Mine Warfare: The Navy's Plans to Reassign Ships to Ingleside, Texas, and to Consolidate Management
Highlights
GAO discussed Navy efforts to address mine warfare problems identified during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, focusing on: (1) the Navy's decision to centralize operational control of all mine warfare forces; and (2) Navy plans to consolidate mine warfare forces at Ingleside, Texas. GAO noted that: (1) as a result of the lack of a full-time, deployable force commander and staff during Operation Desert Shield, no one was responsible for preparing a coordinated mine countermeasures force for deployment; (2) the Navy reorganized its mine warfare activities by centralizing operational control under the Commander, Mine Warfare Command; (3) consolidating all mine warfare ships at Ingleside will involve significant additional costs; and (4) Ingleside's remote location could detract from integrated training and coordination with operational fleet forces. GAO believes that the Navy should: (1) conduct a detailed evaluation of Ingleside and other locations before it relocates its mine warfare forces; and (2) stop construction at Ingleside until its completes this evaluation.