The Art of Amphibious Operations: Can Europe Play the American Way
Abstract
Within the art of expeditionary amphibious operations, the United States will continue to view hand-picked European amphibious forces more as an asset than a liability, ensuring their status as partner of choice alongside the U.S. Expeditionary Strike Group in any future operation. The security environment demands that most contemporary operations are conducted in coalitions, generally led by the United States. However, rapid U.S. military technological innovations generate an asymmetric advantage compared to Europe, and there is a concern that Europe will be unable to maintain a minimum level of interoperability with the United States. This paper will focus on U.S.-European interoperability with regard to expeditionary amphibious operations. The paper develops the theme of interoperability by exploring its components and importance, and applies these -- based on the pillars of Doctrine Organization Training Equipment Support (DOTES) -- to the emerging U.S. Expeditionary Strike Group and European Amphibious Initiative (EAI) force structures and capabilities. The establishment of an integrated standardized EAI training program combined with a certification process to validate operational readiness is highly recommended. A maturing EAI guarantees that it will be able to operate the "American Way," as the partner of choice, alongside the ESG for any future expeditionary amphibious operation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA520075
Entities
People
- Jack Van Baarsel
Organizations
- Marine Corps University