Executive Summary
This thesis examines how geopolitics and maritime strategic culture shape sea power development in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on the US, China, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. It argues that while geopolitics influences naval procurement, a strong maritime strategic culture is essential to translate these capabilities into effective sea power and maritime strategy. The study analyzes these dynamics from the pre-Cold War era to the 2020s, including the impact of new technologies.
Why It Matters
This document provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the evolution of naval power and maritime strategy among key Indo-Pacific actors, which is crucial for assessing regional security dynamics and potential future conflicts.
Key Takeaways
- Maritime strategic culture is critical for translating naval material capabilities into effective sea power and influencing state behavior through sea control.
Source evidence · PDF page 329
The evidence supports the argument that while geopolitics can affect the material dimension of sea power development—namely naval asset procurement—a maritime strategic culture is required to translate material capabilities into sea power—defined here as the utilisation of material resources to influence other states’ behaviour, primarily through sea control.
- The study compares sea power development across great powers (US, China) and middle-power US allies (Japan, Australia, ROK) in the Indo-Pacific from pre-Cold War to the 2020s.
Source evidence · PDF page 72
Second, the case study selection is distinctive in that it covers both great powers (the U.S. and China) and middle-power U.S. treaty allies (Japan, Australia, and the ROK) in the Indo-Pacific up to the 2020s.
- Sea power development accelerates when a politico-military establishment adopts a maritime strategic culture, leading to the deployment of naval assets for sea control or SLOC protection.
Source evidence · PDF page 343
(4) Once the politico-military establishment is instilled with a maritime strategic culture, sea power development accelerates. If material resources such as naval assets already exist, the state will employ a maritime strategy to deploy these assets in order to control or protect critical SLOCs beyond the immediate vicinity (sea control).
Strategic Relevance
The thesis offers a deep dive into the strategic drivers of naval expansion and maritime posture in the Indo-Pacific, a region central to global power competition. Understanding these dynamics is vital for anticipating naval arms races, alliance shifts, and potential flashpoints.