Virginia goes on attack: Fight to get carrier at Mayport hits a few snags

[thelakelander]

Funding for St. Johns dredging cut; amendment denied in late vote

By Timothy J. Gibbons Story updated at 6:13 AM on Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2009

Virginia politicians have won the first major congressional fight over bringing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to Mayport Naval Station, succeeding in stripping funding for dredging the St. Johns River.

The $46.3 million dredging project is necessary for a carrier to be able to come into the channel without sucking up river mud.

Spending the money on the dredging before a final decision is made about a carrier is premature, said Clark Pettig, spokesman for U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, D-Va., who wrote the amendment stripping the funding.

Although the Navy had signed off on moving a carrier to Mayport, the decision was put on hold after the change in administration this year. Now the decision is being considered as part of the military's Quadrennial Defense Review, a study conducted every four years to plot out the nation's defense strategy.

http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-06-17/story/fight_to_get_carrier_at_mayport_hits_a_few_snags

[reednavy]

Pfft, I'd hardly call it a victory for Virginia, it just sounds logical and makes sense. I highly doubt the Navy will reverse this decision, it just doesn't make good sense to set the East Coast up for Pearl Harbor part 2.

[heights unknown]

Setting the East Coast up for Pearl Harbor 2 would be having all of the East Coast Aircraft Carriers tied up at NOB Norfolk; Virginia is trying to block any move to put carriers at Mayport.

They should have at least two at Mayport and maybe one at one other East Coast Port, and the rest at Norfolk.  Back in the day when I was in the Navy (early to late 70's), there were two carriers at NS Mayport...Franklin D. Roosevelt and Saratoga.

Stupid move to have ALL of your carriers bottled up at one Naval Station, very stupid.

Heights Unknown

[downtownparks]

Especially at at time when China is building a war machine. People seem to not realize that China has an estimated 1200 craft fleet, with over 600 of those being combatant.

By comparison, the US has less than 300 ships (Including Subs)

[JeffreyS]

Sink one old rusty freighter in front of the Virginia base and cripple our Atlantic fleet. Rocket Scientists for sure.

[BridgeTroll]

Especially at at time when China is building a war machine. People seem to not realize that China has an estimated 1200 craft fleet, with over 600 of those being combatant.

China is indeed building a war machine but the numbers do not tell the whole story.  The army has huge numbers but is designed for homeland defense and an invasion of a neighbor such as Taiwan or South Korea.  They are currently not capable of distant "power projection".  Their Navy is considered a "brown water" navy incapable of sustained "blue water" power projection.  They seldom venture far from coastal waters or the South China sea.  China deserves our scrutiny as they are trying very hard to catch up and seem to have the resources to do just that.

[parabellum]

Sink one old rusty freighter in front of the Virginia base and cripple our Atlantic fleet. Rocket Scientists for sure.

That's one place where Norfolk has a tactical advantage over Mayport. It isn't bottlenecked. Sinking a freighter or other vessel to obstruct the channel wouldn't work, as the channel is a mile wide, at its narrowest point.

[parabellum]

Back in the day when I was in the Navy (early to late 70's), there were two carriers at NS Mayport...Franklin D. Roosevelt and Saratoga.

When were you in? My dad was on the FDR back in 71-72. He was on FDR when they had to pull that 13 month med cruise, to cover for the Forrestal.