KIMS Policy Report

At the close of the Second World War, the Soviet Union found itself in a precarious position when it came to the production of modern submarines in general, and nuclear submarines in particular. The Soviet Navy knew it was behind the United States and Great Britain in submarine design, as the Soviet Union built few

This paper surveys the history and background of how the People’s Republic of China (PRC) became one of just six countries so far to possess nuclear-powered submarines, including the core subject of nuclear reactor development and improvement across three submarine generations. If South Korea decides to pursue and successfully develops indigenous nuclear-powered submarines, it will

This paper examines the development of nuclear-powered submarines in the United States Navy from the introduction of USS Nautilus to the contemporary Virginia and Columbia classes. It shows that the evolution of U.S. nuclear submarines reflects not only advances in naval technology but also changing strategic requirements, organizational priorities and industrial constraints. Nuclear propulsion transformed

India’s submarine arm has progressed from imported conventional boats to a mature force that has operated conventional, nuclear attack and nuclear ballistic missile submarines. India’s undersea force is a product of both enabling and inhibiting factors. Geography, especially the Indian Ocean’s choke points and adverse underwater conditions, the Cold War naval presence in the region,

This paper uses archival and secondary sources to consider the British experience in Acquisition of nuclear submarines (and especially the nuclear reactors) during the Cold War, focusing on the domestic and international challenges and legislation. It identifies that a  well-articulated case for nuclear-powered submarine capabilities is necessary to justify the expense. It suggests that while

This article examines the long-term development of the French nuclear submarine force as a structured expression of strategic autonomy, technological innovation, and institutional continuity. It argues that France’s ability to design, build, and sustain nuclear-powered sub-marines was not the product of isolated military ambition, but the outcome of a deliberate na-tional strategy linking defense policy,

1. Introduction: The Utility of Scenarios and the Implications of the U.S.-China Conflict at SeaSanghoon KimKorea Institute for Maritime Strategy 2. Conflict Scenarios between the United States and China in the South China SeaKetian Zhang (George Mason University) 3. Structure and Contingency : War Onset in the East China SeaPaul van Hooft; Tim Sweijs; Stella

The Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) has been the newest service of the broader Vietnam People’s Army (VPA). It was established as a direct response to theincreasingly hybrid and sophisticated maritime disputes in the South China Sea where China has deployed the so-called “gray zone” tactics to exert its influence and actual control on the ground.

Amongst Singapore’s maritime security institutions, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) is arguably one of the most underrated. Founded in 1866, the PCG’s genesis was then called the Marine Police during the British colonial rule and tasked to curb rampant piracy. It retained the Marine Police title until 1993, when it was renamed the PCG following

This chapter examines the role that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the primary enforcer of Philippine maritime rights in the South China Sea, has assumed since the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff. It has been observed that changes in the Philippine government’s policy on the South China Sea dispute have affected the PCG in performing this