Reports that the Navy is re-evaluating its 355-ship goal in the wake of the new national security strategy are a good sign. That said, those who are thinking the number should be lower are all wet. Ideally, the Navy will revise that number significantly upward.

The U.S. Navy, at present, is arguably the most powerful navy in the world. Its 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers can operate four squadrons of multirole fighters and assorted support aircraft. Its major surface combatants, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, are arguably among the best in the world, and there’s a lot of them. Nuclear-powered attack submarines, like the Virginia, Los Angeles, and Seawolf classes pretty much rule under the sea.