This month's issue marks a number of firsts for us at Proceedings. As most of you know, June traditionally features our annual submarine/ASW/mine warfare focus.
In previous years we have sometimes had difficulty putting together a strong slate of stories covering those areas. Submariners tend to be a tight-lipped bunch (they are the Silent Service, after all) and don't write as prolifically as their Marine, aviation, and surface warfare compatriots. But this year we were pleasantly surprised to receive a surfeit of material. In fact we had more than we could use in a single issue. As a result we'll be able to publish articles from the sub community throughout the year although we're wary of using up the supply in case a draught comes again. Still, I issue a call to all our undersea readers out there: You're part of the open forum, too. Tell us what's going on in your community, what the serious issues are, and what's being done (or not done) about them.
This year's wide-ranging submarine coverage looks not just at the U.S. Navy but travels to all corners of the globe—from Asia to Africa to South America—and uncovers some stories that may surprise you. Ambassador Paul Taylor provides an in-depth analysis of Brazil's quest to obtain nuclear-powered attack submarines and speculates on what role the vessels might play in that country's national maritime strategy.
When one thinks of U.S. Navy attack submarines, the image that comes to mind is a boat lurking silently in the deep, tracking her prey, no one aware of her presence, much like the USS Dallas in Tom Clancy's thriller The Hunt for Red October. So, what was the USS Annapolis (SSN-760) doing as part of the Africa Partnership Station? Captain Pete Miller explains the key role attack boats can play in fostering global maritime partnerships.
Naval War College Professor Andrew Erickson returns to our pages, this time with collaborator Michal Chase, to examine China's attempt to establish a viable nuclear deterrent capability by deploying its newest generation of ballistic-missile subs and the implications this would have for the United States in a vital region.
Dr. Erickson's May article on Chinese antiship ballistic-missile capability and Commander Jerry Hendrix' recent recommendation to create influence squadrons generated lots of buzz among our readers, both in print and on our blog. Hot on the heels of those stories comes another article sure to raise the hackles of many readers. Accomplished naval historian Barrett Tillman stirs the pot with "Fear and Loathing in the Post-Naval Era." The term Post-Naval Era should get everyone's attention, especially in the current flail over how the future Fleet is going to look in a different threat environment and under a constrained defense budget. According to Mr. Tillman, Navy leadership has a tall order: It must justify funding and maintaining the ships, aircraft, and personnel of a large Navy that hasn't been in a full-blown engagement at sea since the Battle of Leyte Gulf in World War II.
Another of those firsts I mentioned also debuts this month: Proceedings' first-ever enlisted columnist, Senior Chief Jim Murphy. His "From the Deckplates" will focus on matters of interest to senior enlisted and junior officers. He leads off with a rallying cry to make their voices heard. Let's hope they heed his call. This column was the brainchild of prior editor-in-chief Bob Timberg and something he had wanted to launch for the past several years. We're excited to at last bring his vision to reality. Welcome aboard, Jim!
Finally, this issue marks my first as editor-in-chief of Proceedings. I thank CEO Tom Wilkerson and Publisher Bill Miller for the confidence they have shown in handing me the reins of one of the oldest continuously published magazines in the United States, not to mention one read so closely by those serving our nation. Guiding such a venerable publication is a responsibility one does not take lightly. Looking at a list of just a few of those who have preceded me, it's hard not to be a little intimidated: Beach, King, Taussig, Bowler, Barrow, Rainbow, and Timberg. While my style will be somewhat different, the one constant through all those years has been, and will remain so on my watch, the integrity of the open forum. As for everything else, I look forward to hearing from our readers when they like what we're doing, and even more so when they don't.