Interesting stuff on the USN to be found on the internet and in print.
Among them:
Seapower Mag is out. Check out the Navy League website.
Proceedings is out. Check out the USNI website.
USN Navy Newsstand
Seawaves magazine lists an interesting port call for some USN warships:
SeaWaves Magazine
28 Sep 07 USNS Laramie T-AO 203 Loch Striven
28 Sep 07 USS John L Hall FFG 32 Tail O' The Bank
28 Sep 07 USS Elrod FFG 55 Tail O' The Bank
28 Sep 07 USS Nicholas FFG 47 Faslane
28 Sep 07 USS McFaul DDG 74 Faslane
28 Sep 07 USS Cole DDG 67 Faslane
As you might notice FFGs stiil paired with Burke Flight I/II DDGs.
The majority of the Burke Flight IIA ships are being sent to the Pacific as they are commissioned.
It may also well be that soon the USN will consolidate most of the West Coast FFGs to the East Coast with only a handful of NRF FFGs possibly remaining on the West Coast.
Although with the MCM ships soon relocating from Texas to San Diego maybe no FFGs will remain on the West Coast.
This would be in line with the forseeable future warfighting focus almost exclusively focused on the Pacific and other than war operations being the main focus in the Caribbean and Atlantic AORs.
This is a bit weird even as Europe increasingly looks to the US as a counter to an increasingly belligerent and threatening Russia.
Also look for the Submarine Tender Frank Cable homeported at Guam to be replaced by the Emory S. Land returning from Italy after the latter undergoes conversion to an MSC operated ship.
Also the NVR site lists the newest Burke class IIA DDG 102 Sampson as part of the Battleforce even though she wont be officially commissioned until November 3.(see the Sampson website)
The USN continues to use creative accounting to artificially inflate fleet numbers.
However the drawdown begun in the late 1960s continues both as regards platforms & personnel and is likely to accelerate after the 2008 elections.
With all auxillary ships operated by the MSC with USN contingents aboard as neccessary.
All this while the USN/USMC have quietly consolidated a vast amount of power in Washington and the Pentagon.
Even though the USAF still reigns in the PR department.
The Army while troubled by the Iraq deployment has seen or will soon sea a great increase in funding and personnel.
So as of now the USAF still leads on the PR front.
The USN has taken the lead on the power front.
The Army leads on the funding/personnel fronts.
Of course after the 2008 elections all bets are off.
Interesting times as they say.
Among them:
Seapower Mag is out. Check out the Navy League website.
Proceedings is out. Check out the USNI website.
USN Navy Newsstand
Seawaves magazine lists an interesting port call for some USN warships:
SeaWaves Magazine
28 Sep 07 USNS Laramie T-AO 203 Loch Striven
28 Sep 07 USS John L Hall FFG 32 Tail O' The Bank
28 Sep 07 USS Elrod FFG 55 Tail O' The Bank
28 Sep 07 USS Nicholas FFG 47 Faslane
28 Sep 07 USS McFaul DDG 74 Faslane
28 Sep 07 USS Cole DDG 67 Faslane
As you might notice FFGs stiil paired with Burke Flight I/II DDGs.
The majority of the Burke Flight IIA ships are being sent to the Pacific as they are commissioned.
It may also well be that soon the USN will consolidate most of the West Coast FFGs to the East Coast with only a handful of NRF FFGs possibly remaining on the West Coast.
Although with the MCM ships soon relocating from Texas to San Diego maybe no FFGs will remain on the West Coast.
This would be in line with the forseeable future warfighting focus almost exclusively focused on the Pacific and other than war operations being the main focus in the Caribbean and Atlantic AORs.
This is a bit weird even as Europe increasingly looks to the US as a counter to an increasingly belligerent and threatening Russia.
Also look for the Submarine Tender Frank Cable homeported at Guam to be replaced by the Emory S. Land returning from Italy after the latter undergoes conversion to an MSC operated ship.
Also the NVR site lists the newest Burke class IIA DDG 102 Sampson as part of the Battleforce even though she wont be officially commissioned until November 3.(see the Sampson website)
The USN continues to use creative accounting to artificially inflate fleet numbers.
However the drawdown begun in the late 1960s continues both as regards platforms & personnel and is likely to accelerate after the 2008 elections.
With all auxillary ships operated by the MSC with USN contingents aboard as neccessary.
All this while the USN/USMC have quietly consolidated a vast amount of power in Washington and the Pentagon.
Even though the USAF still reigns in the PR department.
The Army while troubled by the Iraq deployment has seen or will soon sea a great increase in funding and personnel.
So as of now the USAF still leads on the PR front.
The USN has taken the lead on the power front.
The Army leads on the funding/personnel fronts.
Of course after the 2008 elections all bets are off.
Interesting times as they say.
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