– Bloomberg – Niall Ferguson says that to know what the Chinese are really up to, read the futuristic novels of Liu Cixin.
Russia Is Using Treaty Clause To Change Submarine Balance In Mediterranean
– Naval News – The Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet can now deploy its submarines to the Mediterranean. This is despite an international treaty which many thought would prevent it. The Montreux Convention, agreed in 1936, prohibits submarines from passing through the Bosporus Strait, which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. There are exceptions in the treaty for special cases for Black Sea nations: delivery of new submarines to the Black Sea, and exits for repairs. Russia is now routinely using these clauses to reestablish a permanent submarine presence in the Mediterranean. This is changing the balance of power there.
The U.S. Navy shakes up the carrier Ford program after latest setback
– Defense News – The officer overseeing the deployment of the carrier Gerald R. Ford was fired Wednesday, the latest jolt to the trouble program that has been operating under a microscope as technical problems with nearly two dozen new technologies bundled into the lead ship have piled up.
A More Holistic Framework for Military Competition: How the War Might Be Won
– Strategy Bridge – In a compelling revisionist history of the Second World War, How the War Was Won, Phillip’s O’Brien argues, “There were no decisive battles in World War II.” In his broad analysis, O’Brien develops what he terms a “super battlefield.” The superbattlefield is, according to O’Brien, the distinguishing characteristic of modern warfare. Instead of an isolated battlefield, the superbattlefield extends over thousands of miles and includes all aspects of building, training, and deploying military capability. Using this construct, O’Brien argues that the individual battles of World War II had little consequence on the overall outcome of the war…The question for American planners today is twofold. Is O’Brien’s theory of victory in warfare still applicable? And, if it is, what does it mean for how America thinks about fighting wars?
PANG: What We Know About France’s Future Aircraft Carrier
– Naval News – In the coming days, French President Macron is expected to give the “go ahead” to the French Navy’s new generation aircraft carrier (PANG) program. Here is what we know so far.
U.S., Chinese Navies Hold Dueling Exercises in the South China Sea
– USNI News – The U.S. and Chinese navies are holding competing naval exercises in the South China Sea, as the Beijing accuses Washington of militarizing the region. On Saturday, the U.S. Navy’s Reagan and Nimitz carrier strike groups transited from the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea and held the first dual-carrier drills there since 2014.
China and Taiwan Could Be Headed Towards a Showdown. What Should America Do?
– National Interest – Hand it to CCP strongman Xi Jinping: he is a uniter. His bluster and saber-rattling may well unite Taiwanese behind the cause of independence. Beijing could respond quite aggressively. What would America do in response?
Building the Next Generation French Aircraft Carrier
– Defense.Info – A new-generation aircraft carrier to succeed the Charles de Gaulle flagship would cost at least €5 billion ($5.6 billion), with a larger price tag if France opted for nuclear propulsion over a conventional engine room, a June 24 French senate report said.
The American Way of War in the Twenty-First Century: Three Inherent Challenges
– Modern War Institute – The reality of American military power has long been that the United States must project its forces into the enemy’s territory. This brings with it a host of challenges, some inflicted by the adversary and others that are self-inflicted (such as lack of strategic lift or production capacity). In any future war, the US military will likely play an “away game,” and an adversary will probably not allow the United States to leisurely amass personnel and equipment on its borders, but will actively try to prevent it. As a result, the US military will suffer from an inherent asymmetry and have immense costs imposed on it, at least in the initial phases of the war. This challenge lies at the heart of what is colloquially called the “anti-access/area denial” family of military concepts.
Submariners Are Warriors First
– USNI Proceedings – To better attract midshipmen, the Navy nuclear power community should prioritize warfighting over nuclear engineering.
Navy Littoral Combat Ship Still Missing Cruise Missile Nine Months After Launching One
– War Zone – The Navy has touted the addition of Naval Strike Missiles as a game-changer for the oft-maligned Littoral Combat Ships.
Political Commissars on Chinese Warships Play Crucial Role in Interactions With Foreign Vessels
– USNI News – Confrontational or irrational moves by Chinese warships and planes may not be actions of a “rogue commander” but rather decisions by a political commissar, a new report describes.
Major Airfield Expansion On Wake Island Seen By Satellite As U.S. Preps For Pacific Fight
– War Zone – America’s remote island outpost in the Pacific is an essential fallback point for pushing airpower west during a major conflict.
Congress Pumps The Brakes On Navy, Demands Answers From OSD
– Breaking Defense – A new class of unmanned ships proposed by the Navy as a bulwark against growing Chinese and Russian naval might is running into deep skepticism on Capitol Hill, reflecting larger and broad frustration in Congress over the Navy’s stalled modernization push.
After a Kerch Strait confrontation, the US beefs up Ukraine’s maritime forces
– Defense News – Following a December 2018 incident at the mouth of the Sea of Azov between Russia and Ukrainian forces, the United States has accelerated its assistance to Ukraine’s maritime forces.
Protecting undersea cables must be made a national security priority
– Defense News – Data is arguably the most important strategic asset to emerge in the 21st century. Access to data and the ability to protect its integrity are vital to American security and prosperity. As 5G and artificial intelligence transform our societies into highly integrated networks, protecting data will become even more crucial.
Australian shipbuilder pushes back against reports of frigate design concerns
– Defense News – The builder of the Royal Australian Navy’s new Hunter-class frigates has told Defense News that the ship’s design remains “within agreed weight and space envelopes,” despite a recent report in Australian media claiming recent changes have caused concern.
Was A VTOL UAV Spotted Aboard China’s Type 075 LHD ?
– Naval News – A new type of vertical take off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was allegedly spotted last week aboard one of the two Type 075 LHD currently fitting out in China.
USS Montgomery Deployment Proves Out Changes Made in LCS Program Overhaul
– USNI News – USS Montgomery (LCS-8) recently wrapped up its maiden deployment – and the ship class’s first since a restructure of the Littoral Combat Ship program – and the head of LCS operations said the ship leveraged lessons learned from earlier deployments to avoid readiness problems and make the most of its operational capabilities.
US Navy’s first 4 littoral combat ships to leave the fleet in 9 months
– Defense News – The Navy’s first four littoral combat ships will be headed into mothballs next March, according to a June 20 message from the chief of naval operations.
Australia Issues 2020 Defense Strategic Update And 2020 Force Structure Plan
– Naval News – Australia’s 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan, released on 1 July 2020 by the Department of Defense (DoD), outline a new strategy for Defence and the capability investments to deliver it.
Libya crisis: France suspends Nato mission role amid Turkey row
– BBC – The defence ministry said France had suspended its role in Operation Sea Guardian, accusing Turkey of violating an arms embargo against Libya.
Mapping Gray Maritime Networks for Hybrid Warfare
– CIMSEC – In light of the current National Security Strategy and the 2018 National Defense Guidance, the impact of hybrid warfare and ‘gray-zone’ maritime activity in support of great power competition among nations has become an increasing area of concern.
China’s former navy chief Wu Shengli to face audit
– South China Morning Post – Assessment comes as Communist Party anti-corruption watchdog introduces rules for mandatory audits of all serving and retired top brass.
Australia boosts defence spending by 40 per cent as China tensions rise
– South China Morning Post – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday announced a significant increase in defence spending to boost the country’s military prowess in the Indo-Pacific, amid jitters about China’s growing power in the region.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.