News, Articles and Comment

BRE. The latest book reviews are now available. The first considers a book providing an account of the planning and execution of Operation ELDORADO CANYON, the joint USN-USAF bombing raid on Libya in April 1986. The second considers a book exploring the role of the Sunderland flying boat, operated by RAF Coastal Command, in operations against U-boats, in particular in the Bay of Biscay in 1943-44.

Ed. With 1SL’s 2024 Seapower Conference in mind, the author reflects on the chequered legacy of RN technical developments and procurement over the past 20 years, and considers priorities for the next decades. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The author criticises the Future Commando Force (FCF) concept as a narrow misreading of the Royal Marines’ traditional combined arms and amphibious roles. A 20 minute read.

Ed. General Rob Fry grapples with the difficulty of defining realistic military objectives when crafting strategy, given the propensity for the leadership of pluralistic democracies to lean on hyperbole and unlimited outcomes. Originally published in The Article. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The author argues that, in light of China and Russia’s rising regional influence, the UK needs to review its strategy in the Middle East. The Persian Gulf is sliding down Defence’s priorities, yet there remains a large military commitment, which, the author argues, does not represent a positive balance of investment. Should the MoD consider moving its maritime and air assets out of the Gulf? A 25 minute read.

Ed. Nearly a year ago, General Sir Robert Fry recognized the profound geopolitical implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In light of the failures of the Global War on Terrorism, serious threats have emerged to the international order. A 10 minute read. Originally published 21 March 2022 in The Article (https://www.thearticle.com/war-no-longer-politics-by-other-means-clausewitz-fukuyama-and-ukraine)