– Wall Street Journal – Unconventional wars are our most pressing national security concern. They’re also the most ancient form of war in the world. Max Boot on the lessons of insurgency we seem unable to learn.
Monthly Archives: January 2013
French Navy – French Navy Dixmude LHD sails off with a full load of reinforcement for Serval operation in Mali
– Navy Recognition – French Navy Dixumde LHD (Mistral class) sailed off on alert from Toulon naval base. With a record (for the class) load of French Army troops, vehicles and equipment belonging to a battalion task force (JTF-battle group) the amphibious vessel contributes to the strengthening of the French military deployed in Operation Serval.
US Navy – Navy can't scrap ships, but can't fix them either
– Virginian Pilot – The Navy is stuck with a number of poorly performing ships it wasn’t permitted to scrap but can’t afford to fix because Congress hasn’t resolved its budget stalemate.
Philippine Navy – Philippines 'to take South China Sea row to court'
– BBC – The Philippines says it will challenge Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea at a UN tribunal.
Afghanistan – Which Way Did the Taliban Go?
– New York Times Magazine – Digging out roadside bombs, running into ambushes and dancing with deranged informants — a week in the life of an Afghan National Army battalion, on its own in the wilderness.
US Navy – Secret Nuclear Redesign Will Keep U.S. Subs Running Silently for 50 Years
– Wired – The U.S. Navy is betting the future of its submarine force on a secret and revolutionary nuclear drive system that aspires to be more efficient and quieter than anything under the water today.
French Navy – DCNS Lorient Shipyard Visit and FREMM Frigates Program Update
– Navy Recognition – Navy Recognition was recently invited by DCNS to visit their Lorient (Brittany) based shipyard. The Lorient site specializes in surface vessel. It was the birthplace of many French Navy vessels such as Aviso type ships, the La Fayette class of frigates (and its export derivatives) and even several classes of cruisers before and after World War II. We also took this rare opportunity to sit down and ask a few questions to Vincent Martinot-Lagarde, FREMM Programs Manager.
Chinese Navy – The drums of war
– Chinese Navy – The drums of war – Armed clashes over trivial specks in the East China Sea loom closer.
Chinese Navy – Dangerous shoals
– The Economist – The risks of a clash between China and Japan are rising—and the consequences could be calamitous.
Chinese Navy – This Simple Ship Could Let the Chinese Navy Circle the Globe
– Wired – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy now has an aircraft carrier, new jet fighters to fly off the flattop and even new submarines and guided-missile destroyers able to protect the refurbished Soviet carrier. And with the successful first sea trials of two new, 590-foot-long fleet oilers — tanker ships designed to keep other vessels fueled, or “replenished,” while sailing long distance — the PLAN could soon be able to deploy all this new hardware beyond coastal waters.
Piracy – World sea piracy falls to five-year low in 2012
– Associated Press – World sea piracy fell to its lowest level in five years in 2012, thanks to a huge reduction in Somali piracy.
Editorial Note – New Appearance for NOSI
Some time recently, NOSI’s WordPress Web hosting software was compromised with some malware. Thanks to Fred for bringing it to my attention! NOSI’s content was transferred last week by my hosting service to a new clean version of the WordPress Web hosting software. As part of that NOSI got a new template, so I will thank you in advance for your patience while I come to grips with it…
Geopolitics / Afghanistan – Afghanistan’s improving ways
– Washington Post – David Ignatius’ interesting take on the future of Afghanistan – “Who can say what the future holds for Afghanistan? Surely, the country’s turmoil and suffering won’t end when U.S. troops depart; the situation may get much worse. But it’s a mistake to assume that nothing changed during America’s years of struggle there, or that many of those changes weren’t for the good.”
US Navy – Navy’s Holy Grail: An ‘Affordable’ Ship
– National Defense – The trend lines are all going the wrong way. The price tags of Navy ships keep ascending as the number of vessels in the fleet takes a dive.
Geopolitics / Israel – The Party Faithful
– Geopolitics / Israel – The Party Faithful – The settlers move to annex the West Bank—and Israeli politics. An interesting view of the future of Israeli – and thus Middle Eastern politics – and the implications.
Royal Navy – Q&A with BAE Systems on Type 26 Frigate Design Update at Euronaval 2012
– Navy Recognition – During Euronaval 2012 in October last year, BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships showcased a Type 26 “Global Combat Ship” frigate model with a slightly modified design compared to the big design update unveiled during DSA 2012 in April last year. We asked a few questions to BAE Systems on the reasons behind the latest changes to the design.
US Navy – Navy’s $670 Million Fighting Ship Is ‘Not Expected to Be Survivable,’ Pentagon Says
– Wired – In less than two months, the Navy will send the first of its newest class of fighting ships on its first major deployment overseas. Problem is, according to the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester, the Navy will be deploying the USS Freedom before knowing if the so-called Littoral Combat Ship can survive, um, combat. And what the Navy does know about the ship isn’t encouraging: Among other problems, its guns don’t work right.
US Navy – Kraken Wakes – DARPA's Deep-Sea Sleepers
– Aviation Week – Arguing it is costly and complex to send large numbers of warships to forward operating areas – and that the energy and logistics needed to deploy lower-cost unmanned systems over oceanic distances limits their usefulness – DARPA has come with another idea.
Russian Navy – First Borei Submarine Enters Service
– Aviation Week – The First Borei class (project 955) nuclear-powered submarine, Yuri Dolgorukiy, entered service with the Russian Navy today.
Russian Navy – New Russian nuclear sub enters service
– AP – The Russian navy on Thursday hoisted its flag on a new nuclear powered submarine intended to form a key part of the country’s future nuclear deterrent.
Russian Navy – Russian Navy Holds Syria Exercises
– RIA Novosti – Ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Baltic Fleets are to start exercises off the coast of Syria.
Piracy – Privateers
– Economist – Pirates face a new foe: a private navy.
Geopolitics – Why Hagel Was Picked
– New York Times – David Brooks’ very interesting insight into the choice of the next SecDef: “As the federal government becomes a health care state, there will have to be a generation of defense cuts that overwhelm anything in recent history…As this sort of crunch gradually tightens, Medicare will be the last to go. Spending on things like Head Start, scientific research and defense will go quicker. These spending cuts will transform America’s stature in the world, making us look a lot more like Europe today. This is why Adm. Mike Mullen called the national debt the country’s biggest security threat. Chuck Hagel has been nominated to supervise the beginning of this generation-long process of defense cutbacks. If a Democratic president is going to slash defense, he probably wants a Republican at the Pentagon to give him political cover, and he probably wants a decorated war hero to boot.”
US Navy – Study War Much More
– US Naval Institute Proceedings – As Roman military science essayist Flavius Vegetius Renatus said ca. AD 378, qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum : whoever desires peace should prepare for war.
Russian Navy – Putin Preps Russian Navy for Biggest Exercise Since the Soviet Union
– Wired – The Russian navy is about to stage its largest war exercise in a long time — possibly the largest since before the breakup of the Soviet Union. It’s a chance for President Vladimir Putin to show off his military might, of course. But the exercise may also be a subtle warning to the United States: Stay clear of waters that traditionally lie in Russia’s sphere of influence.
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