Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Tobruk, anchored off the capital, Honiara, is undertaking an evacuation of foreign nationals from the Solomon Islands. The New Zealand frigate Te Mana will arrive on Saturday. Aside from the crew of the Tobruk, no other Australian troops are involved; the evacuation is occuring with the agreement and cooperation of the local militias.

• BBC News: Australia begins Solomons rescue
• Age Online: 350 evacuees boarding Tobruk

Royal Navy – After the Royal Marines leave Sierra Leone next week, the frigate Argyll and the support ship Sir Percivale will stay behind to support the 200 British soldiers left behind who will take over training of the Sierra Leone Army.

• BBC News: UK commits warships to Sierra Leone

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – As the Japanese and Chinese navies expand in size, missions, and operational areas, they are beginning to encounter each other more often at sea, as illustrated by events of the past month.

• STRATFOR: Japan, China both newly ambitious in Asian waters

Taiwanese Navy – the Taiwanese Navy has received the U.S.S. Pensacola, an Anchorage class dock landing ship, from the United States.

• Reuters: Taiwan Navy gets U.S. landing ship

Turkish Marines – Turkish Marines are exercising with the Greek armed forces in Greece during NATO exercise Dynamic Mix 2000.

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Military exercise to unite old enemies

Canadian Navy – HMCS Calgary sets sail for a 5 month deployment to the Gulf, to help enforce U.S. sanctions against Iraq.

• Calgary Sun: Calgary sailors off to hot spot

Sri Lankan Navy – It is now claimed that of the two Dvora-class patrol vessels lost in combat recently, one was destroyed by Tamil Sea Tigers through ramming, and the other was destroyed by the Sri Lankan Air Force which mistakenly identified it as an enemy vessel.

• BBC Online: Sri Lanka probes naval losses

Suriname Navy – The Suriname Navy, over the weekend, forced the removal of an offshore oil platform from its territorial waters, at gunpoint.

• CNN: Guyana, Suriname stick to guns in maritime dispute
• Reuters: Suriname navy forces oil rig out of disputed water

Royal New Zealand Navy – The New Zealand Anzac frigate HMNZS Te Mana is standing by to evacuate New Zealanders from the Solomon Islands where a coup is underway, if necessary. Henderson Field, the country’s international airport (which dates to the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942) is not considered to be safe to fly into currently.

• Sydney Morning Herald: Warship on alert for NZ sea evacuation

Sri Lankan Navy – Two more Sri Lankan Dvora-class gunboats were sunk in a battle against the Tamil Tigers, who are said to have lost 4 boats of their own.

• BBC News: Sea battle in Sri Lanka

Royal Navy – HMS Sutherland and HMS Newcastle are visiting India during a round-the-world cruise, the first in 13 years for the Royal Navy. Eight vessels are taking part.

• Times of India: British Navy showcases ship on goodwill visit

U.S. Navy – The Pacific Fleet is saving money by cutting short time at sea for its ships, including deployments and exercises, in order to have money for maintainence. The Atlantic Fleet on the other hand is simply deferring maintainence???

• Daily Herald: Navy’s budget knife slashes deployments

Sri Lankan Navy – The Sri Lankan Navy is to receive patrol boats from Israel, which will help it strike Tamil Sea Tiger bases from stand-off ranges offshore, and thereby help to interdict the Tiger’s supply chain. The number of patrols boats purchased and when they will arrive was not disclosed.

• Reuters: Fresh fighting in Sri Lanka,government boosts navy
• Sunday Observer of Sri Lanka: Navy to target LTTE sea supply lines: New Israeli boats to fight Sea Tigers

French Navy – The French Navy has a long term committment to help police Tanzania’s exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 miles off-shore, against illegal fishing.

• East African: Now French Navy to Police Tanzania Waters

U.S. Navy – The U.S. Navy is going to spend the funds necessary to upgrade its attack submarine fleet with new intelligence-gathering systems to help the boats fulfil their increasing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

• Janes’ Defense Weekly: Spy operations boost for U.S. submarines

U.S. Military – The inability to utilize information operations assests to their fullest extent during Operation Allied Force, due to political reasons within the U.S. military, was perhaps one of the greatest failures of the campaign in Kosovo.

• Janes’ Intelligence Review: Information operations – coming of age?

???seems to be a slow news day so???

Janes’ Fighting Ships

• Janes’ Fighting Ships: Foreward to the 1999-2000 edition

U.S. Marines – A further discussion of the issues surrounding the U.S. bases on Okinawa. Kadena Air Force Base is called the “Gibraltar of Northeast Asia” and the Marine forward presence there is key to getting them to troublespots as quickly as is possible.

