Category: Guest Commentary

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Strategy First — Dr. Steven Wills

America at Sea: Voices That Matter is a conversation hosted by Americans for a Stronger Navy, supported by U.S. Maritime Action and moderated by Capt. Brent Sadler, USN (Ret.). Shipbuilders, mariners, industry, the Navy community and policy experts answer the same three questions about rebuilding America at sea: What’s working? What’s in the way? What would you fix first?

Our guest is Dr. Steven Wills, Navalist at the Navy League’s Center for Maritime Strategy and a senior advisor to Americans for a Stronger Navy [1][2]. Steve served 20 years as a Navy surface warfare officer, including as executive officer of a mine countermeasures ship, before earning a PhD in military history. He is the author of Strategy Shelved: The Collapse of Cold War Naval Strategic Planning and, with former Navy Secretary John Lehman, Where Are the Carriers? [1]

https://twitter.com/StrongerNavy/status/XXXXXXXXXX

Question 1: What’s working now?

Steve sees more interest in shipbuilding than at any time in the last 25 years. There is bipartisan, bicameral interest in the SHIPS for America Act and in the President’s Maritime Action Plan, and voices across Washington and the country are saying the same thing: we don’t build enough ships.

He thinks COVID was the wake-up call. People found out their toilet paper and frozen fish came from somewhere else, on a ship, and that very few ships fly the American flag. Meanwhile the Navy went from close to 600 ships at the end of the Cold War to fewer than 300 today, despite a 355-ship goal on the books for a decade.

“There is really a significant interest in fixing the maritime industrial base in this country. And I’m very heartened by that. Good time for all of us to throw in and try and make that work better.”

Question 2: What are the barriers?

Steve sorts them into three kinds: structural, cultural and economic.

Structural. Warships are funded one year at a time. A program might get full funding one year and less the next, and Congress has run on continuing resolutions “forever,” which means last year’s funding for this year’s problems. For 35 to 40 years after the Cold War, there was also no threat at sea to rally around. The Navy became a supporting force for wars in Southwest Asia. The rise of China’s navy has changed that, and he sees the Navy reworking its acquisition processes in response.

Cultural. “We told people to go away from the trades. We said everybody should go to college.” Now the country needs those tradespeople more than ever if it wants to bring basic industries home.

Economic. The industry has shrunk, so ships cost more to build. They are also far more complex than the ships of the 1990s, which calls for new technology, new workers and new ways of building.

Question 3: What would you fix first?

Steve’s answer is a maritime strategy, like the one the Navy had in the 1980s under President Reagan, led by Navy Secretary John Lehman and the admirals of that era.

“It really said, this is what the Navy is gonna do in peace and war. And here’s exactly the fleet that you need to accomplish these missions. We had that very well defined. We don’t have that as much now.”

For anyone who wants to dig deeper, he points to two Center for Maritime Strategy publications, both free online:

Returning from Ebb Tide: Renewing the United States Commercial Maritime Enterprise [3], which Steve edited, covers how America used to build ships and how it got away from that. It includes ideas from contributors including Capt. Brent Sadler, a section on Military Sealift Command as the backstop for a country that “always plays an away game,” and a section on recruiting, training and keeping mariners, written by California maritime academy instructors.

Pier Review: Leveraging the Allied Maritime Industrial Base for U.S. Shipbuilding [4] comes from visits to shipyards in South Korea, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Canada. The point, he says, is not to build American ships overseas. It is to learn what allies do well and apply it at home.

The takeaway

Steve sees a rare moment of national attention on shipbuilding, and real barriers in budgets, workforce and cost. His first fix is the one that ties the rest together: a clear strategy that says what the Navy must do and what fleet it takes to do it. As always, these are the guest’s views, and featuring them is not an endorsement. What do you think?

About America at Sea: Voices That Matter

America at Sea: Voices That Matter is a conversation hosted by Americans for a Stronger Navy, supported by U.S. Maritime Action and moderated by Capt. Brent Sadler, USN (Ret.). Shipbuilders, mariners, industry, the Navy community and policy experts answer the same three questions about rebuilding America at sea. Views expressed are the speaker’s own, and featuring a view is not an endorsement.

