United States Navy

A

Special Warfare

The U.S. Navy has highly trained special warfare forces for unconventional missions. They include SEAL (Sea-Air-Land) commandos and Special Boat Units. These forces perform risky missions such as beach and coastal reconnaissance, underwater demolition, attacking vessels along coastlines and in rivers, and hostage and prisoner rescue. Quickly deployable and highly mobile, the special warfare forces are lightly armed and rely on stealth, concealment, and surprise to accomplish their tasks.

B

Mine Warfare

The Navy can deploy sophisticated mines with aircraft, surface ships, and submarines to threaten an enemy’s maritime traffic and naval forces. The mines can be set on the water’s surface to float with ocean currents, or can be attached to the ocean floor with a cable.

C

Mobile Logistics and Support

The Navy’s combat logistics ships enable the United States to sustain naval forces anywhere in the world. They shuttle fuel, ammunition, food, and other supplies to battle groups and task forces.

D

Intelligence and Cryptology

The cryptologic (code-making and code-breaking) and intelligence services provide information to both tactical forces and Navy commanders. Shore-based intelligence and cryptologic operations involve the collection, processing, analysis, and reporting of information from many sources, from communications intelligence to human intelligence. This information is used to assess threats to the Navy and to the security of the United States. Tactical intelligence, usually provided by ships, submarines, and aircraft, gives combat commanders indications and warning of impending enemy activity and assessments of ongoing hostile activity and capabilities.

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E

Space and Electronic Warfare

The U.S. Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command deploys satellites for communications, surveillance, weather forecasting, and other purposes. It also maintains command and control computers and other electronic equipment, and conducts research into new technologies that may have military uses.

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