The Future Shape of the U.S. Navy

Abstract

To be effective in a post-Cold War environment, the future U.S. Navy ought to be an outgrowth of the current form built around carriers and major amphibious ships. To the extent that economies are desirable, they should be made in limited-role antisubmarine warfare escorts rather than in carriers and carrier-capable escorts. Such a future navy would have the vital virtue of being able to shift back to confrontation with a major power such as the Soviet Union, should that become necessary.