text: Chapter 9
  • Monitor a situation passively.
  • Remain on station for a sustained period.
  • Respond to a crisis rapidly.
  • Deploy in combat with authority.
  9-7. Mobility enables maritime forces to respond from over the horizon, becoming selectively visible and
  threatening to adversaries as needed. If diplomatic, political, or economic measures succeed, maritime forces
  withdraw without further action ashore. Maritime forces respond to indications of pending crises by
  relocating rapidly through the theater of operations or from one theater of operations to another, usually
  independent of fixed logistics. In combat, the ability to position maritime forces quickly provides
  commanders with significant tactical and operational advantages.
  MARITIME FORCES SELF SUSTAINABILITY
  9-8. Maritime forces maintain self-sufficiency as the norm. Often the nature of the operation and the types
  of committed units determine the degree of self-sustainment achievable. Maritime forces operate in forward
  areas at the end of long supply lines without significant land-based supply structure. With replenishment-at-
  sea, on-station replacement of personnel and ships, and the resilience of ships (an ability to sustain damage
  and continue the mission), maritime operations may continue indefinitely.
  OPERATIONAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
  9-9. A maritime environment requires some unique planning considerations. Complex details are required to
  coordinate the movement and landing of troops, equipment, and supplies using air and maritime means. The
  most critical planning in a maritime-dominated theater involves collaboration among the components of the
  multinational force and between supporting organizations and agencies.
  9-10. Basic planning considerations are universal at all echelons. The success of multinational operations in
  the maritime environment has three critical requirements:
  • Commanders’ involvement and guidance.
  • Unity of effort.
  • Integrated and collaborative planning with other assigned headquarters and subordinate echelons.
  9-11. The multinational force commander stays involved and provides guidance to maritime operations. Most
  commanders for maritime operations will likely be a senior naval officer. Because of physical distances and
  the relative isolation typically associated with land operations in a largely maritime environment,
  commanders maintain situational understanding through collaboration. They ensure their operations or
  activities do not have a negative unintended effect on other operations or units. This may include integration
  with multinational amphibious or like maritime units.
  9-12. The commander ensures unity of effort across the multinational force. Unity of effort includes ensuring
  the task and purpose of operations nest with the overall multinational operational concept. In the maritime
  environment, the unity of effort should include the commanders and staffs identified for the maritime, air,
  and land elements.
  9-13. Integrated and collaborative planning has two critical attributes in maritime operations: integration
  across functional areas at every echelon and collaborative planning by multinational commanders and staffs.
  Ideally, commanders and their staffs conduct planning for maritime operations in the same location. When
  this is not practical, the exchange of liaison officers facilitates planning functions. This is crucial for any
  operation conducted across extended maritime distances.
  CHALLENGES
  9-14. A maritime environment presents specific challenges. The obvious differences in uniforms and
  equipment can cause misidentification. The lack of standardized markings and unit identifiers can present
  the potential for fratricide. The problem can be exacerbated because allies and partners can have similar
  equipment to potential enemies.
  9-15. Situational awareness is paramount in a maritime environment. All participating units at all echelons
  ensure they share the same level of situational awareness regarding the disposition of adjacent unit locations.