CIMSEC: The Center for International Maritime Security

CIMSEC: The Center for International Maritime Security Non-partisan think tank building a global community of practitioners and academics in maritime security. CIMSEC is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank.

The Center for International Maritime Security is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank. Formed in 2012, it brings together forward-thinkers from a variety of fields to examine the capabilities, threats, hotspots, and opportunities for security in the maritime domain. We encourage a diversity of views. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the offic

ial viewpoints or policies of the contributor’s employers, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. For media inquiries please contact [email protected]

"Selective Sea Denial: The Rise of Land-based Anti-Ship Missiles as Political Instruments", by Helge AdriansLand-based a...
05/28/2026

"Selective Sea Denial: The Rise of Land-based Anti-Ship Missiles as Political Instruments", by Helge Adrians

Land-based anti-ship missiles have evolved from tactical coastal defense weapons into powerful political instruments capable of imposing “selective sea denial,” disrupting global shipping through calibrated risk, economic pressure, and persistent uncertainty. From the Red Sea to the Baltic and South China Sea, these mobile missile systems increasingly enable states and non-state actors to shape maritime behavior and escalation dynamics without needing full naval superiority.



By Helge Adrians Recent conflicts in the Middle East highlight how maritime kill chains from ashore impose risk on global shipping. However, Western navies have yet to fully grasp that within these loosely integrated sensor-to-shooter networks, land-based Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) systems have become...

Sea Control 604 — Operationalizing Marine Military Police for Base DefenseHost Brian Kerg talks with LtCol Bobby Fowler,...
05/21/2026

Sea Control 604 — Operationalizing Marine Military Police for Base Defense

Host Brian Kerg talks with LtCol Bobby Fowler, USMC, to discuss his Marine Corps Gazette article, “From Patrol to Protection: Operationalizing Marine Military Police for Base Defense.”



Host Brian Kerg talks with LtCol Bobby Fowler, USMC, to discuss his Marine Corps Gazette article, “From Patrol to Protection: Operationalizing Marine Military Police for Base Defense.”

CIMSEC Volunteer OpeningCIMSEC is looking for candidates to build out our technical support team with volunteers who can...
05/19/2026

CIMSEC Volunteer Opening

CIMSEC is looking for candidates to build out our technical support team with volunteers who can help manage and upgrade our Wordpress site. This is an important line of effort as we look to revamp the site, make upgrades, and reinforce cybersecurity. Interested applicants can reach out to [email protected].



CIMSEC Volunteer Opening CIMSEC is looking for candidates to build out our technical support team with volunteers who can help manage and upgrade our Wordpress site. This is an important line of effort as we look to revamp the site, make upgrades, and reinforce cybersecurity. Interested applicants c...

Call for Articles: Maritime War with IranCIMSEC is seeking submissions for its latest call for articles on maritime war ...
05/18/2026

Call for Articles: Maritime War with Iran

CIMSEC is seeking submissions for its latest call for articles on maritime war with Iran, inviting analysis on naval strategy, escalation dynamics, and implications for global security.

Contribute insights on one of today’s most pressing maritime challenges and help shape the conversation on conflict at sea—learn more and submit at the link below.

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Articles Due: June 1, 2026 Week Dates: June 15-19, 2026 Story Length: 1,5000-3,000 Words Submit to: [email protected] The United States and Iran are at war, with a vital waterway dominating strategic concerns. A fight over the Strait of Hormuz has been a prominent naval scenario for more than 40 ye...

"Maritime Cost Imposition: A New Approach to Great Power War", by Greg Malandrino and Aaron MarchantThe U.S. Navy should...
05/18/2026

"Maritime Cost Imposition: A New Approach to Great Power War", by Greg Malandrino and Aaron Marchant

The U.S. Navy should pair a low-cost, customized sea denial force in the Western Pacific with a strategy of global maritime “cost imposition” against China, targeting its worldwide trade, infrastructure, and economic vulnerabilities rather than relying solely on high-end naval assets near Taiwan. Combining regional denial with sustained global economic warfare would better exploit U.S. advantages in reach and maritime power while avoiding the risks of concentrating carriers and surface combatants inside China’s missile threat envelope.



