Forbes – The U.S. Navy has deployed new drones launched from submarines to spy out targets and enable torpedo attacks on ships sailing far beyond the horizon. By acting as the sub’s eyes and ears, the drone can greatly increase its strike range – and keep the submarine well away from any defensive weapons or sensors.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
Nuclear-sub builder Sevmash now has 30,000 employees
Barents Observer – Russia’s construction of nuclear-powered submarines hits post-Soviet peak. 15 sub are currently at different stages of readiness at the shipyard in Severodvinsk.
White House-Led Navy Shipbuilding Plan Set to Push Boundaries of Pentagon Budgets, Industry Capacity
USNI News – The administration today released a long-range Navy shipbuilding plan that is likely to set up a fight for resources between the Navy and its sister services and between the Pentagon and Congress over how quickly to pursue these changes.
South China Sea: how a Spratlys radar system could give the PLA an information edge
South China Morning Post – China’s sweeping communications network in the Spratlys will have a decisive role to play in Beijing’s crisis management plans to deal with its increasing tensions with the US in the South China Sea, according to military reports and analysts.
Israeli Offering Could Meet U.S. Navy’s Requirements For A New Submarine Launched Drone
War Zone – The U.S. Navy recently announced that it was interested in acquiring unmanned aircraft that its submarines could launch from the three-inch launchers they all have for deploying signal flares and marine markers. At the same time, earlier this year, an Israeli firm unveiled a line of encapsulated drones that can be deployed from 40mm infantry grenade launchers, 66mm grenade launchers on vehicles, as well as underwater launch systems.
China’s first vessel-borne lightweight helicopter drone makes maiden flight
Global Times – China’s first domestically developed vessel-borne lightweight helicopter drone has recently made its maiden flight, its maker announced. It is designed to conduct maritime monitoring and identification tasks, and is expected to be used on board smaller vessels including corvettes and coast guard ships for missions like patrol and search and rescue, analysts predicted.
Taiwan, US count on giant radar system for early warning if PLA attacks
South China Morning Post – Taiwan’s long-range radar system – which provides early warning of ballistic missiles and warplanes – has become more important for both the self-ruled island and the United States as tensions rise in the region, according to analysts.
PLA anti-submarine warfare aircraft conducts depth charge attack drills, seen as deterrent to Taiwan secessionists
Global Times – In a rare report shared with media, an anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was shown dropping a new type of depth charge in a recent training exercise, demonstrating its capability to not only detect, but also launch attacks on submarines.
Marine Corps F-35Cs Make First Arrested Landings At An Expeditionary Airfield
War Zone – When it comes to austere operations, the F-35C shows it can do much of what the F-35B can and more as the Marines gear up for a fight in the Pacific.
Japan suspicious as Chinese, South Korean companies buy land near military sites
South China Morning Post – A suspicious increase in the number of foreign companies purchasing plots of land close to Japanese military installations has prompted Tokyo to consider restricting such sales.
PLA naval escort taskforce conducts in-port replenishment in Djibouti
China Military Online – The comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu (Hull 960) attached to the 36th escort taskforce of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy left the Port of Djibouti recently after more than 7 hours’ in-port replenishment. This is the first in-port replenishment of the taskforce since it set sail from China on September 3. And all the supplies of the in-port replenishment came from domestic China.
The US Marine Corps wants grunts packing deadly swarming drones
Defense News – The U.S. Marine Corps is looking to equip its infantry units with a man-portable, swarming loitering munition that experts say is part of its shift toward countering China with a light and deadly seaborne infantry force.
Hidden Threat To Navies: How Freely Available Satellite Imagery Can Track Radars
Naval News – Open source intelligence can pose a threat to naval operations of any nation. It is free available and, largely, easily analyzed. Anyone with an internet connection can potentially locate warships in operational settings. Radar satellite data is not the most intuitive, but it provides OSINT watchers with yet another tool to track navies. And no navy is immune from OSINT.
Teaching Technology, Innovation, and Modern War at Stanford, Part 7: Reimagining Naval Power
Modern War Institute – Today’s topic was the Navy and modern war. Our guest speaker was Rear Adm. Lorin Selby, Chief of Naval Research, United States Navy. He is responsible for the Naval Research Enterprise—the “venture capital” of the Navy and Marine Corps. It’s made up of the Office of Naval Research (ONR), ONR Global, the Naval Research Laboratory, and PMR-51, which is responsible for special projects.
More Hulls Now: What Treaty Cruisers Can Show the Navy About Innovating Ship Design
CIMSEC – The story of the treaty cruisers offers lessons for today’s Navy to creatively solve problems around hard constraints and innovate at the fleet level while building up for great power competition.
China Seems Ready For A Fight Over Taiwan
1945 – James Holmes writes that for decades China-watchers have debated what form a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) offensive against Taiwan might take. An onslaught seems to be coming
Two Navy Carriers Are About To Head Out On Grueling “Double Pump” Deployments
War Zone – The USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower will have deployed twice in 12 months, which puts immense strain on the ships and their crews.
France’s New Aircraft Carrier Will Be Nuclear Powered
Naval News – French President Emmanuel Macron today officially green lighted the construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as part of the PANG program. The future flag ship of the Marine Nationale is intended to replace the existing “Charles de Gaulle” around 2038.
CMC Berger Outlines How Marines Could Fight Submarines in the Future
USNI News – Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger has laid out an idea that, if the Marines are going to pursue their strategy of establishing these EABs to do things like rearming and refueling, air defense and offensive strike, they may as well also help the Navy by searching the local waters for enemy submarines.
US Weapons Sales to Taiwan: Upholding the Porcupine Strategy
RUSI – It is not the size but the composition of the latest package of US arms sales to Taiwan that is noteworthy.
Drive Them into the Sea
Military Review – The only method of preventing China from successfully annexing Taiwan is to reject calls for a cease-fire, contain Chinese bridgeheads and airheads into as small a perimeter as possible, and then drive the invaders into the sea. Contrary to the limited Army supporting role envisioned in the Pacific, an Army corps will be indispensable and must be fully incorporated into U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Taiwan contingency plans.
A Looming Calamity: Will Secretary Pompeo Seal the Fate of the Red Sea?
CIMSEC – Over the past five years, the people of Yemen have endured famine and warfare. Now, as they and their Red Sea neighbors face the imminent likelihood of overwhelming oil spillage from the abandoned tanker FSO Safer, the means to avert a regional catastrophe may be stripped away.
Russia’s New Husky-Class Nuclear Submarine: 13,000 Tons of Mystery
National Interest – Most recently, there has been a growing consensus that the Husky class is less of a pure attack submarine and more of a multi-purpose vessel that can fill several roles depending on its loadout.
(Thanks to Alain)
Navy Asks Shipbuilders: Can You Build Us a Warship for Just $100 Million?
Motley Fool – Who wants to win the contract for one of the Navy’s cheapest warships?
The US Navy wants to find ships to kill using aerial drones launched from submarines
Defense News – The name of the game in the Pacific is stand-off range. But with longer range torpedoes and anti-ship missiles in the arsenal, submariners are looking to a new domain to help them extend their deadly reach: The air.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.