The Return of Great-Power Competition to the Northern Flank

James H. Bergeron assumed duties as Political Advisor to Commander, Allied Maritime Command in Northwood, United Kingdom on 1 September 2013. Previously the POLAD to Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO from July 2005 as a member of the US Government Service, he is considered to be one of NATO's most experienced foreign policy advisors in the fields of maritime and joint expeditionary operations. He has served as POLAD in eighteen US and NATO exercises; as POLAD to the NATO Response Force exercise Steadfast Jaguar in Cape Verde and NATO Riga Summit mission in 2006; in a national capacity as POLAD to EUCOM Commander Joint Task Force Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict; to Commander US Naval Forces Europe during the August 2008 Russia-Georgia Conflict and as POLAD to STRIKFORNATO for four Baltic Host and two BALTOPs exercises to reassure Allies of NATO solidarity. From March until July 2011 he served as the Political Advisor to NATO's CJTF Operation Unified Protector in support ofUNSCR 1973 operations in Libya. He is regularly consulted on NATO maritime strategy, transformational issues and NATO-EU relations, and was one of the drafters of the Alliance Maritime Strategy. Prior to his appointment in Naples, Mr. Bergeron served as EUINATO Policy Advisor on the Staff of Commander, US Naval Forces Europe, London.

Hendrik Born is a former Vizeadmiral (vice admiral) of the East German Navy (Volksmarine) and the last chief of the People's Navy and its youngest Vizeadmiral. He is deputy president of the German Society for Maritime & Naval History

A native of Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, he is a graduate of a Soviet Naval Academy in Leningrad (class of 1976). He was selected for command of a Koni-class type 142 frigate which due to procurement issues never materialized. Staff posts led him to work on larger Warsaw Pact naval exercises. In 1981, he moved to the 1st Flotilla at Peenemünde, where he served as the Deputy Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff. He assumed command of the 1st Fleet in 1984, a position he held until 1989. On March 7, 1985, he was promoted to Kapitän zur See (captain at sea) and again promoted on 7 October 1988 to Konteradmiral (rear admiral). He became the youngest admiral of the People's Navy. In August 1988, he led a naval visit to the Swedish Navy in Gothenburg, Sweden. After Admiral Theodor Hoffmann became the East German Minister of National Defense, he selected Born as his replacement as the Chief of the People's Navy. Born was promoted to Vizeadmiral (vice admiral) on December 11, 1989. He held this position until his retirement on October 2, 1990. Born was the first Chief of the People's Navy, which was not the Deputy Minister of National Defense. After German reunification Born served a few weeks as a civilian adviser to Bundesmarine Flottillenadmiral (flotilla admiral) Dirk Horten who had taken command of what was left of the People's Navy. After his retirement from the navy, Born worked in the industrial sector for Bremer Vulkan shipyard and them became MAN Turbo AG’s sales manager. Born’s autobiography, “Es kommt alles ganz anders: Erinnerungen eines Zeitzeugen an die Volksmarine der DDR und das Leben danach“ was published by Mittler (Hamburg) in 2018.

Dr. Henrik Breitenbauch heads the Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen. He is a senior researcher and policy analyst with a track record of international and domestic agenda setting in defence and security, strategy processes, national security and defence planning as well as strategic foresight and futures studies. Henrik has extensive experience with political and strategic analysis, policy development, policy formulation and quality control in a timely manner, as well as wide exposure to electronic and print media as expert commentator.

Dr. Sebastian Bruns directs the Center for Maritime Strategy & Security (CMSS) at the ISPK. His professional interests include seapower, naval strategy, and the German and United States navies. Sebastian holds a PhD in Political Science (U of Kiel 2014) and an MA in North American Studies (U of Bonn 2007). His most recent, critically acclaimed book “US Naval Strategy and National Security. The Evolution of American Maritime Power” (Routledge: London 2018) follows American naval strategy from the Cold War into the 21st century. He is also one of the editors of the Routledge Handbook of Naval Strategy and Security (Routledge: London 2016). Before coming to Schleswig-Holstein, Sebastian served Rep. Todd Young (R-IN) as legislative aide in the 112th U.S. Congress (2010-2011) in Washington, D.C., handling defense and military policy affairs for the Congressman. Sebastian is an avid fan of soccer, photography, the sea, “The Simpsons”, and the epic music of Dire Straits.

Nick Childs joined the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in June 2015 as Senior Fellow for Naval Forces and Maritime Security, responsible for the Institute’s analysis in these areas, and for the data on sea power capabilities published in the flagship annual Military Balance book and the new digital database Military Balance +. His specialist areas of interest are US Navy developments; NATO, European, and Russian naval capabilities; and maritime developments in the Middle East, South Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region. He also has a particular focus on aircraft carrier and naval aviation developments. Before joining the Institute, Nick was a BBC journalist for more than 30 years, specialising in covering defence, security and international affairs. His last appointment was as a BBC World Affairs Correspondent. He was also the BBC's first Pentagon Correspondent. Other main assignments included Defence & Security Correspondent and Political Correspondent. He reported on most recent conflicts and crises in the Middle East, as well as those in the Balkans, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and elsewhere. He has written two recent acclaimed books on the modern Royal Navy. He read Modern History and Economics at St Catherine's College, Oxford.

