Credibility of Navy Leadership assailed on Hill

[HeyJoe]

After President submits his budget to Congress every February, a host of Navy Leaders visit the hill to testify before various Congressional Committees. Meanwhile, Congressional (Committee) Staffers meet with OPNAV and respective program managers to go over specific programs in terms of plans and execution status. According to this article, Navy is experiencing criticsm for not matching pronouncements with reality. Not a good rep to have as the various Congressional Committeesa dn Subcommittees mark up their bills before floor votes and transmission for Presidential approval in t he fall.

 

[Flash]

With the spiralling cost of shipbuilding, to include the fiasco that is the LCS, and the seemingly unrealistic goals that the Navy has set out for itself in terms of fleet numbers, it is no wonder that some people think that the Navy has lost a bit of credibility.

I still can't wrap my head around why the Navy needs the LCS, it seems like nothign more than a glorified minesweeper that can carry helos to me, or how we would be able to afford the DDX/DDG-1000, which will cost a couple billion a piece when all is said and done.

Who will tell the Emperor he has no clothes?

 

[bert]

What, they think we aren't really going to build 2 or 3 subs a year in the out-years? What could possibly have given them that idea?

 

[Scoob]

"When business strategies override operational needs, officers wonder whether they are war fighters or executives."

Exactly.

 

[A4sForever]

"When business strategies override operational needs, officers wonder whether they are war fighters or executives."

Or when ANYTHING overrides operational needs ... ??

Let us see .... did we join up to be the tip of the spear or be a business exec. .... now which one did we want to be .... hmmmm ... ???

The reality of the above quote is why I and 75% + of my Amigos voted w/ our feet. We didn't dislike the NAV or our jobs --- we disliked just the psedo executive office suite bullshit and the "careerists" dressed in Navy uniforms who were creeping in under the door and ruining the culture and traditions of our -- not their -- Navy.

 

[Hozer]

The 14-year-old Stout is considered by maintenance officers to be an old ship, yet it is barely one-third of the way through its 40-year career. The Chosin is 17 years old and needs to remain operational for 18 more years.

Wow. Insert " I guess they don't make 'em like they used to" cliche here.
It sounds like Big Navy wants to make DDX a seagoing F-22. Overly capable of everything. Too bad there won't be many of them.


You know, $5.5 billion for a destroyer? I didn't care much for FFG-7's when I deployed on them and their capability was certainly limited, SPS-49, MK 92,SM-1, CIWS 1B, 76mm, JOTS, and of course the 60B. But, you can buy a shitload of 'em for that kinda coin. Put a GCCS-M system on 'em and a VLS and viola!
Something that is still far more capable than most naval combatants at sea today.

 

[Flash]

But, you can buy a shitload of 'em for that kinda coin.

'"Quantity has a quality all its own"

Put a GCCS-M system on 'em and a VLS and viola!
Something that is still far more capable than most naval combatants at sea today.

These ain't too bad, and it cost $3 billion for all five:

http://www.jeffhead.com/aegisvesselsoftheworld/nansen.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fridtjof_Nansen_class_frigate

 

[nittany03]

Thoughts on the matter from a retired O-6 . . .

 

[HeloBubba]

Business Strategies?!?!

Since when did the Navy start talking like the Air Force?

 

[HuggyU2]

The reality of the above quote is why I and 75% + of my Amigos voted w/ our feet. We didn't dislike the NAV or our jobs --- we disliked just the psedo executive office suite bullshit and the "careerists" dressed in Navy uniforms who were creeping in under the door and ruining the culture and traditions of our -- not their -- Navy.

Although this has been said in many different ways, many times before, it's still the best post of the week.

Since when did the Navy start talking like the Air Force?

I was thinking the same thing, actually. Welcome to the new DoD. It's going to become a homogenized military over time, as the P.C. non-warriors continue to assert their authority.

 

[usmarinemike]

I was thinking the same thing, actually. Welcome to the new DoD. It's going to become a homogenized military over time, as the P.C. non-warriors continue to assert their authority.

I pray that the Marine Corps has the power to overcome without becoming extinct. Actually, if the Marine Corps doesn't overcome this officer rot it will, in effect, be extinct, or at least the Marine Corps I know will be. Maybe there will be a savior.

 

[Scoob]

Maybe there will be a savior.

Herro? Is somebody carring me???
............................\|

 

[usmarinemike]

That's actually a good point. I suppose it'll take something much greater than low level conflict and counter-insurgency to be the dynamite that blasts the logjam.

Come to think of it, something like that would also refresh the blood in Washington on "The Hill", too.

I'm all for a refresher, but not so much the war part (I know, shocking, but I'm trying to grow).

 

[Scoob]

That's actually a good point. I suppose it'll take something much greater than low level conflict and counter-insurgency to be the dynamite that blasts the logjam.

Come to think of it, something like that would also refresh the blood in Washington, too.

I'm all for a refresher, but not so much the war part (I know, shocking, but I'm trying to grow).

Give us a good knock down, drag out and you'll see a whole different type "voting with their feet".

Then maybe we can push the money where it should be going - to improve the capability of the guy on the frontline, not the capability of the guy in the rear to monitor what the guy on the frontline is doing.

 

[BigIron]

With the spiralling cost of shipbuilding, to include the fiasco that is the LCS, and the seemingly unrealistic goals that the Navy has set out for itself in terms of fleet numbers, it is no wonder that some people think that the Navy has lost a bit of credibility.

I still can't wrap my head around why the Navy needs the LCS, it seems like nothing more than a glorified minesweeper that can carry helos to me, or how we would be able to afford the DDX/DDG-1000, which will cost a couple billion a piece when all is said and done.

Who will tell the Emperor he has no clothes?

I think the idea of LCS was to have basically an empty ship that could contain plug and play mission modules for whatever mission was required (AMCM, special ops, etc). It would basically be an aviation capable ship. I think the idea was also to have a multi-mission capable platform which would preclude the Navy having to purchase/build single mission focused vessels.

The Navy has enjoyed some "LCS-type" conceptual and actual successes by using the leased "HSV 2."

I think the idea of an LCS works in theory and maybe even in practice, but money issues (credibility issues) have basically put it on hold.