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. The author considers the lessons of the late-19^th century Jeune École, a historical cautionary tale reflective of the introduction of naval drone warfare. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The author, an RNSSC 1SL Fellow, continues his ‘liminal advantage’ series [111/4, p. 40], with due regard to the imaginative demands of leadership in the maritime domain. A 30 minute read.

Ed. The author provides a primer on the Arctic sea-route arms race, a unique theatre where renewed investment has transformative strategic potential. 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.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers an important and timely book examining the development of Russian military thought.

Ed. With the war in Ukraine escalating into a European ‘grey zone’ conflict, the author considers the First Sea Lord fit to the task of reestablishing Britain’s maritime role in terms of NATO strategy, recognition of a leadership situation different yet similar to that of the early 20th century. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The author considers the rapid progress in drone development, and what challenges will need to be overcome towards maintaining defensive capabilities in an increasingly contested battlespace. A 20 minute read.

Ed. The author comments on Cdre Steve Jermy’s recent article regarding the imperative for a negotiated solution to the Ukraine War.