Dr Sarah Kirchberger is Head of the Center for Asia-Pacific Strategy and Security at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK). Her current work focuses on maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region, Russian–Chinese military relations, China’s arms industries, and China’s naval and space development. Before joining ISPK, Kirchberger served as Assistant Professor of Contemporary China at the University of Hamburg, and previously worked as a naval analyst with shipbuilder Blohm + Voss. She is the author of Assessing China's Naval Power: Technological Innovation, Economic Constraints, and Strategic Implications (2015). She completed undergraduate and graduate studies in Sinology, Political Science and Archaeology in Hamburg, Taipei and Trier and holds an MA and a PhD in Sinology from the University of Hamburg. 

Vice Admiral Andreas Krause is the Chief of the German Navy since November 2014.

Born in 1956, Vice Admiral Krause joined the German Navy in 1976 and received a Diploma in Education from the Bundeswehr University in 1980. After starting his service as a Watch Officer aboard submarines, he finished the 32nd Admiral Staff Officer Course in 1992 and became an Operational Planning Officer for the Submarine Flotilla (A31) and later on the Commander of the Submarine Training Centre. From 2006 - 2008, Krause was Commander of Flotilla 1 in Kiel, Deputy Commander of the German Fleet in Gluecksburg (2008 - 2009) and the Director of Joint Operations Staff at the Ministry of Defense in Berlin (2009 - 2012). He served also as the Deputy Commander of the Allied Maritime Command in Naples (2012 - 2013) and was Vice Chief of the German Navy (2013 - 2014) before taking his current position in 2014.

LCDR Dr. Stefan Lundqvist is a researcher/military teacher at the Department of Military Studies and a Faculty Board member at the Swedish Defence University (SEDU). When joining SEDU in 2010, he made a marked turn in his naval career towards academia. In 2017, he completed a PhD in Political Science from Åbo Akademi University, Finland. In his thesis, he examined the continuity and change in post-Cold War maritime security strategies. His research interests include International Relations, strategy, comprehensive operational planning and operations assessment.

Former assignments in the Swedish Armed Forces include serving on board navy vessels, as well as in sea- and shorebased staff positions at the tactical and operational levels of command. His research articles have appeared in the RUSI Journal, Defence Studies and the Journal of Defence Studies, while he has contributed chapters in edited volumes and proceedings. Lundqvist has delivered presentations on maritime security and strategy at numerous conferences/workshops in Europe, and a pod-cast for the Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC) in 2017.

Rear Admiral Jens Nykvist is the Chief of the Royal Swedish Navy. 

His background is within the Swedish Submarine Force. He has worked in several positions on-board submarines and was the CO of the submarine HSwMS Gotland, when it was stationed in San Diego, USA. RADM Nykvist was also in charge of the Swedish Contingent during HSwMS Gotland second year in the U.S working at Third Fleet.

He is a graduate of the Command College in Stockholm 2007-2009. After the Command College he worked as the Chief of Staff at the Submarine Flotilla. In 2011 he worked in the HQ as ACOS at the Joint Strategy and Operational Staff. From 2012-2013, he was a student at the Naval Command College (NCC 2013), Newport, USA and then he became head of Naval Operations at J3 Joint Strategy and Operational Staff.

In December 2013, he was promoted to CAPT (N) and Commander 1st Submarine Flotilla. From April until September 2015 he worked as Chief of Staff in EU NAVFOR FHQ Operation Atalanta in Somali Basin/Gulf of Aden. When returning back home he continued as Commander 1st Submarine Flotilla.
4 May 2016 Chief of Staff Royal Swedish Navy and promoted to Rear Admiral.

RADM Nykvist also holds an MA in international Relations from Salve Regina University, Newport, USA.

Dr. John Sherwood, currently assigned to NHHC’s Histories and Archives (HAD) Research & Writing Division, is a native of Bedford, Mass. In 1991 he earned his master’s in history from  Columbia University and his doctorate in history from The George Washington University in 1995.

A historian with NHHC since 1997, Sherwood has written six books in military and naval history. His current work focuses on humanitarian and disaster relief operations. With the his Fulbright Fellowship, Dr. Sherwood will stay two months at the Center for Maritime Strategy & Security at the Institute for Security Policy in Kiel, Germany, in 2019.

Bruce Stubbs is Director of the Strategy Division (OPNAV N50) at the U.S. Department of Defense. The Strategy Division supports the Chief of Naval Operations by guidance to inform the Navy’s annual budget builds, articulating Navy strategies and value to internal and external audiences, and maritime strategies to align with emerging security trends and national guidance.

Previously, Mr. Stubbs was responsible for the coordination and implementation of Maritime Domain Awareness programmes, policies and related issues across the Defense Department, and served as Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy (Acting). Prior to joining the Department of the Navy, he was Maritime Security Advisor to the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security. He began his career as an officer in the US Coast Guard. Following his Coast Guard service, he worked in industry as a national security consultant, participating in the development of current maritime and homeland security strategies. He has received numerous awards, including the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Civilian Service Award and Superior Civilian Service Award. He holds a BS from the US Coast Guard Academy, an MBA from the University of Washington and an MA with distinction from the Naval War College.

