US Naval War College Review – The European Union (EU) seeks to become a global maritime-security actor, yet strategic challenges influence its maritime-security strategy process. Is there a distinctive and coherent EU approach to global maritime security, and how should the EU address the growing range of maritime challenges, including the intensification of militarized competition in the Indo-Pacific?
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
Tirpitz’s Trap
US Naval War College Review – Chinese leaders probably believe that America’s worldwide commitments mean that the United States never will concentrate its entire naval strength against them in a conflict. But “Tirpitz’s Trap” serves as a warning of the consequences of challenging a maritime rival at sea while retaining the commitments inherent in a continental state with strategically significant land borders and powerful neighbors.
Smart Balancers Kill Many Birds with Few Stones—Sino-Russian Security Cooperation in the Maritime Domain
US Naval War College Review – Minimizing the costs and risks of balancing is crucial for a coalition facing stronger opponents—such as China and Russia facing the United States and its partners. The motives of Sino-Russian security cooperation should be understood within the context of a full spectrum of balancing strategies in international relations and the relatively lower risk of escalation in the maritime domain.
The Final Countdown?—Charting a New Course for Capital Ships in Pacific War Plans
US Naval War College Review – The Navy’s World War II fleet demonstrated that success came from employing the capital ship of the time—the battleship—collaboratively with aircraft carriers. Today, the Navy and the joint force should combine today’s capital ship—the aircraft carrier—with a reinvestment in surface and undersea platforms with extended-range standoff weapons.
Time to Recalibrate: The Navy Needs Tactical Nuclear Weapons . . . Again
USNI Proceedings – After the Cold War, the United States led the way in nuclear nonproliferation, including voluntarily giving up tactical nuclear weapons at sea. In recent years, Russia, China, and other nations have highlighted an unfortunate need to bring those weapons back.
Selective Engagements—Chinese Naval Diplomacy and U.S.-China Competition
US Naval War College Review – As China enters a period of heightened strategic competition with the United States, the PLAN will adjust its foreign-engagement strategy. China will forge stronger naval relations with non-U.S. major powers, including Russia; the United States will attempt to deny China new overseas naval facilities; and both countr
Planning for the Next War Must Be a Mixture of Art & Science
USNI Proceedings – In recent decades, military planning has leaned more heavily on science than art, but success in a peer-level fight will depend on commander’s intent and the art of warfare.
Time To Recalibrate: The Navy Needs Tactical Nuclear Weapons . . . Again
USNI Proceedings – After the Cold War, the United States led the way in nuclear nonproliferation, including voluntarily giving up tactical nuclear weapons at sea. In recent years, Russia, China, and other nations have highlighted an unfortunate need to bring those weapons back.
Old Lessons For New Maritime Statecraft
War on the Rocks – As Washington enters an era of great power competition, it can gain valuable insights from the Navy’s interwar success in conducting peacetime operations while still preparing for war. This means thinking about, talking about, actively developing new doctrines for, and understanding how to plan the complex needs of the peacetime missions of the Navy and Marine Corps.
RAND calls for reexamination of surface connectors’ survivability
Defense News – The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps should reconsider the survivability of their surface connectors, which the Corps is increasingly relying on to operate in contested waters, RAND researchers warn in a new report.
UK says Russia plotting to sabotage Ukrainian grain vessels with sea mines
The Guardian – Britain has accused Russia of plotting to sabotage civilian cargo ships loaded with Ukrainian grain by planting sea mines on the approaches to the country’s Black Sea ports.
Can the US Navy save money by accepting the LCS as a sunk cost?
Defense News – Decommissioning the Littoral Combat Ships early amounts to a loss of almost $7 billion based on analysis by Defense News using data from the Congressional Budget Office. But experts say the opportunity cost is more significant as the Pentagon prepares for a potential war with China, which in the last 20 years has built extensive anti-access, area denial defenses to keep ships like the LCS away from its shores.
