Ghanan Navy – The US Marines are exercising with their counterparts in Ghana as part of the West African Training Cruise.

• Accra Mail: Soldiers Benefit From US Military Training
  

US Marines – James F. Dunnigan on how the US Marines keep their fighting edge.

• Strategy Page: Keeping it Up Close and Personal

US Marines – How USAF Colonel John Boyd helped the US Marines adopt a strategy of maneuver warfare.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Warfighting Brought to You by . . .
  

Background – Land War – The way the land war may now evolve???

• Washington Post: In the South, U.S. Faces a Guerrilla War

US Navy – New double-deck piers at Norfolk make ship servicing easier and safer.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy’s newest pier cuts work in half
  

US Marines – The US Marines from the Bataan and Peleliu amphibious ready groups off Afghanistan may soon go ashore and assist in the hunt for al Qaeda operatives.

• Associated Press: Marines Poised to Join Troops

US Marines – An essay on expeditionary maneuver warfare.

• Seapower: The Timeless Realities of Human Conflict
  

US Coast Guard – The threats that cruise ships face from terrorists.

• Associated Press: Experts: Ships Target for Attacks

US Coast Guard – The nightmare of trying to make US ports secure from terrorist attack.

• Virginian Pilot: Some concerned about guarding our gateway to the world

New Feature – Search – You can now Search NOSI. Simply click on the Search link on any page, and you may search the contents of the entire site, dating back to February 18, 2000.

US Navy – Aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, with her young crew. Meanwhile, her pilots say that it is more and more difficult to pick out legitimate targets on the ground after the Taliban’s front lines have collapsed.

• Associated Press: Pilots say identifying targets more difficult as Taliban flee and alliance advances
  

• Associated Press: From turbines to airplanes, young Americans keep war campaign going
  

US Navy – US Navy ships serving in the Arabian Sea are taking port calls in India, for the first time since 1996.

• Reuters: U.S. Warship Docks at Southern Indian Port

US Navy – Have US aircraft carriers guaranteed their existence in future US force structures, on the basis of their contribution to this conflict?

• Los Angeles Times: Mideast Role May Bode Well for Aircraft Carriers

Background – William Arkin on whether or not the US military will learn any lessons from this conflict.

• Washington Post dot mil: Osama Has Left the Building

US Navy – An Iraqi tanker suspected of smuggling oil in the Persian Gulf, that had been boarded by US Navy sailors, has sunk with 2 sailors reported missing.

• CNN: Oil ship sinks, U.S. sailors missing in Persian Gulf

US Navy – Aboard the USS Vella Gulf in the Arabian Sea.

• Associated Press: U.S. missile cruiser monitors flights and guards warships against attack
  

Russian Navy – The final fate of the Kursk has been decided – it will be scrapped.

• CNN: Kursk remains to be scrapped

US Navy – A US Navy JAG officer is accused of being overly concerned about collateral damage from bombing, thus thwarting attacks against the al Qaeda leadership.

• Washington Post: Target Approval Delay Irk Air Force Officers

Background – CIA – Meanwhile the CIA is running its own air war with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

• Washington Post: Secret CIA Units Playing a Central Combat Role

Background – Targeting – A look at the pros and cons of the US targeting strategy in Afghanistan.

• Washington Post: Attacks From Out of the Blue

US Navy – Aboard the USS Carl Vinson, a close look at the Navy’s air war.

• Aviation Week and Space Technology: Navy Adapts Operations
  For Afghan War Hurdles

Royal Marines – A review of what British forces will be committed on the ground for peacekeeping, namely The Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines, and what they can be expected to do. Meanwhile, there is controversy over the initial deployment of Royal Marines in Kabul – the Northern Alliance wants them removed.

• Daily Telegraph: Paras take lead as British soldiers prepare to fly in
• BBC: UK troops ‘staying in Afghanistan’
  

• BBC: UK troops: Risks on the ground
  

Royal Marines – Who are the Special Boat Service (SBS)?

• BBC: The secretive sister of the SAS

Background – UAVs – How Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being used in combat roles.

• Sunday Times: Death of Bin Laden’s deputy: How the US killed Al-Qaeda leaders by remote control

US Navy – The US Navy has launched its next generation of signal intelligence satellites that are the follow-on series to the Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS) satellites.

• Space.com: Trio of NRO Spy Satellites to be Launched During Next Two Months
• CNN: Space sleuths speculate on spy satellite

US Navy – The 200th anniversary of the US Navy in the Mediterranean Sea.

