{"id":18180,"date":"2018-03-09T16:06:52","date_gmt":"2018-03-09T16:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/09\/lawmakers-express-concerns-over-navys-aging-surge-sealift-fleet\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:14:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:14:27","slug":"lawmakers-express-concerns-over-navys-aging-surge-sealift-fleet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/03\/09\/lawmakers-express-concerns-over-navys-aging-surge-sealift-fleet\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers express concerns over Navy’s aging surge sealift fleet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Any future war against a conventional military would require rapid transportation of massive amounts of troops and gear via the Navy\u2019s surge sealift<\/a> forces, a capability that has not been in great demand during America\u2019s asymmetric Iraq<\/a> and Afghanistan<\/a> wars of the 21st century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this week, the head of the House Armed Services Committee\u2019s subcommittee on seapower and projection forces voiced concern about the state of that fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concerns come as lawmakers and the Pentagon seek to rebuild and fortify the military\u2019s ability to fight a possible conventional war against a resurgent Russia<\/a>, ascendant China<\/a> or belligerent North Korea<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m concerned about the Navy\u2019s enabling forces, and specifically the surge sealift forces,\u201d Rep. Rob Wittman<\/a> said at a budget hearing Tuesday. \u201cOur inability to provide a more responsive surge sealift will place soldiers\u2019 and Marines\u2019 lives at risk in a future conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When troops can\u2019t get to the battle in time, the Virginia republican noted, \u201cyou need to fight your way in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have seen the casualties of such a strategy in prior conflict,\u201d Wittman added, who called the vital surge sealift force \u201cantiquated and insufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He criticized the state of the sealift force while taking to task the Navy\u2019s \u201cinability to act and embrace a bold ship building vision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon\u2019s inspector general<\/a> announced in December that it would investigate whether Military Sealift Command had ensured that pre-positioned ships had been getting proper maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was preceded last summer by a Government Accountability Offic<\/a>e report that found the surge sealift fleet was showing signs of readiness decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\t