In the late 1980s, the United States Navy began building its own sealift capability.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Introduction

This force would also require support from civilian air and sealift to sustain two large expeditionary forces.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century

An MRC in the Western Pacific will probably require more surface combatants and sealift than were deployed in OIF.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century

In 1992, the federal government did a new sealift requirements study, based on the two-MRC scenario reflected in the Bottom-Up Review.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Introduction

The study found that in order to move enough forces in-theater early enough, both surge sealift and prepositioning would need to be increased.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Introduction

This variant of the two-MRC construct made a particular difference in the amount of airlift and sealift and the investments required in critical warfighting enablers.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | The Measure of a Superpower: A Two Major Regional Contingency Military for the 21st Century | Page: 2

The QDR proposed that the minimum airlift capacity to support the two-war construct was approximately 50 million ton-miles per day with an additional surge sealift capacity of 10 million square feet.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | The Measure of a Superpower: A Two Major Regional Contingency Military for the 21st Century | Page: 2

In 2007 Dockwise merged with Sealift Ltd.

FORBES: Will the Vanguard Semi-Submersible Ultra Heavy Lift Ship Keep Dockwise Afloat?

The U.S. Navy provided five carrier battle groups with one more in transit to the theater, two amphibious ready groups, and two amphibious task forces for a total of more than 70 surface combatants and submarines plus 37 Military Sealift Command ships.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century