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.