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Links: China Maritime Report #52: Everything Everywhere All At Once: The Growing Complexity of PLA Amphibious Exercises: Direct link to China Maritime Report #52 China Maritime Studies Institute CMSI Reports LinkedIn IngeniSPACE News Site Bio: Jason Wang is a national security researcher and COO of ingeniSPACE, a Silicon Valley geointelligence analytics house. Marvin Bernardo is a PhD candidate at the National Jung ju University, Taiwan, and serves as a maritime domain analyst at ingeniSPACE.
Dr. Michał Piekarski is Assistant Professor at the Institute of International and Security Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Wrocław. His research focuses on national security issues, particularly hybrid threats, maritime security, and Poland's strategic culture. J. Overton is the co-host of the Sea Control podcast and edited the essay collection “Seapower by Other Means,” and is a member of the Military Writers Guild. Links - Hybrid Threats from Russia to NATO's Littoral States on the Baltic Sea Guardians of the North Atlantic: NATO Maritime Strategies and Naval Operations in Turbulent Times The Institute of International and Security Studies at the University of Wrocław
Bio: Lieutenant Colonel Bobby Fowler is the Provost Marshal at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and an operational planner with extensive experience in the Pacific Theater.
Seaforth World Naval Review 2026 Edited by Conrad Waters
Rae Baker is an expert in Maritime Intelligence, focused on hunting vessels and tracking elusive AIS signals in her role as Senior OSINT Analyst in Adversary Intelligence. Rae specializes in Human Targeting and Corporate Reconnaissance, utilizing her skills to chart illicit organizations. These practiced skills serve well in Rae's volunteer positions with OSINT-oriented non-profits and speaking engagements at Recon Village; DEFCON, Shmoocon, and the Layer 8 conference. Further emphasis on her skills and knowledge can be demonstrated in the certifications and awards she's achieved, including Associate of ISC2 (CISSP), SANS GOSI, AWS Solutions Architect, and Trace Labs OSINT CTF First Place Black Badge as well as the Most Valuable OSINT badge. J. Overton is a co-host of the Sea Control podcast, editor of “Sea Power By Other Means,” and a member of the Military Writers Guild. Links - Rae's Web Site DEEP DIVE: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence Rae's LinkedIn page
Ian T. Brown is a retired Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter pilot, with multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific throughout his career. He has written dozens of articles, reviews, and short stories on military history, military theory, future war, and wargaming, to include the book A New Conception of War: John Boyd, the U.S. Marines, and Maneuver Warfare (Marine Corps University Press, 2018), which was added to the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Professional Reading List in 2019 and remains on the list today. He has also contributed to or developed several commercial wargame designs, including the card game #Maneuver Warfare, published by the Dietz Foundation in 2025. J. Overton is co-host of the Sea Control podcast and edited the essay collection “Seapower by Other Means: Naval Contributions to National Objectives Beyond Sea Control, Power Projection, and Traditional Service Missions.” Links - Snowmobiles and Grand Ideals: John Boyd's Vision for Thriving in Chaos. New Conception of War Marine Corps University Press online order form (can be used for hard copies of all their books, including “New Conception of War” and “Snowmobiles”) #Maneuver Warfare card game:
Links: https://thecultureshack.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/updated-resilience-roadmap- 2.0-.pdf https://blog.schee.info/2024/11/04/civil-defense-in-taiwan-its-not-just-one-or-two-groups/ https://blog.schee.info/2025/10/12/zero-based-mobilization-a-rapid-assessment-of-the- recent-hualien-flood-disaster-and-the-modernization-of-taiwans-mobilization-systems/ https://blog.schee.info/2023/05/28/disinformation-is-an-information-environment- problem/ https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-10-27/taiwan-ham-radio-amateurs- civil-defense Bio: TH Schee is a Taiwanese tech entrepreneur, lecturer and policy advisor for civil defense, licensed amateur radio operator, and search and rescue practitioner.
