History, Strategy, Seapower, Statecraft. Proudly served as the Maritime Strategist to the 78th Secretary of the Navy. Be curious; when you can, be kind.
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Joined September 2014
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History demonstrates that:
1) No great naval power has long endured without also being a great commercial maritime power.
2) No great naval power has long endured that cannot build its own warships.
3) Ships win battles. Shipyards win wars.
Hunter Stires retweeted
Trump Administration Awards $498 Million for U.S. Port Upgrades, Below Recent Funding Levels
gcaptain.com/trump-administr…
Hunter Stires retweeted
Re-elect this guy if you think members of Congress should get more tax breaks on waterfront property 🤙
Hunter Stires retweeted
I wouldn’t want to be the Greek shipowner who’s transporting the Russian diesel to the US right now. Only congress has the authority to lift sanctions (regardless of Trump’s executive order) and this shipowner is in a potential world of legal problems in the future if he unloads the oil in the US.
Essential reading from @Lazarus_Navy. Scrap and build subsidies are a proven way to modernize the commercial fleet and drive investment into shipbuilding. China and Korea have done it successfully—we can learn from what works.
defenseopinion.com/a-maritim… Thanks to @defenseopinion for publishing. A maritime “cash for clunkers” program could provide needed stimulus to US shipbuilding and modernize the ready reserve fleet.
Hunter Stires retweeted
This is horrific. Residents of occupied Oleshky who wish to escape to free Ukraine will not be allowed to cross the Dnipro River – which is less than 4 km away. They will be taken to occupied Crimea or to the Russian Federation, where they will be subjected to coercive measures.
Hunter Stires retweeted
It is time to act on industrial security as an alliance.
cdrsalamander.substack.com/p…
Hunter Stires retweeted
Not great Bob
The Trump administration has formally published its proposal to extend the suspension of U.S. port fees on China-linked ships for another two months, through January 9, 2027.
The move would further delay a key measure aimed at countering China's dominance in shipbuilding and maritime logistics.
The extension is not yet final, with public comments due October 30.
Read more: gcaptain.com/ustr-proposes-e…
Hunter Stires retweeted
In one day, two politicians - Bolsonaro in Brazil and Vucic in Serbia - with ties to Trump and his family have lost surprise elections, thanks to high turnout. The rise of the international far-right is not inevitable.
Hunter Stires retweeted
The Liberal Democrats have proposed ordering six additional Royal Navy frigates and expanding British shipbuilding capacity as part of a defence package aimed at responding to the threat from Russia. Click image for more.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/lib-…
Hunter Stires retweeted
No, it will do the opposite. Your plan literally calls for outsourcing maritime dominance (e.g. outsourcing U.S. Naval shipbuilding) overseas, which would kill the incentive for world class shipbuilders to actually follow through on their commitments to invest in shipyards here in America. After 40 years of experience, how many more times, across how many more industries must we learn: outsourcing does not beget investment, it begets more outsourcing.
defenseone.com/ideas/2025/10…
No, it will do the opposite. Your plan literally calls for outsourcing maritime dominance (e.g. outsourcing U.S. Naval shipbuilding) overseas, which would kill the incentive for world class shipbuilders to actually follow through on their commitments to invest in shipyards here in America. After 40 years of experience, how many more times, across how many more industries must we learn: outsourcing does not beget investment, it begets more outsourcing.
defenseone.com/ideas/2025/10…
Hunter Stires retweeted
The most important thing today is that Starlink and Starshield operations have been restored to the speeds we had before the restrictions. The speeds are now where they need to be. The restoration began overnight, and by this morning, speeds were already sufficient. This matters: for our frontline logistics, for defending Ukraine against jet-powered “shaheds.”
I thank all Americans and all our partners who took this seriously and truly helped – members of Congress, senators, all the media, the State Department, and the President. Protecting lives matters.
Hunter Stires retweeted
As we talk about Contested Logistics, can we also discuss Contested Shipyard repair.
While we have Puget Sound and Pearl Harbor as Navy Yards, for commercial ships, there is little beyond Vigor in Portland, OR which is packed with government ships from MSC, MARAD & US Army.
Hunter Stires retweeted
Very interesting exchange in the replies. A war in the western Pacific would require some very serious sustainment and replenishment ship numbers. And the ability to replace such shipping with some rapidity is vital. Efforts to rely on shipbuilding capacity "under the guns" of the most likely foe in such a war would seem to be a non-starter. To assert, as Mr. Grabow does, "It is not apparent that there is sufficient sustained demand for naval auxiliary ships and commercial ships to support three US shipyards" is an argument that would virtually insure that the US would lack sufficient combat supply and resupply shipping from the start of any combat operations. Anticipating such demand is one of many reasons there now is a much needed push to build up US shipbuilding capacity. "Just in time" thinking does not work well in real world strategic and tactical sealift given the time it takes to build ships.
Logistics may not be the pointy end, but it allows the pointy end to do its job.
It’s official: @AllisonBJanney threatening the British PM in @netflix’s The Diplomat to “keep the Russians out of her backyard or I will take my milkshake and take it to the yard” is now a classic of fictional naval diplomacy. Right up there with “you’ve lost another submarine?”
Hunter Stires retweeted
My post: Is Jing Quan a loose cannon?🤔
China Embassy: The ignorant are fearless!😵💫
Question: Are they referring to Jing Quan? Is he fearless? 😂
Hunter Stires retweeted
The US must apply a maritime counterinsurgency frame of mind to countering China’s activities in the South China Sea…
NEW: Taiwanese national security and policy officials are reporting increased People’s Republic of China (PRC) influence operations using AI-generated content and cyberattacks to increase polarization, reduce public trust in the Taiwanese government, and reduce voter turnout. These influence operations will likely continue to increase in the lead-up to Taiwan’s November 28 local elections. (1/2)
Other Key Takeaway:
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) conducted live-fire combat training drills using four Type 071 Landing Platform Deck ships designed to support amphibious landing operations on October 14. PRC state media highlighted the use of these vessels in operations in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. This unusual exercise formation and training activity was likely intended to intimidate the Philippines into reducing or stopping its maritime activities near disputed South China Sea features.
Hunter Stires retweeted
Prediction points:
@HunterStires and Clay - 1
Colin - 0
😋
Let’s keep building momentum 🇺🇸🏗️🚢
The WSJ piece acknowledges Hanwha's investment but says no *other* Korean firms are interested. I don't think Samsung's research investment counts and Hyundai's talk so far hasn't led to anything tangible. Given how things have proceeded with Hanwha so far, I'll be surprised if there is much appetite to follow suit.
Hunter Stires retweeted
Over the last two years, $100 million in European taxpayer money has gone to Elon Musk to pay for Starlink for Ukraine.
In that same period, zero US taxpayer money has gone to Ukraine.
