In this age of globalization, and with more than 90 percent of world trade crossing the maritime domain, the U.S. depends upon the use of the oceans for national and economic security. As a maritime nation, the United States seeks access to open sea and air lanes for the peaceful, productive movement of global commerce; support for our worldwide responsibilities; and assurance for Americans at home, as well as friends and allies abroad. As the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead recently reiterated in his "Guidance for 2010: Executing the Maritime Strategy," U.S. maritime forces provide the core capabilities of forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Undersea warfare (USW), which includes warfare from under the sea and warfare against undersea threats, helps the U.S. Navy guarantee free access to the seas. At the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, our mission is to maintain the Navy's superiority in undersea warfare, which is increasingly recognized as an asymmetric advantage the nation relies on to deter aggression and prepare for conflict.
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