War on the Rocks – China has spent years modifying civilian ferries to launch amphibious armored vehicles, developing specialized equipment to move forces ashore without conventional port facilities, hardening dozens of air bases, and rapidly expanding the missile forces that could be used to deter or defeat a U.S. intervention. Yet at the same time, a recurring line of analysis has argued that concerns about China’s military capabilities are overstated — and that an invasion of Taiwan remains beyond the reach of the People’s Liberation Army.
The Silent Threat: Overlooked Radiological Risk in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz
CIMSEC – Maritime security in the region remains predominantly focused on intercepting missiles and drones. There is limited insight into the actual movement of radioactive materials.
China’s Next Aircraft Carrier Is Taking Shape
The War Zone – China’s fourth aircraft carrier, which could be nuclear-powered, is looking more and more like a real ship.
AIM-424 “Malice” Very Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile Emerges From The Shadows
The War Zone – The Navy’s newest extreme-range air-to-air missile is intended to be used by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C JSF and the upcoming F/A-XX.
USS Abraham Lincoln Leaves the Middle East After Almost 7 Months
USNI News – Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) has left the Middle East after almost seven months and is now in U.S. 7th Fleet.
The US Navy has battled operational tempo ordeals for years. The Iran war exposed the flaws.
Defense News – Vague operational planning and a lack of transparency during U.S. actions in Iran have exacerbated the U.S. Navy’s longstanding logistics, maintenance and manpower issues — and sailors are feeling the effects, congressional leaders, retired military officials and deployed sailors have told Military Times.
China’s Massive New Artificial Island In The South China Sea Emerges, Primed For Militarization
The War Zone – What was a submerged reef a year ago is now a 1,500 acre artificial island with a large runway under construction, as China’s militarization of the South China Sea accelerates.
Stepping Stones to Security: Pacifying the Tunb Islands
CIMSEC – Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb occupy positions of strategic importance disproportionate to their size. Situated near the Strait of Hormuz, the three islands provide forward positions for surveillance, missiles, unmanned systems, and maritime interdiction. A territorial dispute dating back more than five decades has become part of the military architecture, and the ongoing war between the United States and Iran, surrounding one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
2 Mariners Killed in Strait of Hormuz as Transits See Small Increase
USNI News – Lloyd’s List Intelligence tracked 73 Strait of Hormuz transits over the past week, with 91 between Aug. 3 and 9 and 99 the prior week. This week’s numbers will change once ships turn back on their automatic identification systems after they finish transiting.
A Rock and China’s Three-Sea Problem
War on the Rocks – Two rocks surrounded by coral, with a total land size of less than 10 square meters (approximately 108 square feet) at high tide, are the entire basis on which Japan claims a 150,000-square-mile exclusive economic zone, an area nearly the size of Japan itself. The uninhabited feature, located more than 1,000 miles south of Tokyo, is called Okinotori. In late July, Japan protested Sino-Russian live-fire drills held within the exclusive economic zone it claims around Okinotori. Tokyo cited the safety risks the drills posed to nearby vessels, but its broader objection was to Beijing’s claim that Okinotori is merely a rock entitled to no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf, as opposed to the island Japan claims it is.
New Beach Landing Vessel For The Marine Corps Breaks Cover
The War Zone – The Ancillary Surface Craft is part of a growing fleet of new amphibious vessels that is helping lay the groundwork for future Marine island-hopping operations.
Mental Health Is a Warfighting Readiness Problem for the U.S. Navy
War on the Rocks – The ability to prepare U.S. naval forces today, at a deckplate level, for the resilience challenges that the large-scale combat operations against a peer-competitor will manifest cannot be overstated.
USS George Washington’s Mideast Arrival Highlights Strain On Carrier Force
The War Zone – The Washington’s replacement of the Lincoln leaves no carrier in the Western Pacific and the Navy’s struggle to meet demand may get far worse before it gets better.
Previously Unknown Russian Surface Drone (USV) Found In Black Sea
Covert Shores – A surface drone (USV) has been found off the coast of Romania, drifting close to the Neptun Alpha drilling platform. As the vessel began to drift away it was hit by cannon fire from a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter. It was subsequently destroyed by EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) personnel. The black-painted craft appeared to be dead in the water, with seagulls gathering on its hull. It is reported to be of Russian origin. Similar in size to other USVs operated by both sides in the Black Sea, this appears to be a previously unreported type.
Singapore’s Formidable Class Frigate Appears Armed With Blue Spear Anti-Ship Missiles
The War Zone – First images show Blue Spear missile launcher aboard RSS Steadfast, offering a glimpse of Singapore’s evolving naval strike capability.
U.S., Allies Hold Major Ballistic Missile Defense Drill; New Zealand Starts Pacific Patrol
USNI News – The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) Task Group which had earlier participated in the Rim of the Pacific 2026 will carry out an Indo-Pacific deployment from August to October, with the first activity being to monitor maritime sanctions evasion by North Korea.
Portuguese Navy Tests UAS Aboard Frigate NRP Álvares Cabral
Naval News – The Portuguese Navy has conducted shipborne flight trials of unmanned systems from the Vasco da Gama-class frigate NRP Álvares Cabral (F331).
CMSI Translations #34: Research on Integrated Defense Against Precision Strikes by the Powerful Enemy at Sea
China Maritime Studies Institute – The United States has initiated substantive preparations for high-end warfare and continues to exert coercive pressure on China. Drawing on insights from over a dozen localized conflicts, this article analyzes the US military’s strike capabilities, operational patterns, and systemic ground vulnerabilities. Grounded in the concepts of resilience and survivability, systems-based confrontation, and tiered defense, it proposes targeted operational principles, countermeasures, and strategic recommendations for countering precision strikes by the powerful enemy.
Why The Ford Class Carrier’s Island Superstructure Is Located So Far Back
The War Zone – The U.S. Navy is reportedly evaluating a major change to the Ford class aircraft carrier design that would move the island superstructure further forward on the flight deck. President Donald Trump is said to be pushing the service to reposition the island on aesthetic grounds, to make the ships look more like World War II-era carriers.
Ensuring Offshore Infrastructure Protection Keeps Pace with Growth
RUSI – Offshore energy infrastructure is being built at pace, led by offshore wind and electrical interconnectors, but the security architecture needs to keep up.
Trump’s call for fifth shipyard likely to run into cost, workforce hurdles: Analysts
Breaking Defense – The Navy’s youngest of its four public shipyards is more than 100 years old. Now, President Donald Trump says it’s time for a fifth, in an effort to expand repair capacity for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines.
Indian Navy Leases Two Additional MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAVs
Navy News – India signed a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for the leasing of two MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for the Indian Navy for a period of 30 months.
The growing threat to Royal Navy ships in harbour
Navy Lookout – The security of the RN’s home bases has recently drawn fresh scrutiny as cheap uncrewed weapons present an expanding challenge. Some will argue this is scaremongering, but there are good reasons to believe that the fleet is now more exposed to unconventional attack while in port than at any time since the Second World War.
U.S. Navy Looks to Carrier-Basing, Submarine Replenishment Missions for UUVs
Naval News – The U.S. Navy’s Pacific-based submarine force is exploring a number of new mission sets for uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs) as they rapidly proliferate across the fleet, including new mission sets involving carrier-basing and underway submarine replenishments for contested environments.
What China’s PLA says it is learning from the Iran war
Breaking Defense – From AI integration to the economics of air and missile defense, Chinese military commentators are paying especially close attention to the US-Israel war in Iran.
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