News, Articles and Comment

Ed. With historical and contemporary examples in mind, the author reconsiders naval strike as an indirect method of pursuing sea control. A 20 minute read.

Ed. Two letters reflecting on cultural and doctrinal transformation in the NATO naval realm.

Ed. A balanced and insightful investigation into the iconoclastic leadership style of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, master organiser and exacting operational planner. A 45 minute read.

Ed. As military escalation increasingly takes centre stage, the author asks if Treasury intransigence has shifted the Defence goalposts. A 10 minute read.

Ed. Originally published in two parts in 1999 [87/1, p. 3 & 87/2, p. 105], the author elaborated with particular clarity the strategic, operational and doctrinal rationale for what is now the current RN carrier aviation capability in the Joint Armed Forces post-Cold War environment. A 50 minute read.

Ed. The author compares the Dardanelles campaign of 1915-1916 and the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz with respect to the use of force. A 5 minute read.

Ed. If the recent conflict in the Middle East has confirmed anything, it is that sea power remains essential to our nation’s prosperity. Much has been written about Operation EPIC FURY, the rapidly evolving threats we face and our ability to counter them, and how advances in drones, uncrewed and autonomous systems have forever changed the way we fight. But some things remain constant, as evidenced by Iran shutting the Strait of Hormuz, the vital maritime chokepoint through which a fifth of the world’s oil transits.

Ed. As Operation EPIC FURY ebbs and flows, may I propose a new principle of war? Always follow the money.

Ed. The practitioner author paints a stark picture of a casualty-intensive opening phase of a near-future Pacific war, employing lessons from the Second World War to argue that depth of capability must be actualised today. Originally published in the USNI’s Proceedings, April 2026. A 10 minute read.