Naval News – Modification work to turn JS Kaga, a “helicopter destroyer” of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), into a F-35B aircraft carrier is nearing completion.
Japan Is Getting Serious About Its Security
1945 – James Holmes’s interpretation of the current view from Tokyo.
The delivery of a Russian ship to South Africa worries and questions
News 24 – Fourteen days after the sanctioned Russian cargo ship, Lady R, docked at the Simon’s Town naval port in South Africa for three days, the government has not yet provided an explanation. The visit is being labeled as suspicious for illegal arms transfers. (In French)
(Thanks to Alain)
UK Forward-Deployed Frigate Program Enhances Availability And Operational Effect
Navy Lookout – The UK has completed the first phase of its forward-deployed frigate programme, with the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose handing over to sister ship HMS Lancaster in the Gulf. The programme has demonstrated improved availability at sea and improved operational effect.
Interview with a submariner from the Italian Navy
El Snorkel – Currently, there are five women in the Italian Armed Forces who have obtained the qualification of Submarine, including Subtenant (STV) Chiara Criscitiello, whom I had the opportunity to interview. (In Spanish)
(Thanks to Alain)
China sends 71 warplanes and 7 ships toward Taiwan in 24 hours
NBC – The aggression toward the self-ruling democracy, which Beijing claims as its territory, came after the Chinese government objected to a U.S. defense spending bill.
Japanese MoD Releases Further Details About Its Future BMD Destroyers
Naval News – On Dec. 23, Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced its fiscal year 2023 budget request, in which we may learn more about Japan’s future ballistic missile defense (BMD) destroyers, commonly known as ASEVs (Aegis system-equipped vessels).
Which Maritime Roles For The USAF’s New B-21 Raider?
Naval News – Naval News reached out to the RAND Corporation, an independent non-profit Think Tank, for comments on how the U.S. Air Force’s new B-21 “Raider” stealth heavy bomber can operate with the U.S. Navy in a maritime role.
An Army at Sea: Why the New FM 3-0’s Emphasis on Maritime Operations is so Important
Modern War Institute – In addition to introducing multidomain operations, the new FM 3-0 takes an unprecedented step: it dedicates an entire, stand-alone chapter to describing the Army’s unique and fundamental role in maritime operations.
Japan Flies Its RQ-4 Global Hawk For The First Time
War Zone – The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, or JASDF, has officially flown the first of its new RQ-4B Global Hawk surveillance drones that the country started the process of procuring from the United States in 2015. The high-altitude, long-endurance, or HALE, unmanned aerial vehicle is expected to strengthen Japan’s surveillance capabilities as the country explores ways to enhance its situational awareness and better deter and respond to attacks from outside forces like North Korea and China.
Ireland’s Defense Deficit
RUSI – Despite the threats to critical infrastructure such as undersea cables highlighted by the wider Ukraine conflict, Ireland’s military continues to struggle to retain staff, let alone expand its operations.
What Does Australia’s Strategic Review Hold For The RAN?
Naval News – Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR) is set to be publicly released in March next year. Here are a few hints on how it could impact the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)…
The secret payloads of Russia’s Glonass navigation satellites
The Space Review – Russia’s Glonass satellites do more than provide navigation services including performing naval signals intelligence.
A third of New Zealand’s Navy ships are docked over lack of crew
Defense News – Three of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s nine ships are now docked at the Devonport naval base indefinitely, due to insufficient personnel.
Canada’s Recent Naval Deployments and Power Projection Across the Pacific and Beyond
CIMSEC – Canada has been conducting annual Pacific deployments of strategic import, including Westploy in 2016, Operation Poseidon Cutlass in 2017, and Operation Projection since 2018. These deployments highlight increasing Canadian naval presence and naval exercising with other China-concerned partners in the region. The particularly successful Operation Projection of 2022 has complemented Canada’s recently-released Indo-Pacific Strategy and its maritime provisions for the future.
Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control due to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2023
Navy Lookout – The Merlin helicopters equipped with the Crowsnest ASaC role kit provide are a critical aspect of the carrier strike programme. In this article, we look at how the troubled Crowsnest development project and efforts to bring the system into frontline service have progressed in the last year or so.
Thailand warship capsizes leaving 31 sailors missing
BBC – The Thai navy says 31 sailors are missing after a warship carrying more than 100 crew capsized and sank during a storm in the Gulf of Thailand.
Bulldogs Away
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
NATO’s Maritime Vigilance: Optimiziing the Standing Naval Force For the Future
War on the Rocks – NATO still maintains standing naval forces, units that are directly under the bloc’s day-to-day operational command. Yet even in this time of high tension, very few combatants are attached to the alliance’s two major standing naval groups.
Exit Music
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
Submarine “Riachuelo” reinforces Brazil’s sovereignty in the Blue Amazon
ElSnorkel – The “Riachuelo” is the first of a class of four conventional submarines with diesel-electric propulsion, which will allow greater deterrent power in the 5.7 million km2 of the Blue Amazon, whose rich waters, seabed and subsoil are important for economic, scientific and environmental development. It is in this maritime area where Brazilians carry out fishing activities, where 95% of Brazilian foreign trade passes and where biological and mineral resources are exploited.
(Thanks to Alain)
South Korean SLBM Tests: An Arms Race Heating Up?
Wavell Room – South Korea’s possession and development of ballistic missile capabilities has historically been something rarely featured in mainstream discussions and military profiles of the country. This is owing more towards South Korea’s desire to keep its missile capability and related developments as secretive as possible due to geopolitical sensitivities, than general disinterest in the subject both domestically or in international military circles. It is an undeniable fact however, that given North Korea’s ongoing pursuit of developing nuclear weapons and the relevant ballistic missile capabilities to launch them, South Korea would have to make commensurate investments into similar capabilities for its own national security interests and overall survival.
This Is Australia’s New ‘Ghost Shark’ Unmanned Combat Submarine
War Zone – The Ghost Shark unmanned underwater vehicle will eventually be the size of a school bus and offer both surveillance and attack capabilities.
Russia’s Largest Floating Dock Arrives at Place of Deployment
SeaNews – December 8 the port of Vladivostok in the Russian Far East saw the arrival of PD-100, the largest floating dock in Russia and one of the largest of the kind in the world.
(Thanks to Alain)
Splash Twelve
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
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