John McCain

The ability to globally swing air refueling assets is paramount to TRANSCOM's ability to support national objectives.

General McDew, additionally, how does TRANSCOM plan for disruption to key chokepoints as vulnerabilities to global logistics?

General McDew, as our adversaries field precision guided weapons, we must continue to review if our efficiency has hampered our ability to remain resilient in how we approach alternative logistics platforms.

General McDew, what areas of operations would be challenging for the joint distribution and deployment enterprise, and what mitigations is TRANSCOM planning for those areas?

General McDew, if responsibility is shared among TRANSCOM, the services, and host nations, what mechanism(s) ensure that gaps in the needed logistics support are not present, and can be addressed if discovered after operations commence?

In March 2016, you said that emerging contested environments pose a significant challenge to transportation and distribution networks.

General McDew, does TRANSCOM have the resources need to support a conflict in a contested environment? If not, what are the primary shortfalls?

Like changing voting rolls.

General McDew, along with other government agencies, such as the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard, TRANSCOM ensures surge sealift vessels are ready to deploy in the event they are activated.

General McDew, how will TRANSCOM prepare civilian mariners to continue missions in the event of a cyber-degraded environment?

General McDew, in what ways will DOD and TRANSCOM equip the MSC fleet with technology that ensures secure communication in contested environments?

General McDew, how will TRANSCOM'S job be different when supporting a conflict in a contested environment, and what is TRANSCOM doing to prepare for the different set of challenges this kind of conflict would impose?

General McDew, as it can take 8200 C-17 sorties to deploy a single brigade combat team, how will TRANSCOM adapt to ensure that global force projection remains a primary capability of the armed forces?

General McDew, do the Department's operational plans for regional and global contingencies assume 100 percent logistics, 100 percent of the time?

General McDew, what assumptions do the COCOMs make for operational planning as to the readiness and capability of TRANSCOM?

General McDew, do you believe that TRANSCOM can facilitate the mobilization sustainment of our armed forces if they were called to respond to a contingency in Russia or North Korea?

We expect significant challenges which could delay and degrade services in the support of combatant commanders and its Allies.

We also need to have an ability, either your organization or someone, to respond and to try to prevent.

Well, General, to 'see what we can do after that' is not comforting to this committee.

I doubt, if there is a conflict in Korea, that one brigade combat team would be sufficient for us to reinforce our forces on the ground in Korea.

The Merchant Marine force that does this work is a viable and proud patriotic unit.

Together, we deliver!

I think that what we are talking about that the North Koreans have is rockets, which would not lend itself to Iron Dome defenses.

Although military activity would be a last resort, it is something that we cannot completely rule out.

I think that we need the administration to be clearer about what they have in mind here.