關於「重返東亞」的大戰略、「海空一體作戰」的戰略、「福特號」超級航艦與美國國防部長Chuck Hagel裁減陸軍的計劃(上)

關於「重返東亞」的大戰略、「海空一體作戰」的戰略、「福特號」超級航艦與美國國防部長Chuck Hagel裁減陸軍的計劃(上)

[您可以跳過英文的部分]

一 

建州運動在2/27/2014發表與張貼 「只要認真執行『重返東亞』的大戰略與『海空一體作戰』的戰略，建州運動支持五角大廈新的建軍方案與方向」一文。

我們引述美軍「星條旗報」一篇報導中的一段:

“It’s important to U.S. allies in the Pacific that whatever results from the defense budget cuts doesn’t lead to more debate about the rebalance. “(對美國在太平洋地區的盟友來說是很重要的: 不管美國如何刪減國防預算，都不要涉及或導致美國「向亞太再平衡」的大戰略的論辯。)

建州運動與美國在太平洋地區的盟國的觀點與立場相同，我們希望美國為了因應中國的對外擴張所制定的「[從中東與中亞]向東亞與西太平洋再平衡」的大戰略以及相應的「海空一體作戰」戰略不要被改變，不管這世界上其他地區發生了什麼事。

這雖然看起來有點自私 ，可是也不得不如此。

大量刪減國防預算，甚至從世界各地撤守(孤立主義)，是美國目前民意的主流，建州派[至少在現階段]無法為美國人民設定議題，無力主導美國民意，也無法拂逆這個美國主流民意，所以我們只有退而求其次，這就是我們說，「只要認真執行『重返東亞』的大戰略與『海空一體作戰』的戰略，建州運動支持五角大廈新的建軍方案與方向」的根本原因。

在美國準備大規模裁軍的時候，國防部長在日前發表的”FY15 Budget Preview”(2015會計年度預算預覽) 還說: “To fulfill this strategy DoD will continue to shift its operational focus and forces to the Asia-Pacific (國防部將繼續把它的作戰焦點及作戰部隊或力量轉移到亞太地區), ---------The forces we prioritized can project power over great distances and carry out a variety of missions more relevant to the President’s defense strategy, such as---------, strategic deterrence, building partnership capacity, and----------. They are also well-suited to the strategy’s rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, (國防部要優先建立的武裝力量能將武力投射到遠方，它們也將適合執行「對亞太地區戰略再平衡」的任務) to ----------“，這真的已經很照顧美國在東亞的盟邦(如日本、南韓、菲律賓)與安全夥伴(如台灣、越南)中的親美派了[只有親美派或親美派佔上風的地區才值得美國來保護]。

在裁軍計劃中受影響最大的是陸軍，它將回復到第二次世界大戰前的規模 ，這是從過去的「同時可以打兩場戰爭」的建軍主張與政策中退却。美國國防部長說: “The changes to end strength would result in a smaller Army, --------our analysis showed that this force would be capable of decisively defeating aggression in one major combat theater – as it must be – while also defending the homeland and supporting air and naval forces engaged in another theater against an adversary------ “ [未來的陸軍規模只能同時打一場半的戰爭，一場攻勢作戰，一場守勢作戰]。

建州運動說: 「就對付中國的威脅與擴張的Air-Sea Battle而言，陸軍的確可以被裁減」[建州派在美國的盟友多半不會同意我們這句話，因為他們也要保護美國在歐洲與中東的盟邦與安全夥伴(如以色列)]。不過，如果中國與俄羅斯這兩個邪惡帝國同時在歐陸與東亞發動戰爭，那回到第二次世界大戰前的規模的美國陸軍顯然將會難以應付。倘若這種狀況發生，美國武裝部隊與日軍、澳軍必須在東亞打一場決定性的戰爭，而歐陸戰場則必須先交給以英德法三國的武裝部隊為主力的歐美聯軍，待亞洲戰場取得決定性的勝利並將維持秩序的任務交給日澳聯軍後，再將整補後的美軍主力投入歐洲戰場。

二

關於海軍建設，國防部長Chuck Hagel說: ---Read More---
“The spending levels proposed under the President’s budget plan would also enable the Navy to maintain 11 carrier strike groups. However, we will have to make a final decision on the future of the George Washington aircraft carrier in the 2016 budget submission. If sequestration spending levels remain in place in Fiscal Year 2016, she would need to be retired before her scheduled nuclear refueling and overhaul. That would leave the Navy with 10 carrier strike groups. But keeping the George Washington in the fleet would cost $6 billion – so we would have no other choice than to retire her should sequestration-level cuts be re-imposed. At the President’s budget level, we would pay for the overhaul and maintain 11 carriers.” (在目前總統的預算層級上，國防部將提撥預算來支付華盛頓號航艦的翻修，以維持11個航艦戰鬥群的規模。但若在2016年度國防部仍需受自動減支的制約，那我們就只有被迫讓華盛頓號航艦提前退休，而不進行翻修與核燃料再填充。) [雷根總統時代，美國海軍擁有15個航艦戰鬥群，1992年降為14個，1994-2007年間再降為12個，2007年以降，維持11個的規模。現在美國政府有意維持這個規模，但若自動減支持續下去，就會降為10個。新一代的福特級第一艘核動力超級航艦福特號可望於2015或2016年正式服役，第二艘甘迺迪號已在建造，將於2020年服役，第三艘企業號正在被計劃的階段，預計2025年服役。]

