Navies and world events in the 21st century

Abstract

As the number and diversity of conflicts at different levels has increased in recent years, and the nature of threats has become more dangerous, the need for effective naval forces to meet and counter those threats and situations will grow. But no one nation will be able to ‘go it alone’ in our increasingly interdependent world. Within this basic security assumption, however, John Dalton, US Secretary of the Navy, detects a paradox: the perceived lack of an obvious, well‐defined threat led to substantial reduction in the navies and militaries that ostensibly triumphed in the Cold War. Since then, the US navy for one has been busier than ever in undertaking actions and exercises with allies in many different contingencies around the world What has been seen to matter more is the quality and capability of naval forces, rather than quantity. In focusing on the roles of naval forces into the 21st century, and outlining scenarios in which those forces may need to be’ used, Secretary Dalton also highlights the need for targeted investment in key technologies and the recognition that enhancing collective security entails a different kind of cost involving national sovereignty on security issues. He concludes that combined naval operations under the aegis of international organisations play a large part in enhancing national sovereignty and can, through close cooperation, help to define international political will to maintain global security.