"This article focuses on matters related to the war on terrorism waged by the United States. Without two submarine builders, the United States could find itself in a lot of trouble. The political-military environment in Washington these days is all aflutter with the congressionally-directed study of military strategy and force structure termed the Quadrennial Defense Review and the more geographically threatening Base Realignment and Closure process. Some of the defense cognoscenti have warned of a gathering storm that could reach tsunami proportions in which budgetary pressures, a stretched military and a poisonous political atmosphere combine to wreak havoc on the nation's armed forces as they fight an ongoing war on terrorism and try to hedge against longer-term, emerging threats."