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Washington, Mar 16 - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) today questioned Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, on the Navy’s decision to move an aircraft carrier from Norfolk, Virginia to Mayport, Florida, during a House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee hearing. A video of the hearing can be viewed here, or by clicking the video below:

 Throughout his series of questions, Congressman Forbes used the following charts to disassemble the Pentagon’s rational for moving a carrier to Mayport: 

• NOAA data showing significantly higher chance of a hurricane in Mayport, Florida compared to Norfolk, Virginia, versus the Navy’s analysis purporting that Mayport and Norfolk have similar chances for hurricanes.
• Satellite imagery showing Norfolk’s harbor access is several times larger than any other carrier homeport, including the potential homeport in Mayport.
• Norfolk carrier loading chart showing the number of times carriers were in port at the same time in six years.
• A list of the military unfunded requirements that will compete for the up to $1-billion in funds to build the infrastructure at Mayport, Florida.

Congressman Forbes is Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee. He has been persistent in probing the Department of Defense on their reasoning for moving an aircraft carrier to Mayport, Florida, especially in light of tight budget constraints and unfunded requirements across the Department of Defense.