The Navy is proposing to maintain in coming years a Navy with 31 amphibious ships and an additional squadron of 14 Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future), or MPF(F), ships. The MPF(F) squadron is intended to implement a new operational concept called sea basing, under which forces would be staged at sea and used to conduct expeditionary operations ashore with little or no reliance on nearby land bases. This report will be updated as events warrant.

The Navy is proposing to maintain in coming years a Navy with 31 amphibious ships and an additional squadron of 14 Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future), or MPF(F), ships. The squadron is intended to implement a new concept called sea basing, under which forces would be staged at sea and used to conduct expeditionary operations ashore with little or no reliance on nearby land bases. For FY2007, the Navy is requesting $297 million in advance procurement funding for a ninth LPD-17 class amphibious ship to be procured in FY2008, and $1,136 million in procurement funding for LHA-6, an amphibious assault ship to be procured in FY2007 using split funding in FY2007 and FY2008. Although the Navy's proposed force of 31 amphibious ships includes 10 LPD-17 class ships, the Navy is planning to end LPD-17 procurement in FY2008 with the ninth ship. Accelerating the procurement of the ninth LPD-17 class ship from FY2008 to FY2007 is an item on the Navy's FY2007 unfunded requirements list (URL) -- its "wish list" of items desired but not funded in the FY2007 budget. Potential oversight issues for Congress include the amphibious-ship force-level goal, the potential affordability and cost-effectiveness of the sea basing concept, and Navy and Marine Corps coordination with other services in developing the concept. FY2007 Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 5122/S. 2766). Sections 123 and 124 of H.R. 5122 would limit the procurement costs of LHA-6 and LPD-17 class ships. The Senate Armed Services Committee, in its report (S.Rept. 109-254 of May 9, 2006) on S. 2766, expresses concerns about the planned reduction in amphibious ships, the sea basing concept, and the MPF(F) program, and requires a report on sea basing and the MPF(F) program. FY2007 Defense Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5631). The House Appropriations Committee, in its report (H.Rept. 109-504 of June 16, 2006), recommends approving the Navy's request for FY2007 procurement funding for a ninth LPD-17 class ship in FY2008, and the Navy's request for FY2007 procurement funding for LHA-6. The report recommends reducing the Navy's request for FY2007 funding to complete LPD-17 class ships procured in prior years. The report recommends approval of the FY2007 request for funding for the National Defense Sealift Fund (NDSF), including the requested amount for procurement of a TAKE-1 class cargo ship. The Senate Appropriations Committee, in its report (S.Rept. 109-292 of July 25, 2006) on H.R. 5631, recommends approving the Navy's request for FY2007 advance procurement funding for a ninth LPD-17 class ship in FY2008, and the Navy's request for FY2007 procurement funding for LHA-6 (page 114). The report recommends disapproval of the request within the NDSF for funding to procure a TAKE-1 class cargo ship. This report will be updated as events warrant.

Investments in amphibious capabilities by U.S. partners and allies in the Asia Pacific is altering the range of capabilities available in that region. It is also changing the types and frequency of exercises partner nations seek to undertake with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps team. This study examines ally- and partner-nation investments in amphibious capabilities, how those capabilities will impact demand for U.S. forces, and the range of U.S. amphibious fleet composites to meet the changing demand.

The availability of land bases from which to launch and maintain military, diplomatic, and humanitarian relief operations is becoming increasingly uncertain because of physical or political constraints. The ability to operate from a sea base, therefore, is likely to become more and more important. The Defense Science Board recently concluded that Sea Basing will be a critical future joint military capability and that DOD should proceed to develop such capability. Following the DSB report, the Navy requested that the National Research Council (NRC) convene a workshop to assess the science and technology base, both inside and outside the Navy, for developing Sea Basing and to identify R&D for supporting future concepts. This report of the workshop includes an examination of Sea Basing operational concepts; ship and aircraft technology available to make Sea Basing work; and issues involved in creating the sea base as a joint system of systems.