Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson released 'A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority,' Jan. 5, a document that addresses how the Navy will adapt to changes in the security environment and continue to fulfill its mission.

To read A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority click here.

The term 'design' refers to the document's built-in flexibility, recognizing the rapid rate of change occurring in both technology and the maritime domain.

"This guidance frames the problem and a way forward, while acknowledging that there is inherent and fundamental uncertainty in both the problem definition and the proposed solution," said Richardson.

"As we move forward, we'll respect that we won't get it all right, and so we'll monitor and assess ourselves and our surroundings as we go. We'll learn and adapt, always getting better, striving to the limits of performance."

The CNO's design reaffirms the Navy's mission, describes the strategic environment and identifies four lines of effort, each with corresponding objectives to guide the actions of the Navy and its leaders.

The four lines of effort are the following:

- Strengthen Naval Power at and from Sea
- Achieve High Velocity Learning at Every Level
- Strengthen our Navy Team for the Future
- Expand and Strengthen our Network of Partners

The document also details four 'Core Attributes' that serve as guiding criteria for command decisions in decentralized operations: integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness.