February 9, 2019
Study This Picture: The U.S. Navy Desperately Needs More of These Ships
Amphibious warfare forces will play a pivotal role in an era of renewed great power competition.
by Dan Goure
U.S. amphibious warfare forces are this Nation’s first line of defense. They are a unique strategic and operational capability. The demand for amphibious warfare forces by Combatant Commanders routinely exceeds their availability. At present, the U.S. has 32 amphibious warfare ships of all classes. It needs, at a minimum, 38. To achieve this goal rapidly and efficiently, the Navy should move to acquire amphibious warfare ships the way it does aircraft carriers, submarine and other surface ships, by contracting for multiple vessels at a time.
Today, the best U.S. military capability for rapidly addressing emerging regional threats, the 911 force, is the Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU). The ARG typically consists of three amphibious warfare ships including one large deck ship capable of operating certain fighters and helicopters. The MEU is a combat formation centered on a reinforced infantry battalion plus aviation, logistics and command elements. These formations are able to project tailored and sophisticated power ashore to perform missions that span the spectrum of crises and conflicts.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/study-picture-us-navy-desperately-needs-more-these-ships-44137
