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AEGIS WEAPON SYSTEM AN/SPY-1 RADAR OPERATIONAL AVAILABILITY FOCUSED ON FIRE CONTROLMAN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY
No full textThe Aegis Weapon System (AWS) is an advanced, integrated combat system that keeps the United States’ Navy protected and prepared to execute a myriad of operations in the domains of land, sea, and air. The AWS has transformed the Department of the Navy (DON) into a cohesive and integrated force that can defend the open seas and accomplish the Department of Defense’s larger mission of national deterrence and power protection around the world. Aegis Fire Controlman (FCA) sailors play a crucial role in maintaining and equipping these combat systems, ensuring they perform mission-essential tasks throughout military deployments. The AWS requires a wealth of knowledge and experience from FCA sailors within the naval fleet force to maintain a high level of sustainment and operational availability (Ao) while deployed. There appears to be a relationship between the total number of years of experience of FCA-rated sailors aboard their respective ships and the Ao of the DON’s phased array radar (AN/SPY-1), which serves as the core component of the AWS. Through data analytics, this report discovered that, while the best-performing model did not yield significant correlation, it provided valuable insights that can guide future research aimed at continually improving Ao.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Captain, United States Marine CorpsNaval Surface Forces (CNSF), Pacific San Diego, California, 9215
HYBRID THREATS AND DEFENSE READINESS: A STUDY OF CONVENTIONAL DETERRENCE ON NATO’S EASTERN FLANK POST-RUSSIA’S UKRAINE INVASION
No full textThis thesis analyzes how NATO’s Eastern Flank countries—Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland—have responded to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by enhancing their defense readiness. It examines whether current national efforts are sufficient to deter and manage hybrid and smaller-scale threats that fall below the threshold for triggering NATO’s collective defense clause (Article 5). While nuclear deterrence remains central to NATO’s posture, it is inadequate against threats that exploit political, societal, and technological vulnerabilities. Using a comparative case study approach, the research evaluates developments in tactical responsiveness, conventional defense investments, and hybrid threat resilience. The analysis reveals meaningful progress across all five countries, with Finland and Poland demonstrating the most substantial gains in scale, speed, and modernization. The thesis underscores the need for layered deterrence that integrates conventional forces with cyber defense, civil preparedness, and law enforcement coordination. It concludes with forward-looking recommendations to strengthen NATO’s strategic posture and reinforce Eastern Flank resilience in a contested security environment.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Civilian, Ministry of Defense, Estoni
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THREATS TO MARITIME NAVIGATION BY IRREGULAR GROUPS
No full textThis thesis explores how maritime threats from irregular groups have evolved, focusing especially on the case of Yemen’s Houthi group. It examines how these groups, supported by external states such as Iran, have gained access to advanced weaponry, including anti-ship missiles, drones, and unmanned suicide boats. This development has transformed traditional maritime threats into more complex, difficult-to-counter challenges. Using detailed case studies and comparisons with other regional maritime threats, the research evaluates how effectively current naval strategies by regional and international coalitions address these threats. The study finds significant shortcomings, largely due to limited resources, political divisions among coalition members, and inadequate protection for commercial vessels. The thesis suggests strengthening international cooperation, investing in practical defense technologies suitable for commercial ships, and increasing diplomatic efforts to limit external support to these irregular groups. Together, these steps can help manage and reduce emerging maritime threats, ensuring ongoing global maritime safety and stability.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Muqaddam, Royal Saudi Naval Force
LEGACY NAVAL FLIGHT SCHOOL PATHWAY VS. AN EXPEDITED NAVAL HELICOPTER FLIGHT SCHOOL APPROACH (COPT-R AND CORPS)
No full textContractor Operated Primary Training-Rotary (COPT-R), and Copter Only Replacement Pilot Syllabus (CORPS) are flight school pathways recently implemented by the Navy. The goal of COPT-R and CORPS is to produce helicopter pilots whose skill is equal to, if not more effective than, those trained in the Legacy pathway. These pathways have been designed to provide student aviators with expedited access to rotary-wing focused training compared to the Legacy pathway that begins with fixed-wing training. This research assesses the effectiveness of COPT-R, CORPS, and Legacy flight school pathways through a statistical analysis that compares student performance in Advanced Rotary training. Student capabilities are measured by examining scores from 15 shared flight events and conducting a regression analysis of performance metrics. Ultimately, COPT-R and CORPS pathways produce effective rotary-wing pilots who are equal to those in the Legacy pathway. The results indicate that, initially, COPT-R students outperformed Legacy students by at least 20.65%, whereas CORPS students underperformed by at least 11.72%. However, after examination across all 15 events, data for each of the new pathways indicates near convergence with Legacy performance metrics. COPT-R students averaged 2.22% above Legacy and CORPS students averaged 0.79% below Legacy. These findings are significant considering the reduction in time-to-train for both COPT-R and CORPS, which may correspond with reduced training costs.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Ensign, United States NavyEnsign, United States Nav
