Navy Lookout – HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed on 8th September to lead the RN’s first major carrier strike group deployment since 2021. Known as operation FIREDRAKE, the group will undertake of a series of exercises in northern European waters working closely with JEF and NATO partner nations.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
New Zealand seeks new ships to replace ‘majority’ of naval fleet
Defense News – New Zealand’s Defence Ministry has issued a request for information to replace nearly the entire naval fleet, which currently includes nine ships in six different classes.
It’s Time to Build Combined Forward Operating Base Sierra Madre
War on the Rocks – The Philippines should remove the Sierra Madre and replace it with a permanent structure manned by combined rotational forces from both the Philippines and the U.S. Marine Corps. Such a forward operating base would be a powerful signal of commitment to the alliance for both nations as well as providing significant improvements in situational awareness for both the United States and the Philippines. By raising the potential costs of interference, a combined outpost might deter future efforts from Beijing aimed at interdicting resupply of Philippine bases in the South China Sea.
Japanese V-22 Lands On JMSDF Vessel For The First Time
Naval News – On September 5, 2023, a V-22, the most advanced transport aircraft of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force landed for the first time on the helicopter destroyer JS Ise of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The US Navy is spending billions to stabilize vendors. Will it work?
Defense News – The U.S. Navy expects the submarine-industrial base to start delivering attack submarines on time by 2028 — more than a decade after vendors and shipbuilders began struggling to keep up with growing demand, made worse by the pandemic and the seismic disruption it brought to the labor market.
Allies target early AUKUS milestones to keep 20-year plan on track
Defense News – It will take two decades for Australia to operate the nuclear-powered submarines designed and built under a new arrangement with the United States and the United Kingdom, unveiled six months ago. Even so, a flurry of activity meant to get the undertaking off the ground has already begun, and experts say it’s critical to the program’s long-term timeline that the three countries meet these initial goals.
Chinese Warships Shadow Canadian, U.S., Japanese Warships in East China Sea, the Philippines Resupply Second Thomas Shoal
USNI News – On Friday, the Philippines successfully carried out a resupply mission to its outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, despite opposing actions by China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia ships.
Marines aim to accelerate Force Design modernization, if budget allows
Defense News – The U.S. Marine Corps has overhauled the force faster than initially expected when it kicked off a major modernization effort three years ago — but despite this early progress, two top generals say the service wants more capability faster for deployed forces.
AUKUS standoff: Australia, UK wait on Congress to approve pact
Defense News – As the two-year anniversary of AUKUS approaches, the export control debate and a separate tussle over the health of the submarine-industrial base have raised questions about how and when Congress will pass several authorizations needed to make the program into the transformational initiative leaders promised.
The struggle to get HMS Somerset back to sea
Navy Lookout – In this article, we provide an inside view on the saga that has delayed Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset rejoining the fleet following her life extension refit.
Cellula’s Solus-XR XLUUV Hits The Water
Covert Shores – The first images of Cellula’s new autonomous underwater vehicle in the water have surfaced. The Canadian company’s Solus-XR is a long-range extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV).
Marines to test out first stern landing vessel at Project Convergence
Defense News – The U.S. Marine Corps will test out its first stern landing vessel at an Army event this spring, a top general said Wednesday, as the service prepares to create a fleet of shore-to-shore connectors to support Marines operating in the Pacific.
Marines draw inspiration from drug runners for unmanned resupply boat
Defense News – As the U.S. Marine Corps considers how to move weapons around contested waters to resupply forces ashore, it’s copying an unusual source: drug traffickers.
The first fixed-wing UAV lands on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier
Navy Lookout – In a pioneering flight on 4th September, a cargo drone flew from Cornwall out to HMS Prince of Wales, delivered supplies, took off again and returned to the airfield.
North Korea’s New Submarine Carries 10 Nuclear Missiles
Naval News – North Korea has revealed it’s latest submarine, a “tactical nuclear attack submarine”. The new submarine has been named “Hero Kim Gun-ok” and given the hull number 841. Our analysis indicates that it will be armed with ten missiles.
