WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.299 Welcome back to The Deep Dive, where we take 00:00:02.299 --> 00:00:04.719 on vast, complex subjects, providing you with 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:06.780 the shortcuts to becoming thoroughly well -informed. 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:10.460 Today, we are undertaking a massive mission, 00:00:10.619 --> 00:00:13.699 a deep dive into the United States. Navy, the 00:00:13.699 --> 00:00:16.960 USN. We're looking at a stack of sources detailing 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:19.579 its, well, it's sometimes surprising history, 00:00:19.780 --> 00:00:22.640 its intricate global structure and the colossal 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:25.199 unmatched scale of its power projection around 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:27.500 the world. You know, it's impossible to discuss 00:00:27.500 --> 00:00:29.920 U .S. global influence, trade routes or international 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:32.859 security without starting right here. The USN 00:00:32.859 --> 00:00:35.299 isn't just a military service. It's actually 00:00:35.299 --> 00:00:37.719 designated as the NAGY of the United States right 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:40.439 there in the Constitution. And the sources detailing 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:43.100 its modern scale. They usually generate that 00:00:43.100 --> 00:00:46.060 true aha moment when you see the numbers laid 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:48.200 out. That's really the only way to describe it, 00:00:48.219 --> 00:00:50.060 because when we talk about the size of this force, 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.039 we're not just talking about a major military 00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:54.460 branch. We're talking about a unique maritime 00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:57.679 superpower. To grasp its functional dominance, 00:00:57.899 --> 00:00:59.479 I think we have to start with its sheer weight. 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:01.899 Exactly. The key measure here is displacement. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:05.359 The metric ton weight of water displaced by all 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:08.340 the ships. The USN is the world's most powerful 00:01:08.340 --> 00:01:12.219 Navy by far, clocking in at 4 .5 million tons 00:01:12.219 --> 00:01:15.719 in 2021. Four and a half million. Yeah. And that 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:18.000 single statistic, the collective mass of the 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.700 US Navy, is greater than the combined displacement 00:01:20.700 --> 00:01:23.799 of the next several global navies. It just speaks 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:26.980 volumes about the sheer volume of material deployed 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:30.239 globally. And the most potent, most visible representation 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:33.750 of that overwhelming physical scale. has to be 00:01:33.750 --> 00:01:36.069 the aircraft carrier fleet. Oh, absolutely. We're 00:01:36.069 --> 00:01:38.329 looking at the largest fleet of nuclear -powered 00:01:38.329 --> 00:01:41.769 aircraft carriers in the world, 11 active carriers, 00:01:41.849 --> 00:01:44.329 which includes the 10 workhorse Nimitz -class 00:01:44.329 --> 00:01:47.489 vessels, and the newest, the Gerald R. Ford -class, 00:01:47.530 --> 00:01:49.430 which is just beginning its rotation. And that 00:01:49.430 --> 00:01:51.030 number is just the beginning. Right. You've got 00:01:51.030 --> 00:01:52.829 one carrier undergoing trials, two more under 00:01:52.829 --> 00:01:55.769 construction, and six more planned as of the 00:01:55.769 --> 00:01:58.769 2024 updates. That capacity for projecting air 00:01:58.769 --> 00:02:02.290 power across any ocean, any time, it's functionally... 00:02:02.349 --> 00:02:04.810 unprecedented. It is. These aren't just large 00:02:04.810 --> 00:02:07.450 ships. They are mobile, self -contained, sovereign 00:02:07.450 --> 00:02:10.090 air bases capable of conducting sustained combat 00:02:10.090 --> 00:02:13.229 operations thousands of miles from U .S. soil. 00:02:13.430 --> 00:02:16.330 And in terms of sheer manpower, the USN is the 00:02:16.330 --> 00:02:18.509 third largest U .S. military service branch. 00:02:18.729 --> 00:02:20.810 Our sources note the current roster includes 00:02:20.810 --> 00:02:24.610 approximately 344 ,600 active duty personnel. 00:02:24.789 --> 00:02:28.750 And an additional 57 ,500 reserve personnel. 00:02:29.189 --> 00:02:31.729 according to the 2025 figures. And those highly 00:02:31.729 --> 00:02:34.009 trained people are operating an astounding amount 00:02:34.009 --> 00:02:35.830 of equipment. Yeah, the latest data we have from 00:02:35.830 --> 00:02:38.530 2018 and 2019 puts the total ship count at 480 00:02:38.530 --> 00:02:41.250 vessels, of which about 300 are classified as 00:02:41.250 --> 00:02:44.150 deployable battle force ships, plus over 2 ,600 00:02:44.150 --> 00:02:47.250 operational aircraft. It truly is a global three 00:02:47.250 --> 00:02:49.270 -dimensional military enterprise. Which means 00:02:49.270 --> 00:02:51.469 the purpose behind this immense capability needs 00:02:51.469 --> 00:02:53.889 to be perfectly clear. What is the mission statement 00:02:53.889 --> 00:02:56.310 guiding this force? So the USN's official mission 00:02:56.310 --> 00:02:58.990 statement defines its purpose. Recruit, train, 00:02:59.150 --> 00:03:01.669 equip and organize to deliver combat ready naval 00:03:01.669 --> 00:03:04.389 forces to win conflicts and wars while maintaining 00:03:04.389 --> 00:03:06.710 security and deterrence through the crucial concept 00:03:06.710 --> 00:03:09.030 of sustained forward presence. That specific 00:03:09.030 --> 00:03:13.490 phrase, sustained forward presence, that feels 00:03:13.490 --> 00:03:16.050 like the operational differentiator for the Navy. 00:03:16.270 --> 00:03:18.669 It is. It means they aren't waiting at home for 00:03:18.669 --> 00:03:21.430 a crisis to emerge. They are consistently deployed. 00:03:21.949 --> 00:03:23.729 In the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, 00:03:23.990 --> 00:03:26.810 shaping the global security environment just 00:03:26.810 --> 00:03:29.710 by being there. Absolutely. And that sustained 00:03:29.710 --> 00:03:32.650 presence enables the Navy's five enduring functions, 00:03:32.889 --> 00:03:36.349 which define its strategic priorities. First, 00:03:36.509 --> 00:03:38.810 you have sea control, which is dominating a maritime 00:03:38.810 --> 00:03:41.370 space and denying its use to an adversary. Second, 00:03:41.729 --> 00:03:44.259 power projection. So delivering force from sea 00:03:44.259 --> 00:03:47.740 to land. Third, deterrence, which is discouraging 00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:50.319 aggression through visible, overwhelming capability. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:53.259 Right. Just by showing up. Exactly. Fourth is 00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:55.060 maritime security, which includes things like 00:03:55.060 --> 00:03:56.960 counter piracy and counter smuggling operations. 00:03:57.340 --> 00:04:00.159 And finally, sea lift, which is moving vast amounts 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:03.000 of military material and supplies globally. The 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:05.379 sources also detail the Navy's three specific 00:04:05.379 --> 00:04:07.599 primary responsibilities outlined by statute. 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:10.639 the preparation of naval forces for war, the 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:12.919 maintenance of naval aviation, including land 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.500 -based aviation, air transport and air weapons, 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:17.980 and the development of all necessary equipment, 00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:20.959 tactics, and organization. It speaks to a comprehensive, 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:23.740 all -encompassing mandate, doesn't it? Yeah. 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:25.800 They don't just sail ships. They manage everything 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:28.439 from developing the next generation of fighter 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:31.379 jets to defining the tactical doctrine for deep 00:04:31.379 --> 00:04:34.100 -sea anti -submarine warfare. Okay, so let's 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:37.420 unpack this. If the USN's current role is maintaining... 00:04:37.449 --> 00:04:40.410 global order through overwhelming force. How 00:04:40.410 --> 00:04:42.829 did this massive global force develop from its 00:04:42.829 --> 00:04:45.649 highly precarious beginnings? And most critically, 00:04:45.829 --> 00:04:47.850 how is it organized today to manage a mission 00:04:47.850 --> 00:04:50.170 that requires continuous multi -ocean global 00:04:50.170 --> 00:04:52.629 reach? A great question. Let's jump into the 00:04:52.629 --> 00:04:55.470 history. The very origins of the U .S. Navy are 00:04:55.470 --> 00:04:58.569 deeply rooted in the colonial seafaring tradition 00:04:58.569 --> 00:05:01.389 of the North American coast. You had expert sailors 00:05:01.389 --> 00:05:03.990 and builders long before the nation even existed. 00:05:04.209 --> 00:05:06.329 And the actual founding date we recognize is 00:05:06.329 --> 00:05:08.970 October. 