Join the conversation on X. What’s working? What’s in the way? What would you fix first?

About the Guest

Dr. Steven Wills is the Navalist at the Center for Maritime Strategy of the Navy League of the United States and a senior advisor to Americans for a Stronger Navy. He served 20 years as an active-duty Navy officer, retiring in 2010, with sea tours on small and medium surface combatants, including as executive officer of a mine countermeasures ship, and shore tours at the Defense Intelligence Agency and NATO commands in Naples, Italy. He holds a bachelor’s in history from Miami University, a master’s in national security studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and a master’s and PhD in military history from Ohio University. He is the author of Strategy Shelved (Naval Institute Press, 2021) and co-author, with John Lehman, of Where Are the Carriers? (2021) [1][2].

References

[1] Center for Maritime Strategy, “Dr. Steven Wills.” https://centerformaritimestrategy.org/experts/dr-steven-wills/
[2] Americans for a Stronger Navy, “Steven Wills, Senior Advisor.” https://strongernavy.org/steven-wills/
[3] Center for Maritime Strategy, Returning from Ebb Tide: Renewing the United States Commercial Maritime Enterprise. https://centerformaritimestrategy.org
[4] Center for Maritime Strategy, Pier Review: Leveraging the Allied Maritime Industrial Base for U.S. Shipbuilding. https://centerformaritimestrategy.org/publications/pier-review/

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Americans for a Stronger Navy Launches America at Sea With National Maritime Kickoff on October 18, 2026

While we argue, China plans. The issues, the people, and the stories behind America’s maritime comeback.

Americans for a Stronger Navy in collaboration with U.S. Maritime Action, today announced America at Sea, a national effort that begins with a free, virtual maritime kickoff on October 18, 2026. It is the first step toward a standing collective of the people who build, crew, move and pay for America’s ships.

The country has a Maritime Action Plan, legislation moving in Congress, and wide agreement that the fleet and the industrial base behind it must be rebuilt. What it doesn’t have is a public that knows the people who do this work, or a place where every part of the maritime world can speak with one voice. America at Sea is built to start both.

To join the October 18, 2026 kickoff or the founding group, complete our contact page.

“Most Americans have no idea who builds, crews and repairs the ships this country depends on. We want to change that by telling their stories, finding out what they agree on, and giving them a common voice. While we argue, China plans. It’s time we pulled in the same direction,” said Bill Cullifer, founder and executive director of Americans for a Stronger Navy and a former Navy destroyer sailor.

Captain Brent Sadler, U.S. Navy (Ret.), will moderate, helping draw out those stories and the common ground behind them. Sadler served 26 years in the Navy, including nuclear submarine operations in the Pacific and service as a military diplomat in the Indo-Pacific. He is the author of *U.S. Naval Power in the 21st Century* and *Naval Power in Action*, and is a leading advocate for rebuilding America’s shipbuilding industrial base and merchant marine.

U.S. Maritime Action, a new grassroots maritime advocacy group founded by shipyard engineer Clay Wirsing, is collaborating on the effort and will lead outreach to shipyards and the waterfront.

“I spent my Navy years on the bridge of a destroyer. Clay has spent his in the yards building them. He saw the same need I did, that the people who weld, wire and repair these ships have to be part of this conversation. That’s why I wanted him involved from day one,” said Cullifer.

“I’ve spent eight years on the waterfront building and repairing the ships this country depends on. The people doing that work know where the problems are, but they’re rarely in the room when the decisions get made. If we want more ships, the builders, the mariners and the people buying the ships have to work the problem together,” said Wirsing, who has worked in three shipyards on the new construction and repair of aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines and auxiliary supply ships.

