‘Great Reset’ Plan for US Navy: Active Surface Fleet Battle Force Ships to Be Stripped of Crews
The United States Navy is considering a significant plan, informally referred to as “the great reset,” to address a looming manpower crisis. This would involve removing crews from 17 Navy support ships and placing them into long-term maintenance, a move that could impact nearly 6% of the active surface fleet. The ships targeted for this reset include two replenishment vessels and various expeditionary fast transports. Although the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, has not officially approved the plan, there are indications that some of the affected ships have started their return to America.
The Navy’s manpower issues stem from a shortage of personnel needed to efficiently manage the ships. Currently, about 5,500 civilians crew the Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessels alongside Navy personnel, but the number is insufficient to maintain operational readiness and manage rotations. This situation mirrors challenges faced by other military branches, notably the Army, which recently announced a reduction of 24,000 soldiers due to recruitment failures.
As the Navy grapples with these challenges, the backdrop involves the rising assertiveness of China in the Pacific region, raising concerns about the U.S. military’s capability to respond effectively in a potential maritime confrontation.
The United States Navy has reportedly drafted a drastic plan in response to a growing manpower problem.
The Military Sealift Command’s “force generation reset,” informally known as “the great reset,” would see 17 Navy ships stripped of crews and moved to long-term maintenance holding.
Although the apparent plan has not been given the green light by Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, some of the targeted ships have been tracked returning to America.
The plan lists 17 support ships with various functions and roles, the U.S. Naval Institute reported.
These constitute nearly six percent of the total active surface fleet battle force, which currently consists of 296 commissioned ships, according to the U.S. Navy’s vessel register.
The Navy holds hundreds more warships ready to deploy, in maintenance or mothballed in a reserve fleet.
According to USNI, two Lewis and Clark-class replenishment ships, a fleet oiler, 12 Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transports, and two of the three expeditionary sea bases would be stripped of crews and be placed in “extended maintenance” under the plan.
At the heart of the Navy’s problem is a lack of manpower.
The MSC ships are crewed by some 5,500 civilians, in addition to a number of Navy personnel filling various roles.
The number of mariners currently billeted on the command’s support ships is simply not a sustainable number, according to USNI. That has created a situation in which ships are incapable of effectively cycling people on and off leave.
While the move may alleviate some manpower concerns, it leaves naval support capabilities severely diminished.
The dozen fast transports targeted as part of the drawdown are used to provide “rapid transport of military equipment and personnel in theater,” according the Military Sealift Command.
If the plan is enacted, the command would only have access to two operational fast transports for its entire operation.
Video shows the unorthodox yet stable catamaran design of the fast transport ships.
The United States Naval Ship (USNS) Brunswick made a formal visit to the Colombo port yesterday.
This 103-metre-long Spearhead-Class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel is operated by a 24-member crew, under the command of Captain Andrew H. Peretti.
While in Colombo, the ship’s… pic.twitter.com/XyhrmUDK5J
— DailyMirror (@Dailymirror_SL) October 12, 2023
According to USNI, some of the fast transport ships have already begun to return to the United States for unknown reasons.
The Navy’s manpower problems ring similar to issues faced by other branches of the military. The U.S. Army admitted a complete failure on the recruiting front, necessitating a massive reduction of 24,000 soldiers from the force, 5 percent of its total strength.
In the background of the military shakeup is the rise of China in the Pacific.
As Beijing becomes increasingly aggressive in claiming international waters and foreign territory as its own, America’s ability to counter the Asian superpower will largely be based on our naval capabilities.
If the time comes when we must put firepower behind our words, will we be ready to meet a powerful threat on the water?
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