What if the next great naval revolution was already underway?

In this episode of Facing Coming Storms, Peter Apps speaks with Admiral Niels Vang-former head of the Danish Navy and Danish Defence College, now senior naval advisor and defence industry board member about the future of maritime warfare in an era defined by drones, AI, and hybrid threats.

Together, they explore how unmanned systems are reshaping naval power, why Europe faces a shipbuilding crisis, and what Denmark's position between the North Sea and Baltic reveals about the challenges ahead. From the Arctic to the North Atlantic, Admiral Vang explains why navies must rethink force structure, embrace AI-supported surveillance, and adapt doctrine to a new tempo of conflict.

What You'll Learn

- Unmanned at Sea: Why drones and AI are as disruptive as the missile revolution of the 1960s.

- Industrial Deterrence: How shipbuilding and missile production bottlenecks threaten Western resilience.

- Future of Navies: Why numbers, adaptability, and young innovators will define the next decade.

Admiral Vang's insights remind us that the coming storms at sea will demand not just powerful ships, but new ways of thinking, producing, and leading.

Facing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.