Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group

 

The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Strategic Studies Group (SSG) generates revolutionary naval warfare concepts. Revolutionary implies that the concepts would upset the existing order. Therefore, these concepts are non-consensual. The SSG focuses its efforts on warfighting concepts that appear to have great potential, but Navy organizations are currently not pursuing. In conducting this mission, the SSG is at the leading edge of the Conceptualization Phase of the Process for Naval Warfare Innovation.

Revolutionary innovation has been the key to U.S. naval supremacy. A key to past, successful innovations was the iteration of thought between operators, technologists and analysts. The operator brought "unarticulated requirements" to the table. The technologist brought emerging and existing technologies. Analysis blended the two. Only after considerable iteration did new thinking, combining the unarticulated requirement and technology, result in what became major naval warfare innovations.

ADM James R. Hogg, USN (Ret) heads the SSG, which is located onboard the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

The SSG is tasked only by and reports directly to the CNO. The CNO personally selects the Director to lead the SSG organization. He also selects senior Navy officers and approves assignment of Marine Corps,  Coast Guard and Air Force nominees to serve as CNO Fellows on the SSG.  Many previous SSG members have gone on to flag rank.   At the completion of each year's efforts, the SSG produces a written report with at least first order analysis and recommendations for executable "next steps". The CNO reviews the SSG's work and approves selected recommendations for implementation.