New York Times – A Fearless Activist in a Land of Thugs
C.J Chivers remembers a fearless human rights investigator in Chechnya, Natalie Estemirova.
Russian Navy – The Fleet That Has To Die: The Russian Navy's "Irreversible Collapse"
Weekly Standard – The Fleet That Has To Die: The Russian Navy’s “Irreversible Collapse”
The reality now is that not only is the idea of Russia building and operating aircraft carrier battle groups an impossible dream, but just building enough new ships to replace those that are worn-out after decades of use is also not feasible. A recent analysis by the authoritative Moscow-based weekly, the Independent Military Review (NVO), entitled “BMF RF (Naval Military Fleet of the Russian Federation) on Foreign Warships” states that the Russian Navy is currently in a situation of irreversible collapse.
Russian Navy – New Bulava missile test results in failure – Russian military
RIA Novosti – New Bulava missile test results in failure – Russian military
A scheduled test of Russia’s new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on July 15 was a failure.
Russian Navy – Russia's new nuclear sub completes first round of sea trials
RIA Novosti – Russia’s new nuclear sub completes first round of sea trials
Russia’s newest Borey class strategic nuclear submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, has completed the first round of sea trials and is returning to a shipyard in northern Russia.
US Navy – Carrier culture shock
Armed Forces Journal – Carrier culture shock
As the Obama administration formulates its approach to national security policy, it would do well to start with reading “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower,” the Navy’s new maritime strategy. The document is at once a bold argument for a new direction in foreign and national security policy, an inadequate plan for a U.S. maritime grand strategy, and a symptom (and perhaps call for help) of the Navy’s current operational crisis.
Israeli Navy – IDF warships cross Suez Canal from Mediterranean to Red Sea
Jerusalem Post – IDF warships cross Suez Canal from Mediterranean to Red Sea
Two Sa’ar-5 class Navy ships crossed through the Suez Canal Tuesday, to beef up Israel’s naval presence in the Red Sea. The passage of the ships comes several weeks after a Dolphin-class Navy submarine passed through the waterway for the first time.
US Coast Guard – Coast Guard National Security Cutter
Defense Technology International – Coast Guard National Security Cutter
The U.S. Coast Guard’s newest vessel, the National Security Cutter Bertholf, was in the news a lot last week.
Geopolitics – Obama's New Map of the World
Esquire – Obama’s New Map of the World
Thomas P.M. Barnett writes that as he assumes leadership of this freaked-out world, the success of our new president’s foreign policy — and presidency — will depend on the thinking he does inside the box.
Afghanistan – U.S. General Sees Afghan Army, Police Insufficient
Washington Post – U.S. General Sees Afghan Army, Police Insufficient
Greg Jaffe writes that Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the newly arrived top commander in Afghanistan, has concluded that the Afghan security forces will have to be far larger than currently planned if President Obama’s strategy for winning the war is to succeed.
French Navy – Ships ending search for Air France black boxes
Associated Press – Ships ending search for Air France black boxes
Two ships using U.S. listening devices to search for the black boxes of Air France Flight 447 were ending their hunt Friday, an American commander said. A French nuclear submarine, however, will continue to look.
Transformation – The rise of the tactical general
Armed Forces Journal – The rise of the tactical general
P.W. Singer writes that we should beware the temptation to micromanage through unmanned systems.
US Navy – John Lehman's Solution
DefenseTech – John Lehman’s Solution
John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy from 1981 to 1987, has addressed “What the Navy Should Look Like” in response to the service’s current array of problems.
Information Warfare – The Navy Can Handle the Truth: Creative Friction without Conflict
US Naval Institute Proceedings – The Navy Can Handle the Truth: Creative Friction without Conflict
The hit PBS documentary Carrier gave Americans an up-close look at today’s Sailors. Navy-centric blogs offer another way to reach the public.
