News, Articles and Comment

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. With due regard to technological evolution, geostrategy, and climate change, the author contemplates the historical trajectory of sea power theory, law, and its future. A 15 minute read.

Ed. Originally published in November 2013 [101/4, p. 325], the author’s concluding comments from his series [101/1, p. 10], [101/2, p. 132], [101/3, p. 230], on long-term budget trends during the Great Depression and Great Recession eras provides a framework for where the RN stands today. A 20 minute read.

Ed. The author assesses the growing threats to the UK’s subsea infrastructure as a component of hybrid warfare, and makes direct recommendations for reducing grey-zone ambiguity and improving the RN’s capacity to respond. A 15 minute read.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers the latest edition of Geoffrey Till’s Seapower: A Guide for the Twenty-First Century.

Ed. With Operation HIGHMAST complete, the author, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (COMUKCSG), provides a retrospective on the deployment, demonstrating the range of defence engagement, diplomacy and deterrence embodying the flagship mission. A 10 minute read.

Ed. The expert author, BMT’s Head of Business Development in the UK and Europe, provides a pathway for actualising the hybrid navy – and modernising RN warship procurement. A 5 minute read.

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. With a study of American maritime strategy ranging from Mahan to Huntington, the practitioner author believes that the era of the Panoceanic Navy, focused on competitive sea control and sustained sea denial, has begun. Originally published in the USNI’s Proceedings, March edition. A 50 minute read.