Episode 766: Mid-August Maritime Melee

What a great weekend for a good old fashioned Midrats Podcast Maritime Melee!Petty domestic political posturing has decided to broach a whole series of our favorite subjects for the last 17 years: carrier shortages, neglect of our auxiliaries in our Combat Logistics Force, leadership at sea, ships adrift…enough for a whole series of shows, but Mark and I promise to keep today’s show to an hour.Show LinksSnopes on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) issuesWSJ article on Admiral Cooper’s visit to ABECasey William’s dad being a good dadUSS Benfold (DDG 65) loses powerChapters00:00: Introduction and overview of naval challenges02:07: The need for more ships and the Ship Act04:14: Historical context of fleet size and shipbuilding07:06: Deployment length, mental health, and port visits11:59: The aging fleet and the importance of new ships16:08: Logistics challenges in the Indo-Pacific region20:04: Power outages and maintenance on USS Benfold24:55: The political landscape and funding issues29:51: Mental health support and sailor resilience35:03: Geopolitical considerations and port call limitations39:55: Technological innovations and future ship designs45:01: The importance of bipartisan support for naval modernization49:45: Conclusion and call to action for naval investment