US Naval Institute Proceedings – Follow the Bear
A joint team of active-duty U.S. military officers takes a second look at what worked in Afghanistan for the Soviet Union in the late 20th century and suggests that the United States could learn a thing or two from what transpired.
BBC – Argentina toughens shipping rules in Falklands oil row
Argentina has announced new controls on shipping through its waters to the Falkland Islands in a growing dispute over British oil drilling plans.
BBC – Nimitz docks in Hong Kong despite China tensions
The American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz, has arrived in Hong Kong at a time of strained relations between the US and China.
New York Times – Soldiers Keep Up Push in Taliban Stronghold
CJ Chivers in Afghanistan.
Virginian Pilot – Congress is battleground over carrier move
Now that the Department of Defense has made clear its intent to move a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Fla., the battle between Florida and Virginia shifts to Congress.
The Diplomat – Why China’s Naval Rise Could Help the World
The upside of the rise of the People’s Liberation Army Navy…
New York Times – Afghan Attack Gives Marines a Taste of War
CJ Chivers reports that Company K, part of a surge battalion, received a crash course in the Afghan war as it began an assault into the last large Taliban stronghold in Helmand Province.
US Naval War College Review – China’s Aircraft Carrier Ambitions An Update
This article will address two major analytical questions. First, what are the necessary and suffi cient conditions for China to acquire aircraft carriers? Second, what are the major implications if China does acquire aircraft carriers?
Virginian Pilot – Hampton Roads could host futuristic speed boats
A Hampton Roads Army or Navy base could be a homeport for the next generation of rapid transport ship being developed jointly by the services.
Economist – The cruel sea
NATO allies worry about France’s decision to sell big warships to Russia.
The Atlantic – SimCity Baghdad
A new computer game lets army officers practice counterinsurgency off the battlefield.
IANS – Aircraft carrier can’t be sold to India
The aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk is not up for sale to the Indian Navy as it has already “outstretched” its life, a senior US Navy officer said Wednesday.
Washington Post – Marines plan joint mission to eject insurgents from last Helmand stronghold
In the late 1950s, scores of U.S. engineers transformed a swath of uninhabited desert in southern Afghanistan into verdant farmland by constructing a network of irrigation canals fed by the Helmand River. The Afghan government filled the area, which it called Marja, with Pashtun nomads and told them to grow wheat. The wheat fields have since been replaced by tracts of opium-producing poppies. The mud-walled compounds that once housed families now conceal drug-processing labs and roadside-bomb factories. And the canals serve as moats to protect hundreds of Taliban fighters, who use Marja as a staging area for attacks across Helmand province. In the coming days, thousands of U.S. Marines will seek to transform Marja once again. Working in partnership with Afghan soldiers, the Marines are planning a major operation to flush out insurgents and allow the Afghan government to reassert control.
Los Angeles Times – Marines focus on civilian safety in Afghanistan
Preparing for battle in a Taliban stronghold, the Marines are warning civilians to flee the area, and they plan restraint in their use of artillery and air power.
US Naval Institute Proceedings – Mahan’s Lingering Ghost
Alfred Thayer Mahan remains as relevant today in his logic and operational grammar as he was in the 19th century with his doctrines of capital ship and major fleet action.
Associated Press – France agrees to sell Russia advanced warship
France has agreed to sell Russia the Mistral amphibious warship and is considering a Russian request for three more, French defense officials said Monday. It would be the first major arms deal between Russia and a NATO member.
Esquire – The Awakening of Robert Gates
Thomas P.M. Barnett writes that after a career built on avoiding risk, the defense secretary is (finally) ready to get back in the game and gamble, all-in.
Bangkok Post – Japan refuelling ships end Afghan mission
Japanese naval ships returned home on Saturday ending a refuelling mission for US-led military efforts in Afghanistan, while its peacekeeping troops are now set to depart for quake-hit Haiti.
New York Times – As Marines Move In, Taliban Fight a Shadowy War
The Marine infantry company, accompanied by a squad of Afghan soldiers, set out long before dawn. It walked silently through the dark fields with plans of arriving at a group of mud-walled compounds in Helmand Province at sunrise.
Virginian Pilot – Quadrennial review says Navy ‘will’ base carrier in Florida
Defense officials made clear Monday they’re backing the Navy’s desire to relocate a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Fla. Whether the Navy is successful may come down to a nasty fight in Congress, say some Virginia legislators, who argue the military hasn’t provided any solid research to justify the relocation.
New York Times – Counterinsurgency, One Stuck Truck at a Time
CJ Chivers in Afghanistan with the Marines.
Washington Post – Critics say proposed sale of French Mistral ship to Russia will harm region
When the French navy’s 23,700-ton Mistral-class amphibious assault ship dropped anchor in St. Petersburg’s frigid harbor Nov. 23, it was doing more than paying a friendly visit to the Russians. The boxy 600-foot vessel — an advanced helicopter carrier, command center and hospital built for power projection and landing operations — was also advertising its many high-tech virtues with an eye on selling a copy to the Russian navy for about $750 million.
The Times – Carriers versus tanks: Royal Navy joins battle for resources
The commitment to spend £20 billion on a replacement for Britain’s Trident nuclear submarines risks damaging the Royal Navy as it faces possible cutbacks in its manpower and fleet.
New York Times – As Marines Move In, Taliban Fight a Shadowy War
The Marine infantry company, accompanied by a squad of Afghan soldiers, set out long before dawn. It walked silently through the dark fields with plans of arriving at a group of mud-walled compounds in Helmand Province at sunrise.
Defense Technology International – Another Collins-class Submarine in Dry Dock
And the troubles in Australia’s submarine fleet continue: there is apparently now just one operational submarine after Navy chief Vice-Admiral Russ Crane confirmed in late January that a generator failure on board HMAS Farncomb meant the submarine had to be put into dry dock for urgent repairs.
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