The U.S. Navy fleet peaked at 568 battle-force ships (aka “big boats”) in 1987.
Ever since, the Navy has been on a glideslope to a smaller fleet, according to a Congressional Research Service report sent to lawmakers Tuesday, and obtained by Battleland:
The report notes that the fleet has shrunk to 284 ships – precisely 50% of its size 25 years ago. But don’t panic, it adds: both fleets have something in common:
The 568-ship fleet of FY1987 may or may not have been capable of performing its stated missions; the 284-ship fleet of October 2011 may or may not be capable of performing its stated missions; and a fleet years from now with a certain number of ships may or may not be capable of performing its stated missions.