OUT OF THE TRENCHES: TACTICAL TRENDS IN THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR FORCE DESIGN
No full textThe Russo–Ukrainian War has redefined modern warfare, highlighting key tactical trends that will shape future conflicts. As the Netherlands Marine Corps (NLMC) transitions to become a Littoral Raiding Force (LRF), it must adapt to these developments to effectively disrupt and outmaneuver sophisticated adversaries. Through an extensive case study using leading research reports and open-source data, this research identifies five major tactical trends observed in the Russo–Ukrainian War: The mass proliferation of unmanned systems; the tactical edge of electronic warfare (EW); the transparency of the battlefield; the decisive role of command and control (C2) and leadership; and the importance of seamless integration of intelligence, sensors, and shooters. These five trends can inform and improve NLMC’s force design. Practical recommendations prioritize NLMC’s force development and include integrating intelligence and sensors with strike capabilities, investing in highly skilled marines, mastering EW, continued decentralizing of C2, and prioritizing counter-unmanned aerial systems and deception tactics. These insights ensure that the LRF evolves into a highly dispersed, lethal force capable of becoming decisive in shaping operations. By applying these lessons, NLMC will enhance its survivability, effectiveness, and ability to shape the battlefield in future conflicts.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Outstanding ThesisLieutenant Colonel, Netherlands Marine Corp
Faces of NPS: Lt. Cmdr. Adam Johnson, USN
No full textFaces of NPS features interviews spotlighting the students, faculty, staff and alumni of our Nation's premier defense education and research institution
PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER TRAITS IN NAVAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP
Get PDFThis capstone investigates the personality traits and character values associated with leadership selection at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). Framed within the Academy’s role as a “leadership laboratory,” the study explores whether the traits most commonly observed among Brigade leaders reflect an intentional leadership model—or if they may signal an implicit preference for certain profiles. Using data from standardized assessments administered during plebe year, including the IPIP-NEO and VIA Character Strengths Survey, the analysis highlights notable patterns among those chosen for leadership roles. The findings raise important questions about the qualities USNA implicitly rewards and how those signals might shape leadership development, selection, and diversity of thought within the Brigade.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Outstanding ThesisLieutenant, United States NavySenior Chief Petty Officer, United States NavyLieutenant, United States Nav
Faces of NPS: Col. Omar Rabling Valdez, Mexican Army
No full textFaces of NPS features interviews spotlighting the students, faculty, staff and alumni of our Nation's premier defense education and research institution
OPTIMIZING CYBER PROTECTION TEAM OPERATIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF TASK SYNCHRONIZATION AND PROCESS AGILITY IN DEFENSIVE CYBER OPERATIONS
No full textThe operations process outlined in the U.S. Cyber Command’s (USCYBERCOM) Cyber Warfare Publication (CWP) 3-33.4, Cyber Protection Team Organization, Functions, and Employment, is currently hindered by inefficiencies stemming from a lack of synchronization between task assignment and execution. This disjointed approach results in a rigid, linear project lifecycle that fails to adapt to the dynamic tempo and increasing sophistication of adversarial cyber operations, impeding the CPT's ability to meet the strategic intent of USCYBERCOM, which emphasizes agility, creativity, and rapid deployment. This study critically examines the existing CPT operations process to identify the average timeline of defensive cyber operation (DCO) missions to highlight key misalignments that hinder operational effectiveness. By deconstructing the process into discrete work packages and analyzing task dependencies and critical paths through project management tools, an average-case scenario is determined. The results show that the timeline is highly variable and excessively long, underscoring structural inefficiencies. This research highlights five issues: (1) lengthy duration, (2) hidden dependencies, (3) chokepoints, (4) lack of identifiable critical path, and (5) lack of agile methodology. The CPT operations process requires more flexibility, real-time feedback loops, and dynamic task sequencing to enhance the synchronization of phases and enable timelier and more effective DCOs.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Ensign, United States NavyEnsign, United States Nav
Faces of NPS: Todd Weatherford, PhD
Get PDFFaces of NPS features interviews spotlighting the students, faculty, staff and alumni of our Nation's premier defense education and research institution