An Aging Amphibious Warfare Fleet Will Not Deter China (From RealClearDefense)

Events of recent weeks have underscored the correctness of the Biden administration’s view that China is this country’s pacing threat, one that is racing to create a military that would challenge that of the United States. The U.S. military is seeking to alter both the design of its forces and how they operate in peacetime to provide a credible deterrent and, if necessary, a war-winning capability. To that end, the U.S. Navy is proposing both a quantitative and qualitative buildup. One part of the fleet that must be enhanced in both respects is the amphibious warfare force. In order to meet the Navy’s target for the size of the amphibious warfare fleet, the Navy will actually have to increase its proposed procurements of these ships. The way to do this is by accelerating production of America-class LHAs, such as the USS Bougainville, and continue producing LPD-17 Flight II ships at a steady pace. LPD Flight II has a proven hull design that could decrease risk and increase delivery speed in replacing the LSD class. I have written more on modernizing and growing the amphibious warfare fleet here.