News, Articles and Comment

The author takes to task the need for public engagement by the RN, if a sceptical public is to be convinced of the vital importance of the maritime nature of the British Way of War. A 10 minute read.

Defence engagement is a vital component of any influence and deterrence strategy. But how well is defence engagement situated in the defence review and service doctrine literature? The author argues more can be done to explicitly define defence engagement as a core RN role. A 20 minute read.

The author reflects on Admiral Sir Henry Leach’s extensive career, highlighting his perseverance during the Second World War and the Falklands War, and his zeal for the tenacious defence of his particular corner, despite personal and national tragedies. A 15 minute read.

In 1995 staff historian David Waters began publishing in the NR [83/4, p. 349] a series of commentaries on the Battle of the Atlantic, a subject he had mastered while working on The Defeat of the Enemy Attack upon Shipping (1957). He was inspired in this case by the renewed naval history discourse, evident in a review of S. Howarth and D. Law, eds., The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1945 (1994), the International Naval Conference on the battle held in Liverpool in 1993, and related writings in the NR [83/1, p. 84 & 83/2, p. 159]. Republished here as part of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. A 15 minute read.

Reflections on the current state of the UK’s strategic positioning amidst the background of an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable world. The author posits that the reality of medium power status means fundamentally reassessing the often ideologically driven assumptions that have brought the UK and the Royal Navy to this moment in history. A 40 minute read.

The author expands on their earlier letter (http://www.naval-review.com/journal-articles/sub-strategic-trident-2) addressing the threats of Russian nuclear weapons use in Ukraine

Between 1978 and 2022 James Goldrick wrote 45 ‘Letters From Australia’, providing the Naval Review with invaluable insights from the island continent. Reprinted here are the first two letters, published in 1978 [66/4, p. 313] and 1979 [67/2, p. 119], to provide the younger reader with a taste of Master Ned’s trademark didactic analysis and wit. A memorial service for Rear Admiral Goldrick is being held on April 5th at Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra.

Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham considers the future of Britain’s strategic nuclear deterrent, and the difficult choices that will have to be made in an environment of increasing threats, tightening budgets, and relentless price-inflation. Originally published 28 February 2023 by CityForum (https://www.cityforum.co.uk/the-strategic-choices-for-defence-by-sir-jeremy-blackham/). A 20 minute read.

Naval practitioners have previously commented on the mission-focused desirability of warship modularity [NR 111/1, p. 34]. In this article, the author argues in favour of adopting the modular NavyPods technology concept aboard the Royal Navy’s Hunt-class Mine Countermeasure Vessels. A 10 minute read.