President's forum - US Navy Seapower 21

Naval War College Review,  Spring, 2003  

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A National Vision for the Future

Many nations see the oceans of the world as barriers, hostile territories they fear to tread. However, long-term investment in maritime power has made the United States a master of this challenging environment. Fully two-thirds of the earth's surface is covered by water, and "Sea Power 21" is a vision for the future that exploits our asymmetrical advantage in this realm. For centuries, the oceans served America as "moats" of great width that no enemy could easily traverse. Today, the notion of a defensive barrier has less meaning, but the oceans still provide a nearly unlimited maneuver space, from which our nation can be protected.

It is our nation's naval forces that provide national freedom of action for the application of military power in an increasingly uncertain and complex world. They provide a commander the greatest operational flexibility and tactical agility and offer more options than forces that require overflight permission or authorization to use ports or airfields in foreign lands. By using a combination of the right of freedom of the seas, and the might of U.S. forces to keep these sea-lanes open, naval forces enable the nation to take the fight to the enemy overseas.

Naval transformation is beginning to emerge as the catalyst for the transformation of how the nation applies military power. The ongoing transformation in the sea services is not solely technical, and it is not dependent on new ships, aircraft, weapon systems, or networks. Nor does this transformation radically alter the mission or essential characteristics of naval forces. Instead, the sea services are recognizing that the nation will increasingly project power from "afloat bases" constituted by battle groups, expeditionary forces, mission-specific action groups, and prepositioned ships.

Sea Power 21 is not just a vision for the Navy, it is a vision for the nation, and in many ways it represents our best hope in defending the American people and our cherished way of life.

RODNEY P. REMPT

Rear Admiral, US. Navy

President, Naval War College

Rear Admiral Rempt is a 1966 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Initial assignments included deployments to Vietnam aboard USS Coontz (DLG 9) and USS Somers (DDG 34). He later commanded USS Antelope (PG 86), USS Callaghan (DDG 994), and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52). Among his shore assignments were the Naval Sea Systems Command as the initial project officer for the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System; Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) staff as the Aegis Weapon System program coordinator; director of the Prospective Commanding Officer/Executive Officer Department, Surface Warfare Officers Schools Command; and Director, Anti-Air Warfare Requirements Division (OP-75) on the CNO's staff. Rear Admiral Rempt also served in the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, where he initiated development of Naval Theater Ballistic Missile Defense, continuing those efforts as Director, Theater Air Defense on the CNO's staff. More recently, he was Program Executive Officer, Theater Air Defense, the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Theater Combat Systems, the first Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Missile Defense, and Director, Surface Warfare (N76) on the CNO's staff. Rear Admiral Rempt assumed duties as the forty-eighth President of the Naval War College on 22 August 2001.