13, 1775. That's when the Continental 00:05:08.970 --> 00:05:11.069 Congress authorized the purchase of two armed 00:05:11.069 --> 00:05:13.470 vessels, officially kicking off the Continental 00:05:13.470 --> 00:05:15.949 Navy during the Revolutionary War. And, you know, 00:05:15.970 --> 00:05:17.529 it's interesting that Congress was highly divided 00:05:17.529 --> 00:05:20.269 on this. Many felt that challenging the British 00:05:20.269 --> 00:05:22.990 Royal Navy, the dominant sea power on Earth, 00:05:23.149 --> 00:05:25.850 was a fool's errand. Right. A suicide mission. 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:28.149 They believed any money spent on a Navy would 00:05:28.149 --> 00:05:30.769 be better spent on the Army. But Commander -in 00:05:30.769 --> 00:05:33.860 -Chief George Washington. He didn't really wait 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:37.379 for permission or consensus. He essentially created 00:05:37.379 --> 00:05:41.000 a precursor Navy himself, commissioning the schooner 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:44.040 USS Hannah to begin interdicting British merchant 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.100 ships. And that proved the strategic concept 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:50.480 was viable and lucrative. We have the quote from 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:52.740 Washington himself articulating the existential 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:56.160 necessity of sea force. Without a decisive naval 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:58.560 force, we can do nothing definitive. And with 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.139 it. Everything honorable and glorious. Those 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:02.720 words should have been the final word on the 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:04.319 matter, but the young nations struggled with 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.459 funding. Immensely. Despite successfully raiding 00:06:07.459 --> 00:06:09.480 British ships and achieving some mixed victories, 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:12.019 the Continental Navy faced huge losses and was 00:06:12.019 --> 00:06:14.079 barely functional by the end of the war. And 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.639 here is the truly fascinating, almost unbelievable 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:22.420 strategic twist. The Great Lapse. After securing 00:06:22.420 --> 00:06:25.420 independence, Congress, facing massive debt and 00:06:25.420 --> 00:06:28.199 prioritizing other needs, effectively disbanded 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:31.600 the entire Continental Navy by August 1785. They 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:33.740 sold off their last ship, the Alliance. The last 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:36.579 one. And the nation was just left without a standing 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:39.199 military sea force. Which really raises an important 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:41.379 question. What was the political calculation 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:44.939 there? Why would they so easily discard a force 00:06:44.939 --> 00:06:48.019 that Washington himself said was essential? It 00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:50.500 seems like it was primarily economic, fueled 00:06:50.500 --> 00:06:53.500 by this dangerous sense of isolationism. The 00:06:53.500 --> 00:06:55.579 prevailing sentiment was that the Atlantic Ocean 00:06:55.579 --> 00:06:57.759 provided sufficient protection. Right, the big 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:01.139 moat theory. Exactly. And maintaining an expensive 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:04.019 standing navy in peacetime was a luxury the debt 00:07:04.019 --> 00:07:06.560 -ridden nation simply couldn't afford. They believed 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:08.860 they could rely on diplomacy or the good graces 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:11.100 of European allies. And that political calculation 00:07:11.100 --> 00:07:14.160 proved disastrously wrong within a decade. That 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:16.879 vulnerability immediately exposed U .S. merchant 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.839 ships. traveling in the Mediterranean and Atlantic 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:22.740 to severe attacks by the Barbary pirates, specifically 00:07:22.740 --> 00:07:26.149 those operating from Algiers. And thousands of 00:07:26.149 --> 00:07:28.829 American sailors were captured and held for ransom. 00:07:29.129 --> 00:07:32.269 This wasn't just a security risk. It was a devastating 00:07:32.269 --> 00:07:35.129 economic assault on American trade. This was 00:07:35.129 --> 00:07:37.529 the true catalyst for the Navy's reestablishment. 00:07:37.550 --> 00:07:39.810 The ransoms demanded by the pirates were far 00:07:39.810 --> 00:07:42.389 greater than the cost of six frigates. So it 00:07:42.389 --> 00:07:45.610 became an economic necessity. It did. The direct 00:07:45.610 --> 00:07:49.149 response was the Naval Act of 1794, which finally 00:07:49.149 --> 00:07:51.529 created a permanent standing Navy. It was an 00:07:51.529 --> 00:07:53.730 admission that sea power was vital to economic 00:07:53.730 --> 00:07:56.509 survival. And that act immediately led to the 00:07:56.509 --> 00:07:59.129 construction of six heavy frigates. The first 00:07:59.129 --> 00:08:02.389 three commissioned in October 1797 were the USS 00:08:02.389 --> 00:08:05.329 United States, the USS Constellation, and of 00:08:05.329 --> 00:08:08.310 course the now legendary USS Constitution. And 00:08:08.310 --> 00:08:10.709 we really credit John Adams with cementing this 00:08:10.709 --> 00:08:12.850 permanent necessity. He's often called the father 00:08:12.850 --> 00:08:15.769 of the American Navy for his strong, unwavering 00:08:15.769 --> 00:08:18.110 posture on maintaining this force. The new force 00:08:18.110 --> 00:08:20.189 was immediately tested, wasn't it? Right away. 00:08:20.860 --> 00:08:23.339 First, the undeclared Quasar War with France 00:08:23.339 --> 00:08:26.660 from 1798 to 99, and then the decisive First 00:08:26.660 --> 00:08:31.480 Barbary War from 1801 to 1805. These conflicts 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.059 showed the Navy could project force thousands 00:08:34.059 --> 00:08:36.860 of miles away, successfully defending U .S. ships. 00:08:37.389 --> 00:08:40.289 So the War of 1812 revealed the continued gap 00:08:40.289 --> 00:08:42.789 between U .S. and European naval power. It did. 00:08:42.970 --> 00:08:45.850 While the USN achieved spectacular individual 00:08:45.850 --> 00:08:48.490 ship victories and secured crucial operational 00:08:48.490 --> 00:08:50.750 success, like the Battle of Lake Erie. Which 00:08:50.750 --> 00:08:53.830 was huge. It was. But ultimately the size difference 00:08:53.830 --> 00:08:56.389 meant the U .S. Navy could not prevent the massive 00:08:56.389 --> 00:08:58.750 British effort to blockade its ports and land 00:08:58.750 --> 00:09:01.240 troops. It was a serious learning experience 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.700 about scale. They kept adapting, though. The 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:06.200 Mexican -American War in the 1840s allowed the 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:08.480 Navy to demonstrate its logistical and large 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:11.059 -scale force projection capabilities. And this 00:09:11.059 --> 00:09:13.179 is where they successfully executed the U .S. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:15.779 military's first large -scale amphibious joint 00:09:15.779 --> 00:09:18.759 operation, landing 12 ,000 Army troops with all 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:21.600 their equipment at Veracruz in one single coordinated 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:24.940 day. In one day. That's incredible. It set the 00:09:24.940 --> 00:09:26.960 standard for amphibious operations for the next 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:29.730 century. And the Navy became an instrument of 00:09:29.730 --> 00:09:33.090 foreign policy beyond just warfare. In 1854, 00:09:33.429 --> 00:09:36.429 Commodore Matthew C. Perry used naval power and 00:09:36.429 --> 00:09:39.429 diplomacy to force the opening of isolationist 00:09:39.429 --> 00:09:42.049 Japan. Right, establishing the U .S. as a critical 00:09:42.049 --> 00:09:44.649 player in the Pacific. Then came the Civil War, 00:09:44.830 --> 00:09:47.429 where the Union Navy's advantage was truly distinct. 