Shielding Achilles' Heel: Challenges Facing Northern Command in the Maritime Domain

Abstract

This thesis examines the role U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) is performing in the maritime domain as the new Unitied Command responsible for homeland defense. NORTHCOM does not currently have a permanent maritime component assigned for missions. Instead, it relies on contingency planning for future events and theoretically acts as a coordinating bridge between the Navy and Coast Guard for Maritime Homeland Defense/ Security issues. The primary objective of this research is to answer the question: Can NORTHCOM effectively execute maritime homeland defense and support homeland security without having permanently assigned maritime forces?" Secondly, this thesis seeks to scrutinize the seam in transition from Maritime Homeland Security to Maritime Homeland Defense and explicate potential mission priority, service capability, geographic, and cultural mismatches which could potentially stymie command and control in the transition from a HLS to HLD posture in the event of a seaborne terrorist attack.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA422329

Entities

People

  • Carlos Urbizu

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Counter WMD
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boats
  • Coast Guard
  • Command And Control
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Homeland Defense
  • Homeland Security
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Maritime Security
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • United States Northern Command
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control