War on the Rocks – The United States appears unwilling to embrace a collective approach to naval shipbuilding and sustainment with its allies and partners to compete with China. Decades-old protectionist legislation, “buy American” quotas, and technology transfer restrictions continue to limit meaningful industrial cooperation with allies. Whether and how the United States resolves this dilemma will determine the outcome of U.S.-Chinese naval competition, and with it the future of the United States in the Indo-Pacific.
After action report – Royal Navy’s busiest air defence activity since 1982
Navy Lookout – On the 9th of January 2024, HMS Diamond was involved in a significant action with US forces defending merchant vessels in the Red Sea from a mass air attack launched from Yemen. Here we analyse the information available about this event.
Italian Navy To Ramp Up Indo-Pacific Engagement In 2024
Naval News – Alongside other European countries, Italy plans to deploy its Navy and potentially a carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific to display commitment to the region.
The Balearic-Strait-Canaries Axis and Spanish Maritime Strategy
Center for Maritime Strategy – On November 30th, 2023 the Spanish Navy (“Armada Española”) received the S-81 Isaac Peral, the first of four diesel-electric attack submarines of the S-80 Plus class, built by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia. The S-80 program is expected to revive the Navy’s diminished submarine fleet by 2028 and significantly enhance Spain’s maritime surveillance and area denial capabilities. The S-80-class submarines come at a time when the Spanish Navy is under-resourced to meet the strategic requirements and threats imposed by its current maritime environment.
Austal USA Showcases T-AGOS 25 Model For The First Time
Naval News – Austal USA, for the first time, showcased a T-AGOS 25 class undersea surveillance ship scale model.
NAVSEA Showcases Development Of Armed Small USVs
Naval News – With over a third of the fleet projected to be unmanned by 2050, the Navy continues to develop and experiment with unmanned surface vessels.
SecNav Pushes Towards TRAM Trials In 2024
Naval News – The US Navy is preparing for at-sea trials in 2024 of a capability to enable missiles to be re-loaded onboard surface ships deployed at sea. This capability will change the game in surface warfare operations, and would provide capability with relevance for current operations including those being conducted by USN destroyers in the Red Sea, according to the Secretary of the Navy.
‘It’s hard’: Navy needs to be realistic about laser weapons, admiral says
Breaking Defense – There’s no lack of excitement in the Navy about the idea of an operational laser on a ship underway, but the service must be more “intellectually honest” about what’s possible, Rear Adm. Fred Pyle said at the Surface Navy Association’s annual symposium.
Middle Aged Navy Destroyers Getting ‘2.0’ Upgrade Package
War Zone – Mod 2.0 Arleigh Burke destroyers will get new radar, electronic warfare, and other capabilities as part of larger modernization push.
Frigate program delayed as shipyard is a ‘few hundred’ workers short
Defense News – The U.S. Navy’s first Constellation-class guided-missile frigate will arrive late amid workforce shortages, a program official said Thursday.
Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania team up to clear Black Sea mines
Defense News – Defense leaders from Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania formalized a pact Jan. 11 aimed at protecting Black Sea shipping from mines laid in the course of Russia’s attack against Ukraine.
Iran seizes oil tanker St Nikolas near Oman
BBC – Iran has seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.
What do Red Sea assaults mean for global trade?
BBC – Global supply chains could face severe disruption as a result of the world’s biggest shipping companies diverting journeys away from the Red Sea.
U.S. Hits Houthi Targets in Yemen with Strike Fighters, Warships and Submarines
USNI News – The U.S. and the United Kingdom conducted a series of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen Thursday in retaliation for nearly three months of attacks on commercial shipping in the Middle East.
Chinese PLA-linked vessels map the Indian Ocean for submarine warfare
Washington Post – Chinese research vessels with ties to the People’s Liberation Army are conducting sweeping surveys of the undersea floor in the Indian Ocean, collecting data that could be crucial in deploying submarines in a region that is a critical energy supply line for Beijing in the event of a war with Taiwan.
(Thanks to Alain)
At-Sea Billet Gaps Rise to 22,000 for E1-E4 Sailors, CNP Says
USNI News – The Navy currently has 22,000 gaps in at-sea billets for ranks E1-E4, an issue compounded by the Navy’s failure to meet its 2023 recruiting goals, the sea service’s chief personnel officer said Wednesday.
Iran’s IRGC Shows Off New Warship
Covert Shores – Iran showcased another batch of new boats for the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp). The exact number of new vessels in these parades needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. But there is no doubt that the IRGC’s naval branch is growing in size and capability. It is gaining some increasingly potent equipment and some modern vessels. This time a new missile boat stole the show. The Abu Mahdi class is the latestmissile corvette for the IRGC. It is a catamaran with low-observable shaping and a generally futuristic appearance.
(Thanks to Alain)
The Anti-Ship Missile Arsenal Houthis Are Firing Into The Red Sea
War Zone – Yemen’s Houthis are the first to use anti-ship ballistic missiles in anger and have a diverse array of anti-ship cruise missiles, too.
TKMS hands over third Meko frigate to Egyptian Navy
DefenceWeb – ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has handed over the frigate Al-Qadeer to the Egyptian Navy during a ceremony in Germany, marking the third of four German-built frigates to be transferred to the North African nation.
(Thanks to Alain)
Securing the Red Sea: How Can Houthi Maritime Strikes be Countered?
RUSI – Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Middle East have been rudimentary, despite using theoretically advanced weaponry. However, it may prove difficult for the West to effectively degrade Houthi capabilities.
Deployment of the first women to serve in South Korean submarines
Yonhap – South Korea deployed its first group of women members of submarine crews as part of efforts to increase the role of women in the military.
(In French)
(Thanks to Alain)
Hard choices for the West in Red Sea stand-off
BBC – The mass attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against vessels in the Red Sea on 9 January was their biggest yet and it signals two things. Firstly, the Iranian-backed Houthis, who control their country’s Red Sea coastline, are not backing down in the face of international pressure. Secondly, they clearly have a powerful arsenal of missiles and drones and they are not afraid to launch them at Western warships.
Russian War against Ukraine Lessons Learned Curriculum Guide
NATO – NATO’s lessons learned to date from the War in the Ukraine.
Wargaming the Future: Educating the Fleet in Multi Dimensional Warfare
CIMSEC – Educational wargaming is underutilized and possesses the potential to teach warfighters intricate modern doctrine and force capabilities. Historically, analytical wargaming has functioned as a critical tool for military leadership, offering insights into force capabilities and aiding decision-making through experiential learning. Yet, within the US Navy and Marine Corps, the potential of digital or electronic wargaming as an educational platform for junior officers and Midshipmen remains largely untapped.
Fleet Forces Working on New Navy War Plan, Learning Lessons from Red Sea Deployments
USNI News – Fleet Forces Command is working on a new plan to take a peacetime naval force and develop a construct for a U.S. Navy at war.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.