War Zone – Snakehead can be launched from a nuclear submarine and will accommodate many future tasks including intel collection.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
The Strait of Malacca: From Sultanates to Singapore
CIMSEC – For centuries, merchant vessels have passed from the Indian Ocean to Eastern Asia through a small waterway nestled inside Southeast Asia. The Strait of Malacca (SoM) is the Strait south of the Malay Peninsula through which passes over a quarter of the world’s trade.
PLA Navy flotilla to arrive in Tonga to deliver second batch of relief from China
Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy flotilla carrying disaster relief supplies that departed from China late last month will arrive in Tonga soon, and the sailors are adjusting plans to unload the supplies based on the changing situation of the port to be visited.
France Unveils New Seabed Warfare Strategy
Naval News – A new “Seabed Warfare Strategy” was unveiled by French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly and Joint Chief of Staff, General Thierry Burkhard on 14 February. The strategy aims at broadening the capabilities of anticipation and action of the French Navy (Marine Nationale) up to 6,000 m depth.
China’s New Naval Mystery: Mini Zumwalt Stealth Vessel
Naval News – What appears at first sight to be a U.S. Navy Zumwalt Class destroyer, is actually something quite different. A new and mysterious boat has been observed in China.
Japanese MoD Voices Concern Over Russian Naval Exercises
USNI News – Japan’s defense minister raised concerns about Russia’s recent naval activities in the Sea of Japan, citing the size of the exercise and increased tension with Ukraine.
China Coast Guard: On a Trajectory for Peace or Conflict?
CIMSEC – This article will focus on this latest coast guard and its transformation into one of the world’s largest from two aspects. The first aspect is the requirement for the development and rapid expansion of a China Coast Guard. This includes the contested claims in the South China Sea and the East China Sea and an examination of how a maritime law enforcement agency would fit into that context. The second aspect is the China Coast Guard’s application. This examination will unravel the roles and responsibilities of China Coast Guard, its legal authority, and its conduct of operations.
F-35C ‘Super Squadrons’ Of Up To 20 Aircraft Could Populate Future Carrier Decks
War Zone – After steadily reducing planned F-35C squadron sizes the Navy wants to go the opposite direction now that the type’s first operational cruise is over.
Submarine maintenance backlogs and delays take toll on fleet’s development work at sea
Defense News – The U.S. Navy attack submarine force inventory is at a low, and maintenance backlogs are making it harder to conduct important development work, the commander of the submarine force in U.S. Pacific Fleet said this week.
Israeli Navy officer to be permanently stationed in Bahrain
Jerusalem Post – An Israeli Navy officer will be permanently stationed in Bahrain, the first time an IDF officer is set to be stationed in an Arab state.
(Thanks to Alain)
German Navy’s Longest Deployment a Success, Commanding Officer Says
USNI News – The seven-month deployment of the German Navy Frigate FGS Bayern (F217) was a success despite COVID-19 and challenges from a lengthy underway, the frigate’s commanding officer said.
China’s New Submarine Is Unlike Anything In Western Navies
Naval News – The U.S. Navy only operates nuclear-powered submarines. China meanwhile never stopped operating conventional submarines even though they are less capable. This has advantages and disadvantages. But a new submarine pushes this difference further. It is much smaller than those used by other leading navies.
Three takeaways from the US Navy’s first F-35C deployment
Defense News – Aircraft carrier Carl Vinson returned home Feb. 14 after a six-and-a-half-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific, in the U.S. Navy’s first deployment of the “air wing of the future.”
French military tees up new tech in rush to conquer the seabed
Defense News – Autonomous and remotely operated drones are at the heart of France’s ambitions to further explore and exploit the deep sea waters under a new seabed strategy release Monday.
UK Navy chief pushes hypersonic tech in bid to hone the fleet’s combat edge
Defense News – Twelve weeks into his new job as the Royal Navy’s First Sea Lord, Adm. Sir Ben Key has laid out his vision of what capabilities Britain’s future maritime force will need, touting new technology development as key for making the fleet more lethal.
Lebanon’s Navy to receive multipurpose boats from Italy, patrol boats from United States
Defense News – Lebanon’s Navy is expected to receive this year multi-purpose boats from Italy and Protector-class coastal patrol boats from the United States, but the country still hopes to revive frigate negotiations with Italy.
The Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers – status report
Navy Lookout – With the return of HMS Dragon to Portsmouth last week, at the time of writing, all six of the Type 45 destroyers are alongside or in dock. Depending on who you listen to, this is either an embarrassing disaster or entirely routine and no cause for concern. Here we look at the current situation and the complicated back story.
A Maritime Strategy to Deal with China
USNI Proceedings – A strategy that takes advantage of the maritime geography surrounding China and uses a combination of inside and outside forces could deter or defeat Chinese aggression.
The Rise of A.I. Fighter Pilots
New Yorker – Artificial intelligence is being taught to fly warplanes. Can the technology be trusted?
Chagos islanders in emotional, historic trip home
BBC – The government of Mauritius has accused Britain of “crimes against humanity” and urged it to bow to international law and surrender control of the disputed Chagos Islands, ahead of a historic visit to the archipelago by a government-chartered boat. Our Africa correspondent Andrew Harding reports from on board the boat.
Ukraine on High Alert as Russian Naval Exercise Threatens to Block Parts of the Black Sea
USNI News – An upcoming Russian naval exercise has Ukraine worried, as the United States predicts a Russian invasion of the country could come any day. The Russian exercise, which comes during continued tension between Russian and Ukraine, will block parts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azoz and the Kerch Strait, leading the Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs to put out a statement in protest.
Turkey’s own Atmaca missile to replace Harpoons on its Navy ships
Defense News – Turkey’s first indigenous anti-ship cruise missile, the Atmaca, will replace the country’s aging inventory of American-made Harpoon missiles.
Navy, Marines Want the Light Amphibious Warship to Haul 75 Marines for $150M or Less
USNI News – The Navy and Marine Corps are finalizing a list of requirements for the Light Amphibious Warship that Marine leadership argues is key to how the service will fight its future island-hopping campaigns.
4 East Coast Destroyers Deploy to Europe Joining U.S. Naval Buildup
USNI News – The Navy sortied four East Coast guided-missile destroyers as the U.S. and NATO have massed naval forces in the region.
Gators in Motion: Demystifying Recent Russian Amphibious Activity
CIMSEC – At the time of publishing on 10 February the Baltic and Northern Fleet amphibious forces have arrived in the Black Sea. However, these forces would only augment existing Black Sea Fleet capability and so should not be used as an indicator of Russian readiness for offensive action. On the other hand, these amphibious forces are unlikely to be a feint; the Russians have demonstrated the capability to land battalion-scale forces in the region, and such a landing fits into their theory and practice.
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