Since the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy has dominated the oceans. This superiority has been supported by the strength of its aircraft carriers and high-tech warships.
The escalation of the Vietnam War in 1972 prompted President Richard Nixon to launch Operation Linebacker II against North Vietnamese aggression—the operation aimed to intimidate the North Vietnamese and compel them to resume peace talks.
The sea is essential to the global security of the United States. It provides access to coastal states and enables military forces to project power in areas of international tension, assist allies and friends, and maintain international peace and stability.
However, the sea also presents adversaries with opportunities to exploit insufficient control of its waters and choke points. For instance, numerous Chinese and other Asian islands are being constructed in the South China Sea to advance territorial claims.
This has made maritime operations challenging for U.S. Navy commanders and sailors and influenced the Department of Defense's approach to naval force structure and mission emphasis.
Successful operational environments necessitate constant innovation and the development of new capabilities. These include forward engagement and partnership development, unrivaled power projection, assured littoral access, rapid crisis response, and the capacity to sustain expeditionary operations from the sea.
The capacity of a nation to project its military power onto the oceans. It includes ships, aircraft, auxiliary craft, commercial shipping, bases, and trained personnel, among other components.
In this age of globalization and technological advancement, the role of the oceans is greater than ever. The importance of the world's waterways as conduits of communication and transportation are growing, allowing for greater connectivity between nations.
The ability to establish and maintain a coastal defense and control littoral chokepoints contributes to the protection of naval forces and the extension of the range and reach of air and ground forces. A credible blue-water or global open-ocean navy also provides the capacity for power projection and enduring forward presence, which are vital to the national security interests of the United States.
A robust logistics and airborne tanker fleet and a resilient and secure C4ISR enterprise support maritime operations far from land-based defenses and serve as the foundation for global maritime operations. This is a crucial requirement for a joint force capable of overcoming and defeating great power competition and evolving threats in the era of asymmetric warfare in a complex and unstable world.
The capacity to project military force onto the oceans. It is a factor that determines how a nation's military forces can operate in the ocean and whether or not they can withstand enemy attack and maritime control shipping.
It also influences how a nation utilizes its naval bases and colonies. The sea power of a nation varies based on its geographical position, physical configuration, territory size, number and quality of harbors, as well as its population, form of government, and economic situation.
To be effective at sea, a navy must possess diverse capabilities. This includes the ability to conduct warship operations, possess a vast array of submarine capabilities, and project naval sea control to inland areas supporting joint operations involving land and air forces.
As an integral component of the United States international strategy, the sea plays a crucial role in the nation's ability to deter and defeat foes, strengthen alliances, deny enemies sanctuary, and project global influence. Emerging threats to American interests necessitate constant adaptation in naval warfare, littoral maneuvers, and amphibious operations as global power shifts horizontally and vertically.
Therefore, the United States must maintain and grow its forward-deployed maritime crisis response forces. These capabilities are essential to our capacity to rebalance our military posture towards the Asia-Pacific region, establish power projection, provide a stabilizing presence in key regions, and conduct humanitarian assistance missions.
As the global economy continues to evolve, marine power is anticipated to play a crucial role in providing clean energy solutions. However, installing, operating, and maintaining complex marine energy systems can be challenging, particularly in harsh marine environments. However, innovation in material engineering may mitigate a number of these obstacles.