The MOC (Maritime Operations Center) is an online journal produced by the Center for Maritime Strategy. It engages in critical analysis of foreign affairs and defense issues, situating subjects within their wider implications and relation to the maritime domain.
Authors interested in submitting their work to The MOC should email Nick Weising at nweising@navyleague.org and follow the submission guidelines here.
Allied Shipbuilding Needs a Clear Division of Labor
June 4, 2026
By
Christian Cerne
The United States is trying to rebuild maritime power at a moment when its shipbuilding base is under severe strain. A recent executive order now treats shipbuilding, repair, workforce development, and maritime logistics as national security priorities. As Washington looks to allied shipyards for help, it should avoid treating Japan and South Korea as interchangeable […]
NATO Collective Legal Interpretations: Strengthening Alliance Deterrence and Protecting Baltic Undersea Assets Against Grey-Zone Threats
May 26, 2026
By
Catherine Marie Abbott
The Baltic Maritime Security Context Emerging as a coercive tool used to circumvent international energy sanctions after the onset of the Ukrainian-Russo War in 2022, Russian shadow vessels have since become a means of asymmetric tactics, challenging NATO states’ resolve and collective response. As part of Russia’s broader maritime posture, shadow vessels are an array […]
Autonomy in Dry Docking: Engineering Pathways, Operational Realities, and Strategic Imperatives
May 21, 2026
By
David Von Schmidt
Introduction What is autonomy in dry docking? Until recently, the question itself would have seemed misplaced in most shipyards. Dry docking has traditionally been viewed as one of the most human-dependent evolutions in the maritime industry: an operation built upon judgment, experience, timing, and coordination under constantly changing conditions. Unlike highly repetitive industrial processes, dry […]
Damn the Cruise Missiles and Full Speed Ahead in Hormuz
May 19, 2026
By
Dr. Steven Wills
The U.S. Navy is again demonstrating the power of well-equipped, well-crewed warships in the close confines of the Strait of Hormuz. With perhaps a nod to Admiral David Farragut—who rammed his fleet past multiple Confederate forts during the American Civil War—U.S. Navy destroyers supporting Operation Epic Fury have now steamed through the strait under fire […]
The Tiltrotor Advantage and the Evolution of the Joint Force
May 18, 2026
By
Maj. Gen. Malcolm B. Frost, U.S. Army (Ret.), Maj. Gen. Andrew W. O’Donnell, Jr., USMC (Ret.)
The history of military aviation is defined by moments of evolutionary transition: pivot points where the limitations of the past are shed, and new capabilities grow and mature. We have seen this before, from the dawn of the jet age to the space age. Today, the Joint Force is entering another radical shift: the […]
Dangerous Encounters in the Western Pacific
May 14, 2026
By
Admiral James G. Foggo, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
The following article is a reprint and was originally published in 2023; it can be read here. It is important to remember that, in the last two weeks, the interactions between USS CHUNG HOON and a Chinese warship and an American P-8 Poseidon Marine Patrol Aircraft and a Chinese fighter jet took place in international […]
Gulf Security After the Iran War
May 14, 2026
By
Robert S. Wells
With the end of the Iran war on the horizon, a unique opportunity is at hand to establish a new Persian Gulf regional security framework that provides confidence to the maritime community, world energy consumers and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The last time we had a moment like this was in the aftermath of […]
Allied Competition or Collective Strength? The Risks of U.S. Shipbuilding Reshoring
May 12, 2026
By
Matthew Smith
The United States has renewed its focus on revitalizing domestic shipbuilding capacity as part of a broader effort to compete with China’s dominance in the maritime domain. Policymakers have increasingly viewed shipbuilding not only as an economic concern, but as a critical element of national security, enabling both naval readiness and the sustainment of maritime […]
Blue-water Navies: South Korea Becoming a Responsible Stakeholder
May 8, 2026
By
Nazia Kazi
South Korea’s geography places it in the heart of the geopolitical issues in Northeast Asia and the political relationships between its neighbors. Given the nature of the division of the Korean peninsula, the Republic of Korea (ROK) has a unique position as an emerging global leader in an increasingly destabilizing security environment. Prior to the […]
The Jones Act Waivers Aren’t Achieving Stated Purpose But Hinder Long Term Maritime Goals
May 7, 2026
By
John D. McCown
On March 17, 2026 the Department of Homeland Security issued a waiver allowing foreign flag vessels to move various energy related commodities between U.S. ports. The Jones Act reserves the movement of cargo between U.S. ports to vessels built in the U.S. and owned and crewed by U.S. citizens. The 60-day waiver was initially scheduled […]
Trade Relies on Freedom of Navigation by Cargo Ships that Drive the World’s Economies
April 20, 2026
By
John D. McCown
In 2025, some 40,000 commercial cargo ships, each more than a football field long, moved $16.5 trillion in goods across the seas. That represented 60.6% of the $26.3 trillion in the total 2025 global merchandise exports reported by UNCTAD. Compared to world GDP of $117.2 trillion disclosed by the IMF, those goods shipped on vessels […]
A Brief History of U.S. Naval Mine Warfare in the Persian Gulf, 1979–Present
April 16, 2026
By
Dr. Steven Wills
Iran’s claim to have laid mines across a broad area astride the Strait of Hormuz has again raised the prospect of a USS Samuel B. Roberts mine strike-incident and prompted renewed scrutiny of U.S. Navy mine-warfare capabilities. Observers have questioned the decision to retire and repatriate the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships that for decades formed […]
