RUSI – Should Russia withdraw from UNCLOS, this would spell the start of the end of the current near-global consensus on the governance of the oceans.
Yearly Archives: 2024
Do Nothing: An Alternative Opinion on Critical national Infrastructure and Seabed Warfare
Wavell Room – The aim of this paper is to reflect on some key questions around the problem of seabed infrastructure defence and explore what the ‘Do Nothing’ (or at least very little) option would look like.
Coordinating and Deconflicting Naval Operations in the Western Indian Ocean
RUSI – With the Houthi threat, the recent resurfacing of piracy, and continuing patterns of blue crime contributing to growing insecurity in the Western Indian Ocean, fresh efforts are needed to coordinate and deconflict the patchwork of naval operations in the region.
Disadvantages Ashore—Constraints on Achieving Integrated All-Domain Naval Power
US Naval War College Review – Strategists and analysts should be aware that the recently issued triservices strategy suffers from at least six political-bureaucratic-doctrinal disadvantages that very easily could turn into material disadvantages if the U.S. Navy were to face a competent enemy on the actual oceans.
Rear Admiral Dave Oliver and Anand Toprani on American Defense Reform
CIMSEC – Can we reform the Department of Defense and the Navy? In their new book, American Defense Reform: Lessons from Failure and Success, Admiral Dave Oliver (ret.) and Dr. Anand Toprani make a spirited argument that, yes, we can. But it won’t be easy.
Is Italy Needed in the Indo-Pacific?
War on the Rocks – Amidst Washington’s push for European support in the Indo-Pacific, has Italy proven overly eager to pivot east? Faced with the choice between directly supporting U.S. efforts to counter Beijing in the region or concentrating resources on emerging threats closer to home, Italy, as one of the most active contributors to U.S.- or NATO-led military initiatives, has opted for the former. Without much debate, Italy has expanded its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, initiating significant collaborations with various regional countries, and deploying naval units to the region. As Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently announced, this effort will intensify in 2024, when Rome deploys its aircraft carrier strike group to the area.
Navy of Drones
Wavell Room – Within one year, the Ukrainian Navy developed a small fleet of marine drones – the modern equivalent of ‘fire ships’ of the past – that has achieved an historical first: the defeat of a surface fleet by autonomous vessels. This article examines how Ukraine’s ‘Navy of drones’ realised the improbable.
How Many Attack Submarines Does the U.S. Navy Need?
National Interest – How many attack submarines does the U.S. Navy need? With Chinese and Russian SSN threats looming, the more, the better. But accomplishing the mission is essential, and the ability to do so might come from unusual quadrants.
Taiwan’s Theory of the Fight
War on the Rocks – In crowded field of work by scholars and officials exploring Taiwan’s security, Lee Hsi-ming’s Taiwan’s Plan for Victory: An Asymmetric Strategy of Using the Small to Control the Large (2022) stands out as both a theoretical framework for deterrence and a set of concrete proposals for asymmetric resistance against a People’s Liberation Army invasion. Lee, Taiwan’s chief of the general staff from 2017 to 2019, argues for reorganizing Taiwan’s military in a “paradigm shift” away from expensive “traditional” platforms and instead instituting an “Overall Defence Concept” relying on small, mobile, distributable, and lethal weapons to deter a numerically and materially superior People’s Republic of China. If deterrence fails, “overall defense” also promises the tactics and weapons to survive an initial attack and then, Lee claims, defeat an enemy landing force.
Italy Sets Out Future MPA Capability Requirements And Timeframes
Naval News – Italy is seeking a new, more capable maritime patrol aircraft to deliver anti-submarine warfare output to counter an increasing submarine threat in the Mediterranean Sea. The aim is to acquire this capability by the end of the decade.
China sends new naval fleet for escort mission in Gulf of Aden
China Daily – The 46th fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy on Wednesday set sail from a military port in the coastal city of Zhanjiang in south China’s Guangdong Province to take over an escort mission from the 45th naval fleet in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.
A Modest Proposal For Improving Shipyard Production and Repair Capacity
CIMSEC – How to return to WWII production pace in an unsure geopolitical environment that requires ever more ships? The first step should not be asking where can we produce more and spending resources, but rather asking how can current facilities be operated at the maximum efficiency?
Indian Navy, Coast Guard To Get 15 Maritime Patrol Aircraft Based On Airbus C-295
Naval News – India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved multiple acquisition proposals of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, including new MPAs, sonars, torpedoes and support packages for MH-60R.
An Operational View On The USV Attacks In The Black Sea From An Admiral’s Eyes
Naval News – This article analyzes Ukraine’s kamikaze attacks on the Russian corvette Ivanovets (January 31, 2024) and the Russian tank landing ship Caesar Kunikov (February 14, 2024) from the perspective of a naval operations planner and executor.
Our First Look At The Turkish Navy’s Future Aircraft Carrier
Naval News – On February 16, 2024, the Ministry of National Defense shared photos showcasing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the Turkish Navy’s Design Project Office. The images revealed the design and various features of the Turkish Navy’s future aircraft carrier.
India Begins Multinational Naval Exercise Milan, Deploys Two Carriers
USNI News – The Indian Navy deployed two carrier battle groups to the Bay of Bengal for New Delhi’s multinational naval drill Exercise Milan 2024.
Australia To Double Fleet Size With Small Warships
Naval News – The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) fleet will grow from 11 surface combatants to 26 under plans announced by Minister for Defence.
Taiwan chases Chinese coast guard boat away from frontline islands amid heightened tensions
The Guardian – Taiwan on Tuesday drove away a Chinese coast guard boat that entered waters near its sensitive frontline islands, one day after China’s coast guard boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat amid an escalating dispute sparked by a fatal capsize last week.
Trident missile test failure raises questions about UK’s nuclear deterrent
The Guardian – A Trident nuclear missile failed, plopping into the Atlantic during a test launch attended by the defence secretary last month, raising questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
Chilean Navy Deploys Submarine to Monitor Chinese Fishing Vessels
Dialogo Americas – In the depth of the South Pacific Ocean, a Chilean submarine has been keeping tabs on Chinese fishing vessels to halt illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(Thanks to Alain)
Ukraine war shows Royal Navy how to strike unprepared enemy with maritime tech, expert says
Forces.net – Professor Alessio Patalano believes the conflict will give the Royal Navy three key takeaways.
Navy Has Fired Around 100 Standard Series Missiles At Houthi Drones, Missiles
The War Zone – The Navy firing off many multi-million-dollar missiles highlights cost and capacity concerns that could play factor in a fight against China.
Houthi Lethal Underwater Drones Adds New Threat to Red Sea
USNI News – Merchant ships and warships in the Red Sea have been under frequent attacks from anti-ship cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, explosive surface drones, and aerial drones. Now a new threat has emerged from underwater.
China coast guard caused ‘panic’ by boarding tourist boat, says Taiwan
BBC – Taiwan has accused China’s coast guard of triggering “panic”, after six Chinese officials briefly boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat.
The Vibrant Military and Criminal Activities Across the Caribbean Sea
CIMSEC – While the Caribbean Sea is currently not as dangerous as the Black Sea or the Red Sea, from combating drug trafficking and illegal fishing to humanitarian assistance/disaster relief operations to a belligerent Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela, Caribbean naval forces have many daily missions and priorities. The United States, via US Southern Command and the US Coast Guard, and the armed forces of France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom – which have overseas territories across the Caribbean – are all present across Caribbean waters and are critical partners of regional defense forces.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.