At the end of the Cold War, the U.S. Navy’s fleet numbered nearly 600 ships. Today, the fleet is less than half that size and notably short of the level that naval leadership says is needed. Greatly increasing national deficits, rising ship costs, and a dwindling industrial base suggest that the Navy will only continue to shrink.
Admiral Gary Roughead gave a major address at Hudson Institute focusing on the current state of the Navy, its future, the strategic consequences for the United States and its allies, and the nation’s position as a great power. A question and answer session followed his address