Wayne Hughes

Capt. Wayne P. Hughes Jr., USN (Ret.) was professor emeritus at the Graduate School of Operations and Information Sciences of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Author of Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat Second Edition, as well as numerous articles, he is renowned as one of the foremost authorities on naval tactics.

Articles by Wayne Hughes

Bradley Fiske Leader of Transformation

By Captain Wayne P. Hughes Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)

April 2004

Famous for the many innovations he produced for the Navy in the late 19th century, Bradley Fiske also had a keen mind for strategy and tactics, a talent he showed ...

Naval Postgraduate School students, faculty execute a war-gaming exercise

The Art and Science of Naval War Gaming

By Captain Wayne P. Hughes Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)

February 2020

Leaders have emphasized the need for more war gaming to achieve better informed decisions.

Spread of book covers for One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander, Operational Research for Unmanned Vehicles, and the U.S. Naval Institute on Tactics

Naval Tactics Needed in Sea Power Education

By Captain Wayne P. Hughes Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)

November 2019

The Navy must integrate tactical education into its graduate school programs if it wants to produce leaders who are prepared to fight and win future battles.

An MV-22 Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 161 (Reinforced) aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) lifts off from the flight deck during routine flight operations.

Restore a Distributable Naval Air Force

By Captain Wayne Hughes, U.S. Navy (Retired)

April 2019

Diversifying and distributing the sea-based air force can help the Navy project power and maintain sea control.

Take the Small Boat Threat Seriously

By Captain Wayne P. Hughes, Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)

October 2000

For my purposes, small boats comprise what Sir Julian Corbett called "the flotilla." In his analysis of naval tactics at the dawn of the 20th century, Some Principles of Maritime ...

The Split-Level Bridge

By Lieutenant Commander Wayne P. Hughes, USN

May 1962

The captains of our ASW ships need the full picture of the situation made available instantly to carry out co-ordinated, effective, high speed attacks. The bridges of our destroyer types ...

Speed Characteristics Of The Treaty Cruisers

By Ensign Wayne P. Hughes, Jr., U.S. Navy

February 1953

“The speed given a vessel depends on what one is willing to pay for it and what other desiderata of the warship one is willing to sacrifice for it.” —Bernard ...