On October 18, the organizers will share the story and the vision for America at Sea and open a founding group. Invitations are going out to:

– Shipbuilders, ship repair yards and their suppliers
– Shipyard workers, mariner unions and longshore labor
– Merchant mariners and sailors
– Ship owners and operators, domestic and international
– Ports, carriers and shippers, including agriculture and energy
– Maritime training and education
– Advocates, think tanks and independent voices, including advocates for reform
– The media who cover the maritime world
– Congressional staff, as observers

After the kickoff, America at Sea will continue as a series of conversations introducing Americans to the people behind the nation’s ships, explaining how the maritime world really works, and building a common voice on where they agree.

The effort is independently organized and underwritten by Americans for a Stronger Navy [and U.S. Maritime Action]. No company or interest group has paid to shape its agenda, and the effort does not take positions on behalf of its members.

To join the October 18, 2026 kickoff or the founding group, complete our contact page.

About Americans for a Stronger Navy
Americans for a Stronger Navy is a nonpartisan and non for profit organization based in Folsom, California, focused on naval readiness, the maritime industrial base, and the question of who pays to rebuild American seapower.

About U.S. Maritime Action
U.S. Maritime Action covers U.S. shipbuilding, shipping, ports, the Navy and the Coast Guard. maritimeaction.us

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My 9/11 Story: Windows of the World & Let’s Roll

Two Weeks Before

In late August 2001, I was in Manhattan, kitty-corner from the Twin Towers, to deliver a web design course to community college instructors. I was there on behalf of the World Organization of Webmasters — WOW, for short an organization I founded in 1996. 

On the final day of the course overview to the program managers, around 5:30 in the evening, I walked into the World Trade Center and rode up to the Windows of the World, the restaurant on the 106th and 107th floors of the North Tower. I was still wearing my WOW blue denim. The staff took one look at the shirt, assumed I was a friend of the owner, and treated me like one — a glass of wine, an open table, no questions asked. I sat there taking in the whole of Manhattan below me, having no idea what that room, and that building, would mean to the country two weeks later.

The Week Everything Changed

That week, the course was taught to the Borough of Manhattan Community College web design instructors — BMCC, just blocks from the towers. It would become a command center within hours of the attack.

My two trainers that week were themselves community college instructors, my partners on a national train-the-trainers program run in collaboration with Apple Education and Cisco Systems, part of a $1.2 million U.S. Department of Education grant. Within an hour of the first plane hitting, my instinct took over: get them in a rental car and get them out of the city, to family in Pennsylvania. That drive — through a Manhattan that no longer had a skyline, past a country that didn’t yet know what was happening to it is a memory I still carry.

I think about that room at Windows of the World often. The wine, the view, the ordinary kindness of strangers who thought I belonged there — and then, seventeen days later, a building full of people who did belong there, gone.

Let’s Roll

Todd Beamer was a passenger on United Flight 93 that morning, a civilian with no training for what came next. When the hijackers took the cockpit, he got on an airphone with a GTE supervisor named Lisa Jefferson, learned what had already happened on the ground, and then turned to the passengers around him. His last recorded words were simple: “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” [1] Minutes later, Flight 93 went down in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania — the only hijacked plane that day that didn’t reach its target. [2]

Beamer a devoted husband and father wasn’t Navy. He wasn’t a first responder. He was a father of two who saw what needed doing and organized the people around him to do it. That’s the whole of the “Let’s Roll” campaign at Americans for a Stronger Navy: not a slogan borrowed for effect, but a standard. When something needs doing — for a shipmate, a fleet, a country — you don’t wait to be asked twice.

Why I Still Tell This Story

I didn’t lose anyone I loved on 9/11. I lost a room I’d sat in two weeks earlier, and I spent that week getting two people I was responsible for out of a city that had just become a battlefield. That’s a small story next to the ones this country carries from that day. But it’s mine, and it’s why “Let’s Roll” isn’t an abstraction to me — it’s a debt.

Beamer saw the writing on the wall before anyone else on that plane did, and he acted. That’s the point of this story, and it’s the point of everything we do at Americans for a Stronger Navy: the world isn’t getting safer, and the Navy is going to carry more of the weight of that fact, not less. The 2026 National Defense Strategy says as much. We don’t have the luxury of waiting to see how it plays out. Every year on this day, I pay a little of that debt forward — it’s time to roll.

“Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.”
— Todd Beamer, United Flight 93, September 11, 2001

Non sibi sed patriae. Not self, but country. Let’s roll.

References

[1] “Let’s roll,” Wikipedia, accessed September 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_roll
[2] Daily Herald, “‘Let’s roll’: Todd Beamer’s father on the valiant fight for Flight 93,” accessed September 2026, https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210910/lets-roll-todd-beamers-father-on-the-valiant-fight-for-flight-93

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Why Battleships Still Matter—Even If We Never Build One Again

Bill Cullifer, Founder
Bill Cullifer, Founder

Naval historian Trent Hone recently published a thoughtful piece explaining why the U.S. Navy no longer builds battleships—and why, from a warfighting standpoint, it probably shouldn’t.

Hone’s argument is straightforward: the operational logic that once justified battleships has been obsolete for decades. Big guns gave way to aircraft. Aircraft gave way to missiles. Today’s naval combat rewards dispersion, networking, and numbers—not massive armored hulls.

That assessment is widely shared among naval professionals.

But Hone makes a second, more subtle point that deserves more attention: battleships have always carried symbolic power far beyond their military utility. They were never just weapons. They were national statements—about strength, reach, prestige, and ambition.

That symbolic role has not disappeared.

And that’s where the conversation gets interesting.

Two Serious Perspectives, One Shared Conclusion

Hone is a respected scholar and strategist. He holds the Marine Corps University Foundation Chair of Strategic Studies and has written extensively about how naval doctrine evolves with technology and threat environments. His view is clear: building a new battleship today would produce a smaller, less resilient, less lethal fleet than the alternatives.

Others, however, approach the issue from a different angle.

Defense analyst Brent Sadler, for example, has argued that what matters most is not any specific platform but the urgent need to rebuild American sea power at scale. His emphasis is on fleet size, industrial capacity, and the ability to sustain combat operations over time. For Sadler, bold ideas—even controversial ones—are useful if they force the public to confront how far the Navy has fallen behind its global responsibilities.

These two views may differ on specifics, but they converge on something essential:

America needs a stronger Navy.

Not symbolically. Not nostalgically. Structurally.

The Real Problem Isn’t Battleships—It’s Public Understanding

The deeper issue raised by this debate is not whether we should build a new class of battleships. It’s that the American public has lost touch with what sea power actually means.

Most Americans don’t see the Navy at work.
They don’t see trade routes.
They don’t see chokepoints.
They don’t see logistics.
They don’t see undersea cables.
They don’t see maintenance backlogs.
They don’t see shipyard fragility.
They don’t see attrition math.

But they do recognize symbols.

Battleships, like aircraft carriers, are easy to understand. They look powerful. They feel powerful. They communicate strength in a way spreadsheets and logistics diagrams do not.

That doesn’t make them good warfighting solutions—but it does make them powerful communication tools.

And the Navy has a communication problem.

A stronger Navy is not only a military challenge. It is a civic one—requiring public understanding, long-term commitment, and new thinking about how we fund and sustain national security.

Why Americans Should Care

The U.S. Navy is not just a military force. It is the invisible foundation of modern American life.

It protects global trade.
It stabilizes energy flows.
It keeps shipping lanes open.
It reassures allies.
It deters coercion.
It underwrites economic stability.

When the Navy weakens, these systems become fragile.

That fragility doesn’t show up overnight—but it shows up eventually.

Implications for the Navy

Modern naval power is no longer about a few dominant platforms. It is about:

Numbers
Redundancy
Repairability
Sustainment
Resilience
Industrial depth
Networked operations

A stronger Navy is not just a bigger Navy—it is a Navy that can take losses and keep fighting.

That requires more ships, more shipyards, more trained sailors, and more public support.

Implications for Our Allies

Allies do not just look at U.S. statements. They look at U.S. capacity.

They ask:
Can America show up?
Can America stay?
Can America sustain?
Can America adapt?

A strong Navy reassures allies.
A hollow Navy invites testing.

