Working toward a 313-ship Navy at a minimum

As co-chairman of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus, I am proud to announce that on May 22 the House passed the fiscal 2009 defense authorization bill (H.R. 5658), an important bill that invests in our long-term national security by increasing our production of nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) to two per year in 2010 and maintains our nation’s current aircraft carrier force-structure at 11 carriers.

A robust naval fleet is critical to America’s long-term security. Cost-effective shipbuilding is essential to maintain our naval presence around the world, and maintaining a strong industrial base is vital to the advancement of our shipbuilding goals, our communities and our nation. As a Congress and as a nation, we must do all that we can to ensure that the resources are available to establish a 313-ship Navy as a floor, not a ceiling, for our naval fleet force-structure. Increased attack submarine development and aircraft carrier production are vital in attaining the goal of a 313-ship Navy.

Attack submarines and surface combatants are essential for intelligence gathering, special operations, surveillance, reconnaissance and deterrence. The attack submarine is the platform of choice for our combatant commanders today. In fact, modern submarines are currently playing a critical role in our national security by undertaking vital missions as part of the global war on terror. For example, in testimony before the House Armed Services Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee last year, Adm. John Donnelly, commander of submarine forces, stated that the Navy is “using submarines extensively in the global war on terror” and gathering intelligence “that’s briefed at the very highest levels of our government and military.”

Additionally, our aircraft carriers play a vital role in displaying America’s forward presence.  The carrier and her associated aviation squadrons enable our nation to dominate the high seas, skies and battle-space. The aircraft carrier is the first responder in a global crisis, and the nuclear-powered, technologically advanced warships can maintain their presence indefinitely at the will of our nation’s leaders.  We must maintain our naval force-structure at a sufficient level to meet emerging, asymmetric threats around the globe, and the flexibility and quantity of ships in upcoming decades will determine which nations maintain economic and political dominance on the world stage.

According to U.S. Navy estimates, our nation will need to sustain a fleet of at least 48 attack submarines to meet future national security challenges. In 2007 Congress took the long-awaited step of accelerating the construction of two Virginia Class Submarines per year to begin in 2011 as opposed to 2012. 

However, even at this accelerated rate, our force-structure will drop below the minimum required for a 12-year period from fiscal 2022 to 2033, with a low of 41 attack submarines from 2028 to 2029. In 2007 the attack submarine force was able to meet only 54 percent of requested missions, yet our nation’s submariners continue to be asked to “do more with less” as the demand for their unique stealth and intelligence capabilities increases while force levels decline.

The same holds true as our total number of aircraft carriers has declined in recent years.  This increased demand will continue to strain our ability to respond to and deter threats, and we must reverse this trend. As other strategic competitors, such as China, India, and North Korea, are investing in their naval and submarine forces, America must do the same. America must invest in the infrastructure and industrial capacity of shipbuilding to maintain our commercial dominance, forward presence, and national security. Since the age of Teddy Roosevelt’s Atlantic Fleet dispatch, America’s Navy has led the charge in shipbuilding quality and capability, and today, more than ever before, quantity also matters!

Our investment in the future of our submarine force by further accelerating an increased build rate is a step that will further close the impending shortfall in the submarine force and strengthen our domestic industrial base, and the provision that continues to maintain our aircraft carrier fleet at 11 ships are essential aspects of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 that will enable our nation to meet current and future national security needs and long-term challenges.  Cost-effective shipbuilding is the foundation of our nation’s naval fleet. I look forward to the establishment of the 313-ship Navy in years to come. Maintaining the shipbuilding industry in America, maintaining the forward presence of our ships, and maintaining our safety and security at home are viable, essential goals that our nation must strive to meet now and for centuries to come.

Wittman is co-chairman of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus.