Defence Web – National Treasury has allocated nearly one and a half billion rand to the South African Navy for the refit of one of its three Type 209 submarines and one of its four Meko A200 class frigates.
(Thanks to Alain)
US Navy prioritizes ‘game-changing’ rearming capability for ships
Defense News – Reloading a vertical launching system, or VLS, is a challenging maneuver, given the crane must hold missile canisters vertically, while slowly lowering the explosives into the system’s small opening in the ship deck. It’s also a maneuver the Navy cannot yet do at sea.
UK tests 7 uncrewed systems for Heavy Lift Challenge future capabilities program
Breaking Defense – UASHLC has been designed to explore future uncrewed maritime concepts, including assessment of ship-to-ship (intra-theater) and ship-to-shore (inter-theater) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) resupply operations, potentially covering uncrewed delivery of humanitarian aid items, ammunition and spare parts.
U.S. To Transfer Cyclone-Class Patrol Ships To Philippine Navy
Naval News – The transfer of USS Monsoon and USS Chinook to the Philippine Navy was officially revealed during their decommissioning ceremony on Tuesday, bringing a much needed boost to Philippine maritime capabilities.
North Korea Reveals And Tests Nuclear Capable UUV ‘Haeil-1’
Naval News – ‘Haeil-1’ is a possible derivative of the Haeil UUV that was revealed less than a week ago. Additionally, the state media also released photos of ‘Hwasan-31’ (meaning Volcano in English) tactical nuclear warhead, citing that those can be loaded on the “suicide drones”.
Ro-Ro Ferries and the Expansion of the PLA’s Landing Ship Fleet
CIMSEC – The role of civilian roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) ferries in a PLA invasion of Taiwan deserves its growing notoriety. With port access secured or coupled with developing logistics over the shore capabilities, RO-RO ferries could deliver significant volumes of forces across the Taiwan Strait, offsetting shortfalls in the PLA’s organic sea lift. Some analysts have even described mobilized civilian assets like RO-ROs as a “central feature of [the PLA’s] preferred approach” to a cross-strait invasion.
But the PLA appears intent on assigning RO-RO ferries to another mission: launching amphibious combat forces directly onto beaches from offshore. The PLA has long lacked sufficient landing ships to deliver its full complement of amphibious assault forces, from both army and Navy Marine Corps forces, in the initial assault landing on Taiwan. Rather than building numerous grey-hulled traditional landing ships, the addition of RO-RO ferries into a combined landing ship fleet could quickly close this gap.
Using 1202 Authorities to Counter China’s Maritime Militia
War on the Rocks – As the People’s Republic of China expands claims within the South China Sea, the United States should work with partners to find a way to deter further expansion while avoiding escalatory actions that could spark conflict. To do so, the United States government should leverage Section 1202 of the National Defense Authorization Act. This section allows for the United States military to create, develop, train, and maintain partner relationships with irregular maritime forces from across the region. By working with partners, the United States empowers regional nations to defend their respective interests against the encroachment of China while reducing the need for American naval forces to be the sole ever-present bulwarks in the region.
This Ugly Dispute Over Amphibious Warships Didn’t Have to Happen
Defense One – Last week, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps got into a rare public dispute. The disagreement revolves around the Navy’s decision to drop a planned purchase of a San Antonio-class amphibious warship from its 2024 budget. While this is about a warship, the impasse arises from a major problem: the Pentagon’s political leaders have thus far failed to articulate a workable long-term vision for naval shipbuilding.
See North Korea’s alleged ‘radioactive tsunami’ weapon test at sea
Defense News – North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. Analysts were skeptical that the device presents a major new threat, but the test underlines the North’s commitment to raising nuclear threats.
Distributed Maritime Operations – A Salvo Equation Analysis
CIMSEC – The first step in this analysis will be to analyze a traditional concentrated force versus another concentrated force using the salvo equations. The second step will be to look at a distributed force that is able to mass fires against a concentrated force. The final step will be to look at a concentrated force that engages part of a distributed force. We will also look at what “firing effectively first” means in practice, and what happens if the enemy force distributes.
