Strategic mobility is divided into three basic elements: airlift, sealift, and the prepositioning of supplies and equipment. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is responsible for sealift and plays a major role in prepositioning ships and equipment. Through its programs, MSC provides flexibility and increased readiness to strategic mobility. This thesis discusses many interrelated sealift problems: labor and market vagaries, changing ship types and containerization, the changing nature of ports, deregulation and A-76 legislation, the decreasing U.S. merchant fleet, and the struggling shipbuilding industry. MSC's new tactics for strategic sealift, prepositioned ships and fast sealift support, better approach the intent of the national strategy to have surge capability and sustainability in fighting a war. Keywords: Theses; Strategic sealift; Prepositioning; Containerization; Deregulation; Changing ship type; Fast sealift support. (jhd).

Strategic mobility is divided into three basic elements: airlift, sealift, and the prepositioning of supplies and equipment. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is responsible for sealift and plays a major role in prepositioning ships and equipment. Through its programs, MSC provides flexibility and increased readiness to strategic mobility. This thesis discusses many interrelated sealift problems: labor and market vagaries, changing ship types and containerization, the changing nature of ports, deregulation and A-76 legislation, the decreasing U.S. merchant fleet, and the struggling shipbuilding industry. MSC's new tactics for strategic sealift, prepositioned ships and fast sealift support, better approach the intent of the national strategy to have surge capability and sustainability in fighting a war. Keywords: Theses; Strategic sealift; Prepositioning; Containerization; Deregulation; Changing ship type; Fast sealift support. (jhd).

The authors examine the readiness of the strategic sealift fleet and its management. They determine that many factors can be improved to increase readiness and make recommendations toward that end.