'From Drones to Buoys and the Use of Civilian and Paramilitary Auxiliaries' with Dr Benjamin Blandin

The Centre for Statecraft & National Security is excited to host Dr. Benjamin Blandin for a talk on, From drones to buoys and the use of civilian and paramilitary auxiliaries

This briefing examines the rapid expansion of China’s use of unmanned and unconventional maritime assets across the First Island Chain and increasingly in extra-regional theatres, including the Indian, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.

It analyses how these platforms—combined with civilian, paramilitary, and dual-use actors—support a broader strategy designed to operate in the grey zone, challenge existing maritime norms, and complicate traditional deterrence frameworks.

The presentation will highlight operational patterns, strategic intent, and emerging risks, with a particular focus on escalation management, attribution challenges, and the implications for regional security actors.

Key discussion points:

• The strategic logic behind China’s use of unmanned and unconventional systems
• Integration of civilian, paramilitary, and military maritime actors
• Operational deployment patterns across key theatres
• Implications for deterrence, maritime security, and regional stability

About the Speaker:

Dr. Benjamin Blandin is a French scholar specializing in geopolitics, with a focus on China’s asymmetric warfare along the First Island Chain. His research examines the integration and deployment of unmanned and unconventional maritime systems, as well as the role of civilian and paramilitary auxiliaries in support of the PLA Navy, China Coast Guard, and maritime militia.

He is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) in Taiwan. Prior to his academic career, he worked as a Senior Consultant in strategy and innovation at Airbus Defence and Space.

Dr. Blandin holds a Master’s degree in Geopolitics from the French Institute of Geopolitics (IFG, Paris 8 University) and has completed executive training in maritime security and strategy at IHEDN and CESM (Paris Military Academy / “Ecole Militaire”), as well as in international maritime law at ITLOS.

Additionally, he has authored over 37 publications in English and French on maritime security and China’s grand strategy, and been cited in 60 more papers.