News & Views
The latest news and views in the UK Military Maritime Arena.
Ed. The author questions the necessity of Continuous At Sea Deterrence (CASD), considering the strain this has placed on boats and crew members.
Ed. With a clear-eyed appraisal of historical trends since the 19th century, the author argues that, contrary to alarmist concerns of retrenchment, Britain today has more room to maneuver as a strategic counter-weight than has been the case for the last 80 years. Awarded the RUSI Trench Gascoigne prize and originally published in the RUSI Journal. A 25 minute read.
Ed. Gazing at his crystal ball (history is prophecy in reverse!), the author ponders contemporary failures to learn the lessons of history.
Ed. Increasing challenges to the Rules-Based International System require a back-to-basics approach and renewed public support for the Services. Focusing on quantity and capability, the author argues that restocking critical munitions, and building new Minor War Vessels, is an essential foundation for the future credibility of the Royal Navy.
Ed. The author gives his state of play on the current socioeconomic conditions impacting British seapower, and proposes a possible RN force structure financially tailored for a ‘regional’ rather than a ‘global’ Britain.
Ed. The author continues his contentious analysis of the Russia-Ukraine War [110/4, p. 482], with particular attention to the perceived failure of British grand strategy vis-à-vis the geopolitical consequences of Russia’s energy superpower status. A 30 minute read.
Ed. Persistent personnel and procurement challenges leads the author to question the viability of Continuous At Sea Deterrence and raise concern over the future of the SSN-AUKUS program.
Ed. The author questions the ability of the Allies to successfully deter future Russian sub-threshold or hybrid operations, with narrow deterrence having failed both in Syria and Salisbury. The deniability of attacks on vulnerable undersea cables and infrastructure has been clearly demonstrated over the past two years. A 20 minute read.
Ed. In 2012 [100/2, p. 154] the author considered the history of the Japanese attack on Darwin of 19 February 1942 as a comparison for possible Chinese air operations in the 21st century. As was the case with Pearl Harbor, a surprise attack by long-range air assets raised questions about the security of bases in the region. A 20 minute read.