US to keep 11 aircraft carriers to show sea power

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Sun, 22 Jan 2012 1:20p.m.

The USS Enterprise (Reuters)

The USS Enterprise (Reuters)

By Lolita C. Baldor

Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says the US is committed to maintaining a fleet of 11 aircraft carriers despite budget pressures, in part to project sea power against Iran the Middle East.

Panetta also has told about 1,700 sailors on the USS Enterprise that the ship is heading to the Persian Gulf region and will steam through the Strait of Hormuz in a direct message to Iran.

Tehran has threatened to block the Strait, a major transit point for global oil supplies, and warned the U.S. not to send carriers into the Gulf. The US has said it would continue to deploy ships there.

"That's what this carrier is all about," Panetta said Saturday.

Panetta's commitment to 11 US carriers came despite budget pressures to reduce the size of the fleet.

AP

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22 Jan 2012 02:40p.m.

ED wrote:

Ok a solution would be to overhaul the work order system for direct support maintenance I was direct support in the 1970's-1980's During this time we worked equal to the Shops in civilian world of charging by book hours instead of real time repairs..This causes inflated billing and takes money from unit funds that are not required..Instead there should be a round up to next hour after completion of jobs reducing unit costs thus money needed..Also buying officers food such as steaks and wines on company accounts should also stop..And the ever popular over ordering to get something extra for the officers that can't be returned..And then there is a lot of lost items that have to be replaced which disappear under suspicious circumstances..Also civilian workers foreign and domestic are way over paid for their positions..I was in 10 years I know what I speak of..