Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Ronald Reagan, the greatest presidents of the United States of the last century, were all three “navalists”. All three knew that the United States was a sea power, and to cede supremacy of the seas was to cede world leadership. The US Navy last year faced criticism from Congress for its inability to build more ships to compete with China, which Beijing said had substantially increased the size of the Chinese navy. The media has criticized the navy’s alleged inability to prevent Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, even though this is not the navy’s mission.
According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, as of November 2023, the U.S. Navy had 291 active duty warships with 190 more in reserve and 51 under construction. On the other hand, China has about 370 surface ships and submarines, according to the US Naval Institute. However, some sources claim that the number is much higher. The total number of ships between the US Navy and China’s Navy (PLA-N) can be directly compared, but does not account for changes in capabilities, missions, joint force operations, allies, national imperatives, national interests, or national priorities.
A common point among the many issues drawing attention to naval readiness is that what the Navy does and why the U.S. Navy is needed is still largely unclear.
The mission statement on the official USN website states “The United States is a maritime nation, and the US Navy defends America at sea. Together with our allies and partners, we protect freedom, protect economic prosperity, and keep the seas open and free. Our nation is engaged in long-term competition. To protect American interests around the world, the U.S. Navy must be ready to fulfill our timeless role, as directed by Congress and the President.
This mission statement is rich in platitudes, but lacks a practical explanation of what the Navy does, why it does it, and why it needs to have certain capabilities. To begin, it is best to describe why it is imperative for the United States to build and maintain such a large and capable navy. Donald Trump has recently assumed the responsibility of the US President. After Trump’s assumption of office, the Western media are claiming that the new US Navy 2.0 is going to be dominated by the Trump era in a new way.