News, Articles and Comment

Ed. By the time you read this in the hardcopy, the NATO Summit in Ankara will have taken place. However, this article by the Naval Review’s Chairman gives a clear indication, and a warning, of the general direction in which the United States wishes to steer the Alliance. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The Naval Staff Research author argues that the post-Cold War ‘peace dividend’ era has come to an end, necessitating a total reconsideration of defence policy and warfighting doctrine. A 10 minute read.

Ed. A letter reflecting on the profound transformation taking place in terms of Defence, and the RN’s role therein.

Ed. Rear Admiral James Goldrick AO CSC RAN (Retired) (1958–2023) was a towering figure in Australian and international naval thought – a commander at sea and ashore, a scholar of maritime history, and a teacher whose influence reshaped generations of naval professionals. His life’s work bridged the helm and the classroom, the bridge and the seminar room, the Royal Australian Navy, and its partners around the world. Given the breadth of his influence across command, education, and maritime thought, this volume seeks to consolidate and extend that legacy through critical reflection.

Ed. Our correspondent suggests a radical modification concerning the future of the Admiralty Interview Board.

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. Two letters responding to recent RN developments and advocating for reform.

Ed. It was timely that Dr Nina Baker’s book on the brave Scottish Merchant Navy women who lost their lives in World War II should cross our desks the other week and I am grateful to Lt Cdr Helen Taylor RN for reviewing it. It generated the question, what about the 75,000 members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service known as the WRNS? It was a less enlightened era so their primary purpose was ‘to free up manpower to serve at sea’ but that meant that they got to serve in many important roles across the war effort from parachute packing, to ammunition technicians, photographers, coxswains, drivers, photographers and coders. Our grateful thanks to Dr Jo Strange for the following taken from her book on the history of the WRNS published in 2016.

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