Teamwork, flexibility, & sustained combat power: Interview with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark

Sea Power, Oct 2002 by Peterson, Gordon I

Are you satisfied that the "family-of-ships" acquisition strategy for next-generation destroyers [DD(X)] and cruisers [CG(X)], coupled with the design of a new Littoral Combat Ship, have placed the surface Navy on the right course for the future?

CLARK: I am excited about the family of ships and the potential to introduce spiral-development concepts as part of the transformation of the acquisition process. It is one thing to talk about it; it is another thing to go do it! Since we unveiled DD(X) we have had a down-select, and the contract has been let. There was a challenge, but the action of the Navy contracting team was reaffirmed. We are pressing forward, and it is key and vital to move forward with the family of ships.

We hope to develop the LCS [the Littoral Combat Ship] rapidly using spiral-development concepts, because we need this platform and all that it will offer. The longer-range third step in the family is CG(X). During the past year incredible things have happened in the sea-based world of missile defense. CG(X) will be required to create the missile-defense force structure for the next 20 to 30 years that the nation needs. I see CG(X) coming on the horizon in about 10 years as the next step in the process.

You introduced your new Navy operational vision-Sea Power 21-in June during a speech at the Naval War College. Together with the new Transformation Roadmap recently approved by Secretary England, do you believe that Sea Power 21 will satisfactorily address past criticisms that the Navy did not adequately articulate its transformation strategy for the future?

CLARK: I do, because the Navy's Transformation Roadmap recently provided to the Office of the Secretary of Defense was a good first step. Secretary England's Naval Power 21, with Sea Power 21 working in concert with the Marine Corps 21 vision, lays out a good operational construct for the NavyMarine Corps team in the 21 st century. I will release a monograph on Sea Power 21 this month that will detail more of the specifics of its operational vision. The effort actually will take place over the next six months as we unfold the details of our new operational strategy. [Ed. note: See this month's special report on Sea Power 21 on pages 52 to 54.]

Sea Power 21 poses implications for the Marine Corps. Are you joined at the hip with the Marines?

CLARK: Yes, absolutely. We have shared our work with them. The area where they are principally affected relates to seabasing concepts. We could not be in greater agreement that this must be a primary focus for the 21 st-century Navy-Marine Corps team. Our views on the Navy's future operational and strategic concepts are being made in concert with the way the Marine Corps sees its future. We have some interesting ideas on how we can enhance our collective combat capability. This continuing operational thought will proceed into the next year-- it is an ongoing process. Sea Power 21 is totally "in sync" with the way the Marines are thinking about their future.