Will 'Forward ... From the Sea' Support Sea Dragon

摘要

The book 'Forward ... From the Sea' shifts the operational focus of the Navy fromthe open ocean to the littoral. It places increased emphasis on expeditionary warfare and the necessity for the Navy to maintain its close working relationship with the Marine Corps. It lays the foundation for the creation of Naval Expeditionary Forces as a means to enhance the Navy's ability to project power in the littorals. Sea Dragon is a Marine Corps concept that seeks to maximize the inherent advantages of maneuver warfare and combine them with modern technology. It envisions the employment of small, widely dispersed independent teams of light infantry inserted into enemy controlled territory. Their mission is to gather intelligence and engage enemy forces with supporting arms. To support Sea Dragon, the Navy must develop a new operational philosophy for the employment and control of amphibious forces. The formation of Naval Expeditionary Action Groups (NEAG), combined with a fully integrated, decentralized command structure, would provide the support needed to ensure Sea Dragon becomes a viable option. Operating 'Forward ... From the Sea' in small, independent groups, dispersed throughout the amphibious objective area, the NEAG's are ideally suited to support the fluid and highly dynamic battlefield envisioned by Sea Dragon.