– USNI News – Less than a month after U.S. Navy leaders announced modified versions of both variants of the Littoral Combat Ship would be the Navy’s pick for its for a more lethal and survivable small surface combatant, one of the chief LCS critics said the upgrades would do little to improve the survivability of the class.
Two U.S. Amphibs and Marines Standing By Near Yemen
– USNI News – The U.S. has moved two amphibious warships close to Yemen as a precaution against an ongoing militia uprising in the region. Amphibious warships USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) and USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) with embarked elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24 MEU) are on station in the southern part of the Red Sea near the tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
U.S. Navy: Enlisted Females to Serve on Subs Starting in 2016
– USNI News – The Navy has released the outline for its plan to have enlisted women serve onboard submarines starting in 2016.
Vietnam receives 3 new subs as S China Sea race heats up
– Want China Times – Vietnam’s recent acquisition of three new 636MV attack submarines has cast the spotlight on the burgeoning regional submarine race in the South China Sea.
Run Silent, Run Australian? Why Australia Should Build Its Own Subs
– National Interest – The case for building the next generation of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) submarines in Australia begins with the stand-out attributes that make submarines so important for Australia as a whole: they must be able to operate in areas a long way from home, without air or sea control, to watch, listen, evaluate and act when necessary. Australia’s future submarine will be a unique platform, giving early warning of an adversary’s intentions and providing an excellent antisubmarine and anti-surface ship capability.
The Russian Navy Is on the Verge of Collapse
– War is Boring – The Kremlin has announced that Russia will hugely boost its naval operations in 2015. But that’s an empty promise—or threat, if you will. In fact, the Russian fleet is on the edge of a precipitous decline in ship numbers and combat power, owing to huge industrial shortfalls that have been decades in the making.
Stupid Move: Navy Will Buy V-22 Ospreys To Replace Its C-2 Greyhounds
– Foxtrot Alpha – In what is a highly controversial move, the US Navy has announced that it will procure tilt-rotor V-22 Ospreys to replace its venerable C-2A Greyhound Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) aircraft. Here’s why it’s such a terribly bad idea.
Navy Surface Leaders Pitch More Lethal Ships, Surface Action Groups
– USNI News – The leaders of the U.S. Navy’s surface force are pitching a new philosophy to squeeze the offensive power out of its existing surface ships in a tactical shift that calls for using small surface action groups and increasing the number of anti-ship weapons on more platforms in a plan branded, “distributed lethality.”
Announcing the War Studies Primer 2015 Edition
We invite you to try War Studies Primer – an introductory course on the study of war and military history. Its purpose is to provide an introduction, or primer, to the study of war. War Studies Primer is presented as a lecture curriculum at the university level. It is a free, non-credit, self-study course that consists of 28 lectures and over 1,800 slides and is updated on a yearly basis.
On board with the US air crews fighting Islamic State
– BBC – How is progress measured on board the US aircraft carrier which is playing a key role in the fight against Islamic State?
Surface Leaders Make the Case for the Modified Littoral Combat Ship
– USNI News – The director of the Navy’s Surface Warfare Division said the Navy is making choices in three areas in planning: How to “hit the bad guys first,” how to “keep from getting hit,” and how to “make sure you can back-fit” as new technologies emerge or existing ones are modified to meet new threats.
Navy and Marines Sign MOU for Bell-Boeing Osprey to be Next Carrier Delivery Aircraft
– USNI News – The Navy will almost certainly select the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor to replace the Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound as its next carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft, according to a Jan. 5 memo signed by Department of the Navy leadership.
2014 World Naval Operational News Highlights
The ten most significant naval news stories / trends / themes this year included:
- The successful operations of the Russian Navy in neutralizing the Ukrainian Navy during the seizure of the Crimea by Russia, leading to a near permanent presence of NATO warships on patrol in the Black Sea. Can Russia financially afford to hold on to its new acquisition in the long term?
- The aggressive operations of the Russian Navy around the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Australia. How long will these countries allow their borders to be harassed in this manner?
- The successful humanitarian operation carried out in support of the Ebola crisis in West Africa by the Royal Navy, US Marine Corps and US Army. Where will the next humanitarian crisis be?
