The Navy’s Plan To Modernize Military Sealift Makes Sense. Congress Needs To Keep It Funded. (From Forbes)

Sealift is essential to sustaining an overseas war effort. The U.S. Navy is responsible for supplying that sealift when and where it is needed. The service is working to modernize a fleet of sealift vessels that average over 40 years of age–a task made harder by the fact that the Navy needs to also be building new surface combatants and submarines at a faster pace than in the recent past. The Navy has devised a three-part plan for revitalizing sealift that combines new ship construction in domestic yards with conversion of second-hand commercial vessels and life extensions of ships already in the government’s sealift fleet. The plan isn’t ideal, but it is the most affordable approach that is likely to meet military needs, so Congress needs to keep it funded. I have written a commentary for Forbes here.