Naval Operations Concept - Defense Technical Information Center

Naval Operations Concept 2010
forecast capacity of the Naval Service. Since 2007 the combatant commanders’
cumulative requests for naval forces have grown 29 percent for
CSGs, 76 percent for surface combatants, 86 percent for ARG/MEUs, and
53 percent for individually deployed amphibious ships. 12
The challenge is to employ globally distributed, mission-tailored forces across
a wide range of missions that promote stability, prevent crises and combat
terrorism; while maintaining the capability to regionally concentrate credible
combat power to protect U.S. vital interests, assure friends, and deter
and dissuade potential adversaries. Forward forces and forces surged
from the United States, along with those of allies and partners, must be
sufficiently ready and interoperable to respond effectively across a broad
spectrum of crises.
Central Idea
Naval forces are ideally suited to shape and respond to the security
challenges of the 21 st century. The combination of forward stationed and
rotationally deployed forces is a uniquely adaptable means to maintain
global military presence while respecting the sovereignty of other nations.
The presence of forward naval forces provides American policymakers
with an expansive range of options to influence events and project power
in peacetime, crisis, and war. These options are largely the result of
interoperability with ally and partner maritime forces, achieved through
effective, steady-state engagement activities; and the flexible employment
of naval force packages that are tailored to specific capacity building,
security cooperation or crisis response requirements.
Cooperative Action
The United States employs a “comprehensive” approach that focuses and
synchronizes interagency efforts to promote good governance; the rule
of law; social, economic and political development; stability; and global
security. In this context, the Naval Service helps build partner capacity
to maintain maritime security, respond to crises within the maritime domain,
deter conflicts, and prevail in war. Building such capacity requires
collaborative planning with partners—along with supporting regional
allies and partners, international organizations, and non-governmental
organizations—and a series of resulting activities that are conducted