CIMSEC: Center for International Maritime Security

Sea Control 600 — Civil Defense in Taiwan Host Brian Kerg talks with TH Schee to discuss his work supporting Civil Defense in Taiwan. Brian Kerg #SeaControl #IndoPacific #Taiwan https://lnkd.in/etJsjDiz

"Hedge with Non-Kinetic Defense", by Conor Keating Non-kinetic capabilities—like cyber, electronic warfare, and deception—offer a way to “hedge” defense by degrading adversary systems without relying solely on costly or escalatory kinetic force. By integrating these tools into layered defenses, militaries can preserve resources, manage escalation risks, and maintain flexibility in increasingly complex and contested environments. #NonKineticDefense #MilitaryStrategy #FutureWarfare https://lnkd.in/e8UtEJ5J

"Asymmetry Rising: How Autonomous Systems Enforce Sea Denial", by Rudraksh Pathak Autonomous systems are reshaping maritime warfare by enabling smaller, lower-cost forces to threaten high-value naval assets through distributed, asymmetric sea denial strategies. As these technologies proliferate, they challenge traditional naval dominance and force a rethink of how power is projected and defended at sea. Rudraksh Pathak #MaritimeStrategy #AutonomousSystems #NavalWarfare https://lnkd.in/e8y7Uzih

"Russia’s Irregular Maritime Statecraft in the Baltic Sea", by Joe Durigan and Craig Whiteside Russia employs irregular maritime statecraft in the Baltic Sea—leveraging shadow fleets, infrastructure sabotage risks, electronic disruption, and gray-zone tactics to challenge NATO without triggering open conflict. These actions exploit legal ambiguity and civilian maritime activity to test alliance cohesion and resilience, turning the Baltic into a persistent arena of hybrid competition rather than conventional naval confrontation. Joseph Durigan Craig Whiteside #MaritimeSecurity #HybridWarfare #BalticSea https://lnkd.in/exJwpD25

"Defending Global Order Against China’s Maritime Insurgency, Part 2", by Dan White and Hunter Stires China’s “maritime insurgency” is a sustained gray-zone campaign to undermine the rules-based order at sea by using coast guard forces, maritime militia, and legal coercion to assert control without triggering open conflict. Countering this strategy requires coordinated U.S. and allied responses—particularly through law enforcement, maritime security cooperation, and persistent presence—to defend sovereignty, sea lines of communication, and international maritime norms. Dan White Hunter Stires #MaritimeSecurity #GreyZone #GreatPowerCompetition https://lnkd.in/e4_42gsM

"Defending Global Order Against China’s Maritime Insurgency – Part 1", by Dan White and Hunter Stires Preserving the global order requires recognizing that today’s competition is not just about military power, but about sustaining the political, economic, and maritime systems that underpin stability—especially at sea. Rival powers are actively contesting these foundations, and without deliberate effort to defend rules, norms, and access in the maritime domain, the existing order will gradually erode rather than collapse suddenly. Dan White Hunter Stires #GlobalOrder #MaritimeStrategy #GreatPowerCompetition https://lnkd.in/ebpzAHKV

"The Unwitting Fleet", by Eva Prokofiev The “unwitting fleet” highlights a hidden vulnerability in modern naval operations—where civilian or auxiliary maritime actors can be drawn into conflict dynamics without clear intent or awareness. It underscores the risks of blurred lines between military and non-military vessels, warning that future maritime competition may involve actors who unintentionally shape escalation, complicating deterrence and operational control. Eva Prokofiev #MaritimeSecurity #GreyZone #NavalStrategy https://lnkd.in/eD8MRfaT

"Why America Needs a Four-Ocean Navy", by Derek Reveron The U.S. must shift toward a “four-ocean navy” to sustain global maritime presence across the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic as competition with China and Russia expands geographically. The current force structure and posture are too concentrated and insufficiently distributed, risking gaps in deterrence and sea control in a world where maritime competition is truly global. Derek Reveron #NavalStrategy #SeaPower #GlobalSecurity https://lnkd.in/ePiprcQJ

Sea Control 599 — The Tanker War Tom Duffy joins the program to talk about his chapter "NATO Maritime Strategies and Naval Operations since 1985: Multilateral Naval Arrangements in the “Tanker War”” which is included in the new book from the ISPK SeaPower series titled Guardians of the North Atlantic: NATO Maritime Strategies and Naval Operations in Turbulent Times. He discusses similarities and differences between those Persian Gulf naval operations from the 1980s, and today’s Operation Epic Fury. Tom Duffy J. O. #SeaControl #MaritimeStrategy #Iran https://lnkd.in/eqJApHuC

"OPERATION HIGHMAST: UK EASTERN DEPLOYMENT FOR A 'TWO-CARRIER NAVY'", by David Scott Operation Highmast demonstrates the UK’s ambition to project global maritime power from the Mediterranean to the Indo-Pacific, but also highlights the tension between strategic reach and limited force capacity in sustaining a true “two-carrier navy.” While the deployment showcases interoperability and deterrence with allies, it underscores ongoing constraints in logistics, readiness, and consistent carrier availability that challenge long-term credibility. #CarrierStrikeGroup #NavalStrategy #GlobalMaritime https://lnkd.in/dc-m4Hni