Amphib readiness has been a topic of much discussion, as service leaders, lawmakers and the executive branch have scuffled over just how many of the ships the Marine Corps really needs, and how relevant they are to modern combat operations.
The deal has been years in the making with lawmakers becoming increasingly more vocal urging the Navy to act.
The challenge for Western democratic institutions is not a lack of capability — it is a structural one.
The arrangement for four amphibious vessels from shipbuilder HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding comes after Congress has pressured Navy brass for years to pursue such a deal.
Pending legislation in the Senate aims to force the Navy and Marine Corps to have 24 amphibs "operationally available" on any given day.
While the Navy secretary insists he will meet the requirements under the law, Sen. Dan Sullivan says he's prepping legislation to force the Navy's hand.
"When things like Turkey or [Sudan] come up, and other aspects of the US Joint Force are responding, it’s uncomfortable because [the Marines] look at it as something that historically they have done," said one analyst.
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Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., also stated that he is “likely” to receive the Navy’s updated 30-year shipbuilding plan “in the next day or so.”
At least one key lawmaker has already said he will push to fund amphibious shipbuilding regardless of the White House's budget request.
“I just mentioned we haven’t put the [third] ship on contract yet. The line is already running behind,” CNO Adm. Michael Gilday said.
The new budget request seeks the second Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and two Virginia-class boats, but lacks amphibs, a point sure to irk lawmakers.
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The assistant commandant also sought to tamp down on the narrative that funding amphibious shipbuilding was a fight between the Navy and Marine Corps.
Lawmakers can’t force the Navy to buy more amphibious ships. But they can – and did – set them up for it.
Previous laws requiring certain ship counts have struggled to be anything more than symbolic.