AS WE CUT OUR NAVY – AT 11:14 A.M. ET:  China is becoming a major seagoing power, leading Japan to upgrade its own defense plans.  The Japanese are horrified at America's new weakness, and will not become pushovers.  The Chinese, also seeing that weakness, continue to gloat.  From the Australian service http://www.news.com.au:

CHINA could have the world’s most potent naval fleet according to a report that it is investing heavily in advanced submarines.

In October last year, Chinese state media showed images of the country’s nuclear powered submarines and now they have released a mock-up of its next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine.

Reported in The Washington Times , veteran US military analyst Rick Fisher explained the recent development.

“A large outdoor model of a next generation nuclear attack submarine [SSN] has appeared at the People’s Liberation Army Navy [PLAN] submarine academy in Qingdao, China,” he said in a report published by the International Assessment and Strategy Center, a think tank.

“The role of this model may simply be to inspire the academy’s students, but it may signify a larger personnel investment by the PLAN to prepare for its next generation submarines, as it may also offer some indications about a new class of SSN,” he said, referring to the military acronym for attack submarines.

The Chinese advancement in submarines has been impressive and they are building up a sizeable fleet of subs in the region.

The recent mock-up would be the world’s first look at China’s Type-095 attack submarine, the second nuclear-powered attack submarine being built by the Chinese after the current Type-093.
In addition to the attack subs, the Chinese also are building two new ballistic missile submarines, the Type-094 and Type-096 with an estimated range of 7500 kilometres.

COMMENT:  Reagan built a 600-ship Navy, but those ships are getting old, and many are worn out.  The normal life of a modern naval vessel is about 30 years.  The big, nuclear-powered carriers might go longer, but submarines, whose hulls are under constant pressure, require more rapid replacement.  And yet, our fleet is being cut to the size it was in World War I.  That's I, not II.  Enemies always take note.

July 7, 2014