By Gil Barndollar and Sascha Glaeser
As war in Ukraine looms, land warfare is suddenly front and center again in discussions of U.S. national security.
But whatever happens in Ukraine, America’s strategic imperative is at sea. A look at the U.S. Navy — or at a map — makes clear the United States must keep its focus squarely on maritime competition and conflict.
President Joe Biden’s first defense budget, seeking $740 billion for the Department of Defense, was business as usual. The department initially requested $207 billion for the Navy (the Marine Corps included), $204 billion for the Air Force, and $174 billion for the Army — not quite the “rule of thirds,” but close enough. But it’s no longer time for business as usual.
This piece was originally published in Defense News on January 31, 2022. Read more HERE.