Using Coast Guard cutters alongside USN littoral ships actually occurred to me as an afterthought. For shallow waters operations and gunboat "show the flag" warfare, revolutionary hulls like Stiletto and Sea Fighter aren't a necessity. I probably would have a mix of 88 ft. cutters and the new ships in a future fleet composition.

The problem, in my view with Galrahns and others, which is a more traditional and "safe" budget, is it doesn't answer the out of control costs of modern hi tech warships. Also is the dubious prospect that in an all-out missile exchange at sea, our handful of costly and oversized multi-mission platforms would either be damaged or sunk outright in the early stages. My budget plans for a war of attrition at sea, and is in itself far safer than presuming our only future antagonists will be Third World navies will little offensive capabilities.
Mike Burleson | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 8:41 am | #