The following is the July 26, 2022 update of the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday’s Navigation Plan.
From the report
America has always been a maritime nation. The seas are the lifeblood of our economy, our national security, and our way of life.
After World War II, America and its allies ushered in an era of great power peace and shared prosperity around the globe, establishing an international rules-based order. As a result, global trade fueled economic growth and raised standards of living across the nation. The benefits of this prosperity spread around the world: child mortality declined, life expectancy lengthened, poverty plummeted, and literacy skyrocketed.
This progress and prosperity did not happen by accident. American sea power, combined with the dedication of our allies and partners, guaranteed freedom of navigation, maintained peace, and fostered a rules-based order grounded in fairness for all.
America remains a global leader with global interests. Households and businesses throughout the United States benefit from the steady flow of resources and goods across the oceans. Our modern economy depends on access to the internet, which rides upon undersea fiber-optic cables. As we look to the future, our economic and national security will continue to rely upon unrestricted seaborne trade, unimpeded access to markets, and a free and open rules-based order.
Today, for the first time in a generation, we face strategic competitors with the demonstrated intent to unravel the free and open order.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is building all-domain military capabilities to challenge the United States. Its aggressive behavior is threatening U.S. interests, undermining alliances and partnerships, and undercutting the rules-based system. Russia invaded Ukraine, shattering the post-Cold War peace in Europe and creating new security challenges on that continent and beyond. Meanwhile, the world is entering a new age of warfare, one in which the integration of technology, concepts, partners, and systems—more than fleet size alone—will determine victory in conflict.
Maintaining the world’s best Navy is an investment in the security and prosperity of the United States, as well as the stability of our world. Since our Nation’s founding, through peace, war, and every challenge in
between, the U.S. Navy has stood the watch to protect America’s economic vitality, sustain our influence, support our allies and partners, deter conflict, and when called upon, win in combat.
This is a critical decade. As global challengers rise to threaten U.S. interests, America must maintain maritime dominance. The U.S. Navy will build, maintain, train, and equip a combat-credible, dominant naval force to keep the sea lanes open and free, deter conflict, and when called upon, decisively win our Nation’s wars.
Download the document here.
