In a rapidly changing world where technology is growing by leaps and bounds, the Navy is in danger of losing its advantage, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said in a strategic guidance document Tuesday. To counter, the service will need to find new ways to fight and harness novel technologies that don’t break the bank.
The service will not have the money to buy its way out of challenges, as budget pressures will continue to push the Navy to prioritize where it will make investments and to find innovative and inexpensive alternatives, he said in “A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority.” The document is the first published by Richardson since he became CNO in September.
Throughout the guidance, Richardson warns against viewing the strategic environment in terms of the Navy’s adversaries and competitors such as China, Russia and the Islamic State. Instead, he said there are three forces that are driving a more globalized, contested environment.
First, maritime traffic is rapidly increasing as more international militaries, commercial entities and criminal groups traverse the oceans, seas, rivers and even the undersea domain. Information systems, such as wireless networks, satellites, and undersea cables have also become more widespread, which has allowed various actors to communicate with each other at high speeds and for low cost. Another element at play is the quickening rate of technologies such as robotics, energy storage, 3-D printing and artificial intelligence.
“These three forces…and the interplay between them have profound implications for the United States Navy,” Richardson wrote. “We must do everything to seize the potential afforded by this environment. Our competitors are moving quickly, and our adversaries are bent on leaving us swirling in their wake.”
Photo: U.S. Navy
For the most part, the document does not lay out specific investment priorities, which the CNO said will be addressed through the budget. However, Richardson called out one acquisition program in particular as a requirement for the future force: the modernization of the undersea leg of the nuclear triad through the purchase of the Ohio replacement submarine. “This is foundational to our survival as a nation,” he said.
The guidance also directs the Navy to boost engagement with the private sector, especially commercial and nontraditional firms.
Because information systems are advancing at a fast rate, the Navy must make improvements to its information warfare capabilities, Richardson said. As a first step, the Navy will include space and cyberspace in its Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare concept.
The service also should expand naval power through alternative fleet designs and capabilities that give combatant commanders a range of options from de-escalation to high end combat. All of those concepts need to take into account a contested environment and the threat of long range precision strike. Both manned and unmanned assets as well as kinetic and nonkinetic payloads will play a role, he said.
“This effort will include exploring new naval platforms and formations—again in a highly ‘informationized’ environment—to meet combatant commander needs,” he wrote.
In past speeches, Richardson has implored the service to “learn faster.” The strategic document also reiterates the call for “high velocity learning” through tools such as simulators, video games and other tech that prioritizes creativity and agility.
However, the budget must also be taken into consideration, as the service may not be able to afford exquisite technologies.
“Begin problem definition by studying history…Start by seeing what you can accomplish without additional resources,” the guidance stated.
Richardson also called for a second look at organizational structure, including that of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Commander Pacific Fleet and their subcommands as well as the OPNAV staff. This prospect could be especially popular among members of Congress, where the House and Senate armed services committees are considering legislation that could streamline the structure of the Pentagon and eliminate overhead.