US, Britain, and Australia form Indo-Pacific 'AUKUS' security alliance |...Deutsche Welle

U.S. Navy Status Report-as of autumn 2011

As of autumn 2011,the U.S. Navy had 325,123 personnel on active duty,along with 103,015 in the Ready Reserve.The Department of the Navy employed 203,952 civilian personnel.
The Navy's battle force consisted of 286 vessels,including eleven aircraft carriers and their Carrier Strike Groups,as well as 48 attack submarines and the 14 ballistic missile submarines in the strategic deterrent force.
There were more than 3700 aircraft in the Navy's operational inventory.
The Navy,along with the other armed forces,is gravely concerned about the prospect of the arbitrary spending cuts Congress has set in motion for 2013.These would significantly damage the Navy's global reach and missions across the board.Senator John McCain(R-Arizona)and others are working to halt this sequestration process brought about by budgetary gridlock.
Congress is not bound by this-it's something we passed;we can reverse it,Senator McCain insisted.The former presidential candidate was a Navy officer and POW during the Vietnam War.

Hardware and Operations

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Budget,Rear Admiral Joseph Mulloy,made a number of remarks on programs and operations at a Pentagon briefing on Monday.The Virginia class attack submarine is a hallmark program for the Pentagon,Admiral Mulloy said.Not only is it an economical program;the submarine is also in tremendous demand by all the combatant commanders.It is fully engaged,not a Cold War relic as some would have it.
Similarly,the littoral combat ship is a style of ship that will provide a lot of opportunity.It can self-deploy to shallow waters and do training.There is a steady pull to develop the planned 55 LCSs.It will be a gradual build-out,with newer ships replacing the old over a period of years.
In the area of combat operations,Admiral Mulloy noted that air operations for the Afghan War are proving more expensive than for the Iraq War.It is the cost of delivery:a seven hour flight to Afghanistan versus a three hour flight to Iraq.The flight to Afghanistan requires two mid-air refuelings.It takes a lot more planes and people to keep the same level of operations up for the Afghan War.

Russian Subs Follow Coast

Russia engaged in a Cold War-type submarine patrol in recent weeks,sending two Akula nuclear submarines to scout international waters some 200 miles,or 321.86 kilometers,off the U.S. east coast.The Akula has a 3,000 kilometer range and is armed with nuclear cruise missiles.The attack sub has a complement of 62.
Some say the Russians were trying to impress India with the submarines' performance,as India is considering purchasing the Akula.Others hold that Russia was posturing,showing that it is still a strong military power.Of course,it may have been doing both.In any event,the Pentagon wasn't very concerned,noting that Russia has the right to exercise in international waters.

China Builds Navy Base

China is building a navy base on its southern island of Hainan,according to a Pentagon assessment.The base appears large enough to accommodate a mix of attack and ballistic missile submarines,as well as advanced surface combatant ships,the report states.It goes on to say that the port has underground facilities and would provide the Chinese navy with direct access to vital international sea lanes,and offers the potential for stealthy deployment of the submarines into the deep waters of the South China Sea.China is working toward building its first aircraft carrier,and is augmenting its fleet of attack submarines.China is also building up its stock of highly accurate cruise missiles.This military expansion is regarded as curious,since no one is directly threatening China at the moment.Just what these programs are for remains a puzzle to the Defense Department analysts.