Naval News – The French Navy is continuing to reinforce its core operational concepts and capabilities as it responds to continuing evolutions in threats at sea.
Royal Navy Carriers Operate in the High North, Mediterranean
USNI News – Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09) is conducting operations across the High North as HMS Queen Elizabeth (RO8) trains in the Mediterranean.
CMSI Note 26: Easy Infiltration: The Rise of PRC Small Boat Landings on Taiwan
China Maritime Studies Institute – The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) appears to have a doctrine that calls for infiltrating undercover operatives into Taiwan to collect intelligence and to conduct special missions, according to its textbooks. Research shows that cross-Strait small boat landings seem to have begun in 2021, and at least eight Chinese men have been arrested on Taiwan in connection with these cases. Each reported landing occurred at a sensitive location. Five of the eight happened on a known invasion beach. The other three happened at ports and river deltas believed to be of high interest to war planners in the PLA. There are many possible explanations for these landings, such as smuggling, espionage, or human trafficking. Reconnaissance by the PLA, however, cannot be ruled out.
China Maritime Report #60: PLA Naval Aviation Personnel: Training and Career Paths for a Modern Force
China Maritime Studies Institute – PLA Naval Aviation has undergone substantial institutional transformation over the past two decades. This transformation is driven by the goal of becoming a carrier-based force capable of effective joint operations in the maritime domain. This transformation has been accompanied by reforms to pilot education, training, and career management systems, aimed at producing a qualified force capable of conducting long-range maritime operations. Despite significant progress, there are still areas that require improvements, particularly the Naval Aviation University.
On American destroyers, avoid a self-inflicted wound in Spain
Defense News – Consider the case of the Trump administration’s ongoing review of U.S. force posture in Europe and whether Washington will maintain a handful of American naval destroyers forward-stationed in Rota, Spain. Stationing destroyers at Rota helps secure vital American interests in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East and allows the ships to spend more time conducting missions than traversing back and forth across the Atlantic.
Australia preps Bluebottle USV for submarine-hunting role
Defense News – Australia’s Navy is doubling down on unmanned systems as it adopts platforms like the Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel and Ghost Shark and Speartooth extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles.
RFA Tideforce sustains Royal Navy and NATO operations in the High North
Navy Lookout – RFA Tideforce has completed six weeks of intensive operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic, supplying Royal Navy and allied warships, carrying out anti-submarine operations and monitoring Russian naval activity. T
On ‘NATO’s lake,’ Nordic allies worry about escalation with Russia
Defense News – When Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, it was hailed as the Baltic Sea’s transformation into “a NATO lake.” Since then, however, the sea has been less than placid, as confrontations with Russia and interference with undersea infrastructure have raised tensions to new heights.
France investing in naval power as military ambition is ‘to be feared’
Breaking Defense – France’s Minister of the Armed Forces says the country’s military ambition to be “feared” on the global stage is driving major modernization investments, including naval drone and munitions programs.
Russian-Made Murena Drone Sank CONTSHIP JET Off Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast?
Novinite – The maritime drone that struck the Greek container ship CONTSHIP JET off Cape Kaliakra was likely a Russian-developed Murena-300S or a modified version of that model, according to security experts, while its exact origin and responsibility for the attack remain unconfirmed.
(Thanks to Alain)
European naval chiefs meet to discuss North Atlantic defence without the Royal Navy
Navy Lookout – European Admirals are quietly meeting to discuss how to defend the North Atlantic as the RN is increasingly absent and at an unprecedented low point. This is another indication that allies are increasingly judging Britain by the forces it can actually put to sea rather than its ambitions for the future.
Marine Force-Southeast Asia Will Maintain Continuous Presence in the Philippines
USNI News – Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia is now on its second continuous rotation to the Philippines, the service announced last week.
Underwater Drone Threats Are Already Here. America Isn’t Ready
Center for Maritime Strategy – America is racing to field autonomous maritime systems, and for good reason: they will be critical to a variety of future operations. However, maritime drones are not an American monopoly. Criminal networks and foreign regimes have already reached, if not perfected, these same advancements.
