Optimizing APS

GAO has produced a new report on various interagency issues in AFRICOM including a focus on the Africa Partnership Stations. One item of interest is the table on page 54 listing the ships used over the 14 iterations of APS, which include US CRUDES and Amphibs, USCG cutters, and allied ships. Given the enduring nature of this mission, and others like it around the world, one wonders when the Navy will procure a vessel optimized to engage nascent navies. Certainly DDGs are overkill. If the primary goal is a platform that can hold the various training teams and interagency reps, then a JHSV will probably fit the bill. But if it's to give partners a realistically attainable platform to emulate for operations and training, then the USCG cutters, or better yet, a new green water vessel (something between a PC and FFG/LCS) would be appropriate. Maybe the right answer is a mix of the two.

Also worthwhile is the discussion of challenges involving various flavors of money in support of partner capacity building efforts, which include spending details from Nashville's APS deployment. The problems inherent with complex and inefficient funding and authorities for security force assistance have been reported consistently by multiple COCOMs for several years, yet OSD, Congress, and other relevant agencies have done next to nothing to address this critical shortfall to security cooperation.

The opinions and views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and are presented in his personal capacity. They do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Defense or any of its agencies.