The U.S. Naval War College has four distinct but interconnected missions, detailed in its formal mission statement:
Develop strategic and operational leaders
The College shall provide professional military education programs that are current, rigorous, relevant, and accessible to the maximum number of qualified U.S. officers and Navy enlisted personnel, civilian employees of the U.S. Government and nongovernmental organizations, and international officers.
The desired effect is a group of leaders of character who have trust and confidence in each other and are operationally and strategically minded, critical thinkers, proficient in joint matters, and skilled naval and joint warfighters.
Help CNO define the future Navy and its roles and missions
The College shall conduct original research, analysis, and gaming to support the requirements of the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Combatant Commanders, the Navy Component Commanders, the Navy’s numbered fleet commanders, other Navy and Marine Corps commanders, the U.S. Intelligence Community, and other departments and agencies of the U.S. Government.
The desired effect is a program of focused, forward-thinking and timely research, analysis, and gaming that anticipates future operational and strategic challenges; develops and assesses strategic and operational concepts to overcome those challenges; assesses the risk associated with these concepts; and provides analytical products that inform the Navy’s leadership and help shape key decisions.
Support combat readiness
The College shall conduct training, education, leadership and assessment activities to support the ability of the Navy’s Joint Force Maritime and Navy Component Commanders to function effectively as operational commanders. This effort shall include supporting the needs of the Combatant Commanders, Navy Component Commanders, and the Navy’s numbered fleet commanders for operational planning, analysis, and war gaming to respond to emerging operational requirements.
The desired effect is to improve the capability of Navy commanders to lead maritime, joint and combined forces and their staff members to plan, execute and assess and function cohesively as a maritime headquarters organization.
Strengthen maritime security cooperation
The College shall bring together senior- and intermediate-level naval officers from other countries to develop leaders for high command in their navies; understand and evolve operational planning methods; create opportunities for expanded, high-level professional exchange through venues such as the International Seapower Symposium, Regional Symposia, formal college-to-college relationships with international counterparts, international publications, and alumni relations; and establish a regional studies structure to focus resources for greater impact in building and extending maritime partnerships.
The desired effect is to build more robust and productive international maritime relationships, to improve the ability to operate effectively with partner nations, and to improve maritime security cooperation.