This is a problem for the Marines:
Marine Corps leaders badly want their troops aboard an amphibious ship patrolling the African coast -- even if that ship isn't American.
Senior officials are in talks with multiple NATO nations about the logistics of putting a company-sized element of Marines aboard an allied ship to provide presence, patrol hot spots and conduct theater security cooperation missions with African militaries, Military.com has learned.
That's fine. But just because the United States Navy won't provide the hulls for Africa missions doesn't mean that the hull can't be American.
If the Marines feel they are low on priority for Africa missions, imagine how the Army feels?
Which is why I proposed Modularized Auxiliary Cruisers based on container ships--which happily sail all around Africa routinely.
The AFRICOM Queen doesn't have to be an Army ship. It could be a Marine ship.
Heck, the Army and Marines could share the costs and learning curve by doing it jointly.
