War at sea

The sinking of the Iranian frigate Dena in the Indian Ocean on 4 March by the United States Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte is a blunt reminder that maritime war does not respect the tidy geographic boundaries delineated on paper in policy frameworks.

Sea power means more than just ships

The conflict in the Middle East and threats to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have pushed oil prices sharply higher and proved that Australia’s prosperity depends on sea lanes it does little to secure.

The sea, the sea

The current conflict in the Middle East highlights the importance of maintaining Australia’s naval and commercial fleets and improving home grown oil refining capacity.