all the services to sharpen that capability and to build close working relationships with outside agencies. The CNO singled out the U.S. Coast Guard as one agency the Navy has been working very closely with to strengthen the nation’s maritime defenses, calling that work critical to homeland security and maritime domain awareness of the coast, as well as coasts around world. The QDR also calls for the Navy to have a greater presence in the Pacific Ocean. The report…

President Bush submitted his 2007 fiscal year (FY) budget request to Congress Feb. 6, which included the Navy’s $127 billion budget proposal. The President’s budget request was also accompanied by the recently released Department of Defense’s Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The Navy’s proposed budget boasts a $4.4 billion increase from last year’s baseline appropriations. If approved, the FY 07 - FY11 budget provides the necessary funding levels to sustain current readiness, build the fleet for the future and develop the 21st Century Sailor over the next four years. What that means for Sailors and Marines are possible increases in pay and benefits as well as several quality of life improvements.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen submitted his long-range shipbuilding plan to Congress Feb. 7, designed to grow the fleet to about 313 ships – up from 281 today. “We need a fleet for the future which is balanced in many capabilities,” Mullen told reporters at the Pentagon. His plan will meet the requirements of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and reverse the recent trend of shrinking the fleet. “We’re at 281 ships today and it’s my view we need to turn that around with the embedded capabilities that we’ve looked at,” he said. The Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan is required by law and accompanied the Navy’s FY'07 Budget submission to Congress. It supports the new emphasis on expeditionary and conventional warfighting missions expressed in the QDR.

President Bush submitted his 2007 fiscal year (FY) budget request to Congress recently, which included the Navy's $127 billion budget proposal. The president's budget request was also accompanied by the recently released Department of Defense's Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The Navy's proposed budget boasts a $4.4 billion increase from last year's baseline appropriations. If approved, the FY07 - FY11 budget provides the necessary funding levels to sustain current readiness, build the fleet for the future and develop the 21st Century Sailor over the next four years, which means a possible increase in pay and benefits, as well as several quality of life improvements.