Thomas M. Duffy is a retired American diplomat and naval officer writing as an independent researcher. His interests are naval history and maritime strategy. Tom's assignments over his 38-year overall career with the US Government included service aboard USS Cochrane (DDG-21) during the Tanker War and as a maritime strategist in the Pentagon with the US Navy's Strategic Concepts Group (OP-603). After joining the Foreign Service, he served primarily in the Middle East, including as the first State Department Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) with the US FIFTH Fleet in Bahrain and as US Consul General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Tom holds a BA in Government from Notre Dame and an MA in War Studies from King's College, London. He is a graduate of the US Naval War College and taught about strategy at the US National War College. J. Overton is co-host of the Sea Control podcast and edited the essay collection “Seapower by Other Means: Naval Contributions to National Objectives Beyond Sea Control, Power Projection, and Traditional Service Missions.” Links - Tanker War in the Gulf: Operation Earnest Will, Diplomacy and Seapower in Practice Stop Phrasing Military Moves as ‘Deterrence' Tom's Linkedin page
Links No paywall “Erasing the American Global Military Footprint Won't Make a Better World,” in Newsweek “Five Recommendations for Left-of-Boom Security Assistance to Taiwan,”in War on the Rocks “The Taiwan Question: Cross-Strait Relations and US Policy Past, Present, and Future,” virtual lecture for the Naval War College Foundation Paywalled “Muddied Waters: Freedom-of-Navigation Operations as Signals in the South China Sea,” in The British Journal of Politics and International Relations “New Imagined Geographies into Old Geobodies: Problems and Prospects for China and Taiwan in the South China Sea,” in Territory, Politics, Governance “Security in the Asia-Pacific and Signaling at Sea,” in International Relations of the Asia-Pacific
Ross Hill is the founder and CEO of Insight Forward (IF), a Geopolitical Risk Intelligence advisory service specializing in corporate intelligence. He has over 15 years' experience in public and private sector intelligence. Dr. Treston Wheat is currently the Chief Geopolitical Officer with Insight Forward specializing in geopolitical risk and red teaming. Dr. Wheat is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University where he teaches intelligence analysis. J. Overton is co-host of the Sea Control podcast and edited the essay collection “Seapower by Other Means: Naval Contributions to National Objectives Beyond Sea Control, Power Projection, and Traditional Service Missions.” Links - Insight Forward Iran Escalation Scenario: What a humanitarian-framed intervention could mean for regional stability and corporate risk Pestle and Mortar newsletter Boardroom Statecraft
Links: Steve's website “The Last Navigator: A Young Man, and Ancient Mariner, the Secrets of the Sea” The Last Navigator documentarySteve's lecture at the US Naval Academy
By Brian Kerg Dr. Elsa Kania joins the program to discuss her dissertation, “China’s Command Revolution,” which examines the reforms, adaptation, and emerging innovation in Chinese military command capabilities. Dr. Elsa Kania received her PhD in Government from Harvard University. She served as a visiting scholar for the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, as an … Continue reading Sea Control 595: China’s Command Revolution with Elsa Kania →
By J. Overton Dr. Emma Salisbury joins the program to discuss her essay, “From Hulls to Pods: Why NATO's Navies Should Beware of the Allure of Mission Modularity,” in the new book in the ISPK SeaPower Series Guardians of the North Atlantic: NATO Maritime Strategies and Naval Operations in Turbulent Times. Dr. Emma Salisbury is … Continue reading Sea Control: 594: From Hulls to Pods with Emma Salisbury →
Bio: Dr. Elsa Kania received her PhD in Government from Harvard University. She served as a visiting scholar for the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, as an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and is an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.LinkedIn
Dr. Emma Salisbury is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute's National Security Program, an Associate Fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre, and a Contributing Editor at War on the Rocks. She writes widely on military-industrial matters, geopolitics, and national security in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, with a particular focus on the maritime. She is based just outside London in the United Kingdom.Links 1. Proposed US Battleship: https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/01/the-trump-class-battleship-spectacle-wins-out-over-combat-power/2. Constellation-Class Frigate: https://www.fpri.org/article/2025/12/want-of-frigates-why-is-it-so-hard-for-america-to-buy-small-surface-combatants/3. Atlantic Bastion: https://www.fpri.org/article/2025/08/atlantic-bastion-the-future-of-anti-submarine-warfare/4. Dr. Salisbury at FPRI: https://www.fpri.org/contributor/emma-salisbury/
Host Brian Kerg talks with General Robert Neller, USMC (Ret.) to discuss the role of information in warfighting and the Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (MIG). General Robert Neller served as the 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps from 2015 to 2019. He was commissioned in 1975 and served as an infantry officer. … Continue reading Sea Control: 593 Information and Warfighting with General Robert Neller →
Links1. "For 250 years, it's been ‘change or lose' for our military. Here's what needs changing now," by Robert Neller and Peter Singer, Defense One, June 22, 2025.2. "Change or Lose: Past and Future War Lessons on 250th Birthday of the US Army and US Marine Corps," by Robert Neller and Peter Singer, Youtube, November 10, 2025.3. "Thinking First, Adapting Fast: Debating the Marine Corps' Need for the Information Group," by Brian Kerg, War on the Rocks, November 7, 2025.4. "Kill It or Fix It: Why Marine Corps Information Warfare Has Failed After a Decade of MIGs," by Dan Burns, Information Professionals Association, August 20, 2025.5. "Killing the MIG is the Last Thing We Should Do," by Colonel Ray Gerber, USMC (Ret.), Information Professionals Association, September 7, 2025.6. "Blinding First, Striking Fast: Why the Marine Corps Needs Information Groups," by Ben Jensen and Ian Fletcher, War on the Rocks, October 13, 2025.
