Stockpile/equipment costs are the bulk of what we've spent so far.

Operating a carrier group in a theatre is not that much more expensive than just maintaining an operational carrier group.

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ortusdux 6 hours ago | parent [-]

For many weapon systems, we burned through a decade of inventory in a month. Rapid replenishment will be expensive.

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_DeadFred_ 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Those stock piles are for war with China/Russia/Iran. If we end up in a situation where that has shifted to China/Russia, they will have been put to their intended/purchased for use.

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nullocator 3 hours ago | parent [-]

This is massively and factually incorrect. When congress passed _defense_ budgets for the last 30+ years none of the munitions intended for the defense of the united states were earmarked for "war with China/Russia/Iran". Some were sold/"gifted" to Ukraine/Israel/etc but there is no language in any bill about stockpiling arms for war against one of those named countries. War which congress must declare.

	▲	_DeadFred_ a few seconds ago \| parent [-]
		So as an American I have been sold our need to build up is because Iran/China/Russia. This is factually correct that this is what I have been told. This is going to be wild, but public perception/justification != congressional earmarks language.