President Barack Obama will have no shortage of advice as he continues on his pledge to deliver change for America. Reigniting the American economy after a severe recession is currently occupying much of our new President's attention, as well it should. He will face other challenges as well, such as developing a new national security strategy and a complementary maritime strategy. Since the President is so focused on economic and financial matters along with his domestic priorities of health care, education, and the environment, it is not yet clear what he has in mind for "Obama's Navy." I would like to suggest one plausible alternative, based more on inference and suggestion than recent formal policy pronouncements: a Navy giving priority to constructive and cooperative power designed primarily to promote world economic prosperity.
In a well-publicized hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, the administration's Director of National Intelligence, retired Admiral Dennis C. Blair, made the point that the global economic recession will be the most likely source of world instability. This implies that terrorism and national competitions no longer head the list of threats to the United States
a logic that defies traditional thinking. Implacable enemies (al Qaeda) are both distant and lack the requisite power to cause real harm. Potential power rivals (Russia, China) are viewed as economic partners trying to pull themselves out of the same recession. As a result, none of these traditional threat sources have both the capability and the intent to destroy and disrupt us more than the failing economy.Given this scenario, an eventual Obama national security strategy (this would actually be a second strategy; the first one must close out Iraq and Afghanistan) would use the tools of national power, military included, to promote stability and deterrence through world economic prosperity, rather than to combat threats. Constructive forces would trump destructive forces, and the latter could be reduced significantly. Suggestions already made by Defense Secretary Robert Gates that our Navy is bigger than the next 13 navies
and 11 of them are allies—speak volumes about his perception of the Navy's current size, and implies a vision for years of graceful downsizing.If President Obama develops his national security strategy around the question, "How can my military make the world a more prosperous place?" then the Sea Services would likely become the principal beneficiary. In fact, today's maritime strategy already highlights the promotion of the global economic system. The document's foreword vows to "advance the prosperity and security of our nation" and to "sustain the global, inter-connected system through which we prosper." Its bumper sticker slogan, "preventing war is as important as winning wars," accords significant weight to peacetime operations.
More to the point, the new strategic concepts (the ways) found within the current strategy—forward presence, maritime security, building cooperative relationships, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
are precisely the tools needed to lay the foundation for economic prosperity. While this strategy will likely be embraced by the world's struggling economies, it will undoubtedly be viewed as bad news for military budgets except, perhaps, at Coast Guard headquarters.Should such a strategy come to pass, what might be the means provided to the Sea Services? A huge expansion of the littoral combat ship fleet should be in order, along with deployment patterns shaped by world traffic flows, rather than national power considerations. Fleet characteristics might include "shallow draft," "small" and "inexpensive," but should also incorporate "high-tech," "ubiquitous," and "connected."
Maintaining maritime domain awareness will jump to the top of the requirements pile, which will mandate the development of autonomous sensor programs, satellites, and expanded common operating pictures. Proficiency at allied and interagency operations must be a prerequisite. The need for international coordination will emphasize expanded regional awareness programs at all levels, officer and enlisted. Nomenclature such as carrier and expeditionary strike groups may be complemented by cooperation and maritime security groups. Perhaps the Navy will even create a new rating, maritime security specialist, whose main duty is to patrol the world's waterways more effectively.
This strategy could turn out to be spectacularly successful as well as dramatically less expensive. Of course, in order to succeed, we'll need cooperation from all of our heretofore threats.