When US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced the results of the Pentagon's Strategic Choices and Management Review (SCMR) on 31 July, among the options set out to help the Department of Defense (DoD) address ongoing budget cuts was a proposal to reduce the number of US Navy (USN) aircraft carrier strike group to eight or nine, from a current total of 11. In budget debates over the years, the spotlight has fallen on the USN's carriers time and again. The DoD's assessment - intended to provide choices for military leaders making budget decisions - reignited the debate over the 11-carrier force structure.
展开▼
