U.S. lawmakers have despatched a letter of warning to the U.S. Navy saying the nation might be wholly unprepared for a potential battle ought to the army comply with by means of with a plan to maneuver gasoline from Hawaii to storage amenities throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on China, stated in a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro dated Jan. 17 {that a} plan to redistribute gasoline from Hawaii’s Pink Hill underground bulk storage facility was a “strategic imperative,” Reuters reported. He cautioned, nonetheless, that the Protection Division had but to develop a long-term answer.
“It is unclear how exactly the Navy will replace and distribute the aggregate bulk fuel capacity of Red Hill,” stated Gallagher, R-Wis, noting that U.S. operations within the Pacific would “grind to a halt” with out a logistics community to ship the oil then to make sure ease of entry.
“The Navy appears to be short – by several dozen – ships that will be needed to transport and deliver fuel to our bases and forces operating across the Indo-Pacific,” he continued. “We must address potential weaknesses in our logistical supply lines, while we still have the time to do so.”
Scaffolding covers the Statue of Freedom atop the U.S. Capitol dome on September 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) continues to have problem discovering a legislative path that might stop the federal authorities from partially shutting down at midnight on September 30 and would additionally not jeopardize his speakership. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photos)
In October 2023, the Pentagon revealed the Pink Hill storage facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam suffered a leak that contaminated the water techniques. It then started draining the Forties-era facility, saying the gasoline could be loaded by ship and transported to present help websites. This course of is anticipated to take a number of years.
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In Gallagher’s letter, the Republican lawmaker cited a 2016 Defense Department willpower that it will want 86 tankers for transferring such tools. He requested that Del Toro clarify to the committee whether or not the division had sufficient ahead gasoline storage amenities and would have entry to refinery capability for operations within the Indo-Pacific.
U.S. plane service USS Carl Vinson approaches USNS Rappahannock (not proven) to carry out an underway replenishment within the Pacific Ocean on Could 27, 2017. Rappahannock is a Army Sealift Command ship that aides the U.S. Navy mission by delivering meals, gasoline and provides to Navy vessels, thusly extending the Navy vessel’s means to remain at sea. Image taken on on Could 27, 2017. (Torrey W. Lee/Courtesy U.S. Navy/Handout by way of REUTERS)
Gallagher additionally requested the secretary whether or not the Navy had recognized safe places to construct alternative amenities for Pink Hill, and whether or not it had plans to combine amenities of allies and companions in redistributing gasoline.
A Navy spokesperson affirmed the secretary would reply to the letter accordingly.
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“As with all congressional correspondence, the Department of the Navy will respond, as appropriate. We have nothing additional to provide at this time,” the spokesperson stated, per Reuters.
China’s sole plane service, the Liaoning, arrives in Hong Kong waters on July 7, 2017, lower than per week after a high-profile go to by president Xi Jinping. – China’s nationwide defence ministry had stated the Liaoning, named after a northeastern Chinese language province, was a part of a flotilla on a “routine training mission” and would make a port of name within the former British colony. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
U.S. army consultants proceed to warn that the U.S. is unprepared to answer China’s hegemonic ambitions within the Indo-Pacific, which embody seizing territories, facilitating commerce negotiations and managing commerce routes, and increasing its operational management over disputed waters.
These consultants have warned of gaps in U.S. defenses as China, which now has extra naval vessels than the United States, continues to dramatically develop its army.
Reuters contributed to this report.
