US Navy mulls more ships to 7th Fleet

November 3, 2017

Washington- The US Navy is considering deploying more ships to its Japan-based 7th Fleet to meet its growing operational demands in the Pacific, Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, indicated Thursday.

"The Navy's been run hard in the past 16 years of war and the pace is picking up, especially in the Pacific," Richardson said.

He made the comments at a press briefing held to discuss results of investigations into the fatal collisions earlier this year involving the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain, Aegis guided-missile destroyers from the 7th Fleet, based in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo.

"Operational demand has increased significantly in the Western Pacific to support high-priority national tasking," the Navy said in a report on the investigations.

Richardson said "rising pressure to meet operational demands led those in command to rationalize declining standards, standards in fundamental seamanship and watchstanding skills, teamwork, operational safety, assessment and a professional culture."

"This resulted in a reduction of operational safety margins," he said. Jiji Press