00:09:47.710 --> 00:09:50.669 They enforced the Anaconda Plan, a devastating 00:09:50.669 --> 00:09:53.830 blockade on all major Confederate ports, strangling 00:09:53.830 --> 00:09:56.220 the South's economy. And their control over the 00:09:56.220 --> 00:09:59.440 inland rivers, the Brown Water Navy, made internal 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:01.879 movement and supply nearly impossible for the 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:04.519 Confederacy. This conflict also marked a revolutionary 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:07.549 moment in naval technology. the first combat 00:10:07.549 --> 00:10:10.429 involving ironclads. The famous clash between 00:10:10.429 --> 00:10:12.950 the turreted USS Monitor and the converted CSS 00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:16.309 Virginia in 1862. It just signaled the death 00:10:16.309 --> 00:10:18.649 knell of the wooden warship era. But here's where 00:10:18.649 --> 00:10:21.009 we see that dangerous cycle repeat itself. Once 00:10:21.009 --> 00:10:22.830 the Civil War concluded, the fleet was again 00:10:22.830 --> 00:10:25.909 neglected for nearly two decades. The focus shifted 00:10:25.909 --> 00:10:28.840 away from the sea. and the aging, mostly wooden 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:31.500 fleet became technologically obsolete compared 00:10:31.500 --> 00:10:33.980 to rising European powers. This neglect eventually 00:10:33.980 --> 00:10:36.440 forced a dramatic turnaround, though. It did. 00:10:37.179 --> 00:10:40.580 Modernization began in the 1880s, driven by naval 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:44.059 strategists like Alfred Thayer Mahan. This new 00:10:44.059 --> 00:10:47.080 steel navy spurred the American steel industry 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:49.740 and led to the building of the first purpose 00:10:49.740 --> 00:10:52.639 -built steel -hulled warships. And that modernization 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:55.820 paid dividends pretty quickly. The decisive victory 00:10:55.820 --> 00:10:58.879 over the outdated Spanish Navy in 1898 brought 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.620 immense global respect for American technical 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:04.860 quality and ambition. Which really set the stage 00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:07.360 for President Theodore Roosevelt to cement that 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:10.110 global arrival. The Great White Fleet of 1907 00:11:10.110 --> 00:11:12.509 was Roosevelt's masterstroke. It really was. 00:11:12.750 --> 00:11:14.889 He ordered a 14 -month circumnavigation of the 00:11:14.889 --> 00:11:17.669 world, sending 16 battleships and support vessels 00:11:17.669 --> 00:11:19.909 to demonstrate the Navy's blue water capability. 00:11:20.590 --> 00:11:23.190 This wasn't just a military exercise. It was 00:11:23.190 --> 00:11:25.570 global diplomacy and engineering confidence wrapped 00:11:25.570 --> 00:11:28.690 into one very visible package. World War I saw 00:11:28.690 --> 00:11:31.009 the Navy focusing heavily on protection, logistics, 00:11:31.250 --> 00:11:34.070 and anti -submarine operations. They were critical 00:11:34.070 --> 00:11:36.309 in safely shipping the American Expeditionary 00:11:36.309 --> 00:11:38.940 Force troops and supplies. across the U -boat 00:11:38.940 --> 00:11:41.740 -infested Atlantic. And they played a major role 00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:44.100 in laying the massive North Sea mine barrage 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:46.919 to counter German submarine activity. Then after 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:50.779 WWI, the world entered an age of strategic disorientation 00:11:50.779 --> 00:11:54.409 and calls for peace. Naval construction faced 00:11:54.409 --> 00:11:56.710 severe limitations imposed by the Washington 00:11:56.710 --> 00:11:59.669 Naval Conference of 1921 -22. Right, the treaty 00:11:59.669 --> 00:12:01.990 that tried to cap the size and number of capital 00:12:01.990 --> 00:12:04.370 ships for all the major global navies. Exactly. 00:12:04.610 --> 00:12:07.230 But this restriction actually forced critical 00:12:07.230 --> 00:12:10.370 innovation, didn't it? It did. The Navy, constrained 00:12:10.370 --> 00:12:13.169 by the treaty limits, found a loophole. Instead 00:12:13.169 --> 00:12:15.590 of scrapping partially built battlecruisers that 00:12:15.590 --> 00:12:18.110 were canceled, they converted those massive available 00:12:18.110 --> 00:12:21.350 hulls into the first significant aircraft carriers. 00:12:21.950 --> 00:12:25.070 USS Saratoga, and USS Lexington. So it was an 00:12:25.070 --> 00:12:27.370 accidental strategic pivot that laid the foundation 00:12:27.370 --> 00:12:29.730 for the next great power shift. Completely accidental. 00:12:30.029 --> 00:12:32.129 And at the same time, they were developing their 00:12:32.129 --> 00:12:34.269 strategy for the coming storm war plan Orange, 00:12:34.490 --> 00:12:36.970 which was a theoretical plan for victory against 00:12:36.970 --> 00:12:39.049 Japan and the Pacific, tragically anticipating 00:12:39.049 --> 00:12:41.620 the war that arrived 20 years later. World War 00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:44.080 II was the crucible. Despite the devastating 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:46.700 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the U .S. Navy 00:12:46.700 --> 00:12:49.139 played the central, defining role in defeating 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:52.000 Imperial Japan, executing the necessary island 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:54.200 -hopping campaign across the Pacific. And the 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:57.580 monumental shift to the war was undeniable. Aircraft 00:12:57.580 --> 00:12:59.960 carriers and their planes completely replaced 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:02.480 battleships as the decisive weapon on the seas. 00:13:02.700 --> 00:13:05.220 Battles like Midway, the Coral Sea, Lake Gulf, 00:13:05.259 --> 00:13:07.779 they weren't won by big guns. No, they were won 00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:10.500 by the reach of naval aviation. The doctrine 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:13.090 changed forever. Reach became more important 00:13:13.090 --> 00:13:15.450 than armor. The scale of growth during that period 00:13:15.450 --> 00:13:18.289 is still staggering. By 1943, the U .S. Navy 00:13:18.289 --> 00:13:20.669 was larger than the combined fleets of every 00:13:20.669 --> 00:13:23.389 other combatant nation. Combined. Combined. By 00:13:23.389 --> 00:13:28.409 1945, the U .S. operated 6 ,768 ships. That is 00:13:28.409 --> 00:13:30.950 a logistical feat unlikely to ever be repeated. 00:13:31.210 --> 00:13:34.450 Post -WWII, the Cold War redefined naval strategy 00:13:34.450 --> 00:13:36.970 yet again. The focus shifted to continuous technological 00:13:36.970 --> 00:13:39.429 advancement, permanent forward deployment, and 00:13:39.429 --> 00:13:41.190 the establishment of the self -contained carrier 00:13:41.289 --> 00:13:43.909 your battle group concept. And crucially, the 00:13:43.909 --> 00:13:47.149 Navy became integral to strategic nuclear deterrence 00:13:47.149 --> 00:13:49.070 through the introduction of ballistic missile 00:13:49.070 --> 00:13:52.049 submarines, the SSBMs. Right. Guaranteeing the 00:13:52.049 --> 00:13:54.590 U .S. maintained a robust, survivable second 00:13:54.590 --> 00:13:58.019 strike capability. This naval pillar was vital 00:13:58.019 --> 00:14:01.120 in conflicts from Korea and Vietnam to the critical 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.259 Cuban Missile Crisis. As the Cold War concluded, 00:14:03.659 --> 00:14:05.799 the focus shifted from massive global conflict 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:08.360 to regional stability and special operations, 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:11.659 the war on terror operations dominating the 21st 00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:14.509 century, and the modern strategic document. A 00:14:14.509 --> 00:14:16.909 cooperative strategy for 21st century sea power 00:14:16.909 --> 00:14:20.190 codified this change in 2007. Developed with 00:14:20.190 --> 00:14:22.230 the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard, it made 00:14:22.230 --> 00:14:24.990 a key philosophical shift. Which was? Elevating 00:14:24.990 --> 00:14:27.289 the prevention of war to the same strategic level 00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:30.009 as the conduct of war. And the rationale for 00:14:30.009 --> 00:14:32.350 this preventative posture. The strategist recognized 00:14:32.350 --> 00:14:34.669 that the entire global economic system relies 00:14:34.669 --> 00:14:37.730 on secure sea lanes. Exactly. Any regional disruption, 00:14:38.029 --> 00:14:40.190 whether from piracy, terrorism, or instability, 00:14:40.610 --> 00:14:43.179 adversely impacts the U .S. economy. Therefore, 00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:45.480 the Navy views itself as the principal means 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:47.659 through which the U .S. enforces and maintains 00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:50.740 that international global order, not just defensively, 00:14:50.740 --> 00:14:53.340 but proactively through that sustained forward 00:14:53.340 --> 00:14:56.139 presence. This brings us to the present -day 00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:59.000 dilemma regarding fleet size. In the early 2010s, 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:02.840 the goal was 313 combat ships. By 2016, that 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:06.460 plan called for 350 ships. And Congress, via 00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:09.700 the 2018 NDAA, mandated expanding the fleet to 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:12.539 355 ships as soon as practicable. But the reality 00:15:12.539 --> 00:15:14.820 is that the active battle force, as of 2022, 00:15:15.299 --> 00:15:18.440 stands at 296 ships. And more tellingly, the 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:20.320 chief of naval operations himself has stated 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.659 that given global commitments, the Navy actually 00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:25.399 needs a fleet of over 500 ships to execute its 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:28.419 mandate effectively. Wow. That is a staggering 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:31.759 operational gap. 500 needed, 296 active. It is. 