The Evolution of Baltic Frontline States' Maritime Strategy

From the Cold War to NATO's Northern Flank
1. Auflage 2027
ISBN: 978-1-041-37031-4
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 232 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

Reihe: Cass Series: Naval Policy and History

This book examines how the maritime strategies of the Baltic Sea’s frontline states have evolved from the Cold War to NATO’s contemporary Northern Flank.

The volume develops the concept of the maritime frontline state, defined not simply by proximity to an adversary, but by the strategic importance of geography, infrastructure, operational functions and contribution to regional security. Drawing on Polish naval archives, alliance documents and strategic analysis, the book explains why ports, islands, maritime routes and smaller navies matter to Baltic security. Poland provides the principal case study, alongside Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The book reconstructs Warsaw Pact naval cooperation and the United Baltic Fleet, examines the transformation after 1989–1991, and traces NATO integration and the renewed emphasis on deterrence after 2014 and 2022. Its central argument distinguishes enduring geographical constraints from inherited equipment and institutions, showing why political realignment can outpace naval transformation. It develops Maritime Domain Control (MDC) as a framework for examining how military capabilities, surveillance, infrastructure and public authorities interact under strategic pressure. By connecting Cold War experience with contemporary Baltic security, the book shows how changing alliances, enduring geography and maritime capabilities have shaped the strategic role of the Baltic’s frontline states.

This book will be of much interest to students of maritime strategy, Cold War history, Eastern European politics and International Relations.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate, Professional Reference, and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Bedzmirowski, Jerzy

Gac, Milosz

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Militärwesen Nationale und Internationale Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Internationale Beziehungen Nachrichtendienste, Geheimdienste
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Militärwesen Seestreitkräfte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Militärgeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Europäische Geschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction: The Baltic Sea as a Compressed and Contested Security Space 1. The Baltic Sea in Cold War Maritime Security Strategy 2. Maritime Strategy of the Warsaw Pact and NATO in the Baltic Sea 3. The United Baltic Fleet and the Integration of Warsaw Pact Navies 4. Transformation of Maritime Security in the Baltic Sea after the Cold War 5. Baltic Sea States in NATO Maritime Security Policy, 2004–2022 6. A New Phase of Competition in the Baltic Sea after 2022 7. The Polish Navy as a Frontline Maritime Force: Adaptation, Constraints and Strategic Continuity Conclusions Bibliography

Über Autor(innen)

Jerzy Bedzmirowski is a Professor at the Faculty of Command and Naval Operations of the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia, Poland. He served in the Polish Navy between 1983 and 1996 and has published extensively on maritime and international security.

Milosz Gac is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law and Administration, WSB Merito University in Gdansk, Poland. He holds a habilitated doctorate in security studies.