Practical information
A conference organized by Ifri and the French Navy. The world has entered a new strategic cycle, characterized by the assertion of new powers eager to revise the international order, the predominance of unilateralism, and the increased risk of confrontation between States.
In such a context, naval combat appears as a plausible hypothesis that can arise in the context of a high-intensity conflict. The return to this strategy is also reflected in massive rearmament on a global scale, with each country wishing to retain a comparative advantage or at least limit its capacity gap. The increase in the format of the navies has also been accompanied by a qualitative evolution, with the production of heavier and more versatile high-spectrum capabilities, whether for warships, coastal defences, naval aviation, or submarines.
This conference, with high-end speakers from France, the US, and the UK, aims at reflecting on these evolutions and proposing solutions for the navies.
Video teaser
Program
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.: Welcome Remarks by Dr. Thomas Gomart, Director, Ifri, and Admiral Pierre Vandier, Chief of Staff of the French Navy
2.15 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.: SESSION 1 - Challenges, Key Priorities and Prospects of Western Navies
- Chair: Dr. Thomas Gomart, Director, Ifri
- Speakers:
- Admiral Pierre Vandier, Chief of Staff of the French Navy
- Admiral Michael M. Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations of the U.S. Navy
- Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy
3:30 p.m. – 4:45 pm: SESSION 2 - The Evolution of Naval Strategy in Today’s Geopolitical Context
- Chair: Héloïse Fayet, Research Fellow, Security Studies Center, Ifri
- Speakers:
- Kristen Gunness, Senior Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation
- Dr. Elie Tenenbaum, Director of the Security Studies Center, Ifri
- Prof. Geoffrey Till, Emeritus Professor of Maritime Studies, King's College London
4:45 p.m. - 5:00p.m.: Coffee Break
5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.: SESSION 3 - The Impact of New Technologies on Maritime Forces
- Chair: Dr. Nicolas Mazzucchi, Research Director at the Center for Strategic Studies of the French Navy (CESM)
- Speakers:
- Dr. Alison Russell, Associate Professor of Political Science, Merrimack College
- Philippe Gros, Researcher, Fondation for Strategic Research (FRS)
- Nick Childs, Senior Fellow for Naval Forces and Maritime Security, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) London
6:15 – 6:30 p.m.: Concluding Remarks by Alice Rufo, General Director for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS), French Ministry of Armed Forces
See the replay of the conference on YouTube.
The conference will be held in English and French with simultaneous translation.
Find out more
Naval Combat Redux: A Renewed Challenge for Western Navies
Our world is becoming increasingly contested and unpredictable and we are trending towards a return of great power strategic competition, characterized by more frequent challenges to the established rules-based international order. As a consequence, the risk of interstate conflict continues to rise. This regressive evolution is most readily apparent in the maritime domain, where the concomitant impacts on the free flow of international trade and the control of illegal and unregulated fishing are interlaced with the prescient, yet growing challenge of environmental security.
Related Subjects
Other events
From Ambition to Action: Exploring Technological Partnerships with India
The 16th EU-India Summit, held on January 27th in New Delhi with European leaders António Costa, Ursula von der Leyen, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marks a significant milestone in deepening EU-India relations. At the same time, official bilateral visits from EU member states are on the rise, including that of the French President, who visited India in February to participate in the Artificial Intelligence Summit. As India asserts its technological ambitions and seeks to reduce its dependence on China, Europe is stepping up its efforts to diversify its strategic partnerships.
The Enlargement of the European Union: A Strategic Choice? France, the Western Balkans and the EU in an Uncertain Geopolitical Context
Russia’s war against Ukraine has brought the enlargement of the European Union back to the centre of European strategic debates. In this context, the Western Balkans have regained heightened visibility in discussions on the continent’s security, at a time when the international environment is marked by a growing number of destabilising factors.