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:33.840 And strategically, the U .S. has executed the 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.980 major pivot to East Asia, meaning 60 % of the 00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:38.659 total fleet was slated to be deployed to the 00:15:38.659 --> 00:15:41.720 Pacific by 2020. This underscores how geographic 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:43.820 requirements directly influence the required 00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:46.679 size and capability of the fleet. It truly sets 00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:49.220 the stage for the rest of our discussion. How 00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:51.840 does this enormous, historically adaptive force 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:54.600 manage the organizational complexity required 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:57.960 to operate 300 -plus battle force ships globally, 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:01.200 especially when they feel they need 500? Let's 00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:03.399 pivot now to the organization and the people 00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:06.080 who make it run. So the USN is part of a complex 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:08.120 hierarchy, starting with civilian oversight. 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:10.720 It belongs to the Department of the Navy, which 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.860 is led by the civilian secretary of the Navy, 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:17.179 the SCCNA. Beneath the SENAV is the uniformed 00:16:17.179 --> 00:16:19.840 leadership, headed by the Chief of Naval Operations, 00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:22.960 the CNO. This is the most senior Navy officer, 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:26.320 a four -star admiral. The CNO reports directly 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:28.679 to the SECNA and is responsible for organizing, 00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:31.440 recruiting, training, and equipping the Navy. 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:33.740 Importantly, the CNO is also a member of the 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:35.799 Joint Chiefs of Staff. What's the distinction 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:38.480 in that role? It's purely advisory. So while 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.379 the CNO manages the internal functioning of the 00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:43.159 Navy, the Joint Chief's role involves advising 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.080 the President and the Secretary of Defense on 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.740 military matters across all branches. So operational 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:51.000 control is different. Right. The actual operational 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:54.500 control of forces is delegated from the President 00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:57.320 through the Secretary of Defense to the commanders 00:16:57.320 --> 00:17:00.379 of the Unified Combatant Commands, those geographical 00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:03.039 and functional commands that manage global operations. 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:05.720 And the operational teeth of the Navy are the 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.690 numbered fleets. These are the forces we actually 00:17:08.690 --> 00:17:10.809 see deploying around the world. That's right. 00:17:10.930 --> 00:17:13.789 The Navy maintains seven active numbered fleets. 00:17:13.890 --> 00:17:16.849 The first six are geographically focused, covering 00:17:16.849 --> 00:17:20.789 specific areas of responsibility or AORs. The 00:17:20.789 --> 00:17:22.789 10th fleet is different. It handles cyber command 00:17:22.789 --> 00:17:25.329 and intelligence operations. OK, let's talk about 00:17:25.329 --> 00:17:27.650 those geographic fleets. Where are they and what 00:17:27.650 --> 00:17:29.369 are they doing? Well, the third fleet covers 00:17:29.369 --> 00:17:31.750 the eastern Pacific, largely operating out of 00:17:31.750 --> 00:17:34.470 San Diego. The seventh fleet is the largest forward 00:17:34.470 --> 00:17:38.069 deployed fleet. based in Yokosuka, Japan, covering 00:17:38.069 --> 00:17:40.250 the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The tip 00:17:40.250 --> 00:17:43.150 of the spear in Asia. Exactly. The Fifth Fleet, 00:17:43.269 --> 00:17:45.430 headquartered in Bahrain, is responsible for 00:17:45.430 --> 00:17:47.390 security in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, 00:17:47.549 --> 00:17:50.210 a critical, high -tension region. And we saw 00:17:50.210 --> 00:17:52.589 a significant recent change with the Second Fleet. 00:17:52.940 --> 00:17:56.319 A very strategic move. The second fleet, headquartered 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.920 in Norfolk, Virginia, was reestablished in 2018. 00:17:59.380 --> 00:18:01.940 It focuses specifically on the East Coast and 00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:04.160 the North Atlantic. And this was a direct response 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:08.259 to Russia. A direct, palpable response to increased 00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:10.799 naval activity and perceived threats from Russia 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:14.039 in the North Atlantic and Arctic. It underscores 00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:16.430 the shift. back toward great power competition. 00:18:16.690 --> 00:18:19.150 We also have the fourth fleet reactivated in 00:18:19.150 --> 00:18:22.029 2008, which covers Central and South America. 00:18:22.230 --> 00:18:25.009 So they truly have an ocean spanning structure. 00:18:25.349 --> 00:18:27.509 And supporting this global operational reach 00:18:27.509 --> 00:18:30.349 is the enormous shore establishment. This is 00:18:30.349 --> 00:18:32.829 the network of land facilities, bases, training 00:18:32.829 --> 00:18:36.049 centers, repair depots designed entirely to enable 00:18:36.049 --> 00:18:38.599 and support the deployable fleet. This includes 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:40.819 crucial commands like the Naval Education and 00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:43.039 Training Command, the Office of Naval Intelligence, 00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:45.140 and, of course, the Naval Academy at Annapolis. 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:48.220 Let's focus on the scale of these support facilities. 00:18:48.619 --> 00:18:50.940 On the eastern U .S., the Hampton Roads, Virginia 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:53.660 area is the second largest concentration of U 00:18:53.660 --> 00:18:56.359 .S. military installations anywhere. It's the 00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:58.839 core home port of the Atlantic Fleet, and you 00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:01.069 have key specialty training centers. often in 00:19:01.069 --> 00:19:03.589 surprising places. Charleston, South Carolina 00:19:03.589 --> 00:19:06.190 is home to the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command. 00:19:06.410 --> 00:19:08.690 That's where the crews for our nuclear carriers 00:19:08.690 --> 00:19:11.529 and submarines are trained. That's it. And every 00:19:11.529 --> 00:19:14.329 enlisted sailor begins their career at NS Great 00:19:14.329 --> 00:19:17.109 Lakes, Illinois, which hosts the Navy's only 00:19:17.109 --> 00:19:20.579 enlisted boot camp. Moving west, the sheer acreage 00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:23.140 of some of these installations is just mind -boggling. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.619 Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California 00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:29.960 is the largest complex in terms of size, covering 00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:33.500 1 .1 million acres. That is massive. And to put 00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:36.200 that land holding into perspective, China Lake's 00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:38.579 size relates directly to its requirement as a 00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:41.700 remote, safe location for large -scale explosive 00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:44.180 testing and weapons development. You need a big 00:19:44.180 --> 00:19:48.269 buffer zone for that. You really do. fleet remains 00:19:48.269 --> 00:19:50.569 Naval Base San Diego, though the official headquarters 00:19:50.569 --> 00:19:53.289 is Pearl Harbor. And for those interested in 00:19:53.289 --> 00:19:55.950 special operations, Naval Amphibious Base Coronado 00:19:55.950 --> 00:19:58.029 is the essential training center for the West 00:19:58.029 --> 00:20:01.289 Coast SEAL teams. Globally, that forward presence 00:20:01.289 --> 00:20:04.309 demands huge overseas footprints. The largest 00:20:04.309 --> 00:20:07.490 overseas base is Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. 