Walker interviews U.S. Coast Guard Commander Steven Hulse about his Proceedings article, “Bases on the Aleutians Islands Would Project Power Across the Pacific.” Hulse discusses his own experience operating in the Aleutians as a cutterman, and why they are still strategically relevant. Download Sea Control 592: The US Coast Guard in the Aleutian Islands with … Continue reading Sea Control 592: The US Coast Guard in the Aleutian Islands with Steven Hulse →
Links1. “Bases on the Aleutians Islands Would Project Power Across the Pacific,” by Steven Hulse, Proceedings, January 2025.
Host Brian Kerg talks with Steve Brock and Hunter Stires to discuss their CIMSEC article, “Maritime Statecraft and Its Future.” Steven V. Brock was appointed by the White House as the Senior Advisor to the 78th Secretary of the Navy, where from 2022 to 2025 he served as a chief strategist and key implementor of … Continue reading Sea Control 591: Maritime Statecraft and Its Future with Steve Brock and Hunter Stires →
Host Walker D. Mills interviews Marine Corps Captain Colton Byers about his article for the War Quants substack, “Carrier 2.0: The Drone Carrier Revolution.” Their discussion covers salvo equations and modeling, the utility of drone carriers, and how they might integrate with a modern naval fleet. Download Sea Control 590: Drone Carriers and Salvo Equations … Continue reading Sea Control 590: Drone Carriers and Salvo Equations with Colton Byers →
Links1. "Maritime Statecraft and its Future," by Steve Brock and Hunter Stires, CIMSEC, October 21, 2025.2. "SECNAV Del Toro Calls for a New, Bold Maritime Statecraft in Era of Intense Strategic Competition," Department of the Navy, September 23, 2023.
“Carrier 2.0: The Drone Carrier Revolution,” by Colton Byers, War Quants (December 28, 2024). “Damn the Torpedoes: The Return of Naval Mining,” by Colton Byers, War Quants (January 31, 2025).
By J. Overton Lt. Col. Craig Whiteside, (Ret.) PhD., joins the program to discuss the new book he co-authored with Ian Rice, Non-state Special Operations: Capabilities and Effects. Dr. Whiteside shares how to define and apply terms like “non-state” and “special operations, historical examples of this type of operation, their use by contemporary actors, and … Continue reading Sea Control 589: Non-state Special Operations with Craig Whiteside →
By J. Overton Pieter Zhao joins the program to discuss his article, “Outsourcing Security at Sea—The Return of Private Maritime-Security Companies and Their Role in Twenty-First-Century Maritime Security.” He discusses the growing role of private maritime-security companies in the modern world and situations where they could provide maritime security. Pieter W.G. Zhao is a PhD … Continue reading Sea Control 588: Outsourcing Security at Sea with Pieter Zhao →
By J. Overton Elaine Helm joins the program to reflect on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and her time as a journalist embedded with the U.S. military during their response and recovery operations in New Orleans and Houston. Elaine Helm is a communications professional and former journalist who lives and works in the Seattle … Continue reading Sea Control 587: 20 Years After the Military Response to Hurricane Katrina →
