A Navy Second to None

Mike Burleson

History is repeating itself and a new land power is seeking its “rightful” place on the world’s oceans. China is rapidly expanding its fleet to match its booming economy, a fact that is raising alarms in Western naval circles. Naturally America should be ever vigilant to any threat to its sea mastery, but also ignore hysterics and alarmists.

Currently the combatant arm of the US Navy has dipped from a high of 600 ships in the late 1980’s, to 282 today, and it is expected to shrink even further. Recent reports indicate the Navy plans to build only 4 warships in 2006, compared to 9 next year. Many argue our forces are spread thin in the midst of a global war on terrorism, and the Navy is playing a dangerous game by retiring still useful hulls too soon.

The numbers of warships in commission do not give an accurate portrait of the fighting power of the modern US Fleet. Since the 1980’s the navy has equipped its cruisers, destroyers and submarines with Harpoon and Tomahawk cruise missiles until it has become one vast missile magazine. Its decks of giant super carriers are filled with warplanes each capable of loading new smart bombs giving them vastly greater bombing capability.

Precision weapons have also increased the striking power of navy aircraft carriers. This was proven in the 1991 Gulf War, when smart bombs amounted to only 10% of ordinance dropped, but accounted for 75% of the damage done. During that war only a few of navy bombers were equipped with precision weapons. Now all naval strike aircraft, including F-14s and the new Super Hornet, carry smart bombs. During the Vietnam War, it took about 300 sorties to destroy a target with old-fashioned “dumb” bombs. Today’s navy can perform the same mission with one aircraft carrying the new weapons.

The decline has resulted mainly from the neglect of anti-submarine forces since the end of the Cold War. With the disappearance of the threat from Warsaw Pact submarines, anti-submarine warfare has diminished in importance, though lately the navy seems to be coming around. The Littoral Combat Ship, due late this decade, may halt the drop in numbers, and return the submarine fighting expertise which the Navy had gained through much trial and error in the last century.

The Tomahawk missile has displaced the aircraft carrier for long distance attack missions, though not for close air support. The Navy can cheaply and effectively secure its primacy at sea by maintaining and improving its Tomahawk launching ships, of which there are now more than 100.

China has not only America to contend with for sea dominance in Asia, but the fleets of the Tiger economies. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan all have advanced fleets of powerful warships; most designed in Western shipyards. These rising navies are not only interested in home defense, but protecting the vital trade routes and oil supplies in the Far East. Any Chinese attempt to disrupt these vital resources may lead to an overwhelming alliance against it.

America should ignore the alarmists, who call for an increase in traditional platforms: carriers, destroyers, and nuclear submarines. Thanks to its vast arsenal of cruise missiles ships, she is still the greatest sea-power in history.

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Mike Burleson is a regular columnist with Sea Classics magazine and an advocate of Military Reform. He resides in historic Charleston, SC.

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