00:20:07.990 --> 00:20:11.089 This base homeports the largest forward deployed 00:20:11.089 --> 00:20:13.369 fleet, centralizing operations in the Western 00:20:13.369 --> 00:20:16.430 Pacific. And in Europe, NSA Naples, Italy, serves 00:20:16.430 --> 00:20:19.079 as the home port for the Sixth Fleet. In the 00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:21.400 Middle East, NSA Bahrain is the headquarters 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:24.140 for the Fifth Fleet. And finally, Guantanamo 00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:26.920 Bay in Cuba, which is the oldest overseas facility 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:29.799 the Navy maintains. And that organizational complexity 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:32.180 is managed by the Navy, but they have these unique 00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:34.539 formalized relationships with two other armed 00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:37.079 services. Right. The first is the U .S. Marine 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:39.779 Corps. They are a co -equal sister service under 00:20:39.779 --> 00:20:41.940 the Department of the Navy, a relationship established 00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:45.119 way back in 1834. It's a fundamental symbiotic 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:47.380 relationship. The Navy provides essential medical 00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:49.730 and religious... support to Marine units. This 00:20:49.730 --> 00:20:52.349 is critical. Every Marine unit relies on Navy 00:20:52.349 --> 00:20:55.430 personnel, specifically doctors, nurses, medical 00:20:55.430 --> 00:20:57.670 technicians, notice coursemen, and chaplains. 00:20:57.730 --> 00:21:00.130 So the coursemen are actually Navy sailors attached 00:21:00.130 --> 00:21:02.789 to Marine units. They are. They serve as the 00:21:02.789 --> 00:21:05.849 frontline medical personnel. And operationally, 00:21:05.890 --> 00:21:08.490 the Marines are the amphibious striking force, 00:21:08.710 --> 00:21:11.210 relying on Navy amphibious assault ships and 00:21:11.210 --> 00:21:13.390 transport docks to get them to the fight. It's 00:21:13.390 --> 00:21:16.529 an integrated ecosystem. It is. The second unique 00:21:16.529 --> 00:21:19.470 relationship is with the U .S. Coast Guard. Most 00:21:19.470 --> 00:21:21.269 of the time, the Coast Guard operates under the 00:21:21.269 --> 00:21:23.349 Department of Homeland Security, focusing on 00:21:23.349 --> 00:21:26.390 law enforcement and rescue. But in times of war, 00:21:26.549 --> 00:21:29.089 they can operate as a service within the Navy. 00:21:29.210 --> 00:21:31.950 Correct. And we see this cooperation today through 00:21:31.950 --> 00:21:35.069 law enforcement detachments or LDETs. These are 00:21:35.069 --> 00:21:37.309 specialized Coast Guard teams that deploy to 00:21:37.309 --> 00:21:40.069 Navy vessels specifically to perform arrests 00:21:40.069 --> 00:21:42.329 and law enforcement duties during boarding and 00:21:42.329 --> 00:21:44.779 interdiction missions. So they're blending the 00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:46.839 legal capabilities of the Coast Guard with the 00:21:46.839 --> 00:21:49.539 global reach of the Navy. Precisely. Now let's 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:51.099 look at the personnel structure that supports 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:54.240 all of this, the actual sailors. The Navy divides 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:56.740 its personnel into distinct communities, starting 00:21:56.740 --> 00:22:00.059 with the enlisted ranks. E4 through E6 are petty 00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:02.339 officers, the non -commissioned officers, or 00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:05.079 NCOs. They are the technical experts and first 00:22:05.079 --> 00:22:07.500 -line supervisors. But the chief petty officer 00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:11.500 ranks, E7 to E9, are famously a community unto 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:13.509 themselves. Right. This is a deal. Deep cultural 00:22:13.509 --> 00:22:16.809 difference in the Navy. It is. E7, E8, and E9 00:22:16.809 --> 00:22:19.450 chief, senior chief, and master chief petty officer 00:22:19.450 --> 00:22:21.950 are considered a separate, highly experienced 00:22:21.950 --> 00:22:24.410 community. They often have separate designated 00:22:24.410 --> 00:22:27.289 chief's messes where they eat, socialize, and 00:22:27.289 --> 00:22:29.430 conduct their mentorship. And they serve as the 00:22:29.430 --> 00:22:31.950 critical, technical, and experiential backbone 00:22:31.950 --> 00:22:35.349 of any ship or unit. They do. And within that 00:22:35.349 --> 00:22:37.190 leadership structure, we have the command master 00:22:37.190 --> 00:22:41.069 chiefs, the CMCs. What is their specific authority? 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:44.240 The CMC is the senior most enlisted advisor to 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:46.579 the commanding officer. They serve as the liaison, 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.900 advising the captain on all matters pertaining 00:22:48.900 --> 00:22:51.380 to the health, welfare, morale, and training 00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:53.920 of the enlisted personnel, their insignia. Denotes 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:56.480 their seniority. Right. An inverted five -point 00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:58.960 star, which is silver for command -level positions, 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.819 but gold for fleet or force -level responsibilities. 00:23:02.339 --> 00:23:05.839 Given that immense personnel count over 344 ,000, 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:08.240 what is the Navy doing to address the current 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:10.200 retention and recruitment crisis that we hear 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:12.960 so much about? That's a critical point. The Navy 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:14.880 is struggling to hit its recruitment targets, 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:17.900 particularly for highly technical roles like 00:23:17.900 --> 00:23:20.819 nuclear operators, which require intense training 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:23.500 and commitment. So what's the strategy? It involves 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:26.019 substantial reenlistment bonuses, especially 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:28.599 for those with hard -to -replace warfare qualifications. 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:31.539 They're also streamlining training pipelines 00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:34.059 and increasing quality -of -life incentives. 00:23:34.819 --> 00:23:37.240 Things like limiting certain types of rotational 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:39.599 deployments to boost retention. It's a constant 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:41.730 battle. Then we have the specialized warrant 00:23:41.730 --> 00:23:44.289 officers. These are the technical experts who 00:23:44.289 --> 00:23:46.950 usually don't command, but rather fix and direct. 00:23:47.150 --> 00:23:49.269 Correct. Warrant officers are technical specialists 00:23:49.269 --> 00:23:52.650 who lead specific critical activities like electronics 00:23:52.650 --> 00:23:55.549 maintenance or ordnance disposal. They're accessed 00:23:55.549 --> 00:23:58.130 mostly from the highly experienced chief petty 00:23:58.130 --> 00:24:00.950 officer ranks, requiring a minimum of 14 years 00:24:00.950 --> 00:24:03.630 in service. It's a way to retain deep, practical 00:24:03.630 --> 00:24:06.250 expertise. It is, without forcing those personnel 00:24:06.250 --> 00:24:08.390 into the administrative pressures of the traditional 00:24:08.390 --> 00:24:10.930 officer career. path. And finally, the officers 00:24:10.930 --> 00:24:13.230 are divided into line officers and staff corps 00:24:13.230 --> 00:24:16.289 officers. Line officers are the commanders, pilots, 00:24:16.589 --> 00:24:19.069 surface warfare officers, and submarine commanders 00:24:19.069 --> 00:24:21.849 who wear an embroidered gold star above their 00:24:21.849 --> 00:24:25.369 rank insignia. Staff corps officers, conversely, 00:24:25.369 --> 00:24:28.230 are the specialized support personnel. Doctors, 00:24:28.390 --> 00:24:30.730 supply officers, chaplains, and lawyers. The 00:24:30.730 --> 00:24:34.349 Jags. Right. They wear specialty designator insignias 00:24:34.349 --> 00:24:36.789 instead of the star, visually separating the 00:24:36.789 --> 00:24:38.849 operational command track from the specialized 00:24:38.849 --> 00:24:41.859 support track. And it all culminates in the Warfare 00:24:41.859 --> 00:24:45.160 Qualification, or PQS. This qualification is 00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:47.940 the ultimate validation of expertise. It denotes 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:50.759 a journeyman level of capability in specific 00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:53.759 fields, like surface warfare officer or submarine 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:56.220 warfare. And achieving these is marked by distinctive 00:24:56.220 --> 00:24:58.859 U .S. Navy badges and insignia, like the dolphins 00:24:58.859 --> 00:25:01.059 for submariners, worn proudly on the uniform. 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:03.859 This focus on demonstrable verifiable standards 00:25:03.859 --> 00:25:06.599 is crucial for ensuring the readiness of every 00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:08.940 single deployable unit. The complexity of the... 00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:11.019 organization is staggering, but it's only matched 00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:13.220 by the complexity of the equipment. Let's shift 00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:15.759 our focus now to the hardware, the world's most 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:18.599 sophisticated ships, aircraft, and weapons systems. 