Operations in the littorals will require fire support. This five-inch 54-caliber MK45 gun on the USS Benfold (DDG-65), is ready to deliver. But how much naval surface fire support do we need? And how much can we provide? To employ our amphibious skills fully, we need to develop capabilities and provide training in new systems.
As we refocus our attention on operations in the littorals, we also are reawakening to the long-ignored but critical battlefield operating system of naval surface fire support (NSFS). With a reduction in overseas basing and a continued national policy of engagement, power projection capabilities will remain the centerpiece of our national military strategy well into the future. Amphibious operations are key means of achieving this capability for the United States; at their very core is the application of fire power.
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