Fear in Washington over deterioration of naval forces
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An admiral in the US Navy discusses the deterioration of the US fleet, with defects in the construction and repair of operating ships, warning of grave repercussions in any future war.
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Deterioration of the US naval forces can have grave repercussions.
The US Navy is facing serious problems related to the repair of warships and the receipt of new ships. "American fleets and shipyards are too rickety, unable to withstand the pressure," Admiral Daryl Caudle, US Navy Commander, told the annual conference of the Naval Association.
He added that warships are not being repaired and the deadlines for the delivery of new ships are constantly being pushed back.
Shortage of shipyards
Admiral Caudle revealed that if the United States becomes involved in an armed conflict with an enemy close to or equal to it, the Navy will incur heavy losses, and there will be nothing to cover them because the shipbuilding capabilities are not sufficient to repair several large ships at once.
He explained that the Navy does not have enough dry docks and shipyards, and the ones they do have are working at full capacity, with the absence of reserves in case of unforeseen circumstances.
He pointed out that it is impossible to keep a nuclear submarine in the Connecticut (submarine) fleet, which crashed into an underwater rock in the South China Sea in October 2021 and is still awaiting repairs, noting that this represents "a problem" and it can become a weakness.
In the fall of 2020, a special committee of the Navy reported to Congress several problems with surface ships. Over the past decades, their combat effectiveness has declined and many have reached their "retirement" age.
At the same time, the cost of maintaining an aging fleet is increasing, creating an issue even for the massive US military budget.
The US Navy spent $2.8 billion between 2015 and 2019 to renovate shipyards. According to a government report, four state-owned companies have not met deadlines for 75% maintenance of aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.
Problems in land and take off gears from ships
The US Navy is also facing problems with the take-off and landing devices for ship-borne helicopters, as their serviceability has declined and such technical failures can lead to tragedy more than once.
In October 2019, the helicopter MH-60 Seahawk crashed while landing on the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan. The cause of the accident was a fault in the ship's electrical system, which gave the pilot incorrect data on disembarkation.
Next year, the Navy will write off more than 20 ships. The list was approved by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Michael Gildy.
In this context, the Defense Affairs Editor in the American magazine The National Interest, David Axe, wrote a study regarding the reality of the Chinese Navy, noting that it constitutes a nightmare for the US Navy and forces, which demands the United States to reconsider its naval strategy in the Pacific Ocean.
Axe stated that China has now replaced older, less capable patrol ships, adding that it is applying lessons learned from scrutinizing the US and Japanese Coast Guard gold model.
