– Breaking Defense – Despite congressional doubts, years of delays, and almost $5 billion in overruns, the US Navy has now locked in two controversial high-tech systems for all three of its Ford-class supercarriers. First, a week ago, the Navy announced a review of alternative systems had decided to stick with General Atomics’ Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for all three flattops. Today, General Atomics announced it had also won a $533 million sole-source contract to install its Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) on the third and final ship, the USS Enterprise.
Monthly Archives: January 2017
Yemen conflict: Rebels in deadly attack on Saudi warship
BBC – The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthi rebels says two crew members have been killed in an attack on one of its warships in the Red Sea.
Greek and Turkish warships in standoff in Aegean sea
– The Guardian – Greek and Turkish warships were involved Sunday in a brief faceoff near a group of disputed Greek islets in the Aegean, coinciding with renewed tensions between Athens and Ankara.
Northern Exposure
– Air Force – While maintaining its neutrality, Sweden is growing its air force and pursuing greater interoperability with the US.
Worried about the Size of the U.S. Navy? Rearm the Coast Guard
– National Interest – The United States’ peer naval competitors are on the rise, and our Navy is woefully deficient in the small surface combatants that provide global presence during peacetime and serve as utility players during times of conflict. Until the early 1990s, the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest cutters could be expected to fill a portion of the small surface combatant gap. However, decisions made since the end of the Cold War have left the service without cutters to meet today’s minimum threshold of combat value. Restoring credible warfighting capability to the major cutter fleet is an efficient way to address the small surface combatant shortfall.
A Conversation With Naval Fiction Writing David Poyer, Author of “Onslaught”
– CIMSEC – CIMSEC sat down with author David Poyer, former naval officer and author of the ‘Tales of the Modern Navy’ series of novels, among other exciting modern and historical naval fiction titles. Poyer’s latest title, Onslaught, finds protagonist Dan Lenson in command of USS Savo Island during the opening salvo of the war with China. Poyer’s masterful character development, eye for technical details, and comprehensive understanding of life at sea have made him a favorite of fans of this genre. We asked him about his writing process, inspiration, and more.
David Poyer’s Dan Lenson / Modern Navy novels can be found: here
In Between Carriers, 11th MEU, Makin Island ARG Are Busy In 5th Fleet
– USNI News – The new year began with no U.S. aircraft carrier and carrier strike group on watch in the Middle East. But the volatile Middle East region wasn’t devoid of U.S. military projection from the sea. For almost two months – and through the nation’s transition to a new administration – the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, aboard the three-ship Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, has been standing post.
Britain, US Pledge to Improve Cooperation in Maritime Patrol Operations
– Defense News – Britain and the US have pledged to work closer together on P-8A maritime patrol aircraft operations in the North Atlantic.
Fix the Fleet! US Navy Makes Maintenance Top Priority
– Defense News – With no fiscal 2017 defense budget in sight and little chance of an agreement before April – if then – the military services are submitting second and possibly third rounds of unfunded requirements lists to Congress. The lists include items left out of the original budget requests, ranked in order of priority should Congress find a way to fund them.
Political Fight Underway Over Trump Pick for Navy Secretary
– Washington Free Beacon – A political battle is underway in the Trump administration over whether the president should pick a former Hong Kong-based financier with extensive business ties in China to be the next Navy secretary.
If I Were Secretary of the U.S. Navy for Just One Day
– National Interest – What James Holmes, one of the world’s leading naval experts, would change.
A new Russian weapon may give it an underwater advantage
– The Economist – The principle of supercavitation continues to intrigue torpedo designers.
Taiwan’s Ancient Submarine Will Reach an Astounding 80 Years in Service
– War is Boring – Another lease on life for the World War II-era ‘Hai Shih’
Theresa May ‘faith’ in Trident after test ‘malfunction’
– BBC – Theresa May says she has “absolute faith” in the UK’s nuclear weapons system despite reports that an unarmed missile went off course during a test.
Russia, Syria Agree on Mediterranean Naval Base Expansion, Refit of Syrian Ships
– USNI News – Russia and Syria have signed an agreement this week to expand Russia’s sole foreign base – a naval repair facility in Syria – into a larger naval base capable of permanently hosting 11 ships. The agreement would allow the Tartus installation to expand to berth larger surface combatants and submarines
China’s first aircraft-carrier bares its teeth
– The Economist – Should anyone be scared?
Most Offensive, Defensive Upgrades Surface Force Will Be Fielded by 2023
– USNI News – The next six years will bring numerous offensive and defensive capabilities to the U.S. surface fleet, culminating in Fiscal Year 2023 when the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer (DDG-51) reaches initial operational capability and the first frigate delivers to the fleet.
US links pact to tracking Chinese submarines
– The Telegraph – The US has linked India’s ability to detect Chinese submarines in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea to the signing of an agreement that will permit sensors and equipment on US planes to talk and share data with those on Indian warships and planes.
Flashman, the foreign correspondent’s role model
– The Economist – Victorian England’s foremost rotter would have made a great journalist.
Science Fiction Futures
– Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory – A collection of science fiction stories written by Marines and other service members from an Art of the Future Project and Marine Corps Warfighting Lab workshop.
Underbelly
– US Military Academy Modern War Institute – This short story by August Cole explores what war in Europe against an increasingly aggressive Russia might look like with a dramatically reduced US commitment to NATO.
Art of Future Warfare Project
I am a big fan of the Art of Future Warfare Project, whose work I have linked to in the past. The project advocates the use of fiction / science fiction to explore potential futures in warfare. Here is a list of naval fiction short stories from their most recent contest, which I highly recommend for use in helping one visualize what the future of naval warfare will be like. I will also be linking to 2 of their newest works in the next few days. Enjoy!
Now Hear This – Another Course Change for LCS
– US Naval Institute Proceedings – The Navy has scrapped “3-2-1” crew manning of the Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) in favor of a Blue-Gold crew concept. It also will permanently assign mission modules to hulls and dedicate four hulls to research and development (R&D). These changes resulted from a program review initiated by Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson that coincidently was announced shortly after the third and fourth LCSs suffered catastrophic engineering casualties.
The Development of Vietnam’s Sea-Denial Strategy
– US Naval War College Review – This article examines Vietnam’s geostrategic circumstances to understand better its choice of a sea-denial strategy. Hanoi’s current achievements in building its sea-denial capability, as well as the characteristics and limitations of that capability, are reviewed. Finally, as the United States and its allies vis-à-vis China increase their military presence in the South China Sea, the article discusses the effects of Vietnam’s sea-denial strategy and the country’s relevant military capabilities on the geostrategic situation.
Navy Will Get Supercarrier USS Ford In April – Finally
– Breaking Defense – The long-delayed super-carrier USS Ford is “99 percent” complete and will be delivered to the Navy in April, the Navy announced late Wednesday. A date for commissioning the $13 billion ship into service has still not been yet.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.