their position. The Navy continues to improve its
p r o p u l s i o n s y s t e m s . T h e N av y ’s c o n t i n u e d
improvements in propulsion systems allow Trident
submarines to operate undetected beneath the oceans.
The newer, faster, and quieter fast-attack submarines
prowl the oceans at will. These ships have added a new
dimension to the world of undersea warfare. We have
m a d e g r e a t s t r i d e s i n u n d e r wa t e r a c o u s t i c s ,
oceanography, and other scientific fields.
Throughout history, the shores of the enemy and the
range of our ship’s guns have limited the Navy’s radius
of action. Now with the development of long-range
aircraft and ballistic missiles, the Navy’s radius of
action spans the world.
In the past, when ships sailed in a task force, they
traveled together in formation. However, that tactic
increased the number of losses during an attack. Today,
ships are dispersed over a wide area, which increases
their chances of survival in the event of a nuclear attack.
Although the tactics of our fleets have changed, the
meaning of sea power and the need for sea power have
remained constant. The Navy will always seek positive
change, using weapons dictated by the times and
situation, to protect our nation from enemy invasion.
America’s sea power will play a vital part in tomorrow’s
world and will have a great influence on peace.
Our nation and the other countries of our world rely
on the U.S. Navy to guard their liberties. We must
continue to guard these liberties as an instrument of
peace, not as an instrument of terror or offensive threat.
We must join with other free nations in promoting
freedom throughout the world.
THE U.S. NAVY’S MISSION
Today, the Navy, together with the Army and the
Air Force, is a member of the National Military
Establishment. Their mission is to be prepared to
conduct prompt and sustained combat operations in
support of the national interest. As part of the National
Military Establishment, the U.S. Navy’s mission is to
assure continued maritime superiority for the United
States. The National Security Act, passed by Congress
in 1947, instituted the National Military Establishment.
The aim of the National Military Establishment is the
coordination of the security of the United States under
the Secretary of Defense.
You have an important part to play in the mission of
the Navy. Your responsibility grows as you advance in
rate. Before you start to take on that responsibility, you
should be familiar with certain terms so that you can
fully understand the mission of the Navy. They are
national strategy, national interests, and national
objectives, as stated in Naval Warfare Publication
1 (NWP-1). Naval Warfare Publication 3 (NWP-3)
defines naval strategy. Those publications outline our
commitment to the security of the United States.
National Strategy
National strategy is that broad course of action
designed to achieve national objectives in support of
national interests. To satisfy that objective, the defense
forces must have the capability to deter aggression and
to prevent coercion. They must also have enough
influence to shape world events in favor of U.S.
interests. The United States maintains its defense forces
to preserve its physical security and protect its political
independence.
National Interests
National interests are conditions that are to the
advantage of our nation to pursue or protect. These
conditions frequently are of a continuing nature. They
range from the ultimate interest—national survival—to
specific regional interests. Collectively, those interests
determine the importance of a particular region to the
security of the United States.
National Objectives
National objectives are specific goals our nation
seeks to advance, support, or protect. We primarily have
political, economic, and security objectives.
Naval Strategy
Naval strategy is our nation’s use of naval forces
(including naval aviation and Marine Corps forces) to
achieve its naval objectives. National strategy
determines our naval objectives. Our overall naval
strategy objective is control of the seas and the denial of
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