Naval Operations Concept - Defense Technical Information Center

Naval Operations Concept 2010
We believe that naval forces uniquely contribute to overcoming diplomatic,
military, and geographic impediments to access, while respecting the
sovereignty of nations. Even as security, stability, and the global economy
become more interdependent, resistance to a large U.S. military “footprint”
abroad will continue to increase. Naval forces provide the ideal
means in such a security environment to accomplish a wide variety of
missions conducted independently or in concert with joint, interagency,
international and non-governmental partners that share the United States’
interest in promoting a safe and prosperous world.
We believe that preventing war is as important as winning, and that prevention
activities will constitute the most likely application of naval power.
Where We Operate
The Naval Service operates in the maritime domain, which consists of
the “oceans, seas, bays, estuaries, islands, coastal areas, and the airspace
above these, including the littorals.” The littoral is comprised of two
segments. The seaward portion is that area from the open ocean to the
shore that must be controlled to support operations ashore. The landward
portion is the area inland from the shore that can be supported and
defended directly from the sea.
A number of common, non-doctrinal terms also describe aspects of the
maritime domain. Blue water refers to the open ocean; green water refers
to coastal waters, ports and harbors; and brown water refers to navigable
rivers and their estuaries.
The complexity of the maritime domain, which encompasses the confluence
of water, air, land, as well as space and cyberspace, is infinite in its
variations. As a result, operations in the maritime domain are inherently
challenging. The magnitude of this challenge increases as the proximity
to land increases, with the most complex cases being operations that
transition between water and land.
This is the environment in which naval forces thrive.
Naval forces will continue to be in high demand across the range of
military operations (ROMO) 4 , largely because they effectively bridge