Breaking Defense – The Marine Corps today published a new warfighting concept, dubbed “Stand-In Forces,” describing the need for small, “lethal” forces that can also work at levels below combat to counter what’s often referred to as “gray zone” aggression from rivals like China.
Fishbowl in a Barrel
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
Task Force Foo Fighter
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
Russia’s Growing Secret Submarine Fleet Key to Moscow’s Undersea Future
USNI News – Tensions between Washington and Moscow are rising with a marked increase in competition in the undersea domain, as Russia continues to invest in a fleet of specialized submarines.
The Baffin Bay Turkey Shoot
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
#CancelMolly
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
Pentagon Announces Completion of Global Posture Review
USNI News – The Department of Defense on Monday announced the completion of its Global Posture Review, which offers few changes in force lay down and includes a series of previously announced troop movements.
First Move
CIMSEC – A FICINT short story.
Sea Control and Command of the Sea Remain Essential
USNI Proceedings – To execute flexible deterrence and limited war, options must range from diplomacy to military power—necessitating command of the seas.
A Concept for Stand-In Forces
USNI Proceedings – Marines can be part of the solution to countering China’s antiaccess/area-denial strategy.
Full speed ahead for Russia’s new fleet of giant icebreakers
Barents Observer – Both the “Arktika” and “Sibir” have been on sea trials in the Gulf of Finland this week, while construction work on the “Ural”, “Yakutia” and “Chukotka” continue according to schedule.
Danish forces kill four pirates off Nigeria
AFP – A Danish naval patrol killed four pirates in an exchange of fire in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Nigeria
DARPA OpFires Can Provide The USMC With Mobile Hypersonic Missiles
Naval News – The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in collaboration with Lockheed Martin are developing the OpFires mobile medium-range hypersonic missile assembly to fit on the back of an U.S. Army’s Palletized Load System (PLS) 5-axle 10×10 truck. OpFires will provide the U.S. Army with a highly mobile vehicle for firing hypersonic missiles that is independent of the tractor and trailer combination for the longer-range (strategic) hypersonic missiles. The U.S. Marines may also be interested in OpFires as they use the similar Logistic Vehicle Replacement System (LVSR) 10×10 truck.
Prepping for a maritime fight
Navy Times – The push for joint warfare spurs more Air Force focus on anti-ship tactics, weapons.
Algerian-Pakistan military cooperation: the frigate Almagir-260 anchors at the port of Algiers
La Patrie News – As part of military cooperation between Algeria and Pakistan, the frigate “Almagir-260” of the Pakistani fleet anchored yesterday at the port of Algiers.
(Thanks to Alain)
U.K. Aircraft Carrier, Italian Navy Carrier Cross-Deck F-35Bs in Mediterranean
USNI News – The United Kingdom Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) and Italian carrier ITS Cavour (CVH550) on Monday performed a cross-decking and integration exercise of their embarked F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters south east of Sicily in the Mediterranean, making Italy the second nation after the United States to operate the aircraft off the U.K. warship.
New Submarines Compared: Columbia Class, Dreadnought Class And SNLE-3G
Naval News – Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs) form the backbone of nuclear deterrents. Yet the types in service with NATO navies, the U.S., U.K., and France, are reaching the ends of their service lives. The new submarines which are being built to succeed them should keep the deterrent dependable in an uncertain future.
Japan’s Revolution on Taiwan Affairs
War on the Rocks – The most important development for Taiwan’s security might be unfolding right now in Japan. Tokyo’s strategy toward Taiwan is dramatically shifting. Once reluctant to join all but the most anodyne of pro-Taiwan statements with the United States, Japanese officials now increasingly state their desire to “protect Taiwan as a democratic country.” While no formal changes in security policy or diplomatic legalities are likely, Tokyo is signaling that it is willing to support Taiwan’s sovereignty, up to and including joining a military defense of the island against Chinese attack. This is likely giving Chinese Communist Party leaders and military planners much more short-term heartburn than the recently announced submarine and technology sharing deal between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Fearing new Russian threat, Ukraine races to upgrade its navy
CNN – The question is whether new Ukrainian ships and infrastructure, plus warnings from the West, will be enough of a deterrent to Russia.
Pushing or Overstepping? Legal Boundaries in the Fight Against Maritime Drug Smuggling, Part 2
CIMSEC – This installment discusses the prolonged detention of suspected smugglers aboard Coast Guard cutters and the interaction between intelligence gathering and the trial penalty during prosecution.
Next Generation SSN(X) Attack Sub ‘Is Going to Carry a Lot of Torpedoes,’ Says Admiral
USNI News – The next U.S. nuclear attack submarine must require less maintenance, be fast, quiet and packed with torpedoes.
Philippines redeploys boats to shoal after Chinese blockade
Associated Press – The Philippine military defiantly redeployed two supply boats on Monday to provide food to Filipino marines guarding a disputed shoal in the South China Sea after the Chinese coast guard used water cannons to forcibly turn the boats away in an assault last week that drew angry condemnation and warnings from Manila.
Salvaging the jet – the race to recover the ditched F-35 from the seabed
Navy Lookout – On the morning of the 17th November, a UK-owned F-35B crashed into the sea while flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth. The pilot ejected safely but there is now a scramble to retrieve the wreckage of the aircraft. Here we look at the options available and the challenges involved.
Strategic geographical points in outer space
The Space Review – Geography has long been a critical factor influencing national strategy, playing a vital role in both international politics and military planning. Captured in history’s stories are countless examples of how geography shaped everything from economics and trade to military conflict. While space can appear both abstract and intimidating, traditional studies of strategy and geography can be successfully applied to the space domain.
War By Timeframe: Responding to China’s Pacing Challenge
War on the Rocks – The Latin adage “si vis pacem, para bellum” states that if you want peace, prepare for war. But doing that successfully is much easier if you know when the war might occur.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
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