The International Seapower Symposium (ISS) is a biennial meeting of the world's chiefs of navy that has met at the United States Naval War College since 1969. The proceedings of these symposia have been published on the Internet since ISS XVI in 2003. [1]
With the objective of promoting mutual understanding among the several leaders of the world's maritime nations, the First International Seapower Symposium (ISS I) was convened at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island on 17–20 November 1969. This four-day symposium was conceived by the President of the Naval War College, Vice Admiral Richard G. Colbert, U.S. Navy, who served as host for the ISS I. The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Thomas H. Moorer addressed the meeting. [2] As a result of the success of this symposium, plans were made to continue these discussions as a biennial event. All International Seapower Symposia, since, have been conducted at the Naval War College, and hosted by the incumbent Chief of Naval Operations with only two exceptions. Early fall dates have been selected to take advantage of both the normally good weather and also the relaxed atmosphere in Newport.
| No. | Abbreviation | Date | Title | Host | Topics | Attendance | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ISS I | 17–20 November 1969 | First Seapower Symposium | Vice Admiral Richard G. Colbert | [2] | ||
| 2 | ISS II | 1–5 November 1971 | Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. | To further "... a sense of unity through the sharing of common problems." | 67 delegates representing 41 nations | [3] | |
| 3 | ISS III | 15–19 October 1973 | Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. | In a departure from the traditional discussion of strategy and military force, the Symposium examined, in some depth, the non-military uses of naval forces in the maritime world. | Fifty-four delegates represented thirty-eight nations | [4] | |
| 4 | ISS IV | 6–9 July 1976 | The role of Navies in the 1980s | Admiral James L. Holloway, III | Delegations represented Forty-eight nations | ||
| 5 | ISS V | 2–5 October 1979 | The Role of Navies in a World of Peace | Admiral Thomas B. Hayward | Delegations representing Forty-nine nations attended | [5] | |
| 6 | ISS VI | 28 June through 1 July 1981 | World Navies in the 1980s | Forty-eight nations took part | |||
| 7 | ISS VII | 7–10 November 1983 | Emerging Naval Roles to the Year 2000 | Admiral James D. Watkins | [6] | ||
| 8 | ISS VIII | 20–23 October 1985 | Maritime Security Planning – Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Views | Admiral James D. Watkins | Forty-six nations attended. | [7] | |
| 9 | ISS IX | 25–28 October 1987 | Maritime Power in an Era of Low Intensity Conflict | Admiral Carlisle A.H. Trost | Agreement was reached to establish the Western Pacific Naval Symposium. | Fifty-four nations attended | [8] [9] |
| 10 | ISS X | 22–25 October 1989 | Meeting Commitments in an Era of Fiscal Constraint | Admiral Carlisle A.H. Trost | forty-one nations in attendance | [10] | |
| 11 | ISS XI | 6–9 October 1991 | Emerging Cooperative Maritime Roles in a Changing World Environment | Admiral Frank B. Kelso II | Fifty-seven nations were represented. | [11] | |
| 12 | ISS XII | 7–10 November 1993 | Maritime Coalitions and International Security | Admiral Frank B. Kelso II | One hundred-thirty delegates representing seventy-one nations were in attendance. | [12] | |
| 13 | ISS XIII | 5–8 November 1995 | Partnership ... From the Sea | Admiral Jeremy Boorda | There were one hundred thirty-two delegates from sixty-seven nations taking part in this 4-day event. | [13] | |
| 14 | ISS XIV | 2–5 November 1997 | Seapower and Common security in the 21st Century | Admiral Jay L. Johnson | Seventy-three nations were in attendance | [14] | |
| 15 | ISS XV | 7–10 November 1999 | Maritime Strategies for a Naval Century | Admiral Jay L. Johnson | One hundred fifty-two delegates representing seventy nations were in attendance. | [15] | |
| 16 | ISS XVI | 26–29 October 2003 | Seapower for Peace, Prosperity and Security | 56 CNO counterparts attended the Symposium with an overall number of 203 delegates representing 69 nations in attendance. | [16] | ||
| 17 | ISS XVII | 20–23 September 2005 | A Global Network of Nations for a Free and Secure Maritime Commons | Admiral Michael Mullen | Attendees included 55 CNO counterparts, with the overall number of 137 delegates from 70 nations, and 43 Naval Attachés. | [17] | |
| 18 | ISS XVIII | 16–19 October 2007 | Forging Cooperative Solutions for International Maritime Security | Admiral Gary Roughead | It was here that the US Navy announced their new maritime strategy, moving the focus from sea combat to a broader base that incorporated the prevention of combat. | Attendees included 69 CNO counterparts, 21 Commandants of Coast Guards and 16 War College Presidents. Over 100 nations were represented. | [18] |
| 19 | ISS XIX | 7–9 October 2009 | Connecting Navies, Building Partnership | Admiral Gary Roughead | Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus opened the symposium | [19] | |
| 20 | ISS XX | 18–21 October 2011 | Security and Prosperity through Maritime Partnerships | Admiral Jonathan Greenert | [20] | ||
| 21 | ISS XXI | 16–19 September 2014 | Global Solutions to Common Maritime Challenges | Admiral Jonathan Greenert | Opened by the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus | [21] | |
| 22 | ISS XXII | 20–23 September 2016 | Stronger Maritime Partners | Admiral John M. Richardson | [22] | ||
| 23 | ISS XXIII | 18–21 September 2018 | Security, Order, Prosperity | Admiral John M. Richardson | [23] | ||
| 24 | ISS XXIV | 14–17 September 2021 | Strength in Unity | Admiral Michael M. Gilday | [24] |
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