Defense News – Israel Aerospace Industries has developed a new unmanned submarine, the BlueWhale, designed for covert intelligence-gathering operations.
Australia Cleared For $207 Million Modular SURTASS Buy
Naval News – Australia received in principle approval to procure an expeditionary version of the US Navy’s Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System.
The Broadening Global Effort to Accelerate Unmanned Maritime Systems Development
CIMSEC – While it will take years to unpack all of the lessons learned from the ongoing war in Ukraine, one method that has surfaced during this conflict that connects maritime warfare and unmanned surface vehicles in the use of USVs armed with explosives to attack naval vessels. This is a tactic and concept of operations that has been frequently discussed and simulated, but until now has been hypothetical. Today it is real.
Junior Sailors on USS George Washington Endured Some of the Toughest Living Conditions in the Military, Says New Navy Investigation
USNI News – Since 2017, junior sailors assigned to aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) were subject to some of the toughest living conditions in the military, according to a new Navy investigation. Sailors assigned to the carrier over its almost six-year-long maintenance period at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding experienced poor living conditions, up to three-hour commutes and isolation from their families and peers as part of life in the shipyard. Complaints about the life as a George Washington sailor, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, fell on deaf ears within Navy leadership, according to the quality of life investigation. While Washington has been in the middle of its midlife overhaul and refueling at Newport News Shipbuilding, nine sailors died by suicide, according to Navy records reviewed by USNI News.
Austal wins contract for first vessel in ocean surveillance ship program valued up to $3B
Breaking Defense – The Pentagon awarded Austal USA a contract to build the lead ship in what’s envisioned as the first of seven next-generation oceanic surveillance ships — in all a potential $3 billion program.
US Navy may accelerate investments to extend some Ohio subs’ lives
Defense News – The U.S. Navy may begin investing in life extensions for some Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines earlier than expected, with the service secretary telling a crowd that spending could begin in fiscal 2025.
Taiwan To Begin Light Frigate Construction In June
Naval News – Taiwan is set to start construction of two 2,500-ton Light Frigates in June following a contract awarded to a local shipbuilder this month.
Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates to be fitted with Mk41 vertical launch system
Navy Lookout – Speaking today at the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conference, Admiral Sir Ben Key, confirmed the Type 31 Inspiration Class frigates will be equipped with the Mk41 VLS.
New Zealand military plays catchup in pandemic aftermath
Defense News – New Zealand’s military has tested some of its beach-landing equipment in an overseas environment for the first time — a type of exercise one officer admitted hasn’t happened for a while amid recruitment woes and the pandemic.
Navy struggling to keep RFA Fort Victoria operational
Navy Lookout – RFA Fort Victoria, the UK’s only vessel capable of providing solid stores logistic support to the Carrier Strike Group has been non-operational since late 2021 with mechanical and crewing issues putting a question mark over her future.
German Navy Announces New Pacific Deployments as Global Navy Chiefs Call for More Pacific Cooperation
USNI News – The German Navy will deploy a frigate and a combat support ship to the Indo-Pacific in 2024.
Marine Force Design: Changes
Texas National Security Review – The Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030, written under the direction of the 38th commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David Berger, has been the target of much criticism since its release in 2020. In this article, former Undersecretary of the Navy and Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work addresses these criticisms and defends the document’s vision for the future of the Corps. Ultimately, he argues that it’s time for the self-proclaimed Chowderites, who have fought without success to oppose the commandant’s vision, to cede the field.
Quick Look Report – Chinese Undersea Warfare: Development, Capabilities, Trends
China Maritime Studies Institute – The China Maritime Studies Institute held an academic conference on the topic of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Undersea Warfare from 11–13 April 2023. The first two days involved unclassified presentations by scholars, government officials, and naval officers. Classified sessions were held on the third day and will be reported separately. The roughly 175 attendees were mostly US citizens, with several allied participants. Panel topics included 1) strategic and operational factors, 2) submarine force hardware, 3) submarine force human factors, 4) ASW, 5) seabed warfare, and 6) challenges and countermeasures for the U.S. Navy.
Fighting DMO, Part 10: Force Development Reform For Manifesting DMO
CIMSEC – The force employment of a military will largely be a function of how good its force development can make it. A military’s ability to fully manifest a new warfighting concept will depend on how well its force development can take the abstract notions of the concept and convert them into genuine force-wide improvement in warfighting skill. As the U.S. Navy explores the future of distributed warfighting and naval salvo combat, it must be prepared to make major changes to how its force development institutions cultivate warfighting skill so the fleet can effectively evolve alongside the intensifying threat environment.
Fighting DMO Part 9: Force Structure Implications of DMO and Massed Fires
CIMSEC – Distributed naval warfighting and massed fires offer a practical operational context for valuing the combat power of force structure. The broad fundamentals of these warfighting dynamics could provide an enduring basis for force design. By establishing criteria and frameworks based on lasting operational considerations, navies can preserve their relevance.
Reviewing Air Power in the Falklands Conflict
StrategyBridge – The line between celebrating heritage and creating a fully rounded history can be a fine one in many institutional histories. Appreciating this tendency, Royal Air Force-insider John Shields reassesses the 1982 Falklands Conflict, seeking to explode multiple myths while also providing a better assessment of the air campaign by focusing on the operational rather than the tactical level of war.
Upgrading the Mindset: Modernizing Sea Service Culture for Trust in Artificial Intelligence
CIMSEC – Winning on the future battlefield will undoubtedly require an organizational culture that promotes human trust in artificial intelligent systems.
NATO Navies in Review
USNI Proceedings – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the accession of new members have reenergized NATO and increased unity.
The Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Blocking Access to the Black Sea
US Naval War College Review – Turkey’s prohibition of passage through the Black Sea straits by all foreign warships—including NATO’s—is difficult to justify under the Montreux Convention; Ankara more likely invoked it to mitigate repercussions from Moscow. Doing so tarnishes the country’s status as an honest broker and faithful guardian of the convention, which could have unintended long-term consequences.
David vs. Goliath: Southeast Asia Can Resist China’s Gray Zone Aggression in the South China Sea . . . with Help
USNI Proceedings – The efforts of Southeast Asian nations to push back against Chinese aggression at sea should be recognized and bolstered.
Friends, Partners, but Not Allies
USNI Proceedings – The U.S. Navy must maximize its relationship with Singapore—while respecting Singapore’s delicate position in the region.
Naval Considerations in the Russo-Ukrainian War
US Naval War College Review – Russia’s grand military strategy has a distinct maritime bent, the Ukrainian south coast is Russia’s most tangible strategic prize, and naval forces are crucial to holding it. Since the war’s beginning, Ukraine’s carefully planned strategy has applied stress to key elements of Russia’s maritime strategy, and Ukraine’s theory of victory is shaped by maritime considerations as thoroughly as Russia’s.
Naval Escalation in an Unmanned Context
CIMSEC – In practice, interactions-at-sea can escalate due to hyper-local misperceptions, influenced by factors like command, control, and communications, situational awareness, or relative capabilities. All of these factors are changing with the advent of unmanned and autonomous platforms. Escalation in this context cannot be an afterthought.
Beware the Allure of Mission Modularity
USNI Proceedings – Mission modularity has its place in a modern fleet, but it is not a panacea.
China: Growing and Going to Sea
USNI Proceedings – In 2022, the PLAN demonstrated why it may be the most dominant naval force in the western Pacific.
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