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:20.779 When discussing the fleet, we should start with 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:23.640 naming conventions. Any commissioned ship is 00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:26.799 prefixed with USS, designating United States 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:29.559 ship. And a core defining technological feature 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:32.500 of the entire fleet is its commitment to nuclear 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:35.789 power. Our sources confirm that all active U 00:25:35.789 --> 00:25:38.069 .S. aircraft carriers and submarines are nuclear 00:25:38.069 --> 00:25:40.269 -powered. Which gives them effectively unlimited 00:25:40.269 --> 00:25:43.190 range and endurance. They only need to pull into 00:25:43.190 --> 00:25:45.569 port for provisions for the crew, not for fuel. 00:25:46.109 --> 00:25:48.309 Let's begin with the capital ships, the aircraft 00:25:48.309 --> 00:25:51.730 carriers, the CVNs. These vessels are the largest, 00:25:51.970 --> 00:25:54.609 most expensive, and most protected assets in 00:25:54.609 --> 00:25:57.109 the fleet. They're mobile air bases. A single 00:25:57.109 --> 00:25:59.490 Ford or Nimitz -class carrier can house up to 00:25:59.490 --> 00:26:02.160 5 ,000 personnel. It's a small city. It really 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:04.200 is a small city floating on the ocean, and it 00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:06.519 can carry up to 90 aircraft. But the carrier 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:09.279 never sails alone. It is the core of a carrier 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:11.980 strike group, a CSG. This isn't just a collection 00:26:11.980 --> 00:26:14.539 of ships, is it? No, it's an integrated, self 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:16.839 -defending package designed to operate independently 00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:20.220 anywhere in the world. The CSG is typically protected 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:22.339 by three or four Aegis -equipped cruisers and 00:26:22.339 --> 00:26:25.119 destroyers, along with one or two fast -attack 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:28.420 submarines. So it's a bubble of protection. It 00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:30.779 is. A formation that ensures protection from 00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:33.980 air, missile, sea, and undersea threats while 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:35.940 also providing the group with immense collective 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:38.700 strike capabilities. Beyond the carriers, the 00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:40.980 Navy defines its tower projection through its 00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:43.720 amphibious warfare ships. These are the vehicles 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:46.299 of force focused on delivering military capability 00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:49.220 onto land, primarily supporting the U .S. Marine 00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:51.880 Corps. The heavy hitters are the amphibious assault 00:26:51.880 --> 00:26:55.180 ships, the WASP and America classes. They look 00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:57.259 like small aircraft carriers themselves. They 00:26:57.259 --> 00:26:59.920 do. And crucially, they are capable of VSTOL, 00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:04.180 STOVIAL, VTL, and tiltrotor operations. We need 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:06.740 to unpack that alphabet soup of vertical movement. 00:27:06.859 --> 00:27:08.759 What do those acronyms mean for the listener? 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:12.160 That's fair. So VSTOL and VTL refer to aircraft 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.940 that can go straight up and down like helicopters. 00:27:14.180 --> 00:27:16.440 But STOVIAL, short takeoff vertical landing, 00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:18.460 is critical because it describes the capability 00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:21.519 of... the F -35B Lightning II. A marine fighter 00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:23.559 jet. Right. It takes off with a short run but 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:26.180 can land vertically. This capability allows the 00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:28.180 amphibious assault ships to deliver, command, 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:32.220 and support an entire 2 ,200 -strong marine expeditionary 00:27:32.220 --> 00:27:35.019 unit. Then you have the support vessels, like 00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:37.900 the amphibious transport docks. The newer San 00:27:37.900 --> 00:27:40.400 Antonio classes are specifically designed to 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:43.140 operate all three elements of the Marines' mobility 00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:46.190 triad. the new expeditionary fighting vehicles, 00:27:46.410 --> 00:27:49.289 the crucial V -22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, 00:27:49.670 --> 00:27:52.009 and the massive high -speed landing craft air 00:27:52.009 --> 00:27:54.690 cushions, the Elsagase. These ships are the vital 00:27:54.690 --> 00:27:57.250 bridge between the sea and the shore. Absolutely. 00:27:57.369 --> 00:28:00.589 The Navy operates 32 active vessels across all 00:28:00.589 --> 00:28:03.450 amphibious warfare categories, which really illustrates 00:28:03.450 --> 00:28:05.549 the commitment to projecting power across the 00:28:05.549 --> 00:28:07.869 globe's littoral regions. Now let's move to the 00:28:07.869 --> 00:28:10.440 backbone of the defensive fleet. the surface 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:12.299 combatants, and the revolutionary technology 00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:15.140 that defines them, Aegis. Aegis is the foundation 00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:18.339 of modern naval defense. Cruisers, specifically 00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:20.759 the Ticonderoga class, were developed in the 00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:23.200 Cold War era specifically to counter the emerging 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:26.440 threat of Soviet anti -ship missiles. Their key 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:28.940 feature is the Aegis combat system, coordinated 00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:32.240 with the massive ANS -PY -1 phased ray radar. 00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:34.519 All right, so explain how that radar system works 00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:36.819 and why it was such a technological leap forward. 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:39.519 Well, older radar systems required a dish to 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:41.660 physically rotate, meaning there were momentary 00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:45.759 blind spots or time lags. The ANS -PY1, however, 00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:48.920 uses a phased array, thousands of small radar 00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:52.140 antenna, working in concert. across four flat 00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:54.099 surfaces built into the superstructure of the 00:28:54.099 --> 00:28:57.039 ship. So no moving parts. No moving parts. This 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:59.359 allows the system to instantly and simultaneously 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.180 track hundreds of aircraft and missiles, coordinate 00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:05.240 multiple intercepts, and maintain constant situational 00:29:05.240 --> 00:29:07.559 awareness. It was a genuine game changer. And 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:09.240 with the later installation of vertical launch 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:11.839 systems on the cruisers, they gained immense 00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:14.799 offensive power. Yes. The VLS cells can carry 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:16.700 a milk of defensive standard missiles and offensive 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:19.160 Tomahawk missiles, providing long -range land 00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:21.720 and sea strike capability. This transformed the 00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:23.759 cruisers from just fleet defense platforms into 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:26.519 multi -role offensive assets. The destroyers, 00:29:26.519 --> 00:29:28.819 primarily the workhorse Arleigh Burke class, 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:31.759 are the high -volume multi -mission ships. They 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:34.579 are the fleet's true utility players, also focused 00:29:34.579 --> 00:29:37.960 on strike and fleet defense using Aegis. But 00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:40.700 they specialize deeply in anti -submarine warfare, 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:45.059 or ASW. They utilize VLA rockets and sophisticated 00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:50.160 sonar arrays combined with MPS -MK3 Seahawk helicopters, 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:53.279 which hunt subs with dipping sonar and torpedoes. 