'The Idea of Battleship is Back,' Says Retired US Navy Captain Brent Sadler | Sagarmanthan 2026

By Firstpost

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In this exclusive interview at the Sagarmanthan Dialogue in New Delhi, Firstpost's Daniela Laurel sits down with Retired US Navy Captain and Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, Brent Sadler, to discuss the rapidly changing realities of global maritime security and commercial shipping. Addressing rising geopolitical volatility, Sadler explains why the world is returning to a pre-World War II reality where nations must actively deploy navies to protect commercial trade. He highlights Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as the single most viable, cost-effective green energy transition for global cargo fleets, outperforming hydrogen and ammonia. Sadler also unpacks game-changing military innovations—from high-energy lasers and autonomous missile ships to the return of heavily armoured 'battleships' designed to survive drone swarms in contested chokepoints like the Red Sea. Watch the full video on Firstpost in collaboration with ORF to learn more. --- Global Maritime Security | B

Tags: global maritime security, Brent Sadler, Daniela Laurel, commercial shipping, global trade security, Red Sea security, naval warfare, US Navy, small modular reactors, SMRs, green shipping, hydrogen fuel, ammonia fuel, autonomous missile ships, high energy lasers, drone swarms, battleships, naval innovation, maritime chokepoints, Sagarmanthan Dialogue