Defense News – The U.S. Navy’s surface fleet, still short of its readiness goal of 75 combat-credible surface ships at any given time, is pursuing new ways to boost its readiness.
Navy chief to prioritize getting more ships ready for action
Defense News – The chief of naval operations said Tuesday the service must “get more players on the field” as international crises demand more of the naval force, in her first major address since taking the helm of the Navy two months ago.
Russian subs to sail more under Arctic sea-ice
Barents Observer – Operations under the sea-ice will be one of the top priorities for our submariners in 2024, Russia’s Northern Fleet underlines.
US and UK navies repel largest Houthi attack on Red Sea shipping
BBC – UK and US naval forces have repelled the largest attack yet by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea.
Retired Saudi Admiral On Why Arabs Won’t Join Red Sea Task Force
War Zone – Only one Arab country has joined Operation Prosperity Guardian even though Iranian-backed Houthis threaten shipping in their region.
Mark Twain Would Understand the Venezuela vs. Guyana Crisis
National Interest – Despite a ruling from the International Court of Justice instructing Venezuela to stay its hand while the court adjudicates the territorial dispute, President Nicolás Maduro announced that he would “immediately” grant licenses permitting exploration and extraction to go forward. Maduro also announced that the Venezuelan armed forces would institute a military command to operate in Essequibo. What happens next? Mark Twain would have some interesting thoughts.
Royal Navy deploys HMS Richmond to bolster UK naval presence in the Gulf region
Navy Lookout – HMS Richmond is heading to the Gulf region in response to the serious maritime security situation in the Red Sea.
Is the Royal Navy in crisis?
Navy Lookout – A series of reports in the media in the first week if this year have brought the Navy’s personnel, funding and support problems into sharp focus. Here we provide some more context to the reports and the potential implications.
Indian Navy Retakes Merchant Ship From Armed Hijackers in the Arabian Sea
USNI News – Indian Navy commandos secured the hijacked Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk last week after a 24-hour confrontation off the Somali Coast in the Arabian Sea. This swift response comes as New Delhi reinforces its presence in the area, surging ships and aircraft to deter attacks on international shipping in the Western Indian Ocean Region.
Japan sends Naval Deployment to the Indian Ocean
Wavell Room – Japan has a naval deployment in the Indian Ocean. This is a milestone for deeper Naval cooperation.
Mothballing two assault ships could spell ‘the beginning of the end’ for the Royal Marines, critics say amid sailor shortage crisis
Daily Mail – Two amphibious warships are set to be ‘mothballed’ in a move critics have said could spell ‘the beginning of the end’ for the Royal Marines, as the Navy tries to tackle a sailor shortage crisis.
Royal Navy Forced To Retire Frigates Due To Personnel Shortages
War Zone – The two Type 23 frigates on the chopping block, HMS Argyll and Westminster, have recently been overhauled at major expense to the taxpayer.
Where Did the Houthis Get Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles?
National Interest – Houthi rocketeers have fired an anti-ship ballistic missile —a genre of weaponry ostensibly possessed only by China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force—against merchant shipping.
European navies try to keep up in cat-and-mouse game of seabed warfare
Defense News – The balance between offense and defense in war swings back-and-forth, often depending on who has the best kit. But on the seabed’s battlefield, the aggressors are currently very much in charge.
With new $867M contract, Austal begins work on replacements for Navy’s storied hospital ships
Breaking Defense – Alabama-based shipbuilder Austal USA says its new expeditionary medical ship will provide the US Navy with a “highly capable ambulance to shuttle casualties” from the battlefield in ways the service’s storied hospital ships were not designed.
New Ships And Submarines For The Russian Navy
Naval News – In keeping with tradition, dating back to Soviet times, new ships and submarines were commissioned in the Russian Navy with the end of the year.
USNI News Interview: Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Adm. Ryo Sakai
USNI News – For almost two years, Chief of the Maritime Staff Adm. Ryo Sakai has led the JMSDF, as the Japanese government pursues a historic increase to defense spending, coinciding with ongoing aggression from China and Russia in the East China Sea. Sakai sat down with USNI News for a wide-ranging interview at his office in Tokyo this summer to discuss topics ranging from collaborating with the U.S. sea services to how the Japan Self-Defense Force is preparing to integrate the fighter-capable destroyers into its fleet.
Germany weighs role in Red Sea naval protection force
Defense News – The German government is weighing its scant options for contributing to an international mission aimed at protecting maritime traffic in the Red Sea from missile attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels.
India sends navy after pirates attack ship off Somali coast
BBC – India has deployed its navy to aid the crew of a ship that was hijacked off Somalia’s coast.
Chinese Naval Modernization In 2023 Reviewed
Naval News – More amphibious assault capacity, new frigates and aircraft carrier Fujian preparing for first sea trial this year.
UK-Led JEF Task Force Conducts First Seabed Warfare Deployment
Naval News – The Royal Navy is leading a multinational task force deployment conducting critical undersea infrastructure security operations across North Atlantic waters, including the English Channel, the North and Baltic seas (and their connecting Skagerrak/Kattegat straits), and the Norwegian and Barents seas.
New in 2024: Marine amphibious combat vehicle variants will arrive
Defense News – New command and control and a separate 30 mm-cannon equipped variant of the Marine Corp’s amphibious combat vehicle are expected to arrive at units in early 2024.
Turkish Government Green Lights Second Aircraft Carrier And 4 Additional I-Class Frigates
Naval News – On January 3, 2024, a meeting of the Turkish Defense Industry Executive Committee took place, with President Erdogan in attendance. During the session, the committee made significant decisions, which included initiating the design phase of an aircraft carrier and the construction of an additional 4 I-class frigates.
Our Best Look At China’s Nearly Completed New Aircraft Carrier
War Zone – New official visuals of the carrier released by Chinese state media show it looking close to completion, foreshadowing upcoming sea trials.
Written in Black and Red: Asymmetric Threats and Affordable Unmanned Surface Vessels
War on the Rocks – The Houthi rebels and the Ukrainian military share a significant amount in common despite very different perceptions of their legitimacy. In short, both forces have effectively utilized commercially available or inexpensively developed unmanned systems and anti-ship cruise missiles to great effect, stressing and challenging technologically and numerically superior adversarial forces in the Black and Red Seas.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
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