Reference News Network, February 15 report - According to the Associated Press, February 9 report, the highest-ranking active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy hopes to convince commanders at all levels to use smaller and more advanced equipment when carrying out missions, rather than relying on large aircraft carriers.

The concept proposed by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Daryl Coddle, which he calls "operational guidance," requires the Navy to deploy more customized ship and equipment formations, allowing the Navy to respond more flexibly when crises occur.

This new strategy comes as the Trump administration has deployed aircraft carriers and other vessels to various parts of the world due to a series of unexpected events. This often disrupts established deployment plans, forcing ships to travel long distances for support, and placing greater pressure on already serious maintenance issues of ships and equipment.

The world's largest carrier, the "Gerald R. Ford," was moved from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean Sea last year. The crew of this carrier participated in the action in early January to forcibly control Venezuelan President Maduro. And two weeks ago, as tensions with Iran escalated, the "Abraham Lincoln" carrier, which had been withdrawn from the South China Sea, had arrived in the Middle East.

Before the release of the document, Coddle told the Associated Press that his strategy would make the U.S. Navy's deployments in regions such as the Caribbean more streamlined.

Coddle said he had communicated with the commander of the U.S. Southern Command, which is responsible for the Caribbean and Venezuela. He said, "We discussed the problems he faces, and I hope he can understand that I can solve them through customized deployment plans."

In general terms, Coddle said he envisions the U.S. military's mission in the Caribbean focusing more on blockades and monitoring the movements of merchant ships.

The report said that the U.S. military has repeatedly seized "suspicious" oil tankers related to Venezuela.

Coddle said, "Such missions do not actually require an aircraft carrier strike group." He added that he believes these missions can be accomplished with a few small littoral combat ships, naval helicopters, and close cooperation with the Coast Guard.

For months, the U.S. military has deployed 11 ships in the South American waters, including the "Ford" carrier, multiple amphibious assault ships, and thousands of Marines. This is a major shift for the region. Previously, the area typically only deployed one or two small naval vessels.

Coddle said, "I don't want a large number of destroyers cruising there just to turn on radar to monitor机动 ships and tankers leaving the port. It doesn't match the mission requirements."

To compensate for this shortcoming, Coddle envisions relying more on drones and other robotic systems to provide the same capabilities for military commanders while reducing the involvement of naval vessels. He admitted that this concept is difficult to be accepted immediately.

Coddle said that even if commanders know about a new capability, the staff "may not know how to request, integrate, or effectively use this new specialized capability." He later added, "This requires some awareness campaigns." (Translated by Zhu Jie)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7607019419369341455/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.