CONUS Prepositioned Afloat Aircraft Carriers: A Concept for Mobilizing Heavy Brigades

This research breaks from current prepositioning paradigms in order to answer the question: Could re‐commissioned aircraft carriers prepositioned with heavy brigades in CONUS ports enhance the United States' ability to respond to global contingencies? The methodology used was an open‐ended panel interview conducted during two site visits. The first was to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard's Inactive Ships facility in Bremerton, Washington to inspect the decommissioned USS Constellation aircraft carrier. This panel primarily focused on the generation of size and cost data. The second visit was to Goose Creek, South Carolina for a panel interview with DynCorp contractors responsible for the exercise and care of afloat stocks. This panel focused on the ability of the ship's elevators and top deck to increase readiness by enabling the use of more rigorous land‐based maintenance and exercising criteria. The study concludes that reactivation cost estimates are far below those previously espoused by similar research efforts. The use of the top deck and modified ship and maintenance regulations can enhance readiness of prepositioned stocks. Finally, the carrier's speed makes projection from CONUS ports a critical enabler for homeland defense in the global war on terror.