In his new “Fighting Instructions,” Admiral Daryl Caudle, US Chief of Naval Operations, has outlined how the Navy plans to organize, train, equip, and fight. The released instructions are going to severely affect the traditional Carrier Strike Group model, attaching new capabilities and forces that will bring more flexibility to the combat sea formation.

Coming from the lesson learned in Red and Black Sea, the Navy wants to augment the strike groups with scalable and customized forces as part of a broader campaign to provide combatant commanders “some optionality there, and to be able to flow the right amount of force” to respond to crises as they develop, according to Admiral Caudle’s declaration.

The list of this augmentee forces includes destroyers, but also a “hedge strategy” that seeks to capitalize on unmanned systems, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs),Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) and Unmanned Underwater Vessels (UUVs). The goal is to not distract a full aircraft carrier group for the full spectrum of missions around the world, whether it be choke point defense, protection of sea lines of communication, anti-submarine warfare, ISR, or maritime domain awareness.

However, Admiral Caudle acknowledges that shifting toward a hybrid fleet is a 'cultural hurdle' as much as a technical one. Staffs must evolve from traditional platform-centric doctrines to an integrated model where niche unmanned capabilities are not just add-ons, but core components of the strike package.

Although President Donald Trump frequently employed “gunboat” diplomacy, characterised by prominent naval responses, Admiral Caudle’s Fighting Instructions seek to safeguard the role of aircraft carriers. The impetus for the new directive stems from concerns regarding the unintended consequences of the President's assertive strategy, such as disrupted deployment schedules and the hasty mobilisation of ships. This approach has increased operational strain on vessels and equipment already facing maintenance challenges. Admiral Caudle acknowledged the need to provide regional commanders with additional options, noting that his tailored force packages are intended to address these operational demands.

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