Pacific-realm activity, Iranian behavior, resurgent major powers like China and the prevalence of low-intensity conflict (LIC) will drive U.S. Navy investments in the region, according to Marshall Billingslea, deputy under secretary of the Navy.

Maritime power is uniquely suited to safeguard the interests of the United States, Billingslea told a multinational crowd Sept. 3 at ComDef 2008 in Washington. In the Pacific, the United States claims to be upgrading its carrier presence in alliance with Japan and actively pursuing new relationships with countries like India and Indonesia. A renewed partnership with New Zealand also presents an opportunity for the United States, Billingslea added.

He also hailed what he called the cutting edge of the Navy's technological modernization, the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). "This is an incredible, agile class of ships," Billingslea said. "It gives the U.S. what I would say is unmatched military capability in the littorals around the world."

Evolving strategy

The ship is a sign of the evolution of U.S. naval strategy from a hub-and-spoke operational posture into a structure capable of conducting disaggregated operations, according to Billingslea. "This is a nontrivial challenge," he said. "And it's forcing us to rethink a number of things," including satellite and bandwidth requirements, data processing needs and intelligence-afloat requirements, among others.

The LCS program, nonetheless, has undergone major restructuring and cost increases since last year and has challenged the Navy's already tenuous long-term shipbuilding and fleet force plan.

Billingslea also cited the controversial V-22 Osprey as a sign of naval aviation success and noted the reconstitution of riverine forces in Iraq, as well as the expansion of the Seabees' expeditionary construction capabilities and continued investment in Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

"We're implementing a maritime strategy focused on partnerships," Billingslea said, "and an investment plan that emphasizes power projection and the capability to fight an irregular war for the sustained future."