Naval News – Simple USVs are not hard to do and are available now from Turkey…
China’s Surprise Submarine Move Shows Its Growing Power
Naval News – Submarine sales are a powerful weapon in the game of international power and influence. China is increasingly combining it with the Belt and Road Initiative in ways which shape the geopolitical landscape. The latest surprise submarine supply illustrates this.
The Unplanned Costs of an Unmanned Fleet
War on the Rocks – The LCS program promised to do more and cost less. It ended up doing less and costing more, precisely because its operational premise did not appreciate the human element enough. Sailors are an organic part of a ship, not a cost burden. Until equipment can learn on its own, and repair itself, that will remain the case.
The Marine Corps Needs a Strategic Loitering Munitions Launcher
USNI Blog – Long-range precision fires (LRPF) is one of the five modernization areas that the U.S. Army is focusing on for future ground battlefield dominance, and for the longestLRPF, we’re mainly discussing missiles.
Raw numbers aren’t everything in a maritime fight with China and Russia
The Hill – James Holmes says the US needs to keep calm and carry on with the competition.
Review Essay—Back to the Future? History, Energy, Climate, and the Fate of Nations: “The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations”
US Naval War College Review – The geopolitics of the twenty-first century will look very different from that of the twentieth century, but does that mean that the lessons of the latter do not apply to the former? Will competition for oil be eclipsed by that for rare earth metals or lithium, such that the form but not the substance will change? Or does the possibility of achieving self-sufficiency in energy consumption through renewables offer an alternative to interstate resource competition or interdependence? Most importantly, does the challenge of climate change compel Americans to rethink their rivalry with China? Reading “The New Map” will stimulate thinking along these lines, but doing so is only the first step.
Toward a New Navalism
USNI Proceedings – The Navy must broaden its message to educate American taxpayers on the importance of sea power.
China Transferring Navy Type 056 Corvettes To The Coast Guard
Naval News – With increasing tensions in the first island chain, China has recently begun transferring Type 056 corvettes from the People’s Liberation Army Navy to the Chinese Coast Guard.
Japan, U.S. draft operation plan for Taiwan contingency
Kyodo News – Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military have drawn up a draft joint operation plan that would enable the setup of an attack base along the Nansei island chain in the country’s southwest in the event of a Taiwan contingency.
Work on shipyard in Shanghai for Chinese warships goes smoothly, to open in 2023
Global Times – Since its start at the beginning of the year, the construction of a new shipyard for a key Chinese warship builder has been going smoothly, and dock basin construction kicked off on Wednesday.
Turkey agrees to sell naval ships to Nigeria, Buhari pledges partnership
Punch – Turkey has welcomed the decision of Nigeria to buy naval ships from its shipyard in recognition of its growing influence in the world as a military power.
(Thanks to Alain)
Austal USA To Design U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship NGLS
Naval News – Austal USA was awarded a contract to perform design studies for the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program.
A fire broke out in a Navy submarine due to a human error
Time.News – Again an incident of a fire outbreak on an Israeli Navy vessel – and this time inside a submarine. Maariv has learned that on Tuesday last week a submarine fire broke out during technical treatment at a base in Haifa, apparently due to a human error by one of the technical staff.
(Thanks to Alain)
German Navy Chief: Frigate Deployment to Indo-Pacific First of Biannual Deployments to Region
USNI News – The current six-month-plus deployment of German frigate FGS Bayern (F217) to the Indo-Pacific is the initial step toward a regular biannual naval deployment to the region, German Navy Chief Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schönbach said today.
China has multiple military basing options in Africa, analysts say
Nikkei Asia – China is reportedly looking to build a military presence in Equatorial Guinea, which would be its second such facility in Africa and the first along the Atlantic Ocean. But China’s options are not limited to the small country, analysts say.
Navy’s unmanned refueling drone completes first ops on an aircraft carrier
Breaking Defense – The Navy has completed the first operational demonstrations of an MQ-25 Stingray onboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), the service announced today, marking a major milestone for the highly-anticipated unmanned tanker program.
China Maritime Report No. 17: The PLA Army’s New Helicopters: An “Easy Button” for Crossing the Taiwan Strait?
China Maritime Studies Institute – This report examines the potential roles and missions of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) new rotary wing capabilities in a cross-strait invasion. Looking specifically at the helicopter units of the PLA Army (PLAA), it discusses two possible scenarios in which these forces could serve as the main thrust in a campaign to seize control of Taiwan. In the first scenario, the PLAA would use nearly all of its rotary wing inventory simultaneously to overwhelm Taiwan’s defenses and quickly convince the country’s political leadership to surrender. In a second “unconventional” scenario, the PLAA would risk the destruction of older helicopters in order to launch a sudden attack against the island, thereby achieving the element of surprise while saving its most capable platforms for lengthy follow-on operations to fully subdue the island. Based on analysis of the scale, complexity, and frequency of recent PLAA exercises, this report argues that China is at best a decade away from having the ability to seize Taiwan by either approach.
Cooperate for Sea Control
USNI Proceedings – The Marine Corps should leverage its security cooperation expertise to gain and maintain persistent access during expeditionary advanced base ops.
US Navy, French Navy Ink Strategic Interoperability Framework
Naval News – The U.S. Navy and the French Navy (Marine Nationale) inked a Strategic Interoperability Framework (SIF) on 17 December 2021. The agreement paves the way for increased cooperation between the two navies for the next twenty years, especially their ability to “plug and fight” side by side.
Think Differently about Naval Presence
USNI Proceedings – With a smaller naval force, forward deployment must be managed on a global basis.
China reveals upgraded J-15 fighter jet; key aircraft carrier roles expected
Global Times – China recently revealed an upgraded version of the J-15 ship-borne fighter jet that has just wrapped up test flights, with reports saying the new aircraft received enhancements in its missile pylons, the infrared search and track system, the radar and the wings.
How Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Could Change the Equation in Ukraine
RUSI – The prospect of greater Russian involvement in the war in Ukraine raises questions about the possible role of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and how it could support Russia’s Ground Forces.
Philippine Marines’ New Operating Concept Highlights Their Growing National Security Role
The Diplomat – A preview of how the Philippine Marine Corps will operate in the current and future security environment.
Iran’s Drive to Modernize Navy Faces Latest in String of Setbacks
USNI News – Iran’s drive for naval modernization and self-sufficiency has had another recent setback the when Iranian Navy’s newest frigate capsized in its dry dock. Last week, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps showed off more than 100 of their latest homegrown fast attack craft – new types of missile boats, unique torpedo boats and other craft – in Bandar Abbas.
US Navy Triton UAV returns from Guam, ahead of transition to more capable variant
Defense News – One of two U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the Pacific for the last two years has returned home, allowing the service to move forward with Triton development and fielding.
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