Naval Mission & Levels of Warfare

The mission of the Navy is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas.

Strategic level focuses on supporting national goals.

Tactical level involves the details of individual engagements.

Operational level concerns forces collectively in theater.

War at sea is the application of decisive offensive force to achieve control of the sea which is the first step in establishing our superiority in any region.

Littoral warfare is warfare in that portion of the world's land masses, adjacent to the oceans within direct control of and vulnerable to the striking power of sea-based forces.

Primary Warfare Areas
- Strike Warfare (STW)
- Amphibious Warfare
- Mine Warfare (MIW)
- Air Warfare (AW)
- Undersea Warfare (USW)
- Surface Warfare (SUW)

Supporting Warfare Areas
- Special Warfare
- Intelligence
- Electronic Warfare (EW)
- Logistics

Strike Warfare (STW)– Any combination of naval forces that intends to inflict damage on or destroy the target objective.

Amphibious Warfare – Establishing a landing force on a hostile shore.

Mine Warfare (MIW) – The use of mines and mine countermeasures to control or deny the use of sea or harbor areas through the laying of minefields and countering enemy mine warfare through the destruction or neutralization of hostile minefields.
Air Warfare (AW) – Those actions required to destroy or reduce the enemy air and missile threat to an acceptable level.

Undersea Warfare (USW) – Those actions taken to deny the enemy effective use of his submarines and the undersea environment.

Surface Warfare (SUW) – Deny the enemy effective use of his surface warships and merchant capability.

Special Warfare – Non-conventional operations in the coastal, riverine, and maritime environments. Naval special warfare emphasizes small, flexible, mobile units operating under, on, and from the sea.

Intelligence – Assessment and management of information obtained via surveillance, reconnaissance and other means to produce timely information of potential enemies and threats.

Electronic Warfare (EW) – Ensure the effective use of the electromagnetic spectrum to friendly forces while denying its use to the enemy.

Logistics - Re-supply of combat consumables to combat forces within a theater of operations.