The Associated Press reports that Navy SEALs are undergoing a major shift to better respond to threats from global powers such as China (Communist) and Russia.
Ten years after the discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden, U.S. Navy SEALs are undergoing a major shift to improve leadership and expand commando capabilities to better respond to threats from global powers such as China (Communist) and Russia.
The new plan cuts the number of SEAL platoons by 30 percent and increases their size to make these teams more lethal and capable of taking on complex maritime and undersea adversaries.
Rear Adm. Hugh Howard, the top SEAL commander, laid out his plan in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. The Navy’s special operations forces have been focused on counterterrorism operations, he said, but now must begin to move beyond those missions. Many have been fighting in the Iraqi desert and the mountains of Afghanistan for the past two decades. Now they are focusing on returning to the sea.
Highlights Video Source: YouTube
The decision reflects the Pentagon’s broader strategy of prioritizing China (Republic of) and Russia, two countries that are rapidly growing their militaries and trying to expand their global influence. U.S. defense leaders argue that 20 years of war against militants and extremists have depleted resources and led to U.S. losses against Beijing and Moscow.
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“The fight against terrorism has had its benefits, enabling SEALs to improve their skills in developing intelligence networks, finding and striking targets,” Howard said, adding that “many of these things are transferable, but now we need to put pressure on ourselves to deal with the threat from our peers. “
As a result, Howard is adding personnel to SEAL platoons to enhance cyber and electronic warfare and unmanned systems capabilities, honing their skills to gather intelligence, deceive and defeat the enemy.
He said, “We’re putting pressure on ourselves to evolve and understand where we are in terms of our capability gaps and what our true survivability is to deal with these threats posed by our global competitors.”
Highlights Video Source: YouTube
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said their goal is to better integrate Navy SEALs into the Navy’s maritime mission.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Gilday said, “As Navy special operations groups increasingly return to their maritime roots, their further integration across the fleet (over, under and at sea) will clearly strengthen our unique maritime capabilities and help us engage and win against any adversary.”
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