The Unsuitability Of Battleships For Afghanistan's Terrain: A Strategic Analysis

Battleships have been a critical part of many military operations, including the liberation of Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, and the Vietnam War. However, it is unlikely that battleships served in Afghanistan, as it is a landlocked country. The US Navy has played a significant role in the war in Afghanistan, with the Navy SEALs carrying out several important missions, including the rescue of Grenada's governor during the 1983 revolution and the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. The Navy has also provided air support and supplied military infrastructure.

The US Navy's role in the war in Afghanistan

The U.S. Navy played a crucial role in the war in Afghanistan, particularly during the initial phases of Operation Enduring Freedom, which began on 7 October 2001 and unfolded primarily in the Central Command (CENTCOM) theatre of operations. The Navy's involvement in the war was ironic, given that it was a counterterrorism mission in a landlocked country. However, the lack of U.S.-controlled airfields near Afghanistan meant that planes had to take off from aircraft carriers at sea.

The Navy's strike warfare was central to the operational successes of Operation Enduring Freedom, with carrier-based strike fighters and ship-launched cruise missiles attacking Taliban airfields, air defence positions, and command and control nodes, as well as al-Qaeda training bases. Amphibious ready groups and their embarked Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) executed a range of expeditionary missions, including the longest-range amphibious assault in U.S. naval history. Maritime interception operations were also carried out to defeat international terrorist organisations, deter state and non-state actors from supporting terrorism, and inhibit other illegal maritime activities.

The Navy's absolute control of the sea during Operation Enduring Freedom allowed it to project immense power ashore and demonstrate its agility and adaptability as a vital instrument of U.S. foreign policy. The Navy's participation in the war validated its post-Cold War focus on precision strike and network-centric operations, as well as the necessity of aircraft carriers.

The US Navy's Fifth Fleet

The Fifth Fleet was first established during World War II in 1944, conducting extensive operations that led to the defeat of Japanese forces in the Central Pacific. It was stood down in 1947, two years after the Allied victory, and remained inactive for 48 years. The fleet was reactivated in 1995, contributing significant forces to the Global War on Terrorism and continuing to project US naval power in the Middle East.

The Fifth Fleet was initially established under the command of Admiral Raymond Spruance on April 26, 1944, from the Central Pacific Force, which was part of the Pacific Ocean Areas. The ships of the Fifth Fleet also formed the basis of the Third Fleet, designated the "Big Blue Fleet" under Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. The two admirals alternated command of the fleet for major operations. Under Admiral Spruance, the Fifth Fleet became the largest combat fleet in the world by June 1944, with 535 warships.

During World War II, the Fifth Fleet participated in the Mariana Islands campaign (June-August 1944), the Iwo Jima campaign (February-March 1945), and the Okinawa campaign (April-June 1945). It conducted Operation Hailstone, a major raid against the Japanese naval base at Truk, defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and blunted the Japanese Operation Ten-Go, sinking the Japanese battleship Yamato.

The British Pacific Fleet operated as part of the Fifth Fleet from March to May 1945 under the designation Task Force 57. After the British ships were resubordinated to the Third Fleet, the Fifth Fleet's next major combat operation would have been Operation Olympic, the invasion of Kyushu in the Japanese Home Islands, but the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki made this operation unnecessary.

The Fifth Fleet was deactivated in January 1947, and the position of its commander became Commander, First Task Fleet. In 1995, John Scott Redd proposed and founded the first new US Navy Fleet in half a century, reactivating the Fifth Fleet to direct operations in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea.

The Fifth Fleet's usual configuration now includes a Carrier Strike Group, an Amphibious Ready Group or Expeditionary Strike Group, and other ships and aircraft, with almost 15,000 people serving afloat and 1,000 support personnel ashore. The fleet has played a significant role in recent conflicts, including the War on Terrorism and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US Navy's aircraft carriers

The first aircraft carrier commissioned into the US Navy was the USS Langley (CV-1) on 20 March 1922. It was a converted Proteus-class collier, originally commissioned as the USS Jupiter (AC-3).

During World War II, two more classes of carriers were commissioned: the Essex class and the Independence-class ships, with 35 ships completed between them. The Navy also purchased two training vessels, the USS Wolverine and USS Sable, which were given the unclassified miscellaneous (IX) hull designation.

The versatility of the Navy's aircraft carriers was demonstrated in 2011 when the Navy's SEAL Team 6 located and killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in northeastern Pakistan—a diverse special operation so far away from the open seas.

In recent years, the Navy's aircraft carriers have continued to be involved in counterterrorism missions. For example, the Japan-based aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan flew F/A-18 Hornets over Kabul during the evacuation operation in 2021.

The US Navy currently has two classes of supercarriers in active-duty service: the Nimitz class and the Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear supercarriers. These carriers serve as the centerpieces and flagships for the Navy's Carrier Strike Groups, strongly contributing to the US's ability to project force globally.

The US Navy's amphibious assault ships

The Tarawa-class LHAs and Wasp-class LHDs provide the Marine Corps with a means of ship-to-shore movement by helicopter, in addition to movement by landing craft. Three LHAs participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. LHAs and LHDs have also been used in major humanitarian-assistance, occupation, and combat operations, including as launch platforms for Marine Corps expeditionary forces into Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and 2002. In 2004, LHAs and LHDs were used to transport thousands of Marines and their equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan for combat operations.

The US Navy's special operations

WARCOM was established on 16 April 1987 at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, California. Its mission is to provide leadership, guidance, resources, and oversight to special operations carried out in maritime and littoral environments. WARCOM specializes in a wide range of tactical areas, including unconventional warfare, counterterrorism, and personnel recovery.

To become a member of the US Navy's special operations forces, individuals must undergo rigorous training and meet stringent physical and mental requirements. The training pipeline includes physical conditioning, small boat handling, diving, weapons handling, demolitions, communications, and reconnaissance. Only those who excel in these areas are selected for the elite Navy SEAL teams.

In addition to their combat roles, the US Navy's special operations forces also participate in humanitarian and rescue missions worldwide. They are known for their versatility and adaptability, capable of operating in diverse environments, from the open ocean to inland waterways.

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