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– CIMSEC – To effectively govern the maritime space, states need an accurate picture of what is happening and where in order to establish normal “patterns of life” at sea. With this picture, states can identify suspicious activity and task assets to respond. This ability to collect, analyze, share, and respond to information in the maritime realm is often called maritime domain awareness (MDA).

– CIMSEC – A historical milestone was reached in Uruguay as Capitan Valeria Sorrenti became the first female commander of an Uruguayan Navy vessel. With that said, it is important to keep in mind that she is only the latest example of a growing trend. In recent years there were a number of positive “firsts” when it comes to female naval officers taking command of ships among various Latin American navies, a trend that will hopefully continue.

– Naval News – The initial assessment for Operation Agénor one month after reaching FOC is quite positive: 1,152 hours of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have been monitored.

We invite you to try War Studies Primer – an introductory course on the study of war and military history. Its purpose is to provide an introduction to the study of war.

War Studies Primer is presented as a lecture curriculum at the university level. It is a free, non-credit, self-study course that consists of 28 topics and over 1,900 slides and is updated on a yearly basis.

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– Naval News – The European Union is stepping up its efforts to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya, thereby contributing to the peace process in the country, through the launch of a new CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) military operation in the Mediterranean.

– Guardian – For years, they were referred to in hushed tones simply as “Big Foot” – a mythical creature rumored but never seen – but these days, the narco-submarines used by Colombia’s drug cartels have become almost commonplace.

– Naval News – 2020 continues to see explosive boats being launched against tanker traffic in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea area. They also pose a threat to warships, particularly of the Saudi-led coalition. This represents a persistent threat to International SLOCs (Sea Lines of Communication) in the Southern Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb strait, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. The threat can exist over 100 nautical miles off the coast.

– War Zone – A lack of investment has left America’s N95 stockpile hollowed out. Meanwhile, the U.S. will spend $738 billion on weapons and war-fighting this year.

– Defense News – Even with two separate coalitions charged with ensuring maritime security in the Arabian Gulf region, the waterways are still proving unstable.

We invite you to try War Studies Primer – an introductory course on the study of war and military history. Its purpose is to provide an introduction to the study of war.

War Studies Primer is presented as a lecture curriculum at the university level. It is a free, non-credit, self-study course that consists of 28 topics and over 1,900 slides and is updated on a yearly basis.

Look at slides 2 and 3 in the War Studies Primer for its Table of Contents, and then choose a lecture to read and enjoy.

To see every post you can also follow NOSI via RSS at nosi.org/feed or via email by entering your email address and clicking on the Follow button in the right hand column of the site.

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– London Review of Books – Andrew Cockburn on hypersonic weaponry.

– Naval News – The French ministry of the armed forces announced that Operation Agénor, the military component of the European led Maritime Situation Awareness in the Straight of Hormuz (EMASOH) initiative, has reached full operational capacity (FOC).

– Daily Mail – Soldiers have discovered a drug-smuggling submarine that was used by a Colombian cartel to ferry cocaine with a street value of up to £100million.

(Thanks to Alain)

Naval Library is the best recommendation I received for my request for a modern warship recognition guide for a beginner. It is from the team at the NavalNews Web site. It is free and is available for Android and iOS . If you try it, let me know what you think of it.

Visit the War Studies Primer for an introductory course on the study of war.

Look at slides 2 and 3 in the War Studies Primer for its Table of Contents, and then choose a lecture to read and enjoy.

To see every post you can also follow NOSI via RSS at nosi.org/feed or via email by entering your email address and clicking on the Follow button in the right hand column of the site.

You can also follow us on social media as @nosintel on Facebook at facebook.com/nosintel or on Twitter at twitter.com/nosintel

The ten most significant naval news stories / trends / themes this year included:

• Iranian attacks on oil tankers, oil refineries, and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Persian Gulf as Western sanctions continue to harm the Iranian economy. Can the US continue to stay the course and resist retaliation?

• The steady increase in the size of the Israeli Navy and the increasing recognition within Israel of its importance in protecting its shipping lanes, littorals, ports, energy reserves and deterrence capability. Will it receive the increasing portion of the defense budget that it deserves in the future?

• The debut of Chinese containerized anti-ship cruise missiles that could turn their commerical fleet into warships and the commercial ports they control around the world into missile bases. How does this change the world-wide balance of naval power?

• China’s creative experiments at undersea replenishment using commercial ships to resupply its warships. When will the US Navy undertake similar experiments to help compensate for the small size and vulnerability of its logistics force? Amateurs talk tactics, generals (and admirals!) talk logistics…

• China’s firing of anti-ship ballistic missiles from its island bases in the South China Sea. As their militarization of the South China Sea progresses, where will they build their next sand castle?

• The year of the flattop. The US Marine Corps gained increased experience in operating its F-35Bs in large numbers from its amphibious assault ships (“Lightning Carrier” concept), the Royal Navy gained increased experience in operating its F-35Bs from its aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and commissioned its second carrier HMS Prince of Wales, and the Chinese Navy commissioned its second aircraft carrier Shandong and its first amphibious assault ship Type 075. When will the US Navy take significant steps towards extending the range of its carrier air wing, besides buying a token number of MQ-25 tankers?

• The chaotic leadership at the US Department of Defense in general with multiple Secretaries of Defense this year, and in the US Navy in specific with the resignations of the nominee for the Chief of Naval Operations and the Secretary of the Navy. What negative effect is this having on the Department of the Navy?

• The declaration of what the future of the Marines is by the new US Marine Corps Commandant: Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, and their rapid progress towards defining it, wargaming it and starting to determine how they need to change their force structure to be able to implement it. Will the US Congress approve the changes in US Marine Corps structure necessary to accomplish it?

• As part of its definition of Distributed Maritime Operations, the US Navy is taking its first concrete steps towards building unmanned surface vehicles. Can the US Navy articulate its plan clearly to the US Congress so they will approve the budget for it? Was asking the US Congress to retire early a carrier (USS Truman) with 25 years of life left on it the right way for the Navy to try to fund its future?

• All the hype about hypersonic weapons. Will 2020 be the year that we see these weapons tested and deployed within a coherent concept of operations?

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Visit the War Studies Primer for an introductory course on the study of war.

Look at slides 2 and 3 in the War Studies Primer for its Table of Contents, and then choose a lecture to read and enjoy.

To see every post you can also follow NOSI via RSS at nosi.org/feed or via email by entering your email address and clicking on the Follow button in the right hand column of the site.

You can also follow us on social media as @nosintel on Facebook at facebook.com/nosintel or on Twitter at twitter.com/nosintel

– War Zone – This is the first time authorities in Europe have intercepted one of these vessels, which have been a staple in Latin American drug smuggling.

– Breaking Defense – Warships from several NATO allies tracked and knocked down ballistic missile targets from the sea for the first time sharing targeting information across a shared alliance network.