June 13, 2016

Smarter Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific Region

By: CDR Jennifer S. Couture

In this paper, CNAS Military Fellow Commander Jennifer Couture points out that countering China’s A2/AD strategies in the future not only requires advanced technology, but calls for finding new ways to employ forces and capabilities already in the Navy’s inventory. She suggests that the exercise of naval power through forward presence, maritime security operations, engagement with partners and China allows the US to maintain access and influence to the Asia-Pacific region under current conditions; growing Chinese A2/AD challenges, however, require the US military to adopt alternative planning assumptions in terms of the scale of conflict (limited war), posture of unit (distributed lethality), scope of presence (pivot to Asia), and degree of ally integration (Operational-level).

The report is available online.

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  • CDR Jennifer S. Couture

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