Articles
Richard Dunley. ‘Plan B? Reconsidering Australian security in the event of a post US alliance era’. Australian Journal of International Affairs 78, no. 4 (2024): 479–497.
Richard Dunley’s article seeks to stimulate debate on alternative and additional approaches to Australia’s reliance on the United States (US) for security. He contemplates alliances with other regional middle powers, improving Australian resilience and low-profile neutrality. The article highlights the importance of sea lines of communication and recognises the potential changes that Donald Trump’s presidency may bring. This work is useful for understanding the evolving dynamics of Australian security and the role of the US in the region.
Frank G Hoffman and George P Garrett. ‘A break in the clouds: Learning lessons from the sea’. Texas National Security Review 7, no. 3 (2024): pp. 100–112.
Frank G Hoffman and George P Garrett’s article uses the Battle of Tsushima of 1905 as a case study to argue that the present US Navy is at risk of overlooking valuable lessons from Ukraine’s successes in the Black Sea against Russia. They emphasise
the importance of using history as a tool for fostering critical thinking and questioning, rather than seeking simplistic analogies. This work provides insights into the value of historical lessons for contemporary maritime strategy and naval policy.
Jeremy Larken. ‘The Falklands Campaign – personal reflections’. Australian Naval Institute, 17 September 2024.
Jeremy Larken, who served as captain of the assault ship HMS Fearless and Chief of Staff to the Commodore Amphibious Warfare during the Falklands Campaign, reflects on his experiences and draws lessons from the conflict. He emphasises the importance of operational preparedness, decision-making processes and thorough preparation. This firsthand account offers valuable insights into the operational and decision-making aspects of the Falklands Campaign and their relevance to contemporary military and leadership studies.
James Wirtz. ‘A Maritime Deterrence Strategy: The Key to an Overarching Navy Warfighting Concept.’ Center for International Maritime Security, 2 October 2024.
James Wirtz presents a ‘bi-modal, sea denial, and sea control concept’ as a potential operational concept for the Navy to address changing techno-strategic threats. The article emphasises the importance of using a mix of offensive and defensive
capabilities to achieve both sea denial and sea control objectives. This work provides insights into the value of a flexible and adaptive approach to modern naval operations.
Michael Shurkin. ‘Plus ça change: A French Approach to Naval Warfare in the 21st Century’, War on the Rocks, 13 October 2023.
Michael Shurkin provides a long-form book review of Vaincre en mer au XXIème siècle: La tactique au cinquième âge du combat naval by Thibault Laverne and François-Olivier Corman. The review explores challenges to command raised by technological innovation, skepticism toward the ‘material school’ of naval thought and the importance of understanding the complexities of modern naval operations. This work is valuable for its insights into French strategic thinking and the role of technology in naval warfare.
Jesse Tumblin. ‘Storm Centre: AUKUS’s Past and Future’, Australian Naval Review, 2024, no. 1, pp. 6-16.
Jesse Tumblin examines the prospects of the AUKUS agreement in light of historical precedents. He considers AUKUS as an element of grand strategy aimed at securing the Pacific region against emerging revisionism. This work offers a historical perspective on the AUKUS agreement and its potential implications for the future, emphasising the need for effective collaboration among allies.
David Uren. ‘The trade routes vital to Australia’s economic security’. Australian Strategic Policy Institute Special Report, 28 March 2024.
David Uren’s report discusses the importance of maritime trade protection for Australia’s economic security and the potential risks and vulnerabilities that could disrupt this vital lifeline. This work highlights the critical role maritime trade plays in Australia’s economy and the need for effective protection strategies.
Richard Dunley. ‘Rethinking Australia’s wartime maritime trade’, The Strategist, 4 April 2024.
Richard Dunley’s reply to David Uren’s report highlights some of the potential pitfalls of using history without a deeper knowledge of context and historical specificities. This work stresses the need for careful analysis and consideration when applying historical lessons to modern challenges, encouraging readers to consider the complexities of this critical topic.
Books
Evan Mawdsley. Supremacy at Sea: Task Force 58 and the Central Pacific Victory. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2024.
Evan Mawdsley’s book narrates the critical naval battles of 1944 and reveals the emergence of the carrier fleet form of maritime power and the ‘fleet train’ supply system. He shows how American industrial might produced the ships,
planes, weapons and technology that secured victory. This work teaches lessons in operational and strategic decision-making and emphasises the importance of logistics and resources.
Colin Flint. Near and Far Waters: The Geopolitics of Seapower. Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2024.
Colin Flint, a political geographer, examines the significance of seapower in world politics. Focusing on the geography of seapower, the book analyses the dynamic struggle to control waters close to a country’s shoreline and waters beyond the horizon. The book provides an accessible introduction to the political and economic factors that drive the development of seapower. Flint’s analysis draws on historical and contemporary patterns of seapower, using the Netherlands, Britain
and the US as examples. He highlights the role of seapower in economic competition and the potential for repercussive conflict and war. Near and Far Waters offers valuable insights into the geopolitics of seapower, the importance of controlling near and far waters and the implications for global politics.
Erik Gartzke and Jon R Lindsay. Elements of Deterrence: Strategy, Technology, and Complexity in Global Politics. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2024.
Erik Gartzke and Jon R Lindsay explore deterrence strategies in a complex and interconnected global environment. They examine deterrence in the context of the diverse technologies and security challenges of the 21st century, including land, sea, air, space and cyber domains. Gartzke and Lindsay argue that deterrence is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. They present a decade-long research program on cross- domain deterrence, revealing fundamental trade-offs that have always been implicit in practice. Elements of Deterrence offers a nuanced understanding of deterrence, emphasising that different military forces, postures and technologies have varying political effects and strategic consequences. The book is a valuable resource for policymakers and strategists seeking to navigate the complexities of deterrence in today’s global landscape.
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