The Role of Seabasing in SOF Operations

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges facing the Department of Defense (DoD) as it postures itself to meet future national security objectives is the fact that forward bases are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain and maintain. Conflicts in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq provide evidence that many nations are finding it politically undesirable to host military bases or allow U.S. forces access through their territory. To overcome these strategic challenges, the DoD is focusing on developing power projection capabilities that are not reliant on overseas access. To this end, the Defense Science Board recommended a joint program authority lead an effort to develop a joint seabasing concept as a means to project U.S. power. Although the DoD elected to follow the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) process in lieu of establishing the recommended Joint Program Office, the Navy took the lead in developing the Seabasing Joint Integrating Concept (JIC). While this approach was intended to integrate and maximize the capabilities of each of the services to overcome future anti-access challenges, it has done nothing to address the access challenges faced by the inherently joint Special Operations Forces (SOF). Therefore, the overall concept of Joint Seabasing was reviewed to determine if it is a viable option to project Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF) assets into anti-access environments. A careful examination of the benefits of seabasing, a logistics supportability analysis, and a look at the historical application of seabasing in SOF operations will prove that the joint seabasing concept can indeed provide joint task force commanders with a range of flexible options needed to successfully conduct SOF operations to achieve national security objectives in spite of anti-access challenges.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 25, 2006
Accession Number
ADA456860

Entities

People

  • Gregory Young
  • Linda Hurry
  • Michael Corpening

Organizations

  • National Defense University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Department Of Defense
  • Deployment
  • Helicopters
  • Logistics
  • National Security
  • Navy
  • Refueling
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Students
  • Task Forces
  • Transport Aircraft
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.