– US Naval Institute Proceedings – Western observers would be remiss to write off the resurgent Russian fleet for its bluff and bluster—it may be ‘dressed to impress’ but is still dangerous.
It’s Time to Rethink U.S. Carrier CONOPS
– USNI News – There has been a lively debate in recent years over whether the appurtenance of American military might—the supercarrier—will be rendered irrelevant, even obsolescent, by the burgeoning anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems of the likes of China and Russia should war ever break out between them and Washington. This state of affairs is not helped by a glaring capability shortfall the U.S. Navy faces currently and in the foreseeable future: the lack of a carrier-based deep-strike aircraft due to the relatively short “legs” of its mainstay Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet attack fighter as well as the upcoming Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
Assessing the Usefulness of the American Large-Deck Carrier
– CIMSEC – In an anti-access/area-denial environment, would the carrier be given carte blanche to project its airpower? Would its survivability be seriously questioned by the submarine and other anti-ship systems?
Vietnam Pivots To US With Wary Eye On China: Arms Ban Ends
– Breaking Defense – In many ways, today marks the final exorcism of the Vietnam War as America turns to the much greater challenge of a rising, militarizing China — and as Hanoi seeks just enough US help to balance Beijing without provoking it.
Cam Ranh International Port Visits in Strategic Context
– CIMSEC – On 2 May, the French amphibious assault ship FS Tonnerre arrived in the Cam Ranh International Port (CRIP) for a four day visit. It was the third international visit to the newly established CRIP, nee Cam Ranh Bay, following the mid-March visit of a Singaporean naval vessel and a mid-April visit by two Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force ships. These three visits reflect Vietnam’s strategic interests, most importantly, the development of an omni-directional foreign policy. While much attention will be paid to President Obama’s visit to Vietnam this month, it is important to note both how far bilateral relations have come, but also how much they are only a piece of Vietnam’s overall strategic framework.
New intelligence vessel for Barents Sea makes port call to Kirkenes
– Independent Barents Observer – Packed with radar- and communication humps on the roof, the 125-meter long new “Marjata” came to Kirkenes Monday morning.
CNO: US Navy Needs Foreign Help Against Russia, China, ISIS, Iran
– Defense One – The Chief of Naval Operations explains why he’s working to expand and strengthen the fleet’s network of partners.
Inside America’s Lethal New Stealth Destroyer
– National Interest – The Navy is preparing to fire long-range precision guns and missiles from its lethal, stealthy new destroyer — in anticipation of its ultimate deployment on the open seas, service and industry officials explained. The new Destroyer, called DDG 1000 or the future USS Zumwalt, is a 610-foot land and surface warfare attack ship designed with a stealthy, wave-piercing “tumblehome” hull. On Friday May 20, the new ship was formally delivered to the Navy at Bath Iron Works in Portland, Maine.
Zumwalt Brings Mix of Challenges, Opportunities to Fleet
– USNI News – One of the most conspicuous ships in the Navy is among the least understood.
Capt. Kirk takes helm of US Navy’s futuristic ship
– Christian Science Monitor – Capt. James Kirk took command of the USS Zumwalt on Friday, as the Navy’s state-of-the-art ship moves closer to full operation.
Steaming Ahead, Course Uncertain: China’s Military Shipbuilding Industry
– National Interest – “In recent years, China’s navy has been launching new ships like dumping dumplings [into soup broth].” This phrase has circulated widely via Chinese media sources and websites. Accompanying it are ever-more-impressive analyses and photographs, most recently of China’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, now under construction in Dalian. The driving force behind all this, China’s shipbuilding industry, has grown more rapidly than any other in modern history.
Navy Wants LCS ‘Frigate’ Upgrade A Year Earlier: 2018, Not 2019
– Breaking Defense – The Navy wants to start building the upgraded “frigate” version of its controversial Littoral Combat Ship a year earlier, the frigate program manager said. The fixed-price, winner-take-all competition will “tentatively” happen in 2018 instead of 2019.
Navy Assisting in Search For Missing EgyptAir Flight MS 804
– USNI News – Acting on a request from the searchers looking for the missing EgyptAir flight that crashed early Thursday local time, the Navy has sent a maritime surveillance aircraft to look for the missing aircraft.
