Small Fleet -- Big Risk.

Abstract

In any future conflict, the U.S. Navy will most likely enjoy a significant technological and numerical superiority over its adversary. A relatively small navy may, however, avoid decisive battle and influence events at sea indefinitely. Naval strategists have coined the terms fleet in being, fortress fleet, and risk fleet to describe strategies designed to use inferior forces to an advantage. Through an examination of these strategies as analyzed by both Alfred Thayer Mahan and Jul ian Corbett and study of historical examples of each, the relevance of these strategies to current naval thought can be determined. While fortress fleet and risk fleet have very limited value today, a diesel submarine fleet in being poses a significant threat that must be addressed in future U.S. naval strategy.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 16, 1995
Accession Number
ADA293409

Entities

People

  • Carole J. Smith

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Amphibious Operations
  • Antisubmarine Warfare
  • Military History
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • New York
  • Radar
  • Security
  • Ships
  • Submarine Warfare
  • Surveillance
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.