Compass Points - Down Payment
Keep an eye on the money.
Compass Points - Down Payment
Keep an eye on the money.
October 11, 2024
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In the US market for cars, SUVs, and light trucks, well over 1 million are sold each month. Consumers research cars, talk about cars, visit showrooms, and go for test drives. When asked about a particular vehicle, a consumer might say good things about it, "great car" or "just what we need" or "the car of the future." But all those comments are just words until the consumer shows how serious he really is. A consumer is serious when he comes across with a down payment. The bigger the down payment, the more serious, the more committed he is. The down payment is the truth teller.
It is not that much different when it comes to buying Navy ships.
A recent article in USNI News announces, "Ingalls Wins $9.6B in Shipbuilding Contracts for 4 Amphibious Warships." Finally, the "strategic pause" in amphibious ships building is over. And the previous decision to build no more San Antonio class amphibious ships has been reversed.
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HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding has been awarded $9.6 billion in contracts to build four amphibious warships, according to a Tuesday announcement from the Pentagon.
A $5.79 billion award funds the detailed design and construction of three Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious warships – LPD-33, LPD-34 and LPD35. A second $3.8 bill award funds the advanced procurement and detailed design and construction for the future big deck amphib Helmand Province (LHA-10), according to the contract announcement.
“We greatly appreciate the stability that this award provides to all Ingalls shipbuilders and our surrounding communities,” Ingalls president Kari Wilkinson said in a statement to USNI News.
“It is an honor to continue our support of the joint Navy and Marine Corps mission to meet the minimum 31 amphibious ship requirement.”
-- USNI News
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Congress and the Navy have put down $10bil on a block buy as a start to building the amphibious fleet the Marine Corps must have to act as the Nation’s 9-1-1 force. The hefty $10bil amphib ship down payment shows how serious Congress is about keeping Marines on patrol, onboard Navy ships, able to arrive quickly at a trouble shore to deter, assist, or fight.
The $10bil block buy clearly shows Congress is serious about Marines and global crisis response.
But what about the other block buy? The Marine Corps has for years said it also needs 35 LSMs – Landing Ship Medium, to serve as a small island connector to ferry Marines among islands off the coast of China. Many powerpoint slides have been created to support the LSM. As reported by the Congressional Research Service, the LSM was developed . . .
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. . . with an eye toward potential conflict scenarios with China in the Western Pacific. Under the concept, the Marine Corps envisions, among other things, having reinforced-platoon-sized Marine Corps units maneuver around the theater, moving from island to island, to fire anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) and perform other missions so as to contribute, alongside Navy and other U.S. military forces, to U.S. operations to counter and deny sea control to Chinese forces. The LSMs would be instrumental to these operations, with LSMs embarking, transporting, landing, and subsequently reembarking these small Marine Corps units.
-- Congressional Research Service, Landing Ship Medium
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The score is $10bil to zero.
For worldwide Marine Corps crisis response, Congress has funded a $10bil block buy of amphibious ships.
For the LSM island connector to transport small units of missile Marines among Pacific islands, the Congress has funded, not a $1bil block buy of LSMs, not a $1mil block buy of LSMs, and not even a $1.00 purchase of LSMs. Congress has authorized zero production dollars for the LSM.
It has been more than five years since some Marine leaders began promoting the idea of placing small Marine missile units on Pacific islands. During those years, many people praised the small missile unit idea for being innovative and futuristic. Some people have said that by comparison Marine Corps global crisis response is old and stale.
Global crisis response is not old and stale. It never can be. Global crisis response is as urgent and relevant as a headline about ground assaults in Ukraine, or air assaults in Israel, or assaults by ship in the South China Sea.
Compass Points salutes the US Congress for looking behind the LSM powerpoint slides and seeing instead the ongoing importance of global crisis response.
No large purchase is serious until someone makes a down payment. The $10bil block buy does not solve the amphibious ship crisis, but the down payment shows the seriousness and commitment of Congress, and it gets the Navy and Marine Corps moving in the right direction. When the day comes and Marines are onboard those $10bil of amphibious ships, racing to the scene of another crisis. Congress can be certain that the money was not wasted. The Nation will be stronger tomorrow because of what Congress has done today.
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USNI News - 09/24/2024
Ingalls Wins $9.6B in Shipbuilding Contracts for 4 Amphibious Warships
By Sam LaGrone
So little info about the tests with the HOS Resolution (Stern Landing Vessel). Marine Traffic shows it currently in Okinawa so, at the least, it seems to be engaged in the Far East where it should be. Looks like the ship has/will participate in ops with Australia. Following the money, MSC has contracted two additional, larger Platform Supply Vessels, though I don't have details of the contracts when it comes to how the ships will be fitted for purpose. Also, some contracts have been awarded for LSM prototypes. Good news to end on; USS Harrisburg (LPD) got it's feet wet for the first time when it launched on October 8th. Hopefully she makes a smooth run through the remainder of her build, fitting, and trials so she can be operational and underway soon.
Hmm. So reading between the lines it appears that the author is "saying" that we should be of good cheer and to follow the money. Congress is all about the Marine Corps and crisis response but not so sold on Force Design 2030. Politics is a strange beast. The talk out of congress has been of huge support but the actions speak otherwise. So what do I watch for next?