Blue-water navy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A rare occurrence of a 11-country multinational fleet, during RIMPAC.

A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. In four descending columns, from left to right: ITS Maestrale (F 570), De Grasse (D 612); USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Charles De Gaulle (R 91), Surcouf (F 711); USS Port Royal (CG-73), HMS Ocean (L 12), USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), HNLMS Van Amstel (F 831); and ITS Luigi Durand de la Penne (D 560).

The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans. ^[1] While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges. The term used in the United Kingdom is Expeditionary.

1 Capabilities of a blue water navy
- 1.1 Examples of operating blue water navies
- 1.2 Examples of navies with considerable blue water capabilities
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Capabilities of a blue water navy

"Blue-water" (high seas) naval capability ^[2] means that a fleet is able to operate at high seas. While traditonally a distinction was made between the coastal brown water navy, operating in the littoral zone to 200 nautical miles, and a seagoing blue water navy, a new term has been created by the US Navy ^[3], green water navy, which appears to be equivalent to a brown water navy in older sources. The term brown water navy appears to have been reduced, in USN parlance, to a riverine force.

In modern warfare blue water navy infers self-contained force protection from sub-surface, surface and airborne threats and a sustainable logistic reach, allowing a persistent presence at range. In some maritime environments such a defence is given by natural obstacles, such as the Arctic ice shelf.

Few navies can operate as blue water navies, but "many States are converting green water navies to blue water navies and this will increase military use of foreign EEZs" (littoral zone to 200 nautical miles), "with possible repercussions for the EEZ regime." ^[4]

An example for the difference between a blue-water navy and a green-water navy: "(...) The first should be a 'green-water active defense' that would enable the PLAN to protect China's territorial waters and enforce its sovereignty claims in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. The second phase would be to develop a blue-water navy capable of projecting power into the western Pacific. (...) Liu" (commander in chief of the PLAN 1982-88 and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission 1989-97) "believed that in order to fulfill a blue-water capability, the PLAN had to obtain aircraft carriers. (...)" ^[5] Aircraft carriers are deployed with other specialized vessels in carrier battle groups, providing protection against sub-surface, surface and airborne threats.

As there is no clear definition of a blue-water navy, the status is not undisputed. Usually it is considered to be strongly linked to the maintenance of aircraft carriers capable of operating in the oceans. "In the early 80s there was a bitter and very public battle fought over whether or not to replace Australia's last aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne. Senior navy personnel warned without a carrier, Australia would be vulnerable to all types of threat. One ex-Chief of Navy went so far as to claim that we" (the Australians) "would no longer have a blue-water navy (one capable of operating away from friendly coasts)." ^[6]

The term blue-water navy should not be mixed up with brown, green and blue water capability or ship. USN CNO Admiral Mullen pointed out in an interview with KQV RADIO (Pittsburgh): "CNO: We are looking at, in addition to the blue-water ships which I would characterize and describe as our aircraft carriers and other ships that support that kind of capability, we're also looking to develop capability in what I call the green-water and the brown-water, and the brown-water is really the rivers. (...) These are challenges we all have, and we need to work together to ensure that the sea lanes are secure." ^[7] The capability for blue, green or brown water depends on the vessels specifications. The vessels of a green-water navy can often operate in blue-water for example. A number of nations have extensive maritime assets but lack the capability to maintain the required sustainable logistic reach. Some of them join coalition task groups in blue-water deployments.

[edit] Examples of operating blue water navies

The United States Navy is capable of deploying several aircraft carrier based task groups simultaneously as well as maintaining a posture of Continuous At Sea Deterrence with its Ballistic Missile submarine fleet.

The Royal Navy maintains two task forces concurrently; one based around an aircraft carrier and one based around an Amphibious Command Ship and maintains a Continuous At Sea Deterrence policy. At least one TG is deployed at any one time. The UK also supports a number of standing commitments worldwide on a continuous basis.

The Marine Nationale has the ability to deploy an aircraft carrier-based task group and maintains a sea based nuclear deterrent included in the Force Océanique Stratégique. France also has a wide range of naval deployments throughout the world.

While a blue-water navy can project sea control power into another nation's littoral, it remains susceptible to threats from less capable forces. Sustainment and logistics at range yield high costs and there may be a saturation advantage over a deployed force, through the use of land based air or Surface to Surface Missile assets, Diesel Electric submarines or asymmetric tactics such as Fast Inshore Attack Craft. An example of this vulnerability is the attack on the USS Cole in Aden during 2000.

[edit] Examples of navies with considerable blue water capabilities

The Indian Navy maintains a carrier battle group with INS Viraat.One Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is under construction at Mazgaon Dock, Mumbai. Indian Navy has also purchased a Russian Aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which is to be renamed as INS Vikramaditya.