Where We Stand

At Americans for a Stronger Navy, we are not here to pick winners in platform debates. Reasonable people will disagree about hulls, missiles, drones, and fleet composition.

But most serious voices agree on one thing:

The Navy is stretched too thin.
The industrial base is fragile.
The fleet is too small for its mission set.
And the public does not understand what’s at stake.

That is the gap we exist to close.

Not through nostalgia.
Not through fear.
But through education.

Because a democracy cannot sustain a strong Navy if it does not understand why it needs one.

That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter — a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.

Let’s roll.

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Happy 250th: Celebrating America’s Navy Amid Challenge

A Quarter Millennium of Service
On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress resolved to establish a swift sailing vessel armed with carriage guns to defend American commerce from British forces. From that moment, the United States Navy was born. Two and a half centuries later, the Navy remains at the heart of American security and prosperity.

This week, despite a government shutdown that has paused some ceremonies, the Navy will celebrate its 250th birthday in Philadelphia — the city where both the Navy and Marine Corps trace their roots. Ships will parade on the Delaware River, bands will play, and the public will tour vessels new and old, from USS Arlington to the historic battleship New Jersey. Flyovers, displays, football, and fireworks will honor the sailors who have stood the watch in times of peace, crisis, and war.

Heritage and Resilience
The Navy’s legacy is rich with examples of ingenuity and determination. We’ve told the story of USS R-14, whose crew in 1921 literally sailed their submarine home when fuel ran out. We’ve revisited Midway, where pilots flew through chaos and confusion to deliver a decisive victory. We’ve remembered Cold War destroyer sailors who carried out missions day after day with little fanfare but enormous consequences.

These stories remind us that the Navy’s strength lies not only in steel, but in sailors — their resilience, creativity, and courage.

Doing More With Less
Today, we ask much of those sailors. The U.S. Navy remains the most powerful in the world by tonnage and capability, but it is no longer the largest by sheer numbers. Our adversaries are building at speed, while we face strained shipyards, aging infrastructure, and stretched resources.

As Vice Adm. John Gumbleton said ahead of the 250th celebrations, the heritage of “mighty warships and service members who sailed proudly at sea” continues today. But heritage and resilience are not enough without investment. Our sailors are doing more with less — and that cannot remain the strategy for America’s future.

Why Americans Should Care
The oceans are lifelines of trade, energy, and security. A strong Navy keeps those lifelines secure and deters those who would threaten them. Philadelphia may be the birthplace of the Navy, but the mission it carries belongs to all Americans.

A Call to Action
Happy 250th, U.S. Navy. We honor your past, salute your sailors, and celebrate your legacy. But the best way to mark this anniversary is to ensure the next 250 years are just as strong. That means supporting shipbuilding, revitalizing industry, and giving our sailors the tools they need to prevail.

That’s why we launched Charting the Course: Voices That Matter — a 24-part educational series breaking down how we got here, what went wrong, and what must happen next. Our goal is simple: educate the public, connect the dots, and build the support needed to close the readiness gap before it’s too late.

Let’s roll.

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A Lesson in Leadership: My Encounters with President Jimmy Carter

A Historic Moment: Five Presidents United

Bill Cullifer, Founder
Bill Cullifer, Founder

When I worked for the Reagan Library, I was in charge of communications for the library and the visiting presidents and their families. One of the most extraordinary moments of my career occurred during the library’s dedication, a historic occasion where five living U.S. presidents—Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush—would stand together for the first time. Or so we thought.

Initially, it was announced that President Jimmy Carter would not be attending. He had prior commitments in Zimbabwe, monitoring elections. At the time, I understood the demands of his global responsibilities, as well as the history of tensions between President Reagan and President Carter during the Iran hostage crisis. His absence seemed understandable. The office prepared for him sat empty.

A Midnight Change of Heart

Then, at 2 a.m. the night before the dedication, everything changed. I received a call from my boss informing me that President Carter had a change of heart. He was on a red-eye flight to California and would be attending after all. I was asked to have his office telecommunications ready in time for his arrival. Despite the unexpected timing, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at his decision. It spoke volumes about his character and the depth of his commitment to history. He was determined to be there, recognizing the significance of the moment.