China Expands Construction Of Type 071 Amphibious Warfare Ships To Guangzhou
Naval News – China is now undertaking construction of new Type 071 LPD (landing platform dock) at a second location, in addition to existing production at Hudong in Shanghai. Detailed satellite imagery obtained by Naval News shows two additional hulls under construction at the COMEC shipyard (formally CSSC Offshore and Marine Engineering), also known as Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), on Longxue Island in Guangzhou.
Russian Navy Cancels Modernization of Kirov-Class Battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy
Naval News – The Russian Navy has officially canceled modernization plans for the Kirov-class / Project 1144.2 “Orlan” nuclear battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy, permanently sidelining the Northern Fleet’s largest surface combatant amid ongoing budget constraints.
HMS Venturer to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2028
Navy Lookout – Babcock has confirmed they expect to deliver HMS Venturer to the RN in 2028, around two years later than the handover anticipated when she was launched. The date provides some clarity on the delayed Type 31 programme, but delivery is a very different milestone from being ready for operations.
Stealthy GJ-21 Drone Has Launched And Recovered From Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship, China Claims
The War Zone – Signs that the PLAN has been building up to this significant milestone in naval airpower have been growing for more than a year.
Iran Used Limpet Mine Placed On Ship’s Hull In Latest Strait Of Hormuz Attack
The War Zone – More air defenses, ships, troops, ammo and supplies are flowing into the Middle East as the clock ticks down to the potential start of a new air campaign against Iran.
Washington’s Counter-Mine Wakeup Call
Center for Maritime Strategy – The Islamic Republic of Iran delivered a wakeup call to the U.S. Navy regarding the service’s ability to clear mines. The still-contested Strait of Hormuz demonstrates that mine clearing under fire is a slow, risky process.The mission served as a litmus test for the Navy’s capabilities. While some systems proved effective, improvement and scaling are still required. The Pentagon needs to identify and implement corrective measures or else it may pay a higher price in a future conflict with China, whose mine stockpile dwarfs Iran’s.
Long Deployments to Be Navy Standard For Next Couple Years, MCPON, CNO Say
USNI News – It will take a couple years before deployment lengths shift from the extended 10-11 months back to the normal seven, the Navy’s top enlisted sailor said Wednesday.
CMSI Translations #38: Furious Seas, Raging Waves: The PLA’s Development of Sea-to-Shore Strike Capabilities
China Maritime Studies Institute – At present, driven by anxiety and panic over China’s rising power and a desire to contain its peaceful development, U.S. political circles frequently provoke China on core interests related to Taiwan. They have even schemed to exploit “Taiwan Independence” elements to cross a red line regarding forced reunification. Such plots aim to “Ukrainize” Taiwan and drive the island to ruin, thereby raising the cost of reunification for China in order to weaken the country’s national strength and curb its development. Meanwhile, in recent months, “Taiwan Independence” forces on the island, emboldened by the backing of external powers, have acted with increasing brazenness. In response to the repeated actions by U.S. and Taiwan authorities that challenge the bottom line of peace, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army must intensify preparations for military conflict so that, when necessary, it can force a crossing of the Taiwan Strait, launch large-scale amphibious landing operations, completely eliminate the “Taiwan Independence” forces, and achieve the complete reunification of the country.
Record deployment for destroyer USS Spruance casts doubt over US Navy maintenance
Defense News – The Arleigh-Burke class destroyer USS Spruance has set a post-World War II record for a U.S. Navy destroyer deployment and is raising questions about the maintenance work that could follow its eventual return.
Kaliningrad is more than the Suwałki Gap, and NATO cannot ignore it
Breaking Defense – In an age of drones and long-range precision weapons, Kaliningrad’s location shows Europe’s security isn’t neatly divided between frontline states and everyone else.
NATO’s Black Sea nations decry Ukraine war spillover endangering commercial ship traffic
Defense News – The Ministers of Defense of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey have condemned attacks against commercial vessels in the Black Sea and call on all parties to refrain from any further actions that could endanger commercial vessels, maritime infrastructure and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.
Three Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarines at sea does not signal change in nuclear posture
Navy Lookout – Three of the Royal Navy’s four Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines are currently at sea, an unusual concentration of boats that has prompted speculation about a change in Britain’s nuclear posture. The available evidence instead points towards routine operational activity and, more positively, improving submarine availability after several years in which maintaining the deterrent has placed exceptional demands on boats and crews.
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