US Navy – The U.S. Navy will drastically limit the use of a controversial low-frequency sonar system, which environmental groups say disorients and kills endangered whales and other species, under a court agreement disclosed yesterday.

• Washington Post:Navy Agrees to Injunction Limiting Sonar Use

US Navy – P-3 Orions are being used for ground surveillance in the Phillipines.

• Associated Press: Ahead of Bush visit, U.S. surveillance planes scour jungles to protect American counterterrorism trainers

US Marines – Leadership is more than taking charge. The author provides keen insights on the totality of effective leadership.

• Marine Corps Gazette: Getting the Job DoneóLook, Listen, and Lead

US Navy – The US will make its first port call in Vietnam in 30 years.

• Washington Times: U.S. Navy will make port call in Vietnam

US Navy – Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vernon Clark’s call in June 2002 for creating a “culture of innovation,” to help transform the U.S. Navy’s ability to project and sustain persistent combat power, has resulted in the development of a Navy “roadmap” for experimentation that will shape the sea services’ more than $10 billion annual investment in technology.

• Sea Power: Experimentation Plan to Shape Naval Tech Investment

Israeli Navy – The U.S. confirms that Israel’s Dolphin-class submarines are armed with nuclear-tipped Harpoon cruise missiles that serve as a submarine-based strategic deterrent force for Israel.

• The Guardian: Israel deploys nuclear arms in submarine

Royal Navy – The U.K. trims back on its design for its new aircraft carriers.

• The Scotsman: ëCost Cutting has Hit Navyís New Shipsí

Background – Diplomacy – Niall Ferguson asks did the United Kingdom’s influence in its heyday match the United States’ today? Two Hegemonies provides an answer; but “empire” might be the better word.

• Foreign Affairs: Hegemony or Empire?

Background – Secretary of Defense – The political evolution and influences of Donald Rumsfeld.

• The Atlantic: Rumsfeld’s Roots

Russian Navy – Germany will help Russia disassemble its decommissioned nuclear submarines.

• Daily Telegraph: Scrapyard of Russian subs to be cleaned up

US Navy – More from the Chief of Naval Operations on why routine 6 month deployments are a thing of the past.

• Virginian Pilot: Missions may determine length of deployments

US Navy – Navy investments for the future emphasize connectivity, modularity, and unmanned systems. Taking these concepts to sea will be a trio of surface sea framesóbeginning with the Littoral Combat Ship in 2007.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: The Next Revolution at Sea

Merchant Marine – As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) takes steps to better protect U.S. ports and harbors, questions linger about the potential effectiveness of the Container Security Initiative (CSI) in helping to ensure that terrorists do no harm by taking advantage of security gaps in international shipping.

• Sea Power: Shipping Container Security and the Weakest-Link Scenario

Apologies for the late update today???

Background – Bases – A great redeployment of forces is reshaping the US network of overseas military facilities.

• Air Force: Lighter Footprint, Longer Reach

US Marines – The Iwo Jima amphibious ready group prepares to return home.

• Virginian Pilot: Three-ship Iwo Jima group ready to return home

US Marines – How the Marine Corps will organize to fight can be found within a hierarchy of concepts.

• Marine Corps Gazette: The Family of Concepts

US Coast Guard – Secretary Rumsfeld questions continued reliance on the Coast Guard in military deployments.

• Sea Power: Adm. Keating Says Coast Guard Was “Pivotal” Force

US Navy – The US fleet has shrunk to its smallest size since WWI.

• San Diego Union Tribune: Navy has fewest ships since before World War I

Background – History – The distinguished public servant and scholar James Schlesinger recently gave marching orders to those assembled for the annual Midway Night, this year commemorating the 61st anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Here is an edited version of his remarks.

• Naval History: Underappreciated Victory

Background – Information Warfare – Network-centric operations have already made U.S. forces capable of moving faster and lighter, as shown in Iraq, but they are just as useful in low-intensity conflict or in rebuilding a nation.

• Aviation Week: Net-Centric Operations in War and Peace

Royal Australian Navy – A look at how oil smuggling is still being carried out in the Gulf.

• Associated Press: Coalition forces clamp down on smugglers of Iraqi oil with trials at sea

US Navy – A look at how carrier battlegroup workups have changed since the closure of Vieques.

• Virginian Pilot: Enterprise group drills in virtual war before deploying

Background – History – A look at a day of naval combat against Iran – April 18, 1988.

• SeaPower: Operation Praying Mantis Blows a Hole in Iranian Navy

US Navy – The US is considering basing an aircraft carrier in Hawaii.

• Honolulu Star Bulletin: Carrier could have permanent base here

US Marines – A veteran of two tours in Vietnam offers his views on preparing to fight in military operations on urbanized terrain (MOUT).

• Marine Corps Gazette: Combined Arms Training for MOUT Operations

US Navy – The latest naval news from the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

• SeaPower: Netherlands Weighs Downsizing Navy

Background – Iraq – The full text of General Zinni’s recent speech to the US Naval Institute.

• Naval Institute Forum 2003: 4GW & Zinni’s Question: What is Nature of Victory?
  

US Navy – The Iwo Jima amphibious ready group pulls out of Liberia.

