Number: RS21338
Title: Navy Ship-Deployments: New Approaches -- Background and Issues for Congress
Authors: Ronald O'Rourke, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division 
Abstract: The Navy has implemented new kinds of naval formations, more flexible forwarddeployment schedules, and a ship readiness plan (called the Fleet Response Plan, or FRP) for surge-deploying several aircraft carriers in a short period of time to respond to contingencies. The Navy has also forward-homeported additional ships, experimented with long-duration deployments with crew rotation (which the Navy calls Sea Swap), investigated multiple-crewing of ships, and is experimenting with a new forwarddeployment concept called global fleet stations, or GFSs. These actions raise several potential issues for Congress.
Pages: 6
Date: June 2, 2008