This article will provide an overview of the U.S. Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept, the present and emerging threats of contested maritime zones from peer competitors, and the advantages of, and challenges to, NATO developing its own doctrinal DMO concept. DMO is a U.S. Navy concept drafted in 2019 in response to the increasing development of advanced anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) systems in numerous geographic areas around the globe.

This article analyzes the integration of space capabilities into the maritime domain, covering Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), missile warning, and satellite communications (SATCOM). It examines technological advancements, operational applications, and the strategic implications of space systems on modern naval operations.