Marine Science Affairs 



port. Naval power has long been a primary source of military strength and a 

 strong arm of foreign policy. The use of the seas by nations has, to a large 

 extent, been directly related to the development of effective naval forces. 



Since the earliest days of this Nation, naval activities have played an 

 important role in our security. Long coastlines expose our flanks to the seas 

 on both sides of the continent. Wide ocean expanses have separated us 

 from many of our allies and our adversaries. Strength at sea has long been 

 one of the cornerstones of U.S. collective security arrangements, some of 

 which are depicted in Figure 11-16. 



Today's Navy has several primary missions — to provide a strategic deter- 

 rent, to help prevent and contain limited wars and, when needed, to support 

 diplomatic activities. To carry out their missions, U.S. sea-based forces pro- 

 vide capabilities for deployment of submarines armed with nuclear missiles, 

 anti-submarine operations, amphibious operations, bombardment and air 

 support for ground operations, operations to protect essential shipping, and 

 ocean surveillance. Figure 11-17 illustrates recent naval support of U.S. 

 responses to incidents abroad. 



The size and prestige of the U.S. and Soviet Navies should not obscure the 

 existence of many other fleets. As summarized in Table 1 1-7, 10 countries 

 have aircraft carriers; 15 possess cruisers; and more than 30 have destroyers. 

 More than 40 new coastal nations have emerged since World War II, and 

 the purchase of patrol boats and corvettes by many of them underscore the 

 importance attached to a military presence on the seas. In the years ahead 

 the submarine is likely to play an even greater role than now in carrying 

 forth the Navy's mission. The Soviet Union and Mainland China have both 

 expanded their submarine forces, and a number of the developing nations 

 are acquiring older submarines to enhance their naval stature. 



The efTectiveness of naval operations — on, under, and above the sea — 

 critically depends upon a total weapon system capability, including effec- 

 tive navigation systems, command and control systems, detection and 

 tracking systems, and the weapons themselves. The achievements of the 

 U.S. Navy in the marine sciences are essential in providing its fleet with 

 the necessary technological base in all of these areas. The navies of many 

 countries seek a similar capability. 



Exploring New Frontiers 



For man to use the ocean, he must understand it. Before he can fully 

 accomplish the tasks outlined above — increase the sea's food output, extract 

 its fuel and minerals, improve conditions in the Coastal Zone, forecast the 

 weather, or enhance world security and peace — ^he must study and explore 



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