Ranking Member Courtney Welcomes New Navy Force Assessment | Congressman Joe Courtney
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Ranking Member Courtney Welcomes New Navy Force Assessment

December 16, 2016

NORWICH, CT —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney, ranking member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, released the following statement today on the Navy’s new Force Structure Assessment (FSA), which calls for an increased fleet size of 355 ships. It also increases the current requirement for attack submarines from 48 to 66.

“The Navy’s new assessment is confirmation of the clear reality that a larger fleet is both necessary and vital to the nation’s security,” said Courtney. “Given the changing dynamics around the world, the growing demand for our ships, and the increasing strain on our fleet, I welcome this reassessment of our force structure requirements. This new fleet target will require the Navy, industry, and Congress to work together to build on the work we’ve done over the last several years to lay the groundwork for a larger fleet. If we are going to achieve the goal this plan calls for, we must continue to prioritize the funding, efficiencies, and authorities that will help us achieve it. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House to achieve this important bipartisan goal.

“I am particularly pleased that this plan reflects a larger attack submarine force structure. This reflects the reality that the demand for submarine capability, and their value to our national security objectives, is only going to increase. The feedback from military leaders who have routinely testified to me about the increasing demand for submarines in the Seapower Subcommittee, as well the sailors and officers I have spoken to about the pace and length of their deployments due to high operational demand on a overstressed fleet, confirms the findings of this analysis. This makes sustaining the two a year build rate as we also build the Columbia-class SSBN a national imperative, while also taking advantage of every possible opportunity to add to that build rate. I look forward to building on my bipartisan work to grow the submarine force and ensuring that the Navy has the tools and support it needs to get this done.”

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