The Posture Hearing

Galrahn alludes to the HASC Navy Posture Hearing yesterday, something I found interesting for many reasons, but especially these two:

1.  Under questioning from Representative Forbes, SECNAV made the statement that "...we have 36 ships under contract, all under fixed-price contracts".  It is difficult for me to find any rigor behind that number, though it may exist.  It looks to me like SECNAV is counting the LCS acquisition strategy, which negotiated FIXED PRICES for  20 or so ships, but did not obligate the government to actually purchase any of those (except 2 hulls the year it was negotiated).  Actual acquisition of the remaining ships is done year to year.  But, I could be wrong on this.

2.  SECNAV took a pounding on his energy priorities, and deservedly so.  That the Navy is taking a lead in attempting to move away from petroleum is not objectionable.  What I do find questionable is his utterly marginal capacity and willingness to make coherent arguments for the value of that which the energy sources he champions propel--the instruments of American Seapower.

Bryan McGrath