The U.S. Navy in the 1980s
Abstract
The U.S. emerged from World War II with the most powerful Navy that ever put to sea. The Cold War and the Korean War put an end to efforts to demobilize this force and caused the U.S.. to begin maintaining a large portion of it on active duty, with major fleets stationed far from U.S. shores in support of America's interests and those of her allies and friends. Since then, many things have made the Navy's job more difficult, including extraordinary technological advances and massive increases in costs. At the same time, the Navy's main rival, the Soviet Navy, has developed from a coast-defense force to an open-ocean navy with substantial military capabilities. The result of these changes is that the U.S.. Navy no longer has the absolute naval supremacy at sea that it had at the end of World War II. However, even a brief look at today's Navy suggests that it is still the world's most powerful fleet and that it is capable of prevailing over its opposition in most situations, particularly with the support of its allies. The task of U.S.. Navy planners today is to ensure that the Navy retains the impressive capabilities that it has today and that it is able to establish and maintain a substantial, if not absolute, margin of naval superiority over the Soviets in the future. It appears that current plans for the future of the U.S.. Navy, notably the budget increases ordered by the Reagan Administration, can achieve this objective. The purpose of this article is to examine these plans as they existed at the end of March 1981, particularly those that will determine the future of the Navy's ships and aircraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA593353
Entities
People
- Stephen S. Roberts
Organizations
- CNA ANALYSIS AND SOLUTIONS ALEXANDRIA VA