Dr. Craig Whiteside is Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College resident program at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. He is a research fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism and the International Centre for Counterterrorism-The Hague. Whiteside's current work focuses on the leadership succession and military doctrine of the Islamic State militant group, and he co-authored The ISIS Reader: Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement (Hurst Publishers/Oxford University Press, 2020). His current book is Non-State Special Operations: Capabilities and Effects (Routledge, July 2025). He is the 2022 winner of the US Naval War College Excellence in Research Award. His publications can be found here.Links: Non-state Special Operations: Capabilities and Effects https://www.routledge.com/Non-state-Special-Operations-Capabilities-and-Effects/Rice-Whiteside/p/book/9781032594514?srsltid=AfmBOoqur7WH1KdVFwx-v-itaXGYJ4GaMwNHJH5i67tZDV34tj1q2DG6The Isis Reader https://theisisreader.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web@CraigAWhiteside on X or @craigwhiteside@bsky.social on BlueSky
Links: Outsourcing Security at Sea—The Return of Private Maritime-Security Companies and Their Role in Twenty-First-Century Maritime Security, Naval War College Review Irregular Warfare InitiativePieter W.G. Zhao is a PhD Researcher and Junior Lecturer at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, focusing on history and international relations in the maritime domain. He's also a Nonresident Fellow at the Irregular Warfare Initiative. His doctoral research analyzes the changing dynamics in the 21st-century maritime warfare and security environment from an applied historical perspective, focusing on non-state actors and irregular warfare at sea. He obtained his BA and MA in History from the Erasmus University Rotterdam, followed by a second Master's degree in International Security studies from Sciences Po, Paris, and the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington DC.LinkedInBlueSkyContact PageJ. Overton is co-host of the Sea Control podcast and edited the essay collection “Seapower by Other Means: Naval Contributions to National Objectives Beyond Sea Control, Power Projection, and Traditional Service Missions.”
Guest bio: Elaine Helm is communications professional and former journalist who lives and works in the Seattle area. She was the military reporter for the Kitsap Sun and the founder and editor of the pioneering Northwest Navy News site. Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainehelm/
By Brian Kerg Commander William Spears, U.S. Navy, joins the program to discuss his article, “What Moral Leadership Looks Like,” which examines the philosophical approach of Admiral Stockdale during his time as a POW in North Vietnam. Commander William C. Spears is a submarine warfare officer in the U.S. Navy and the author of Stoicism as … Continue reading Sea Control 586: What Moral Leadership Looks Like with William Spears →
Links1. "What Moral Leadership Looks Like," by William Spears, CIMSEC, July 16, 2025. 2. Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy: Insights on the Morality of Military Service, by William Spears, Casemate, 2025.3. William Spears website.
By Jonathan Selling Retired USN Commander Chuck Ridgway joins the podcast to discuss his article “What Imperial Germany Teaches About China's Naval Basing Ambitions,” which appeared in the May issue of Proceedings. Commander Ridgway is a retired U.S. Navy surface warfare and a reserve Africa foreign area officer. After leaving active duty, he worked for … Continue reading Sea Control 585: Imperial Germany and China's Basing Ambitions with Chuck Ridgeway →
Links1. "What Imperial Germany Teaches About China's Naval Basing Ambitions," by Chuck Ridgeway, Proceedings, May 2025.
By Brian Kerg Major Chris Denzel of the United States Marine Corps and Mr. Sebastian Bae of the Center for Naval Analyses to discuss their experience supporting wargaming in the Pacific, specifically in support of bilateral wargames involving the U.S. and Japan. Chris Denzel is an intelligence officer and operational planner. He is currently serving … Continue reading Sea Control 584: Wargaming in the Pacific with Chris Denzel and Sebastian Bae →
Links1. Sebastian Bae Twitter.