That day remains one of the most extraordinary events I’ve witnessed. The sight of five living presidents together was a reminder of the shared commitment that transcends differences, something President Carter exemplified with his presence.

A Meeting in Plains, Georgia

On a personal note, I brought photos of the presidents to the event, which I managed to have signed by the other four. My goal was to complete the set with President Carter’s signature. Unfortunately, years later, when I had the chance to meet him again, a delayed flight caused me to miss the connection. The photos went back into the closet, unsigned, and I thought I had missed my opportunity.

Persistence Pays: Completing the Signatures

But persistence often pays off. Twenty-five years after the Reagan Library dedication, I finally met President Carter in Plains, Georgia, during a church service. It was a quiet but profound moment. I thanked him for his service, both as a Navy officer and as President, and I shared the story of the photos. To my great joy, he graciously signed them, completing a journey that had begun decades earlier.

Those two photos, now signed by five living presidents, are treasures I’ve passed on to my children. They represent not just a piece of history but a lesson in perseverance, leadership, and unity.

Lessons in Leadership and Unity

As the founder of Americans for a Stronger Navy, I often reflect on how President Carter embodies the values of service and humility we hold dear. His actions at the Reagan Library and throughout his life remind us of the importance of rising above differences and serving a greater good.

Inspired by the Navy’s Legacy

The U.S. Navy is, and always has been, a source for good in the world. My respect for those who serve and have served in the Navy inspires me every single day. Their dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to safeguarding our nation and promoting peace globally is a profound reminder of what it means to lead a life of purpose.

A Call to Serve with Honor

I hope President Carter’s legacy continues to inspire others, as it has inspired me, to serve with honor and dedication in our own ways.

R.I.P., Mr. President.

Bill

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Reflections on the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement: A Legacy of Neglect

On Jan. 31, 1979, Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping and President Jimmy Carter sign historic diplomatic agreements between the United States and China. (Photos: Jimmy Carter Library

Introduction: A Decision Made in Haste

Bill Cullifer, Founder
Bill Cullifer, Founder

The December 2024 renewal of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) has left some Americans questioning its timing and rationale. While the original 1979 agreement aimed to foster collaboration and mutual respect, today’s geopolitical realities demand a more cautious approach. As an American deeply concerned about our nation’s security and technological leadership, I share the frustration of Senators Marco Rubio, Bill Hagerty, and Jim Risch, who criticized this rushed decision. Senator Risch aptly noted, “The era when this agreement made sense is long gone,” a sentiment that reflects the growing consensus among those wary of China’s strategic ambitions.

Historical Context: Cooperation vs. Competition

The STA, first signed under President Jimmy Carter and Premier Deng Xiaoping, symbolized a hopeful era of collaboration. It was a landmark moment in U.S.-China relations, with industries and policymakers believing that shared knowledge could lead to mutual prosperity. However, over the decades, successive administrations—Republican and Democratic alike—failed to reassess the agreement’s implications. Instead, they allowed industries to prioritize market access over national security, kicking the proverbial can down the road.

Now, as the stakes grow higher, the optics of renewing this agreement without public scrutiny are troubling. Worse, the decision was made just before a presidential transition, effectively denying the incoming administration an opportunity to weigh in. This lack of transparency is a glaring issue, especially given how previous agreements with China have often left the U.S. vulnerable.

The Costs of Neglect: Knowledge Shared, Power Shifted

The consequences of this complacency are clear:

Industrial Espionage: Cases like Motorola and Micron Technology illustrate how China has systematically exploited intellectual property to advance its technological and military capabilities.

Military Implications: From stealth fighters to missile technology, stolen innovations have directly bolstered China’s ability to challenge U.S. military dominance.

A Navy Left Holding the Line

While industries reaped profits, the Navy was left to address the fallout:

Countering Advanced Threats: The Navy now faces adversaries equipped with technologies once exclusive to the U.S., making global readiness more challenging.