- The attempted hijacking of a Pakistan Navy frigate by Al Qaeda. What will Al Qaeda’s next naval adventure be?
- The first operational deployment of a laser weapon at sea on the USS Ponce in the Persian Gulf. How will this weapon work under combat conditions?
- The US Marine Corps new and innovative Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Forces for African Command based in Spain and for Central Command based in Kuwait. These company-sized units show the Marines at their expeditionary best. For what geographic region will the next one be created?
- The continued rise of the Chinese Navy and the growing threat it poses to the global commons in its “near seas” coupled with the growing belligerence of China toward Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam this year. How long will the rest of the world allow the “salami-slicing” in the South China Sea to continue?
- The deployment by China of a SOSUS-like underwater sonar network in the South China Sea. Will this begin to neutralize the US Navy’s most potent weapon against the Chinese Navy?
- The inability of the US Navy to design and construct well armed ships that work well (see LCS and San Antonio LPD) and to base new ship designs on problematic older ones (see LCS follow-on frigate and LX(R)). Why does the US Navy continually reward ship builders that produce substandard products with new contracts.
- The inability of the US Navy to agree on a specification for its new UCLASS unmanned aerial vehicle. If your Chief of Naval Operations forbids the public naming of the country you are most likely to fight, is it more difficult to design a weapon to fight against them?
Statistics
In 2014, NOSI linked to 599 news stories.
In 2014, 295 of these stories (49%) were related to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, or U.S. Military Sealift Command.
In 2014, 51 of these stories (9%) were background stories.
The remaining 253 news stories (42%) covered the operational activities of 29 nation’s navies, coast guards, and marine corps:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Phillipines, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vietnam
In 2014, 141,935 pages read (page hits) from 120,602 users (visitors). There were 84 email subscribers. There were 70,614 post views (impressions) and 39,264 unique users (reach) and 824 fans (members) on the NOSI Facebook page. There were 9,700 impressions and 118 followers on Twitter.
Led Zeppelin Comes to Washington
– Foreign Policy – Russian submarines bearing nuclear cruise missiles are lurking just off the eastern seaboard. But can a pair of unmanned blimps near Baltimore actually protect the U.S. capital from a sneak attack?
Modified Littoral Combat Ships to be Designated Frigates
– USNI News – The modified Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) class will be designated as frigates.
Why Iraqi army can’t fight, despite $25 billion in U.S. aid, training
– Los Angeles Times – David Zucchino on what is wrong with Iraq’s army.
DOD wants Marine force to stay at Spain base
– Stars and Stripes – The U.S. military wants to establish a permanent presence of up to 3,000 Marines at a Spanish air base that now serves as a temporary host for a task force of crisis-response troops supporting U.S. Africa Command.
5 Chinese Weapons of War Japan Should Fear
– National Interest – Why Tokyo should be concerned over Beijing’s rising military might.
The 5 Most Deadly Navies in Asia
– National Interest – Asia has some of the world’s best militaries—their navies are no exception. But how does one rank them?
Navy Wants Rail Guns to Fight Ballistic and Supersonic Missiles
– USNI News – Fighting ballistic missiles, stealthy targets, swarmed surface and supersonic threats are high on the Pentagon’s wish list for its future electromagnetic rail gun.
The Philippine Navy’s Submarine Quest
– The Diplomat – How realistic are plans for the Philippines to acquire submarines?
Amid Criticism, US Navy Confident in New Arresting Gear System for Next Carrier
– Defense News – host of new technologies and systems will begin to enter service when the new aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is delivered in the first half of 2016, and for over a decade it’s been a good question whether all the new whiz-bang technology will be ready in time.
V-22 to get a tanker option
– Marine Corps Times – The V-22 Osprey is getting topped-off with a new capability. An aerial refuelling system is being developed for the tilt-rotor aircraft, turning the cargo and personnel carrier into a tanker that can provide fuel to other aircraft, mid-flight.
US Marine Corps receives first carrier variant F-35C
– Janes’ – The US Marine Corps (USMC) has received its first carrier variant (CV) Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
French Carrier to Deploy to Indian Ocean, Could Join ISIS Fight
– USNI News – The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) will shortly leave for the Indian Ocean for exercises and to potentially join the air war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
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