1,000-Ship Navy: New Concept or Current SOUTHCOM Maritime SOP

摘要

The '1,000-ship Navy' concept is currently the new catch phrase in the maritime arena and is gaining momentum along with popularity. However, the theory, blueprint, and model may already exist in U.S. Southern Command's (SOUTHCOM) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Due to current force management guidance, SOUTHCOM has few, if any, assigned, apportioned, or allocated assets. This lack of assigned U.S. forces and transiting deployed assets has set the stage for SOUTHCOM to call upon the resources, militaries, and peoples of the countries located or represented in their area of responsibility. SOUTHCOM has been promoting and building a '1,000-ship Navy' state of mind in the Caribbean and South American region for decades. Currently, SOUTHCOM is a model emulating the '1,000-ship Navy' through the 'Enduring Friendship' and 'Global Fleet Station' maritime security initiatives. These programs directly support interest in global maritime partnerships, a foundation and enabler for the '1,000-ship Navy' concept.