Warship Woes Part 1

Mike Burleson

An ongoing debate online and recently heating up in the print media is the drastic shrinking of ship numbers in the US and British navies. Currently the American Navy totals 276 vessels, a number that includes not only warships, but also supply ships, tankers, amphibious craft, and so on. The Royal Navy’s total is much smaller, about 44, with plans underway to discard half the fleet to pay for two new giant supercarriers.

Though fleet numbers are about half what they were in 1991, the fighting power of modern seapower has increased dramatically in these few years. America alone now deploys about 150 cruise missile firing submarines, cruisers, and destroyers, which together can launch over 10,000 various guided missiles against a potential foe. Not all the navies on Earth combined can match even a fraction of this awesome display of military might, other than with nuclear weapons.

Britain has created a miniature version of the US Fleet, based around carrier striking forces, guided missile frigates, and cruise missile submarines. Her new carriers will carry about 40 of the new Joint Strike Fighters, the V/STOL version. She now possesses an amphibious fleet able to ferry expeditionary forces around the world, plus advanced nuclear subs, and is building new warships similar in fighting power to US Aegis cruisers.

The downside of this magnificent blue water capability is that the two superpowers are less prepared to fight in the narrow seas against a so-called brown water fleet. Potential foes such as Iran, North Korea, and China have little means (as yet) to combat Western fleets on the open ocean. Instead, they possess sizable fleets of fast attack craft and diesel/electric submarines armed with torpedoes and cruise missiles, which are able to hide in shallow seas where the big ships fear to tread.

Though America and Britain are weak in their brown water capacity, they have not completely ignored the problem. The US plans to construct up to 55 new littoral combat ships (LCS) similar in size to a frigate, while the UK is considering a similar vessel. America has also reestablished its riverene forces under the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. Three squadrons will stand up this year. With the War on Terror nearly 7 years old, this latter move must be considered as “better late than never”.

Still, it is questionable the seriousness the two navies are taking the threat from terrorist pirates in shallow seas. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Mullen has called for a “1000 ship navy”, which consists of international fleets supporting the US when it goes to war. Britain seems to be heading in the same direction with her two new giant aircraft carriers, plus French warships, forming the nucleus of a European Navy, while ships from smaller fleets carry our sundry but essential duties like interdicting pirates and chasing submarines.

Considering the backlash from international communities over the invasion of Iraq, America and Britain should be wary of becoming too dependent on vacillating allies for their defense. In a future conflict, the two might have to ask permission from their more liberal friends in Europe who too often are overly sympathetic, or have economic ties with rogue states.

Centuries of dominating the world’s oceans have given the two great Anglo powers a battlefleet mindset. Both continue to refight the Battles of Trafalgar and Midway, while neglecting the guerilla tactics at sea weaker powers are more likely to unleash. Britain should know better, having been driven to the verge of defeat by the submarine in 2 world wars. Today’s new U-boats are vastly more capable than their historic predecessors.

Certainly, the US should be better prepared for littoral warfare after enduring countless brush fire wars in its history as a nation. With her unmatched fighting power intact, surely America can endure a freeze on major warship construction at least until the new LCS is in service in adequate numbers.

Britain should delay its great ship construction as well, in favor of smaller vessels in a more balanced fleet. She should rush efforts to construct new escort ships that served her so well in combating Hitler’s U-boat arm, and throughout the Cold War.

My blog is at newwars.blogspot.com

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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. http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/honestnews/ http://newwars.blogspot.com/

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