China, IUU Fishing, the Navy Reserve, and more China

By Bill Hamblet

February 2023

Nearly every article in this issue addresses some aspect of how to deal with the threat China and its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) pose to peace and security in Asia.

CEO Notes

February 2023

Register now for WEST 2023—the Sea Services event of the year!

Comment & Discussion

February 2023

Readers respond to articles on Sea Power, Cyber Power, and more.

Active-Duty Medical Researchers Are Force Enablers

By Commander Andrew G. Letizia, Captain Adam W. Armstrong, and Rear Admiral Bruce L. Gillingham, U.S. Navy

February 2023

Active-duty medical researchers are essential to maintaining U.S. naval superiority.

WTIs Should Lead the Way for Unmanned

By Victor Sussman

February 2023

Effective USV employment will require tactically savvy commanders, yet acquiring tactical skill is a career-long endeavor.

Improve Guided Reading Programs

By Senior Chief Petty Officer Ross C. Wilson, U.S. Navy

February 2023

A system tailored to recommend books relevant to specific job roles, situations, and seniority would better guide service members

Make It a Home Game: Lessons for Littoral Campaigns

By Major Dustin Nicholson, U.S. Marine Corps

February 2023

CNO Naval History Essay Contest, Rising Historian—Second Prize. The winning side is the one that best integrates the home team, joint sea power, and trusted scouting.

Win the Urban War in Taiwan

By Sidharth Kaushal and Gary Somerville

February 2023

U.S. and Taiwanese planners should prepare for urban war against China.

Defend Taiwan with Naval Mines

By Scott Savitz

February 2023

Mine warfare can make Taiwan less vulnerable to a cross-strait attack by China.

Victory Through Grand Ideals

By Lieutenant Colonel Brian Kerg, U.S. Marine Corps

February 2023

Short fiction details a Chinese look back at a failed 2029 U.S. effort to defend Taiwan.

Commemorating 150 Years of Proceedings: Training and Education

By A. Denis Clift

February 2023

Highlighting 150 years of training and education in Proceedings.

Rethinking Japan Self-Defense Force’s Strategic Deployment

By Captain Takashi Morimoto, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

February 2023

LtGen John A. Lejeune Writing Award, Sponsored by the Expeditionary Warfare School. New threats in the southwest require a shift in JSDF thinking and forces.

The Cod Wars and Lessons for Maritime Counterinsurgency

By Kevin Bilms

February 2023

Iceland’s defense of its fisheries parallels modern struggles with China’s IUU fishing.

Fishing for Trouble: Chinese IUU Fishing and the Risk of Escalation

By Commander Jennifer Runion, U.S. Coast Guard

February 2023

Shiprider programs, bilateral agreements, and information sharing can help counter Chinese IUU fishing.

The Art & Science of War: An Interview with James FitzSimonds

By Commander Christopher Nelson, U.S. Navy

February 2023

Retired Navy Captain FitzSimonds discusses officer education and preparation for modern warfare.

Today’s Navy Reserve Is Focused on High-End Readiness

February 2023

Vice Admiral John Mustin, Chief of the Navy Reserve, talks about the state of the Navy’s Reserve Force, its priorities, and where the reserves are headed in 2023 and beyond.

Navigate Your Department Head Tour with Confidence and Humility

By Captain Jean Marie Sullivan, U.S. Navy

February 2023

Navigating the shift from junior officer to department head can be tricky.

Fix the Navy’s Flawed PQS Program

By Lieutenant Commander Joshua McNett, U.S. Navy

February 2023

PQSs should be reviewed for change or revision at least every two years, and five years at the latest. This is often not happening.

Sailors Must Do Data Science at Sea

By Commanders Jonathan Wiens and Christopher Nelson, U.S. Navy

February 2023

Solving the information needs of the afloat commander requires onboard analysts who can not only access, exploit, clean, and analyze data, but who also can develop analytic tools.

The Vessel Traffic Service Needs a Major Radar Upgrade

By Hugh Roarty

February 2023

As the Coast Guard considers new technologies, the service should invest in a highly capable multimission radar for its Vessel Traffic Service centers.

Book Reviews

February 2023

Experts review Mastering the Art of Command, The Abyss, and other new and noteworthy books.

Where Is the Coast Guard Military Reading List?

By Commander Peter Olsen, U.S. Coast Guard (Retired)

February 2023

Where is the Coast Guard’s military professional reading list?

Where We Were

February 2023

A look back at the February issues of Proceedings from 1923, 1973, and 1998.

From Our Archives

February 2023

Ensign Jesse L. Brown, U.S. Navy, the first African American naval aviator and a pilot with VF-32, sits in the cockpit of an F4U-4 Corsair aircraft.

High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites Are Ready for Launch

By Captain W. Stone Holden, U.S. Marine Corps

February 2023

High-altitude pseudo-satellite unmanned aerial vehicles are moving rapidly toward maturity, thanks to trends in solar power, battery storage, and artificial intelligence.

Indonesia’s SIGMA Solution: 10514 Multipurpose Frigates

By Eric Wertheim

February 2023

Indonesia recently added two modern SIGMA 10514 multipurpose warships, also known as Perusak Kawal Rudal frigates, to its fleet.

Electronic Charts Ready for Navigation

By Edward J. Walsh

February 2023

Northrop Grumman’s Naval and Oceanic Systems group is implementing software changes and upgrades to the Navy’s Electronic Chart Display and Information System.

From Little Beavers to Nuclear Bainbridge

By A. Denis Clift

February 2023

Future Navy Vice Admiral Raymond E. Peet recalls his time as a gunnery officer in the heat of the battle of the Pacific in his 1984 oral history.

Asked & Answered

February 2023

What or for whom should the next aircraft carrier (CVN-82) be named and why?

The Navy Needs Deckplate Diplomats

By William “Wes” Stange

February 2023

With missions and partners in every corner of the globe, the Navy needs officers knowledgeable in international and regional affairs.

Let Marines Fight Submarines

By Captain Karl Flynn, U.S. Marine Corps

February 2023

To counter the Chinese submarine threat, the Sea Services, including the Marine Corps, should focus on improving their ASW.

Aggressive Deterrence Requires a Sharp Sword

By Lieutenant Commander Trevor DiMarco, U.S. Navy

February 2023

Deterrence requires a credible military threat—and a force prepared for the grim realities of large-scale conflict.

An EMP or Solar Incident Could Result in Blackout Warfare 

By Gunnery Sergeant Joshua E. Owen, U.S. Marine Corps 

February 2023

A coronal mass ejection or deliberate EMP could be devastating.

The Navy–Marine Corps Team Must Prevent an American Moskva in the Pacific

By Captain Robert Holmes, U.S. Marine Corps

February 2023

Working together, the Navy and Marine Corps can minimize the risk to ships inside China’s weapons engagement zone in the western Pacific.

The Navy’s Study-Abroad Programs Need Better Variety

By Midshipman Second Class Natalie Schirmacher, U.S. Navy

February 2023

The U.S. Navy should give young officers more opportunities to work in collaboration with foreign services to give them a better understanding of the world.

Manufacture Critical Parts on Site

By Chief Petty Officer Michael Larson, U.S. Navy

February 2023

New technologies can provide high-quality, easily reproducible parts with low waste.

Coast Guard Migrant Interdiction Operations Are in a State of Emergency

By Commander Michael Feltovic and Lieutenant Commander Robert O’Donnell, U.S. Coast Guard

February 2023

The Coast Guard is overwhelmed managing maritime migration in the Caribbean. It needs the Navy’s help. Maritime migration levels are reaching increasingly high levels and pushing the Coast Guard interdiction ...