Matthew Hill is a doctoral student at Cornell University's Department of Government.
- BAE is closing its last English yard in Portsmouth, ending a 500-year shipbuilding tradition – and raising the strategic ante on Scottish independence.
- The F-35 is yet to see full deployment, but already there’s talk of pursuing a sixth-generation fighter.
- David Ucko highlights the challenge of translating the theoretical exhortation to ‘clear, hold, build’ into counterinsurgency practice.
- Is talk of the ‘complexity’ of modern warfare just a cop out? Anne Miles focuses on the continuities.
- The trend towards outsourcing of defence functions continues apace, stirring controversy in the UK.
- Given the dubious historical record, why are states relying on contractors for crucial military support functions?
- What are the five lessons of the last decade for the US military?
- The best complement is imitation: RAND evaluates the prospects for deploying land-based anti-ship missiles as part of the US deterrent posture in maritime Asia.
- Amid the recent uptick in attention to Iran’s nuclear program, there are rumours of a potential Pakistan-Saudi deal to transfer nuclear capabilities. Is there any credence to this?
- Finally, here’s a fascinating photographic survey of abandoned submarines, from the Kola Peninsula to Panama.