Naval Presence with a Purpose: Considerations for the Operational Commander
Abstract
For centuries Navies around the world have operated under the idea that the mere presence of a warship bearing their flag within sight of a potential adversary's coastline would have an impact on that adversary's political decision making process. This mission of naval presence is still valid in today's world even though many things have changed. Among these many changes are the codification of laws of the sea, increased weapon technology and proliferation, the advancement of the information age and the change in strategic balance of forces around the world. These changes have made the planning and execution of the naval presence mission more difficult, requiring layering of missions, evaluation of threats to the naval forces and incorporation of detailed public affairs and information operations plans. This paper draws several conclusions about what considerations are necessary for the operational commander to evaluate before a naval presence mission is executed. And finally, the paper recommends the establishment of maritime influence operational planning teams within each combatant commander's staff to ensure we are getting the most value out of our limited assets while conducting presence missions throughout the area of responsibility in support of a theater security cooperation plan.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 10, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA470845
Entities
People
- Richard M. Myer
Organizations
- Naval War College