• Sea Power: A Testimony to The World
  

Background – Afghanistan – James F. Dunnigan on how difficult peacekeeping in Afghanistan will be.

• Strategy Page: Peacekeeping in Afghanistan
  

Royal Marines – A small detachment of Royal Marines is on the ground in Kabul, to help prepare the ground for humanitarian operations.

• BBC: UK troops land in Afghanistan
  

• Daily Telegraph: Special Boat Service to form British vanguard in Kabul
• The Times: First British troops land outside Kabul

US Navy – Fewer and fewer targets are available to US pilots.

• Associated Press: Planes return to Roosevelt with bombs as targets decline

Royal Navy – The NH-90 helicopter is being modified for maritime use.

• Jane’s: NH 90 comes aboard

US Coast Guard – How secure are our ports?

• New York Times: On the Dock, Holes in the Security Net Are Gaping
  

US Navy – Life aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Ross.

• Virginian Pilot: Exercises keep destroyer Ross ready for battle
  

• Virginian Pilot: Three destroyers depart Norfolk
  

Background – Afghanistan – John Keegan tries to put the last few day’s events in a historical perspective.

• Daily Telegraph: Success for the alliance, but it’s not over yet

Canadian Navy – Elements of the Canadian Navy task force are nearing the Gulf.

• Reuters: Three Canada Warships Pass Suez Canal to Join War
• Reuters: HMCS Vancouver leading US warships across the Pacific Ocean

US Navy – US carrier pilots can take responsiblity for helping to break open the Taliban’s line’s in the north of Afghanistan.

• Virginian Pilot: Airstrikes have Taliban on run, Roosevelt captain says
  

US Navy – Is the US bombing strategy too conservative?

• Washington Post dot mil: Bad News in the Good News

US Navy – Aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, her pilots claim some responsibility for the current successful Northern Alliance ground campaign.

• Daily Telegraph: Air strikes have paid off, say US pilots

US Navy – Aircraft carriers have demonstrated their value in the campaign to date; their future in the US Navy seems assured.

• Virginian Pilot: U.S. war in Afghanistan reaffirms critical role played by Navy’s carriers
  

US Navy – The USS John Stennis deploys; she will relieve the USS Carl Vinson.

• CNN: Carrier group departs for Arabian Sea
• Associated Press: Aircraft carrier heads to sea with battle group for six months of duty in Persian Gulf region

US Navy – Why tiltrotors are important, if only they could be made to work well.

• Jane’s: At full tilt: operational imperative revives tilt-rotor fortunes

US Navy – On board the USS Theodore Roosevelt – going after the caves with her pilots.

• Sunday Times: Aerial Assault: Pilots switch attack to Taliban caves

US Coast Guard – Aboard the USCGC Diligence, providing homeland security.

• The Day: A Coast Guard Cutter Turns Its Eye To Homeland Security

Background – Strategy – A look at the evolving US strategy.

• Washington Post: New Front Illustrates Evolving U.S. Strategy

Background – James F. Dunnigan on how today’s Afghan soldier is little different from his ancestors.

• Strategy Page: 19th Century War in the 21st Century

US Navy – The Royal Air Force’s tankers are winning high praise from US Navy pilots over Afghanistan.

• Daily Telegraph: Britain’s flying tankers hailed as ‘Godsend’

US Marines – US Marines are helping to provide security for the world trade conference in Qatar.

• Daily Telegraph: US calls in marines to protect delegates

Background – UAV’s – A review of the usage of UAVs in Afghanistan to date, stating their pros and cons.

• Economist: Send in the drones
• New York Times: U.S. Is Using More Drones, Despite Concern Over Flaws

US Navy – A review of the current SAM threat over Iraq that faces the pilots enforcing the no-fly zones.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: SAM Threat over Iraq
  

Background – Saudi Arabia – James F. Dunnigan on the balance of power in Saudi Arabia.

• Strategy Page: An Explosion Waiting to Happen

Royal Australian Navy – More problems with refugees trying to gain entry to Australia.

• BBC: Asylum seekers ‘torch ship’
  

US Navy – Aboard the USS Thedore Roosevelt, her pilots are now attacking more and more targets chosen by forward air controllers on the ground.

• Associated Press: Forward Air Controllers Aid Pilots

US Navy – The USS Enterprise’s air wing looks back on their missions over Aghanistan.

• Virginian Pilot: Enterprise air wing ready to come home
  

US Coast Guard – On patrol with the Coast Guard’s latest asset, the US Navy’s Cyclone-class patrol craft.

