(Ken Silva, Headline USA) U.S. politicians and some military officials are preparing for a showdown with China in the coming years, but the Navy does not appear to be ready for such an endeavor.
The Navy released a report this week showing that ships from nine programs are running behind production schedules by as much as three years apiece. Cumulatively, the nine programs are experiencing an 11-year delay.
BREAKING: The Navy released a fact sheet late Tuesday showing that every major shipbuilding program they're working on is delayed by years. YEARS. It's jaw-dropping. pic.twitter.com/s0qPTozO2v
— Paul McLeary (@paulmcleary) April 2, 2024
The delays affect ships such as Columbia-class submarine, which has been tagged as the future cornerstone of the country’s strategic deterrence, according to The Defense Post.
“The US Navy’s third Gerald Ford-class aircraft carrier will also be late by up to 26 months despite manufacturer Huntington Ingalls Industries laying its keel in 2022,” The Defense Post reported Wednesday.
“The review found that the construction of the navy’s first Constellation-class frigate by Fincantieri Marinette Marine is already 36 months behind schedule,” the military publication added.
“The fourth and fifth blocks of its Virginia-class submarine program are also projected to be delayed by 36 and 24 months, respectively.”
As if the delays in shipbuilding weren’t enough, the Navy is also experiencing a shortage of sailors. Forbes reported in December that the USS Gerald R. Ford has downsized its crew by 500 to 600 sailor in the last six months.
“The current complement appears to be unusually low,” Forbes commented. “Even the aircraft carrier’s December 2021 Selected Acquisition Report projected a ‘ship’s force’ of 2716 billets, far higher than the 2,380 sailors currently aboard.”
The shortage of sailors appears to be from attrition, with the Navy unable to replace sailors with new recruits. The Navy fell 20% short of its recruitment goals for 2023.
Despite those woes, the U.S. has been gearing up for a conflict with China under the guise of protecting Taiwan.
Four-star Air Force Gen. Michael Minihan is even preparing his 110,000 troops for war with China within the next two years. According to the Washington Post, Minihan has told his troops to “get their personal affairs in order” and to “fire a clip into a 7-meter target with the full understanding that unrepentant lethality matters most.”
“I hope I am wrong,” Gen. Minihan said of the possibility of a U.S.-China war. “My gut tells me we will fight in 2025.”
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
