NORFOLK – It’s official - the Pentagon wants an aircraft carrier in Florida.
"To mitigate the risk of a terrorist attack, accident or natural disaster, the U.S. Navy will homeport an East Coast carrier in Mayport, Florida," states the final draft of the Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review 2010, which will be officially released Monday afternoon.
The report didn't specifically name which carrier it wants in Florida.
That's unsettling news for Hampton Roads, which is the sole home for the Navy's five East Coast carriers.
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) said, "This is not a done deal."
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-4th District) used the word scandalous to describe the carrier portion of the QDR.
"I intend to investigate the QDR’s one-line proposal to move an east coast carrier to Mayport, Florida. At a time when the size of China’s Navy surpasses our own and continues to grow – fueled by yearly double-digit defense spending increases – and at a time when we know we have a $1.3 billion shortfall in our public shipyard infrastructure, a looming shortfall of 125 strike fighter aircraft by 2015, and are offering the lowest pay raise for troops in decades, I intend to demand full transparency into the decision-making behind the proposed use of up to a billion of taxpayer dollars on a move regarded as duplicative and even ‘scandalous.’"
A December 2009 draft report had only stated a need for "strategic dispersal" of the carrier fleet, but it did not mention Florida or homeport.
Mayport had been a carrier port but lost that capability with the retirement of USS John F. Kennedy in 2007. The conventionally-powered flattop was decommissioned, leaving only nuclear-powered carriers in the fleet at Naval Station Norfolk.
The Navy has estimated it would need to spend $550 million-plus on Mayport for dredging, new facilities to maintain nuclear propulsion plants and other improvements so it could accommodate nuclear-powered carriers. The process would take about five years.
The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce has estimated that losing an aircraft carrier will cost the region 11,000 jobs and $650 million.
The Virginia congressional delegation vowed to fight to keep carriers in Norfolk.
"In a time of concern about federal spending and budget deficits, I will be asking tough questions about this Pentagon plan to divert $700 million to $1 billion -- or more – to reassign an aircraft carrier from the Norfolk Naval Station," stated Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA).
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) adds, "It should be emphasized that although the QDR is a valuable planning tool, it is an internal document and does not have the force of law. Decisions with respect to matters such as homeporting are subject to the authorization and appropriations process of the Congress.
"I continue to believe that removing an aircraft carrier from Naval Station Norfolk would not be justified on either a strategic or fiscal level. I look forward to examining the issue when it formally comes before the Congress."
Sen. Webb says he'll question Secretary Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen in Tuesday's Senate Armed Services Committee meeting.
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-1st D) says "I think this spreads resources extraordinarily thin, spends money in areas where we haven't clearly defined a real need."
Sen. George LeMieux (R-FL) calls it an historic day for Mayport.
"A nuclear carrier homeported here is the right decision for the right reasons. In addition to strengthening the fabric of our national security, this will mean thousands of jobs and families for this region. I commend the Defense Department for making the right decision for what is clearly in the best interest of our national security."
A 20-member bipartisan panel now will review the report and make its recommendations to give to Congress by July 2010.