Maritime Reserves: Grasping the Opportunity
RUSI – This paper examines whether and how the Royal Navy’s Maritime Reserves can bring extra fighting power at an affordable cost.
Side Stepping Turkey: Using Minesweepers to Increase Allied Presence in the Black Sea
War on the Rocks – It is in America’s interests to explore other ways to export grain from Ukraine. A new alternative route that excludes Russia would minimize — to the extent possible — Russian leverage over global food prices. The need to ensure the safe passage of ships through this second grain corridor also creates an opportunity to bolster U.S. and allied presence in the Black Sea, without running afoul of Turkish neutrality. The United States should work with European allies to transfer minesweepers to Romania — a NATO member and Black Sea nation that Turkey has close relations with — to establish this new route. To account for drifting mines, the United States and its European allies should consider assisting Romania with clearance divers or loaning clearance diving equipment to the Romanian navy. Minesweepers are purely defensive and do not pose a threat to the Russian navy. They are also needed to remove moored mines and assist in removing drifting mines, which both threaten commercial shipping.
Revisiting the Hedge Strategy With Renewed Urgency
War on the Rocks – Deterring China in the Indo-Pacific requires a different set of U.S. capabilities than wars in the Middle East or Ukraine. The vast maritime expanse and China’s buildup across the South China Sea would make it difficult for U.S. forces to operate within the first and second island chains. Most of America’s major weapon systems are 30 years old and many of the new major systems for a high-end conflict won’t be operational until the 2030s…The United States should implement a hedge strategy across all domains. This strategy would require developing and purchasing small and low-cost, unmanned, many, and smarter weapons and designs to complement existing exquisite (costly, complex, massive, and few) weapon systems. The hedge strategy should leverage emerging technologies with an emphasis on adopting these technologies at scale within the next three years.
Marines Considering Autonomous Systems for Almost Everything, General Says
USNI News – Marines are looking to push as many tasks as possible to autonomous systems as the service aims to operate across wide swaths of the Pacific.
Chinese naval hospital ship sets sail for humanitarian mission
China Daily – Chinese naval hospital ship “Peace Ark” set sail on Monday for a humanitarian medical mission in Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and East Timor.
Malakhit from Russia unveils Project P-750B submarine
Navy Recognition – The Project P-750B “Serval” is a cutting-edge small multipurpose submarine being developed by the Malakhit Marine Engineering Bureau in St. Petersburg.
India to launch Mahendragiri, the final Shivalik-class stealth warship
Naval Technology – The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) will launch the final Shivalik-class frigate, the Mahendragiri, on 1 September, concluding all of the launches under Project 17A, a seven ship programme for the Indian Navy.
(Thanks to Alain)
Stealthy Submarines: Spanish Navantia Offers S-80 Isaac Peral Subs To The Philippines To Fend-Off China
Eurasian Times – The Philippines is the only Southeast Asian country embroiled in a territorial dispute with China that doesn’t operate a submarine. As of 2012, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia were already operating submarines, with Vietnam following suit. Even Myanmar has its submarines.
(Thanks to Alain)
China’s Submarine Activities In Bay Of Bengal: Considerations For India
Eurasia Review – Sino-Indian competition has been one of the defining features of the Bay of Bengal’s strategic resurgence in recent years, as India tries to retain its prominence as a resident power, in the face of China’s deepening footprint in the region. In a future riddled with energy uncertainty, the lure of the Bay is undeniable for Beijing, as not only is the maritime space home to a vast repository of hydrocarbons, but it is also traversed by important sea lanes of communication, that are used to ferry critical energy imports from the Middle East to the countries of East Asia.
(Thanks to Alain)
Admiral sounds alarm amid rising Russian, Chinese movement in high north
Breaking Defense – The melting of the polar ice caps combined with increased Russianship movements is driving “heightened awareness” of the arctic region among US Navy leadership, who are increasingly concerned about the possibility for geopolitical rivals to make unfounded claims to vital sea lanes and natural resources.
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