War on the Rocks The First Royal Marine to Become First Sea Lord
Dec 22, 2025
Gen. Sir Gwyn Jenkins, a Senior Royal Navy officer and the first Royal Marine to become First Sea Lord, dives into his unique journey and the future of the Royal Navy. He shares insights on submarine maintenance, emphasizing its critical importance. Jenkins also discusses the role of unmanned systems and the need for naval reforms, drawing lessons from Ukraine. He highlights the significance of NATO collaboration while balancing global commitments, plus the vital U.S.-U.K. naval relationship, showing a commitment to a resilient maritime strategy.
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Prioritize No-Fail Missions With Focused Time
- Focus executive time on the no-fail missions, with Jenkins prioritizing the nuclear deterrent and submarine sustainment.
- Direct personal leadership and time toward areas where you can add emphasis and accelerate delivery.
Organize For The Speed Of Relevance
- Pace of technological change will only accelerate, so militaries must organize to adapt at the 'speed of relevance.'
- Predicting the distant future is futile; instead simplify bureaucracy to enable faster adaptation.
Scale With Uncrewed Escorts And Mission Pods
- Use autonomous and uncrewed systems to scale and add resilience rather than expect them to fully replace crewed platforms.
- Employ uncrewed escorts and mission pods to increase magazine depth and protect crewed ships affordably.
