Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:05:11-4:09:14

Restoring high-speed carrier-group mobility

Fast replenishment is proposed to support high-speed gas-turbine escorts, while LCS provides local protection through confined approaches.

Carrier Strike GroupsFast Combat Support ShipsLittoral Combat ShipNaval LogisticsNimitz Class Aircraft CarriersNuclear Powered Cruisers
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Question

How could the US Navy restore the strategic mobility once associated with nuclear carrier escorts?

Short answer

One proposal is to restore fast replenishment ships so gas-turbine escorts can sustain rapid transits, with local forces protecting contested gaps.

Notes

Nuclear cruisers provided escorts able to keep up when a carrier had to move rapidly between theaters. Gas-turbine Ticonderogas and Burkes could also sustain roughly 25-knot transits, provided they received fuel. One proposed answer is to rebuild the fast replenishment capability associated with the Sacramento and Supply classes. Littoral Combat Ships are assigned a more local role, protecting movement through gaps such as the Strait of Hormuz against small surface craft. Their high speed does not provide the endurance needed for an entire ocean deployment.