Sharpening the Spear: The Carrier, the Joint Force, and High-End Conflict

On October 8, Hudson Institute's Center for American Seapower will release its report on the future of the aircraft carrier entitled Sharpening the Spear:  The Carrier, the Joint Force, and High-End Conflict.  House Armed Services Committee, Seapower and Projection Forces Sub-Committee Chairman Randy Forbes (R-VA) will headline a lunch-time briefing and panel event.  Register online at the Hudson Institute's registration page.  

Here is a summary of the event:

Event Details
The aircraft carrier has served as the lynchpin of American naval power for eight decades. However, given their cost and mounting Anti-Access/Area Denial threats, many observers have questioned whether it is worthwhile to continue to build large, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. In a new report, Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower provides a comprehensive analysis of the future of the aircraft carrier. Sharpening the Spear: The Carrier, the Joint Force, and High-End Conflict examines the role of Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) in high-end conflict, identifying capabilities and vulnerabilities, and offering innovative recommendations for policymakers and military strategists in terms of concepts, capabilities, and capacities. The report concludes that while many criticisms of the platform have merit, the unmatched flexibility and adaptability of the aircraft carrier will continue to make it a critical Navy contribution to joint U.S. warfighting capabilities.

On October 8th, Hudson will release the report at an event in the Rayburn House Office Building. Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) will give keynote remarks on the role of the carrier in future warfighting. Bryan McGrath, deputy director of the Center for American Seapower, will give an overview of the report’s key insights, and Seth Cropsey, director of the Center for American Seapower, will moderate a panel on the importance of the carrier in American military strategy. The panel will feature Ronald O’Rourke, specialist in national defense at the Congressional Research Service; Robert Martinage, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments; and Timothy A. Walton, co-author of the report and principal at Alios Consulting Group.

Kindly RSVP by Friday, October 2nd. Advance registration is required and a light lunch will be served.


SPEAKERS

Congressman J. Randy Forbes (R-VA)
Congressman J. Randy Forbes is Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. He has represented Virginia’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2001.

Seth Cropsey
Seth Cropsey is Director of the Center for American Seapower at Hudson Institute. He is a co-author of Sharpening the Spear: The Carrier, the Joint Force, and High-End Conflict.

Bryan McGrath
Bryan McGrath is Deputy Director of the Center for American Seapower at Hudson Institute. He is a co-author of Sharpening the Spear: The Carrier, the Joint Force, and High-End Conflict.

Timothy A. Walton
Timothy A. Walton is Principal at Alios Consulting Group and a co-author of Sharpening the Spear: The Carrier, the Joint Force, and High-End Conflict.

Ronald O’Rourke
Ronald O’Rourke is Specialist in National Defense at the Congressional Research Service.

Robert Martinage
Robert Martinage is Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

PROGRAM

Registration and Lunch
11:30 am — 12:00 pm
Introduction by Seth Cropsey
12:00 pm — 12:10 pm
Remarks by Congressman Randy Forbes
12:10 pm — 12:25 pm
Study Brief by Bryan McGrath
12:25 pm — 12:40 pm
Panel Discussion
12:40 pm — 1:30 pm
Audience Q & A
1:30 pm — 2:00 pm

This event will be recorded and posted
on hudson.org after it concludes.