Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco
Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco is a PhD candidate in Institutions and Policies at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy. His research interests revolve around the foreign policy and security affairs of the Gulf region. He tweets at @mazz_Leonardo.
Analysis
Would the F-35 Address Saudi Arabia’s Air Defense Gaps?
If the U.S. F-35 sale goes through, it will add a new layer to Saudi airpower. But the fifth-generation fighter by itself will not address Saudi Arabia’s present and future vulnerabilities.
Emerging Technologies and U.S. Military Power in the Gulf
U.S. force projection in the Gulf is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence, unmanned platforms, and space technology, using these systems to augment existing military infrastructure.
Sea Mines in Hormuz: Deciphering the U.S. Mine-Clearing Delay
With an aging and largely untested fleet, U.S. mine clearing operations can restore maritime access but only under favorable political and operational conditions.
Can NATO Repeat Operation Ocean Shield?
NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield helped secure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, but diplomatic fractures and naval constraints mean its success is unlikely to be repeated in the Strait of Hormuz.
Operation Epic Fury and the U.S. Drone Posture in the Gulf
In the conflict with Iran, the United States has used one-way attack drones for the first time, marking a shift in U.S. military drone architecture.
Gulf Maritime Security: Balancing Partnership and Flexibility
Gulf states are increasingly influential, though still cautious, actors in the region’s evolving maritime security landscape.