• Newsweek: Reducing the American footprint

Nigerian Navy – The Nigerian Navy will recommission some laid up vessels to help it more aggressively patrol the Niger delta region, to prevent piracy against oil producing installations.

• Africa News Online: Grounded combat vessels for reactivation

Royal Marines – 42 Commando Royal Marines are agressively patrolling the area around Freetown, having completely replaced 1 Bn The Parachute Regiment.

• ITN: 3,000 extra troops to join Marines

Sri Lankan Navy – The Sri Lankan Navy sank several supply ships of the Tamil Tigers in a gun battle.

• Associated Press: Sri Lanka’s Tamil war spills to sea

Chinese Navy – The Chinese Navy will soon test fire indigeneously produced cruise missiles just north of Taiwan. Japanese and American surveillance ships are reported in the area.

• Agence French Presse: China plans missile drill near Taiwanese territory

U.S. Navy – Although the U.S. denies it will get directly involved in the conflict in Sri Lanka, it continues to keep a close eye on the conflict, with a task force steaming near Sri Lanka and P-3C Orions keeping watch on the area from their base on Diego Garcia. The Indian Navy remains prepared to assist in an evacuation of Sri Lankan troops, using landing craft, if necessary.

• The Hindu: U.S. not to take any action in Sri Lanka
• Rediff.com: U.S. Navy keeping watch on Lanka

U.S. Navy – Pacific background – The ability of the U.S. to rely on bases in Okinawa will be increasingly challenged in the future.

• San Jose Mercury News: U.S. forces welcome in Okinawa hangs by a thread

U.S. Navy – Elements of a U.S. Navy battlegroup have moved south from the Gulf to the southen Arabian Sea, as a show of solidarity with government forces in Sri Lanka.

• The Hindu: U.S. moving warships towards Sri Lanka

Asian Background – In a definite break from the past, the Pentagon is refocusing its war planning from conflicts in Europe to future conflicts in Asia.

• Thomas E. Ricks for the Washington Post: For Pentagon, Asia moving to forefront

U.S. Navy – U.S. Navy, Marine, Air Force and Army forces are participating in Exercise Natural Fire 2000 in Keyna, along with forces from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The exercise is described as a peace operation that stresses how to cope with natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

• Associated Press: Exercises train African, U.S. forces

Indian Navy – The Indian Navy has finalized plans for the evacation of Sri Lanka troops from Jaffna, when the time comes.

• The Hindu: India gets ready for “Operation Jaffna”

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – A Chinese “Yanbing” class icebreaker, that has a suspected espionage capability, passed legally through the Tsugaru-kaikyo strait for the first time. The icebreaker is being shadowed by the Sawayuki, a “Hatsuyuki” class
destroyer.

• Agence France Presse: Japanese destroyer tracks suspected Chinese spy ship

Indonesian Navy – The U.S. has quietly resumed military cooperation with Indonesia, particularly the Indonesian Navy and Air Force.

• New York Times: U.S. quietly resumes military ties with Indonesia

Royal Australian Navy – The Australian Navy will not purchase Kidd-class destroyers from the U.S. Navy, feeling they are not good value for the dollar.

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Government destroys plans to buy U.S. ships

Royal Navy – Britain has stated her long term plans for Sierra Leone include 1) Stabilization of the country by Paras and Royal Marines in the short term, 2) Provision of a long standing military advisory force to train and lead the Sierra Leone Army, and 3) Small arms and ammunition for the Sierra Leone Army.

• BBC News: Britain’s Sierra Leone plan

Indian Navy – The Indian military is now ready to assist with an evacuation from Sri Lanka, if asked to do so.

• Times of India: Tipnis asks Southern Command to be alert

Royal Marines – Effective immediately, 42 Commando Royal Marines will begin replacing 1 Bn The Parachute Regiment on the ground in Sierra Leone. The paras will be withdrawn to the UK. A UK Military Assistance Training Team will arrive imminently in Sierra Leone to train and equip the army of Sierra Leone. The plan is still to withdraw 42 Commando from Sierra Leone by mid-June.

• Los Angeles Times: British Flex Their Muscles Off Coast of Sierra Leone
• BBC Online: UK to arm Sierra Leone forces
• The Press Association: Commandos replace Paras in Sierra Leone

Indian Navy – the Indian Navy Southern and Western Naval Commands have been placed on alert, to possibly assist in the evacuation of Sri Lankan government forces from the Jaffna peninsula.

• BBC Online: Delhi discusses Sri
  Lankan crisis

• South China Morning Post: Indian navy poised for Jaffna evacuation
• Times of India: Western Naval Command put on alert
• The Hindu: Navy put on 72 hour alert

U.S. Navy – The Cyclone-class patrol craft Firebolt along with its sister ship Chinook, is off on a six month cruise to South America. The purpose of the cruise is primarily anti-narcotics, with a secondary diplomatic role.

