Fortress at Sea? The Carrier Invulnerability Myth By Commander John Patch, USN (Ret.) - The hard question: Can the nation and the Navy tolerate losing an aircraft carrier in a terrorist or missile attack?

Finding Our Balance at Sea By Milan Vego - Think what you want about the capability of Navy ships in shallow and narrow waters; we still have a blue-water Fleet.

Follow the Bear By Commander David A. Adams, USN; Major Kevin Norton, USMC; Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Schmitt, USA; and Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson E. Turner, USAF - Much of the former Soviet Union’s war in Aghanistan was a disaster, but some of the successes should be studied closely.

Too Busy to Learn By Major General Robert H. Scales, USA (Ret.) - With ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, professional military education is suffering. When the wars are over, it could be worse. 
 

International Navies

The Commanders Respond - Chiefs of 31 navies from around the world answer the question: How is the global economic downturn affecting your navy’s maritime strategy, operations, and force structure?

Got Sea Control? By Captain Victor G. Addison Jr., U.S. Navy and Commander David Dominy, Royal Navy - Even the most powerful blue-water naval force may experience a rude awakening when venturing into the littorals.

Scanning the Horizon for ‘New Historical Missions’ By Nan Li - A look back over the past two decades explains how China’s navy has evolved and modernized into the formidable force it is today. 

‘Get off the Fainting Couch’ By Craig Hooper and Christopher Albon - Much hand-wringing has been done over China’s antiship ballistic-missile program. But it’s not the game-changer, after all.

More Henderson, Less Bonds By Commander Henry J. Hendrix, USN - The Navy could learn from a 2003 baseball book that on-base percentage (presence) trumps high-priced slugging percentage.
 

Teaching the Ropes By Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN - The Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands Program is a perfect way for the U.S. military to learn regional culture, language, and history.

Reintegrating Our Wounded Warriors By Juan Garcia, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower
& Reserve Affairs) - Breakthroughs in medicine have saved the lives of many who may have been killed in past wars. They need help with their next step.

Submarine Warfare:

The Right Submarine for Lurking in the Littorals By Milan Vego - Antisubmarine SSKs are small, quiet, and maneuverable—just the thing for operating in shallow and narrow waterways.

Plus Striving for Balance in Defense By Thomas G. Mahnken - Does the Quadrennial Defense Review effectively address future threats as well as winning the current wars? Apparently not.

Two Faces of High-Seas Crime By Lieutenant Commander Akash Chaturvedi, Indian Navy - Piracy and terrorism are two different things, but this Indian naval officer says the two activities must be dealt with simultaneously.

What Really Happened at Wanat By Kirk Ross - The Colt M4 carbine got some bad press for stoppages reported by Soldiers in Afghanistan. But there’s much more to the story. 

COAST GUARD ISSUE
Following a Tough Act By Art Pine - The new Commandant aims to carry on the legacy of Admiral Thad Allen, while putting his own stamp on the service’s future.

Plus: What’s New About the AirSea Battle Concept? By Jose Carreno, Thomas Culora, Captain George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.), and Thomas Hone - Is the latest coordination of air and sea assets old wine in new bottles or an effective war-winning strategy—or both?

NAVAL AVIATION FOCUS
Mind the Gap By Mackenzie Eaglen - We fail to modernize the Navy’s carrier strike-fighter capability at the nation’s peril. The F-35 will help fill the bill. 

Plus: Winning Hearts and Minds at Home By Colonel Mark F. Cancian, USMCR (Ret.) - With public support for counterinsurgency operations souring,
the challenge now will be to justify the force we think we need.

‘Tipping’ the Future Fleet By Captain George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.), Antonio Siordia, and Scott C. Truver - Of all the alternatives outlined in a Center for Naval Analyses study, a “2-Hub” Navy of the future appears to be the most viable.

HOMELAND SECURITY FOCUS
The Forgotten Threat By Captain Jim Howe, USCG (Ret.) - The “Small Vessel Security Strategy” of 2008 has done little if anything to address the threat of “Cole-style” attacks in America.

U.S. MARINE CORPS FOCUS
Hitting the Beach in the 21st Century By Under Secretary of the Navy Robert O. Work and Lieutenant Colonel F. G. Hoffman, USMCR (Ret.) - Two policy insiders answer the Secretary of Defense when he asked, “What kind of amphibious capability do we really need?”

Versatility in the Age of Uncertainty By Lieutenant General George J. Flynn, USMC - The Marine Corps’ perpetually key role in operating “across all domains” secures its relevance for future military operations. 

MERCHANT MARINE FOCUS
‘Down to the Seas’ By Shashi N. Kumar - Merchant shipping must shift focus to the needs of its mariners, recruiting from both traditional and emerging maritime nations.

The Big Myth of Somali Pirates By Stephen M. Carmel - The real danger of piracy—at worst, an irritant to shippers—is its potential to distract us from what is in our national interest.