00:29:53.319 --> 00:29:55.519 And there are 75 of them currently active. That's 00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:58.319 right. Now, we retired our last traditional frigate 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:01.339 class in late 2015. Their intended replacement 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:04.980 was the Littoral Combat Ship, the LCS. This has 00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:07.480 been a major story of strategic ambition colliding 00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:10.180 with operational reality. It's a textbook example 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:13.500 of procurement challenges. The LCS concept was 00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:16.519 highly ambitious. Small, fast, modular vessels 00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:19.200 designed for nearshore combat. The idea was they 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:21.140 could swap out mission packages for different 00:30:21.140 --> 00:30:23.680 threats. But the sources suggest the LCS largely 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:26.140 failed to meet expectations. Correct. The LCS 00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:29.059 suffered from massive cost overruns, speed being 00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:31.539 prioritized over survivability, and crucially, 00:30:31.619 --> 00:30:33.339 the modular mission packages were consistently 00:30:33.339 --> 00:30:36.099 late or failed to fully integrate and meet operational 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:38.180 standards. They just couldn't perform the missions 00:30:38.180 --> 00:30:40.339 they were designed for reliably. Which is why 00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:42.180 we now see the plan to return to traditional 00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:45.500 frigates, but modernized. Precisely. The Navy 00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:48.099 plans to purchase up to 20 Constellation -class 00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:51.180 frigates, and these vessels are notably based 00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:54.920 on established, proven European designs, specifically 00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:58.299 the Italian FREM frigates, which suggests a critical 00:30:58.299 --> 00:31:01.279 shift back toward proven, robust capability. 00:31:01.950 --> 00:31:04.349 We must now turn to the submarines, the Silent 00:31:04.349 --> 00:31:07.190 Force. The U .S. Navy operates three distinct 00:31:07.190 --> 00:31:10.690 types, all nuclear -powered, attack, guided missile, 00:31:10.910 --> 00:31:12.990 and ballistic missile. The ballistic missile 00:31:12.990 --> 00:31:15.690 submarines, the Ohio class, are the strategic 00:31:15.690 --> 00:31:18.450 lifters. They have one sole world -shaping mission, 00:31:18.769 --> 00:31:21.549 nuclear strategic deterrence, carrying the Trident 00:31:21.549 --> 00:31:23.970 nuclear missile. Why is the submarine leg of 00:31:23.970 --> 00:31:25.769 the nuclear triad considered the most critical 00:31:25.769 --> 00:31:28.269 and survivable component? Because of concealment 00:31:28.269 --> 00:31:31.190 and mobility. A submarine, once it descends into 00:31:31.190 --> 00:31:34.289 the ocean, is virtually undetectable. It's the 00:31:34.289 --> 00:31:36.849 ultimate insurance policy. If an enemy launched 00:31:36.849 --> 00:31:38.930 a preemptive strike against U .S. land or air 00:31:38.930 --> 00:31:41.950 forces, the SSBNs would remain concealed, guaranteeing 00:31:41.950 --> 00:31:44.049 a devastating retaliatory strike. The ultimate 00:31:44.049 --> 00:31:46.269 deterrent. The very definition of deterrence. 00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:49.440 And the tactical versatility is shown by the 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:53.119 conversion of some of the Ohio -class SSBNs into 00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:56.119 SSGNs, or guided missile submarines. That's a 00:31:56.119 --> 00:31:58.779 huge story of disarmament meeting tactical innovation. 00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:01.920 It is. Four Ohio -class boats were converted. 00:32:02.059 --> 00:32:04.079 They sacrificed their Trident nuclear missile 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:06.619 capability, but in its place, they gained the 00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:09.960 capacity to carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:12.839 Wow. They can also deploy large numbers of SEALs 00:32:12.839 --> 00:32:15.200 and other special operations forces, making them 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:17.380 incredible... conventional strike, and special 00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:20.619 forces platforms. So the Navy operates 69 submarines 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:24.940 in total, including 14 SSBNs and 19 modern Virginia 00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:27.519 -class attack submarines. That's right. Finally, 00:32:27.579 --> 00:32:30.400 let's look skyward at naval aviation. The sources 00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:32.720 confirm that naval air research began way back 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:35.000 in the 1910s. With the first naval aviator in 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:38.359 1911 and the first carrier, USS Langley, commissioned 00:32:38.359 --> 00:32:41.779 in 1922. And as we said, World War II proved 00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:44.329 that carrier aviation was the future. Today, 00:32:44.410 --> 00:32:46.609 the primary fighter attack aircraft is the F 00:32:46.609 --> 00:32:49.730 -A -18EF Super Hornet, with the stealthy fifth 00:32:49.730 --> 00:32:52.250 -generation F -35C having entered service in 00:32:52.250 --> 00:32:55.829 2019. The F -35C, optimized for carrier operations, 00:32:56.289 --> 00:32:59.630 gives the Navy a true fifth -generation air capability 00:32:59.630 --> 00:33:02.289 from the sea, which is essential for contested 00:33:02.289 --> 00:33:04.410 air environments. And they are already planning 00:33:04.410 --> 00:33:06.390 the eventual replacement for the Super Hornet 00:33:06.390 --> 00:33:09.069 through the F -AXX program, demonstrating that 00:33:09.069 --> 00:33:11.029 constant cycle of technological advancement. 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:13.960 And the weapon systems reflect the missile -centric 00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:17.059 nature of modern warfare. What are the key offensive 00:33:17.059 --> 00:33:20.859 pieces of ordnance? Well, the BGM -109 Tomahawk 00:33:20.859 --> 00:33:23.480 missile remains the primary weapon for long -range 00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:25.880 precision land strike. For anti -ship engagements, 00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:28.970 the dedicated missile is the harpoon. though 00:33:28.970 --> 00:33:31.289 they're actively developing new generations of 00:33:31.289 --> 00:33:33.450 anti -ship missiles. And for defense. Medium 00:33:33.450 --> 00:33:35.450 to long -range defense is managed by the Standard 00:33:35.450 --> 00:33:38.130 Missile 2 and SM6, all coordinated through Aegis. 00:33:38.289 --> 00:33:40.849 For short -range, close -in defense, you have 00:33:40.849 --> 00:33:44.170 the Phalanx CIWS. The Gatling gun. Right, firing 00:33:44.170 --> 00:33:47.349 thousands of rounds per minute. And the RIM -162 00:33:47.349 --> 00:33:49.529 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile. And on the nuclear 00:33:49.529 --> 00:33:53.130 front, the SSBNs carry the Trident's second SLBM, 00:33:53.349 --> 00:33:55.849 capable of hitting targets anywhere on Earth. 00:33:56.009 --> 00:33:58.440 That's right. And the Navy's other nuclear weapon 00:33:58.440 --> 00:34:02.460 is the air -deployed B61 nuclear bomb, a thermonuclear 00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:04.359 device that can be carried by strike aircraft 00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:08.119 like the F -18 and F -35C. The sheer volume and 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:10.480 technological depth of this integrated, layered 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:12.780 arsenal are what allow the U .S. to commit to 00:34:12.780 --> 00:34:15.760 global dominance. Moving from the sophisticated 00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:19.300 hardware to the intangible assets, the Navy maintains 00:34:19.300 --> 00:34:22.159 a rich culture and tradition, often defined by 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:25.139 its visual symbols. One of the most visible changes 00:34:25.139 --> 00:34:27.559 in recent years relates to the naval jack. The 00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:29.760 naval jack is the flag flown from the bow of 00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:32.750 a ship. when it's moored or anchored. The standard 00:34:32.750 --> 00:34:35.369 and current jack is the Union Jack, the small 00:34:35.369 --> 00:34:38.369 bleef flag featuring the 50 stars. But for almost 00:34:38.369 --> 00:34:40.469 two decades during the War on Terror, it was 00:34:40.469 --> 00:34:43.010 famously replaced by a historic emblem. Indeed. 