• Virginian Pilot: Small Navy ship, the coastal patrol craft Firebolt, plays a big role

U.S. Navy – The U.S. Navy has retired its tugboat fleet, and contracted the work out to civilian tugs.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy retires tugboat fleet, private boats to take over

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy is also strapped for funds for training, with Sailors “pretending” to fire during live-fire exercises.

• BBC News: Shell ban under fire

Indonesian Navy – Pirate attacks in the Straits of Malacca continue to increase. The Indonesia Navy, under an arms band following the situation in East Timor, is ill-equipped to combat the pirates.

• Associated Press: Indonesian pirates plunder ships

NATO – NATO naval forces just completed Operation Linked Seas off Portugal, designed to simulate naval operations in a humanitarian crisis such as Kosovo. The exercise turned into reality midway through its course when HMS Illustrious and HMS Ocean were detached from the exercise to intervene in Sierra Leone.

• Associate Press: NATO navies adapt to new realities

U.S. Navy – A day in the life of the U.S.S. Houston, a Los Angeles class attack submarine, and the interesting insights her crew have into their lives.

• San Antonio Express-News: Sub Culture

Royal Marines – Royal Marines from 42 Commando aboard HMS Ocean have carried out exercises to demonstrate they can rapidly reinforce 1 Bn Parachute Regiment ashore in Freetown, if needed.

• BBC News: Marines stage beach landings
• This is London: Marines fly into Sierra Leone

Chinese Navy – Russia has supplied China with new SSN-22 Sunburn cruise missiles for use on China’s new Sovremenny-class destroyer.

• Washington Post: Russia sends cruise missiles to China for new warships

U.S. Navy – A day in the life of the U.S.S. Kentucky, a Trident class ballistic missile submarine. The submarine service, particularly the ballistic missile submarine force, have the highest re-enlistment rates in the Navy. This article points out some of the reasons, including pay and benefits, but even more importantly sense of purpose and esprit de corps.

• Florida Times-Union: At home under the sea

East Asian Naval Background – In a forward to it’s 2000-2001 edition, Jane’s Fighting Ships stated that the potential exists in East Asia for sudden and violent military activity due to the multiple tensions that exist between countries in the region and the fact that most have rising naval budgets.

• Jane’s Fighting Ships: Potential for ‘Sudden’ Violence in East Asia -Jane’s
• Jane’s Fighting Ships: Chin’s Obsession Over Taiwan Pushing Navy Buildup

U.S. Coast Guard – The U.S.C.G. has its resources stretched to the breaking point, and is facing severe readiness problems. Given too many tasks from too many masters, and being severely underfunded, the U.S.C.G. faces tough choices in the near future.

• U.S.A. Today: Readiness problems plague Coast Guard too

U.S. Navy – the U.S. Navy has categorically denied allegations that its sonar systems were responsible for the death of marine mammals during exercises in the Bahamas in March.

• MSNBC – Navy responds to allegations

Royal Navy – A complete list of Royal Navy ships operating off Sierra Leone.

• This is London: The British task force

Nigerian Navy – The German Navy, Royal Navy, and U.S. Navy are all interested in helping Nigeria to revive its Navy. The German Navy ships Brandenburg and Emden, which previously were exercising with the South African Navy, are paying a port visit to Lagos. Their next port of call is Senegal.

• P.M. News: Germany Ready to Train Nigerian Navy

Royal Navy – HMS Ocean and HMS Illustrious have arrived off Sierra Leone. 42 Commando is remaining embarked, for the time being. Her Majesty’s Government states that mission creep will not set in???

• BBC News: UK ships near Sierra Leone
• BBC News: UK troops’ role to be clarified
• BBC News: UK forces out by mid-June

Indian Navy – The Indian Navy and Coast Guard are exercising and maintaining a high state of readiness off Sri Lanka. The Indian government has so far ruled out intervention in the crisis in Sri Lanka.

• Deccan Heard: India assumes ‘readiness posture’ as fighting rages in Jaffna
• The Hindu: Naval exercise on east coast

Taiwan Background – An analysis of open source satellite imagery by the Federation of American Scientists concludes that the Chinese Air Force is less of a threat to Taiwan than the U.S. states.

• ABC News: Group: China less of a threat to Taiwan

U.S. Navy – Coming to the defense of Taiwan, if attacked by China, would be a difficult task for the U.S. for logistical and interoperability reasons.

• San Francisco Examiner: If Taiwan is attacked, what does the U.S. do?