Health Service Support from the Seabase
Abstract
Sea-based operations have been called a critical future capability for the United States military. Sea-based operations will greatly diminish the logistical footprint of combat service support elements, including health services support (HSS). In order to provide combat casualty care from a seabase, Navy Medicine has developed or is developing Forward Resuscitative Surgical Systems (FRSS), En Route Care Systems (ERCS), and Level III medical treatment facilities (MTFs) aboard future Maritime Prepositioning Force MPF(F) ships. This paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of these developments and their impact on combat casualty care. The author concludes that in reducing its footprint to become more sea based, Navy Medicine may inadvertently overreduce its casualty holding capacity. This will make HSS more dependent on aeromedical evacuations, which have heretofore been provided to Navy Medicine by lifts of opportunity. The author recommends that a modest casualty holding capacity be retained ashore and that dedicated air ambulances be assigned to provide aeromedical evacuations from naval MTFs. In addition, a sea-based heavy lift aircraft will have to be developed to clear the seabase of combat casualties during armed conflicts with high casualty rates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 14, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA426037
Entities
People
- David A. Lane
Organizations
- Naval War College