Chinese Navy – China would like to buy 8 more Kilo-class submarines from Russia, armed with Klub anti-ship missiles. What China needs next is an over-the-horizon targeting system.

• Washington Post: Chinese plan big Russian arms deal

Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Arunta and HMAS Melbourne will soon be taking up station in the Persian Gulf.

• Australian Associated Press: Aussie frigate sails for Gulf

Italian Navy – Italy will purchase the Joint Strike Fighter, in its land-based and naval-based versions. The naval versions will presumeably replace its AV-8B Harriers on the Giuseppe Garibaldi.

• Reuters: Italy Backs U.S. Joint Strike Fighter, Eurofighter

Indonesia Navy – Indonesia’s navy wants to be less political and more professional.

• The Straits Times: No politics, says new Jakarta navy chief

Background – Flags of Convenience – One of the many reasons why flags of convenience are bad.

• International Herald Tribune: Raid at sea highlights flag abuses

Background – Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – Progress is being made on UAVs the size of flies.

• San Francisco Chronicle: Soaring achievement in spying
  UC Berkeley team creating ‘microfly’ to infiltrate enemies

Background – US Bases in the Persian Gulf – How the US is increasing its presence in the Persian Gulf, and in doing so making Saudi Arabia irrelevant to US defense interests.

• Wall Street Journal: U.S. military ramps up in Gulf