National Interest – Houthi rocketeers have fired an anti-ship ballistic missile —a genre of weaponry ostensibly possessed only by China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force—against merchant shipping.
Yearly Archives: 2024
European navies try to keep up in cat-and-mouse game of seabed warfare
Defense News – The balance between offense and defense in war swings back-and-forth, often depending on who has the best kit. But on the seabed’s battlefield, the aggressors are currently very much in charge.
With new $867M contract, Austal begins work on replacements for Navy’s storied hospital ships
Breaking Defense – Alabama-based shipbuilder Austal USA says its new expeditionary medical ship will provide the US Navy with a “highly capable ambulance to shuttle casualties” from the battlefield in ways the service’s storied hospital ships were not designed.
New Ships And Submarines For The Russian Navy
Naval News – In keeping with tradition, dating back to Soviet times, new ships and submarines were commissioned in the Russian Navy with the end of the year.
USNI News Interview: Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Adm. Ryo Sakai
USNI News – For almost two years, Chief of the Maritime Staff Adm. Ryo Sakai has led the JMSDF, as the Japanese government pursues a historic increase to defense spending, coinciding with ongoing aggression from China and Russia in the East China Sea. Sakai sat down with USNI News for a wide-ranging interview at his office in Tokyo this summer to discuss topics ranging from collaborating with the U.S. sea services to how the Japan Self-Defense Force is preparing to integrate the fighter-capable destroyers into its fleet.
Germany weighs role in Red Sea naval protection force
Defense News – The German government is weighing its scant options for contributing to an international mission aimed at protecting maritime traffic in the Red Sea from missile attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels.
India sends navy after pirates attack ship off Somali coast
BBC – India has deployed its navy to aid the crew of a ship that was hijacked off Somalia’s coast.
Chinese Naval Modernization In 2023 Reviewed
Naval News – More amphibious assault capacity, new frigates and aircraft carrier Fujian preparing for first sea trial this year.
UK-Led JEF Task Force Conducts First Seabed Warfare Deployment
Naval News – The Royal Navy is leading a multinational task force deployment conducting critical undersea infrastructure security operations across North Atlantic waters, including the English Channel, the North and Baltic seas (and their connecting Skagerrak/Kattegat straits), and the Norwegian and Barents seas.
New in 2024: Marine amphibious combat vehicle variants will arrive
Defense News – New command and control and a separate 30 mm-cannon equipped variant of the Marine Corp’s amphibious combat vehicle are expected to arrive at units in early 2024.
Turkish Government Green Lights Second Aircraft Carrier And 4 Additional I-Class Frigates
Naval News – On January 3, 2024, a meeting of the Turkish Defense Industry Executive Committee took place, with President Erdogan in attendance. During the session, the committee made significant decisions, which included initiating the design phase of an aircraft carrier and the construction of an additional 4 I-class frigates.
Our Best Look At China’s Nearly Completed New Aircraft Carrier
War Zone – New official visuals of the carrier released by Chinese state media show it looking close to completion, foreshadowing upcoming sea trials.
Written in Black and Red: Asymmetric Threats and Affordable Unmanned Surface Vessels
War on the Rocks – The Houthi rebels and the Ukrainian military share a significant amount in common despite very different perceptions of their legitimacy. In short, both forces have effectively utilized commercially available or inexpensively developed unmanned systems and anti-ship cruise missiles to great effect, stressing and challenging technologically and numerically superior adversarial forces in the Black and Red Seas.
Unusual Narco-Submarine Interdicted Off Colombia
Covert Shores – The year end often sees a seasonal spike in narco-submarine activity. The Colombian military interdicted an LPV (low profile vessel) in the Pacific on December 24. The vessel was carrying 1,678 kilos of cocaine with an estimated value of $56,000,000. The design is unusual, being the first seen with a raised bow. There is a step down about halfway along the side. This is likely intended to improve seakeeping.
(Thanks to Alain)
Ukraine’s Drone Boats Are Now Firing Rockets At Russian Ships
War Zone – Ukraine’s security service (SBU) claims it used a Sea Baby uncrewed surface vessel (USV) armed with rocket launchers for the first time to attack Russian ships near Sevastopol. The Ukrainian Pravda (UP) news outlet on Monday published a video provided by the SBU that it says shows the system’s first use. Still, the practicality of such a concept is questionable, with very limited use cases at best.
Russia’s BOSS Submarine Concept For Border Guards
Covert Shores – Imagine a future where submarines prowl on the surface, launching aerial drones (UAVs) and engaging targets with gunfire and anti-tank missiles. It seems the antithesis of modern submarine operations. Yet Russia’s famous design bureau Rubin has been suggesting exactly that. The twist: it’s for border guard duties not regular combat. In Russia the border guard is part of the FSB.
(Thanks to Alain)
Singapore’s Navy inks modernization deals amid personnel shortage
Defense News – The Navy anticipates a 30% decrease in the number of personnel in the next 20 years, according to the Defence Ministry, presenting a challenge to the country’s security efforts. The military, however, hopes unmanned platforms will fill the gap.
The Iranian warship Alborz enters the Red Sea
TRTFrancais – Iran has deployed one of its warships in the Red Sea in a context of tensions, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting merchant ships to or from Israel.
(In French)
(Thanks to Alain)
NATO’s Role in Protecting Critical Undersea Infrastructure
CSIS – NATO is not ready to mitigate increasingly prevalent Russian aggression against European critical undersea infrastructure (CUI). Despite its depleted ground forces and strained military industrial base, Russian hybrid tactics remains the most pressing threat to CUI in northern Europe. Despite its current limitations, NATO is the primary actor capable of deterring and preventing hybrid attacks on its allies and has expedited its approach to CUI protection by establishing new organizations to that aim. At the 2023 NATO Vilnius summit, allies agreed to establish the Maritime Centre for the Security of Critical Underwater Infrastructure within NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), which focuses on preparing for, deterring, and defending against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics. To help NATO planners and staff at the new center conceptualize and prioritize their efforts, this issue brief provides immediate and long-term recommendations to set the new center up for success.
Chinese Navy Continues To Fly The Red Flag In The South Pacific
Naval News – Territorial tensions in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and East China Sea may occupy headlines, but China has maritime aspirations that extend well beyond those areas.
A year in review – The Royal Navy in 2023
Navy Lookout – In this article we look back at the past year, summarising key events and the achievements of the Royal Navy while considering future challenges.
US Navy helicopters destroy Houthi boats in Red Sea after attempted hijack
BBC – The US Navy has destroyed Houthi “small boats” attempting to board a container ship in the Red Sea.
Even more US-Australia submarine collaboration on the horizon
Defense News – The U.S. and Australian navies will see their submarine-specific partnerships grow in multiple ways throughout 2024.
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