Hearing of the House Armed Services Committee - Global Maritime Strategy Initiatives

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

EP. JOE COURTNEY (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I want to thank the panel for being with us here today.

Admiral Roughead, I wanted to just follow up on your comments about the fiscal challenge that you face. Looking at your testimony, it stated that the 313-ship force represents the maximum acceptable risk in meeting the security demands of the 21st Century. Given the fact that today we're at 280, I mean, it sort of begs the question about whether or not we're at a point of unacceptable risk. And I just wonder if you could maybe fill in that blank?

ADM. ROUGHEAD: I would not call it unacceptable risk, but I do believe that we have moderate risk in our ability to conduct the range of missions that we have around the world. And as I found out first- hand when I was in the Pacific, that I could have used -- with more ships of differing types, to be able to conduct operations that span the spectrum, that our Navy is expected to perform.

Getting to 313 ships is a priority. I believe that is what we need as a Navy, as a minimum, and in my four years that I have ahead of me, I'm going to be working to achieve that objective.

REP. COURTNEY: And, again, you've got a lot of friends in this room. But having just sort of gone through this process, as a new member just this year -- and, again, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Skelton and Mr. Hunter, I mean, obviously moved heaven and earth to try and get the -- both the Defense bill out of this committee and the budget bill, to get to a higher level -- I just, it seems to me that what's projected in terms of the $14 billion a year over the next few years, I mean, it almost has to work perfectly to get to that number because there just can't be any cost overruns, given the strains that that's under. I just --

ADM. ROUGHEAD: Well, I believe there are many things that have to come into play: Making sure that -- particularly in my area of responsibility, that we accurately define the requirements; that those requirements are what we need, not just want; that we then have in place some accurate costing processes to determine what the cost is; and then the oversight on the programs, as we build those programs, to ensure that we're staying within those cost controls; and also an ongoing process to ensure that as classes are being built, that we don't see what I call "requirements creep," which is often the case. I've seen it time and time again. And we have to have the discipline to say, no, we're not going there because it will cost us out of business.

REP. COURTNEY: The -- okay, you know, again, it just -- it just seems that the trajectory of what you've got to reach, or what you're shooting to reach -- and what that budget that's being projected, is a pretty big challenge for you. And hopefully, you know, as you go through that, that's something that you'll be -- and I don't mean this in a negative way, I mean, hopefully we're going to get a straight picture, you know, from the Pentagon about where -- whether these pieces are really falling into place with the numbers that are being projected.

ADM. ROUGHEAD: You will from me, sir.

REP. COURTNEY: Thank you.

I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source