News, Articles and Comment

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers a new biography of Admiral Raymond Spruance, whose “achievement is not merely to reconstruct Admiral Raymond A. Spruance’s operational record, but to illuminate a deeper and more unsettling truth: that victory in industrial war may depend less on boldness than on restraint, less on charisma than on intellect, and less on the commander as hero than on the commander as thinker.”

Ed. The author argues that the RN’s shift toward a ‘hybrid’ model of crewed and autonomous systems is necessary but insufficient. As ministers warn of a worsening strategic environment and the need to be ready to fight, the Royal Navy faces an uncomfortable arithmetic: ambition exceeds resources. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The author reinforces the case for common sense port infrastructure national security priorities in terms of what he describes as “seamanship applied to national logistics.” A 15 minute read.

Ed. The author provides insight and lessons for project management from the perspective of the Submarine Service. A 5 minute read.

Ed. The author provides an overview of the Armada campaign of 1588, arguing that the fundamental flexibility of mission command can be seen in England’s early modern fleet leadership. A 10 minute read.

Ed. With insights from Royal Navy training, the author explores how Sweden’s naval role is evolving as it prepares to operate alongside Allied forces and beyond the Baltic Sea. A 25 minute read.

Ed. Our correspondent comments on NR 114/1’s report on the current status of the Admiralty Interview Board (AIB).

Ed. With supporting examples from the Ukraine War, the author makes recommendations for expanding UK Commando Force space assets and integration. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The author critiques senior leadership reform in the Royal Navy, demonstrating a chain of unresolved logic, cognitive dissonance, and moral hazards that can arise when cultural diagnosis stops short of self-accountability. A 15 minute read.