– Washington Free Beacon – A Chinese attack submarine stalked the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan near Japan last month in the closest encounter between a carrier and a People’s Liberation Army Navy submarine since 2006
China’s ‘Little Blue Men’ Take Navy’s Place in Disputes
– Defense News – China using maritime militia to carry out its dirty work in seagoing confrontations.
Hot water
– Economist – As America challenges China, the temperature rises in the South China Sea
US to return to South China Sea after warship visit
– BBC – The US has said it plans to return to contested areas of the South China Sea, with a top military commander saying it has conducted similar operations worldwide “for decades”.
U.S. Destroyer Made an ‘Innocent Passage’ Near Chinese South China Sea Artificial Island in Recent Mission
– USNI News – Last week’s South China Sea freedom of navigation mission — in which a U.S. guided missile destroyer came within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese facility on an artificial island on Subi Reef — was conducted as an “innocent passage.” While the mission of USS Lassen (DDG-82) was deemed successful by Washington, focusing world attention on the myriad of overlapping and disputed claims in the South China Sea, the use of the innocent passage stipulation could result in a perception that the U.S. implicitly acknowledges Chinese claims to its recently constructed artificial islands.
Navy Planning Torpedo Restart, Would Be Modular Design With Multiple Payloads
– USNI News – The Navy hopes to restart its heavyweight torpedo program after a more than 15-year hiatus in production, but those plans could be hampered by a long-term continuing resolution.
PEO Subs Would Like Virginia Payload Modules on All Block V Subs; Decision Set For December
– USNI News – The Program Executive Office for Submarines would like to see the Virginia Payload Module built into all its Block V subs from a warfighting perspective but will have to verify that doing so will not hurt ongoing Virginia sub construction or upcoming Ohio Replacement Program construction.
U.S. sensors detect Russian submarines near underwater cables
– CNN – When a Russian military ship called the Yantar suddenly crossed the Atlantic and started moving down the East Coast of the United States last month, it set off alarm bells inside the world of U.S. naval intelligence.
How ISIS Spread in the Middle East. And how to stop it
– The Atlantic – David Ignatius’ excellent analysis on ISIS.
Lassen Faire in the South China Sea: Takeaways From the First US FONOP
– The Diplomat – What does the U.S. Navy’s first freedom of navigation operation near a Chinese man-made island really mean?
U.S. Navy’s challenge in South China Sea? Sheer number of Chinese ships
– Reuters – While the U.S. Navy is expected to keep its technological edge in Asia for decades, China’s potential trump card is sheer weight of numbers, with dozens of naval and coastguard vessels routinely deployed in the South China Sea.
In defeat for Beijing, Hague court to hear South China Sea dispute
– Reuters – In a legal setback for Beijing, an arbitration court in the Netherlands ruled on Thursday that it has jurisdiction to hear some territorial claims the Philippines has filed against China over disputed areas in the South China Sea.
China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress
– Congressional Research Service – The latest analysis from Ronald O’Rourke.
Japan Shows Off Naval Power
– Maritime Executive – An armada of carriers, cruiser, destroyers and submarines gathered off Japan’s coast on Sunday in a display of naval power that showcased Tokyo’s latest warships and signalled wider engagement by the U.S. Navy in the western Pacific.
Russian Ships Near Data Cables Are Too Close for U.S. Comfort
– New York Times – Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict.
Could Russian submarines cut off the internet?
– BBC – Russia could be developing plans to sever key internet communications during future wars.
US Navy destroyer passes disputed China islands
– BBC – A US Navy ship has sailed close to artificial islands built by China in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, US defence officials have said. Guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen breached the 12-nautical mile zone China claims around Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago.
Chinese Warships to Make Naval Station Mayport Port Visit Amidst South China Sea Tension
– USNI News – A trio of Chinese warships in the middle of a world tour are in route to Naval Station Mayport, Fla. for a scheduled goodwill port visit next month.
Undersea Warfare Directorate Looking To Increase Dominance Through Key Investments
– USNI News – The new director of undersea warfare (OPNAV N97) is looking to extend the Navy’s asymmetrical advantage by investing in longer-range targeting, electromagnetic warfare tools and other capabilities to help submarine forces operate effectively into the future.
U.S. Navy Considering Adding Anti-Ship Missiles Back to Submarine Force
– USNI News – The Navy is investigating adding an anti-ship missile to its submarine force — bringing it inline with the majority of the world naval submarines.
Saudi Arabia Set to Buy Four Lockheed Martin Freedom-Class Variants in $11.25B Deal
– USNI News – Four Lockheed Martin Freedom-class ship variants are set to form the backbone of the Royal Saudi Navy’s Eastern Fleet.
U.S. navy delegation visits Chinese carrier amid maritime tensions
– Reuters – Senior U.S. naval officers visited China’s lone aircraft carrier this week, China’s military said, as the two powers try to maintain military ties despite mounting tensions over Beijing’s claims in disputed waters in the South China Sea.
U.S. Navy, allies intercept targets in European missile test
– Reuters – The U.S. military and eight allied countries on Tuesday worked together to simultaneously intercept dummy ballistic and cruise missiles off the coast of Scotland, the U.S. Navy said, calling the test an important first demonstration of that capability in Europe.
Who rules the waves?
– The Economist – China no longer accepts that America should be Asia-Pacific’s dominant naval power
Navy’s Future Frigate Will Be Optimized For Lethality, Survivability; Will Not Retain LCS’s Speed
– USNI News – Whereas a high sprint speed was a driving factor in designing the Littoral Combat Ship, the follow-on frigate will instead be optimized for lethality and survivability.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
You must be logged in to post a comment.