By Yours Truly
The President is (thankfully) wanting to try and undo what Obama did with regards to gutting the military. But as we all know it's going to cost $$$ and the Dems are going to fight Trump over every copper penny he wants to add to the Federal budget...especially with the cost overruns and unproven tech being shoved into the new Ford Class aircraft carriers that are turning into the Naval version of a hangar queen. The USS Ford cant set sail without having multiple system failures. And we won't even talk about the problems with the F-35.
Gee whiz high tech video game type equipment on a combat vehicle is cool...when it works.
The LCS class ships are awash with problems...the military hasn't seemed to learn it's lesson from the McNamara era Pentagon trying one size fits all solutions to save a buck. (see the F-111).
The USS Ford's electromagnetic launch system is the least of the problems for that ship.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/guest-voices/sd-me-grazier-ussford-20170606-story.htmlThe systems they are installing are so fragile that the Navy is being granted waivers on shock trials which is unheard of.
But we have threats that need to be addressed sooner than later and with the way the Ford and F-35 project is going we don't have time to waste.
So I want to pick the brains of my military friends here...especially the squids since one of the biggest threats where we need force projection in in Asia.
What would be the problems with bringing some of our ships out of mothballs...gutting them from bow to stern and refitting them with all new gear...albeit not the high tech stuff that is proving highly troublesome on other platforms but proven already validated equipment...systems and munitions?
Besides a quicker way to increase the naval surface and aviation fleets back to the levels we need to face current challenges...it would put people back to work on both coasts and in the Midwest as well...because this won't just affect the Navy...it takes into account the AF as well as the Army to some extent.
Take the newest of the mothballed carriers dry dock them and begin an immediate overhaul/retrofit/upgrade of all systems.
Tow s handful of FFG's and Destroyers we have recently decommissioned...that are all still top tier...put them in dry dock in Pascagoula and begin the same process.
Open a production line at Grumman Northrop in Palmdale California to begin production...on approved and inspected airframes transported from Davis Monthan AFB...of the Tomcat E model (avionics and engines from the F-22). Or if that's not feasible go get more F/A18 Hornets like the Marines did two years ago.
Reopen the McD/Boeing plant at the St. Louis airport and begin the same process with the same engines and electronics in approved and inspected airframes on the F-15 and the same thing with the F-16 at the Lockheed Martin plant in Ft. Worth...except use the F-35 engine for the Falcon.
The immediate effect in jobs would be a boon for the economy and the materials needed (steel and aluminum) would help to offset some of the tariffs Trump has placed on those goods imported from other countries by increasing military orders to the steel plants in the U.S.
But more importantly it would increase the size and readiness of the fleets faster than what we're doing right now...and probably at a lower long term cost.
Now for the tough part...recruiting bodies into the force to fill the ships planes and other vehicles.
First thing...and it's a move right out of Reagan's playbook...immediately raise the salaries of the military so they are equal to that of their civilian counterparts. The AF and Navy are losing pilots to the civilian world because of lack of manpower and better pay. Easy fix...pay them enough that there is no financial advantage for flying jets for United instead of the USAF.
Throw some big money...tax free sign on bonus money to bring back pilots below a certain age...to come back in uniform ...to fly...to maintain and equip our go to war systems in all branches...at the rank they had when they got out.
The AF got rid of whole classes of 1st and 2nd LT's about 6 years ago in order to have $$$ for aircraft under sequestration...time to give them a call and see if they want to come back if the price is right.
Same offer for the Army (big tax free bonus for soldiers that come back on active duty)...and in addition...repeal the rule that says a soldier has to wait 12 months before using tuition assistance to start on their college education.
Trump has the bully pulpit right now and if he talks about national security and how we've been weakened by years of Liberal hatred of the Armed Forces and capitulation to our enemies that has allowed them to be strong enough to equal us in a fight...he would get the grass roots support for this from the people that will in turn put pressure on their Congress Critters to back the move.
Now keep in mind I'm not proposing these as a permanent fix to get us to the 350 ship Navy that Trump wants or to rebuild the depleted aircraft fleets and personnel shortages...but as a temp patch until...in the case of the F-35 and the USS Ford...the tech inside them becomes more proven and the bugs can be worked out.
There are ships in the Reserve Fleet that could give us another decade of service and would certainly be more cost effective than the Zummwalt who seems to have some of the high tech breakdown issues the Ford does.
I know the AF has flown a B-52 out of the Bone Yard to replace one that has crashed a couple years ago. You can't tell me that the B-1s they are sending there monthly can't be turned around and flown back to the Wing they just left or a newly restored wing at another base.
The manpower may be more of an issue. Obama did his best to break us and run off anyone who wasn't the most PC in the ranks to make us a weaker force that walked in lockstep with the Progressive agenda.
That one will be harder to overcome. And it would take some bold moves to make it work. I thought that was going to start with the repeal of Tranny's serving openly in the ranks...but Mattis has surprisingly and disappointingly moved to help block that order. But I believe that the recruiting incentives I mentioned would get people into the recruiting offices.
It's not a perfect fix that I concocted...but it's better than the slow laborious process we have in place now. And it would be a sign to our allies as well as our enemies that we mean business about national security.
If it were me making the decisions...no more than 15 years...10 being the preferred extended lifespan of any ship/plane/tank brought back online in the active fleets.
Bring them back to life....aircraft and mothballed reserve fleet tanks and Marines equipment too for a long enough to get all the new cool stuff up to speed and the bugs worked out of them.
I’d much rather go into combat with older still lethal gear that’s proven to work every time than with new shiny stuff that might or might not work when the SHTF.
Thoughts?
