CNN – The Philippine Coast Guard has accused a China Coast Guard ship of pointing a “military grade” laser at some of its crew, temporarily blinding them, aboard a vessel in contested waters of the South China last week.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
Warships serve as hospitals in Hatay
Hurriyet Daily News – Türkiye’s amphibious tank landing ships TCG Bayraktar and TCG Sancaktar have docked at a port in the southern province of Hatay to provide hospital services for the victims of Feb. 6’s major earthquakes.
A return to the Philippines
Defense News – The US Navy will likely be in China’s backyard, again, but don’t expect another Subic Bay.
The Promise and Pitfalls of Underwater Domain Awareness
War on the Rocks – Few expressions in the maritime lexicon today are as persistent and pervasive as maritime domain awareness. The term has become a watchword in security and governance debates, a conceptual idiom implying information superiority in the nautical arena. Within the greater scope of maritime domain awareness, however, underwater domain awareness is a new and emerging concept that has piqued the interest of maritime analysts. It rests on the idea that modern-day technology has rendered the sea transparent, making it possible for maritime agencies to track undersea activity.
Growing signs Australia’s new nuclear sub will be British design
Breaking Defense – With the formal announcement of Australia’s path to obtain nuclear attack submarines expected to happen in Washington next month, speculation about the likely solution AUKUS is beginning to leak out.
Peregrine rotary wing UAV to enter service with the Royal Navy
Navy Lookout – Under the Future Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FUTAS) programme, the RN has selected the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter which will operate in the intelligence-gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance role, initially from warships based in the Persian Gulf.
Ireland will ‘never be in a position to engage’ in antisubmarine warfare
Breaking Defense – Ireland’s deputy prime minister this week explicitly ruled out developing antisubmarine warfare capabilities, despite facing fierce criticism over maritime weaknesses, an inability to independently protect undersea cables or prevent Russian naval exercises in Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters.
From Eyes Above: Information Architectures For Striking Maritime Targets
CIMSEC – As the Navy expands the scope of its anti-ship arsenal, it needs to consider a concurrent expansion of the information architecture that is needed to employ these weapons at range.
New Philippine Basing Access Strengthens U.S. Marine, Navy Plans
Naval News – A week ago, the Philippines and the United States took steps to expand the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with U.S. access to four bases in the Philippines. This builds on the previous five bases in the original agreement created in 2014, greatly enhancing U.S. capabilities in the Philippines. This increased access can be of great benefit to U.S. forces which are seeking an increased presence in the region to counter adversaries, such as China. Of the U.S. services engaging with the Philippines with this threat in mind, the U.S. Marine Corps has taken center stage in these efforts. These new sites can prove to be crucial for Marine plans going forward in the Western Pacific.
World’s Largest Submarine Drone Being Built In Germany
Naval News – As the last Typhoon class submarine is retired, another underwater giant is starting construction. The German MUM (Modifiable Underwater Mothership) will be the largest autonomous underwater vehicle in the world.
Keeping the fleet stealthy – the acoustic ranges used to support the Royal Navy
Navy Lookout – As part of a series covering UK naval infrastructure, here we look at the little-known facilities used to evaluate the acoustic and magnetic signatures of the navy’s ships and submarines.
Qatari navy’s new amphibious ship to help fulfil nation’s ‘unique’ needs
Breaking Defense – A look at what Qatar can do with its new LPD.
(Thanks to Alain)
How the US Navy is creating the ‘nirvana of one combat system’
Defense News – The U.S. Navy is considering how best to equip ships and sailors to take advantage of fleetwide connectivity that Project Overmatch will provide. At the heart of this is the Integrated Combat System, a single hardware-agnostic software suite that all ships can pull from to conduct missions alone or in a group.
First images of the interior of the new Russian submarine “Generalissimo Suvorov” of the Borey-a class (project 995a)
El Snorkel – The Russian media Paluba.media publishes the first images of the interior of the balistic missile submarine Bulova “Generalissimo Suvorov” (In Spanish)
(Thanks to Alain)
Rules of Engagement and Undersea Incursions: Reacting to Foreign Submarines in Territorial Waters
CIMSEC – The conduct of Russian submarine espionage in the territorial seas of its neighbors presents one of the greatest challenges to avoiding conflict in the Baltic Sea. These incidents reveal the gap between the law of the sea and the use of force in self-defense against an armed attack. The Nordic coastal states must walk a fine line between protecting their territorial integrity and avoiding escalation of an incident that might quickly spin out of control.
Navy Underwater Robots, Divers Searching for Remains of Chinese Spy Balloon; Salvage Ship Set to Deploy from Little Creek for Recovery
USNI News – A U.S. amphibious warship, explosive and ordnance divers and underwater robots are off the coast of South Carolina surveying about a square mile off the Atlantic Ocean for the remains of a high-altitude Chinese spy balloon a U.S. fighter shot down on Saturday.
Philippines coast guard chief says boosts South China Sea presence
Reuters – The Philippine Coast Guard has stepped up its presence in the disputed South China Sea by deploying additional vessels and conducting more sorties and overflights to protect maritime territory and the country’s fishermen, its chief said on Monday.
Ukraine’s Uncrewed Raid on Sevastopol and the Future of War at Sea
RUSI – The use of uncrewed surface vessels by Ukraine to inflict damage on the Russian navy has attracted widespread attention. But does it really herald a new era of naval warfare as some are suggesting?
Japan’s Strategic Shift is Significant, But Implementation Hurdles Await
War on the Rocks – Japan’s new strategic documents appear to demonstrate a recognition in Tokyo that it must do more for its own defense in the face of unprecedented security challenges. The dedication of resources, pursuit of new capabilities, and overarching commitment to a more robust defense are all significant moves that represent landmark change by one of America’s key allies — indeed, one of the most consequential strategic developments in the region in years. As positive as this appears, there is a risk that some ambitions may not be realized — at least on the timeline set out in the documents — due to insufficient resources, manpower, technology, or political will.
At-Sea Rearming Deemed A “Main Priority” By SECNAV
Naval News – Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro once again emphasized the need for at-sea reloading at this year’s Combat Systems Symposium.
For Latin American Countries, Geopolitical Competition Begins at Sea
RUSI – The region faces superpower rivalry that demands more active maritime aspirations and wider defence alliances.
Assessing the US Pacific Partnership Strategy For a Free and Open Blue Pacific
CIMSEC – Last September, Washington published the Pacific Partnership Strategy (PPS), the first ever U.S. government strategy dedicated to the Pacific Islands after decades of American disengagement.
Are there flaws in the US Navy’s distributed maritime operations?
Defense News – Distributed maritime operations is now the U.S. Navy’s principal concept and doctrine in organizing and fighting. But despite all the rigorous and extensive war gaming and analysis, is DMO viable in an era of precision weapons and nearly ubiquitous surveillance? Or, like the National Defense Strategy’s pursuit of “integrated deterrence” and “campaigning,” is more effort needed in defining and understanding where DMO is effective and where it is not?
PLA Navy auxiliary ships that support South China Sea frontiers make public appearance
Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy operates a large fleet of auxiliary ships that provide logistics and combat support in all areas including the frontiers of the South China Sea
Hospital Ships: A Vital Asset For Southcom and South American Navies
CIMSEC – The work carried out by hospital ships throughout the Western Hemisphere has proven invaluable and delivered tangible humanitarian benefit. SOUTHCOM and Latin American navies should consider supporting the construction of more of these assets. The many civilians whose ailments will be addressed by the medical personnel aboard these vital maritime assets will undoubtedly thank them.
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