U.S. National Security Requires a Viable and Reliable U.S.-Flagged Commercial Fleet
By Dan Gouré
September 05, 2018
The Trump Administration’s commitment to restoring U.S. military preeminence extends beyond improving readiness and energizing modernization efforts. It also focuses on reinvigorating a defense industrial base that has been allowed to erode over the past quarter-century. Deterring but, if necessary fighting future great power conflicts will depend on the capacity of private U.S. companies to simultaneously expand production, repair damaged platforms and equipment and supply U.S. and allied forces fighting on distant continents.
Recent assessments of the U.S. industrial base have identified several critical vulnerabilities that could compromise the military’s ability to conduct high-intensity warfare. One of these is the ability of the U.S.-flagged sealift fleet to meet the transportation demands created by the overseas deployments and operation of large combat formations in a war zone. Simply put, the U.S.-flagged sealift fleet has been allowed to erode to the point that it is of only barely sufficient size and capability to meet the demands created by relatively small contingencies such as those conducted in this century in Southwest Asia.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2018/09/05/us_national_security_requires_a_viable_and_reliable_us-flagged_commercial_fleet_113773.html
