Will Mayport's Missing Aircraft Carrier Show Up on Schedule?

[stjr]

More bad news for the Virginians!  First, the carrier for Jax.  Then, the loss of the Joint Command.  Now, maybe the loss of the Second Fleet!  While having the military is great, we need to learn the lesson here to never become overly dependent on a single industry/employer.  Nothing last forever and change is always in the wind.

NORFOLK -- The U.S. Second Fleet, which trains and certifies all strike groups before deployment and employs 348 active and reserve military personnel, civilian employees and contractors, is in jeopardy as the Department of Defense continues to trim its budget.

If the Second Fleet were to be shut down, hundreds of jobs could be lost in the Hampton Roads area.

Retired Navy Captain Joe Bouchard says that any potential cost savings would come at a big price.

Captain Bouchard is the former commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk and now a board member of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance.

"I'm concerned that the Department of Defense is scrambling for savings somewhere in its budget."

He says he thinks that the civilian bureaucrats in the Pentagon may not fully understand the operational impact of shutting down certain commands.

The fleet trains and certifies every ship, sailor, and air wing that heads out to sea, with responsibility over 130 ships and submarines primarily in the Atlantic Ocean.

Security, in addition to the hundreds of jobs, could be at risk.

"We don't even want to think about the degradation of the combat readiness of those forces either to deploy overseas or to carry out their homeland defense role," says Captain Bouchard.

http://www.wvec.com/news/local/US-Second-Fleet-in-jeopardy-as-DoD-trims-budget-101368049.html

[CS Foltz]

Loss of the Second Fleet would hamper operations and preporatory work for east coast workups! stjr I concur!

[stjr]

One step forward....

Contractor hired to upgrade Mayport pier
Source URL: http://jacksonville.com/news/military/2010-08-30/story/contractor-hired-upgrade-mayport-pier

By Timothy J. Gibbons

The Navy has hired a contractor to upgrade the pier at Mayport Naval Station that is slated to serve as the homeport for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Misener Marine Construction Inc. of Tampa will handle the $22.6 million project, which is expected to wrap up in August 2011.

Misener will build a steel sheet pile bulkhead that it will tie to the existing wall structure, install a new concrete cap and foam fenders and pave the adjacent area. The project also includes an option to build a second-deck wharf with mooring hardware, vehicular access ramps and pedestrian stairways.

Work on the wharf is required for a nuclear-powered carrier to come to Mayport, but has been also talked about in general terms as necessary for general operational readiness.

"Improvements to Charlie wharf is a project that has been in the works for many years," said Capt. Aaron Bowman, Naval Station Mayport commanding officer. "This double-decker pier will enhance overall operational efficiency and readiness."

The project was funded last year after tussling between legislators from Florida and Virginia had the money put in and taken out during different stages of the congressional process. That bill also included $46.3 million for dredging the St. Johns River near the naval station.

[Jason]

Double Decker?  that sounds pertty cool.  Is this a standard for carrier piers?

[Coolyfett]

The need for one closer to the Carribean, Central and South America is obvious...

Yea we need the big ships

[blizz01]

Uh-oh...

Virginians say Mayport carrier is dead; Crenshaw, Nelson says it's on hold

Three Virginia congressmen said today that plans to homeport a nuclear carrier at Mayport Naval Station are dead. Two Florida members of Congress says the plans aren't dead, just on hold.
A statement issued by Reps. Randy Forbes, Scott Rigell and Rob Wittman said that President Barack Obama's defense budget announced Monday doesn't include money to retrofit Mayport to accommodate a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier by 2019.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-02-13/story/virginians-say-mayport-carrier-dead-crenshaw-nelson-says-its-hold

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/02/13/budget-day-brings-cheer-for-virginia-delegation/

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/military/mayport-carrier-move-striken-from-budget