Naval Operations Concept - Defense Technical Information Center

Chapter
Deterrence
Indeed, force is never more operative than when it is known to
exist but is not brandished. 25
—Alfred Thayer Mahan, 1912
Naval Historian and Theorist
Background
Naval forces have historically provided nuclear and conventional means
to discourage aggression and dissuade adversaries from hostile action.
The ability of naval forces to rapidly deploy and indefinitely sustain credible
combat power worldwide provides national decision-makers with
an important tool to signal U.S. intent and resolve, deterring adversaries,
assuring allies, and contributing to homeland defense in depth. 26
The Maritime Strategy underscores that preventing wars is preferable to
fighting wars. This emphasis on war prevention calls for an expanded
concept of deterrence to meet 21 st -century threats.
Collectively, forward presence, maritime security, humanitarian assistance
and disaster response (HA/DR), sea control, and power projection support
and sustain an expanded form of deterrence. Going further, A Cooperative
Strategy for 21 st Century Seapower (CS-21) provided the Naval Service
with a purposefully expanded view of deterrence. This new framework
includes conducting prevention activities intended to address the
conditions that lead to conflict, while discouraging aggressors through
cooperative action and partnership.
Opportunity and Challenge
In the 21 st century the United States faces an expanding array of
adversaries who threaten its vital interests. This includes both state and
non-state actors who may pose regional, transnational, or global threats
through irregular, conventional or nuclear means. Some potential adver-
Chapter Deterrence