A guerra no mar entre a tradição e a inovação: Corbett e o uso de sistemas não ripulados na guerra russo-ucraniana

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes the contemporary relevance of the classical maritime strategy concepts formulated by Julian Corbett (1911), confronting them with Ukraine’s use of unmanned systems in the Black Sea theater between 2022 and 2024, during the Russia-ukraine war. The central hypothesis argues that Corbettian principles, such as sea control, limited war, fleet in being, and power projection, remain valid, provided they are applied critically and adapted to the technological and doctrinal transformations of the 21st century. The research adopts a qualitative approach, based on verified secondary sources, and is structured in three stages: presentation of Corbett’s theory, analysis of empirical episodes, and confrontation between theory and reality. The findings indicate that, even in the face of force asymmetry and innovation in the use of naval and aerial drones, the principles of classical strategy still offer a robust and useful analytical framework for understanding contemporary naval power.