Challenges to Crewing the Future Fleet

摘要

The modern technology-intensive fleet the U.S. Navy is putting to sea will require a new skill set for sailors who increasingly will be harder to recruit. The Navy needs the same high-technology talent coming out of high schools and colleges that the commercial sector seeks rigorously, and this competition likely will intensify for the foreseeable future. New ships such as the Zumwalt-class destroyers rely heavily on technology to reduce personnel numbers. The Zumwalt crews only 130 people along with an aviation detachment of 28 sailors, compared to more than 300 on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The Zumwalt also is expected to incorporate next-generation weapon systems currently under development. With fewer sailors on board, those individuals need to possess more diverse skills as they multitask during operations.