An Analysis of United States Navy Disaster Relief Operations

Abstract

Over the past decade, there have been numerous disasters for which the United States Navy (USN) has provided a significant amount of effective assistance due to its many unique and critical capabilities. During each disaster response the Navy has deployed many different types of ships, however, not all ships are equally suited to contribute effectively to each disaster. Currently, there is no mechanism for explicitly evaluating the utility of vessel types for disaster response.The purpose of this research is to determine which USN assets are best suited for specific disaster relief efforts based upon their capabilities and limitations. A firm understanding of which vessels are most appropriate for use during disaster response will help the USN make more effective decisions when considering the types of vessels it will procure in the future as well as in planning and executing humanitarian operations throughout the world. We discuss the characteristics of specific USN vessels in the context of three events – the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2005 U. S. Hurricane Katrina, and 2010 Haiti Earthquake – to illustrate their relative utility for disaster response.