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Center for International Maritime Security Fostering the Discussion on Securing the Seas.

• Parting Ways: A NATO Naval Strategy Without America

  by Guest Author on 21 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By CDR Paul Viscovich, USN (Ret.) In this era of increasing danger, great power competition, and uncertain loyalties, the time has come for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to declare its independence. As at the time of its founding, NATO’s strategic adversary is Russia. But unlike during the Cold War, the … Continue reading Parting Ways: A NATO Naval Strategy Without America →

• NATO Naval Power Week Kicks Off on CIMSEC

  by Dmitry Filipoff on 21 April 2025 at 9:30 am

  By Dmitry Filipoff This week CIMSEC will feature articles submitted in response to our Call for Articles on NATO Naval Power. NATO finds itself at an inflection point as U.S. commitment to the alliance is in doubt while the war in Ukraine rages on. The maritime dimension of NATO’s security deserves to be extensively reevaluated … Continue reading NATO Naval Power Week Kicks Off on CIMSEC →

• An Unmanned Hellscape Needs a 21st Century Hephaestus

  by Guest Author on 15 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Scott Humr Introduction To understand the future, it is helpful to consider the past. Greek mythology can offer rich parallels to modern military technologies and concepts. Recent conceptions about the defense of Taiwan from a Chinese invasion through a “hellscape” of unmanned systems harkens to the mythical robot Talos to protect the island of Crete. … Continue reading An Unmanned Hellscape Needs a 21st Century Hephaestus →

• Why Do Nations Voluntarily Limit Their Jurisdictional Reach Over Stateless Vessels?

  by Guest Author on 14 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  A version of this piece was originally featured by the U.S. Naval War College’s Stockton Center for International Law under the title, “Rudderless and Adrift: States’ Unwarranted Timidity Respecting Stateless Vessels.” By Andrew Norris Despite the fact that the oceans are extensively used for contraband smuggling, including narcotics, there is not a correspondingly robust legal … Continue reading Why Do Nations Voluntarily Limit Their Jurisdictional Reach Over Stateless Vessels? →

• Sea Control 570: Brent Jurmu on Equipping the Marine Reconnaissance Battalion Now

  by Guest Author on 11 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Brian Kerg Major Brent Jurmu joins Brian Kerg to discuss his article, “Equip the Mobile Reconnaissance Battalion Now.” Jurmu discusses how to adapt Marine reconnaissance platforms and units. Download Sea Control 570: Brent Jurmu on Equipping the Marine Reconnaissance Battalion Now Links 1. “Equip the Mobile Reconnaissance Battalion Now More than a new platform,” … Continue reading Sea Control 570: Brent Jurmu on Equipping the Marine Reconnaissance Battalion Now →

• Break China’s Grip on Shipping with the Multilateral Maritime Alliance

  by Guest Author on 9 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Blaine Worthington The United States has a shipping problem and everybody knows it. From combatant commands to congress and maritime security outlets to the White House, everyone is talking about America’s lack of maritime capacity.1 America, it seems, is waking up to its maritime problem and is ready to roll up its sleeves and … Continue reading Break China’s Grip on Shipping with the Multilateral Maritime Alliance →

• Sea Control 569: Dr. Peter Luebke on the U.S. Navy and Innovation

  by Guest Author on 2 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  By J. Overton Dr. Peter Luebke from the Naval History and Heritage Command joins the program to discuss the NHHC essay collection he edited titled, The U.S. Navy and Innovation: Twentieth-Century Case Studies. Peter C. Luebke is a historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command. There he has worked on several projects, including Naval … Continue reading Sea Control 569: Dr. Peter Luebke on the U.S. Navy and Innovation →

• Sea Control 568: Jennifer Parker on an Australian Coast Guard

  by Jonathan Selling on 31 March 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Jonathan Selling Jennifer Parker joins the program to discuss her paper, “Time for an Australian Coast Guard.” She discusses how maritime security is currently handled in Australia and how the addition of a dedicated Coast Guard would be benefit Australia. Download Sea Control 568 – Jennifer Parker on an Australian Coast Guard Links 1. … Continue reading Sea Control 568: Jennifer Parker on an Australian Coast Guard →

• Sea Control 567: E-2 Hawkeyes Over the Red Sea with LCDR Nathan Sawyer

  by Walker Mills on 19 March 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Walker Mills LCDR Nathan Sawyer joins the podcast to discuss his article in USNI Proceedings, “Beyond Tactics: How the Hawkeye Proved the Power of Adaptability in the Red Sea.” They discuss the role of the E-2 Hawkeye, and the importance of adaptability and leadership afloat. Download Sea Control 567: E-2 Hawkeyes Over the Red … Continue reading Sea Control 567: E-2 Hawkeyes Over the Red Sea with LCDR Nathan Sawyer →

