Publisher's Synopsis
This unique book applies Sir Julian Corbett's principles of maritime strategy to establish policy based upon an approach founded on the functions of the Navy. In order to properly balance the fleet and fulfill its roles in the 21st century, the Navy must apply the principles of maritime strategy laid forth by Corbett and reorganize its policy around the enduring functions of the Navy. This paper proposes that the Navy must redefine and re-aggregate its strategic concepts of power projection, sea control and forward presence around Corbett's principles of maritime strategy in planning its future fleet. The Navy's current approach is rooted within strategic traditions rather than the principles and constants of naval warfare, strategy and policy. To achieve success in the future the Navy must found its naval policy on its functions in consonance with the principles of maritime strategy. This paper compares current naval policy to previous policy against Corbett's principles and the functions of the Navy. It will demonstrate that an efficient and adaptable naval policy must be based on principles and functions rather than the Navy's strategic concepts. Since the early 1990s the balance of naval power has been re-directed to land warfare in recognition of an expeditionary security environment, a significant change from the monolithic anti-Soviet naval policy. Change is required due to the absence of the Soviet fleet threat. History and Corbett's principles demand that functions drive naval policy rather than strategic concepts founded upon an obsolete threat. Functions are less susceptible to the radical shifts of politically charged strategic tidal changes of administrations. A functional approach enables prioritization of capabilities and results in choices that minimize risk and allow the Navy to articulate its true requirements to serve the nation's interest. The principles of maritime strategy demonstrate that the Navy must re-organize its naval policy around the functions of the Navy in order to successfully incorporate a capabilities based approach to force planning. This paper provides a functional approach model based on the functions of the Navy and Corbett's principles of maritime strategy. Contents include: Strategic Change and the Leverage of Sea Power * Problems in the Capabilities Approach to Force Planning * Challenges of Naval Policy * Roles and Strategic Concepts * Strategy and the Methods of Naval Warfare * Naval Warfare - The Enduring Methods * The Functions of the US Navy * Corbett's Theory of the Means * Consolidating the Functions of the Navy * Corbett's Theory of the Method and The Relation of Method to Means * Problems with Strategic Concepts * A Recommended Functional Approach to Naval Policy * Current Naval Policy * Conclusion
