Last week, the Pentagon unveiled a jaw-dropping $47.3 billion plan to supercharge its fleet with 19 brand-new battleships. That’s right—nineteen. Up from a paltry five last year. And let’s not kid ourselves: this isn’t just about flexing maritime muscle, it’s a direct message to China—loud and clear.

Enter Commander Tom Sharpe, a man who’s not only been there and done it, but practically wrote the manual. A retired Royal Navy heavyweight who’s commanded four warships and earned an OBE for saving HMS Endurance from a catastrophic flood, Sharpe joins us to tear into what this seismic shift really means.

Are we gearing up for World War Sea? Has the age of battleship brinkmanship returned? Expect sharp analysis, no-nonsense truth bombs, and a few jaw-dropping tales from the frontlines of naval warfare.

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battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

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For several weeks, two Chinese aircraft carrier battle groups have been conducting unprecedented drills in the Western Pacific, sailing further from Beijing than ever before.

What message is China trying to send to the world and what can we learn about its Navy’s capabilities? Venetia chats to RUSI's Philip Shetler‑Jones, who specialises in Indo-Pacific security.

Plus, a rare journey through Gaza with UNICEF's chief spokesman James Elder and a look at an explosive story accusing Israeli soldiers of firing on unarmed Gazan civilians at aid sites they describe as "killing fields".

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

@venetiarainey

@RolandOliphant

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.