{"id":34322,"date":"2021-02-15T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/02\/15\/can-the-biden-administration-break-the-cycle-of-marathon-naval-deployments-to-the-mideast\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:51:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:51:04","slug":"can-the-biden-administration-break-the-cycle-of-marathon-naval-deployments-to-the-mideast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/naval\/2021\/02\/15\/can-the-biden-administration-break-the-cycle-of-marathon-naval-deployments-to-the-mideast\/","title":{"rendered":"Can the Biden administration break the cycle of marathon naval deployments to the Mideast?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 By the time the crews of the aircraft carrier Nimitz <\/a>and its escort ships step on the pier in Bremerton, Washington, they will have been away from home for almost a year, most of which will have been spent floating around in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until the last decade, the U.S. Navy tried to limit deployments to six months to give crew members ample time for training and maintenance<\/a>. But as the fleet contracted and demands remained steady \u2014 or occasionally grew \u2014 the length of Navy deployments exploded to as many as 10 months or more, forcing the fleet to fall back on extreme measures such as sending carriers out twice in the same 36-month deployment cycle, colloquially known as a \u201cdouble-pump\u201d deployment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After showing signs of improvement following two deadly collisions in 2017, the Navy is again under pressure to provide aircraft carrier presence to the Middle East for the American regional force, U.S. Central Command, despite what experts say is limited public evidence that such deployments deter the United States\u2019 top geopolitical adversary in the region: Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting priorities<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy has called its current pace of operations unsustainable. Historically, long deployments with aging carriers create expensive logjams in public and private shipyards, where workers rush to fix equipment that was used in excess of what it was designed for. Delays at shipyards mean longer deployments for the ships used for forward presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration has begun a global force posture review, like the Trump team, which also tried to pivot from heavy naval presence in the Middle East as a means of preserving forces for potential conflict in Europe or Asia. With experts and lawmakers alike intent on considering competition with China, might the new administration finally break the cycle of deploying the fleet beyond its means to service Central Command\u2019s demands?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s reason to believe that may be the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his confirmation hearing last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told senators that while he had spent most of his career thinking about the Middle East, his arrival at the Pentagon would bring with it a focus on China. Austin, a retired Army general, led CENTCOM from 2013 to 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was focused on the Middle East for quite some time because that was the most important thing for our country,\u201d he said. \u201cSo we put our best equipment towards that effort, our best people, and it was absolutely necessary at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut if confirmed, you can expect that I\u2019ll put a laser-like focus on developing the right capabilities, plans and operational concepts that\u2019ll ensure that we maintain a competitive edge as we look at ourselves with respect to China.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Austin also told lawmakers that \u201cAsia must be the focus of our effort, and I see China in particular as a pacing challenge for the department.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not the first time a defense secretary called for a refocus of the Defense Department\u2019s efforts toward China. But Central Command\u2019s siren song continues to draw aircraft carriers back to the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During testimony in March 2020, Central Command chief Gen. Kenneth McKenzie told House lawmakers that the aircraft carrier \u201chas a profound deterring effect, principally upon Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey know what the carrier is. They track the presence of the carrier. And I view a carrier as a critical part of a deterrent posture effective against Iran,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t