So, is this the time to make battleships great again?I would be hard-pressed to think of a better guest to help us explore that question than returning guest, Rob Farley. A starting point for our conversation will be his article from December, The Trump-Class Battleship Summed Up In 1 Word.

Show Links

• The Battleship Book, by Robert Farley’s
• Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
• Lawyers, Guns, and Money
• Dr. Robert Farley’s X Profile
• Dr. Robert Farley’s Blue Sky Profile
• My thoughts on SLCM-N

Summary

In this episode, Dr. Robert Farley discusses the concept of battleships, their historical significance, and the strategic considerations for modern naval warfare. The conversation covers technological challenges, political implications, and future force structure planning.

Chapters

00:00: Introduction to the Battleship Debate
02:31: Historical Context and Modern Relevance of Battleships
07:44: Survivability and Modern Warfare Challenges
13:11: The Role of Nuclear Capabilities in Battleships
20:11: Political and Strategic Implications of Battleship Armament
23:15: Technological Innovations and Future of Naval Warfare
32:36: Design Philosophy and Size of Modern Warships
39:32: Historical Lessons and Future Capabilities
46:03: Political Implications of Naval Procurement
52:30 Shipbuilding Challenges and Future Directions

Dr. Robert Farley has taught security and diplomacy courses at the Patterson School since 2005. He received his BS from the University of Oregon in 1997, and his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 2004. In addition to the book of the moment, The Battleship Book (Wildside, 2016), Dr. Farley is the author of Grounded: The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force (University Press of Kentucky, 2014), and Patents for Power: Intellectual Property Law and the Diffusion of Military Technology (University of Chicago, 2020). He has contributed extensively to a number of journals and magazines, including the National Interest, the Diplomat: APAC, World Politics Review, and the American Prospect. Dr. Farley is also a founder and senior editor of Lawyers, Guns and Money.