A new U.S. defense strategy unveiled in January calls for a resized, refocused military. Proceedings asked the leaders of the world’s sea services: In an era of austere defense budgets and rapidly increasing technologies, what are the strategic objectives for your naval force over the next 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
Admiral Jose Cueto Aservi
Undoubtedly, the premise in this year’s question is the unavoidable reality we all face. It poses new challenges for naval forces to not only deal with common threats of a hostile environment driven by technological advances, but also to preserve their organizations in light of the new trends advanced by countries having an increased focus on social issues—a focus symptomatically reflected in more austere budgets for the armed forces.
The Peruvian Navy is not exempt from those realities. Thus it puts its efforts and available resources into a conscientious process of strategic planning aimed at meeting operational demands, institutional administrative functions, and comprehensive development of the navy.
Our planning effort covers a 20-year term, broken into 5- and 10-year assessments. That sets out the respective strategic goals that are part of the institutional guidelines for decision-making and the fulfillment of mission and vision. By making the navy known as an efficient, agile, transparent, and dynamic organization that follows comprehensive fundamental principles, our planning also capitalizes on and optimizes state resources, achieving tangible results for government agencies and the population as a whole.
The goals, therefore, seek to ensure a proper capacity for the naval defense using forces poised to project power to successfully face the challenges in its areas of responsibility, be they by the sea, rivers, or lakes.
The operational elements of our navy and its supporting organization have identified the necessary strategic capacity and structure for efficient, suitable, and deterrent forces capable of operating under any conditions—from the boundlessness of the oceans, to the heights of the Andes lake settings, to the impregnable Amazon fluvial region.
It is within such a framework that we work for sovereignty, territorial-integrity surveillance, aquatic control, the exercise of the maritime authority, support of foreign policy, comprehensive defense research and development, and above all, the preservation of the values and the well-being of our main resource: the Peruvian sailor.
Our navy is strongly committed to working toward the common goal of cooperative security to face today’s world threats and at the same time strengthening ongoing internal processes aimed at achieving short-, mid-, and long-term goals through creative solutions.
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