War Zone – The U.K. Ministry of Defense has confirmed that its F-35B stealth fighters will be armed with Meteor air-to-air missiles and SPEAR 3 precision-guided standoff munitions by the “end of the decade.” The new weapons promise to bring a major leap in capability for the F-35B, especially when combined with the enhancements that the Block 4 upgrade will provide, especially for the aircraft’s radar, which will make the Meteor even more formidable.
Hospital Ship USNS Mercy Completes Pacific Partnership
USNI News – The U.S. Navy and partner nations wrapped up this year’s Pacific Partnership humanitarian and disaster relief mission on Sunday in the state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, with mission leader Capt. Brian Quin stating the partnership continues to further interoperability and multinational cooperation to build regional resilience in HADR situations.
Amid Red Sea clashes, Navy leaders ask: Where are our ship lasers?
The head of U.S. Naval Surface Forces and other brass have praised the work of Navy destroyers operating in the Red Sea, where they have since October shot down scores of attack drones and missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. But applause from Vice Adm. Brendan McLane and other leaders has been paired with frustrations that warships like the Carney, Gravely, Mason, Laboon and Thomas Hudner are fighting without a potential key asset: the long-planned and ever-elusive laser.
Taiwan Starts Construction Of New Light ASW Frigate
Naval News – On 16 January 2024, Taiwan started construction of a new light frigate for the Republic of China Navy (ROC Navy or Taiwanese Navy). This new class of vessel specializes in anti-submarine warfare.
9 Lessons From Iranian And Houthi Attacks On Ships In The Red Sea
Naval News – Dramatic attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden have gained world attention. Here are nine observations.
French warship treats injured Gazans off Egyptian shore
Reuters – About 1,000 people from Gaza have been treated in a French field hospital aboard the Dixmude, a French helicopter carrier, off the coast of Egypt, its captain said, providing care for some as health infrastructure in the war-devastated enclave collapses.
Examining the state of the UK Carrier Strike capability
Navy Lookout – In 2020 we wrote a piece asking if the UK was getting a “a pale imitation of Carrier Strike?” Three years on, we look again at whether the carriers are truly ready to be deployed on meaningful operations.
Turkish Navy Strengthens Fleet By Commissioning 4 New Vessels
Naval News – On January 19, 2023, a grand ceremony was held at the Sefine Shipyard for the commissioning of the first I-class frigate, TCG Istanbul (F-515), the new-generation fleet oiler TCG DERYA, the logistics ship TCG Ütğm. Arif Ekmekçi and the unmanned surface vessel MARLIN.
North Korea Tests Nuclear-Capable Drone in Response to U.S.-led Naval Drills Off South Korea
USNI News – North Korea carried out a test of its Haeil-5-23 underwater nuclear weapon system in the Sea of Japan in response to trilateral naval drills conducted by the U.S., Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea.
What the Navy is learning from its fight in the Red Sea
Defense News – While it remains to be seen whether last week’s U.S.-led bombing of Houthi sites in Yemen will cause the rebels to meaningfully relent, current Navy leaders and analysts agree: The volume of intercepts in the Red Sea is without modern precedent for the Navy, and the surface fleet is quickly learning from the encounters.
Replicator will Sink or Swim with the US Navy in 2024
Center for Maritime Strategy – Twenty months. The upper limit of time remaining for the U.S. military to make good on Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks’s commitment to field “attritable autonomous systems at scale of multiple thousands, in multiple domains” to check the PRC. Formally unveiled last August, the Replicator initiative was further defined by Hicks in September and its potential permutations within DoD have been the subject of much thoughtful commentary since (see the Brookings Institution’s assessment of what Replicator means for Army modernization). But looking ahead, the most urgent – and consequential – expression of the initiative lies with the naval service.
Army Activates Latest Land-Based SM-6, Tomahawk Battery Based on Navy Tech
USNI News – Last week, the Army stood up its second Typhon battery at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., based on launchers used on Navy guided-missile warships. Delta Battery is the latest missile unit to join the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force’s (MDTF) Strategic Fires Battalion.
Red Sea Shoot-Downs Offer Hugely Valuable Lessons, Also Pose Big Intel Risk
War Zone – An unprecedented amount of real-world data has come out of the shoot-downs around the Red Sea, but adversaries are also watching.
Repair deployed ships in theater to optimize combat power
Defense News – Revitalizing in-theater expeditionary ship repair capabilities can harness the agility, mobility and scalability that are hallmark advantages of naval power so that if called upon, our ships can sail to the battle line — and stay there.
Chinese Navy Next Generation Frigate Starts Builder Trials
Naval News – Speedy progress for program to field a new mid-sized combatant for the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
U.S. Destroys Four Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles in Yemen; Houthis Hit Malta-Flagged Bulk Carrier
USNI News – U.S. forces destroyed four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles the ground in Tuesday morning.
Britain has zero active naval supply ships for first time
UK Defence Journal – For the first time ever in the modern era, the Royal Navy has no active supply ships and currently depends entirely on allies for the replenishment of stores, including ammunition, at sea.
US Navy’s four unmanned ships return from Pacific deployment
Defense News – The U.S. Navy completed its first deployment of four unmanned ships, which spent five months in the Pacific testing concepts for how to integrate their capabilities into crewed fleet operations.
Hunter-Class Frigate Procurement Flawed: Review
Naval News – A review into Australia’s procurement of the Hunter-class frigate has found serious issues with the procurement process that led to the BAE Systems Type 26 design being selected for the Royal Australian Navy’s future frigates.
Navy says its nabbed ‘lethal’ Iranian missile components heading to Houthis, 2 SEALs missing
Breaking Defense – US Central Command today revealed that for the first time since Yemen-based Houthi began attacks on ships in the Red Sea in November, US forces seized “lethal, Iranian-supplied” arms heading to the militant group, including missile components. Two Navy SEALs, however, remain missing after the Jan. 11 operation.
Sweden seeks to tighten NATO’s grip in Baltic Sea with 2 new submarines
Politico – Sweden’s first new submarines in decades will have advanced weapons, stealthy propulsion and sonar-evading hulls to counter Russia under the Baltic Sea.
(Thanks to Alain)
Will the Strikes on the Houthis Make any Difference?
National Interest – James Holmes writes that decisive results against the Houthis seem fanciful, barring an amphibious offensive, an unappealing if not unthinkable option for coalition magnates.
China Maritime Report No. 34: PLAN Submarine Training in the “New Era”
China Maritime Studies Institute – Since 2018, there have been significant changes to People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) submarine force training, and these changes have been driven by important revisions to strategic guidance and subsequent directives that focused PLA efforts to enhance its capabilities to operate in the maritime domain. While this guidance is applicable to all services, improving PLAN submarine force capabilities appears to have been of particular interest to senior Chinese leadership. This guidance expanded the PLA’s maritime domain requirements, which demanded that China’s submarine force improve its capabilities to operate independently or along with other PLAN assets at greater distances from coast and in the far seas. This has resulted in submarine training that is more realistic, rigorous, and standardized across the fleet. Though stressful on submarine equipment and crews, these changes to training may ultimately yield a more combat-capable submarine fleet operating throughout the western Pacific.
How did Russian defence industry perform in 2023?
Wavell Room – This article summarises Russian unit production in the three defence sectors – maritime, aerospace and land – in 2023. It effectively counts ships, aircraft and tanks. This is a basic but not invalid way to check the state of Russian defence industry.
Amphibious Futures: The Royal Marines in Contested New Operating Environments
RUSI – This paper analyses the key adaptations that Western amphibious forces will need to make to contribute to deterrence and warfighting in the future operating environment.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
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