– San Diego Union Tribune – When Gen. Robert Neller was promoted to commandant about 10 days ago, he inherited one of the most contentious issues in Marine Corps history – whether women should serve as infantry. During a talk Monday at Camp Pendleton, the new leader of Marines made it clear they would salute and carry on whether or not restrictions barring women from ground combat jobs are lifted by year’s end, ensuring that combat effectiveness does not suffer.
China’s Main Mission: South China Sea, Not Syria
– National Interest – Don’t assume that an increasingly capable China is poised to conduct American-style naval air operations over Syria just yet…
Kearsarge ARG Deploys for Europe, Middle East Operations
– USNI News – The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed Oct. 6 from the East Coast for a deployment to the Middle East.
Kurdish Video Lends Credibility to Russian Navy Caspian Sea Strike Mission Claims
– USNI News – Russia officials claim that a flotilla of four ships in the Caspian Sea sent a barrage of 26 guided cruise missiles across Iran, Iraq and ultimately to strike targets Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to strike in Syria more than 900 miles away.
Migrant crisis: EU to begin seizing smugglers’ boats
– BBC – The EU is beginning a new operation in the southern Mediterranean to intercept boats smuggling migrants.
Russian Warships in Eastern Mediterranean to Protect Russian Strike Fighters in Syria
– USNI News – A Black Sea-based Russian surface action group scrambled to the Eastern Mediterranean —under the guise of drilling in the region — are likely there to provide an air defense bubble to protect Russian fighters striking targets in Syria.
Fighting ‘Terrorism’ Suits Putin’s Worldwide Naval Ambitions
– Newsweek – Considering that he earned his spurs in the culture of the KGB, Russian President Vladimir Putin has demonstrated surprisingly strong navalist tendencies over the past 18 months.
Watchdog Says ‘I Told You So’ About Expensive New Carrier
– War is Boring – The Government Accountability Office has slammed the U.S. Navy for badly managing its plans to buy new Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. Too late to do anything about delays and soaring costs, the top government watchdog hopes the boondoggle will at least be a teachable moment.
The Thucydides Trap: Are the U.S. and China Headed for War?
– The Atlantic – In 12 of 16 past cases in which a rising power has confronted a ruling power, the result has been bloodshed.
Destroyer USS Carney Arrives in Rota Completing European Ballistic Missile Defense Quartet
– USNI News – Guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG-64) arrived at Naval Station Rota, Spain on Friday completing the forward deployment of four ballistic missile defense (BMD) destroyers as part of the U.S. European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) to BMD.
Chinese Complete Runway on Reclaimed South China Sea Island
– USNI News – China has completed a 10,000 foot runway on a reclaimed island in the South China Sea, according to a new round of satellite photos. The completed runway on Fiery Cross Reef could soon be operational and accelerate additional construction on the reclaimed island.
China’s First Domestic Aircraft Carrier Almost Certainly Under Construction
– USNI News – China has quietly begun construction on its first domestic aircraft carrier in the same northern Chinese shipyard that refurbished the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s current Soviet-era carrier
China may be building first indigenous carrier
– Jane’s – Satellite imagery suggests that China may be building its first aircraft carrier at Dalian shipyard in northern China.
Chinese Threats to U.S. Surface Ships: An Assessment of Relative Capabilities, 1996–2017
– RAND – Over the past two decades, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has transformed itself from a large but antiquated force into a capable, modern military. A RAND Project AIR FORCE report assesses trends in the relative capabilities of U.S. and Chinese forces in diverse operational areas, and at varying distances from the Chinese mainland, between 1996 and 2017. The overall conclusion is that although China continues to lag behind the United States in terms of aggregate military hardware and operational skills, it has improved its capabilities relative to those of the United States in many critical areas. Moreover, the report finds that China does not need to catch up fully to the United States to challenge the U.S. ability to conduct effective military operations near the Chinese mainland. To be clear, the goal is to avoid war, which the authors do not anticipate and which would be disastrous for both countries. Rather, this research provides an open-source assessment of trends that could affect U.S. defense and deterrence efforts and establishes a baseline for future analysis.
Aboard a U.S. nuclear sub, a cat-and-mouse game with phantom foes
– Los Angeles Times – America’s most advanced nuclear submarine was slicing through the water off Hawaii last month, 400 feet under the surface, when a sonar operator suddenly detected an ominous noise on his headphones. It was a faint thump … thump … thump — the distinctive sound of a spinning, seven-bladed propeller on a Chinese attack submarine called a Shang by the Pentagon and its allies.
What it’s like onboard a US aircraft carrier in the coalition against the Islamic State
– Washington Post – The USS Theodore Roosevelt, whose homeport is San Diego, is a key element of the U.S.-led coalition known as Operation Inherent Resolve that is targeting the militants in Syria and Iraq. This island of steel in the Persian Gulf, some 1,090 feet (330 meters) long, is home to some 5,000 U.S. Navy aviators, sailors and Marine pilots, carrying about 70 aircraft involved in the fight.
Marines Challenged on How to Fit New Vehicles, Aircraft on Legacy Amphibs
– USNI News – The U.S. Marine Corps is in the midst of several acquisition programs that will extend the reach of the force and keep Marines safer while on the ground however the Corps is struggling how to fit the new kit on the Navy’s existing amphibious ships.
Navy demos submarine mine-deployment capability
– UPI – The U.S. Navy reports that its Pacific Submarine Force has successfully demonstrated its capability at clandestinely deploying mines.
Egypt agrees to buy warships built for Russia from France
– BBC – Egypt has agreed to buy two Mistral warships originally built for Russia, the French presidency has announced.
Russian Black Sea Cruiser Moscow, Amphibs Heading to Drill in Eastern Mediterranean
– USNI News – Several Russian warships are bound for the Eastern Mediterranean for high-end exercises.
The Philippines Military Modernization Severely Snagged
– USNI News – The Philippines’ armed services modernization program took a strange and alarming turn recently as President Benigno Aquino III’s final term comes to a close.
China’s Island Building Campaign Could Hint Toward Further Expansions in Indian Ocean
– USNI News – China’s creation of military-relevant facilities on its newly-created islands in the South China Sea is a cause for concern for countries in Southeast Asia, and several of its investments in the Indian Ocean are raising more questions over the possibility of China’s first dedicated naval support facility overseas.
Europe’s new geography
– Japan Times – Robert D. Kaplan on Europe’s new strategic geography.
Royal Navy aims to put laser ‘death ray’ on ships by 2020
– The Guardian – At arms fair in London, Admiral Sir George Zambellas says navy plans to demonstrate a directed energy weapon at sea by end of decade.
Navy Integrating SeaRAM on Rota-Based DDGs; First Installation Complete In November
– USNI – The four ballistic missile defense destroyers patrolling 6th Fleet will get a self-protection upgrade beginning this year, as the Navy integrates Raytheon’s Sea Rolling Airframe Missile (SeaRAM) onto its Aegis-equipped Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (DDG-51) for the first time.
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