Strategic Vulnerabilities: Decades of neglect have created gaps in naval capabilities, leaving our sailors to pick up the pieces without the tools they need.

A Call for Accountability and Action

The renewal of the STA should have been an opportunity for reevaluation, not a rushed decision made behind closed doors. While the updated agreement includes some safeguards, such as excluding critical technologies like AI and quantum computing, these measures fall short of addressing the broader risks.

As Dr. Steven T. Wills, Ph.D., Captain (USN Retired), author of Strategy Shelved: The Collapse of Cold War Naval Strategic Planning and Senior Advisor for American for a Stronger Navy, explains: “The renewal of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement must be viewed with a critical eye, especially given China’s consistent exploitation of open collaborations to advance its military and technological objectives. As a former U.S. Navy officer and author focused on strategic naval planning, I’ve seen firsthand how seemingly innocuous decisions can have long-term implications for national security. This agreement, while framed as a step forward in modernizing cooperation, risks overlooking the broader strategic context. If we fail to adopt a comprehensive approach that aligns scientific collaboration with national security, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past—leaving our Navy and national defense community to address the consequences without adequate tools or support. The time for a unified, forward-looking strategy is now.”

Dr. Wills’ perspective highlights a critical point: this isn’t just about protecting intellectual property—it’s about ensuring that strategic decisions today don’t leave the Navy and the broader defense community vulnerable tomorrow.

The renewal of the STA should have been an opportunity for reevaluation, not a rushed decision made behind closed doors. While the updated agreement includes some safeguards, such as excluding critical technologies like AI and quantum computing, these measures fall short of addressing the broader risks.

It’s time to demand:

Comprehensive Evaluation: Policymakers, industry leaders, and defense experts must scrutinize agreements like the STA to ensure they align with national security interests.

Support for the Navy: Our sailors deserve the resources and tools necessary to address the consequences of decades of neglect.

A Unified National Strategy: The U.S. must adopt a cohesive approach to balancing innovation with security, ensuring industries that benefited from globalization contribute to safeguarding national interests.

Conclusion: Enough Is Enough

The optics of this renewal are undeniably poor. It sends the wrong message at a time when China has consistently exploited partnerships for strategic gain. Americans for a Stronger Navy stands for transparency, accountability, and vigilance. We cannot afford to be naïve or complacent when the stakes are so high.

As someone who served in the U.S. Navy during the Cold War, I’ve had enough of watching decision-makers prioritize short-term gains over long-term security. In upcoming podcasts, we will examine this agreement and its implications in greater detail, bringing together experts to discuss how America can reclaim its leadership in science and technology while safeguarding its future.

It’s time for all Americans—especially industries that have profited most—to step up and support the Navy and national security. This isn’t just about science; it’s about our freedom, our future, and our ability to stand strong in the face of growing challenges.

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Happy New Year from Americans for a Stronger Navy

As we welcome 2025, Americans for a Stronger Navy extends heartfelt wishes for a joyful and prosperous New Year to our members, subscribers, and supporters. Your dedication to our mission continues to inspire us as we advocate for a strong and resilient Navy.

Bill Cullifer, Founder
Bill Cullifer, Founder

To celebrate, we’d like to share a piece of naval tradition highlighted in The Washington Post by retired Navy captain Sam Tangredi. His article, “On New Year’s Day, the U.S. Navy Rules the Rhymes,” features poetic entries from U.S. Navy ship logs—a unique way sailors have rung in the New Year since the 1920s.

Here’s an excerpt from the USS Coral Sea’s New Year’s log, written by Lt. J.G. R.J. Barrett in 1975:

USS Coral Sea
By R.J. Barrett, lieutenant junior grade, U.S. Navy Reserve

Assumed the watch.
Nineteen seventy-five, the very first day
Finds Coral Sea in Subic Bay.
Section Four is the “lucky one”
To stay aboard and miss the fun.

Our shipmates all have gone ashore,
At twelve o’clock we heard the roar.
So far away and yet so near;
Moored starboard side to Alava Pier.

