News, Articles and Comment

Ed. The author, former Conservative MP and Shadow Defence Minister, outlines Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic as part of his forthcoming book on the subject, The Arctic: Land of the Great Bear. A 15 minute read.

Ed. Our correspondent continues his narrative of Operation HIGHMAST during the recent transit of the Red Sea, reflecting on developments in those tense waters. A 5 minute read.

Ed. The RNSSC author provides an appreciation of the strategic situation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and endorses an organic ‘multiplex’ as against a hegemonic ‘multipolar’ order for the region. A 35 minute read.

Ed. The author contends it is a fallacy that a US war with China over Taiwan could be contained to the western Pacific, and proposes a three-pronged strategy to counter the PRC. Originally published in the USNI’s Proceedings, November edition. A 10 minute read.

Ed. Churchill’s final volume of his war memoirs is titled Triumph and Tragedy: the theme of the volume is “how the great democracies triumphed and so were able to resume the follies which had so nearly cost them their life.” What did Churchill mean by tragedy? Was he referring to the incredible loss of life caused by the firestorms of Dresden and Tokyo or by the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Or was he lamenting the tragedy that, for most of Eastern Europe, he foresaw that one jackboot was to be replaced by another. As it wasn’t just the democracies that triumphed, the most successful victor of the Second World War was indeed Stalin claiming territories and spoils both in Europe and in Asia. Once again, we risk another tragedy as it looks increasingly likely the jackboots are on the rise.

Ed. The author outlines the current online Admiralty Interview Board (AIB) format, considered ponderous and impersonal, and proposes a reversion to the pre-Covid method of RN officer selection. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The author revisits the issue of seablindness [112/2, p. 264], comparing the history of defence unification in the UK and US and taking stock of the situation today. A 30 minute read.

Ed. Our correspondent continues his Operation HIGHMAST reporting, with the Carrier Strike Group beginning the return voyage through the Indian Ocean and conducting defence engagement and Joint Operations with the Indian Navy, before turning for Suez. A 5 minute read.

Ed. Our CSG correspondent provides an update on the Task Group’s progress and describes defence engagement in Japan. A 5 minute read.