The special relationship at sea : naval gunfire support interoperability during the Korean, Vietnam and Iraq wars

Abstract

The topic of interoperability is increasingly relevant to contemporary defence policy and will become evermore important on both a national and international level due to the prevalence of coalition operations. The desire to economise force contributions by forming coalitions is counterbalanced by the necessity of military effectiveness, which has ensured that interoperability has historically been and will continue to be an essential aspect of multinational undertakings. This thesis is a historical study of coalition operations involving the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Royal Navy (RN) and the United States Navy (USN). Using naval gunfire support (NGS) as a window into the broader issue of interoperability, this thesis examines the involvement of at least two or all three of the navies during the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the 2003 Iraq War. This thesis addresses the wider aspects of naval coalitions such as command and control, communications, equipment standardisation, intelligence, logistics, planning, rules of engagement, tactics, techniques and procedures and training. The thesis assesses variations in the level of interoperability achieved over time and considers the extent to which the three navies are now interoperable. This thesis concludes that vast improvements have been made in NGS interoperability between the end of the Korean War in 1953 and the Iraq War in 2003. Standardised procedures, enhancements in equipment, regular training and sustained interaction in different regions of the world ensured that the provision of coalition NGS in 2003 was more efficient than at any other time in history. However, despite the progress that had been made, complete interoperability had not yet been achieved between the RAN, RN and the USN. The likelihood of frequent future interaction between the three navies will ensure that interoperability across the entire spectrum of naval operations requires constant attention. Show more