Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 08/2014

Naval Future: International Preponderance Through Naval Partnership

Martin Murphy, Lee Willett

December 2011

Atlantic Council

Abstract

In this issue brief Martin Murphy and Lee Willett make the case for deepening naval cooperation among the so-called “Five Eyes” countries of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The issue brief argues that while building on the historically close ties between the Anglo-Saxon militaries, deepening cooperation between the navies of the Five Eyes is crucial in an age of austerity putting downward pressure on defense resources, coupled with the emergence of the Pacific as a key region in the 21st Century. Close naval collaboration between the Five Eyes countries in training, operations, concepts development, and procurement could also serve as a model and platform to further extend naval cooperation with other allies in Europe and Asia.