New Navajo-class rescue ships bolster US Navy's Pacific strategy

One effect of the American pivot to the Pacific is the commencement of the production of new oceanic rescue ships. These modern units are intended to assist the American fleet following a potential conflict with China.

What to do with a damaged aircraft carrier? During World War II, the United States lost four such ships in battles. The loss, although severe, was not catastrophic. The most valuable resource, trained sailors and pilots, was almost entirely saved – 90% of the survivors were rescued.

Contemporary simulations show that, during a potential war with China, the American fleet might win but could also suffer heavy losses, depending on the scenario.

This is particularly concerning as valuable and scarce (the US Navy currently operates a total of 11 such units) aircraft carriers will become priority targets for the Chinese. They may get damaged, or perhaps one might even sink. What happens then?

The problem is that contemporary carrier strike groups are relatively few in number. At best, it’s an aircraft carrier and a dozen or so (usually just a few) ships, which are not capable of rescuing large, damaged units or taking on board a larger number of survivors. This is precisely the problem that the Navajo-class rescue ships aim to address.

On June 10, 2024, the ceremonial christening of the first official (second overall) Navajo-class unit took place at the Houma shipyard in Louisiana, owned by Bollinger Shipyards. The USNS Cherokee Nation is part of a 10-ship series whose production began in 2018.

The Navajo-class ships are only 80 metres long, 18 metres wide, and have a draft of 7.6 metres. Despite the short hull length, they displace as much as 5,600 tonnes, due to their unusual, bulky shape.

The ship looks different from most vessels. It has a very high-built bow section where a large superstructure is located. The stern part of the ship is flat and very low.

This design is due to the role of the Navajo-class ships, which can be modified by placing additional mission modules on the hull. These units' primary task is to serve as rescue ships, capable of providing assistance to much larger ships at sea.

The Navajo-class rescue ships can work with manned and unmanned submarines, extinguish fires, combat fuel spills and contamination, take in survivors, and most importantly, tow large, damaged vessels. Despite their small size, a single Navajo-class unit can tow any US Navy ship, including the largest aircraft carriers with up to 20 times their displacement.

The construction of Navajo-class ships is part of broader preparations by the US Navy and the entire armed forces for a major confrontation in the Pacific. Alongside new warships, the United States is building numerous units supporting fleet operations.

Apart from the Navajo-class ships, the fast transport catamarans of the Spearhead class, some of which are being configured as hospital ships, are worth mentioning. The Pentagon has also concluded that large aircraft carriers may not be enough currently available.

Thus, there has been a return to the World War II concept of "escort carriers"—smaller units with limited capabilities that, despite their limitations, adequately saturated the theatre of operations with carrier-based aircraft. Large amphibious assault ships, such as the new America-class units being built, are being adapted to this role.

These efforts are accompanied by the intensive expansion of Pacific infrastructure, with priority given to the base on Guam, where new long-range radars and air and missile defence systems are being built.

All this is happening amid alarmist reports of the much greater capabilities of the Chinese shipbuilding industry, the numerical superiority of the Chinese navy over the US Navy, or the insufficient ability of the American industry to quickly produce armaments.

The numbers are not favourable for the United States, but – as experts like Dawid Kamizela point out – China suffers from a colossal difference in experience. Unlike technology or new weapon plans, this cannot be copied or stolen.

Since the end of World War II, the United States has been constantly engaged in some war or military intervention, and the Navy has been an integral part of these actions.

American ships attack, are attacked, hit mines, fight for survival after attacks by kamikaze boats, engage with surface units, or target inland. This experience translates into a wealth of experience influencing both the design and modernization of American ships and the procedures they follow.

The Chinese navy lacks all of this experience; despite its impressive numbers or technical parameters, it has no experience from actual combat, apart from harassing Vietnamese or Filipino defenders of disputed atolls.

Nevertheless, the Pentagon does not underestimate the threat from China. Proof of this is how the American fleet is being modernised, as well as the reform of the Marine Corps, the development of innovative rocket artillery (Dark Eagle - LRHW programme), new equipment for the army (M10 Booker, XM30) or work on a new air superiority fighter NGAD. The direction of changes pushed by the Pentagon clearly shows that the strategic rival of the United States ceased to be Russia a long time ago, and it’s now China taking that place.