00:34:43.309 --> 00:34:46.670 From 2002 to 2019, Secretary of the Navy Gordon 00:34:46.670 --> 00:34:49.210 R. England directed all U .S. naval ships to 00:34:49.210 --> 00:34:51.289 fly the first Navy Jack. The Don't Tread on Me 00:34:51.289 --> 00:34:54.030 flag. Exactly. The one with the 13 red and white 00:34:54.030 --> 00:34:56.550 stripes and a coiled rattlesnake. It was originally 00:34:56.550 --> 00:34:58.309 adopted to commemorate the first anniversary 00:34:58.309 --> 00:35:01.130 of 9 -11 and stood as a symbol of maritime combat 00:35:01.130 --> 00:35:04.070 readiness during a time of conflict. And the 00:35:04.070 --> 00:35:06.230 return to the Union Jack was a highly symbolic 00:35:06.230 --> 00:35:09.869 move. It was. The changeback occurred on June 00:35:09.869 --> 00:35:13.489 4, 2019, commemorating the start date of the 00:35:13.489 --> 00:35:16.949 Battle of Midway in 1942. This battle, as we 00:35:16.949 --> 00:35:19.690 discussed, fundamentally shifted naval warfare 00:35:19.690 --> 00:35:22.190 toward the carrier, so the timing underscored 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:25.650 a return to the long -term global strategic commitment 00:35:25.650 --> 00:35:28.570 symbolized by the Union Jack. The history of 00:35:28.570 --> 00:35:30.429 the Navy is so intertwined with the history of 00:35:30.429 --> 00:35:32.510 the country, and that's really evident when you 00:35:32.510 --> 00:35:34.969 look at the incredibly diverse roster of notable 00:35:34.969 --> 00:35:37.909 sailors who served. It's a powerful list, illustrating 00:35:37.909 --> 00:35:40.610 the kind of leaders the service molds. Six American 00:35:40.610 --> 00:35:44.690 presidents served in the Navy. JFK. LBJ, Nixon, 00:35:44.849 --> 00:35:47.889 Ford, George H .W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter. Jimmy 00:35:47.889 --> 00:35:50.190 Carter's service is particularly relevant to 00:35:50.190 --> 00:35:52.210 his later civilian career, isn't it? Absolutely. 00:35:52.449 --> 00:35:54.670 Carter served as a nuclear engineering officer 00:35:54.670 --> 00:35:56.889 working under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the 00:35:56.889 --> 00:35:59.389 father of the nuclear navy. This highly specialized 00:35:59.389 --> 00:36:01.949 technical background deeply influenced his later 00:36:01.949 --> 00:36:04.809 policy decisions, particularly his focus on energy. 00:36:05.260 --> 00:36:07.840 We also have the foundational officers like John 00:36:07.840 --> 00:36:10.739 Barry, the first flag officer, and James Lawrence, 00:36:10.940 --> 00:36:13.699 whose famous last words, don't give up the ship, 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:16.659 are immortalized in the Naval Academy motto. 00:36:16.900 --> 00:36:19.679 And the roster of others is truly surprising 00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:22.500 in its diversity. We have astronauts like Neil 00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:25.159 Armstrong and Alan B. Shepard, alongside the 00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:27.960 pioneering computer scientist and Navy officer 00:36:27.960 --> 00:36:30.619 Grace Hopper. Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, who 00:36:30.619 --> 00:36:32.780 was instrumental in developing the first commercial 00:36:32.780 --> 00:36:35.699 compiler and popularized the term debugging. 00:36:36.019 --> 00:36:38.119 Her entire technical career was built on her 00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:40.280 naval service. And the cultural impact is huge. 00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:42.539 Entertainers like Johnny Carson, Paul Newman 00:36:42.539 --> 00:36:45.539 and Jack Lemmon all served. Authors to Robert 00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:48.099 Heinlein and Thomas Pynchon both spent time in 00:36:48.099 --> 00:36:50.260 the Navy. It's clear the Navy is a melting pot. 00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:53.079 And to pull out one small, fascinating detail 00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:55.619 that really shows the human and logistical side 00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:58.500 of the Navy. the naval post offices. This sounds 00:36:58.500 --> 00:37:00.900 incredibly anachronistic now in the age of instant 00:37:00.900 --> 00:37:03.940 satellite communications. It is, but it was hugely 00:37:03.940 --> 00:37:06.639 important. The first U .S. government post offices 00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:08.719 were established aboard Navy ships during World 00:37:08.719 --> 00:37:11.780 War I. Before instant messaging, hand -stamped 00:37:11.780 --> 00:37:13.820 mail was literally the only way crew members 00:37:13.820 --> 00:37:15.659 at sea could communicate with their families. 00:37:15.880 --> 00:37:17.659 And the sources highlight that mail delivery 00:37:17.659 --> 00:37:19.980 was considered almost as essential to crew morale 00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:22.679 as food and ammunition. It was, and this gives 00:37:22.679 --> 00:37:25.800 rise to valuable historical documentation. It's 00:37:25.800 --> 00:37:28.539 known as postal history. Because nearly every 00:37:28.539 --> 00:37:31.440 U .S. Navy ship has its own post office and unique 00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:34.519 postmark, Naval Mail provides historians with 00:37:34.519 --> 00:37:37.340 valuable, concrete evidence. Details like names, 00:37:37.460 --> 00:37:39.579 ranks, signatures, and postmarks can confirm 00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:41.840 the precise dates and locations of ships and 00:37:41.840 --> 00:37:44.260 crew members during specific operations or battles. 00:37:44.500 --> 00:37:46.800 Sometimes when official records were lost or 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:50.239 delayed. It's a fantastic reminder that the organizational 00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:53.340 mass and technical complexity of the Navy is 00:37:53.340 --> 00:37:55.460 ultimately built upon the individual experience 00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:59.019 of the sailor. So what does this all mean? We've 00:37:59.019 --> 00:38:01.300 traced the USN's journey from a necessary defense 00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:04.360 against Barbary pirates to a global power broker, 00:38:04.579 --> 00:38:08.000 defined by that monumental strategic shift from 00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:10.860 relying on battleships to embracing carrier dominance 00:38:10.860 --> 00:38:13.610 and nuclear deterrence. Right. We've covered 00:38:13.610 --> 00:38:15.710 the complexity of its organization, from the 00:38:15.710 --> 00:38:18.570 civilian SETA to the numbered fleets that span 00:38:18.570 --> 00:38:21.050 the globe, and the highly structured enlisted 00:38:21.050 --> 00:38:23.530 and officer corps built around specialized warfare 00:38:23.530 --> 00:38:26.010 qualifications. And we also detailed its vast 00:38:26.010 --> 00:38:28.349 arsenal, centered on the nuclear -powered carrier 00:38:28.349 --> 00:38:30.909 strike groups and the critical integrated defense 00:38:30.909 --> 00:38:34.119 provided by the Aegis combat system. The US Navy's 00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:36.659 primary defining role is maintaining security 00:38:36.659 --> 00:38:39.280 and deterring conflicts via sustained forward 00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:41.659 presence. This knowledge is essential for you, 00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:43.679 the listener, because the organizational complexity, 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:45.940 the sheer scale of the equipment and the massive 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:48.420 personnel count are directly tied to US foreign 00:38:48.420 --> 00:38:51.280 policy execution and global economic stability. 00:38:51.639 --> 00:38:54.039 It is the physical means through which the US 00:38:54.039 --> 00:38:56.380 secures and maintains the current international 00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:59.699 global order. It is the operational reality behind 00:38:59.699 --> 00:39:02.280 global policy. Which brings us back to that strategic 00:39:02.280 --> 00:39:05.039 dilemma we noted early on. Given the current 00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:07.380 Chief of Naval Operations assessment that a fleet 00:39:07.380 --> 00:39:11.179 of over 500 ships is truly needed to meet global 00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:13.980 commitments, while the active battle force hovers 00:39:13.980 --> 00:39:16.840 consistently around 300 vessels, well, this raises 00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:19.320 an important question for you to consider. If 00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:21.760 resources consistently fall short of that required 00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:24.719 fleet size goal, how might the Navy's strategic 00:39:24.719 --> 00:39:27.679 commitment to sustain forward presence have to 00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:30.480 fundamentally change? Will the Navy be forced 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:32.940 to trade presence in one vital region for readiness 00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:35.139 in another? Or might they have to shift their 00:39:35.139 --> 00:39:37.579 strategy altogether to prioritize deterrence 00:39:37.579 --> 00:39:40.039 capabilities over continuous forward deployment? 00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:43.559 It's a fascinating dilemma of resources versus 00:39:43.559 --> 00:39:45.840 commitment for the world's most powerful Navy. 00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:48.519 An essential question to ponder as global dynamics 00:39:48.519 --> 00:39:51.380 continue to shift. Thank you for joining us for 00:39:51.380 --> 00:39:53.119 this deep dive into the United States Navy.