Lessons Lost: The Protection of American Merchant Shipping in Future Conflicts

摘要

As the pre-eminent global maritime power since the fall of the Soviet Union, the U.S. Navy has acted with impunity on the seas for a generation. Having not faced a significant adversary at sea for this period of time, the Navy has developed an air of complacency regarding protection of maritime trade in times of war. In the event of a protracted conflict with a near-peer foe, the U. S. Navy will be unable to maintain control of the seas sufficiently to allow delivery of prepositioned warfighting materiel to deployed forces. This paper investigates the military capabilities of three possible future adversaries. It analyzes the threats these potential enemies pose to our strategic sealift assets as they deliver warfighter materiel to areas of conflict. Lastly, it offers solutions and recommendations that the military should consider in order to overcome its present weaknesses in this area.