• New York Times: A New, Experienced Protector for the Navy in Home Waters

Background – Afghanistan – Journalist Robert Kaplan’s insight into the current situation in Afghanistan.

• The Atlantic: The View From Inside

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – 2 destroyers and a supply ship from the JMSDF have deployed to the Indian Ocean in support of operations against the Taliban. They will have a supportive, rather than combative mission.

• BBC: Japanese warships back US troops
• Associated Press: Japanese Warships Join Terrorism War

US Navy – The USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group may be moved to the Indian Ocean, to join the USS Peleliu.

• Virginian Pilot: Norfolk amphibious ships may carry Marines to fight
  

US Navy – The USS John Stennis will deploy 3 months earlier than planned to the Indian Ocean.

• US Navy: Pentagon to send 4th carrier to Afghanistan

Overview – A summary of the war at one month.

• New York Times: A Month in a Difficult Battlefield: Assessing U.S. War Strategy

Background – Special Forces – A way to differentiate between “special forces” such as SEALs and “raiders” such as the Royal Marines.

• Jane’s: Special forces and the reality of military operations in Afghanistan

Italian Navy – Italy will sent a naval task force, including the aircraft carrier Guiseppe Garibaldi, to the Arabian Sea.

• CNN: Italy pledges troops to U.S.

US Navy – The US Navy is running out of precision guided munitions, and there is a request to send a fourth aircraft carrier to the theater of operations.

• Washington Times: Air Force slow to transfer special bomb kits to Navy

US Coast Guard – Why the Deepwater program is more important than ever.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: National Security Depends on Deepwater

Royal Marines – 40 Commando is currently on R+R. It will take them some time to get their kit sorted and made ready for operations in Afghanistan.

• The Times: Marines enjoy sunshine before storm

US Coast Guard – The US Coast Guard will be acquiring the services of 5 of the US Navy’s coastal patrol boats, to use for off shore patroling.

• Virginian Pilot: Coast Guard getting five patrol boats from Navy
  

US Navy – Former Secretary of the Navy James Webb’s opinion on how the US should proceed.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Go after Them and Eliminate Them
  

Background – Strategy – The current strategic view, from the United Kingdom – are we currently headed for a large land campaign?

• Daily Telegraph: Army set for cold war
• Sunday Times: Thousands of troops in big Afghan push ‘within weeks’

Russian Navy – The Russians now feel a torpedo explosion inside the Kursk was the most likely cause of her loss.

• BBC: Kursk investigators rule out sub collision
  

Russian Navy – More about the Granit missiles being removed from the Kursk.

• Jane’s: Russia’s ‘Shipwreck’ missile enigma solved
  

US Navy – R+R aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

• Associated Press: Roosevelt crew takes a break as Marines fly off Peleliu
  

Russian Navy – The Varyag broke loose from the vessels towing it and was adrift but now has been taken back in tow.

• Times of London: Greeks rescue crew of stricken carrier
• BBC: Giant vessel shuts the Bosphorus

US Navy – The USS Enterprise is steaming towards its home port.

• Virginian Pilot: Enterprise heads into Atlantic Ocean on way home
  

US Navy – The US Navy will base the new aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan in San Diego.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy will base new carrier Reagan in San Diego
  

US Navy – An analysis of the US targeting strategy.

• Washington Post dot mil: Bombing the Red Cross

Background – Nuclear Weapons – How secure are Pakistan’s nuclear weapons?

• New Yorker: Watching the Warheads

Chinese Navy – The former Soviety Navy carrier Varyag has transitted the Bosporus Strait on its way to China.

• Los Angeles Times: Aircraft Carrier Jams Bosporus Strait Traffic
  

US Navy – US Marine Harriers from the USS Peleliu took part in air strikes against Afghanistan for the first time.

• Associated Press: Marine Jump Jets Take Part in Raids

US Navy – Aboard the USS Peleliu, the Marine troops wait for the call to action.

• Washington Post: Aboard Assault Ship, Marines Await Their ‘Piece of the Action’

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy is investigating ways to defend its ships from attacks from small fast craft

• Jane’s: Attack craft threat to RN ships addressed
  

Background – Nuclear Weapons / Radiological Weapons – The threat of an attack against the US from terrorists armed with nuclear or radiological weapons is higher than most assume.

• Economist: Could worse be yet to come?
  

US Navy – The DD-21 program has been effectively canceled. A new, modular design adaptable to several missions, will be solicited from the design teams.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy drops its destroyer plans in favor of a revised hull form
  

US Navy – Air to air refueling is a key component of every US Navy strike over Afghanistan, and S-3 Vikings are performing yeoman work in that regard.

