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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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SEA BASING

ENSURING JOINT FORCE ACCESS FROM THE SEA

Committee on Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea

Naval Studies Board

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract No. N00014-00-G-0230, DO #21, between the National Academy of Sciences and the Department of the Navy. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number 0-309-09517-4

Additional copies of this report are available from:

Naval Studies Board, National Research Council, The Keck Center of the National Academies, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Room WS904, Washington, DC 20001; and

The
National Academies Press,
500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu.

Copyright 2005 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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COMMITTEE ON SEA BASING: ENSURING JOINT FORCE ACCESS FROM THE SEA

HARRY W. JENKINS, JR.,

ITT Industries,

Co-chair

RICHARD L. WADE,

Exponent,

Co-chair

JEFFERY P. BENNETT,

LMI

ALAN BERMAN,

Applied Research Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University

PAUL BEVILAQUA,

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

E. RICHARD DIAMOND, JR.,

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

STEVEN W. FLOHR,

Madison, Alabama

WESLEY L. HARRIS,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

GEORGE B. HARRISON,

Georgia Tech Research Institute

KEVIN F. KELLY,

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems

RONALD K. KISS,

Webb Institute

JOHN B. LaPLANTE,

Poland, Ohio

HENRY S. MARCUS,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

IRWIN MENDELSON,

Delray Beach, Florida

WILLIAM B. MORGAN,

Rockville, Maryland

JOHN H. MOXLEY III,

Korn/Ferry International

ROBERT G. SPRIGG,

General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works

JENNIFER P. WHITLOCK,

The Boeing Company

Staff

CHARLES F. DRAPER,

Naval Studies Board Acting Director (as of July 12, 2003)

ARUL MOZHI, Study Director

MARY G. GORDON, Information Officer

SUSAN G. CAMPBELL, Administrative Coordinator

IAN M. CAMERON, Research Associate

SEYMOUR J. DEITCHMAN, Consultant

SIDNEY G. REED, JR., Consultant

RAYMOND S. WIDMAYER, Consultant

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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NAVAL STUDIES BOARD

JOHN F. EGAN,

Nashua, New Hampshire,

Chair

MIRIAM E. JOHN,

Sandia National Laboratories,

Vice Chair

ARTHUR B. BAGGEROER,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

JOHN D. CHRISTIE,

LMI

ANTONIO L. ELIAS,

Orbital Sciences Corporation

BRIG “CHIP” ELLIOTT,

BBN Technologies

KERRIE L. HOLLEY,

IBM Global Services

JOHN W. HUTCHINSON,

Harvard University

HARRY W. JENKINS, JR.,

ITT Industries

DAVID V. KALBAUGH,

Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University

ANNETTE J. KRYGIEL,

Great Falls, Virginia

THOMAS V. McNAMARA,

Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

L. DAVID MONTAGUE,

Menlo Park, California

WILLIAM B. MORGAN,

Rockville, Maryland

JOHN H. MOXLEY III,

Korn/Ferry International

JOHN S. QUILTY,

Oakton, Virginia

NILS R. SANDELL, JR.,

BAE Systems

WILLIAM D. SMITH,

Fayetteville, Pennsylvania

JOHN P. STENBIT,

Oakton, Virginia

RICHARD L. WADE,

Exponent

DAVID A. WHELAN,

The Boeing Company

CINDY WILLIAMS,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

ELIHU ZIMET,

National Defense University

Navy Liaison Representatives

RADM JOSEPH A. SESTAK, JR.,

USN, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, N81 (through October 1, 2004)

GREG MELCHER,

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Acting N81 (from October 2, 2004, through November 8, 2004)

RADM SAMUEL J. LOCKLEAR III,

USN, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, N81 (as of November 8, 2004)

RADM JAY M. COHEN,

USN, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, N091

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
×

Marine Corps Liaison Representative

LTGEN EDWARD HANLON, JR.,

USMC, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (through September 30, 2004)

LTGEN JAMES N. MATTIS,

USMC, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (as of October 1, 2004)

Staff

RONALD D. TAYLOR, Director (on leave from July 12, 2003)

CHARLES F. DRAPER, Acting Director (as of July 12, 2003)

