Bringing Gators into the Fold - A Look at Amphibious Doctrine

摘要

Throughout the history of United States naval operations, one can see theimportance of amphibious operations in support of achieving national objectives. The sailors and soldiers of the amphibious forces have proven their worth in wartime and peace. But history also shows that they have not been able to do it alone. Every large scale amphibious mission has been in concert with or supported by other naval forces, including air, surface and sub-surface assets of a carrier battle group (CVBG) or battleship battle group (BBBG). However, the standardized doctrine organization and general procedures under which these battlegroups function as delineated in Naval Warfare Publication 10-1, Composite Warfare Commander's Manual, is not in concert with, nor takes into consideration the doctrine of amphibious forces, as prescribed in JCS Pub 3-02, Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations. This paper looks at both doctrines, and recommends areas that can be emphasized for further integration. The desired end-result is a naval amphibious task force that can fulfill its assigned mission and take advantage of all the capabilities of its various elements in a cohesive, synergistic manner. Keywords: Joint military activities; Amphibious operations; Military doctrine; Mission profiles. (EDC)