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Could America Be Down Another Carrier?
By Harold Hutchison

The upcoming sequestration and the ongoing budget battles in Washington, DC, have caught another carrier in the cross-fire. The Navy announced it is indefinitely postponing the refueling and complex overhaul of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

The carrier was slated to begin its overhaul this year. The delay will also affect the planned de-fueling of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and the start of the RCOH for USS George Washington (CVN 73).

The decision could also affect force structures. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is planned to enter service in 2015, but the upcoming sequestration could have more effects.