In this episode of the Warships Pod, host Iain Ballantyne is joined by two long-time and highly valued contributors to Warships IFR magazine and also to the “Guide to the US Navy.” They are Dr Robert Farley, who currently teaches at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky and David Axe, a journalist, author and filmmaker based in South Carolina. Topics discussed include: the general ‘State of the US Navy’ today and if it is still able to enforce Pax Americana; whether the USN is adequately coping with the here and now while getting ready for the future; the nature of threat (and level of competition) it faces from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China and Vladimir Putin’s maritime forces (especially in light of the Russian Navy’s performance in the Ukraine War). Other topics touched on include: the strange saga of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS); confusion over the future of the so-called Gator Navy (the amphibious warfare forces of the USN and the US Marine Corps); whether or not the new Constellation Class frigate will plug the surface combatant gap; the plus and minus points of the modern American fighting fleet. For more details on WARSHIPS IFR magazine http://bit.ly/wifrmag Follow it on Twitter @WarshipsIFR and on https://www.facebook.com/WarshipsIFR/ To buy the ‘Guide to the US Navy 2023’ https://bit.ly/gusn2023 • Iain Ballantyne is the Editor of Warships IFR magazine and the author of numerous naval and military history books, including ‘HMS London’, ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’ and ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron.’ He also contributes commentaries on naval and Defence topics to various media outlets. Twitter @IBallantyn • In addition to teaching at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, Robert Farley writes extensively about an array of Defence issues. They include airpower, sea power and military innovation. He is a Senior Editor of ‘Lawyers, Guns and Money’ and manager of the LGM podcast. Twitter @drfarls • David Axe writes for ‘Forbes’, ‘The Daily Beast’ and ‘Rolling Stone.’ His most recent book is ‘Drone War: Vietnam’ (Pen & Sword Military). Twitter @daxe