• Navy Force Planning with a Pertinacious Marine Corps

  by Guest Author on 17 March 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Bruce Stubbs “A requirement is a requirement, pure and simple.” —Lieutenant General Karsten Heckl, USMC  “One man’s requirement is like another man’s wish.” —Admiral Frank B. Kelso II, USN (retired) A Team of Rivals The United States Marine Corps has an outsized effect on Navy force planning. While the Navy and the Marines exhibit … Continue reading Navy Force Planning with a Pertinacious Marine Corps →

• Applying Black Sea Combat Lessons to DMO in the Western Pacific

  by Guest Author on 11 March 2025 at 10:00 am

  By LtCol James M. Jackson Introduction In 2027, Task Force Blade, a U.S. Naval (USN) task force in the Western Pacific, attempts to neutralize a People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLAN) force through Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO). By dispersing its Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, Littoral Combat Ships, and Virginia-class submarines across the Philippine Sea and strategic … Continue reading Applying Black Sea Combat Lessons to DMO in the Western Pacific →

• Sea Control 566: No One Should Think the War Will be Short with CDR Justin Cobb

  by Walker Mills on 11 March 2025 at 9:30 am

  By Walker Mills Commander Justin Cobb, a Maritime Fires Officer with Carrier Strike Group 11, joins the program to his recent article, “No One Should Think the War Will be Short.” Justin’s article was recently published in USNI Proceedings and won their Future of Naval Warfare Essay Contest. It discussed why a conflict between the … Continue reading Sea Control 566: No One Should Think the War Will be Short with CDR Justin Cobb →

• On Wider Seas: Italian Naval Deployments and Maritime Outreach to the Indo-Pacific

  by Guest Author on 5 March 2025 at 11:00 am

  By David Scott The Italian Navy deployed in force to the Indo-Pacific in the second half of 2024, sending a Carrier Strike Group comprised of the aircraft carrier ITS Cavour and frigate ITS Alpino, along with the independent deployments of ITS Raimondo Montecuccoli and ITS Amerigo Vespucci. These deployments, which represented various firsts for Italy, … Continue reading On Wider Seas: Italian Naval Deployments and Maritime Outreach to the Indo-Pacific →

• Sea Control 565 – General Bartholomees on the Army’s Contribution to Deterring China

  by Walker Mills on 25 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  By Walker Mills Major General James B. Bartholomees III, Chief of Staff of U.S. Army Pacific, joins the program to discuss his recent CIMSEC article, “Land Force Integration: The Army’s Contribution to Deterring China.” The discussion also covers the Army’s new Multi-Domain Task Forces (MDTF) and what the U.S. Army is doing in the Indo-Pacific. … Continue reading Sea Control 565 – General Bartholomees on the Army’s Contribution to Deterring China →

• Thinking Together, Winning Together: The USNA Warfighter-Centered Design Challenge

  by Guest Author on 18 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  By Commander Ken Maroon, Jered Heimingway, Lyla Englehorn, and Lieutenant Commander Adam Johnson Last summer, the academy hosted its second Naval Academy Warfighter-Centered Design (WCD) Challenge in partnership with the Naval Research and Development Establishment (NR&DE), and Naval Warfare Studies Institute (NWSI) at Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to capture the talent and creativity of its … Continue reading Thinking Together, Winning Together: The USNA Warfighter-Centered Design Challenge →

• Call for Articles: NATO Naval Power and Maritime Security

  by Dmitry Filipoff on 17 February 2025 at 12:00 pm

  Articles Due: March 31, 2025 Series Dates: April 21-25, 2025 Article Length: 1,500-3,000 words Send To: [email protected]. By Dmitry Filipoff The NATO alliance is facing an inflection point as the U.S. reconsiders its commitments. NATO navies must envision alternative futures where they may have to take on a much greater share of their collective defense. As … Continue reading Call for Articles: NATO Naval Power and Maritime Security →

• Sea Control 564 – Canoes, Rivers, and more with Scot McFarlane

  by Guest Author on 17 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  By J. Overton Historian Scot McFarlane joins the program to discuss the role of the canoe in warfare. He discusses the advantages the canoe provided in colonial America as well as the continued uses of canoes in warfare today. Scot McFarlane is a river historian and founder of the Oxbow History Company. Download Sea Control … Continue reading Sea Control 564 – Canoes, Rivers, and more with Scot McFarlane →

• Sea Control 563 – Red Sea Combat with CDR Brian C. Sánchez

  by Jonathan Selling on 15 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  By Jonathan Selling Commander Brian Sánchez joins the program to talk about his time commanding the USS Gravely in the Red Sea. He discuss the engagements  the ship took part in as part of its deployment, including the CIWS engagement on January 30th and the “Battle of the BAM” on January 9th. Download Sea Control … Continue reading Sea Control 563 – Red Sea Combat with CDR Brian C. Sánchez →

• Sea Control 562 – Rendered Obsolete with Dr. Jamie Jones

  by Jared Samuelson on 14 February 2025 at 8:00 pm

  By Jared Samuelson Dr. Jamie L. Jones joins the program to discuss her book, Rendered Obsolete – Energy Culture and the Afterlife of US Whaling. Jamie L. Jones is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research explores the historic pivot in energy use in the … Continue reading Sea Control 562 – Rendered Obsolete with Dr. Jamie Jones →

