Royal Marines – 45 Commando claims its newly modified SA80-A2 rifle still badly misfires.

• BBC: MoD investigates ‘faulty’ forces rifle
  

Russian Navy – Why are senior Russian military officials never punished for their misdeeds?

• Moscow Times: Still Cagey About the Kursk
  

US Navy – More about the sensor suite intended for CVN-77.

• Virginian Pilot:
  Navy chooses older systems for CVN-77 carrier
  

US Coast Guard – A closer look at the Deepwater contract.

• Aviation Week: Coast Guard Begins Makeover
  With Mammoth Contract

Chinese Navy – China is having problems operating its Kilo-class submarines.

• Taipei Times: China has major trouble with new Kilo submarines
  

Indonesia Navy – Most of Indonesia’s ships are not considered to be operational.

• The Straits Times: Indonesian navy ships not fit to fight, says chief

Singaporean Navy – CARAT exercises are being conducted between the navies of Singapore and the US.

• Reuters: Singapore, U.S. navies start 11-day exercise
  

Canadian Navy – More problems during testing of HMCS Corner Brook, Canada’s latest Upholder-class submarine.

• Globe and Mail: Another used sub runs into trouble

Russian Navy – The final verdict from Russia on the cause of the sinking of the Kursk in in: hydrogen peroxide fuel exploding in a 65-76 Kit (Whale) torpedo.

• BBC: Final report blames fuel for Kursk disaster
• Associated Press: Kursk accident caused by explosion of fuel in torpedo, commission member says

Background – Transformation – William Arkin on why the Pentagon’s Director of Program Analysis and Evaluation has been removed – his call for a force of 34 aircraft carriers to meet US requirements was his downfall.

• Washington Post Dot Mil: Who’s Afraid of PA&E?
  

Royal Navy – HMS Campbeltown makes a port of call in Aden.

• Associated Press: British Frigate Docks in Aden Port
  

South Korean Navy – A first-person account of the battle between North and South Korean gunboats.

• CNN: Sailor recounts bloody naval clash