The new defense strategy has been the subject of seemingly endless discussion and debate since President Barack Obama announced it in early January. The impact on the services will be felt for years at least, and perhaps a decade or more to come. This month we asked our own longtime “World Naval Developments” columnist Norman Friedman for his analysis of what it all means. Turns out much of it is old wine in new bottles, but some of its components will have a dramatic effect on how the Sea Services operate in the future. Dr. Friedman casts an eye not only on the familiar concerns over China and Iran but also on the thorny problems of personnel cuts and procurement reform, issues being driven by their high costs in the budget.
