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
DF-21 Deployed
1982: •Cold War Ongoing •US in recession •USMC lands Beirut
Sea Control & Power Projection Power Projection
Panama Canal Expansion
2016
(276)