The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor forced the Navy to change its culture. Can it take similar measures in the face of new threats?
Detecting, interpreting, and adapting to trends in the strategic environment is seldom easy for big organizations like the U.S. Navy. Consider East Asia, where the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is developing an array of weapons and tactics specifically intended to hold U.S. aircraft carriers and their escorts at bay during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. One revolutionary weapon under development is an antiship ballistic missile (ASBM). Tipped with maneuverable warheads, the ASBM will reportedly boast the range and accuracy to target warships at sea up to 2,500 km distant. 1