News, Articles and Comment

Ed. Protecting cultural heritage has profound subsidiary implications for diplomatic and naval missions that the modern RN cannot ignore. The author argues that a balanced Navy, and especially the Maritime Reserve, must be proactive when it comes to preventing looting and piracy that attack the cultural foundations of Allied and neutral nations. A 10 minute read.

Ed. With a clear-eyed appraisal of historical trends since the 19^th 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. What can public institutions do to rebuild long-term trust in the wake of seismic shifts in public perceptions of government accountability? Clear articulation of goals and persistent public buy-in are essential. The NR is delighted to welcome this sponsored essay from BMT Group. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The author examines the state of the art with regard to generative AI, contending that human-like complex reasoning functions are necessary to improve AI’s usefulness for the RN, potentially introducing an advisory function for AI in the near future, alongside automating many other tasks and functions. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The author describes the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) developments in the Royal Norwegian Navy and NATO that will revolutionize mine countermeasure operations in the coming years. 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. For our second article to celebrate International Women’s Day we celebrate the Naval Servicewomen’s Network (NSN). The eagle eyed among you will note that over the last six weeks 33% of the 21 articles we have published on the NR website have been written by women. Thank you Ladies, the door remains open to write for us as and when you desire.

Ed. In celebration of International Women’s Day, the NR is proud to present the first of two articles on serving women’s networks. Caroline Paxton, Chair of Trustees for The Military Wives Choirs Foundation, provides this introduction to the Military Wives Choirs and their unique membership and opportunities. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The fifth article in our series from BRNC Pellew Division officer cadets, here the author considers the advantages of moving to an entirely digital work environment for the RN, future-proofing for talent and inclusion. A 10 minute read.