CIMSEC – The U.S. has already moved into an era beyond straightforward competition for global order. The revisionist challengers have signaled they intend to use violence and military strength rather than economics, influence, and soft power to usher this change. Recognizing this fact, those committed to the defense of the current global order must prepare.

War on the Rocks – In 1988, respected Congressional Research Service defense analyst Ronald O’Rourke wrote a compelling essay in the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings magazine for the Navy to maintain strategic consistency between chiefs of naval operations. As the Cold War’s end approached, he recommended that the Navy not arbitrarily discard its powerful and successful organizing concept — the 1980s Maritime Strategy. He suggested, instead, that the Navy build upon its 1980s achievements by identifying “the key organizing concepts and arguments behind those achievements” and examining whether they could be refined and applied for the 1990s. He did not propose the Navy rest on its laurels, as circumstances always change. O’Rourke, however, noted that the Navy “cannot afford to discard powerful concepts arbitrarily, simply because they are not new, particularly if they might be applicable, with refinements, to emerging circumstances.” His 1988 advice for strategic consistency still rings true for the Navy in 2024. I continue to blame the chiefs.

Military Aerospace – Warhead 93 will replace W76 and W88 warheads on Navy submarines from 2034, and will be aboard future Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.

(Thanks to Alain)

CIMSEC – Technology has again made it possible to use elements of the commercial maritime system to quickly create functional warships. The ubiquitous shipping container, equipped with everything from cruise missiles to towed array sonars, generators, berthing, and command spaces, allows for the conversion of any container-capable commercial ship into a combatant.

The War Zone – Another long-serving U.S. military aircraft has completed its final operational deployment, with the return of the U.S. Navy’s EP-3E Aries II surveillance platform from the 5th Fleet area of operations. The countdown to the spy plane’s final retirement is now on, which will see its vital intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission handed over to the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane, the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance drone, and other assets, including ones in space.

BBC – A Malaysian businessman has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for his role in the US Navy’s biggest corruption scandal and for skipping a previous sentencing hearing.

The War Zone – The Navy has backtracked on plans to decommission the last of its Ticonderoga class cruisers by 2027, but their reprieve will be short.

The War Zone – The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency reportedly has at least one mysterious system capable of “covertly (and nonviolently)” disabling ships, including very large ones. The secret system is said to have been considered for use against fuel tankers sailing between Venezuela and Cuba during President Donald Trump’s term in office.

USNI News – Twelve Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers will remain in the fleet past their initial service lives, the Navy announced on Thursday.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

The War Zone – Elements of the land-based version of the Aegis system are now in Guam, but they are just part of a very ambitious air defense upgrade for the island.

Naval News – U.S. Navy work on a guided hypersonic projectile for air defense has resumed with at-sea testing as concerns grow over missile expenditure and costs in the Red Sea.

Defense News – The men and women aboard the Navy destroyer Carney could be forgiven for thinking they were headed toward a quiet cruise on Oct. 7, 2023, as the warship steamed east across the Atlantic Ocean to begin its latest deployment. But that day heralded the start of a great upending for the U.S. Navy, after Hamasmilitants streamed into Israel and murdered more than 1,200 people, sparking a war that continues to threaten to engulf the Middle East to this day.

Breaking Defense – Readiness rates for the US Army’s fleet of watercraft have steadily declined over the past four years, highlighting a significant weakness in the service’s ability to move personnel and equipment as it prepares for a fight in the Indo-Pacific, according to a new independent government audit.

USNI News – Gulf Coast Shipyards Have Plenty of Orders, But Workforce Challenges Persist.

Naval News – The U.S. Navy held its first at-sea test of a new reloading mechanism, beginning a path that the service claims will allow warships to rearm while underway by 2027.

BBC – The US military says it has launched strikes on the Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen, hitting 15 targets. The Pentagon said it used aircraft and warships to launch the attacks in order “to protect freedom of navigation”.

US Naval Institute Proceedings – James Holmes writes that the Navy’s new Navigation Plan would have met approval from early 20th-century naval strategist Harry Yarnell. 

The War Zone – While the Air Force’s NGAD fighter initiative currently paused, the Navy is pushing ahead with its similar F/A-XX stealth jet program.

USNI News – Two U.S. guided-missile destroyers destroyed a handful of Iranian missiles using a combination of weapons, including the Standard Missile 3, a U.S. official confirmed to USNI News on Wednesday.

USNI News – USS Bulkely (DDG-84) and USS Cole (DDG-67) fired a dozen interceptors as part of the U.S. response to Iranian missiles launched at Israel, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

National Interest – James Holmes writes that Lisa Franchetti is trying to break a paradigm. Admiral Franchetti is the newish chief of naval operations (CNO), or seniormost uniformed U.S. naval officer. What she says matters. Judging from her just-released “Navigation Plan,” or policy directive to the U.S. Navy, the CNO has come to believe that the Navy’s strategy, operational doctrine, and fleet design have fallen behind discomfiting new realities.