Sea Power Laboratory launch reception

The Council on Geostrategy is launching the Sea Power Laboratory to advance the Royal Navy’s vision for 2040, strengthening collaboration across the Navy, government, industry, and academia. This initiative aims to foster the next generation of maritime professionals while enhancing engagement on maritime security with key allies and partners. Demand on the resources of the Royal Navy is already increasing in intensity, with growing threats from adversaries including Russia in the Arctic and Euro-Atlantic, Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, and People’s Republic of China in the Indo-Pacific. Intended to foster a whole-of-society approach, the Sea Power Laboratory’s activities will aim to build a strategic understanding of the UK as a sea power state. Additionally, it will cultivate a new generation of maritime leaders and broaden maritime discourse to reach a wider audience.

With welcoming remarks from Luke Pollard MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, and V. Adm. Andrew Burns CB, OBE, Fleet Commander for the Royal Navy, this invitation-only launch event will be dedicated for 100 guests including senior officers, parliamentarians, Whitehall officials, diplomats, experts and corporate representatives.

Welcoming remarks

Luke Pollard MP

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Luke Pollard MP is the Minister for the Armed Forces and Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. Luke is the first MP to be born in Plymouth since Michael Foot represented the city in 1945 and, as the son of a Royal Navy submariner based in Devonport, is proud to champion the British Armed Forces.

V. Adm. Andrew Burns CB, OBE

Fleet Commander, Royal Navy

V. Adm. Andrew Burns CB, OBE is Fleet Commander for the Royal Navy and has been since September 2021. He previously commanded several Royal Navy ships, including HMS Berkeley, HMS Somerset, and HMS Bulwark, before serving as Principal Staff Officer to the Commander of the Joint Forces Command and later Commander of the Amphibious Task Group. Before being promoted to Fleet Commander, he served as Commander of the United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff.