This volume is the seventh Sea Power Conference held in Sydney over the period 31 January to 2 February 2012. It was aimed at informing how navies contribute, on a daily basis, to the defence and wellbeing of their nation and its interests. While the national security role of maritime forces during times of conflict is well-understood, navies have been involved in the ongoing task of providing 'good order at sea' regardless of the strategic context since their inception. Through this they ensure the economic prosperity and security of the nation by the protection of seaborne trade, the management and conservation of ocean resources, the protection and enforcement of maritime sovereignty, the conduct of oceanic scientific research, and search and rescue to list just a few of the myriad of activities undertaken.
But there is also another dimension to the naval contribution to national prosperity, that being the impact of creating, developing and maintaining a navy on the national economy, through impacts on the local community, defence industry, education, employment and technology transfer.
