Naval News – In order to cover the “tyranny of distance” problem of hundreds to thousands of miles from the objective(s), attacking nations will require a naval force for amphibious assault. Thus, the USMC is developing Land-based Anti-ship Missile units centered on the 6×6 HIMARS, the Tactical Maritime Tomahawk missile, and the 4×4 JLTV.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
RDML Christopher Alexander on Accelerating Surface Navy Tactical Excellence
CIMSEC – CIMSEC had the opportunity to discuss the evolution of the Surface Navy’s tactical development with Rear Admiral Christopher Alexander, commander of Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC). In this discussion, RDML Alexander covers new initiatives on measuring tactical experience, the increasing demand for Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercises, and how SMWDC is transforming to accelerate tactical skill across the surface fleet.
Surface warfare boss unveils strategy to create ‘more ready ships,’ better trained sailors
Defense News – The head of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet has laid out a plan to prepare his force to deter or defeat a top-notch adversary, calling for specific steps to improve ship maintenance, successfully and rapidly field new weapons, develop high-end tactics, and ensure sailors and officers have high-quality training and mentoring.
HMS Prince of Wales into the spotlight
Navy Lookout – 2022 will see HMS Prince of Wales begin to get into her stride as an operational warship. Here we report from a ceremony held onboard today to mark the RN taking command of the NATO Response Force Task Group.
Navy reports improved ship maintenance, but is still falling short of CNO’s goals
Defense News – The U.S. Navy has made noticeable improvements in its ability to maintain surface ships — but hasn’t eliminated the repair period overruns as the chief of naval operations wanted.
Littoral Combat Ships Positioned to Supplement EABO Mission
USNI News – The Navy and Marine Corps are testing out whether Littoral Combat Ships armed with anti-ship missiles could be key to how the Marines employe their island-hopping strategy in the Pacific.
Freedom LCS community to tackle mine warfare, grow its footprint in 2022
Defense News – This year, the troubled Freedom-variant littoral combat ship will look to catch up with its Independence-class counterparts, which were fielded faster and expanded their operations more broadly in the last several years.
The Global Operating Model’s Contact and Blunt Layers: Cornerstones for U.S. Naval Strategy Part 2
CIMSEC – In Part 1, we summarized the principles and functions underpinning the 2018 National Defense Strategy’s (NDS) Global Operating Model (GOM). We outlined the factors that motivated GOM development, and showed how the GOM’s historical lineage informs its contemporary utility. In today’s second and final installment in this series, we will outline the strategic importance of forward “competition operations” to deterrence. We will then identify the necessary attributes for naval forces operating in the Contact and Blunt layers, as well as factors that strategists should consider when thinking about such operations. We will conclude with some thoughts regarding the GOM’s overarching implications for future naval strategy and force employment.
Spiking the Problem: Developing a Resilient Posture in the Indo-Pacific With Passive Defenses
War on the Rocks – Today, America’s military posture, which is comprised of forces, bases, and agreements, is a critical issue that needs a senior champion. China has a formidable arsenal of conventionally armed long-range missiles that are significantly more accurate than the ones that the Soviet Union had during the Cold War and plans to fire them in a first strike to destroy U.S. forces on the land and at sea. The Defense Department should ensure that American forces in the Indo-Pacific can survive this blow and generate combat power while under attack, which requires taking steps to increase the resiliency of U.S. military posture.
Iran seeks to grow naval power as it prioritizes asymmetric warfare
Defense News – Experts say the buildup of naval forces in Iran represents a rising threat to its neighboring countries.
Winged Luddites: Aviators Are the Biggest Threat to Carrier Aviation
War on the Rocks – Today, leaders in naval aviation are impeding the rapid adoption of reconnaissance and strike-capable aircraft carrier drones through deliberate incrementalism, purposefully constraining autonomous platform capabilities and delaying deployment with cautious and lengthy feasibility studies — all while adversaries accept greater risks to rapidly field imposing capabilities.
Disruption at one of two undersea cables to Svalbard
Barents Observer – Operator of what is the world’s northernmost fiberoptic subsea cable, Space Norway, has located the disruption to somewhere between 130 to 230 kilometers from Longyearbyen in the area where the seabed goes from 300 meters down to 2700 meters in the Greenland Sea.
The Looming Threat of a Nuclear Crisis With Iran
New Yorker – The Biden Administration faces a potential confrontation with a longtime rival that is better armed and more hard-line than at any time in its modern history.
Getting Back On Top: How to Rebuild the Navy
USNI Proceedings – The Navy recovered and rebuilt after the Vietnam War—a low point similar to the situation today. How it regained its position as the dominant navy in the world is an interesting and instructive tale.
UK military chief warns of Russian threat to vital undersea cables
The Guardian – Admiral Tony Radakin says any attempt by submarines at damage would be treated as ‘act of war’
The Navy Is Betting Big On High-Power Microwave Weapons
War Zone – Lasers dominate discussions about U.S. Navy directed energy weapons, but the service formed a new office devoted to systems that fire microwave beams.
Navy says it ensured sub safety after fake strength tests surfaced, but won’t detail how
Navy Times – The U.S. Navy says it has worked to ensure submarine safety following revelations late last year that a Washington state metallurgist spent decades faking the strength tests results for steel used to make subs.
French Navy’s 2021 Report On Global Maritime Security
Naval News – 317 acts of maritime piracy and robbery were recorded worldwide in 2021 by the MICA Center. A decrease compared to 2020 particularly in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa. In 2021 the Caribbean and Singapore Strait were the most affected areas.
Russian Navy builds more icebreakers
Barents Observer – Both the Northern Fleet and the Pacific Fleet will over the next years get new powerful icebreaking vessels. They are needed for our “active development of the Arctic,” the Navy argues.
HMS Northumberland gets up close with a Russian submarine
Navy Lookout – The 3rd series of the Channel Five TV documentary Warship – Life at Sea, following HMS Northumberland on patrol inside the Arctic Circle, has revealed a Russian SSN collided with her towed array sonar. Here we take an overview of events and their context.
Marine F-35Cs Begin First Carrier Deployment, Type Could Take On Larger Role In The Service
War Zone – With the Marine Corps deeply overhauling its combat doctrine, the F-35C could become more relevant, leading to shifts in procurement.
PLAN In Motion: Chinese Navy’s Massive Ship Commissionings In 2021
Naval News – 2021 has been a fruitful year for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy). At least eight Guided Missile Destroyers (DDG), two amphibious assault ships (LHD) and one nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) joined the PLAN fleet.
Chinese Navy Piracy Patrol Shepherds Fishing Fleet Through Gulf of Aden
USNI News – The People’s Liberation Army Navy 39th Escort Task Force carried out a three-day-long escort mission of Chinese fishing vessels through the Gulf of Aden.
Russian submarine hit Royal Navy warship in North Atlantic
BBC – A Russian submarine collided with a Royal Navy warship on patrol in the North Atlantic, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
Learning the lessons – the loss the Norwegian frigate Helge Ingstad
Navy Lookout – In 2021 the Accident Investigation Board – Norway (AIBN) published a detailed report covering the loss of HNoMS Helge Ingstad after she collided with an oil tanker in November 2018. There is much to be learned from this event that is applicable to the RN and global navies. In this in-depth, although far from exhaustive, article we describe the incident and look at some of the key lessons.
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