Jeremy Stöhs is an Austrian-American defense analyst at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK) and its adjunct Center for Maritime Strategy & Security. He is also a non-resident fellow of the Austrian Center for Intelligence, Propaganda & Security Studies (ACIPSS). Jeremy has studied in Austria, Germany, and the United States, holds a master’s degree in history and English, and teaches at the University of Kiel where he is currently pursuing his PhD. on the evolution of European naval power since the end of the Cold War. He has written articles and chapters on various defense and security related issues and is the author of the book: The Decline of European Naval Forces: Challenges to Sea Power in an Age of Fiscal Austerity and Political Uncertainty (Naval Institute Press, 2018). Prior to his studies, Jeremy worked in law enforcement with the Austrian Federal Police for a number of years.

Thomas-Durell Young is Program Manager, Europe Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR), Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.  He is also Academic Associate for the Comparative Defense Planning Certificate in the Department of National Security Affairs.  His responsibilities at CCMR are to develop and manage the execution of defense planning and change management consultancies throughout Central and Eastern Europe.  He has worked in the national defense organizations of every country in Central and Eastern Europe, save one.  Some of the key reform projects he has managed include the oversight of comprehensive defense planning and change management projects in Estonia (2000-2002), Ukraine (2003-2013), Moldova (2004-2008), Bulgaria (2008-2011), Serbia (2010-present), and Montenegro (2011-present).  He developed and executed the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Defense Institution Building survey and road-map development process from 2007-2008.  

Dr Young also holds the position of Staff Consultant at the RAND Corporation (Santa Monica) where he assesses defense planning and change management subjects.  Prior to taking these positions in March 2000, he was a Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College for 12 years where we had responsibilities for producing analyses of European politico-military issues, as well as joint planning, execution and management systems and procedures for the Army and Joint Staffs.  In 1999, he was the inaugural Eisenhower Fellow at the Royal Netherlands Military Academy, Breda, The Netherlands.

Dr Young received his Ph.D. and Certificat des Etudes supérieurs in international economics and policy from the Institut univérsitaire de Hautes Etudes internationales, Université de Genève (Geneva, Switzerland).  He is a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Army War College (Carlisle Barracks, PA) and holds an M.A. with Great Distinction from the School of Advanced International Studies, the Johns Hopkins University (Bologna, Italy / Washington, DC).  He has authored / co-authored 3 books and monographs and over 100 book chapters, articles and book reviews.  His currently completing a book-length manuscript that is the first comprehensive assessment of the current state of defense institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and identifies innovative reform techniques.  Its tentative title: Anatomy of Post-Communist European Defense Institutions: Why Reform Has Failed.

Since 1989, he has been the North American editor of Small Wars and Insurgencies (London) and is on the editorial boards of the PfP Consortium’s Connections, and Defense and Security Analysis (Lancaster, UK).  He is a long-standing member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (London).

RADM Jürgen zur Mühlen joined the German Navy in 1979 as a volunteer. After basic officer training he gained a master degree in Economic Science at the University of the Armed Forces in 1986. He joined the fleet in 1988 and grew up on frigates with a remarkable career allowing him to command a frigate at sea, a flotilla battle staff including a tour of duty as Chief of Staff UNIFIL MTF, at flotilla level as well as CTF in EU Operation ATALANTA. His defence tours ashore included training and education in the Royal Netherlands Navy as well at the German Armed Forces Staff College followed by appointments in the MoD and NATO, mainly in the area of international relations and security policy; inter alia in the Area of NATO Defence planning at NATO HQ, Military Assistant to the German CHOD, Branch Chief for CSDP as well as Director Security Policy in the German MOD. He also served as instructor on naval doctrine at the German Armed Forces Staff College. He has assumed his position as Director of Operations and Deputy Fleet Commander in 2017 and is now serving as the Commander of the German Maritime Forces Staff DEU MARFOR.

Professor Katarzyna Zysk is Deputy Director and Head of Centre for Security Policy at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), which is a part of the Norwegian Defence University College in Oslo. In 2017–19, she also served as Head of Research at the IFS. She is Professor of International Relations and Contemporary History and her research focuses currently on the evolution of Russia's military strategy and the changing character of warfare, military transformation and the Russian Navy, geopolitics and maritime security, as well as defence innovation. She was Visiting Researcher at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University in 2016–17 and Visiting Research Fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre at the University of Oxford in 2017. She is a member of the Hoover Institution’s Arctic Security Initiative and was Research Fellow at the Center for Naval Warfare Studies/Strategic Research Department at the US Naval War College, where she also cooperated with the War Gaming Department. In 2016, she served as Acting Dean of the Norwegian Defence University College. Following her PhD on NATO enlargement (2006), her published research on international security and strategic studies has appeared in SAIS Review of International Affairs, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, RUSI Journal, Politique Etrangère, International Relations, Jane’s Navy International, Asia Policy, and other journals and books.