– Defense News – Congress again is hung up on a budget, but lawmakers have left town to fight the midterm elections, leaving the Pentagon to wait and see what happens in one budget year before it can nail down the next. Meanwhile, there’s work to do, and the US Navy has several major decision points coming up — questions that need to be decided regardless what Congress ultimately comes up with.
Royal Navy – First in New Class of British Attack Boat Completes Maiden Deployment
USNI News – HMS Astute (S-94) — the first in class of the U.K. Royal Navy’s nuclear attack boats (SSNs) — has returned to Scotland after its first operational deployment.
Royal Navy – Royal Navy Sends Its Weirdest Ship to Fight Ebola
– War is Boring – The British Royal Navy is deploying the auxiliary ship RFA Argus to Sierra Leone in West Africa in order to help health officials contain the deadly Ebola virus.
US Navy – USS Cole to Enter Black Sea On Friday
– USNI News – The U.S. is sending the guided missile destroyer USS Cole into the Black Sea on Friday as part of an ongoing presence mission in the region since Russia seized the Crimea region of Ukraine in March.
Chinese Navy – Here’s a Peek Inside a Chinese Submarine
– War is Boring – ‘Song’-class sub causes a stir in the Indian Ocean
US Marines – 100 Marines to Liberia by Thursday as Part of U.S. Ebola Response
– USNI News – U.S. Africa Command is deploying 100 U.S. Marines to Liberia to establish an interim air support for Ebola relief operations ahead of additional Army troops from the 101st Airborne Division due by the end of the month.
US Marines – Back to the Beach: US Marines Upgrading, Replacing Amphibs Under New Strategy
– Defense News – In line with the US Marine Corps’ new strategy document, “Expeditionary Force 21,” future amphibious assaults could be launched 65 to 100 miles from shore, with small landing teams exploiting gaps in enemy defenses. Gone are the days of deploying a large contingent across a beach, moving them from ship to shore in a major assault.
US Marines – Marine general: Two key ships may keep Marines’ amphibious hopes above water
– Marine Corps Times – The top general in charge of Marine Corps Combat Development Command sees uncertainty in the road ahead. One thing remains perfectly clear though: The force is heading back to its traditional role as the nation’s amphibious shock troops, which requires new vehicles, new gear and new ways of operating.
Russian Navy – New Frigate and Two Kilo Attack Subs to Black Sea by End of Year
– USNI News – Russia plans to add a new frigate and two new diesel electric submarines (SSKs) to its Black Sea Fleet by years end.
South Korean Navy – Warships of rival Koreas exchange warning shots
– AP – Warships from the rival Koreas exchanged warning shots Tuesday after a North Korean ship briefly violated the disputed western sea boundary, a South Korean defense official said.
US Marines – New crisis response unit to be based in Kuwait
– Marine Corps Times – The Marine Corps is preparing to deploy about 2,100 grunts to be based out of Kuwait in a new unit configuration designed to respond to crises in the region, according to Corps officials. Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) Central Command will be equipped to perform noncombat evacuation, humanitarian assistance, infrastructure support, tactical aircraft recovery, fixed-site security and theater sustainment missions
Chinese Navy – A Potent Vector: Assessing Chinese Cruise Missile Developments
– Chinese Navy – A Potent Vector: Assessing Chinese Cruise Missile Developments – The numerous, increasingly advanced cruise missiles being developed and deployed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have largely flown under the public’s radar. This article surveys PRC cruise missile programs and assesses their implications for broader People’s Liberation Army (PLA) capabilities, especially in a Taiwan scenario.
US Navy – Makin Island amphibious ready group arrives in Mideast
– Stars and Stripes – The Makin Island amphibious ready group with more than 4,000 Marines and sailors has arrived in the Middle East.
US Navy – Bataan ARG Leaves U.S. 5th Fleet , Returns to Norfolk by End of Month
– USNI News – The three ship Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) has left U.S. Central Command and transited into the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations ahead of an expected October return to Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
Chinese Navy – Chinese Subs Lurk Under the Indian Ocean: Cause for Concern?
– National Interest – The visit of the Chinese Type 039 Song class submarine to Colombo, Sri Lanka, earlier this month passed with little notice, but it’s the first time one of the People’s Liberation Army-Navy’s (PLA-N) diesel-powered submarines has emerged in the Indian Ocean, and its a rare PLAN submarine visit to a foreign port. Naturally, this visit, and an Indian Ocean patrol by a Chinese nuclear submarine at the start of this year, is prompting discussion about the expanding reach and capability of China’s navy.
Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – Japan’s Largest Warship Since World War II Takes To Sea
– USNI News – Japan’s largest warship since World War II has left for its first set of sea trials last week ahead of entering the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)fleet next year.
Chinese Navy – Looks Like China’s Sending a Stealth Fighter to Sea
– War is Boring – A full-scale model of China’s J-31 stealth fighter prototype has appeared on the flight deck of the Chinese navy’s aircraft carrier mock-up, fueling speculation that the radar-evading jet could become part of China’s carrier air wing.
Philippine Navy – Philippines, U.S. begin military exercises near disputed seas
– Reuters – Thousands of Philippine and American soldiers began annual war games on Monday near disputed waters in the South China Sea, testing the readiness of the two oldest security allies in the southeast Asian region to respond to any emergency.
Indian Navy – India Weighing Nuclear Powered Carrier
– USNI News – India is considering powering its second domestically built aircraft carrier with a nuclear propulsion plant.
Geopolitics / Eastern Europe – The Long Game in Eastern Europe
– StratFor – Robert D. Kaplan looks at Eastern Europe.
Iraq – The Fight of Their Lives
– New Yorker – Dexter Filkins writes that the White House wants the Kurds to help save Iraq from ISIS. The Kurds may be more interested in breaking away.
Chinese Navy – Should America Fear China’s “Carrier-Killer” Missile?
– National Interest – How worried should the U.S. Navy be when it comes to the much-discussed DF-21D?
Chinese Navy – Chinese Ships in Iran for Joint Exercises
– USNI News – A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) guided missile destroyer and frigate have docked in Iran ahead of a series of bilateral exercises, a first for Chinese warships.
US Navy – U.S. Submarines: Run Silent, Run Deep…On Diesel Engines?
– National Interest – Now may be the time to break up the nuclear monopoly. To wit, imagine permanently forward-deploying a squadron of diesel attack boats, or SSKs, to likely hotspots. Such a force would expand America’s silent service, reversing the ongoing slide in numbers of hulls. It would do so at reasonable cost in this age of budgetary stress. A standing East Asia squadron would be close to the action. Likely based in Japan and Guam, it would amplify the U.S.-Japanese fleet’s prowess vis-á-vis China’s navy and merchant marine. It would empower Washington and Tokyo to deny China access to offshore waters without committing the whole fleet of U.S. nuclear-powered boats to the endeavor. And in the process it would open up new vistas for building and reinforcing alliances.
Pakistani Navy – Al Qaeda’s Worrying Ability to Infiltrate the Pakistani Military
– The Diplomat – Al Qaeda’s recent attempt to steal a Pakistani frigate is a reminder of the Pakistani military’s infiltration.
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