Israeli Navy – Israeli sub sails Suez, signaling reach to Iran
Reuters – Israeli sub sails Suez, signaling reach to Iran
An Israeli submarine sailed the Suez Canal to the Red Sea as part of a naval drill last month, defense sources said on Friday, describing the unusual maneuver as a show of strategic reach in the face of Iran.
Royal Navy – Dauntless task for Scottish shipbuilders on the Clyde
Daily Telegraph – Dauntless task for Scottish shipbuilders on the Clyde
Standing in the shadow of the enormous steel bulk of Defender, the latest Type 45 destroyer to be built on the Clyde and looking across the river, the windows of blocks and blocks of newly-finished luxury flats wink back from the opposite bank. The river is narrow here but the two sides demonstrate the gulf between what Glasgow – and Britain’s – economy was and what it has become.
US Navy – Sub damaged in fatal crash rejoins fleet in S.D.
San Diego Union Tribune – Sub damaged in fatal crash rejoins fleet in S.D.
Four and a half years after its collision with an undersea mountain, the submarine USS San Francisco has rejoined the fleet in its new home port of San Diego. It took an unprecedented repair that involved cutting off the submarine’s front end and transplanting about 50 feet – more than 1 million pounds of metal – from the bow of a retired sister sub, the Honolulu.
Afghanistan – Afghan-Pakistani Hostility Impedes U.S. Troops
Washington Post – Afghan-Pakistani Hostility Impedes U.S. Troops
Greg Jaffe writes that while senior U.S. and Pakistani officials have stepped up efforts in recent months to tame the chaotic border area, used by the Taliban as a base from which to fire rockets at U.S. positions in Afghanistan and smuggle fighters and weapons. But high-level talks have not led to cooperation on the ground, where U.S. troops are struggling to overcome decades of enmity between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
US Navy – 'Victory' at Sea
Washington Post – ‘Victory’ at Sea
On the eve of President Obama’s trip to Moscow, the White House is touting what an official described as a “victory” in turning around a suspected North Korean arms shipment bound for Burma.
Israeli Navy – How Israel's naval blockade denies Gazans food, aid
Christian Science Monitor – How Israel’s naval blockade denies Gazans food, aid
A boat carrying foreign activists and three tons of medical supplies was rerouted Tuesday. Meanwhile, the fishing industry – a key source of jobs and protein – has been crippled.
US Marines – Marines Launch New Afghan Mission
Washington Post – Marines Launch New Afghan Mission
U.S. Marines began fanning out across the southern Helmand River valley Thursday, traveling by foot and armored convoys under the scorching summer sun in an effort to wrest control of the area from Taliban insurgents.
US Navy – North Korean 'weapons to Burma' ship tracked by US
Daily Telegraph – North Korean ‘weapons to Burma’ ship tracked by US
A North Korean ship suspected of carrying weapons to Burma has reversed direction after being tracked by the United States Navy.
New York Times – Second Thoughts on North Korea’s Inscrutable Ship
Royal Navy – Navy carriers '£1bn over budget'
BBC – Navy carriers ‘£1bn over budget’
A £1bn cost over-run is threatening the future of the publicly-funded project to build Britain’s biggest aircraft carriers.
Miscellaneous – Commanders Respond
US Naval Institute Proceedings – Commanders Respond
Piracy. The international monetary crisis. Terrorism. Global Warming. These and more affect us all, so our question to naval commanders-in-chief around the world is: What is the most significant maritime security threat facing your nation and how do your sea services address this challenge?
Afghanistan – A Personal Touch in Taliban Fight
Washington Post – A Personal Touch in Taliban Fight
Greg Jaffe writes that in the Afghan mountains, a company commander strives to gain the trust of frustrated villagers
Royal Navy – Royal Navy destroyer goes into service without missile system
Daily Telegraph – Royal Navy destroyer goes into service without missile system
A state of the art Royal Navy destroyer is to enter service without its vital missile system working in a move branded as “disgraceful” by a committee of MPs.
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