As this chapter describes, the Navy and the Marine Corps have been active participants in joint concept development and experimentation. However, both the need and the opportunities for greater participation are also recognized here. While the committee’s perspective is primarily that of the Navy and Marine Corps, it is recognized that such participation is a two-way collaboration—that is, the Navy and Marine Corps work toward joint objectives, and the joint authorities are likewise receptive to the particular ideas that the Navy and Marine Corps bring.

The need for naval-specific concept development and experimentation is a key factor affecting naval participation in the joint counterpart, given the limited resources available and the recent strain caused by large-scale joint experimentation. Thus, the proper balance between naval-specific and joint activities must be determined. A set of principles and guidelines is necessary to help achieve this balance. These are provided as part of the committee’s recommendations in Chapter 6, in concert with a mission-based strategy—a process to determine where to focus joint and naval experimentation, respectively.