The Washington Post editorial board banger on the fundamental responsibility of government and the “Terrible ‘20’s” (h/t @cdrsalamander) confronting the U.S. military wapo.st/46bzmvD

The United States Navy is vital to protecting the global commons in support of economic stability — particularly sea lines of communication and the internet plumbing underneath the world’s oceans. Washington must ⬆️ investments in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard & Merchant Marines. nationalreview.com/2026/09/a…

The Chief of Naval Operations testified to Congress this past spring that providing escort services though a contested strait “exceeds the capacity” of the United States Navy nationalinterest.org/feature…

The Navy’s air boss spoke last year about the "glory of the Ford" and provided helpful data. With over 1,000 passes under his belt, a recent one using the new tech was the “best pass” the air boss had “ever seen.” After coming around the corner, Admiral Cheever landed on point. “Literally, the ball didn’t move, and I landed exactly where I wanted to land. Incredible capability.” With the island now shifted, it reduces wind on deck and makes stability a feature. The command center for flight-deck operations, the island’s real estate change has also created future margin growth to cope with evolving threats and challenges and the ability to quickly absorb new tech onto the carrier. Moving the island rearward further increases parking availability and makes it “quick and easy” for pilots. The Ford’s EMALS generates 25% more daily sorties than the Nimitz-class. With this dramatic increase in flights per day, the Ford has improved the “most important metric of carrier lethality.” Operating on the Ford flight deck is also safer. After landing, pilots quickly get into their parking spot under the new weapons elevators. Almost immediately, the aircraft take on more ordnance, and then execute mission. Jumping from just 3 elevators on the Nimitz carriers to the dozen electromagnetic weapons elevators aboard the Ford today means faster rearming and relaunching of aircraft. And by rearranging the process to favor moving munitions to strike fighters instead of the other way around, alongside other improvements in automation and technology, time has been freed up for military commanders to use for more productive purposes. This means more tails in the air rather than maneuvering around the deck-plates. Calling the Ford a “huge leap” in capability, the Admiral closed by noting the “entirety of the Ford class carrier is air conditioned.” Air conditioning makes for more productive crews and less heat and humidity wear on platforms. This is important as the air wing morphs into a more blended manned-unmanned mix with greater variety of aircraft and weapons. The U.S. Navy’s Ford-class air wing can accommodate fourth-, fifth- and eventually sixth-generation fighters, support aircraft along with new unmanned systems like the MQ25 and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft. It can operate them more smoothly with more efficient processes and more productive crews.

The consequences to the U.S. Navy will ripple through the fleet for years nationalinterest.org/feature…

TODAY 10 am 💡 Tune in as the National Commission on the Future of the U.S. Navy hears testimony from @DeptofWar & @USNavy leaders on strengthening America's maritime power and the future of our naval forces Watch live: youtube.com/@FutureNavy

Tomorrow @ 10 am (Wed., July 22), the National Commission on the Future of the U.S. Navy will hold a public hearing to learn from Pentagon leaders. ⚓️ Witnesses include ⚓️ - Mr. Austin Dahmer, Performing the Duties of Deputy Under Secretary of War for Policy - Mr. William Mahan, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition - Mr. Neil W. T. Hogg, Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy for Management ** Open to the public & members of the press. Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2118 **

A public (US-government owned) Navy shipyard paid $60,000 in taxpayer money for a tariff on an essential crane part for lifting operations of nuclear vessels that itself cost $269K. This shell game should not happen with public funds. Last year’s FY26 #NDAA had a provision reinforcing the tariff exemption for defense materials, but it was ultimately dropped. @SASCGOP @SASCDems nationalinterest.org/feature…

Services on military bases are being dramatically reduced, unit-level training is being canceled (not simply deferred), and troop readiness is dropping (e.g., flying hours) as the necessary and overdue supplemental spending bill $$ for Operation Epic Fury stalls

300-400 B-21s give even more margin👇 HASC @RepAdamSmith Ranking Member told @AEI the B‑21 bomber program had learned lessons from the F‑35 Joint Strike Fighter and was “on time, on budget…[&] making it work in a very intelligent way.” @SenatorRounds said the B‑21 “could one day emerge as a model acquisition program.” s3.amazonaws.com/media.hudso…

Last week @FutureNavyComm visited with sailors at USVRON-1. We saw the Sea Hunter, @Saronic Corsair and @BlackSea_Tech GARC unmanned surface vessels at the U.S. Navy’s “robotic proving ground” Plan is 12 MUSVs in the fleet by Q427; 40 in 2028; and 72 next 5 years. Seems likely to grow —>