Captain Evin Thompson, U.S. Navy (Retired) and Fernando Mejia-Lieutenant Proctor and Commander Poling are spot-on in their discussion of the small-craft advantage. While our Navy dominates the blue water and has no peer advantage, many of our allies have small craft and crews that match or exceed our conventional Navy's small-craft capabilities. The strides over the last decade by the Navy Expeditionary Command and the Coastal Riverine Force have greatly enhanced the U.S. Navy's ability to operate in the littoral and riverine environments. We must continue to hold our crews to the high standards that have been set. The Navy must also resource the Coastal Riverine Force with the right tools to be successful. Of special concern would be a cut in ammunition resources, which are vital to the training of a crew that will operate in this confined battle space. A sailor on a small craft in these environments is much more likely to employ his small arms and should be given the training resources to be effective and lethal. The aging Coastal Riverine Force (most craft exceed 10 years of service life with many over 15 years) must also be recapitalized at the earliest opportunity.
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