The protection of sea lines of communication (SLOC) has always been considered the very first task for any Navy. Today there are no more enemy fleets raiding the oceans, yet the security of the SLOC is still in peril. The threat, at least potentially, now lies in the choke points, were hostile littoral forces could play havoc with the vital flow of supplies. This situation caused a shifting of the requirements and the operational capabilities from blue- to brown water. Yet this is still a traditional naval task, though with different scopes and means. The other serious threat to SLOC comes at their very end, i.e. where any SLOC begins or ends its voyage: the harbour.
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