SEAS OF TOMORROW

[Music] the 1970s all of a sudden we had really begun to see what was happening to our environment doing something about it will be costly but it has to be done the 1970s never in the nation's history have we been more conscious of our obligations to help the poor the disenfranchised the Forgotten Americans we discovered our City's decaying crime striking all around us drug addiction affecting The Young and the will of the people is clear give greater priority to cleaning up our own problems at home it's happened before in our history that the American people decided military strength wasn't all important right or wrong the people have decided that each of the armed services including the Navy will have to do with [Music] less for the Navy especially cutting back poses a unique challenge because it comes at a time when events are placing a greater potential burden of world responsibility on the the Navy than at any time since World War II and while we're cutting back the Soviet navy continues launching new submarines and surface ships at a rate unparalleled in peace time they are making a direct challenge to our status as the number one sea power and they are gaining rapidly meanwhile the president has announced a policy of diminishing our presence and direct military assistance around the world en closing certain foreign bases that means a greater role for the Navy in support of national interests to move our forces and protect our Seaborn supply lines that's the picture for the 1970s a growing Soviet strength increasing responsibilities for our Navy and less military money the challenge for the 70s to do more with less how the Navy will meet this challenge is our concern the answer centers around one element that is the key to all others Personnel the Navy man himself in the coming years men of the Navy are going to have to be more skilled more highly motivated and more able to take responsibility a petty officer conning the ship it's already happening and it's just a symbol of the greater responsibilities that lie ahead at every [Music] level water all camera looks like it's up forward you're all right now better make it you're going to lose it [Music] probably [Music] back two3 back two3 back two3 and half all right back one third back one third back one third last and a half I'll stop I'll stop can you stop get that line six over as fast as I can six [Music] [Music] over with responsibility comes a greater burden on each man to make decisions for himself relaxing the Mickey Mouse Personnel rules is part of the drive to improve morale channels of communication are being opened up and as a matter of equity I think it's necessary for us to begin to make the important changes in the Navy life that will make this Navy a place in which you will want to continue to serve not just one in which you will serve out of pure patriotism alone partly out of these open lines a whole series of efforts has sprung up to improve the quality of Navy [Music] life one of the important stated goals of the chief of Naval operations and the secretary of the Navy is better living quarters especially for enlisted men and their [Music] families [Music] of course there's nothing that improves morale like pay considerations to keep and attract Elite personnel and an all volunteer Force the Navy will have to offer competitive salaries top officials of the Navy and the other services well recognize is this need by All Odds though the toughest morale problem is how to give men more time at home ports with their families even in this area despite growing commitments progress is being made new ground rules are bringing speedier return from overseas deployment and better leave in Liberty while in the [Music] states [Music] the other part of the answer to how the Navy will do more with less comes from redefining the Navy Mission the four-part mission for the 1970s is based on strategic deterrence sea control projection forces and overseas presence what do we mean strategic deterrence since 1960 our ballistic missile submarines have been patrolling the oceans of the world underwater invisible protected by the vastness of the Seas their mission is to make the price of nuclear attack too high for any possible aggressor to pay and during the' 70s our seagoing strategic weapons capability will continue to grow as Polaris missile submarines are converted to the more versatile Poseidon missile then there's the proposed undersea long range missile system tritant it would be a new type of Submarine carrying a true ICBM the missile would have such an improved range that the sub would no longer have to cruise as near the Hostile Coastline this increase over the present 2500 miile range of Poseidon and Polaris would give Triton a vastly greater ocean area in which to maneuver to stay ahead of continuing Soviet improvements in anti-submarine Warfare sea control in any conflict the Navy must be able to guarantee our lines of communication and Supply that poses an enormous challenge given the growing strength of the Soviet navy and especially its submarine Force since the numbers of our ships are reduced the safety we seek will not be found in numbers the difference has to be made up in quality if you have to do more with less then the things we send to see have to press the very upward limits of American Technology there is no other way the new class of 688 attack Subs is designed for the vital role of sub versus Sub Warfare they'll faster quieter deeper running and armed with anti-submarine Torpedoes and anti-submarine [Music] [Applause] [Music] missiles to do the job of the' 70s with fewer Capital ships we may well turn to a New Direction a greater emphasis on small ship development small but very fast this Patrol gunboat tested in Vietnam is a high foil design it may be the Forerunner of a wide variety of craft with speeds up to 50 knots that could outrun a submerged nuclear sub or Shadow a potentially hostile Fleet one specific idea the designers are working on is a missile equipped fast Patrol escort ship half the size and cost of a destroyer it would be armed to fight ships submarines and aircraft further into the future is an exciting craft of another design the surface effect ship her Hull doesn't even touch the water instead it rides on a frictionless cushion of air created by powerful fans in theory such ships are capable of skimming along at a 100 knots it may be that speed will become the Cornerstone of our answer to the Soviet Naval threat today as the Kremlin orders its naval ships into farflung Seas we Face a greater need than ever for sea-based tactical aircraft since World War II the aircraft carrier has been an answer within our concept of sea power yet budget restrictions May mean fewer new carriers for our Fleet and so the Navy has had to look for other ways to supplement the carrier's job manned anti-submarine helicopters of the lamps program based on destroyers and frigs give the ships a long range capability for submarine attacks and missile defense another answer is what's come to be known as the sea control ship under this concept it's possible that every Navy ship may become home for a copter or aircraft even fixed wi aircraft do not need much Landing deck space anymore the Harrier in use by the Marine Corps for air superiority and air defense can land and take off like a helicopter and still carry a substantial weapons load it's ideal for operating from support or amphibious [Music] ships there's one more key to making do with fewer carriers and that is using each in a dual roll flying traditional missions and anti-submarine aircraft off each existing carrier projection forces the ability to extend United States power across the oceans will continue to depend on the assembled might of the fast carrier task force focused around a generation of nuclear powered carriers and to deliver the Marines ashore the lha combines in a single Hull the capacity of several older amphibious ships it'll transport an entire Battalion Landing team at 20 knots and carry them to just offshore helicopters landing craft supplies equipment and fighting men all neatly packaged in the lha maintaining air superiority will be the job of the Navy's F-14 designed to be the best carrier-based all weather fighter in the world overseas presence the ability to maintain silent unseen forces anywhere on the oceans of the world showing the flag in peace time getting anywhere quickly in time of hostilities this is the Navy of the 1970s a flexible versatile high-speed Fleet with fewer ships but increased capabilities fewer people but more skilled and more dedicated with more cause for Pride the challenges are being met by the Navy of the 1970s [Music] la