News, Articles and Comment

Ed. With the Royal Navy declaredly pushing towards a ‘Hybrid’ fleet utilising several classes of complex ‘ship-like’ uncrewed vessels, the author, Associate Professor of International Security and Strategy at the University of Exeter, identifies key limitations of such autonomous naval systems and proposes that a lean-crewed model may instead offer distinctive advantages. A 25 minute read.

Ed. Does the RNZN have its sights set on the right future frigate class? The author believes the answer requires asking difficult questions about force structure and doctrine rather than purely technical specifications. A 25 minute read.

Ed. The author’s investigation into the history of maritime strait multilateralism, a pertinent example of the ad hoc nature of sea control resulting from a rules-based vacuum, and the alternatives available to regional powers. A 25 minute read.

Ed. The author’s call for resilience with respect to coastal navigation support. Hormuz has shown the vulnerability but there are other emerging challenges to chokepoints like our own Dover Strait. First published in The House Magazine, May 2026. A 5 minute read.

Ed. The vast population of this ‘sceptred isle’ is ‘sea blind’ or, if you prefer, ‘maritime illiterate’. We should acknowledge this as the steady state and the only thing that could change one’s appreciation would be total war.

Ed. Our correspondent questions the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) from a perspective of cost and strategic choice for the future of the Submarine Service.

Ed. As firepower and lethality increasingly become central to warfighting doctrine and escalation at sea, the reintroduction of ship and submarine tactical nuclear weapons has been proposed as a means of closing the gap. The author takes the argument for carrier-based nuclear weapons to task. Originally published in the USNI’s Proceedings, July 2026. A 10 minute read.

Ed. This article explores some of the undiscussed issues and challenges facing the introduction of large-scale autonomous vessels under the ‘hybrid navy’ plan. The aim of this article is not to nay say and stick one’s head in the sand, but rather to identify the very real challenges facing implementation, their limits, and the importance of maintaining capable crewed warships to restore the RN fleet as a capable naval force. A 20 minute read.

Ed. For Bastille Day, the author considers the past and future of the relationship between the Marine Nationale and the Royal Navy, a vital pillar in the European defence architecture. With a foreword by the First Sea Lord. A 20 minute read.