The US Navy is working to improve its power structure and preparation for a possible Taiwan battle with China as early as 2027.
The US Navy, under the direction of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, has issued new guidance to help plan for a possible conflict with China by 2027, according to USNI.
According to USNI, the” Chief of Naval Operations Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy”, likewise called the” Project 33″ program, aims to address repair bottlenecks and recruiting issues and concentrate on readiness, ability and capacity.
The plan establishes two main objectives: enhancing maritime readiness and expanding the US Navy’s influence on the US shared warfighting ecosystem.
It identifies seven essential areas, including addressing servicing backlogs, scaling mechanical and intelligent systems, improving seaman recruitment and retention, and bolstering facilities.
In response to heightened global threats, the plan emphasizes multi-domain procedures and technical innovation, particularly those posed by China’s expanding military arsenal and Russia’s increasingly violent activities.
Through advancements in artificial intelligence ( AI), robotics, and distributed maritime operations, it aims to keep the US Navy’s superiority intact through readiness, joint force integration, and warfighter competency.
It emphasizes the value of carrying out these initiatives quickly to meet challenges in the future while getting ready for long, expensive battle.
The US Navy is working harder than ever to combat China’s growing naval force, but it also has to face the stark truth of deteriorating shipbuilding capacity and antiquated kill chains that could expose vital flaws in a possible conflict.
The US is currently facing significant challenges in marine shipbuilding as it struggles to keep up with China’s rapid marine expansion, according to Asia Times. China now has the nation’s largest army, with 370 ships and boats and over 140 big surface warriors.
China’s 13 marine factories have more ability than all seven marine US shipyards combined, highlighting the US ‘ growing disadvantage in maritime shipbuilding.
Additionally, US shipyards are plagued by skilled labour shortages, made worse by previous budget cuts and layoffs that have reduced the number of specific workers needed for naval design.
Additionally, the US’s ability to quickly scale up its fleet is additionally hampered by obsolete purchasing strategies and rely on high-cost, identity warships like aircraft carriers, destroyers, and amphibious assault ships.
China’s civil-military integration approach, allowing it to develop both military and civilian arteries in the same shipyards, has boosted its effectiveness and manufacturing capacity.
Some have expressed concerns that offshoring US marine manufacturing to key allies like Japan and South Korea would have an impact on US sovereignty, which has been explored.
In May 2024, Asia Times noted that US remove chains—the processes and resources involved in detecting, locating, monitoring, targeting, attacking and assessing battle damage in the Indo-Pacific region —have limited adaptability and information exchange features, hindering their effectiveness in potential conflict situations.
China may use its Multi-Domain Precision Warfare ( MDPW) concept, which combines forces from various regions to launch precision attacks on those weak areas and quickly exploits weaknesses in the US functional system.
The US Navy’s desire to acquire and add autonomous systems into its pressure structure shows how it plans to overcome China’s shipbuilding advantage through technical innovation and destructive combat strategies as robotics and AI become vital in naval warfare.
In February 2024, Asia Times mentioned that the US Department of Defense ( DOD ) is soliciting design proposals for low-cost, autonomous drone boats under the Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary ( PRIME) Small Unmanned Surface Vehicle ( SUSV ) project.
The initiative aims to improve maritime expeditionary abilities, particularly in a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The project aims to develop autonomous navigation systems that can travel 500 to 1, 000 nautical miles while carrying a load of at least 35 knots at a speed of at least 35 knots even in GPS-deprecated environments.
To counteract a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the PRIME initiative might be integrated into a more comprehensive US” Hellscape” strategy. In order to delay Chinese forces for up to a month, using swarms of unmanned drones, submarines, and surface ships, as planned, in the Taiwan Strait to allow US and allied intervention.
However, USVs have significant technological and cybersecurity limitations. Although drone swarms may overthrow China’s defenses, concerns persist about their vulnerability to cyberattacks and electronic warfare. Further, their proposed mass deployment emphasizes the necessity of a diversified and resilient manufacturing supply chain.
As the US struggles to increase ship numbers and integrate new technologies, it must choose between investing in long-term modernization to stay ahead of rapidly expanding near-peer competitor threats.
In a February 2022 Proceedings article, Aaron Marchant mentions that the US Navy faces a critical challenge in shifting from a short-term” can-do” culture to a long-term combat-ready mindset to address great power competition, particularly against China and Russia.
Marchant makes the observation that the US Navy’s can-do attitude has historically been the driving force behind operational success. He points out, however, that recent trends reveal a readiness deficit that is made worse by high operational speeds, insufficient training, and manning shortages. He says that despite efforts to address these issues, the US Navy struggles to balance operations, maintenance and training.
He emphasizes that for the US Navy to succeed in future engagements, it needs to cultivate a culture that emphasizes preparedness for combat, requiring well-trained, rested and fully staffed crews.
Marchant claims that it also calls for institutional adjustments, such as better training and staffing practices, while drawing from the experiences of the US Marine Corps, US Coast Guard, and allies.
Marchant argues that moving beyond the short-termism that has characterized its recent past to the US Navy’s long-term success depends on how well it adapts and prepares for high-end maritime combat.
Michael Bayer notes in an April 2023 article for National Defense Magazine that the US Navy conducts high-tempo operations daily on a global scale, creating intense demand for high-end naval combatants such as nuclear submarines, destroyers, aircraft carriers and cruisers. Baker mentions that such a demand requires significant platform readiness and limited funding.
He claims that this circumstance will lead to an internal debate about whether the US Navy should immediately support ongoing operations, readiness, and ship maintenance in light of the conflicting needs for developing new vessels, hypersonic weapons, directed energy weapons, and innovative autonomy.