Center For Maritime Strategy – As it becomes increasingly likely that Washington will be forced to make hard choices as to where and when to commit forces, an old solution to insufficient naval forces merits reconsideration. Congress should explore reviving letters of marque as a stopgap measure to counter nonstate or quasi-state actors in secondary theaters. Letters of marque could also be a valuable tool for countering China’s hybrid and unconventional activities worldwide, such as cyber espionage or illegal fishing fleets.
Author Archives: Naval Open Source Intelligence (NOSI)
Iron Leadership – A Conversation With RADM Mike Studeman USN (ret)
CIMSEC – I recently had the opportunity to correspond with Rear Admiral Mike Studeman (Ret.), who retired after over 35 years of distinguished service as a naval intelligence officer. He has authored a compelling book on leadership entitled, Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity. What stood out to me was how he skillfully wove personal experiences into his leadership lessons. The book not only offers valuable insights into leadership, but also provides a rare, humanizing glimpse into his personal journey. Our discussion explores both the practical advice and the personal stories that have shaped him, offering a deeper understanding of the leader behind the lessons.
Our Best Look At Taiwan’s New Uncrewed ‘Smart Dragon’ Submarine
The War Zone – The torpedo tube-equipped Huilong is apparently intended as a test craft, but could well help shape Taiwan’s future underwater fleet.
Navigation Plans Need Leadership and Resources to Get the Navy Truly Underway
CIMSEC – On September 18, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Lisa Franchetti released her Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) laying out the course ahead for the Navy. The main takeaway is that the Navy must be ready to deter a militarily confident China by 2027. Achieving this is a tall order. NAVPLANs have been used by senior naval officers to provide guidance and caution against potential pitfalls along a course. CNO Admiral Jonathan Greenert began using these documents in 2015 to inform the path to rebuilding the Navy. In recent years, the Navy’s NAVPLANs have taken on urgency to deter a rapidly expanding Chinese fleet. That said, these plans have been ineffective for the better part of 10 years.
U.K. Firm DEEP FLIPs Over Former Navy Research Station, Rescues Platform from Scrapyard
USNI News – The former Navy research platform R/V FLIP has been described variously from its launch in 1962 to retirement in 2023 as a giant baseball bat, huge caterpillar, soda straw or floating bottle. “Spar buoy” was the term the builder and the Navy used to described its shape. And now Research Vessel, Floating Instrument Platform as it is best known, which officially retired after more than 50 years of naval service, has been rescued from a Mexican scrapyard for a new mission.
Russia’s Arctic Rise
USNI News – U.S., Allies Wrestle with an Unpredictable Kremlin as the Arctic Grows More Complex.
Canada’s New Submarine Project and the Geopolitical Stakes of the Arctic and Indo-Pacific
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada – A modernized submarine fleet is not just a defence priority for Canada — it is essential to maintaining its status as a key player in Arctic and global maritime security.
(Thanks to Alain)
The U.S. Navy Could Soon Get Patriot Missiles
National Interest – The U.S. Navy is experimenting with deploying Army Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) surface-to-air missiles aboard surface combatants fitted with the Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS), in effect, a block of siloes embedded in a warship’s main deck.
New Chinese Mystery Flattop Emerges
The War Zone – The vessel, which appears to have been built very quickly, has features in line with an amphibious assault ship or small carrier.
A demonstration of strength? Royal Navy exercise Strike Warrior 2024
Navy Lookout – Here we examine the recent exercise Strike Warrior, which served as a certification exercise for the UK Carrier Strike Group and a valuable training opportunity. While there were some notable achievements, this exercise also highlighted some underlying concerns about the state of the force.
Turkish Navy Unveils MUGEM: A Fully Indigenous Aircraft Carrier
Naval News – At SAHA EXPO 2024, the Turkish Navy showcased the mockup of its future aircraft carrier, MUGEM, for the first time. “MUGEM” stands for Milli Uçak Gemisi, meaning “National Aircraft Carrier,” highlighting Turkiye’s ambition to develop the carrier without foreign assistance. This project represents a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts toward self-reliance in naval defense capabilities. The conceptual design phase for MUGEM is still underway, but Turkish officials have made it clear that the carrier will be built entirely domestically, reflecting Turkiye’s growing expertise in the naval shipbuilding sector.
