Portland

The amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) in the Gulf of Mexico in 2017. (Photo courtesy of US Navy)

MODERN DAY MARINE 2022: Two influential House lawmakers have introduced legislation to require the Navy and Marine Corps to maintain a fleet of at least 31 amphibious ships.

“The current path, as exhibited in the insufficient 30-year shipbuilding plan, would decrease the amphibious fleet to just 25 traditional amphibious ships in the next five years, entirely undermining the ability of the Marine Corps to serve as the emergency response force,” said Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., who introduced the legislation with Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn. The two congressmen are also the leaders of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee.

The duo’s legislation follows an April letter from Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger affirming the service’s requirement for 31 traditional amphibious ships, also known as L-class vessels, as well as 35 Light Amphibious Warship, a new platform the service is developing built for the island hopping exhibitions envisioned in any Indo-Pacific conflict.

Standalone legislation regarding the Pentagon rarely passes the House and Senate, meaning, assuming there is enough support for it, this bill will likely be added to the fiscal year 2023 defense policy bill.

The problem bills such as these have historically faced, however, is they lack any kind of penalty if the service fails to meet the requirement, making them more symbolic than anything else.

Lawmakers in recent years passed a similar bill stating the Navy must maintain a fleet of no less than 355 ships. That number has received a lot of attention on Capitol Hill, but the stark reality is that the service has no path to achieving 355 ships anytime soon. And with the exception of being harangued by lawmakers every year during public hearings, Pentagon brass haven’t faced any noticeable consequence for it.

It is not immediately clear based on Courtney and Wittman’s statements whether this bill is any different in that respect.

Ahead of the public release of the Navy and Marine Corps’ most recent amphibious ship requirement study being released, Navy Secretary Carlos and Del Toro and Berger Tuesday spent much of their opening remarks here playing up the value the amphibious fleet brings to the fight.

Both Pentagon leaders, alongside Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, will testify today and Friday on Capitol Hill about the service’s latest budget request.