cimsec.org

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

• Sea Control 573: The Great North Challenges the Mediterranean with Federico Petroni

  by Alexia Bouallagui on 30 May 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Alexia Bouallagui Sea Control presents the first in a special series by cohost Alexia Bouallagui on Italian maritime security research. On this episode Alexia is joined by Federico Petroni to discuss Arctic geopolitics. Federico Petroni is a geopolitical analyst at Limes, the Italian review of geopolitics, and coordinator of the school of Limes. This … Continue reading Sea Control 573: The Great North Challenges the Mediterranean with Federico Petroni →

• Every Commander a Wargamer: Reforming Wargaming Education for the Fleet

  by Guest Author on 29 May 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Jeff Appleget and Jeff Kline Introduction In the decade since Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work began his 2014 initiative to reinvigorate wargaming, there has been a decided uptick in the number of wargames being conducted for DoD. However, the quality and relevancy of DoD wargaming has not been uniform. One of the primary … Continue reading Every Commander a Wargamer: Reforming Wargaming Education for the Fleet →

• If the U.S. Navy can’t Repair Ships in Peacetime, how will it do so in War?

  by Guest Author on 27 May 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Michael Hogan Introduction The Navy has well-documented issues with building warships. Less discussed, but equally important, are issues with repairing the ships it already has, which jeopardizes its ability to meet its own goal of sustaining a across all platforms. As the Navy focuses on preparing for a great power conflict potentially, the Navy … Continue reading If the U.S. Navy can’t Repair Ships in Peacetime, how will it do so in War? →

• Wargaming the Future: A Year in Review of Wargaming at USC

  by Guest Author on 22 May 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Jack Tribolet In Fall 2023, the University of Southern California reconstituted its previously abandoned wargaming club. Ultimately, wargaming reemerged in two places for USC’s midshipmen, one as a mandatory test of knowledge after a precursory look at the impending Taiwan crisis in the Introduction to Naval Science (NSC 101) course and, second, as part … Continue reading Wargaming the Future: A Year in Review of Wargaming at USC →

• Security or Safety: What is AIS Really For?

  by Guest Author on 19 May 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Jessie Caldwell The proliferation of spoofing techniques has diminished the value of Automatic Identification System (AIS) in the context of maritime law enforcement. The open nature of the system prevents higher levels of data security and verification, meaning spoofed and falsified information will remain difficult to prevent without changing the very foundation of AIS. Given … Continue reading Security or Safety: What is AIS Really For? →

• Sea Control 572: Arms for Russia with Andrew Boyd

  by Jonathan Selling on 9 May 2025 at 4:00 pm

  By Jonathan Selling Author Andrew Boyd joins the podcast to discuss his book, Arms for Russia and the Naval War in the Arctic, 1941-1945. He discusses the importance of Lend-Lease to the Soviet Union and the importance of the Arctic route in supplying them. Andrew Boyd CMG, OBE, DPhil was educated at Britannia Royal Naval … Continue reading Sea Control 572: Arms for Russia with Andrew Boyd →

• War Without Surprises: Education for Command in the PLA Navy

  by Guest Author on 29 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  This republication is adapted from “War without Surprises—Education for Command in the People’s Liberation Army Navy,” published by the Naval War College Review of the U.S. Naval War College. It is republished with permission. By Ryan D. Martinson Most analyses of Pacific scenarios have focused on the quantities and capabilities of the platforms that the … Continue reading War Without Surprises: Education for Command in the PLA Navy →

• The Caribbean Sea: A Strategic Area with Many US Allies and Partners

  by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez on 28 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  By Wilder Alejandro Sánchez Written by Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, The Southern Tide addresses maritime security issues throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It discusses the challenges regional navies face including limited defense budgets, inter-state tensions, and transnational crimes. It also examines how these challenges influence current and future defense strategies, platform acquisitions, and relations with global powers. In … Continue reading The Caribbean Sea: A Strategic Area with Many US Allies and Partners →

