The Navy is the branch of the US military that fights on the water, under the water, and over the water.

• Navy ships fight on the water. 
• Navy submarines fight under the water. 
• Navy airplanes fight from over the water -- they take off and land on Navy aircraft carriers.

Why is this ability to act from the water so important? 

Because it gives the Navy the power to protect America’s interests – anywhere, anytime.

To see why, think of the 70-80-90 rule:

• Water covers about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface.
• About 80 percent of the world’s population lives near the ocean.  This percentage is likely to grow in the future. 
• About 90 percent of all international trade travels by sea.  This percentage, too, will probably go up.

In other words, what happens on the water matters: 

• It matters to keeping the peace.
• It matters to our own economy, and to the preservation of American jobs. 
• It also matters to our national defense.  After all, the United States is bounded by oceans on both sides. 

For all of these reasons, we need to be able to protect ourselves on, under, and over the water. 

And that’s what the Navy’s for.

The Navy’s job is getting bigger.  That is because the challenges our country faces are so unpredictable and diverse: 

• We are at war in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
• We face a terrorist network that has attacked our country before, and vows to do so again. 
• Unstable regimes are developing nuclear weapons that could be used against us or our allies. 
• Rising powers have begun military buildups to match their economic growth – with uncertain consequences for the future.
• Weak and failed states create havens for groups that seek to do us harm.  Al Qaeda in Afghanistan is one example of this, and so are the Somali pirates.
• Climate change is creating new conflicts.  Arctic melting is already causing disputes over shipping lanes and oil supplies that used to be locked in ice.

The bottom line:  We can’t predict where the next threat will come from.  We need to be ready to confront a range of challenges, whenever and wherever they happen.

The Navy is ideally suited for this kind of world.  That’s because the Navy is fast and flexible.

Our ships, submarines and aircraft can go anywhere on the ocean at short notice.  What’s more, they can do all of their work from the water: 

• Navy ships and submarines can shoot at targets and knock out enemy missiles far inland from the water. 
• Navy planes fly about half of the aerial combat missions in Afghanistan.  They don’t need airstrips on the ground.  They take off on aircraft carriers – from the water. 
• Navy SEAL teams can carry out special operations worldwide – from the water.
• In a humanitarian crisis like the Asian tsunami or the earthquake in Haiti, the Navy can deliver huge amounts of supplies and provide medical care -- from the water.

On any given day, we might need to attack a terrorist camp, capture a pirate vessel, and deliver emergency relief – all in different parts of the world.  We can’t always afford to wait to set up big operations on land, or to get another country’s permission to come ashore. 

In such a world, power must be fast and flexible.  This requires sailors who are highly trained, highly motivated, and courageous – sailors who are capable of meeting any challenge.  It requires the best sailors in the world – the men and women of the United States Navy.

Our fast, flexible force also requires us to be smart about how we power our ships, planes, and submarines.  The U.S. Navy can’t afford to delay or cancel missions for lack of fuel.  That’s why the Navy is taking the lead on energy research that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil – and ensure that our ships, planes and subs can go anywhere, anytime to keep our country safe.

That fast, flexible force is what seapower provides.  And that’s how the Navy protects America – now more than ever.