The War Zone – Israel has used the ship-based version of its Iron Dome air defense system for the first time in combat.
Yearly Archives: 2024
Rolling Airframe Missiles To Arm Arleigh Burke Destroyer Fleet
The War Zone – New point defenses, which come amid growing missile and drone threats, are just one Navy modernization effort for the Arleigh Burke class.
Navy EA-18G Growlers Get AIM-9X, Super Hornets Can Now Carry More Sidewinders
The War Zone – U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft can now carry AIM-9X Sidewinders under their wings. As part of the same process, the service has cleared AIM-9Xs to go on pylons underneath the wings of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, expanding the total number of Sidewinders those jets can carry on a single sortie. The Navy took these steps specifically to help give Super Hornets and Growlers flying over and around the Red Sea more options to engage Houthi drones.
The Marines’ Pacific allies are copying its littoral regiment moves
Defense News – The Corps’ top operations general is seeing Pacific allies copy some of the new littoral-based war-fighting concepts that the service’s has developed to counter China in the region.
The Messy Battlespace That Would Be a U.S. vs. China War
National Interest – James Holmes writes that warfare in the Pacific between the U.S. and China promises to be an all-service, all-domain, and allied endeavor. Waging it will demand the utmost not just from naval forces but from fellow services that operate from dry earth.
The PLA Navy Coastal Defense Missile Force
China Aerospace Studies Institute – The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is comprised of five branches (兵种): the surface fleet, the submarine fleet, naval aviation, the marine corps, and coastal defense. As the PLAN modernizes, each of the branches has undergone its own modernization. This includes the PLAN Coastal Defense force (PLANCDF) which is primarily comprised of coastal artillery forces and coastal defense missile forces. Although the PLANCDF coastal artillery has become mostly obsolete, the missile component of this force (海军岸导部队or PLAN Coastal Defense Missile force (CDMF)) has not only been growing, but may play a critical role in many of the PLA’s envisioned operations on China’s periphery. The CDMF is comprised of anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) systems and represents the shore-based medium and long-range fires that the PLAN brings to fights on the periphery of China. In the past decade, the CDMF has consistently undergone upgrades to its organization, the missile systems that it fields, and its barracks (军营). This branch has also been highlighted in official media several times recently demonstrating an increased interest in enhancing its capabilities and bringing the CDMF into focus. This paper aims to document the CDMF organization, its role in PLA operations, the different CDMF regiments within the Theater Commands (TC), the missile technology, and the facility modernizations that the CDMF has undergone.
Navy, Marines launching study to improve readiness of amphibious fleet
Defense News – The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps will study amphibious warship readiness and how the services can get ahead of ship maintenance challenges.
Japan Completes First Stage Of JS Kaga Modification To Operate F-35B
Naval News – The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has announced that it has completed the first of a two-stage modification for its helicopter carrier JS Kaga to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35B fighter aircraft.
Manta Ray High-Endurance Underwater Drone Unveiled
The War Zone – The testbed that mimics its namesake is designed to help DARPA hone its requirements for a new class of multi-mission submersible drones.
Sea Drone Found In Black Sea Is American Boat With Massive Soviet Warhead
Naval News – A mysterious maritime drone has been discovered in the Black Sea. The capsized vessel marries a U.S. built hull with a Soviet-era Russian warhead. At around 500 kg (1,100 lb), the warhead is more than twice the size of that on a Harpoon or Neptune missile.
Navy cancels ship briefings after damning internal report
Politico – As the Navy’s largest U.S. trade show gets underway on Monday, officers in charge of the service’s marquee shipbuilding programs won’t offer the usual briefings with reporters and analysts about them.
The Expeditionary Sea Base as a Nucleus for Regional Maritime Security Learning and Cooperation
CIMSEC – In recent years, the world’s waterways have remained relatively safe from conflict. One of the reasons for that safety is that global maritime services seem to intuitively know how to coalesce as regional maritime security enterprises. Organizational learning is a significant enabler of that coalescence, and purposefully dedicated organizational elements (nuclei) help accelerate organizational learning. The ESB is the perfect platform to be a regional nucleus for the U.S. Navy and partner country military entities and coast guards. We just need to reposition the ESBs to the right locations, “market” them appropriately to military decision-makers, and use them in bigger and more creative ways.
How Fast Response Cutters Have Transformed Coast Guard Operations In Guam
Naval News – U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam has only existed in its current form for a few years, but, in that time, it’s had a massive impact on U.S. re-engagement with Oceania.
U.S. Set to Expand Naval Base in Papua New Guinea
USNI News – In an effort to push back China’s influence and expand its presence in Oceania, the U.S. is renovating Lombrum Naval Base on the Island of Los Negros in Papua New Guinea.
Timeline of Chinese Harassment of Second Thomas Shoal Resupply Missions
USNI News – The following is a list of Chinese attempts to block the resupply missions to the Philippine Armed Forces outpost BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea since August.
10 reasons to be optimistic about the strength of the Royal Navy
Navy Lookout – There have been a swathe of negative news stories about the RN in the last 6 months and received wisdom is that the Navy is in terrible shape. While facing enormous challenges, the outlook is not all bleak and here we highlight some reasons to believe the RN is still a very credible fighting force.
The U.S. Navy Should Make Every Warship Into an ‘Aircraft Carrier’
National Interest – In the age of uncrewed vehicles and artificial intelligence, every ship of war could—and should—be an “aircraft carrier” of some type or another. The U.S. Navy just might be on to something.
Boeing to shutter Super Hornet line in 2027 after final Navy order: Boeing VP
Breaking Defense – A recent Navy contract award may have extended the lifespan of Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet production for a couple more years, but after failing to find additional customers, the aerospace giant plans to close up shop on the legacy fighter after 2027.
Norway Unveils New Defence Plan, Commits To Frigate Program
Naval News – The Norwegian government today announced their new long-term defence plan for the period 2025 to 2036. Under the name of The Norwegian Defence Pledge, the plan envisions significant growth which not only will see the country reach NATO’s target of 2 % of GDP to defence already this year, but also see that figure pass 3 % towards the end of the period.
French Navy Sets Out Steps To Reach Seabed Warfare Goals
Naval News – Rear Admiral Chetaille tells Naval News about the French Navy’s seabed warfare strategy and the steps to build this key capability.
Marine KC-130 Delivers First Of New Batch Of Ex-Swiss F-5s Destined To Be Aggressors
The War Zone – A total of 22 Swiss F-5E/F Tiger IIs are currently being converted and upgraded to help expand Navy and Marine Corps’ adversary air fleets.
Four Stealthy AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles Flew Together In “Historic” Test
The War Zone – Two F/A-18E/F Super Hornets fired the quartet of AGM-158C missiles, a reflection of how these weapons would be employed in actual combat.
Harpoon Missile Malfunction On Danish Frigate Closes Part Of Baltic Strait
The War Zone – The Harpoon missile glitch comes amid fallout from other technical failures aboard another Danish frigate that was operating in the Red Sea.
The Compelling Case For Arming U.S. Navy Warships With Drone Swarms
The War Zone – Adding dozens of small, long-range drones to Navy ships would drastically enhance strike, ISR, networking, and defensive capabilities.
MQ-58B Electronic Attack-Enabled Version Of Valkyrie Drone For USMC Revealed
The War Zone – Pairing Valkyrie drones with F-35B makes perfect sense for future Marine Corps operations, especially in the Pacific.
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