The Atlantic Bastion
Abstract
This research article is an updated and abridged version of a paper published by RUSI in December 2025. The authors examine the Atlantic Bastion concept outlined in the UK Strategic Defence Review (SDR), assessing its deterrent value against Russian naval strategy in the North Atlantic. Situating the Bastion within deterrence theory, they argue that a sensor-focused barrier in the Norwegian Sea alone is insufficient to constrain Russian maritime operations. The authors contend that the Bastion must extend westward into the Atlantic and eastward into the Barents Sea, while being complemented by an Atlantic Strike capability, uncrewed systems, and naval mining.
Fields of Study & Subjects
European and Russian Geopolitical Military Strategies
Military Technology and Strategies
Maritime Security and History
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The RUSI Journal
- Volume
- 171
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 24–33
- Publication date
- 23 February 2026
- Language
- EN