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Terms of Reference
At the request of the former Chief of Naval Operations, the Naval Studies Board of the National Research Council conducted an assessment of the adequacy of and prospects for improving the role of Naval Forces in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). The specific terms of reference were as follows:
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Review the Department of the Navy’s draft strategy for homeland defense and assess its capability to integrate required “find and fix” capabilities, including the ability to ensure covert access from the sea, conduct short notice strike operations using kinetic and non-kinetic effects, and conduct Maritime Security Operations, including current Maritime Intercept Operations capabilities, concepts of operations, and both technical and operational limiting factors.
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Identify technologies for improving the role of naval forces in the GWOT, including sensor technologies for ships’ detection and cargo inspection in Maritime Security Operations, as well as to mitigate the cargo/terrorist search problem by cargo “tagging” and handling identification.
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Review the status of databases and their management pertaining to cargo and terrorists, and assess their capabilities to communicate, share, and integrate relevant command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data to all involved including cooperating foreign navies.
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Evaluate the interface, interoperability, and integration of current Navy and Marine Corps capabilities with the Coast Guard, other Services, and civilian, federal, state, and local agencies for the GWOT, including concepts of operations, corresponding systems, and technology requirements utilized for conducting Maritime Security Operations.
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Identify other naval-unique capabilities that can enhance the role of naval forces in the GWOT, such as non-lethal weapons as applicable to Maritime
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Intercept Operations and mine countermeasures to assure access to and egress from key ports.
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Examine other factors related to the role of naval forces in the GWOT, including training technology applicable to boarding and search; responsibilities, organizational controls, and capabilities for risk assessments at various levels; definitions and validations of Maritime Intercept Operations readiness measures; possibilities of container modification to facilitate automated search of weapons of mass destruction content (e.g., valves permitting evacuation to test air); and costs and manpower issues (e.g., can boarding be done adequately with reduced crews?).
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Conduct an assessment of other potential options not currently under consideration that merit additional study. This effort should focus on methods that utilize small, distributed forces that do not require a big footprint.
