Last week, White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the United States had officially put Iran "on notice," after Tehran carried out medium-range ballistic missile tests on January 29.
"Readiness is a misunderstood concept," the Defense Department official explained. "For example, not-ready Navy ships are those being repaired or upgraded in dock or undergoing crew changes."
There are always a percentage of US forces that are not in a state of "readiness," the official added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran said at a congressional hearing that he was concerned about the US Navy’s slow pace of readiness, unnecessary equipment damage, and poorly trained operators. Without sufficient funding for modernization, Moran added, the US Navy would not be able to meet its mission on a sustainable basis.
President Donald Trump has said that Iran’s recent missile tests violated stipulations in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the agreement, negotiated between Iran and the P5+1 countries, Tehran pledged to refrain from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.
