Blue-water navy

USS Abraham Lincoln leads a formation of ships from eight countries during the Exercise RIMPAC in July 2006.

A blue-water navy is a maritime force capable of operating globally, essentially across the deep waters of open oceans.[1] While definitions of what actually constitutes such a force vary, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at long range.

The term "blue-water navy" is a maritime geographical term in contrast with "brown-water navy" (littoral waters and near to shore) and "green-water navy" (near to shore and open oceans).

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency of the United States has defined the blue-water navy as "a maritime force capable of sustained operation across the deep waters of open oceans. A blue-water navy allows a country to project power far from the home country and usually includes one or more aircraft carriers. Smaller blue-water navies are able to dispatch fewer vessels abroad for shorter periods of time."[2]

  1. ^ "British Maritime Doctrine, BR 1806, Third Edition". 2004. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. The operating areas of maritime forces range from the deep waters of the open oceans (known colloquially as blue water).
  2. ^ "Special Focus Area: Marine Sensors". Targeting U.S. Technologies: A Trend Analysis of Reporting from Defense Industry. Defense Security Service (United States Department of Defense). 2010. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.