The U.S. Navy is the military branch that carries out marine operations. The Navy is a component of the U.S. Department of Defense. It originated from the Continental Navy, which formed for a short time during the American Revolutionary War. The Naval Act of 1794 addressed the need for a permanent national naval armed force. The U.S. Navy specializes in force projection, a military tactic characterized by prompt application of policy by means of force or the threat of force.