[Full poem continues in The Washington Post article.]

This snapshot of life aboard a U.S. Navy vessel showcases the creativity and camaraderie of our sailors. You can read the full article, including poems from the USS Constellation and USS Charleston, by visiting The Washington Post.

As we step into the new year, let’s remember the sacrifices and traditions that unite our Navy community. Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to champion the needs of our Navy and the brave individuals who serve.

Fair winds and following seas,
The Americans for a Stronger Navy Team

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Strengthening Our Naval Future: The Importance of Staying Combat Ready

Sailors on USS Chosin (CG-65) load a Mk.41 cell during an underway replenishment demonstration of the Transferrable Rearming Mechanism. Photo from Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro.

Ensuring Naval Readiness in the 21st Century: A Call to Action
From Americans for a Stronger Navy

In today’s rapidly changing world, America’s naval forces face unprecedented challenges. Global powers are racing to modernize their fleets and develop advanced weapons systems, while the U.S. Navy must continue to uphold its long-standing mission: to defend freedom of the seas and protect American interests around the globe.

As supporters of a strong and capable Navy, we at Americans for a Stronger Navy understand that maintaining naval superiority requires not only cutting-edge technology but also the operational readiness of our fleet. One critical area that has seen major advancements is how our warships sustain themselves in combat.

The Importance of Staying in the Fight

For decades, the need to leave the battle zone to resupply or rearm has created a tactical challenge for the U.S. Navy. Every moment a ship spends away from the fight is a moment when our forces are vulnerable, and our operational effectiveness is compromised. As the former Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Arleigh Burke, once said, “All time spent in replenishing was time lost in combat.”

That sentiment rings true today. The pace of modern warfare has only accelerated, and our Navy must keep pace. In the event of a conflict, especially with global adversaries like China, there may be little time to spare. That’s why rearming and resupplying at sea is no longer just an operational convenience—it’s a strategic necessity.

A Breakthrough in Naval Replenishment: TRAM

Enter the Transferrable Rearming Mechanism (TRAM)—a revolutionary new technology that allows ships to reload their vertical launch systems (VLS) at sea. This innovation, which was recently tested aboard the USS Chosin (CG 65), could dramatically enhance the Navy’s ability to sustain long-range combat operations.

“This is a long-sought breakthrough by our Navy that will be an enormous boost to our ability to endure and conduct successive strikes on the battlefield.” – Captain Dave Lennon, USNR (Ret).

Developed by the engineers at Naval Surface Warfare Center in Port Hueneme, California, TRAM enables cruisers, destroyers, and eventually frigates to resupply their missile systems without leaving the theater of operations. This capability allows our warfighters to stay in the fight longer, delivering sustained firepower where and when it’s needed most.

Why This Matters for America’s Future

In a potential conflict, the ability to rapidly resupply and rearm could be a game-changer. Studies have shown that in a high-intensity conflict with a near-peer adversary, the Navy could expend thousands of missiles in a matter of weeks. Traditionally, U.S. warships would need to sail back to a friendly port—potentially hundreds of miles away—to reload, costing valuable time.

TRAM changes that. By allowing the U.S. Navy to resupply its warships while still at sea, we not only save time but also maintain the operational tempo necessary to overwhelm our adversaries. This kind of forward-thinking innovation is precisely what will ensure that our Navy remains the world’s dominant maritime force.

Our Commitment to a Stronger Navy

At Americans for a Stronger Navy, we believe that our country’s naval strength is foundational to our security. Innovations like TRAM represent the future of naval warfare, but they are just one piece of the larger puzzle. Continued investment in technology, training, and shipbuilding is essential to maintaining our edge in an increasingly competitive global arena.

We encourage all Americans to stay informed about the challenges facing our Navy and the solutions that are being developed to meet those challenges. It is through understanding and advocacy that we can ensure our Navy remains ready to protect and defend—both today and in the years to come.

Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll dive deeper into the technical aspects of TRAM and how it promises to revolutionize naval operations.

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For previously published  reports click here.