Washington, D.C. (Agencies): The U.S. Navy has announced plans to temporarily sideline 17 support ships due to a significant manpower shortage.
This decision comes as the Navy struggles to maintain effective operations across its fleet due to a lack of qualified mariners.
The Military Sealift Command (MSC) has drafted a plan, known as the “force generation reset,” which involves placing these vessels into “extended maintenance” and redistributing their crews to other ships.
The affected vessels include two replenishment ships, one fleet oiler, a dozen Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transports, and two forward-deployed Navy expeditionary sea bases.
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “There’s a lack of experienced merchant mariners to crew the ships, and this is really a clear danger to national security”.
The Navy’s decision aims to reduce the demand for officers by approximately 700 mariners, addressing the acute shortage of qualified personnel.
This move underscores the broader challenges faced by the U.S. military in recruiting and retaining skilled manpower.
The plan is awaiting approval from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
The Navy’s air surveillance and control experts will support the Alliance’s enhanced Vigilance activities on the southeastern flank for several months, ensuring robust defense measures are in place.