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Michael Codner
Position: Senior Research Fellow / Director, Military Sciences
Michael Codner is the Director of the Military Sciences Department at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
He researches a range of subjects from defence policy, strategic theory and doctrine, to defence management, future concepts and the application of technology to military capability. He also oversees conferences, meetings and lectures in these areas. He retired from the Royal Navy in October 1995 after a career as a Seaman Officer principally working in anti-submarine warfare and in the latter part of his career, maritime strategy and doctrine, future concepts, defence policy and international issues.
He was a lecturer in strategy and operational art at the US Naval War College, was a Defence Fellow at the Centre for Defence Studies, King's College, London and has held a NATO Fellowship working on coalition interoperability. His degrees are in Philosophy and Psychology (Brasenose College, Oxford). He lectures regularly at University College, London, Southampton University, the University of St. Andrews, the University of Greenwich and the Joint Services Command and Staff College. His written work includes editorship and principal authorship of the First Edition of the Royal Navy’s BR1806: The Fundamentals of British Maritime Doctrine and numerous articles, papers and chapters in journals and collections.
RUSI Publications
Barbarous Philosophers
28 Nov 2011
A review of Christopher Coker's reflections on the nature of war over 2,600 years - from Heraclitus to Heisenberg.
Analysing the implications for a complete US withdrawal in 2014
27 Jul 2011
Following a recent visit to Afghanistan, RUSI's Research Director assesses the impact of withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Linking the Front Line to Suppliers
12 Aug 2011
Michael Codner outlines how important front-line/industry relationships could be reinforced, and single service rivalries prevented from skewing equipment decisions.
SDSR: What Next for Britain?
19 Oct 2010
The issues as to whether the Strategic Defence and Security Review was Treasury or policy led and whether it was conducted in too short a time for proper discussion, and consideration are now in the past. It is the implications and the unanswered questions that matter.
Building Panama’s Coastal Surveillance
23 Mar 2011
Michael Codner reveals how the monitoring of Panama’s busy coastal waters is set for a major enhancement
UK Defence reform: Watch assessment from Michael Codner
13 Aug 2010
RUSI's Michael Codner gives his assessment to the UK Defence Secretary's resolve to reform defence.
Beyond the Convention: The Cluster Munitions Debate
18 Oct 2010
The Convention on Cluster Munitions is a welcome step forward, but it needs clarity
General Election 2010: Defence issues and the party positions
24 Mar 2010
RUSI Director Professor Michael Clarke, and RUSI's Director of Military Sciences, Michael Codner, offer their assessment on the defence and security issues that may be raised either prior to or immediately after the UK General Election.
The Gay Ban and the New Armed Forces Code of Social Conduct
21 Feb 2000
On 12 January 2000, Geoffrey Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence announced to the House of Commons that homosexual men and women would no longer be banned from serving in the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.
The cost of Afghanistan to UK Defence
16 Dec 2009
Bring on new Chinooks. But the defence budget can't cover the needs of a long-term occupation
Missile Defence Considerations for the United Kingdom
23 Jun 2010
If Britain is to maintain an autonomous operational capability, decisions on ballistic missile defence cannot be postponed during the current defence review
Obama's Grand Strategy - Afghanistan Plus
2 Dec 2009
President Obama aims to exert sufficient military effort to create conditions for transition. This means a dominance over the Taliban - unable to reemerge when transition takes place - together with space and capacity to train and grow the Afghan military and police security forces.
Bosnia’s Defence Review and NATO Membership
17 Mar 2010
Bosnia remains outside looking in at NATO and the EU. Effective defence reform could spell the beginning of a new chapter in its multilateral engagement
British troop levels in Afghanistan
7 Oct 2009
Is Britain’s strategic posture as a global actor sustainable in the economic crisis and set against failing public support for the mission in Afghanistan?
Permanent United Nations Military Intervention Capability: Some Practical Considerations
25 Jun 2008
The development of a military intervention capability specifically owned by the United Nations has been a significant issue from the early days of the organisation. But what are the technical considerations?
The unpredictability factor
21 May 2008
With money and new technology, cluster bombs could become more ethical than large single-explosive warheads
Missile Defence: What the Obama Administration’s Change of Policy Means for Europe and the United Kingdom
30 Oct 2009
America's cancellation of its 'Third Site' is nevertheless accompanied by sizeable investment in missile defence programmes. Europeans should take note
Comprehensive Spending Review - Defence
10 Oct 2007
The increase of 1.5 per cent real growth in defence spending is inadequate if the Government intends to deliver its planned force structures.
NATO’s Strategic Concept – a View from Mars
30 Mar 2009
As NATO marks its Sixtieth anniversary, many analysts will argue that members of the Alliance have sufficiently overcome their differences to launch a new Strategic Concept. This new Concept would see a rationalisation of Europe’s military capability and would envisage a ‘minus US’ strategy for some NATO operations.
Conditions are not right for wholesale withdrawal
11 Sep 2007
An examination of existing Coalition responsibilities and committments in Iraq, where there is now a move towards 'overwatch'; Coalition troops are being taken off the streets but ready to back up Iraqi forces if necessary.
The UK’s Independent Strategic Nuclear Deterrent and the White Paper
4 Dec 2006
A Question of Security: 
