In his characteristically uncompromising fashion, Norman Friedman combines deep expertise with candid assessments. He poses a striking challenge to the notion that an era of transparent oceans is ahead, and makes a case for the continued role of SSBNs in contributing to strategic stability, while acknowledging the limitations and uncertainties. A future volume in this series will carry forward the debate with contributions from multiple authors offering specific perspectives on national SSBN programs, technologies and strategies.

Norman Friedman is an American author and naval analyst. He has written over 40 books on naval matters and holds a doctorate in theoretical physics from Columbia University. From 1973 to 1984 he worked at the Hudson Institute, becoming Deputy Director for National Security Affairs. He worked for over a decade as a direct consultant to the US Secretary of the Navy and has also worked as a consultant for the US Navy. From 2002 to 2004 he served as a futurologist for the US Marine Corps. Friedman’s book The Fifty-Year War: Conflict and Strategy in the Cold War (2007) won the 2001 Westminster Prize from the Royal United Services Institute as the best military history of its year.