Why has the Royal Navy decommissioned 6 ships in a year?
Navy Lookout – In the last 12 months, a significant number of Royal Navy vessels have been retired. Funding shortfalls play a part but the situation is more complex than just cuts to save money. Here we look at the reasoning, the risks involved and the plans to replace the capabilities of these ships.
Russia Repels Ukraine’s Drone Attack On Sevastopol
Naval News – According to several reports and footage circulating on social media, Ukraine has launched a new drone attack on the Sevastopol naval base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet yesterday. Unmanned aircraft (UAV) and unmanned surface vessels (USV) were reportedly used in the attack.
Russia Close to Persistent Nuclear Cruise Missile Attack Sub Presence off U.S. Coasts
USNI News – Russia could have its most powerful and quiet nuclear attack submarines on persistent patrols off either U.S. Coast in the next two years, the head of U.S. Northern Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
US Navy pitches short, readiness-focused budget wish list to Congress
Defense News – The U.S. Navy released a short wish list to Congress that would mostly accelerate efforts to make the fleet more ready and more lethal for high-end combat in a contested environment.
North Korea Unveils New ‘Haeil’ Suicide Underwater Drone
Naval News – North Korea’s state media KCNA released photos of a new suicide AUV Autonomous Underwater Vehicle named 해일 (Haeil: meaning Tsunami in English) taken during an exercise that took place between March 21st through 23rd, suggesting that their new suicide drones are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The Marine Corps Needs to Modernize its Targeting Cycle – Here’s How
Modern War Institute – When the Marine Corps maximizes SIGINT and EW’s support to targeting, codifying these capabilities’ role in operations, innovating new procedures, and teaching electromagnetic-enabled targeting even at entry-level artillery courses—it will demonstrate that it has learned a vital lesson from the wars in Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine.
China’s Lessons From the Pacific War and Implications for Future Warfighting
CIMSEC – Chinese lessons from the Pacific War offer policymakers valuable insights about the PLA’s thinking and strategy.
The Compelling Case For The AH-1 Cobra In A Fight With China
War Zone – While the relevance of the Marines’ AH-1Zs and UH-1Ys is being questioned, one top Marine is revamping their playbook to prove otherwise.
Marine Corps rethinks the foundations of how it does logistics
Breaking Defense – The new document, the first update since 1997, says Russia’s failure to establish competent logistics have been a “major factor” to why it has failed to achieve its objectives in Ukraine.
New Zealand To Field Mark 54 Torpedoes Aboard P-8A Poseidon
Naval News – New Zealand’s second P-8A Poseidon arrived home on March 20th. Meanwhile the New Zealand Ministry of Defence confirmed MK 54 Torpedoes are included in the P-8A Poseidon purchase.
Marines ask for amphibious warship in unfunded priorities list
Defense News – The U.S. Marine Corps is asking lawmakers to compel the Navy to keep building amphibious warships, as the sea service wants to truncate San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock production and take a “strategic pause” to reconsider future amphib ships.
Canadian government noncommittal on new submarines as allies push forward with nuclear fleet plans
National Post – Military commanders and experts say subs are critical to defending Canada, including in the Arctic, as Russia and China build up their own underwater fleets.
(Thanks to Alain)
Why the US Navy’s budget plan creates uncertainty for shipbuilders
Defense News – Dualities are emerging in the U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding plans, leaving industry to wonder what to make of the sea service’s near-term spending plans.
Netherlands Will Hand Over MCM Vessels To Ukraine
Naval News – During a visit to Odessa and Mykolajiv, Dutch Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren announced that the Netherlands will donate Alkmaar-class mine countermeasure vessels to Ukraine.
Joint Concept For Competing: The Best Way For The Pentagon To ‘Compete’ With China?
1945 – Last month the Joint Chiefs of Staff published a directive entitled Joint Concept for Competing, aimed at defining strategic competition and explaining how the U.S. armed forces will go about it. But because the concept’s framers define it as “adversary agnostic,” it’s hard to judge how commanders and their political masters will put it into effect at particular places and times.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.