Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations - Historic Naval Ships ...

Executive Summarytypes of operations, such as noncombatant evacuationoperations and foreign humanitarian assistance.Characteristics of Amphibious OperationsAmphibious operationshave four keycharacteristics.Integration between the Navy and landing forces. The keycharacteristic of an amphibious operation is close coordinationand cooperation between the ATF, LF, and other designatedforces.Rapid buildup of combat power from the sea to shore. Thesalient requirement of an amphibious assault is the necessityfor swift, uninterrupted buildup of sufficient combat powerashore from an initial zero capability to full coordinated strikingpower as the attack progresses toward amphibious forceobjectives.Task-organized forces, capable of multiple missions acrossthe full range of military operations to enable joint, allied, andcoalition operations. Amphibious forces are task-organizedbased on the mission.Unity of Effort and Operational Coherence. The complexityof amphibious operations and the vulnerability of forcesengaged in amphibious operations require an exceptionaldegree of unity of effort and operational coherence.Command and Control of Amphibious OperationsAmphibious operationsare normally part of ajoint operation.The JFC ensures unity ofeffort in achievingamphibious objectives byestablishing unity ofcommand overamphibious forces.The JFC will organize theamphibious force in sucha way as to bestaccomplish the missionbased on the concept ofoperations.The command relationships established within the amphibiousforce are in accordance with the concepts and principlesdelineated in JP 0-2, Unified Action Armed Forces (UNAAF).The JFC may establish unity of command over amphibiousforces by retaining operational control (OPCON) over theService or functional component commands executing theamphibious operation, or by delegating OPCON or tacticalcontrol (TACON) of the amphibious force to a Service orfunctional component commander.If organizing forces along Service components, the JFC mayestablish a support relationship between the Navy componentcommander and the Service component commander of the LF,or delegate OPCON or TACON of the assigned or attachedamphibious forces to a Service component.xi