Saturday, January 3, 2009

PLANNING OBJECTIVES

Decisions about funding choices are critical to the future of the Navy. A dynamic, uncertain, but still-dangerous security environment competes with constrained defense resources to createThe report of the Quadrennial Defense Review challenges and difficult tradeoffs in three major areas that, together, are the cornerstone for the 21st-century Navy:

* Force Readiness

* Force Structure

* Force Transformation

The security environment has changed. And the Navy is drawing upon the vitality and innovation of its people and leveraging new technological opportunities to create a transformation strategy that will ensure tomorrow's Navy can continue to meet its mission requirements and attain higher levels of operational effectiveness. While the recapitalization of resources is one possible solution to current funding concerns, a broader strategic context is essential if we are to avoid undue interim risk. Today's readiness must not suffer as we look to the future. This, alone, will demand the best, most enlightened stewardship of the Navy's fiscal and physical resources.

Navy firefighters

If we are to succeed in meeting tomorrow's challenges, the Navy's programming structure must become more integrated, effective, and proactive. In this light, the Navy will continue to develop new operational concepts that leverage current forces while exploiting our asymmetrical advantages and technological superiority. The Navy will continue to turn to industry and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies, and will privatize non-core functions when feasible. Additionally, we will pursue solutions with other U.S. Armed Services and our allies and friends.

Within this context of critical trade-offs and innovative solutions, broad planning objectives have been identified to guide our efforts to build the 21st-century Navy:

* Enhance readiness by providing a stable and rewarding quality of life for our people and their families by maintaining adequate pay, medical care, advancement potential, and benefits, and by providing a work environment that supports job satisfaction, including balanced sea-shore rotation

* Ensure that the minimum-essential force structure and core capabilities are preserved for naval, joint and multinational operations - for sustained forward deployed presence, deterrence, prompt and assured crisis response, and warfighting - including fully integrating Navy and Marine Corps Reserve components into a seamless Total Force Submarine underway

* Outsource and privatize non-core functions to industry whenever possible, thus reducing the size and cost of supporting infrastructure

* Leverage scarce resources through joint and international programs

These objectives are examined in more detail in the following sections.

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