– USNI News – The Pentagon is starting the process of activating Navy hospital ships USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) as part of the Defense Department’s domestic response to the spreading COVID-19 virus.
Cost of upgrading Arleigh Burke destroyers may not be worth it, says US Navy
– Defense News – The U.S. Navy is backing away from the idea of a classwide service-life extension project for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, but is leaving open the possibility to upgrade some of its workhorse surface combatant.
Beyond “Conventional Wisdom”: Evaluating the PLA’s South China Sea Bases in Operational Context
– War on the Rocks – China’s Spratly Island outposts’ offer Beijing decisive information superiority against any challenger in the South China Sea. Their primary purpose is not military power projection and the deployment of weapons, but information power. The Chinese bases’ main contribution is to facilitate substantial command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities in the South China Sea.
A Terrible Decision by the Commandant of the Marine Corps
– CDR Salamander – Bryan McGrath opines on the USMC’s recent decisions on unmanned air systems.
Allies shoulder for influence in the Gulf region as naval security remains top priority
– Defense News – Even with two separate coalitions charged with ensuring maritime security in the Arabian Gulf region, the waterways are still proving unstable.
Japan builds new surveillance warship targeting Chinese, North Korean submarines
– South China Morning Post – The Aki is first ship in three decades built to hunt for submarines, as Japan sees a rise in unidentified subs, believed to be from China, within its waters. But Tokyo is also keeping a close eye on North Korea, which has been developing a platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
(Thanks to Alain)
Russia to Test Fire Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile From Yasen-Class Submarine
– The Diplomat – The launch will reportedly take place as part of the Tsirkon missile’s state trials.
(Thanks to Alain)
Nonalignment Nuances: America Is Laying the Groundwork for a Stronger Relationship With India
– National Interest – Nonalignment remains a powerful strain in Indian foreign policy. Still, India and the United States have fashioned placeholders in case things take a drastic turn for the worse in South Asia—one that might prompt New Delhi to tilt toward Washington.
New UUVs: China’s Plan to ‘Attack from the Sea Floor’
– National Interest – The robot submarine (and unmanned surface ship) era is now nearly upon us. Chinese naval strategist have stated explicitly that they intend to circumvent their long-recognized weakness in submarine warfare by cultivating undersea AI and by developing highly capable UUVs. America should take notice.
Two Carriers & Marine Amphib Converge On Mid East; Patriots Too
– Breaking Defense – Two American aircraft carriers are sailing in the Middle East for the first time since 2012, a deployment which joins a large new Marine force and the repositioning of Patriot batteries to Iraq. The movements are part of a broad realignment of forces reflecting the deepening American effort to keep Iran in check.
Russia’s Borei-Class & Delta IV-Class SSBNs To Deploy Burak-M EW Buoys
– Naval News – The Russian Navy will be protected against adversary antisubmarine aircraft and drones. Burak-M buoys will make a sea area impenetrable. Communications by all channels will be jammed or complicated to the maximum by the new system. It is intended for Borey-class SSBN of project 955 and Dolphin-class of project 667BDRM, as well as diesel-electric submarines.
Russian submarine hunters on record long mission in north Atlantic
– Barents Observer – A pair of Northern Fleet Tu-142s has for the fourth time in just over two weeks been on mission outside Norway. The flight on Wednesday went all south to the Bay of Biscay.
SecNav Details Gaps Between Navy & Pentagon Shipbuilding Plans
– Breaking Defense – Frustrated with Pentagon-run war games that contributed to the Defense Secretary taking over the Navy’s shipbuilding plans, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly on Tuesday said be believes planners should not have added a phantom 12th aircraft carrier to the mix, an extra ship the Navy won’t have until the 2060s.
Marines Will Field Portfolio of JLTV-Mounted Anti-Ship Weapons in the Pacific
– USNI News – Navy and Marine Corps leaders are confident a pair of ground-based anti-ship missile programs in support of the Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO) concept is leaving China “just scratching their head” trying to figure out how to counter U.S. naval force advancements.
Lockheed Martin To Integrate Layered Laser Defense Weapon Aboard LCS
– Naval News – Lockheed Martin received an Office of Naval Research (ONR) contract to integrate a prototype Layered Laser Defense (LLD) weapon system aboard a U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).
Chinese forces expel US warship in Xisha Islands of S.China Sea
– Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday expelled a US warship that trespassed into Chinese territorial waters in the Xisha Islands of the South China Sea, while experts said Wednesday that recent US naval activities in the South China Sea are a sign that the US is losing control in the region and wants to flex its muscles to gain influence in the region.
China to launch 2nd amphibious assault ship soon
– Global Times – China is reportedly set to launch its second Type 075 amphibious assault ship soon following the launch of the first one in September, leading analysts to say that China has grasped related shipbuilding technologies. The development of aircraft to be used on the ships is also progressing smoothly, they said.
Navy Mulling Taking Sailors off Forward Deployed Ships as Part $40B Savings Drive
– USNI News – Manning forward-deployed ships with fewer sailors, making less carrier strike groups available to deploy and reducing the size of command staffs are moves the Navy is considering as part of its drive to reduce $40 billion from its budget, according to a February memo outlining the cuts under consideration.
Where is the Naval Expeditionary Combat Command?
– CIMSEC – So, with all the calls for integration, where is the Naval Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC)? After all, the Marine Corps itself is a naval expeditionary force according to the Commandant.
Marines Ditch MUX Ship-Based Drone to Pursue Large Land-Based UAS, Smaller Shipboard Vehicle
– USNI News – The Marines have ditched their plan to field a very large drone on amphibious ships, instead breaking the four-year-old MUX program into a family of systems that will include a very large land-based unmanned aerial vehicle and a medium-sized one for shipboard operations.
Eagle vs Dragon: How the U.S. and Chinese Navies Stack Up
– National Defense – The United States has been the world’s leading maritime power for decades. However, the U.S. Navy could find itself in China’s wake if current trends continue, analysts say.
Evolving Mine Warfare
– USNI Blog – Redefining what a mine is, across the services, is an important step to ensure that the wealth of creativity and expertise in the technical and operational community are taken advantage of.
Video Shows Thrusters, Sauna, Other Features Of Russia’s Newest Ballistic Missile Submarine
– War Zone – The Borei-A class boats are said to be among the quietest in Russia’s fleet and they feature some amenities that are distinctly Russian.-
Amazing: The Navy’s New Undersea Sonar and Laser Can Quickly Find Enemy Mines
– National Interest – The growing modern mine threat is so significant, that the Navy has been fast-tracking a wide range of new countermine attack and defense strategies. The approach is focused on both littoral mine fields as well as higher-tech deep water mines associated with threats posed by great powers as well, according to senior service leaders.
(Thanks to Alain)
Don’t Buy Hype Out of the Military-Industrial Complex
– National Interest – As Richard Feynman might advise: make caveat emptor your motto when sizing up new concepts. If a hypothesis doesn’t undergo rigorous tests, and if it doesn’t perform well . . . it’s wrong.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.