– Defense News – Singapore’s ST Engineering believes that a new joint venture with Israel Aerospace Industries, to market and sell advanced naval missile systems, will leverage both companies’ strengths and track records to address a growing demand for guided munitions.
The Cod Wars And Today: Lessons From an Almost War
– CIMSEC – Not once, but three times in the 20th Century, cod was almost the causus belli between Iceland and the United Kingdom in a string of events referred to collectively as the “Cod Wars.” The Cod Wars, taken together, make clear that issues of maritime governance and access to maritime resources can spark inter-state conflict even among allied nations. Fishing rights can be core issues that maritime states will vigorously defend.
Iran blasts dummy US aircraft carrier with missiles
– BBC – Iran has launched missiles at a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Expeditionary Seabase USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams Deploys for AFRICOM
– USNI News – Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) kicked off its first deployment today, leaving Virginia for an extended deployment primarily to U.S. Africa Command.
Check Out This Sailor Holding A Laser Rifle Aboard The Nuclear Submarine USS Minnesota
– War Zone – The dazzler helps defend submarines when they are at their most vulnerable when traversing tight waterways while surfaced.
Fight Illegal Fishing for Great Power Advantage
– CIMSEC – Illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing costs Asia billions of dollars a year and constitutes a third of the entire regional catch. It has strong links with sea slavery and unregulated migration – the Thai fishing fleet employs 50,000 foreigners annually, often criminally underpaid and held in poor conditions – along with other criminal enterprises, such as underage prostitution. Moreover, it leads to dramatic overfishing, damaging local economies and causing serious environmental damage. All countries in the region acknowledge it is a major issue with cross-cutting impacts, yet generally lack the capabilities to manage it.
After the US Navy’s Bonhomme Richard catastrophe, a far-reaching crackdown on fire safety
– Defense News – U.S. Navy brass is telling sailors and contractors to put fire safety at the center of their work in the shipyards and on the waterfront in the wake of a catastrophic fire aboard the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard.
Let Sailors Be Tactical Incubators
– USNI Proceedings – The Navy should follow the example of Admiral Joseph Reeves’ development of carrier aviation to rapidly innovate and deploy unmanned systems for future wars.
Huge Pacific Exercise Centered On Guam Brings Allies Together Amid Growing China Threat
– War Zone – Australian, Japanese and U.S. forces combine to demonstrate an impressive show of integrated air and sea power in the tense Pacific.
South China Sea dispute: Australia says Beijing’s claims have no legal basis
– BBC – Australia has formally rejected China’s territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea, aligning itself more closely with the US as tensions rise.
Regional Maritime Security Governance and the Challenges of State Cooperation on Piracy
– CIMSEC – When operating, pirates are not restrained by national borders, and exploit states’ inconsistencies in maritime security capacities and capabilities. Therefore, the unabatedly high numbers of pirate attacks underlines the need for littoral and user states to cooperate on counterpiracy.
Stealth UAVs Could Give China’s Type-076 Assault Carrier More Firepower
– Forbes – The Chinese Navy is building assault carriers to support amphibious operations, like a possible invasion of Taiwan or landings on disputed islands in the South China Sea. The first two ships, called LHDs (landing helicopter docks) in naval terminology, are still being outfitted. But information is already emerging suggesting that the follow-on design, the Type-076, will have much more firepower.
Make Maritime Stability Operations A Core US Coast Guard Mission Focus
– CIMSEC – The following provides a re-introduction to Maritime Stability Operations, its preeminence amid the multitude of modern maritime challenges, along with why the Coast Guard — in coordination with the U.S. Department of State — must not only be the lead implementing agency but make maritime stability operations its core or priority future mission focus.
Stop Seabed Mining Now
– CIMSEC – The deep sea is rapidly approaching an era reminiscent of the gold rush period of the American West, when pioneers could potentially strike it big solely by venturing out to where few others wanted to go. The risk is high, but the rewards are potentially massive – if one could get seabed mining to scale. The problem is that nobody should be mining the seabed anytime soon. The looming environmental cost is monumental, and the race for seabed resources could reinvigorate any number of maritime disputes. Is seabed mining really worth the trouble?
US Navy makes progress on aircraft carrier Ford’s bedeviled weapons elevators
– Defense News – The U.S. Navy is over the halfway mark in certifying the new aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford’s 11 advanced weapons elevators, which have been at the center of an ongoing controversy over delays in getting the Navy’s most expensive-ever warship ready for its first deployment.
US Navy’s top officer reveals grim new details of the damage to Bonhomme Richard
– Defense News – A series of explosions and a 1,200-degree inferno damaged 11 of the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard’s 14 decks, according to a summary of the damage by the U.S. Navy’s top officer.
China expands its amphibious forces in challenge to U.S. supremacy beyond Asia
– Reuters – China is launching new amphibious assault ships and beefing up its marines. Its main aim is to project power far from home, but it is also strengthening its ability to invade Taiwan.
India, Australia, and Containing the China Challenge
– War on the Rocks – Australia’s strategy on engaging India has long revolved around the so-called “three Cs:” cricket, curry, and the Commonwealth. In light of the changing status of bilateral relations in 2020, let’s add a couple more Cs to the list: China, and containment of.
Norwegian car carrier collided with Korean submarine
– Maritime Bulletin – On Jul 17 Korean media reported minor collision between car carrier Hoegh London and Korean Navy submarine.
(Thanks to Alain)
Stena Line ferry in Irish Sea involved in ‘near miss’ with nuclear submarine
– Irish Mirror – A ferry carrying hundreds of passengers narrowly avoided smashing into a British nuclear-powered submarine killing many and sparking a maritime disaster. A ferry officer spotted the nuke sub’s periscope at the last minute and took action to avoid the collision in the Irish Sea two years ago, an investigation has discovered.
(Thanks to Alain)
Brazil activates a new Submarine Base da Ilha da Madeira
– El Snorkel – The Brazilian Navy activated this Friday the Ilha da Madeira Submarine Base, the most modern naval base of the South American giant and that will host the five submarines that the country is building, including one with nuclear power.
(Thanks to Alain)
Reflecting the Law of the Sea: In Defense of the Bay of Bengal’s Grey Area
– CIMSEC – The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), more than any other implement of international law, has underpinned the orderly delimitation and governance of the world’s oceans. Despite its status as an unparalleled accomplishment of diplomacy and international law, the treaty is not exhaustive or without ambiguities. One outstanding issue in delimitation arbitration is the relationship between the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf – specifically whether one state’s EEZ rights can overlap with another state’s continental shelf rights. What deserves greater attention is how recent court maritime boundary delimitations derided by some observers as legislation from the bench in fact follow the black letter of the law more closely than state practice or previous court decisions.
China steps up shipbuilding with two more aircraft carriers under construction towards 2035 navy goal
– South China Morning Post – China is expected to launch its next-generation aircraft carrier within a year and construction on a sister ship for the new giant vessel has been hastened, two sources close to the projects said.
Pakistan Navy Keeps Silent On Mystery Submarine But New Details Emerge
– Forbes – The Pakistani Navy has not yet officially acknowledged the submarine sitting on the quay outside its special forces headquarters. The submarine was first revealed on Forbes in April. Since then further satellite images have emerged. These provide additional clues about the unidentified boat.
(Thanks to Alain)
All-female crew embarks on Black Sea patrol in first for Russian Navy
– Reuters – In a first for the Russian Navy, an all-female navy crew carried out patrols on the Black Sea on Friday in preparation for Russia’s Navy Day celebrations later this month.
(Thanks to Alain!)
