Maritime Strategy in a New Era of Great Power Competition

As a maritime nation, naval power is the U.S.’s most useful means of responding to distant crises, preventing them from harming our security or that of our allies and partners, and keeping geographically remote threats from metastasizing into conflicts that could approach our borders. A maritime defense demands a maritime strategy.

After several decades of unchallenged world leadership, the United States once again faces great power competition, this time featuring two rival world powers. China and Russia increasingly bristle under the constraints of the post-World War II systems of global trade, finance, and governance that the United States has protected and sustained. Both are demonstrably improving the quality of their armed forces, while simultaneously acting aggressively toward neighboring countries, some of which are U.S. treaty allies. These nations are turning their attention to naval operations far from their own coasts designed to advance national interests often in tension with those of the United States. How can the United States develop a maritime strategy to engage with rising great power competition?

On January 29, Hudson Institute hosted a panel to discuss its recent report, Maritime Strategy in a New Era of Great Power Competition, and how the United States can advance a comprehensive naval strategy. The panel consisted of Seth Cropsey, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for American Seapower; Bryan McGrath, Deputy Director, Center for American Seapower; and Walter Russell Mead, Distinguished Fellow, Hudson Institute.