Question transcript from CNO all hands call interview at Yokosuka Naval Base

YOKOSUKA, JAPAN

10.15.2015

Courtesy Story

AFN Pacific

YOKOSUKA, Japan - Is this up tempo sustainable given demand and need for maintenance, and if not, what needs to happen?

Well you know we've got this optimized fleet response program that we've got to find the way to exactly answer the question: are we using our assets all the way through all phases of deployment preparation and them deployment, and that includes the maintenance phase, the basic phase, integrate it, and then, you know, eventually to deployment. So, one thing is, in the planning phase, we're on track to get to 7-month deployments. That is an achievable goal. There are currently no deployment planned for greater than seven months beyond 2017. And between now and then, fewer and fewer ships will be planned to be deployed for longer than seven months. So once you've got the plan straight, the next phase is executing that plan, making sure we get through maintenance on time, execute the training and certification phases, and then deploy so you can relieve on station forward-deployed on time. With the plan that's in place and continuing to work on execution, I think 7-month deployments are achievable.

The service is on course to see its submarine force drop by 25 percent in the 2020s under the current 30-year shipbuilding plan. Are you concerned about the impact fewer ships might have on the Navy's capabilities


Well there's always a balance that has to be struck, so the answer to your question is: Yes. Any time I lose capability or capacity then that's a concern that I have to balance. Along with that though, we have to, you know, make sure that one, we're using what we have to its fullest extent.And so, with respect to just the submarine and in general, we're moving a 4th submarine to Guam, and that will allow it to be stationed in Guam where it will have a more forward presence. We're moving more forces to- here to Yokosuka, we're moving more forces to forward-deploy to Singapore, the Littoral Combat Ships, we're doing the same thing in the Med with destroyers moving to Rota. So we're getting more presence per platform by looking at options like that. So it's a combination of yes, we're going to see number of submarines go down, but overall the Navy's numbers are going up in terms of ships. We're going to have more ships by 2020 than we have today, those numbers are climbing. So it's a balance, and then of course the fiscal realities weigh into that as well. So while we can articulate a worldwide demand of numbers of ships in the mid-three hundreds, we have to appreciate that there are fiscal limitations. But overall what I'd like to leave you with is the message that ship numbers are going up, not down right now, and we'll continue to manage the inventories by looking at the forward-deployed options.

Sailors in the Pacific are hearing a lot about the South China Sea and freedom of navigation in the Pacific. What is their role here regarding that?

Well certainly there's a role. As our national leaders have said, from the President to the Secretary of Defense on down, and of course I completely support it, that we are a global nation - the United States is a global nation, we have a global Navy. And that Navy will sail anywhere in the world where international law allows them to sail. And that includes here in the Pacific and in the South China Sea. No one should be surprised about this, this is what our navy has done, we have been present in the South China Sea to date, and so it should not be a surprise that we will continue to operate where international law allows.

What will will the future look like for Sailors stationed here in the Pacific?

The future for sailors in the Pacific is extremely bright,. It is an exciting time to be here. It is the focus of our re-balance, so as world economies change and grow, that's happening more here in the Pacific than anywhere else. 50 percent of the economic power of the world is here in the Pacific, about 50 percent of the population. And so very very dynamic, it is our forward-deployed fleet here in Japan and Korea, and so there's just tremendous amount of excitement here for pacific operations


What is the one message that you would like to send to Sailors stationed here in Japan?

Well I'll tell you, as I said during the all-hands call, as your new Chief of Naval Operations, I will always have your interests in mind. I cannot describe how much respect I've got for the fact that you've chosen to become part of our Navy, to swear to defend the Constitution of the United States. That commitment is something I respect very much, and that will be the first thing and the last thing I think about with all of my decisions.

• Date Taken: 10.15.2015
• Date Posted: 10.15.2015 00:02
• Story ID: 178949
• Location: YOKOSUKA, JP