[MRL180YTL2002]

Actually for starters its 11 carriers. The 12th, the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67), is partially manned by reservists. She counts, but not all that much. In actuallity the Navy itself should have at least 15 deployable carriers and the 16th to serve as a training platform for naval aviators undergoing training to try the real thing. (Sea Classics December 2000). Also the Navy be increased to about 600 ships of all types (especially patrol craft and minesweepers) and I know the 600 ship navy is the Cold War figures (see Lehman Jr., John F.. “The 600-Ship Navy”. The Maritime Strategy. Ed. James A. Barber Jr.. Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute, 1986. ), but it really extends to today as we still have interests all over the globe. All war plans developed encompassed a two front war...if World War Three broke out against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact verus N.A.T.O. we'd be fighting on a possible three. The Atlantic and Europe, the Middle East (oil), and the Pacific. So the plans are made with that in mind....the personnel and assets being available is a whole other ball game. And beside, we technically should already have at least one CVBG (Carrier Battle Group) up off of Korea along with an ARG (Amphibious Readiness Group) not counting nearby prepositioned marine and army equipment in Korea itself and all those island bases we still maintain like the Marianas, a few SSNs (Submarine- Nuclear, generally refered to as an attack boat/sub), an army divsion (or two, most likely infantry or mechanized infantry) and not counting whatever the Air Force has up there (I think a wing). The Korean War never ended, they just signed a cease fire agreement.

Personally, I do not want to know what will happen if we fight on two fronts againt two different "enemies." And also they better let the military fight it without political restrictions like they did in Vietnam. (See Tillman, Barrett and Nichols III, Commander John B., United States Navy (Retired). “Fighting Unwinnable Wars” Proceedings April 1986: 78-86.)