Israel Claims Intercept Success with Sea-Based Iron Dome
– Defense News – The combination of the ELM-2248 Adir radar and the sea-based Iron Dome was an immediate answer to Israel’s need to defend offshore energy assets in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters.
Navy Set to Deploy New Lethal Anti-Surface ‘Tactical Cloud’ Later this Year
– USNI News – The Navy is creating an offensive anti-surface network that will tie targeting information from satellites, aircraft, ships, submarines and the weapons themselves to form a lethal “kill web” designed to keep pace with the expanding lethal power of potential adversaries.
AeroVironment to Supply Blackwing Mini UAVs for Navy Attack, Guided Missile Submarines
– USNI News – The Navy has selected the unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer AeroVironment to supply miniature UAVs for the service’s fleet of attack and guided missile submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles.
China Stages War Games Days Ahead of Taiwan Inauguration
– ABC – China is staging large-scale joint war games featuring mock beach landing, helicopter assaults and tank battles along its east coast facing Taiwan, just days before the inauguration of the self-governing island’s new independence-leaning president.
Tomahawk Missile for Japan
USNI News – Japan still lacks a key element of military power relevant for emerging challenges in the region—a flexible, long range strike weapon. The Tomahawk missile has long been a centerpiece of the U.S. military’s long-range precision strike portfolio. A sea-based weapon with a 1,000-mile range and a 1,000-pound warhead, it brings a proven proficiency for attacking well-defended, high-value land targets. New upgrades, including the ability to hit a ship, ensure the missile’s operational relevance beyond the next decade. The precedent for providing Tomahawk to allies was established nearly 20 years ago when the United Kingdom acquired 65 missiles. It is time to expand the “user club” to include Japan.
Just Make a Decision
– Defense News – Whatever the reasons, today’s Navy leadership needs to take a lesson from 1945 and get it in gear. Assess the situation regarding repairing the USS Fort Worth, consider the alternatives and make a decision. Ineffective management has just delivered a real blow to the LCS program just as it was starting to roll.
Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2016
– US Department of Defense – The latest report on the Chinese military.
Pentagon Report Aims to Lay Out Chinese Military Goals
– Wall Street Journal – On Friday, the Pentagon released its 15th annual report to Congress on Chinese military and security development, its last under the Obama administration. “Despite China’s opacity…this report documents the kind of military that China is building,” Abraham Denmark, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, explained at the media rollout event. “We hope it contributes to the public’s understanding of the PLA.” Indeed it does. China characteristically dismissed the report, without seeking to disprove any of its assertions. As Mr. Denmark stressed, the Pentagon publication “lets the facts speak for themselves.” He highlighted three key areas of emphasis: military maritime activities, power projection and reforms.
The Decision Process for Littoral Warfare
– USNI Blog – In this piece, however, we concentrate on the dangerous environment close to a coastline that the full range of our sensors and weapons cannot be exploited. The threat of sudden, short range attack is a constant concern. We wish to describe an effective mesh network to fight in combat environments like San Carlos Water in the Falklands War, the coast of Israel in the 1973 War, and other waters that led to sudden surprise attacks on ships at relatively short range, like the missile attacks on USS Stark (FFG-31), HMS Sheffield, the British supply ship Atlantic Conveyer, the many missile attacks in the Gulf “Tanker War” of 1982-1989, and most recently against the Israeli missile ship, INS Hanit, off the Lebanon coast.
Marines To Add ‘Harvest Hawk’ Weapons Kit to Entire C-130J, V-22 Fleets
– USNI News – The Marine Corps intends to add improved sensors and precision-strike capability to its entire KC-130J Super Hercules tanker/transport plane and MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor fleets, applying the “Harvest Hawk” concept to make both aircraft more multi-mission.
Turbulence For the Philippines: Blimps Over the South China Sea
– CIMSEC – During his recent visit to the Philippines, the United States Secretary of Defense promised delivery of a variety of sensors and communications equipment worth $42 million to the host nation. One of the critical sensors in this suite is an observation blimp that can peer across the South China Sea (SCS), providing maritime domain awareness to the Philippines.
Navy hospital ship Comfort was plagued by poor leadership for years, investigative reports show
– Virginian Pilot – A Navy hospital ship designed to perform humanitarian missions and build goodwill for the United States abroad was plagued by leadership problems in its medical facility for years before it set off to Latin America last spring with a new commanding officer who was put in place just days before leaving Norfolk.
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