Naval News – Two Russian ships, the tanker Yaz and the suspected arms runner Ursa Major, are headed to Istanbul where they will leave the Black Sea. Evidence suggests that, at the same time as the cruise missile attack on Sevastopol, they were targeted by Ukrainian maritime drones.
PLA holds extensive, nonstop anti-submarine drill in South China Sea
Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted an anti-submarine exercise that stretched for more than 40 hours and featured more than a dozen groups of anti-submarine patrol aircraft in the South China Sea, which is a region experts said is infested with foreign submarine activities that potentially threaten China’s national defense.
How US Marines can protect commercial shipping in the Gulf
Defense News – Successfully deploying Marines on commercial ships requires overcoming thorny logistical hurdles, ensuring well-developed command and control, articulating clear rules of engagement, and contingency planning for controlling escalation and de-escalation.
Sea Viper Evolves To Add ASBM Capability
Naval News – MBDA UK is moving forward with a two-stage programme intended to confer the Royal Navy’s Sea Viper anti-air guided weapon system with an organic anti-ship ballistic missile ‘detect-to-defeat’ capability later this decade.
Australia, Philippines Commit to Strategic Partnership, Pledge Joint Patrols
USNI News – Australia and the Philippines agreed to joint patrols in the South China Sea on Friday as the two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippine President Bongbong Marcos inked several agreements and a joint declaration during their first-ever bilateral meeting in Manila amid tensions with China.
Swedish Marines Seeking More Firepower
Naval News – The Swedish Marines are undergoing a major transformation as part of the Amfbat 2030 initiative, which aims to provide them with the ability to fight in the littorals both mounted and dismounted, especially against surface and air threats.
Kyiv Says Black Sea Platforms Recaptured From Russia
War Zone – Oil and gas platforms in the Black Sea near occupied Crimea were recaptured by Ukrainian forces, the country’s intelligence services claim.
Vanguard Submarine Arrives Home Absolutely Caked In Algae
War Zone – Recent images of a Royal Navy Vanguard class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) taken by Sheila Weir — captured after the sub completed a six-month-long deterrent patrol — underscore the immense beating these leviathans of the deep can take while on mission for long stretches of time. The missile boat looks like a sea monster that has emerged from a long slumber at the bottom of ocean.
2023 Carrier Strike Group deployment begins
Navy Lookout – HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed on 8th September to lead the RN’s first major carrier strike group deployment since 2021. Known as operation FIREDRAKE, the group will undertake of a series of exercises in northern European waters working closely with JEF and NATO partner nations.
New Zealand seeks new ships to replace ‘majority’ of naval fleet
Defense News – New Zealand’s Defence Ministry has issued a request for information to replace nearly the entire naval fleet, which currently includes nine ships in six different classes.
It’s Time to Build Combined Forward Operating Base Sierra Madre
War on the Rocks – The Philippines should remove the Sierra Madre and replace it with a permanent structure manned by combined rotational forces from both the Philippines and the U.S. Marine Corps. Such a forward operating base would be a powerful signal of commitment to the alliance for both nations as well as providing significant improvements in situational awareness for both the United States and the Philippines. By raising the potential costs of interference, a combined outpost might deter future efforts from Beijing aimed at interdicting resupply of Philippine bases in the South China Sea.
Japanese V-22 Lands On JMSDF Vessel For The First Time
Naval News – On September 5, 2023, a V-22, the most advanced transport aircraft of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force landed for the first time on the helicopter destroyer JS Ise of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The US Navy is spending billions to stabilize vendors. Will it work?
Defense News – The U.S. Navy expects the submarine-industrial base to start delivering attack submarines on time by 2028 — more than a decade after vendors and shipbuilders began struggling to keep up with growing demand, made worse by the pandemic and the seismic disruption it brought to the labor market.
Allies target early AUKUS milestones to keep 20-year plan on track
Defense News – It will take two decades for Australia to operate the nuclear-powered submarines designed and built under a new arrangement with the United States and the United Kingdom, unveiled six months ago. Even so, a flurry of activity meant to get the undertaking off the ground has already begun, and experts say it’s critical to the program’s long-term timeline that the three countries meet these initial goals.
Chinese Warships Shadow Canadian, U.S., Japanese Warships in East China Sea, the Philippines Resupply Second Thomas Shoal
USNI News – On Friday, the Philippines successfully carried out a resupply mission to its outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, despite opposing actions by China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia ships.
Marines aim to accelerate Force Design modernization, if budget allows
Defense News – The U.S. Marine Corps has overhauled the force faster than initially expected when it kicked off a major modernization effort three years ago — but despite this early progress, two top generals say the service wants more capability faster for deployed forces.
AUKUS standoff: Australia, UK wait on Congress to approve pact
Defense News – As the two-year anniversary of AUKUS approaches, the export control debate and a separate tussle over the health of the submarine-industrial base have raised questions about how and when Congress will pass several authorizations needed to make the program into the transformational initiative leaders promised.
The struggle to get HMS Somerset back to sea
Navy Lookout – In this article, we provide an inside view on the saga that has delayed Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset rejoining the fleet following her life extension refit.
Cellula’s Solus-XR XLUUV Hits The Water
Covert Shores – The first images of Cellula’s new autonomous underwater vehicle in the water have surfaced. The Canadian company’s Solus-XR is a long-range extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV).
Marines to test out first stern landing vessel at Project Convergence
Defense News – The U.S. Marine Corps will test out its first stern landing vessel at an Army event this spring, a top general said Wednesday, as the service prepares to create a fleet of shore-to-shore connectors to support Marines operating in the Pacific.
Marines draw inspiration from drug runners for unmanned resupply boat
Defense News – As the U.S. Marine Corps considers how to move weapons around contested waters to resupply forces ashore, it’s copying an unusual source: drug traffickers.
The first fixed-wing UAV lands on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier
Navy Lookout – In a pioneering flight on 4th September, a cargo drone flew from Cornwall out to HMS Prince of Wales, delivered supplies, took off again and returned to the airfield.
North Korea’s New Submarine Carries 10 Nuclear Missiles
Naval News – North Korea has revealed it’s latest submarine, a “tactical nuclear attack submarine”. The new submarine has been named “Hero Kim Gun-ok” and given the hull number 841. Our analysis indicates that it will be armed with ten missiles.
Maritime Reserves: Grasping the Opportunity
RUSI – This paper examines whether and how the Royal Navy’s Maritime Reserves can bring extra fighting power at an affordable cost.
Side Stepping Turkey: Using Minesweepers to Increase Allied Presence in the Black Sea
War on the Rocks – It is in America’s interests to explore other ways to export grain from Ukraine. A new alternative route that excludes Russia would minimize — to the extent possible — Russian leverage over global food prices. The need to ensure the safe passage of ships through this second grain corridor also creates an opportunity to bolster U.S. and allied presence in the Black Sea, without running afoul of Turkish neutrality. The United States should work with European allies to transfer minesweepers to Romania — a NATO member and Black Sea nation that Turkey has close relations with — to establish this new route. To account for drifting mines, the United States and its European allies should consider assisting Romania with clearance divers or loaning clearance diving equipment to the Romanian navy. Minesweepers are purely defensive and do not pose a threat to the Russian navy. They are also needed to remove moored mines and assist in removing drifting mines, which both threaten commercial shipping.
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