Defense News – The top Marine has a key objective for the Corps: getting Marine Expeditionary Units back on full deployment schedules. But he’s going to need some help.
Royal Navy to integrate logistics drones on Carrier Strike Group deployment
Navy Lookout – For the first time, logistics UAVs will be integrated into a UK Carrier Strike Group operations, delivering stores between vessels when the task force leaves for the CSG25 deployment later this month.
HMS Prince of Wales to leave Portsmouth on 22nd April to lead Carrier Strike Group deployment
Navy Lookout – The MoD officially confirmed today that the long-planned deployment to the Indo-Pacific will begin in two weeks with the departure of the flagship.
Australia: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”
Naval News – Australia will soon face a problem. It will have lots of naval helicopters, but not enough warships to embark them upon. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) currently has 23 Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters, but it has another 13 on the way. Simultaneously, Australia’s navy presently has ten surface combatants – seven Anzac-class frigates and three Hobart-class destroyers – a total that will reduce by one next year when the frigate HMAS Arunta retires.
Philippine Navy receives first guided-missile corvette, BRP Miguel Malvar
Naval News – The Philippine Navy received today BRP Miguel Malvar, the first of its two guided-missile corvettes from South Korea, amid China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea.
MQ-25 tanker drone flight this year will require ‘ton of work,’ warns NAVAIR head
Breaking Defense – Boeing’s MQ-25 tanker drone is set to make its first flight some time this year, but the head of Naval Air Systems Command warned that here is “a ton of work” to do before takeoff.
Top US, South Korean shipbuilders partner to bolster vessel production
Defense News – America’s largest naval shipbuilder, HII, reached an agreement Monday to partner with South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to boost shipbuilding across numerous vessel classes.
Trump signs executive order aimed at providing boon to American shipbuilders
Breaking Defense – President Donald Trump today signed an executive order tasking the heads of the defense, commerce, labor, transportation and homeland security departments with developing a “Maritime Action Plan” (MAP) that will invest in the shipbuilding industrial base and disentangle the government’s clumsy procurement processes.
New Zealand navy receives a boost under 2025 Defence Capability Plan
Naval News – The New Zealand government published its Defence Capability Plan (DCP) on 7 April, a document that had been delayed for many months. The DCP is essentially a blueprint listing investment in the military for the next 15 years, aligning with national strategy. The plan includes much-needed boosts to naval capabilities.
Navy at ‘tipping point’ with Constellation-class frigate: Lawmakers
Breaking Defense – “The question is, are we at a point where we either quickly recover and get back on track with this? … Or do you say maybe we’re too far along with this and we go in a different direction?” said Rep. Rob Wittman.
New Zealand pledges to double defense spending to modernize ships, surveillance, networks
Breaking Defense – New Zealand, the small island state south of Australia, has long spent little on defense, but the conservative government there has decided to double its spending over the next eight years, committing to $9 billion NZD ($5 billion USD) in new spending in the first four years.
Russia’s New Helicopter Carrier Is Taking Shape In Crimea
The War Zone – Work on the first Ivan Rogov class amphibious assault ship is ongoing at a shipyard Ukrainian forces have attacked in the past with long-range missiles.
The evolving role of the Royal Marines Commandos
UK Defence Journal – The Royal Marines Commandos have undergone a pretty remarkable shift in role and public perception over recent decades, one worth taking a closer look at.
Aboard the Ford: What it’s like on a US Navy aircraft carrier preparing for deployment
Breaking Defense – “We have everybody on board getting to know each other and working on that synchronicity that’s required, and that’s really kind of the heart of COMPTUEX. This is a rehearsal, and we’re going to get it right,” says Capt. Rick Burgess, the Ford’s commanding officer.
With Renewed Crisis in the Middle East, Who is Watching the Indo-Pacific?
Jerusalem Strategic Tribune – With all that is happening in the Middle East, it is important that our allies continue to assist with burden-sharing in the Indo-Pacific. Until America rejuvenates its maritime industrial base, there are just not enough ships available to counter all the threats we currently face. Thank you to our allies and partners. Keep up the good work!
Submarine Surveillance System That’s Rapidly Deployable, Unpredictable Unveiled By Anduril
The War Zone – Seabed Sentry aims to make underwater listening networks far more adaptable and affordable, putting enemy submarines and other threats in the crosshairs.
Taiwan’s Evolving Response to China’s Grey Zone Actions
RUSI – This policy brief traces the emergence and defining features of the grey zone concept, looking at China’s actions and Taiwan’s responses.
PLA aircraft carrier groups can block three key lines in east of Taiwan, expert says
China Daily – The involvement of aircraft carrier groups in military deterrence operations around Taiwan can completely cut off the escape routes for “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and the channels for external forces attempting to aid them, a scholar from the People’s Liberation Army said on Wednesday.
Greenland “Absolutely Critical” For Hunting Russian Submarines: Top U.S. General In Europe
The War Zone – General Cavoli testified before Congress that Greenland is vital to U.S. national security, especially for confronting the growing threat of Russian submarines.
CMSI Translations #16: Tracking Their Wake: How Strong Is the U.S. Navy Today?
China Maritime Studies Institute – Nearly 80 years have passed since the end of World War Two, and during this time the U.S. Navy has always ranked as the number one navy in the world, mainly thanks to support from America’s enormous national power. But for the past ten years or so, with the great decline of America’s economy, the U.S. Navy has had to face more and more problems. For example, the service lives of ships have grown longer and longer. There has been a serious lack of repairs and maintenance work. The speed of shipbuilding has noticeably slowed. And [the U.S. Navy’s] newest class of aircraft carrier was not operational for five years after it was launched. These problems indicate that the U.S. Navy is in a state of exhaustion and will find it difficult to handle all manner of potential confrontations and war in the 21st century.
China Deploys Aircraft Carrier for Military Drills to Intimidate Taiwan
USNI News – The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Shandong made its first deployment to the Western Pacific for 2025 and was a major unit in Tuesday’s military drill targeted at intimidating Taiwan Tuesday, according to Beijing officials.
How the Biden Administration Won Tactically But Failed Strategically in the Red Sea
War on the Rocks – As a political project should be judged in a larger context. Measured against the restoration of merchant confidence and traffic in the Red Sea, the mission was unsuccessful.
Attack on Guyana, Exxon Would Be ‘Bad Day’ for Venezuela, Rubio Warns
MarineLink – U.S. Secretary of State warned Venezuela on Thursday that it would be “a very bad day” for the South American country if it were to attack its neighbor Guyana or U.S.-based energy giant ExxonMobil, in comments that threatened unspecified action in such a case.
(Thanks to Alain)
Putin announces new submarines, but the industry is strained
Defense News – Following the withdrawal of Soviet submarines, military officials originally wanted to field 30 Yasen-class submarines and 14 strategic Borei-class boats. Putin’s announcement indicate a shift on objectives, with 10 copies to be built in each class.
Romania to acquire warships to strengthen NATO eastern flank
Reuters – Romania’s Supreme Defence Council on Friday approved a plan to add new small warships to its fleet, part of wider efforts to strengthen its role in the Black Sea and on NATO’s eastern flank.
(Thanks to Alain)
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