我們在Hagel部長的談話後面做了一段補述，在其中，我們提到新一代的福特級第一艘核動力超級航艦「福特號」，現在我們請鄉親們來讀一篇報導，以了解「福特號」現在的狀況:

“Shipbuilder Says Carrier Deal Is on Course”
By Doug Cameron
The Wall Street Journal
2/28/2014

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., the U.S. Navy's largest shipbuilder, said it expects to complete a $4 billion contract to build a new aircraft carrier this year. [美國海軍最大的造艦承包商Huntington Ingalls說 ，它預計在今年完成「福特號」航艦的建造]But

the company could lose more than $1 billion in work if the service chooses to retire one of its 11 flat tops in 2016 to meet Pentagon spending constraints.

Last year, the Navy delayed awarding the detailed design and construction contract to Huntington Ingalls for the USS John F. Kennedy, the second of the new Ford Class aircraft carriers, which are designed to be more efficient and technologically advanced than previous ships.

The Navy said it wanted Huntington to iron out problems identified during the construction of the first of the new ships, the USS Gerald R. Ford, whose expected cost has climbed 22% from initial projections in fiscal 2008 to $12.8 billion.

Mike Petters, Huntington Ingall's chief executive, said Thursday that the company expects to complete the $4 billion fixed-price construction contract for the Kennedy "later this year." [Huntington Ingall的總裁說，他的公司預期在今年與國防部就 福特級第二艘核動力超級航艦「甘迺迪號」的建造完成簽約程序]Initial work on the ship was funded through a series of smaller contracts, and the projected total cost of $11.3 billion includes billions of dollars in government-furnished equipment, such as radar, that isn't provided by Huntington.

Mr. Petters, on a conference call after Huntington Ingalls reported higher quarterly profit, said the delay on the Kennedy contract wasn't slowing work on the ship, which is due to be delivered in 2022. The Navy didn't reply to a request for comment.

Congress has mandated that the Navy retain a fleet of 11 carriers, but the Pentagon is wrestling with whether to shrink the number to 10 by retiring the USS George Washington. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said this week that it would keep the ship unless budget sequestration cuts remain in 2016, when Huntington Ingalls is due to start refueling the ship's reactor at the midpoint of its 50-year life.

Huntington Ingalls, based in Newport News, Va., is the sole builder of nuclear-powered carriers for the Navy, and the only one able to carry out refueling and decommissioning work. Mr. Petters didn't specify the potential revenue impact if the George Washington is retired, but he said the value of the work to retire a carrier is around half that of refueling and upgrading a ship.

The cost of the midlife upgrades has stabilized at around $2.6 billion per ship, based on the existing contract awards.

Huntington Ingalls also builds nuclear submarines, destroyers and other vessels for the Navy and the Coast Guard. Mr. Petters said it could be in a position to bid for work on a proposed new frigate outlined this week by Mr. Hagel.

That new ship would serve alongside the controversial littoral combat ship program that has been cut to 32 ships from a previous plan of 52 because of a mix of budget cuts and dissatisfaction among senior Pentagon leaders with the vessel's ability to carry out some missions.

Mr. Petters said Huntington's role in any new ship would depend on what design the Navy chooses—an initial outline is expected by year-end—though a ship based on the cutters it is building for the Coast Guard is one option.

The refocusing of U.S. military strategy toward the Pacific Rim from Central Asia has helped protect much of the Navy's budget plans in the face of wider cuts in military procurement, and it has made Huntington Ingalls the best-performing stock in the sector.

The stock more than doubled last year. It pushed above the $100 mark for the first time after the company reported forecast-beating profits for the fourth quarter Thursday, closing at $100.68 a share.

Profit in the quarter ended Dec. 31 rose to $91 million from $50 million a year earlier, with per-share earnings climbing to $1.82 from 98 cents. Revenue increased 6.3% to $1.94 billion, and operating margin rose to 9% from 5.8%.

(待續)

台灣建州運動發起人周威霖
David C. Chou
Founder, Formosa Statehood Movement
(an organization devoted in current stage to making Taiwan a territorial commonwealth of the United States)