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US Maritime Dominance Requires Coast Guard Integration

February 23, 2026

2 min read

Key Takeaways

The US faces a peer rival contesting sea control.
The Coast Guard plays a critical role in maritime dominance.
China has built the world's largest coast guard.
US maritime strategy must integrate Coast Guard capabilities.

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Strategic Implications

The US may be overlooking the Coast Guard's central role in securing the maritime domain, which could undermine efforts to rebuild American maritime dominance. Integrating Coast Guard forces into maritime strategy and fleet architecture may be necessary to compete effectively with China, which suggests a shift in how the US approaches maritime security.

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What Happened

Navy And Coast Guard Must Unite For Strategic Competition

The National Commission on the Future of the Navy is calling for a fundamental reassessment of fleet architecture and maritime strategy, but a critical omission is the integration of the US Coast Guard. The Coast Guard provides authorities and capabilities the Navy does not possess, enabling the US to enforce sovereignty and counter illicit activity without escalating to military confrontation. As reported in Breaking Defense, the US must fully integrate the Coast Guard into its maritime strategy to achieve maritime dominance.

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