A primary measure of a nation's
power projection
Power projection (or force projection or strength projection) in international relations is the capacity of a state to deploy and sustain forces outside its territory. The ability of a state to project its power into an area may serve as an eff ...
is its over-the-beach capability (OTB). This consists of the number of
soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer.
Etymology
The wo ...
s,
tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...
s,
vehicles
A vehicle () is a machine designed for self-propulsion, usually to transport people, cargo, or both. The term "vehicle" typically refers to land vehicles such as human-powered vehicles (e.g. bicycles, tricycles, velomobiles), animal-powered tr ...
, and
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
s that a nation can stage over an adversary's defended
coast
A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
in a time of war. Generally, these elements only count if they can be projected across hundreds of kilometers of open
ocean
The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth. The ocean is conventionally divided into large bodies of water, which are also referred to as ''oceans'' (the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Indian, Southern Ocean ...
. Over-the-beach capability determines a nation's
power projection
Power projection (or force projection or strength projection) in international relations is the capacity of a state to deploy and sustain forces outside its territory. The ability of a state to project its power into an area may serve as an eff ...
together with forward
airpower
Airpower or air power consists of the application of military aviation, military strategy and strategic theory to the realm of aerial warfare and close air support. Airpower began in the advent of powered flight early in the 20th century. A ...
(strength of
aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
s and/or overseas airbases), alliances, and
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
options.
See also
*
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conduc ...
*
Blue-water navy
A blue-water navy is a Navy, maritime force capable of operating globally, essentially across the deep waters of open oceans. While definitions of what actually constitutes such a force vary, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise Co ...
*
Power projection
Power projection (or force projection or strength projection) in international relations is the capacity of a state to deploy and sustain forces outside its territory. The ability of a state to project its power into an area may serve as an eff ...
*
Seabasing Seabasing is a naval capability to conduct selected functions and tasks at sea without reliance on infrastructure ashore. Seabasing can sustain large military forces during operations at large distances from traditional logistics
Logistics is ...
*
Sea lines of communication
Sea lines of communication (abbreviated as SLOC) is a term describing the primary maritime routes between ports, used for trade, logistics and naval forces. It is generally used in reference to naval operations to ensure that SLOCs are open, or ...
*
Glossary of military abbreviations
List of abbreviations, acronyms and initials related to military subjects such as modern armor, artillery, infantry, and weapons, along with their definitions.
A
* A&TWF – Acquisition and technology work force
* a – Army
* AA – Assembly a ...
*
List of established military terms
This is a list of established military terms which have been in use for at least 50 years. Since technology and doctrine have changed over time, not all of them are in current use, or they may have been superseded by more modern terms. However, th ...
*
List of military tactics
This article contains a list of military tactics.
The meaning of the phrase is context sensitive, and has varied over time, like the difference between "strategy" and "tactics".
General
* Exploiting prevailing weather – the tactical use of w ...
References
Further reading
* Alexander, Joseph H., and Merrill L. Bartlett. ''Sea Soldiers in the Cold War: Amphibious Warfare, 1945-1991'' (1994)
* Bartlett, Merrill L. ''Assault from the Sea: Essays on the History of Amphibious Warfare'' (1993)
* Ireland, Bernard. ''The World Encyclopedia of Amphibious Warfare Vessels: An illustrated history of modern amphibious warfare'' (2011)
External links
US Army Field Manual 100-10 Chapter 1: Power Projection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Over-The-Beach Capability
Military logistics
Military strategy