US Navy releases Hedge Strategy

The US Navy has released a new “Hedge Strategy” aimed at preparing the fleet for an increasingly unpredictable and contested global security environment, outlining how it plans to organize, train, equip and fight against adversaries.

The strategy was introduced through new Fighting Instructions, a comprehensive framework to guide how the navy fights in an increasingly contested global security environment.

Caudle unveiled the document during remarks at the U.S. Naval War College, calling the institution the Navy’s “home of thought” and emphasizing the importance of introducing the guidance to future operational and strategic leaders. 

Caudle framed the document as the navy’s answer to a defining challenge of the era: “How do we ensure we can fight and win across the spectrum of conflict, under conditions we cannot entirely predict, against adversaries who are increasingly capable, innovative, and aggressive — at near parity levels — simultaneously in key areas of vital national interest around the world?”

In his remarks, the CNO underscored that today’s navy operates in an era of great power competition marked by rapid technological change, sophisticated adversaries, and mounting strain on the defense industrial base.

“We find ourselves operating in an era with other great powers, an era in which the speed of decision ruthlessly punishes delay,” he said.

“The requirement for a strong, resilient, and globally present Navy has never been more important to our Nation’s defense.”

Specifically, the Hedge Strategy balances high-end warfighting capability with scalable forces able to respond across a wide range of crises and conflicts. Central to this approach are tailored forces and tailored offsets.

This includes mission-focused combinations of platforms, systems, and capabilities designed to address high-consequence scenarios without constraining overall fleet design. Together, they expand combat mass, improve flexibility, and preserve the Navy’s ability to deliver decisive effects at acceptable levels of risk.

Caudle also noted that the strategy complements national efforts to grow and modernize the Fleet, including the president’s Golden Fleet initiative, which underscores the importance of a larger, more capable navy.