Whoever rules

t he waves

rules t he world.

-Alfred Thayer Mahan

Carrier strikes on North Vietnam Begin

27 cruisers 221 Destroyers 39 Frigates 135 Amphibs 104 attack subs 30 SSBNs 25 carriers

1000

Ships

1965

34 Cruisers (+ 7) 201 Destroyers (-20) 43 Frigates (+3)

1968

750

500

250

South Vietnam falls

1975

34 Cruisers (+ 7) 102 Destroyers (-99) 64 Frigates (+21)

US limits military force in Vietnam & WWII ships start decommissioning

Vietnam Era High

Grenada Operation and Lebanon Peacekeeping

1983

64 Amphibs (-89) 75 Attack Subs (-25) 41 SSBNs 15 Carriers (-7)

153 Amphibs (+18) 100 Attack Subs (-4) 41 SSBNs (+11) 22 Carriers (-3)

1989

(592)

(533) (559)

(880) (932)

Arab-Israeli Crisis

Fall of Berlin Wall

1991

Dissolution of USSR; Gulf War Begins

(529)

Anti-Communist Revolutions in Europe

47 Cruisers (+13) 47 Destroyers (-55) 93 Frigates (+29)

61 Amphibs (-3) 87 Attack Subs (+12) 34 SSBNs (-7) 15 Carriers

(392)

Cebrowski Net Centric Ops

Maritime Strategy Released

Taiwan Strait Crisis

1995

Internet Global Debut

Dawn of Digital Age

‘Pong” Video Game

2001

9/11

START II Treaty

(316)

27 Cruisers (-20) 53 Destroyers (+6) 35 Frigates (-58)

41 Amphibs (-20) 55 Attack Subs (-32) 18 SSBNs (-16) 12 Carriers

‘Peace Dividend’ Bulk Decommissioning

PRC Launches DF-15s

Navy Ship Force Hits Lowest Since 1921

(285) (271)

2011 2014

Odyssey Dawn

Campaign Against ISIS Begins

Invasion of Iraq

Financial Crisis

Inherent Resolve

Facebook

DF-21 Deployed

1982: •Cold War Ongoing •US in recession •USMC lands Beirut

Sea Control & Power Projection Power Projection

Panama Canal Expansion

2016

(276)