in positions to achieve three purposes. First, forces
can engage the enemy promptly at the start of
hostilities. Second, they can provide protection
and support to friendly, allied, and U.S. forces
in time of war. Third, they can stop the advance
of the enemy as soon as possible. However, the
positioning of these naval forces for warfare in
sensitive areas of the world also provides a side
benefit known as presence. Because of the inter-
national character of the high seas, deployed U.S.
forces have a unique ability to make U.S. military
presence known in a time of crisis. The United
States can modify that presence to exert the degree
and type of influence best suited to resolve the
situation.
A show of force by U.S. naval warships can
restore stability to a friendly nation that is unable
to control a hostile situation. The U.S. fleet can
remain out of sight, over the horizon, ready to
respond in a matter of minutes to any crisis. Naval
presence can be visible or invisible, large or small,
forceful or peaceful, depending on what best suits
U.S. interests.
Naval forces can remain in a crisis area for
indefinite periods to communicate their capability
for action. Ground and air forces can duplicate
that capability only by landing or entering the
sovereign air space of another nation.
We cannot consider the effectiveness of our
naval presence separately from our warfare
capability. To encourage friends, deter enemies,
or influence neutrals, forces deployed to crisis
areas must possess a fighting capability.
Our naval presence must also reflect the degree
of U.S. interests in the area relative to the number
of naval forces in the area. To be effective in the
presence role, U.S. naval forces must reflect a
ready combat capability to carry out their
mission against ANY implied threat.
THE NAVY’S WARTIME MISSION
Should the United States fail in its peacetime
efforts, the Navy must shift from a peacetime to
a wartime posture. In its wartime posture, the
Navy has two areas of responsibility. It must be
able to function in a hostile environment, and it
must be able to exercise sea control and power
projection. Sea control and power projection are
essential to our use of the seas to support our
national policies. The concepts of sea control and
power projection are closely interrelated. A naval
force must have some degree of sea control in the
sea areas from which it is to project power,
depending on the type of force to be used.
However, a naval force must have the capability
to project power before it can realize any degree
of sea control.
Sea Control
Sea control is the basic function of the U.S.
Navy. It involves control of designated air,
surface, and subsurface areas. Sea control is
of crucial importance to the U.S. strategy of
using both oceans as barriers for defense and
as avenues to extend our influence overseas. It
does not imply simultaneous control over all
70 percent of the earth covered by international
waters; it is a selective function, exercised
only when and where necessary. Because of new
technology developed in the United States and
in other countries, total control of the seas
for our use and the denial of the seas for the
enemy’s use are impossible. With continuing
technological developments, such as the strategic
defense initiative, total sea control is expected
to become even more difficult.
Sea control assures the buildup and resupply
of allied forces and the free flow of needed
supplies. Sea control also enhances security for
the nation’s sea-based strategic deterrent.
We must have sea control to conduct sustained
U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force operations abroad.
Modern land warfare requires large quantities
of supplies; most of them must be supplied
by sea.
We maintain sea control by destroying or
neutralizing hostile forces in maritime areas the
United States must use. Hostile forces include
aircraft, surface ships, and submarines that
threaten U.S. or friendly forces operating in those
areas.
The Navy achieves or supports sea control
through the following operations:
1. Locating and destroying hostile naval
combat units
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