Defense News – The littoral combat ship Savannah on Tuesday fired a SM-6 missile from a “containerized launching system” at a target in the Pacific Ocean, signaling a way that the lightly armed ship class could one day contribute to a conventional naval battle.
The Sinking Submarine Industrial Base
War on the Rocks – Submarines are an integral part of the U.S. Navy’s future force design, and rightly so. The United States needs more submarines if it is to deter China in the Indo-Pacific, particularly given the Chinese navy’s growing undersea fleet. But the question remains — can America build and maintain the number of submarines it needs?
France Deploys One LHD, Two Frigates To The Eastern Mediterranean
Naval News – The French Navy Mistral-class LHD Tonnerre departed its home port of Toulon yesterday. The vessel is now en route to the Eastern Mediterranean, an area where naval vessel presence is getting increasingly busy…
UK lawmakers say ‘limited’, ‘modest’ Indo-Pacific presence not enough to address China threat
Breaking Defense – A new report from the UK’s Defence Committee criticizes Britain’s Indo-Pacific military presence, judging it “limited” and the UK’s strategy “unclear” in the face of a potential conflict with China over Taiwan.
The laidback Australian city key to countering China
BBC – When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets US President Joe Biden in Washington this week, deterring an assertive China will be on the agenda. At home, Darwin – a city key to the US-led defence alliance in the Pacific – will be watching.
China is Fighting the Third Opium War With Fish
CIMSEC – China is reaping huge economic benefits by selling fish to the United States in a manner that is directly funding its military and diplomatic buildups to be able to out compete the United States.
HMS Prince of Wales crosses the Atlantic and begins developmental flying trials
Navy Lookout – HMS Prince of Wales headed to the United States in September and has now begun a series of test flights with various aircraft to inform the development of future Royal Navy carrier aviation. Here we cover the first part of the deployment and the start of these trials.
Thailand Shelves Attack Submarine Purchase Plans
Naval News – Thailand’s defense minister Sutin Klungsang has announced Thailand’s suspension of its purchase of a Chinese-built S26T diesel-electric attack submarine, with the government accepting the Royal Thai Navy’s proposal to instead procure a frigate from China with the funding allocated for the submarine.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Midway Across Atlantic, En Route to the Middle East
USNI News – The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean as it heads to the Middle East, instead of joining the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Getting Sporty in Russia’s Arctic
War on the Rocks – The U.S. Navy and its NATO allies may be gearing up to challenge Russia’s excessive legal claims to the Northern Sea route by conducting a freedom of navigation operation. Multinational naval exercises have been taking place in the Barents Sea, and at some point they might include a freedom of navigation operation. The stakes are high, given the tensions following Russia’s reinvasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Russian government’s warnings about naval operations in the area have become more bellicose and the political leadership appears more willing to take risks. As a result, the fallout from any freedom of navigation operation could rapidly escalate.
Philippines rethinks military modernization plan after China clashes
Defense News – The Philippine military is realigning its modernization program to strengthen territorial and coastal defense amid escalating tension with China.
South China Sea: Why the Philippines and China are on a collision course
BBC – The confrontation between Manila and Beijing over submerged shoals in the South China Sea has been going on for decades. But in recent months something has changed. The spats at sea are now unfolding in the full glare of the television media
China Coast Guard Vessel Collides with Filipino Supply Ship in South China Sea
USNI News – A Philippine supply boat collided on Sunday with a China Coast Guard vessel attempting to block it during an operation to resupply the grounded LST BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands.
It’s Russia’s (Maritime) World – We’re Just Living in It
RUSI – In Russia’s recently updated Foreign Policy Concept, the concept of the ‘World Ocean’ takes centre-stage as a tool for achieving Moscow’s objectives.
The Royal Canadian Navy Must Be Equipped for Real World Pacific Scenarios
CIMSEC – Canada’s current naval capabilities fall short of meeting great power threats, which may diminish its usefulness in supporting allies in a Pacific conflict.
Chinese ship is focus of investigation into damaged pipeline, Finland says
The Guardian – Finnish police have said a Chinese ship whose movement coincided with the time and place of the suspected sabotage of a pipeline between Finland and Estonia that was damaged this month is now the focus of their investigation.
Australia makes decision on Chinese firm’s lease of critical port
Defense News – The Australian government announced Friday it has decided not to cancel a Chinese company’s 99-year lease on the strategically important Darwin Port, despite U.S. concerns that the foreign control could be used to spy on its military forces.
Philippine Naval Aviation Unveils Modernization Plans
Naval News – The Naval Air Wing plans to procure a number of systems that will benefit the Philippine Navy’s ISR capabilities.
Pentagon’s 2023 Report on China’s Military and Security Developments
US Department of Defense – The following is the Oct. 19, 2023, Department of Defense report to Congress, Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China.
U.S. Destroyer Used SM-2s to Down 3 Land Attack Missiles Launched from Yemen
USNI News – A U.S. guided-missile destroyer took out three land attack missiles fired from the shore of Western Yemen on Thursday.
UK naval chief on threats to undersea infrastructure: ‘We don’t fully understand’ solutions
Breaking Defense – Adm. Ben Key, First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, made his comments hours after Sweden stated that an undersea telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia had been damaged.
Here Are Some Of The Future Naval Systems Japan Is Working On
Naval News – Japan’s Ministry of Defense has announced the future equipment on which it will invest in research and development work over the next few years. The information came out in the recently published defense budget request. This article introduces some of them, especially those related to the naval domain.
Russian Navy’s Trained Dolphins Moved Closer To Fighting In Ukraine War
Naval News – Russia has had to reinforce the defenses at its naval bases in Crimea. One of its first moves at the start of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine was to station trained dolphins at the entrance of Sevastopol harbor. Similar dolphin pens have now turned up at a Russian Naval base in northwestern Crimea.
Russian, Chinese ships spotlighted by Finnish police after pipeline damage, are now pairing up outside northern Norway
Barents Observer – The Sevmorput and Newnew Polar Bear sailed over the Balticconnector and the telecom cable in pair at the time the damage occurred. Now, they are following each other outside northern Norway, en route to Asia via the northern coast of Siberia.
Russia’s Last KILO Class Submarine Leaves Mediterranean
Covert Shores – The Russian Navy deployments in the Mediterranean can be seen as part of the outer guard for the invasion of Ukraine. They deter NATO involvement, particularly from aircraft carriers in the sea. How good they are at this deterrence is a separate question, but their threat is real. At any rate, Russia has increased its warship and submarine operations there. Now the last submarine based there appears to be leaving.
(Thanks to Alain)
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