By Jonathan Selling Professor Ronald Po joins Jonathan to discuss his new book, Shaping the Blue Dragon: Maritime China in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which covers the maritime policies of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Download Sea Control 583: Shaping the Blue Dragon with Ronald Po Links 1. Dr Ronald C. Po profile. 2. Shaping … Continue reading Sea Control 583: Shaping the Blue Dragon with Ronald Po →
Dr Ronald C. PoShaping the Blue Dragon [Amazon]Further Reading:Dr Xing Hang on the Zheng regime in TaiwanDr Ling-wei Kung on the Manchu's maritime awareness prior to establishing their capital in Beijing
Ships, Guns and Money: The Logistics of Revolution and Garibaldi's Campaign of 1860 Garibaldi: Invention of a Hero (Yale University Press, 2007), by Lucy Riall. Enrico Acciai with a more long-term history of Garibaldi's legacy in the terms of war volunteeringMaurizio Isabella providing a good summary of histories of Italy in the nineteenth-centuryDavid Sims with using a "follow the money" approach to Irish nationalism in the same time periodAnd finally some background on the nineteenth-century Mediterranean
The Marine Littoral Regiment's Missing Link
Building Resilient Kill Chains for the Stand in Force
By Brian Kerg Major Ben Van Horrick and LtCol Scott ‘Chuck' Blyleven of the United States Marine Corps join the program to discuss the article, “Partnering Will Determine the First Days of Conflict in the Western Pacific.” Download Sea Control 579: Partnering for Conflict in the Western Pacific Links 1. “Partnering Will Determine the First … Continue reading Sea Control 579: Partnering for Conflict in the Western Pacific →
By Brian Kerg Naval War College Professor of Strategy Andrew Erickson joins the program to talk about his recent book, Chinese Amphibious Warfare, the most current and authoritative assessment of PLA amphibious capabilities. Dr. Andrew S. Erickson is Professor of Strategy (tenured full professor) in the U.S. Naval War College (NWC)'s China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI). … Continue reading Sea Control 578: Chinese Amphibious Warfare with Andrew Erickson →
Partnering Will Determine the First Days of Conflict in the Western PacificResolute Dragon: Reassurance, Deterrence, and a Call for Coordination
By J. Overton Dr. Ben Zweibelson joins the program to talk about his new book, Reconceptualizing War. Dr. Zweibelson has over three decades of service to the U.S. Department of Defense, retiring as an Infantry Officer with 22 years combined service, multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and awarded four Bronze Stars. Author of … Continue reading Sea Control 577: Reconceptualizing War with Ben Zweibelson →
By Walker Mills Dr. Tommy Jamison joins the program to discuss his recent article “Rescuing Heritage from Humiliation: The Navalist Reinterpretation of the Sino-French and Sino-Japanese Wars,” published in the October issue of the Journal of Military History. The conversation focuses on recent reinterpretations of the Sino-French and Sino-Japanese Wars, and what they can tell … Continue reading Sea Control 576: Rescuing Heritage from Humiliation with Tommy Jamison →
By J. Overton Dr. Sebastian Bruns joins the program to talk about his article, “Conundrums, Right Ahead: Five strategic concerns for Baltic Sea decision-makers.” Sebastian is a naval strategist and sea power expert based in Kiel, Germany, where he is senior researcher at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University. Download Sea Control 575: … Continue reading Sea Control 575: Baltic Conundrums with Sebastian Bruns →
By Brian Kerg Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hough joins the podcast to discuss his article, “Diplomacy for Better Stand-In Force Access in Japan.” Lieutenant Colonel Hough is a combat engineer officer serving as an operational planner in the III MEF G-357 Future Operations Branch in Okinawa, Japan. He deployed as a combat engineer officer in support … Continue reading Sea Control 574: Diplomacy for Better Stand-in Force Access in Japan with Daniel Hough →
By Alexia Bouallagui Sea Control presents the first in a special series by cohost Alexia Bouallagui on Italian maritime security research. On this episode Alexia is joined by Federico Petroni to discuss Arctic geopolitics. Federico Petroni is a geopolitical analyst at Limes, the Italian review of geopolitics, and coordinator of the school of Limes. This … Continue reading Sea Control 573: The Great North Challenges the Mediterranean with Federico Petroni →
By Jonathan Selling Author Andrew Boyd joins the podcast to discuss his book, Arms for Russia and the Naval War in the Arctic, 1941-1945. He discusses the importance of Lend-Lease to the Soviet Union and the importance of the Arctic route in supplying them. Andrew Boyd CMG, OBE, DPhil was educated at Britannia Royal Naval … Continue reading Sea Control 572: Arms for Russia with Andrew Boyd →
By Brian Kerg Scholars Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison join the program to discuss their recent book, Revolutionary Taiwan: Making Nationhood in a Changing World Order. Their book discusses the making of the Taiwanese nation, which sees itself as a state and a homeland in its own right, despite having not achieved formal international … Continue reading Sea Control 571: Revolutionary Taiwan with Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison →