Why did the United States need two reserve fleets at once?

Everyone knows very well that the American navy is the most numerous and powerful, almost completely owning the world's oceans. It is based on 11 aircraft carrier strike groups (AUG), but not everyone knows that in reality the US Navy is much more numerous and can quickly increase its numerical strength at the expense of the reserve.

World War II at sea against the Third Reich and Japan was largely won because the relatively safe and industrial United States could build warships and transport ships very quickly and in large numbers. But when the war ended with the defeat of the Axis countries, the question arose of what to do with all this fleet, the size of which turned out to be excessive for peacetime. The zealous Americans preferred not to sell the ships or let them go on pins and needles, but to keep them for future use. A reserve fleet was created, and not one, but two: the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) and the United States Navy reserve fleets. It soon became clear that they had not done so in vain.



Already during the Korean War, the Pentagon was able to immediately use 540 ships from its national reserve for the rapid transfer of a large number of troops and equipment to the peninsula. In 1951-1953, a global crisis erupted, and more than 600 ships from the United States transported grain to India and coal to Europe. Subsequently, these transport ships were used by the USDA as floating bases for storing grain stocks. In 1956, the reserve fleet was used after the closure of the Suez Canal and in 1961 during the Berlin crisis. Transport ships were widely used by the Americans during the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf. Recent events in which the reserve fleet has proven useful are the recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the United States in 2005 and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.

In general, it turns out to be useful to have such an additional resource that can be used in wartime or during an emergency. But what exactly are these two US reserve fleets?

National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF)

It was created under the Ships Sales Act of 1946 to meet the needs of the United States in the event of emergencies, as well as for the delivery of military and civilian cargo. The NDRF is administered by the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD). After the end of World War II by 1950, this reserve fleet of national defense numbered an incredible 2277 ships, but their number naturally declined. It was based on high-speed Liberty-class transports, built by the United States to provide over 2500 convoys across the Atlantic to Great Britain and the USSR. The spare ships were based at eight locations in California, Virginia, Texas, Alabama, New York, Oregon, Washington, and North Carolina.

To this day, only three NDRF sites remain - James River, Virginia, Sesun Bay, California, and Beaumont, Texas. Most of the ships have been decommissioned, but the rest can be returned to service within 20-120 days after receiving the appropriate order.

United States Navy reserve fleets

This is the second "reserve" US fleet, which is also called "naphthalene". We have already addressed this topic, telling about the remaining four Iowa-class battleships, which were actively used by the US Navy in Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon and Iraq. Now the American battleships have been turned into museums, but they can be returned to service within 3-4 months. All spare ships are based at the same anchorages as the NDRF: in James River, Sesun Bay, Beaumont and elsewhere, so they are often confused with each other. The naphthalene fleet is operated by the Marine Systems Command (NAVSEA).

As for the composition, everything is much more interesting than that of NDRF. For example, in the parking lot in Bremerton, the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) is waiting for its turn for disposal, but it will not wait. Since 2017, the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) aircraft carrier has been suspended in Pennsylvania, and they have tried to raise money to turn it into a museum ship, but have so far been unsuccessful. Also in the reserve of the US Navy are 2 UDC USS Tarawa LHA-1 and USS Nassau LHA-4, 5 landing transports (LKA-113 - 117), 5 landing dock ships (LPD-7 - 13) and 1 rescue tug (USS Mohawk ATF -170). If necessary, they can be returned to service. In addition, the Marine Corps can count on an additional 72 cargo and 6 crane ships, 6 tankers and 3 gasoline tankers, 2 sea ferries and 1 military transport.

A very lean approach to resources that inspires respect. Unfortunately, this cannot be said about the domestic fleet. How many warships of the Soviet era were sold abroad or sawn for scrap, which could, under the condition of a budget deficit, be withdrawn to the reserve and restored later as needed!

And, alas, we are witnessing an example of such an irresponsible and short-sighted approach right now. One of our TARKR "Admiral Lazarev", a ship unique in its potential, did not wait for a decision on modernization. Instead, the authorities did not spare 5 billion rubles for its disposal. And this despite the fact that a ship of this size in modern Russia is extremely problematic to build. On the Military Review some time ago, an open letter was published with предложением turn the "Admiral Lazarev" into a training ship. For our part, I would like to support this initiative. Perhaps this is the most optimal solution - to use the cruiser for the good of the cause now and at the same time keep the TARKR until better times, when it may still be useful to someone.