• NATO Naval Power Week Concludes on CIMSEC

  by Dmitry Filipoff on 28 April 2025 at 9:30 am

  By Dmitry Filipoff Last week CIMSEC featured articles submitted in response to our Call for Articles on NATO Naval Power. Authors explored a wide variety of themes and scenarios for the NATO alliance. How does NATO naval strategy evolve if the U.S. scales back its commitment and the Ukraine war rages on? How does the … Continue reading NATO Naval Power Week Concludes on CIMSEC →

• A Post-Mortem of the Red Sea Crisis: NATO versus the European Union

  by Guest Author on 25 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By Anna Matilde Bassoli After more than a year of disrupted global trade, the Red Sea Crisis appears to have no end in sight. Rather, in a series of leaked messages, senior U.S. officials have cast doubts over U.S. involvement and “having to bail Europe out again.” However, while frustration on … Continue reading A Post-Mortem of the Red Sea Crisis: NATO versus the European Union →

• Strengthening Unity of Effort in the Atlantic: Lessons from Wargaming

  by Guest Author on 24 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By Walter Berbrick and Terence Nicholas  Based on our experience designing and analyzing recent Naval War College wargames in the Euro-Atlantic theater, U.S. and NATO maritime forces face several challenges in maintaining readiness, enhancing lethality, and accelerating decision-making—core priorities underscored by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The North Atlantic and High … Continue reading Strengthening Unity of Effort in the Atlantic: Lessons from Wargaming →

• Sea Control 571: Revolutionary Taiwan with Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison

  by Guest Author on 23 April 2025 at 11:00 am

  By Brian Kerg Scholars Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison join the program to discuss their recent book, Revolutionary Taiwan: Making Nationhood in a Changing World Order. Their book discusses the making of the Taiwanese nation, which sees itself as a state and a homeland in its own right, despite having not achieved formal international … Continue reading Sea Control 571: Revolutionary Taiwan with Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison →

• French Maritime Strategy – Carrier-Led and Indo-Pacific Focused

  by Guest Author on 23 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By David Scott French maritime strategy has been on full public display with the deployment of the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) from November 2024 to April 2025, carrying out an extended deployment across the Indo-Pacific in the furthest ever Operation Clemenceau. The French Carrier Strike Group included various components: FS … Continue reading French Maritime Strategy – Carrier-Led and Indo-Pacific Focused →

• Keeping America Engaged: Three Possibilities for European Navies

  by Guest Author on 23 April 2025 at 9:30 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By Michael D. Purzycki Introduction For the next several years, European security is likely to appear less prominent within United States foreign policy. Even if the U.S. remains militarily present in Europe and the North Atlantic, it may demand some form of financial compensation for doing so, as evidenced by the … Continue reading Keeping America Engaged: Three Possibilities for European Navies →

• The Case for a Baltic SNMG-3: Developing Regional NATO Forces at Sea

  by Guest Author on 22 April 2025 at 10:00 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By Steinar Torset and Ian Bowers Despite significant and ongoing losses suffered as a result of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia remains a significant threat to NATO members. As NATO restructures to address this new reality, NATO’s naval forces must also restructure to both exploit NATO’s enlargement and better address … Continue reading The Case for a Baltic SNMG-3: Developing Regional NATO Forces at Sea →

• Maritime Security on NATO’s Southern Flank: The Case for a Spanish Coast Guard

  by Guest Author on 22 April 2025 at 9:30 am

  NATO Naval Power Week By Gonzalo Vázquez Introduction With the return of great power competition and the prospects for a highly-contested maritime space in the Euro-Atlantic area, NATO will be called to play a more active role at sea to preserve stability and freedom of navigation. The protection of maritime commerce and critical undersea infrastructure, … Continue reading Maritime Security on NATO’s Southern Flank: The Case for a Spanish Coast Guard →

• 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 →