Many analysts outside of government have also converged on about 350 ships. “Independent analyses have been calling for a fleet of roughly that size for some time, to include the 2010 QDR Independent Panel, as well as CSBA’s recent alternative fleet architecture study,” said Tom Mahnken, president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Analyses, which Congress commissioned to do an (as yet unpublished) force structure assessment. “And yes,” said Mahken, “I believe that a fleet of roughly 350 ships is what we need to be able to deter competitors as well as fight and win should deterrence fail.”
But it’s a big deal that the Navy has officially joined this chorus calling for circa 350 ships. Even though the larger fleet is still far from funded, said CSBA analyst Bryan Clark, “the FSA is important, however, because it identifies a target based on the Navy’s own analysis.”