Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's defense team has some interesting ideas for the future of the US Navy...
My former colleague at Defense News, Chris Cavas--probably the best naval reporter in here in Washington DC--has written up this interview with John Lehman, one of Romney's chief advisors on defense. Yes, that John Lehman from the Reagan Administration--the architect of the 600-ship Navy.
Should Romney win, Lehman says that a potential new administration would create an 11th carrier air wing--one each for the 11 carriers in the fleet. The additional unit would form a fully modernized reserve air wing that could be surged as needed. Plans would also keep the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in production, but would also retain the Lockheed Martin F-35C. The exact mix hasn't been determined just yet.
A Romney Administration would also continue to add new amphibious assault ship to fill out the US Marine Corps requirement of 39 ships. So, probably that means more F-35Bs...
One thing though, Lehman didn't really say how Romney would pay for all this...
Anyways, read it for yourself here.
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