An unrelenting fire that burned for more than 30 hours not only destroyed the living quarters of the U.S. Navy's latest aircraft carrier, but also exposed the strategic dilemma of the U.S. Navy's global deployment under extreme pressure.

The "Ford" carrier is really exhausted

While the world's attention was fixed on the fires in the Middle East, it was reported that the "Ford" carrier would temporarily leave the frontline due to a fire on board, and would head to Souda Bay in Crete, Greece, for emergency repairs.

The "Power" website stated directly that the usual deployment cycle of an aircraft carrier is 6 to 8 months, aiming to ensure the ship remains combat-ready and avoid crew fatigue. If the deployment time is extended, it may trigger a series of chain problems, and indeed, the "Ford" carrier has experienced this.

This fire occurred on March 12th, when the Central Command stated: the laundry room caught fire, the fire was under control, and only two sailors were injured. But paper can't cover the fire, the New York Times pointed out in its latest report that the number of injured was not 2 people, but 200, and this fire actually took over 30 hours to finally be extinguished.

It is reported that nearly 200 sailors were injured due to inhaling smoke, and one sailor with serious injuries was evacuated from the carrier for treatment. This fire also affected many bunks. After the disaster, over 600 sailors and crew members lost their bunks and had to sleep on the floor and tables. The sailors could no longer do their laundry after the fire and had to patrol and sleep in dirty and smelly uniforms.

This fire that lasted more than 30 hours not only burned down the laundry room and living quarters of the carrier, but also revealed the strategic dilemma and overwork crisis of the U.S. military under extreme scheduling. In short, the fire on the "Ford" seemed like an accidental event, but it was actually an inevitable result of long-term overwork accumulation.

The "Ford" carrier has been continuously on duty without stopping

Last October, the "Ford" sailed from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean Sea, and this year it moved to the Middle East to bomb Iran. The "Ford" has been on duty for the 10th consecutive month since its departure last year, and even more terrifyingly, the crew members said: the sailors were told that their deployment might be forced to be extended until May this year, which means they will spend a full year at sea, twice the standard deployment time of a naval aircraft carrier.

Navy experts analyzed that even during the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War, the deployment time of an aircraft carrier was at most 9 months, and if it was too long, it would be a heavy burden for both the ship and the crew. Moreover, due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, the "Ford" is currently operating around the clock, 24 hours a day, non-stop flight operations.

In fact, the health condition of the "Ford" has had potential problems for a long time, and this fire was just the last straw. The "Ford" has always been plagued by hardware design flaws, among which the most notorious is the sewage pipeline problem of the 650 toilets on board. This poorly designed and too small toilet system frequently fails, causing great distress to the crew. The U.S. Navy Secretary expressed concern in January this year about the possibility of the "Ford" missing its scheduled maintenance schedule. After all, when the deployment pattern of the carrier is broken, it will trigger a series of catastrophic domino effects. He even said at the time that he would "resist" any further orders to extend the deployment of the "Ford".

The "Ford" was originally expected to undergo a major maintenance and refit period in Virginia this year, but due to the sudden outbreak of the war in the Middle East, this maintenance plan has been indefinitely postponed.

Now only the "Lincoln" is left to hold the line

A big fire directly forced the "Ford" to temporarily withdraw from the battlefield, and there is no sign of the war against Iran ending. The Middle East theater will now be left to one carrier, the "Lincoln", to hold the line. A military official revealed that the "Bush" carrier is preparing to deploy to the Middle East in full swing, filling the power vacuum left by the "Ford".



Original article: toutiao.com/article/7618850032514548287/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.