• Washington Post: Gas Stations in the Sky Extend Fighters’ Reach

US Navy – With the ordinance specialists on the USS Thedore Roosevelt.

• Associated Press: Piece by piece, sailors on aircraft carrier assemble precision bombs to match the target

Greek Navy – An interview with the Commander in Chief of the Greek Navy.

• SeaPower: Hellenic Navy Plays “Crucial Role” in NATO Operations
  

US Navy – Somewhere over Aghanistan, with pilots from the USS Carl Vinson.

• Washignton Post: Over Afghanistan, Gantlets in the Sky

US Marine Corps – The MV-22 Osprey will be grounded until next spring, and then will require 2 years of flight test to certify it is truely ready for production.

• Seattle Times: Osprey’s grounded for the time being, Pentagon says
  

US Navy – A possible breakthrough in submarine communications.

• New Scientist: Reversed broadcasts key to underwater secrecy

Background – Biological Weapons – An absolutely chilling essay on what biological weapons could potentially do.

• New Yorker: The Bioweaponeers

US Navy – With the aviation mechanics aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

• Virginian Pilot: Roosevelt’s mechanics keep warplanes flying

Royal Marines – 40 Commando continues to prepare for action, but how will they be used?

• Daily Telegraph: Marines not yet ready to attack, says
• The Times: Marines to join ranks of ‘Fearless’
• Daily Telegraph:
  ‘My men know what’s needed to eradicate the terrorist cancer’

US Coast Guard – A new icebreaker will be built for use on the Great Lakes, to replace the USCGC Mackinaw which dates from WWII.

• MSNBC: New Great Lakes icebreaker to replace WWII-era ship

Background – Biological Weapons – Smallpox – An excellent history of smallpox as a disease, and how it can be turned into a lethal weapon.

• New Yorker: The Demon in the Freezer
  

US Navy – Aboard the USS Carl Vinson with the bunker busters.

• Washington Post: Mountain Caves Used by Taliban Latest Targets of U.S. Bombs

US Navy – Why the use of “kinetics” is not the way to win in Afghanistan.

• Washington Post dot mil: Euphoria Lost

Royal Australian Navy – Refugees continue to try to land in Australia.

• BBC: ‘Hijacked’ refugee boat found
  

Background – Afghanistan – An excellent history, from 1985, by the military historian John Keegan that covers the history of Afghanistan including the British and Russian invasions in great depth and describes which tactics work and don’t work in Afghanistan.

• The Atlantic: The Ordeal of Afghanistan

US Navy – The true effect the air raids are having on Afghan morale, as seen by the correspondent John Simpson who is an observer on the ground. Simpson claims that the US technological precision does not awe the Afghans, but instead makes them regard the US as being effete. Read this, then read the next essay from 12 years ago to see if we have learned the lessons from the last war in Afghanistan???

• Daily Telegraph: The Taliban are a ragbag of deluded opportunists

Background – The Soviet Defeat – An interesting essay from 1989 written by Robert Kaplan that says the reason the Afghans ultimately defeated the Russians was the Afghan’s willingness to die.

• The Atlantic: Afghanistan Post Mortem

US Navy – The USS Enterprise is on her way home.

• Virginian Pilot: Enterprise on its way home

Canadian Navy – The second Upholder-class attack submarine, HMCS Windsor, has arrived in Canada.

• Canada.com: Second refitted British submarine, HMCS Windsor, arrives to joyful welcome

Given the current interest in biological weapons, in the next few days I will be bringing to your attention a few excellent background articles on biological warfare from the New Yorker magazine.

Background – Anthrax – A historical case report of one of the last anthrax cases in the United States, from the early 1960’s, told in story form. A good review of what anthrax does to humans.

• New Yorker: A Man Named Hoffman

Royal Marines – 200 Royal Marines from 40 Commando will stay in the Persian Gulf and assist in the campaign. They will be based on HMS Fearless and will have their helicopters based on HMS Illustrious.

• BBC: Blair outlines UK troop decision
• The Times: Britain deploys 4,200 troops in show of resolve
• Sunday Times: Mountain marines ready for snow strike
• Daily Telegraph: Ground phase gains momentum

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – Japan may send naval ships to the Indian Ocean, but not to the Persian Gulf.

• Associated Press: Japan Reportedly Considers Warships

US Navy – Does the US Navy still need it’s Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) communications network for communicating with ballistic missile submarines?

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Battle lines drawn over ELF