Taiwan unveils plans to cope with potential Chinese military blockade
VOA – Taiwan is stepping up efforts to strengthen its capabilities to respond to a potential military blockade by China, as Beijing increases military pressure on the democratically ruled island.
TRANÇA Mini Attack Submarine Breaks Cover In Turkey
Naval News – TRANÇA is designed with advanced mobility in mind, capable of being transported via low-bed trailers and launched into the water from cranes, eliminating the need for permanent bases or specialized crews in remote regions
Russian Roulette on the Red Sea
War on the Rocks – The Kremlin’s preoccupation with prevailing in Ukraine is pushing it to contemplate geostrategic risks and adopt a more proactive approach in regions like the Red Sea. In the past, the Yemeni quagmire had limited appeal even to Russia, a country known for its inclination to exploit crises around the globe. But Moscow’s calculations may be shifting. The Kremlin’s warming ties with Yemen’s Houthi rebels could enable the latter to expand and intensify their destabilizing activities, especially if advanced military hardware changes hands.
Are Royal Navy nuclear deterrent submarines being re-supplied mid-patrol?
Navy Lookout – A recent article in The Sun newspaper suggests that submariners were almost “starved’ while on an epic six-month patrol because the boat could not be resupplied with food as planned. Here, we briefly consider the implications of this report.
NATO Flexes With Simultaneous Nuclear Strike And Naval Warfare Exercises
The War Zone – NATO’s yearly Steadfast Noon nuclear readiness drills coincided with Strike Warrior that featured a Royal Navy carrier group at its center.
Our First Look At The Ghost Shark Uncrewed Submarine Underwater
The War Zone – We have now gotten our first look at the Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle (XL-AUV) operating submerged thanks to the Autonomous Warrior 2024 maritime autonomous capabilities demonstration in Australia. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the first known customer for the highly modular Ghost Shark, which manufacturer Anduril is now pitching elsewhere, including to the U.S. Navy.
China’s navy is not trying to dominate the world, so what is it trying to do?
Forces News – China’s naval power is growing, having an impact on regional tensions and seeing ships from neighbouring nations targeted by Beijing’s fleet. However, according to one expert, China’s navy is not trying to dominate the world’s oceans, which begs the question, what is it trying to do? Professor Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, said it is attempting to “maintain control of a vital sea area”.
‘Not Enough’: US Coast Guard’s new ops posture statement raises alarm on need for more money
Breaking Defense – Faced with an increasing number of missions, personnel and materiel readiness shortfalls, and “finite resources,” the US Coast Guard today published its first “Operational Posture” document, which a senior officer said is intended to convey to lawmakers and the public how stretched his service has become.
Italy’s DPP 2024-2026: Strengthening Of Italian Navy And Maritime-Related Programmes
Naval News – According to the recently unveiled Italian Defence Multi-Year Planning document (DPP, Documento Programmatico Pluriennale) for 2024-26, priorities in the naval domain include means to counter emerging threats, the renewal and enhancement of the underwater, surface and airborne platforms and weapons components together with the strengthening of the joint 5th generation aircraft expeditionary force.
Royal Navy leadership making every effort to resolve dispute over RFA pay and conditions
Navy Lookout – While the main attention has been focused on the core issue of pay for Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors, the long-running dispute between the Maritime Trade Unions (MTUs) and the MoD is more complex than has been presented in the media.
Infantry Wins Battles, Logistics Wins Wars: The Role of the Army’s “Little Navy” in the Pacific
Center for Maritime Strategy – When one thinks about war with China in the Taiwan Strait—or in the Pacific broadly—one may rightly imagine large naval engagements and heroic battles led by the U.S. Marine Corps. However, the U.S. Army also plays a critical role in a domain dominated by water.
Russians Helped Houthis Target International Shipping: Report
The War Zone – A new report claims Russia gave the Yemeni rebel group targeting data in large measure to keep the U.S. entangled in the region and draw resources and attention away from Moscow’s grinding war in Ukraine.
China tightens ‘counter-stealth’ military radar net around South China Sea, says report
Breaking Defense – As China increasingly engages in what the US calls dangerous behavior against its regional neighbors in the contentious South China Sea, Beijing also aims to raise its situational awareness there with new radar facilities on a tiny island.
German P-8s To Fly From U.K. To Help Counter Russian Submarine Threat
The War Zone – The future deployment of German sub-hunting planes to the United Kingdom is part of a much broader defense agreement signed today.
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