• BBC: US pulling out of Liberia

US Marines – Sometimes the best way to learn to lead is to watch our superiors in action.

• Marine Corps Gazette: An Observation on Leadership From the Peanut Gallery

Background -War on Terror – William Arkin reviews the progress of the war on terror, 2 years in.

• Los Angeles Times: The Risky Business of Modern War

Canadian Navy – Canada considers outsourcing its sovereignty patrol.

• Halifax Herald: Navy may hire private firms to do patrols

US Navy – More naval news from around the US fleet.

• SeaPower: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Christens First San Antonio LPD

Singaporean Navy – The navies of Singapore and Malaysia are exercising in the Malacca Straits.

• The Straits Times: Singapore, Malaysia hold naval exercise

US Navy – The Chiefs should be reading Proceedings???

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Chiefs Are Professionals

Background – Iraq – A visit with America’s greatest Middle East sage, Professor Bernard Lewis.

• Wall Street Journal: Lewis of Arabia

NOSI will next be updated on Monday, so here is Sunday’s background piece???

Background – Diplomacy – The Bush administration’s tone-deaf approach to the Middle East reflects a dangerous misreading of the nature and sources of Arab public opinion . Independent, transnational media outlets have transformed the region, and the administration needs to engage the new Arab public sphere that has emerged.

• Foreign Affairs: Taking Arabs Seriously

Royal Australian Navy – The latest on the Collins-class submarines.

• Herald Sun: Collins subs a lethal force

US Navy – The US will close its base at Roosevelt Roads, in Puerto Rico.

• Associated Press: U.S. Will Close Puerto Rico Naval Base

US Navy – Tucked between the lines of Navy Assistant Secretary John J. Young, Jr.’s announcement in August regarding a block-buy for Virginia-class submarines are clear indications the Navy’s procurement of ships and aircraft is in store for major change across-the-board.

• SeaPower: Virginia-Class Decision Has Far-Reaching Implications

US Marines – A review of Marine Corps amphibious operations during the Cold Warówith some insightful observations.

• Marine Corps Gazette: Omar Bradley Was Right

Canadian Navy – Aboard HMCS Calgary, the Canadian Navy is burned out from the war on terror.

• Victoria Times Colonist: Tired sailors, tired ships: The cost of war on terror

US Navy – Naval news from around the US fleet.

• SeaPower: DDG Mustin Commissioned in U.S. Pacific Fleet

Background – 4th Generation Warfare – Remarks by H. Thomas Hayden, USMC, Ret., July 18, 2003. Interesting insights from a guy who’s been there and done it.

• Defense and the National Interest: Fourth Generation Warfare Today

Background – Diplomacy – Former Assistant Secretary of State James Rubin asks why did most of the world abandon Washington when it went after Saddam Hussein? The war in Iraq could never have been an easy sell, but nor should it have been such a difficult one. The Bush administration badly botched the prewar maneuvering, presenting a textbook study in how not to wage a diplomatic campaign.

• Foreign Affairs: Stumbling Into War

South African Navy – South Africa will receive the first of its new corvettes this fall.

• Business Day: Navy to Make Big Wave With New Fleet

US Marines – The light armored reconnaissance (LAR) community possesses a weapons system that could be an asset for many missionsóthe special application scoped rifle (SASR). However, there is no clear concept of employment within the LAR community. SASR employment is viewed at best with uncertainty and ambivalence, at worst with disdain. In fact, by giving the scout teams a powerful and precise long-range weapons system, the SASR offers great flexibility to the LAR unit across the gamut of LAR operations.

• Marine Corps Gazette: Scoped Rifle Employment for Light Armored Reconnaissance

Nigerian Navy – Nigeria attempts to clamp down on crude oil smugglers.

• This Day: Naval Chief Promises Crude Smugglers Tough Time

Pakistani Navy – Comments from Pakistan’s Naval Chief of Staff.

• Pakistan Tribune: Global interest focussed on Gulf region: Admiral Karimullah

US Navy – U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force Share in Army-led Networking Fire Support Program.

• SeaPower: Computer System Helps to Modernize Fire Support

Background – American Empire – The transcript of a lecture given by Professor and author Niall Ferguson on the American Empire. Ferguson is a compelling and witty lecturer, as he attempts to teach Americans some lessons of the British Empire.

• Foreign Policy Association: Is the U.S. an Empire in Denial?

Indian Navy – India looks forward to strengthing ties with the US and French Navies in the near future.

• Central Chronicle: India, US submarines to take part in joint exercise
• Agence France Presse: Indian Navy to strengthen defence ties with France

Background – Airpower – Modern airpower owes much to the elite USAF commandos who hang out with the ground forces.

• Air Force: Controllers

US Navy – The short take-off/vertical landing Joint Strike Fighter is an ideal way to support the Navy’s “Sea Power 21” concept of Sea Basing by enabling the use of unconventional aircraft carriers, allowing increased sorties per mission, and decreasing host nation logistical support. Adoption of STOVL JSFs by the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force would dramatically increase aviation capability and transform the nation’s carrier air power.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: STOVL JSFs Put Teeth in Sea Basing