Q&A · 9:10:39-9:11:07

The US Navy's post-1943 logistics advantage

The assessment of US fleet support distinguishes its position at the time of recording from a qualified claim about the entire period since 1943.

Question

Has the US Navy been the world's most self-sustaining navy since 1943?

Short answer

Probably for much of the period in this assessment, with brief postwar equivalence by other navies and no continuous comparison established from 1943.

Notes

Sustaining a fleet far from home requires a continuing logistical train. The US Navy is judged to have led in this capability by the time of the recording, with its size contributing to that assessment. Extending the judgment back to 1943 produces a more qualified answer: American leadership is considered probable for much of the period. Other navies are credited with brief periods of comparable capability after World War II through different support methods, without specific fleets being named.