the front, these ships provide underway replenishment
to allow Navy ships to stay on station. They carry Navy
personnel to handle areas such as weapons and
communications to allow the civilian crew to continue
its normal work. The MSC ships travel alone or in
convoys, but they go wherever the fleet goes during a
war. They move vital supplies at the front as well as at
sea.
REVIEW 5 QUESTIONS
Q1. What is the peacetime mission of the Military
Sealift Command?
Q2. What is the wartime mission of the Military
Sealift Command?
SUMMARY
Sea power is a nation’s ability to use the oceans for
its political, economic, and military interests to achieve
its national objectives. Nations exercise sea power in
times of peace and war.
Today, the United States depends on other nations
for many goods and commodities needed to keep the
economy strong and to keep people working.
The U.S. merchant marine, Military Sealift
Command, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Navy make
up the essential ingredients for U.S. sea power. Together
they support the United States in its national strategy,
interests, and goals. The mission of the Navy is to be
prepared to conduct prompt and sustained combat
operations. To accomplish its mission, the Navy must
perform two main functions—sea control and power
projection. Sea control is the basic function of the Navy.
Power projection is the ability of the Navy to project
military power from the sea worldwide.
To carry out these two functions in support of its
mission, the Navy has three main functions: strategic
nuclear deterrence, naval presence, and security of the
sea lines of communications.
A balanced sea power is the essential ingredient of
our national strategy. It is not limited to any one course
of action and can meet any type of aggression from the
most primitive to the most sophisticated. Today the very
survival of our country and of our way of life depends on
sea power.
REVIEW 1 ANSWERS
A1. Sea power is a nation’s ability to protect its
political, economic, and military interests by
controlling the seas.
A2. The principal operational components of our
nation’s sea power are—
a. Naval power
b. Ocean science
c. Ocean industry
d. Ocean commerce
A3. The six conditions required for a nation to have
sea power according to Mahan are—
a. An advantageous geographical position
b. Serviceable coastlines, abundant natural
resources, and a favorable climate
c. Extent of territory
d. A population large enough to defend its
territory
e. A society with an aptitude for the sea and
commercial enterprise
f. A government with the influence to
dominate the sea
A4. In today’s world, sea power includes maritime
industry and marine sciences. Maritime
industry and science add to our national
economy by exploring new resources for food,
fresh water, minerals, and new living spaces.
20-14
Student Notes:
