Bulgarian Military – The Project 636.3 Rostov-on-Don diesel-electric submarine, which suffered damage during a missile attack on Sevastopol last year, is now out of the dock and continues its repair work. According to a source from the Russian defense industry, repairs are progressing.
(Thanks to Alain)
Naval News – The U.S. Navy’s Transferrable Rearming Mechanism (TRAM), a system capable of reloading missile cells while underway, successfully completed its first ground-based test last week.
Taiwan News – Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine, the “Narwhal,” attracted onlookers as it docked at a pier in Kaohsiung harbor Saturday.
(Thanks to Alain)
Aviation Week – The UK is investigating options to give its new fleet of General Atomics Protector uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) sea legs, with a vision to operate the platform from the country’s two aircraft carriers.
The Sun – MORE than 100 Royal Navy submarine crew have been booted out for taking drugs in the past five years, stats show. They tested positive for cocaine, cannabis, ecstasy, and steroids and benzodiazepine.
(Thanks to Alain)
The War Zone – General Atomics has revealed work for a carrier-capable fifth member of its Gambit drone family, which is based around a common modular core ‘chassis’ concept. The company has also presented a larger vision for how this new uncrewed aircraft could fit into a future air wing aboard the United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth class carriers. Carrier-based Gambits could be of interest to other potential customers, including the U.S. Navy, and a stepping stone to future pilotless naval aviation capabilities.
War on the Rocks – The agreement this past weekend, will purportedly allow the Philippines to temporarily conduct resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre without militarized interference, while China maintains its claim that the atoll is firmly within Chinese territorial water. As the text of this agreement has yet to be made public, we cannot firmly say how these gains were won, but it is possible that the recent strengthening of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, or even explicit offers from the United States to assist in defending the atoll have caused China to reconsider its aggressive stance. However, agreements with China built on détente have historically failed to achieve their goals. If recent history is any guide, the best way to avoid a further escalation of the conflict in the South China Sea is to make clear that Beijing cannot conquer the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone at anything like an acceptable cost.
Naval News – In anticipation of another possible humanitarian mission to deliver aid and medical care to wounded Palestinians, over the past two months, the Indonesian Armed Forces have prepared their assets and personnel, including two hospital ships.
Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s second 10,000 ton-class hospital ship recently embarked on a voyage to islands and reefs in the South China Sea to conduct medical rounds and rescue exercises, with experts saying on Thursday that the vessel will enhance the PLA Navy’s logistics capabilities and provide extra public security goods to the international community.
Naval News – The Maritime Security Battalion aims to secure Philippine maritime routes and bring the Philippine Marine Corps into the littorals.
The War Zone – Stealthy Naval Strike Missiles in place of Harpoon anti-ship missiles could give older Arleigh Burke destroyers a valuable capability boost.
The War Zone – News that Russia may give Houthis anti-ship missiles comes as the group carried out its first lethal strike on Israel.
Center For Maritime Security – U.S. military officials and policymakers face a difficult choice in the Bab el-Mandeb: commit to a massive and sustained investment in maintaining open sea lanes by permanently neutralizing the Yemeni Houthi movement or allowing the international community to bear the burden of increased shipping costs. The geopolitical consequences of this decision will not be limited to the Arabian Peninsula and—in either case—the Houthis’ asymmetric blockade of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is setting a massive precedent in the modern history of naval warfare.
Navy Lookout – The RN has begun pre-procurement engagement with industry for the MRSS project and has offered some initial insights into its requirements. Here we look at the outline specification and the significant challenges that must be overcome to deliver these ships.
CIMSEC – Navy commanders should be ready to exercise a break with precedent to exploit this narrative by entertaining the idea that the carrier might be better suited for other roles, especially as a decoy force. If not, they risk falling victim to their own mythology.
Naval News – New Zealand possesses an exclusive economic zone spanning 4.3 million km², which the government claims is the world’s fifth largest.
Barents Observer – For the first time since 2017 no larger warships will participate in Russia’s Main naval parade in the waters outside St. Petersburg. “Security reasons,” says Rear Admiral.
War on the Rocks – Today, American naval forces are responsible for not only operations and success in war, but also advancing American interests during peacetime. With the mission of the U.S. Navy including both economic prosperity and peacetime interests, the U.S. government must find a way to develop collaboration between the interests represented in the new mission, bringing together those that contribute to both security and prosperity. Using the insights of the past to help us ask the right questions about the development of naval policy and maritime strategy for the present, Mahan offers us an old idea to think about in a new context.
Globes – The BlueWhale, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries’ Elta unit with German company Atlas Electronik, will be part of the effort to combat Iran’s expanding naval capabilities.
(Thanks to Alain)
War on the Rocks – In the Indo-Pacific the U.S. military faces two tasks: to prepare for a large-scale, high-intensity conflict and to steadily bolster relationships with allies and partners throughout the region. The first cannot succeed without the second. As such, the sustainment and logistics of military exercises ought to reinforce relationships with partners and allies. By thoughtfully reframing basic tasks — some as simple as recycling motor oil — U.S. forces operating in the Indo-Pacific may not only help to solve future logistics problems but also serve to deepen positive relations with partner nations and their societies today. Imposing large numbers of personnel and military vehicles into a fragile ecosystem will have significant impact, and showing respect for the natural environment by mitigating that impact is a strategic choice. What is important is showing a regional partner that its relationship with United States is not simply transactional but based on thoughtful collaboration.
Barents Observer – Still unclear why the nuclear-powered submarine Tambov, the destroyer Admiral Levchenko and the landing vessel Ivan Green are departing the Baltic Sea.
(Thanks to Alain)
National Interest – James Holmes writes on the USS Carney (DDG-64) recently concluded a significant deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea, conducting 51 engagements against Houthi missiles and drones to protect shipping and regional stability.
Breaking Defense – Why the Pentagon shouldn’t be so quick to retire old technologies in favor of newer ones.
CIMSEC – In an era marked by the complexities of global politics and evolving information landscapes, the role of military public affairs becomes increasingly significant in shaping and safeguarding a nation’s strategic interests. The United States, with its longstanding commitment to naval supremacy, recognizes the importance of effectively controlling the narrative surrounding its military actions. The concept of military public affairs, particularly in the context of U.S. naval supremacy, is the public facing image that controls the warfighter narrative, that holds both allies and adversaries accountable where the lines between truth and misinformation become blurred or even completely eroded. The ability to hold both adversaries and allies accountable is a crucial factor in maintaining U.S. naval dominance. The symbiotic relationship between military public affairs and naval power projection is imperative to generate a narrative control that can serve as a strategic tool for U.S. national security interests.
China Maritime Studies Institute – Chinese state media’s Channel 7 recently released a series of videos that described China’s aircraft carriers and the carrier battle groups, including their history, composition, and operational theory.
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