The Global Arms Race Is Now Shifting To Building Big-Ticket Naval Platforms

USS John C. Stennis is replenished at sea

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Jan. 8, 2013) A helicopter assigned to the Eightballers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 delivers supplies to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as it makes its approach alongside the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10) during a replenishment-at-sea. John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Armando Gonzales/Released)

Big-Ticket Arms Race For Supremacy At Sea -- The National

When it comes to "big ticket" items, they don't come much bigger than an aircraft carrier.

Although still five years from entering service, the price tag for the USS Gerald R Ford, the first of three new American carriers, has already jumped 18 per cent in four years to US$12.3 billion (Dh45.18bn), according to the US defence department.

And now, despite these times of austerity, suddenly everyone wants one. China is the latest nation to join the club, but existing carrier owners India, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States all have ships on the stocks.

But it is in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific where the consequences of this new arms race will be felt. At stake is a change in the naval balance of power.

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My Comment: The days of the U.S. having a monopoly on aircraft carriers is probably coming to an end .... but it will take a sustained effort of a few decades from emerging powers like China and India to catch up .... and even then .... they may decide not to build such a fleet in view of how expensive it is to maintain a carrier group.

Future Asian Conflicts Will Start In The Sea

A ceremony is held before a Chinese naval fleet sets sail from a port in Sanya city of China's southernmost island province of Hainan on Dec. 26, 2008. The Chinese naval fleet including two destroyers and a supply ship from the South China Sea Fleet set off on Friday for waters off Somalia for an escort mission against piracy.(Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

Asia's Maritime Security Is All at Sea -- Rory Medcalf, Real Clear World/The Australian

Last week, the Japanese coast guard arrested the captain of a Chinese fishing trawler after it twice collided with patrol boats in disputed waters controlled by Tokyo. Japan has chosen this moment to take a belated stand against what it sees as a pattern of Chinese bullying at sea.

In April, a large Chinese naval force ventured into waters close to Japan and a Chinese helicopter buzzed Japanese ships at a range of just 90m.

China, too, is standing firm, warning of repercussions if Japan prosecutes the captain under domestic law. Already, Beijing has called off scheduled talks about contested energy deposits in the East China Sea.

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My Comment: A good number of Asia territorial disputes are at sea, and it is here that competing navies may result in producing an armed confrontation. In the past this was not an area of concern, but with a major naval arms race now happening in Asia .... what was once a large sea/ocean with mostly US naval ships patrolling .... is now going to be a very crowded place with navies from many countries.

Chinese Naval Maneuvers Unsettle Its Neighbors

The destroyer DDG-167 Shenzhen (L) of the second group of Chinese navy escort ships and destroyer DDG-169 Wuhan of the first group sail in the Gulf of Aden on April 13, 2009. The second group of Chinese navy escort ships converged with the first group of Chinese navy escort ships in the Gulf of Aden on Monday. (Xinhua/Yu Zhangcai)

From CNS News:

(CNSNews.com) – A series of Chinese naval movements beyond its coastal waters this month has set off alarm bells in the region.

The Taiwanese military on Tuesday held a drill testing responses to an imaginary Chinese attack against air bases on the east of the island. Taiwan’s Liberty Times quoted Deputy Defense Minister Chao Shih-chang as saying the Chinese naval maneuvers posed a threat to Taiwanese airports and ships along its east coast.

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My Comment: My prediction .... this is just the beginning, and I can only expect that there will be more Chinese naval maneuvers in the future.

Asia's Navies Are Rising

A ceremony is held before a Chinese naval fleet sets sail from a port in Sanya city of China's southernmost island province of Hainan on Dec. 26, 2008. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

Asia's Rising Powers Thrive On Maritime Capabilities -- UPI Asia.com

New Delhi, India — The 21st century is witness to the rise of the economies of India, Japan and China. A fourth economy could be added if the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is considered as a bloc. Although globalization has been the growth engine behind these economies, a large part of their success in this decade has been due to the rise of their maritime capabilities.

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My Comment: A very blunt assessment on the navies of Asia and the declining role of the U.S.. For a person who is interested in the navies of the world, this is a must read.

Asia Spending Massively On Navy

Chinese Navy Destroyers (Photo from Defense Talk)

Terry's Intel Data:

Singapore: Asian states led by China, Japan and South Korea are expected to spend some 60 billion dollars to beef up their navies in the next five years, an industry analyst said Monday.

That is bigger than what NATO countries — excluding the United States — are forecast to spend for new naval construction in the same period, said Bob Nugent, vice president of US-based naval consultancy AMI International.

The world’s biggest spender will remain the United States at a little above 60 billion dollars between now and 2014, Nugent said here on the eve of IMDEX Asia 2009, Asia’s top maritime defence show.

Read more ....

Hat Tip: New Wars

My Comment: Looking long term (+20 years), China and India will rapidly have the 2 largest navies in the Asian theater. If they start building aircraft carrier fleets, their budgets will then rapidly match the Americans.