CIMSEC – The problem with Force Design 2030 (FD2030) and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) is that they both involve massive institutional changes being executed in a very short time. More specifically, there are multiple significant changes involved in implementing these broader concepts. Any of these by themselves would be a significant shift in the institution. Implementing them all simultaneously may be, in military parlance, “a bridge too far.”
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
China slams Japan for close-range tracking of aircraft carrier, says it doesn’t want ‘dedicated photographers’
Global Times – China on Thursday slammed Japan for making dangerous close-range tracking and disruptions to an aircraft carrier of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy during the latter’s recent, legitimate drills in the West Pacific, with analysts saying that the Japanese move reflected the country’s ulterior motive of offensive military expansion under the excuse of the “China threat” theory.
In tactical boost, Israeli Navy to receive 2 US-made landing craft
Israel Hayoum – Landing craft are used primarily to transport and tactically deploy soldiers, equipment, vehicles, and supplies from ship to shore during offensive military operations and could be deployed in case of conflict with Hezbollah.
(Thanks to Alain)
UK backs Lithuania’s plan to lift Russian blockade of Ukraine grain
Guardian – Britain supports in principle the call for a naval coalition ‘of the willing’ to restart exports through Black Sea.
(Thanks to Alain)
Russian warship sailors refuse to perform combat duties citing equipment fund embezzlement
Euroweekly – The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence’s intelligence unit is reporting that some Russian sailors are refusing to carry out combat tasks on the country’s warships due to them being in such critical condition and commanders taking maintenance money.
(Thanks to Alain)
EABO Beyond the Indo-Pacific: Reimagining the “Battle of the Aegean”
CIMSEC – The following contingency updates and expands upon “The Battle of the Aegean” scenario described in Chapter 15 of Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations, 3d Ed.
Photos show China has fielded another semi-submersible transport ship
Defense News – It appears China has put at least one other semi-submersible transport ship into service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy, according to photos published by state media showing the ship transporting an amphibious hovercraft.
(Thanks to Alain)
Locate, Close With, Destroy
CIMSEC – FICINT on the topic of US Marine Corps transformation.
Investigation: USS Connecticut South China Sea Grounding Result of Lax Oversight, Poor Planning
USNI News – More than two years of lax oversight from leadership on one of the U.S. Navy’s most powerful submarines ultimately led to the grounding of the attack boat on an uncharted, underwater seamount in the South China Sea, according to an investigation into the Oct. 2 incident.
The Quad Goes to Sea
War on the Rocks – The biggest announcement from President Joe Biden’s trip to Asia may be the one that got the least attention. The Quad, a grouping consisting of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, has just announced a maritime domain awareness partnership that will provide a new stream of data from commercial satellites to countries across the Indo-Pacific.
Royal Navy to be the first European force to field maritime ballistic missile defence capability
Navy Lookout – Today the MoD has announced the Tye 45 destroyers will be upgraded to intercept ballistic missiles. The destroyers will be the first European warships with a full sensor-shooter BMD intercept capability.
Russia outlines militarization of fishing fleet and icebreakers
Barents Observer – The country’s revised Marine Doctrine includes a high stress on use of civilian ships and infrastructure for military purposes.
Stand-In Forces: Disrupting Anti-Access Systems
CIMSEC – The threat of anti-access capabilities is here to stay, and the Marine Corps’ stand-in force concept lends much-needed variety to the toolbox of approaches that will allow the joint force to “break the wall” if needed.
Denmark Sending Ukraine Anti-Ship Harpoon Missiles To Take on Russian Ships in Black Sea
USNI News – The Danish Armed Forces are sending long-range anti-ship missiles to Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters on Monday. The range of Denmark’s coastal defense Harpoons could put Russian ships at risk in the Northern Black Sea.
Israeli Maritime Power and Eurasian Competition
US Naval War College Review – While the U.S. military force structure pivots away from Middle Eastern security concerns toward East Asia, Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, and the Gulf monarchies are all potentially or actively hostile to Israel, or will seek more influence if the United States departs from the Middle East, or both. As Middle Eastern regional rivalries intersect increasingly with Eurasian great-power competition, the maritime element of Israeli grand strategy will grow in importance.
Navy Ships Swarmed By Drones, Not UFOs, Defense Officials Confirm
War Zone – After intense public speculation, stacks of official documents obtained via the Freedom Of Information Act, ambiguous statements from top officials, and an avalanche of media attention, it has now been made clear that the mysterious swarming of U.S. Navy ships off the Southern California coast in 2019 was caused by drones, not otherworldly UFOs or other mysterious craft. Raising even more questions, a similar drone swarm event has occurred off another coast, as well.
Does The Littoral Combat Ship Really Need To Die?
1945 – James Holmes asks can’t the Littoral Combat Ship be repurposed?
Let the Navy Retire LCS and Build a U.S. Maritime Constabulary Instead
CIMSEC – The U.S. Congress should let the Navy retire its Littoral Combat Ships and shift small-ship missions to services committed to doing them.
Swedish Officials Ask Pentagon to Increase U.S. Naval Presence in Baltic Sea
USNI News – Swedish officials are requesting a larger U.S. naval presence in the Baltic Sea as part of the ongoing diplomatic push for Sweden and Finland to join NATO.
Holland Announces Only Two LCF Frigates to be Modernized
Seawaves – 2 of the 4 air defense and command frigates (LC frigates) will be equipped with new air defense missiles and technology from 2028. These are so- called Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 missiles. In 2018, the plan was to equip all 4 frigates of the navy with this.
(Thanks to Alain)
PLA bombers hold drills in West Pacific ‘in coordination with carrier group’
Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy reportedly sent its most powerful bombers on Wednesday for drills in the West Pacific, joining the Liaoning aircraft carrier group, which has been holding exercises there since the start of the month, a move experts said could be a rehearsal for keeping foreign forces from interfering in the Taiwan question.
First Time Rare Fully-Submersible Narco Submarine Caught
Covert Shores – Just when our eyes are fixed on the Ukraine War, a narco submarine surfaces on the other side of the world. It’s been relatively quiet on the Narcosub front these past few months. But the one found last week in Venezuela is one of the most significant developments for some time.
(Thanks to Alain)
What’s new in Navy and Marine Corps unmanned boats
Defense News – The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps promised a “build a little, test a little, learn a lot” approach to unmanned vessels, and the lessons learned are already leading to some changes.
Satellite images raise prospect of new class of Chinese submarine
Reuters – Military analysts say a vessel spotted in a Chinese shipyard in rare, recent satellite images could be a new or upgraded class of nuclear-powered attack submarine.
(Thanks to Alain)
Amateur Hour Part I: The Chinese Invasion of Taiwan
War on the Rocks – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine set off a flurry of handwringing over Taiwan. Russia, in this interpretation, “broke the ice” by attacking Ukraine, emboldening China versus Taiwan. But any such action by China would likely run into a similar buzzsaw of resistance, while lacking Russian advantages such as access to overland transit. Ukraine is not Taiwan, and regardless of what Chinese leadership thinks they are learning about the benefits of naked aggression, the People’s Liberation Army lacks the necessary power projection and sustainment capability and capacity to execute an opposed occupation of a densely urbanized island packed with citizens who have no interest in living under Communist rule.
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