the front, these ships provide underway replenishmentto allow Navy ships to stay on station. They carry Navypersonnel to handle areas such as weapons andcommunications to allow the civilian crew to continueits normal work. The MSC ships travel alone or inconvoys, but they go wherever the fleet goes during awar. They move vital supplies at the front as well as atsea.REVIEW 5 QUESTIONSQ1. What is the peacetime mission of the MilitarySealift Command?Q2. What is the wartime mission of the MilitarySealift Command?SUMMARYSea power is a nation’s ability to use the oceans forits political, economic, and military interests to achieveits national objectives. Nations exercise sea power intimes of peace and war.Today, the United States depends on other nationsfor many goods and commodities needed to keep theeconomy strong and to keep people working.The U.S. merchant marine, Military SealiftCommand, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Navy makeup the essential ingredients for U.S. sea power. Togetherthey support the United States in its national strategy,interests, and goals. The mission of the Navy is to beprepared to conduct prompt and sustained combatoperations. To accomplish its mission, the Navy mustperform two main functions—sea control and powerprojection. Sea control is the basic function of the Navy.Power projection is the ability of the Navy to projectmilitary power from the sea worldwide.To carry out these two functions in support of itsmission, the Navy has three main functions: strategicnuclear deterrence, naval presence, and security of thesea lines of communications.A balanced sea power is the essential ingredient ofour national strategy. It is not limited to any one courseof action and can meet any type of aggression from themost primitive to the most sophisticated. Today the verysurvival of our country and of our way of life depends onsea power.REVIEW 1 ANSWERSA1.Sea power is a nation’s ability to protect itspolitical, economic, and military interests bycontrolling the seas.A2. The principal operational components of ournation’s sea power are—a. Naval powerb. Ocean sciencec. Ocean industryd. Ocean commerceA3. The six conditions required for a nation to havesea power according to Mahan are—a. An advantageous geographical positionb. Serviceable coastlines, abundant naturalresources, and a favorable climatec. Extent of territoryd. A population large enough to defend itsterritorye. A society with an aptitude for the sea andcommercial enterprisef. A government with the influence todominate the seaA4.In today’s world, sea power includes maritimeindustry and marine sciences. Maritimeindustry and science add to our nationaleconomy by exploring new resources for food,fresh water, minerals, and new living spaces.20-14Student Notes:
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