CV 67 USS John F. Kennedy for NATO

[ghazise]

Congress approved the reduction of the carrier force from 12 to 11 ships by retiring the JFK,,, but requiring the Navy offer DHS and NATO the use of the ship providing they fund the operations and maintenance,,,, ~ Navy Times 13 Nov 06

 

[GAP]

Can you please provide the source link for the information.

 

[ghazise]

I took the reference from the actual paper edition of Navy Times dated 13 November 2006, if you have a online subscription to NavyTimes you can find it at http://www.navytimes.com/channel.php?GQID=NAVYPAPER#NAVY  or you could also research through the 2007 Navy's Budget

 

[rmacqueen]

Hmmmm, a NATO carrier could be an interesting idea, especially if it had a multi-national crew so some of our sailors and air people could get carrier experience

 

[tomahawk6]

Hmmmm, a NATO carrier could be an interesting idea, especially if it had a multi-national crew so some of our sailors and air people could get carrier experience

You need carrier capable aircraft to make it worthwhile,unless you use as a floating base which is what we did in Haiti and in 01 at the start of OEF.

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

I doubt if the idea is that NATO man and operate the carrier.  Likely, the JFK would be "cut" to NATO, with the Alliance providing O&M funding.  Not likely.

 

[Journeyman]

Notwithstanding all the options in the latest US defence discussions1.....

The Kennedy has been chosen for the downgrade from 12 carriers to 11 primarily because it's been slated for a complex overhaul (COH) since she returned from the Med in December 2004. It's going to be an expensive proposition for anyone, NATO or otherwise, to keep her operational.

But the most serious limitation is NATO itself. I'm sorry folks, but having worked in NATO HQ, it's a tragic sitcom just waiting to happen. The Navy is the military element least amenable to flexibility within a chain of command (STANFORLANT notwithstanding).  The Captain's orders would have to be vetted by a committee, and even though everyone speaks English, the order would have to be given in French. Merely turning into wind for air ops would require standing up a study group.

Not going to happen.

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1. Google - The Conference Report On H.r. 5122, John Warner National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2007 -- (House of Representatives - September 29, 2006)