New maritime strategy of the USA

An anticipated Christmas present or the last attempt by a voted-out government to hammer in stakes? Either way, the publication of "Advantage at Sea. Prevailing with Integrated All-Domain Naval Power" a few days before the turn of the year and just four weeks before the handover of office from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Be that as it may, the new US maritime strategy is now the third, after 2007 and 2015, to be drawn up and co-signed by all three maritime branches of the armed forces. The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard emphasise the self-image of "Warfighting First" - this is nothing less than a complete departure from CS-21 (2007), in which maritime assistance, maritime security and good order at sea, among other things, still appeared as strategic contributions, albeit under different global political auspices. "Advantage at Sea" sets a noticeably different tone, starting with the foreword by the Navy Minister (and retired Rear Admiral) Braithwaite. The great power competition with China and Russia runs like a red thread through the document, which really does not mince its words in this respect. Strategic contributions from the US Navy, Marines and Coast Guard must be read between the lines; this seems to indicate that the document's target audience was not clearly formulated. Will Congress, the new President and his future Secretary of Defence simply go along without complaint? Hardly. The social divide in the United States of America is now also reaching those areas that previously benefited from a bipartisan consensus, such as the interests of a strong naval power. In view of the upcoming extensive fleet renewal and the projected growth, Washington and the naval forces are likely to face an exhausting decade anyway. 

Sebastian Bruns is the author of the relevant study "US Naval Strategy and National Security. The Evolution of American Maritime Power" (paperback, Routledge - London 2018). He offers a brief comparison of the two previous naval strategies at http://cimsec.org/cooperative-strategy-cs-21cs-21r-view-germany/16240.