Use Of The United States National Fleet In Maritime Homeland Security And Defense
Abstract
The United States should implement a maritime concept that employs the National Fleet to collectively accomplish its maritime homeland security and defense objectives. Freedom of maritime commerce flow is crucial to the economic vitality of the United States. However, the expansiveness and openness of the United States maritime region leaves coastal military installations, and its commercial ports, maritime industries, and shipping vulnerable to potential asymmetric terrorist attack from the sea. Thus, successful maritime security and defense of the United States homeland depends on the effective application of necessary national resources meeting the objectives of a maritime operational commander. Attainment of today's national maritime homeland security and defense goals require an immediate seamless solution that integrates effective command and control of military assets, cooperation with international, interagency and civil authorities, and the coordination of their respective capabilities and existing resources essential to achieve unity of effort. Merging the National Fleet concept along with a joint command and control structure, maritime domain awareness, and combined assets would serve to blur the operational transition from homeland security to defense. Former maritime operational arrangements and current proposals display organizational bias, deficient unity of effort, and do not address all mission objectives. The recommended model provides a joint Navy and Coast Guard command and control structure coupled with and operational concept utilizing current maritime military assets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 16, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA419389
Entities
People
- David F. Blackburn
Organizations
- Naval War College