Charles Darwin is reputed to have argued that the key to human survival is not humankind’s innate superiority but its natural adaptability. He felt that it was not the strongest or most intelligent species that survived, but the one with the capacity to adapt and adjust to the changing environment. Darwin’s notion of resilient adaptability has withstood the test of time. It is a truism that all human progress requires a flexible approach to dealing with emerging challenges. None more so than in the maritime domain.
New threats in the maritime domain
In recent years, hard security challenges in the maritime domain have acquired a new, menacing dimension. Whether with Ukraine’s growing use of asymmetrical tactics against Russia in the Black Sea or China’s deployment of maritime militias in the South China Sea, there is an unmistakable element of improvisation. The radical new tactics at sea involve the use of grey-zone warfare, land attack missiles, and combat drones.
