US Lawmakers Push to Double the Number of Aircraft Carriers

A group of more than 100 US lawmakers are pushing to double the number of aircraft carriers procured for the US Navy for fiscal year 2019.

"As you continue preparation of the fiscal year 2019 Budget Request for the Department of Defense, we are writing to express our interest in a dual procurement of Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers in the upcoming fiscal year," the legislators wrote in a December 20 letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

Procuring two carriers "allows the Navy to build to a fleet of 12 aircraft carriers more quickly as prescribed by the FY18 National Defense Authorization Act — which established that the Navy should maintain 355 ships, including 12 aircraft carriers," Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) said in a news release.

Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Bradley Byrne (R-AL), Joe Courtney and 127 more House lawmakers signed the letter supporting...