• Do You Have To Do “Analysis” To Call It A Wargame? Actually, No.

  by Guest Author on 6 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  By BJ Armstrong and Marcus Jones “If my career were ahead instead of behind me, I should endeavor to the extent of my ability, and at the earliest opportunity, to acquire as thorough a knowledge of the principles of the art of war as possible, and should neglect no opportunity to train myself in their … Continue reading Do You Have To Do “Analysis” To Call It A Wargame? Actually, No. →

• Notes to the New Administration Week Concludes on CIMSEC

  by Dmitry Filipoff on 5 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  By Dmitry Filipoff For the past week, CIMSEC featured a series of submissions sent in response to our Call for Articles for short notes on what the new U.S. administration can consider to strengthen American naval power, reinforce alliances, and compete effectively against great powers. Authors examined a multitude of issues and offered recommendations for … Continue reading Notes to the New Administration Week Concludes on CIMSEC →

• Legislate New Fleet Acts for a Generational Investment in Naval Power

  by Guest Author on 4 February 2025 at 11:30 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Jason Lancaster The Navy’s annual 30-Year Shipbuilding Plan should be replaced with a congressionally-appropriated fleet act. This act would fund the construction of the fleet the nation needs. Over the past 10 years of annual 30-Year Shipbuilding Plans the fleet has shrank, not grown. U.S. shipbuilders lack the … Continue reading Legislate New Fleet Acts for a Generational Investment in Naval Power →

• Reassess the Navy’s Global Force Posture

  by Guest Author on 4 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Francis Crozier Time and time again the Navy seems to have to reckon with three irreconcilable questions: 1. What does the Navy want to do with its global reach? 2. What legitimate global interests does the Navy have? 3. Does the Navy have the logistical capability to stay … Continue reading Reassess the Navy’s Global Force Posture →

• Strengthen America’s Maritime Borders

  by Guest Author on 4 February 2025 at 10:30 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By David Ware As a retired U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Supervisor in Hawaii, I have done warrantless border searches of yachts and fishing vessels as well as large commercial vessels. We apprehended many violators with arrest warrants from all over the United States. Seizures … Continue reading Strengthen America’s Maritime Borders →

• Develop Strategies to Counter China’s Gray Zone Tactics

  by Guest Author on 3 February 2025 at 11:30 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Roshan Kulatunga China’s national security strategy is shrouded in secrecy, making it challenging to access clear policy documents that shed light on its strategic ambitions. This need for reliable intelligence is underscored by China’s increasing interest in the Indian Ocean region, an area that has become a focal … Continue reading Develop Strategies to Counter China’s Gray Zone Tactics →

• The Specter of Tariffs and the Revival of the U.S. Merchant Marine

  by Guest Author on 3 February 2025 at 11:00 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Ben Massengale Much has been written lamenting the possible economic consequences of raising tariffs and other protectionist methods that could reduce trade with the U.S. However, imposition of those tariffs could provide a window of opportunity to revive the U.S. Merchant Marine by making foreign vessels less competitive … Continue reading The Specter of Tariffs and the Revival of the U.S. Merchant Marine →

• It is Time to Build Small Warships

  by Guest Author on 3 February 2025 at 10:30 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Shelley Gallup and Ben DiDonato In past wars, small and well-armed ships have been a necessary complement to the large, multipurpose ships that dominate today’s U.S. Navy. China on the other hand utilizes a full range of maritime capabilities to outmaneuver the U.S. fleet. These ships can easily … Continue reading It is Time to Build Small Warships →

• It is Time for a Real Maritime Strategy: Focus on Shipbuilding, Seafaring, and Sway

  by Guest Author on 31 January 2025 at 12:00 pm

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Christopher Costello The United States needs a true, comprehensive maritime strategy. It takes the form of an interconnected effort that recognizes that seapower does not flow from naval power alone and the conditions under which the U.S. developed into a great maritime power have shifted. Readjustment is necessary. … Continue reading It is Time for a Real Maritime Strategy: Focus on Shipbuilding, Seafaring, and Sway →

• Rebuild Commercial Maritime Might to Restore U.S. Sea Power

  by Guest Author on 31 January 2025 at 11:30 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Commander Ander S. Heiles, USN The United States is unprepared to face its greatest maritime challenge since World War II. For the first time since 1945, a peer competitor threatens America’s naval supremacy and dominance in global trade. China now commands the world’s largest combat fleet and a … Continue reading Rebuild Commercial Maritime Might to Restore U.S. Sea Power →

• Invest in Sustainment Capabilities to Increase Combat Credibility

  by Guest Author on 31 January 2025 at 11:00 am

  Notes to the New Administration Week By Joseph Mroszczyk The new administration must urgently focus its efforts on strengthening the U.S. military’s combat credibility in the Western Pacific through investments in capabilities that enable at-sea and distributed logistics. To deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from aggression against Taiwan, the U.S. military must demonstrate … Continue reading Invest in Sustainment Capabilities to Increase Combat Credibility →