By Greg Malandrino and Aaron Marchant Operation Epic Fury raises many questions about how well the U.S. military is prepared for the character of a 21st-century great-power war against the People’s Republic of China. While it appears too early to assess the results of this latest war or the effect...

Sea Control 603 — Seaforth World Naval ReviewConrad Waters, editor of the Seaforth World Naval Review, joins Jonathan to...
05/11/2026

Sea Control 603 — Seaforth World Naval Review

Conrad Waters, editor of the Seaforth World Naval Review, joins Jonathan to discuss the 2026 edition. The two discuss naval developments over the last year and how things look in the upcoming year.



Conrad Waters, editor of the Seaforth World Naval Review joins Jonathan to discuss the 2026 edition. The two discuss naval developments over the last year and how things look in the upcoming year.

Call for Articles: Maritime War with IranCIMSEC is seeking submissions for its latest call for articles on maritime war ...
05/11/2026

Call for Articles: Maritime War with Iran

CIMSEC is seeking submissions for its latest call for articles on maritime war with Iran, inviting analysis on naval strategy, escalation dynamics, and implications for global security.

Contribute insights on one of today’s most pressing maritime challenges and help shape the conversation on conflict at sea—learn more and submit at the link below.



Articles Due: June 1, 2026 Week Dates: June 15-19, 2026 Story Length: 1,5000-3,000 Words Submit to: [email protected] The United States and Iran are at war, with a vital waterway dominating strategic concerns. A fight over the Strait of Hormuz has been a prominent naval scenario for more than 40 ye...

"Lost in the Small Surface Combatant Wilderness", by Kevin EyerThe Navy’s continued struggle to define the role of Small...
05/08/2026

"Lost in the Small Surface Combatant Wilderness", by Kevin Eyer

The Navy’s continued struggle to define the role of Small Surface Combatants risks the new “Future Frigate” inheriting many of the same conceptual and mission ambiguities that plagued the Littoral Combat Ship program. Without a clearly defined operational purpose and realistic understanding of capability limits, reorganizing or recapitalizing the SSC force will not solve the Navy’s broader strategic and force structure challenges.



By Kevin Eyer Between January 13 and 15, the 38th Annual Surface Navy Symposium convened in Crystal City, Virginia, offering a detailed look at the state of the surface fleet. Senior leaders—from the Secretary of the Navy to the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commander of Fleet Forces Command.....

"The Aramid Shield: Snare Drones for an Active Undersea Defense Capability", by Franciszek Kopczewski“Aramid Shield” pro...
05/05/2026

"The Aramid Shield: Snare Drones for an Active Undersea Defense Capability", by Franciszek Kopczewski

“Aramid Shield” proposes a layered undersea defense concept using networks of sensor, decoy, and “snare” drones to actively detect, confuse, and trap adversary unmanned systems before they can threaten critical seabed infrastructure. As autonomous undersea vehicles proliferate and enable persistent, covert attacks, effective defense must shift from passive protection to distributed, autonomous counter-drone systems that can impose costs and regain control of the undersea domain.



By Franciszek Kopczewski In January and February 2025, Chinese-operated ships Shunxing 39 and Hong Tai 58 committed similar sabotage tactics. Both ships dragged their anchors for miles, intentionally targeting and cutting the critical undersea cables that connect Taiwan to the global internet. This....

"A Four-Ocean Navy: A Wrong Solution to the Right Problem", by Bruce StubbsWhile a “four-ocean navy” concept rightly hig...
05/04/2026

"A Four-Ocean Navy: A Wrong Solution to the Right Problem", by Bruce Stubbs

While a “four-ocean navy” concept rightly highlights the strain of a globally overextended U.S. Navy, it offers an organizational fix without a clear guiding strategy, risking inefficiency and reduced flexibility. Only a disciplined national strategy—defining priorities, adversaries, and desired outcomes—can effectively shape the fleet, not structural reorganization alone.



By Bruce Stubbs I. Introduction “Whether you build a Navy for high consequence, low probability or low consequence, high probability scenarios — in either case you’re left with an over or undersubscribed force that’s sub-optimized to address specific use cases which may never come to bear......

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