CAN U.S. NAVY'S CARRIER BATTLE FORCE (CVBF) ASSIST THE GROUND FORCE COMMANDER WITHOUT LOSING ABILITY TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST INCOME...

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES CONFRONTING THE U.S. ARMED FORCES TODAY IS THE CONCEPT OF JOINT OPERATIONS AND INTEROPERABILITY. SUPPORT OF THE GROUND FORCE COMMANDER (IN A NON-AMPHIBIOUS ROLE) BY NAVAL FORCES COMES UNDER THE MISSION AREA DEFINED AS STRIKE WARFARE. THE CARRIER BATTLE FORCE IS THE MOST POWERFUL AND FLEXIBLE OF ALL NAVAL FORMATIONS. HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIFYING THE CAPABILITIES OF A CARRIER BATTLE FORCE, INEVITABLY THE FOCUS IS ONLY ON THE CARRIER BASED AVIATION EXECUTING THE STRIKE MISSION. BUT THE CARRIER BATTLE FORCE IS MORE THAN JUST A CARRIER. ARMED WITH TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES, THE SURFACE ESCORT SHIPS AND SUBMARINES ACCOMPANYING THE CARRIER CAN BOTH EXECUTE MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE GROUND FORCE COMMANDER. BEFORE ANY APPROACH IS TAKEN TO ASSESS WHETHER A PARTICULAR NAVAL ARCHITECTURE CAN SUPPORT TOP LEVEL WARFARE REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM STRIKE MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE GROUND FORCE COMMANDER, AN ANALYSIS NEEDS TO BE UNDERTAKEN TO IDENTIFY THE LIMITATIONS ON THE CAPABILITY OF THE CARRIER BATTLE FORCE TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH MISSIONS - SUPPORT THE GROUND FORCE COMMANDER AND PROTECT ITSELF.