View non-flash version
28 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • JUNE 2014 THE 2014 YEARBOOK: NAVY SHIPBUILDING N avies and Coast Guards everywhere face budgetary pres- sure, even in the U.S. which has the largest Navy in the world. The balance between desire for capacity and capability and pressure for afford- ability has never been more acute with the precarious budgetary issues pre- sented by declining defense budgets, se- questration, continuing resolutions and government shutdowns. Even so, there are ongoing major construction efforts to include large nuclear aircraft carriers and submarines, amphibious ships, destroy- ers and smaller combatants, albeit with compromises in quality, quantity and ca- pability. To prepare the Navy’s program within the ? scal constraints, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert set the following six priorities. “Number one is the sea-based strategic deterrence. Number two, forward presence. Three, the capability and the capacity to win decisively. Number four, the readiness to do that. Number ? ve, to sustain our asymmetric capabilities and our techno- logical edge. And number six, to sustain a relevant industrial base. Using these priorities, we build a balanced portfolio of capabilities within the ? scal guid- U.S. Navy Ship construction programs move ahead, but it’s not smooth sailing. By Edward Lundquist The littoral combat ship Pre-Commis- sioning Unit (PCU) Coronado (LCS 4) is rolled-out at the Austal USA assem- bly bay. Coronado is scheduled to be christened Jan. 14, 2012 and will un- dergo sea trials later this year. (U.S. Navy photo cour tesy Austal USA/Released) MR #6 (26-33).indd 28 5/29/2014 9:10:52 AM
