The US Navy is facing difficult questions about the health of its fleet in the aftermath of the USS John S. McCain's collision with an oil tanker east of Singapore on Monday, the latest in a series of naval accidents in the Pacific.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson ordered a rare, one-day operational pause in response to the latest collision. And while the cause of the USS McCain crash is still to be determined, the spate of accidents -- four since January -- suggests there could be a more systemic issue.
Lawmakers and defense analysts are warning that the Navy's readiness problems -- which have led to longer deployments for ships and less time and money for maintenance and training -- could be playing a role in the uptick in crashes.
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Author
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Jerry Hendrix
Former Senior Fellow and Director, Defense Program
Jerry Hendrix was the Senior Fellow and the Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. A retired Captain in the United States Navy, his staff ...
