{"id":136696,"date":"2018-11-12T01:00:21","date_gmt":"2018-11-12T01:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/12\/us-army-warns-of-crippling-sealift-shortfalls-during-wartime\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:20:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:20:01","slug":"us-army-warns-of-crippling-sealift-shortfalls-during-wartime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2018\/11\/12\/us-army-warns-of-crippling-sealift-shortfalls-during-wartime\/","title":{"rendered":"US Army warns of crippling sealift shortfalls during wartime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. Army is pushing Congress to act on a looming sealift shortfall<\/a> that will create \u201cunacceptable risk in force projection\u201d within the next five years if the Navy doesn\u2019t act quickly, according to a document from the Army\u2019s G-4 logistics shop obtained by Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to a committee inquiry, the Army in February sent a warning to the House Armed Services Committee in an information paper noting the nation\u2019s surge sealift capacity \u2014 which would be responsible for transporting up to 90 percent of Army and Marine Corps equipment in the event of a major war \u2014 would fall below its requirement by 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout proactive recapitalization of the Organic Surge Sealift Fleet, the Army will face unacceptable risk in force projection capability<\/a> beginning in 2024,\u201d the document said, adding that the advanced age of the current fleet adds further risk to the equation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy 2034, 70% of the organic fleet will be over 60 years old \u2014 well past its economic useful life; further degrading the Army\u2019s ability to deploy forces,\u201d the document reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army\u2019s G-4 also alluded to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis\u2019 readiness push, adding that even the most prepared forces wouldn\u2019t matter if they can\u2019t reach the front line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShortfalls in sealift capacity undermine the effectiveness of US conventional deterrence as even a fully-resourced and trained force has limited deterrent value if an adversary believes they can achieve their strategic objective in the window of opportunity before American land forces arrive,\u201d the paper reads. \u201cThe Army\u2019s ability to project military power influences adversaries\u2019 risk calculations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The document reflects the Army\u2019s growing impatience with the Navy\u2019s efforts to recapitalize its surge sealift ships, which are composed of a series of roll-on\/roll-off ships and other special-purpose vessels operated by Military Sealift Command and the Maritime Administration. And Capitol Hill shares the Army\u2019s view, according to two HASC staffers, who spoke on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\t