ARUL MOZHI, Senior Program Officer

MARY G. GORDON, Information Officer

SUSAN G. CAMPBELL, Administrative Coordinator

IAN M. CAMERON, Research Associate

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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Preface

In response to the evolving U.S. national security posture, the Navy and Marine Corps promulgated a naval vision entitled Naval Power 21, based in part on “assuring sea based [emphasis added] access worldwide for military operations, diplomatic interaction, and humanitarian relief efforts.”1 More importantly, Sea Basing “projects the sovereignty of the United States globally while providing joint force commanders with vital command and control, fire support, and logistics from the sea, thereby minimizing vulnerable assets ashore.”2 Thus, Sea Basing represents a force-entry concept with potential for U.S. and coalition military forces in various regions of the world, thereby affecting the strategic landscape from which these forces will ultimately project power.

Recent events in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq have underlined the fact that the availability of land bases during conflicts may be uncertain owing to physical or political factors that delay, limit, or prevent their use. In many future military situations, the assumption of readily available, secure land bases is likely to be open to question, although one can make the argument that the Naval Services operate from a sea base of sorts today.

1  

Hon. Gordon England, Secretary of the Navy; ADM Vern Clark, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; and Gen James L. Jones, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps. 2002. Naval Power 21, Department of Defense, Washington, D.C., p. 1.

2  

Hon. Gordon England, Secretary of the Navy; ADM Vern Clark, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; and Gen James L. Jones, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps. 2002. Naval Power 21, Department of Defense, Washington, D.C., p. 5.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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Specifically, Carrier Battle Groups (CVBGs) carry a certain amount of organic sustainment that supports their power-projection mission. Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs) carry 10 to 15 days’ worth of all classes of supplies that sustain initial operations by Marines ashore. Both the CVBGs and the ARGs, or the new Carrier Strike Groups and Expeditionary Strike Groups as recently promulgated by the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps,3 are reinforced at sea (if required) by the Navy’s combat logistics force ships and the three Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) squadrons. The MPF squadrons, each carrying a 30-day supply of equipment for a 16,000-person brigade force, can support operations ashore if larger Marine Air Ground Task Forces, at the Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Marine Expeditionary Force levels, are required to support larger assigned missions. Unfortunately, it is difficult to off-load the three MPF squadrons except in port, and therefore they have minimal in-stream logistics capability otherwise when deployed.

Connectors that enable Sea Basing are an issue related to its implementation. For example, the connectors to move forces from facilities in the continental United States (CONUS) to advanced bases so that forces could eventually marry up with material, and ultimately to move forward forces and material to military objectives, are a crucial facet of Sea Basing. Recently, the Navy and the Army have experimented with high-speed ferry ships that have some capabilities as connectors.

Most recently, the Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Sea Basing concluded that Sea Basing will be a critical future joint military capability and that it will help ensure access to areas in which U.S. military forces might be denied access to support facilities.4 In addition, the DSB concluded that it will be essential for the Department of Defense (DOD) to undertake a spiral development approach—one that accounts for evolution from current capabilities to tomorrow’s needs. In recommending such an approach, the DSB identified 12 issues for the realization of Sea Basing: 6 relate to management, planning, and resources, and the remaining 6 are grouped as new capabilities, some of which include issues relating to the connectors needed for enabling Sea Basing. Among the 6 new capabilities, the DSB identified 3 as important needs for the implementation of Sea Basing: (1) the capability to handle cargo in rough seas, characteristic of many likely areas of operations; (2) a heavy-lift aircraft (able to transport more than 20 tons) with theater-wide range that can be based at sea; and (3) ships whose design incorporates all of the requirements of the sea base system of systems.

3  

ADM Vern Clark, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; and Gen Michael W. Hagee, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps. 2003. Naval Operating Concept for Joint Operations, Department of Defense, Washington, D.C., September 22, p. 7.

4  

Defense Science Board. 2003. Defense Science Board Task Force on Sea Basing, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Washington, D.C., August.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
×

In April 2004, the Department of the Navy requested that the National Research Council (NRC), under the auspices of the Naval Studies Board, convene a workshop to assess the science and technology base, both inside and outside the Department of the Navy, for developing Sea Basing, and that it identify research priorities for supporting future Sea Basing concepts. The terms of reference of the workshop are provided below. MajGen Harry W. Jenkins, Jr., USMC (retired), of ITT Industries, and Richard L. Wade of Exponent co-chaired the Committee on Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Biographical information on the committee membership and the NRC staff is presented in Appendix A.

The purpose of the committee’s brief effort differs from that of the DSB’s more extensive study. The present report can help the Department of the Navy focus better on what it needs to do, whereas the broader DSB effort addresses the needs of the entire Department of Defense. The committee did not intend to enlarge upon, augment, or replace the DSB work, but rather to form some independent judgments, based on the experience and backgrounds that the committee members brought to the workshop that it held in September 2004 (see Appendix B) and on the information that was given to the committee by the Services and the DOD. Also, in the limited amount of time available for this review, it was not possible to study aircraft and ship design problems in any depth. Thus, it was necessary to rely heavily on the judgments of the workshop participants, which were based on their prior knowledge of the ship and aircraft design issues and the possible solutions to them.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

At the request of the Department of the Navy, the Naval Studies Board of the National Research Council convened a workshop to assess the science and technology base, both inside and outside the Department of the Navy, for developing Sea Basing, and to identify research priorities for supporting future Sea Basing concepts. Specifically, the workshop addressed the following:5

  • Current and future naval operational concepts related to Sea Basing, including plans for, opportunities from, and limitations of Sea Basing; and

  • A technology roadmap with anticipated time horizons for the realization of the following: (1) the capability to handle cargo in heavy sea states; (2) a long-range, heavy-lift aircraft (able to transport more than 20 tons) based at sea; and (3) ship classes and warfare systems that support open architecture design considerations.

5  

Because of the limited nature of this effort, a number of topics could not be addressed: for example, the Mobile Offshore Base, modularity of logistics units, medical logistics, dependency on environmental predictions, and tactical trade-offs to accommodate logistics results.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
×

In addition, the committee was tasked to assess the feasibility of the Naval Studies Board’s conducting a future study on Sea Basing aimed at identifying the Department of the Navy’s broader needs for developing a Sea Basing capability to support naval (and joint) force operations.6

STUDY WORKSHOP AND REPORT PREPARATION

The committee conducted a 4-day workshop—September 7-10, 2004—at the Keck Center of the National Academies in Washington, D.C. (see Appendix B for the workshop agenda). During the workshop, the committee heard presentations from the Department of the Navy, the U.S. Army, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and industry. The committee then outlined an initial draft report.

The months between the workshop and the publication of this report were spent preparing the draft manuscript, gathering additional information, reviewing and responding to external review comments, editing the report, and conducting the required security review to produce a public report.

6  

To address this task, the committee identified a number of studies that should be performed in a joint context in order to fix the proposed design and operating parameters of the sea base and airborne and seaborne connectors.

Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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Acknowledgment of Reviewers

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Roy R. Buehler, Mableton, Georgia,

Roy C. Evans, Jr., The MITRE Corporation,

Edward A. Frieman, Scripps Institute of Oceanography,

Peter A. Gale, J.J. McMullen Associates,

Michael P. Kalleres, Jacksonville, Florida,

J. Randolph Paulling, Geyserville, California,

Edward Petrushka, Fort Worth, Texas, and

John E. Rhodes, Balboa, California.

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by William G. Howard, Jr., Scottsdale, Arizona.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2005. Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11370.
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The availability of land bases from which to launch and maintain military, diplomatic, and humanitarian relief operations is becoming increasingly uncertain because of physical or political constraints. The ability to operate from a sea base, therefore, is likely to become more and more important. The Defense Science Board recently concluded that Sea Basing will be a critical future joint military capability and that DOD should proceed to develop such capability. Following the DSB report, the Navy requested that the National Research Council (NRC) convene a workshop to assess the science and technology base, both inside and outside the Navy, for developing Sea Basing and to identify R&D for supporting future concepts. This report of the workshop includes an examination of Sea Basing operational concepts; ship and aircraft technology available to make Sea Basing work; and issues involved in creating the sea base as a joint system of systems.

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