How Have Naval Forces Changed Over Time

The role of the Navy has changed over time because of technology but several aspects of sea power remain relevant today. Historical naval forces roles included protecting commerce and defeating enemy navies. Now naval forces roles focus on power projection, supporting ground and air forces, and defeating enemy naval forces. The changes in roles and technology have affected how naval forces are configured, available firepower and where they can deploy but with minimal changes of how they are deployed.
Mahan clearly saw “navies were better instruments of national policy then were armies”. (Paret, p. 462) A naval fleet is more mobile, rapidly deployable, and independent then ground forces. A navy deploys to locations that ground forces cannot