Page 16 - NAVAL SCIENCE 3 TEXTBOOK

SEA POWE It AN D NAT I ONA L SEC UR ITY 21

Sealift Readiness and VISA Programs. Under the provisions backs here, so the reliability of this source ill time of Ilational emer-
of the Sealift Readiness Program (SRP), lip to half of all U.S.- gcnC)l is marginal at best.
flag merch,lIlt ships may be voluntarily conscripted for mili-
tary usc in time of nationnl emergency. Although ill effect since
Transport of Strategic Material
1978, the SPI( has never been activated to date. The VoluntilfY
Intermoclal Sealift Agreement (VISA), enacted in 1997, creates a In i.ldditioll to militar), cargoes. the merchant marine must
partnership betw('cn the U.S. Government nne! the U.S. maritime carr)' the strategic materials and energy resources that support
industr)' to provide commercial scnlift and intermodal support the national econom)' and defense establishment. Our allies also
services required to meet ilny future national mobilization needs. require such sealift. Britain, for instance. must continually import
VISA participants get priorit)' preference when bidding on DOD food to sustain its population, and Japan is totall), dependent on
peacetime cargo. imported oiL If the U,S, industrial complex is to support our forces
Active Merchant Fleet Sealift Readiness Program. The Sealift and those of our allies in time of war. the movement of cargo
Readiness Progrmn is designed to improve the response of pri- across the oceans to and from the United States Illust continue.
vatc operators to national defense needs. Half of U.S.-flag mer- Howe\,er, an important conccrn has arisen in this area. from
chant ships ilrc designated under the program as being liilblc for the cOlllmercial standpoint, ill order to maximize efficielK), increas-
conscription for militM)' scalift duties by the secretaries of dcfcnse ingl)' larger ships are needed to satisl)' the ever-growing indus-
and transportation in timc of national need. Others are liable to bc trial demand for bulk strategic materials. particularl), crude oil and
called on an incrementnl basis, if required. metallic orcs, Consequently, fewer but larger and marc productive
Effective U.S.-controlled ships. These arc ships owned by U.S. ships are being built to meet the cOlllmercial requirements. 1.11 a war-
citizcns or corporations that are licensed by and fly the flags of time situation the United States and its allies could ill aftorel to lose
other nations such ilS liberia, Panama, and Honduras in order to Illany sllch hig commercial ships, for sllch attrition would immedi-
escape the high insurance ilnd wage costs associated with U.S. reg- atel}' have a serious impact on imports of strategic materials,
istry, Ships in this category ilre said to be operating under "flags of In time of a national emergency. defensive fcatures would need
convenience," There is somc qucstion as to the responsiveness of to be incorporated into our merchant ships, fortunately, a provi-
these ships in all but the most dire of national emergencies, and sion exists that mandates certain defensive characteristics in ships
some doubt as to how valuable the)' would be in a military sealift built with government construction subsidies. The additional cost
capacit)' since most of the ships are bulk cilrriers such as tankers, of such features is funded by the Department of Commerce on the
are carriers. ilnd grain carriers. Also. most of their crews are for- basis of Navy recommendations. Among the features that can be
eigners who mil)' not support American interests in wartime. incorporated into ships for better defensc arc improved compart-
Foreign-flag ships. A final possible source of U.S. sealift assets is mentation, helicopter pads. fou ndations for self-sustaining con-
the charter of foreign-flag ships. There are obvious political draw- tainer cranes, owrhead and ramp adjustments lor I{oRo ships. and

An underway replenishment operation with the oiler USNS Leroy Grumman simultaneously refuel ing a Navy aircraft carrier and a destroyer. The
replenishment ship USNS Supply is in the background.