The Attributes and Roles of Naval Forces

Abstract

Strategic geography does not change. The UK is, and will always be, an island archipelago, and so Martin argues the only means for the UK to exercise influence abroad, politically and militarily, is through the Royal Navy. Naval forces have inherent attributes that are particularly useful in exercising influence. Furthermore, the UK, EU and NATO now incorporate maritime security within their strategy and policy concepts. Martin argues that the attributes of naval forces are particularly suited to meet the breadth of tasks under maritime security as well as more traditional security problems. Of all the attributes, he argues that sustained reach is the most important, as maritime security is a global concept and consequently naval forces require global reach in order to deal with its many problems. By engaging the synergies of these interlinking factors, Martin explains why it is crucial to have naval forces fully able to enjoy the full range of attributes available.