U.S. sea services in first unified, comprehensive maritime strategy

Do you remember John Lehman’s early-1980s ambitious plan for a 600-ship Navy? Everything that floated or could be made to float was enlisted to make the plan into a reality: The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines were completed; construction of the Nimitz-class of supercarriers and Los Angeles-class attack submarines was stepped up; the new Aegis combat system was installed on the up-and-coming Ticonderoga-class ships; several aircraft carriers were put through Service Life Extension Programs (SLEPs) aimed at keeping them in service longer; the Seawolf-class submarine program was expanded; the old but still useful Iowa-class battleships were pressed into service. It all ended in 1987: Caspar Weinberger resigned as secrtary of defense and was replaced by Frank Carlucci, and Lehman was replaced as secretary of the navy by James Webb, now the junior senator from Virginia. Carlucci, a pragmatic, green eye-shade type, immediately proceeded to cut the navy’s budget, and first on the chopping block were sixteen frigates. Webb, then a proponent of an expanded navy, fiercely objected, and in early 1988 resigned in protest (Webb, although pro-navy, was prickly and diffiuclt to get along with. Here is the 22 February 1988 entry in President Ronald Reagan’s diary, just published: “Present Sec. Webb resigned over budget cuts. I don’t think Navy was sorry to see him go”).

Ah, those were the days, but that was then and this is now. the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard have just released “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower,” a unified maritime strategy that explains the comprehensive role of the sea services in an era marked by increased globalization and change. This is the first time a unified maritime strategy has been signed by all three of the sea services. The strategy integrates seapower with other elements of national power in addition to that of friends, partners, and allies. It states that protecting the homeland and winning the nation’s wars is matched by a corresponding commitment to preventing war. Additionally, it codifies the requirement for continued development and application of existing core capabilities of forward presence, deterrence, sea control, and power projection, while recognizing the need for expanded capabilities of maritime security and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. “This strategy addresses the balance of capabilities of our maritime services. It reaffirms our core capabilities of forward presence, deterrence, sea control and power projection. It also commits our maritime forces to increased international cooperation for the benefit of all,” said Navy Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations. “It reflects the expectation of the people of the United States to be a strong maritime force to protect our homeland and work collaboratively with partners around the world to secure and stabilize the global waterways that are critical to our prosperity.” Marine Gen. James Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, said, “While we must maintain a balance of forces to be able to deliver credible combat power as deterrence, we also believe preventing wars is as important as winning wars,” said “We need to be the most ready when the nation is least ready.” Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard added that “Keeping the seas safe and secure from a broad range of threats and hazards is in everyone’s best interest…. The key to global prosperity and security is through cooperation and coordination.” The strategy was developed collaboratively, drawing on the insights of academic, business, civic and military leaders, and strategists. The resulting strategy binds maritime services more closely together than they have ever been before.