The Navy’s continuing cruiser debacle
Navy Times – A multi-billion dollar effort to modernize the warships has not gone as planned
Down Select and Commit to Uncrewed Surface Systems
CIMSEC – The CNO can accelerate the Navy’s journey to achieve a robust hybrid fleet by directing a down-select of MUSV candidates and establishing programs of record. The U.S. Navy can diversify its capabilities and make itself more competitive for great power challenges by accelerating its adoption of unmanned vessels.
Get Real Get Better About Digital HR for Sailors
CIMSEC – The U.S. Navy’s human resources (HR) policies are failing, and not because the policies themselves are ineffective, but because of their poor digital implementation.
Collins-class submarine suffers on-board electrical fire
ABC – One of Australia’s oldest submarines has suffered an on-board electrical fire while at sea, with the crew able to continue their mission after managing to extinguish the blaze.
(Thanks to Alain)
PROTEUS – developing an uncrewed helicopter for the Royal Navy
Navy Lookout – In the first of a series of articles detailing substantive progress with the development of uncrewed systems for the RN, here we look at the PROTEUS Rotary Wing Uncrewed Aircraft System (RWUAS) technology demonstrator being built by Leonardo UK.
Frauds were revealed in the repair of warships in the Novik group
BMPD – Frauds were revealed in the repair of warships in the Novik group, the former general director of the Novik industrial group, a former deputy of the State Duma, a former deputy of the State Duma, became involved in a new criminal case – about fraud on a particularly large scale. (In Russian)
(Thanks to Alain)
55 Chinese sailors are feared dead after nuclear submarine ‘gets caught in a trap intended to snare British and US vessels in the Yellow Sea’
Daily Mail – Fifty-five Chinese sailors are feared dead after their nuclear submarine apparently got caught in a trap intended to ensnare British sub-surface vessels in the Yellow Sea.
South Africa has one of the strongest navies in Africa: its strengths and weaknesses
Defence Web – The South African Navy has always been one of the strongest naval forces in sub-Saharan Africa.
(Thanks to Alain)
Australian Army Shifting Priorities to Amphibious, Littoral Operations
USNI News – The Australian Army is slated to shift its focus to the littorals after announcing last week several major changes, which include the redeploying a sizable portion of soldiers and equipment across the country and optimizing several brigades for littoral and amphibious missions.
Japan Prepares For F-35B Carrier Operations
Naval News – As the first batch of Japanese F-35Bs should arrive in country next year, Japan is also planning on setting up new key units and facilities in preparation for their arrival and to support its future carrier operations.
Empowering Enlisted Sailors: The Imperative For Expanded Educational Opportunities
CIMSEC – In the pursuit of maritime superiority, the U.S. Navy must prioritize the education and empowerment of its enlisted Sailors. These dedicated individuals are the backbone of the U.S. Navy, and their success directly contributes to the U.S. Navy’s overall readiness and effectiveness. By reinforcing and expanding educational opportunities for enlisted Sailors, the U.S. Navy can ensure that they become full, active, and informed participants in the mission. This investment in education will not only benefit the enlisted Sailors themselves, but will also strengthen the U.S. Navy as a whole, ensuring its readiness for the challenges of the future.
Organize Campaigns of Learning and Reshape the Defense Analysis Paradigm
CIMSEC – The way ahead involves campaigns of learning focused on pressing operational problems. These campaigns would be orchestrated by a General Board-type entity, involving close interactions among OPNAV, the Naval War College, the Naval Postgraduate School, the Systems Commands, and the fleet. These campaigns would focus the attention of the fleet, and enhance its competitive advantage by virtue of being a superior learning organization.
USCG Healy docks in Tromsø after joint voyage with Norwegian Coast Guard northeast of Svalbard
Barents Observer – The US Coast Guard vessel sailed in formation with Norway’s KV Svalbard from the ice-covered waters near Russia’s Franz Josef Land en route to conduct joint exercises in the Barents Sea.
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