US Navy – The new military strategy could lead to cuts in the number of troops, aircraft and ships stationed abroad in the Middle East and Europe.

• Washington Post: Military cuts are implied in new strategy

South Korean Navy – The South Korean Navy fired on a North Korean fishing trawler.

• BBC: Seoul fires warning shots at boat

Royal Marines – The Royal Marines have received new colors.

• BBC: Royal Marines stage historic parade

US Navy – Flaws remain in US Navy port security, at home and abroad, and are almost impossible to address completely, although attempts are being made.

• ABC: Cracks in the Armor
• San Diego Union Tribune: Navy ratcheting up security at bases

Royal Navy – HMS Ark Royal has rejoined the fleet after an extensive refit.

• BBC: Ark Royal sets sail after refit
• The Times of London (registration required): Navy flagship heads for open seas again

Phillipine Navy – The old US Navy base at Subic Bay may be put up for rent by the cash-strapped Phillipine government.

• International Herald Tribune: Subic Bay May Be Up for Rent

US Coast Guard – Is the US Coast Guard stretched too thin?

• Foster’s Sunday Citizen: Coast Guardís aging equipment, overworked crews leading to ëunsafeí situation, admiral fears

NOSI will be updated next on Wednesday July 25.

French Navy – The French Navy is placing an emphasis on acquiring nuclear attack submarines and frigates which can fire land attack cruise missiles.

• Jane’s: French Navy outlines equipment priorities
  

US Navy – The US Navy must move from a conscription mentality to a subscription mentality as to how it treats its recruits.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: From Conscription to Subscription
  

US Marines – US forces are not currently ready for urban combat.

• Marine Corps Gazette: Are We Operationally Prepared to
  Win a Street Fight?
  

US Navy – How peacekeeping operations can be used in enhance, rather than degrade, military readiness.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Making Peacetime Engagement Work

Royal Marines – The Royal Marines are to receive new armoured vehicles.

• Jane’s: UK marines receive armoured vehicles

Turkish Navy – Another Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate will be sold or loaned to Turkey.

• Middle East News Line: Pentagon OKs frigate request from Turkey

US Navy – A plea for junior officers to speak their minds to superiors, a situation which is becoming increasingly rare in the US Navy.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: End the Silence of the Wardroom

US Coast Guard – The US Coast Guard is training Asian navies in how to combat piracy.

• Associated Press: U.S. Helping Asia Combat Sea Piracy

Indian Navy – The Indian Navy is employing private companies in its bid to construct a nuclear submarine.

• Jane’s: Private sector to work on Indian submarine

US Marines – How the US Marines are preparing for urban combat – what they term the “three block war.”

• Marine Corps Gazette: Training for Urban Operations
  In the 21st Century
  

Taiwanese Navy – Why the Taiwanese Navy will have difficulty acquiring attack submarines from the US.

• Los Angeles Times: U.S. Promised Subs to Taiwan It Doesn’t Have
  

US Navy – More on how the Okinawans want the US to leave its bases on their island.

• BBC: Okinawa: Island of resentment
  

Russian Navy – More on the upcoming Kursk salvage operation.

• Christian Science Monitor: And now, the sub also rises
  

Canadian Navy – A stinging criticism of Canadian naval planning.

• Halifax Herald: Navy planners consistent in failure to make the grade

US Navy – The Center for Naval Analyses has released its study on how Vieques should be replaced – with installations along the Virginia Capes and a site at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

• Scripps-Howard: Navy-commissioned study ranks Virginia Capes top alternative to Vieques

Indonesia Navy – The Indonesian Navy has recaptured a hijacked tanker from pirates.

• Reuters: Indonesian Forces Storm Hijacked Shell Tanker
  

Taiwanese Navy – Taiwan is considering building Kilo-class submarines under license from Russia.

• Jane’s: Russians talk subs with Taipei
  

Russian Navy – The salvage operation to raise the Kursk is about to begin.

• BBC: Final countdown to Kursk operation

US Navy – The latest on the US defense review, which is moving from theorizing into concrete recommendations.

• Washington Post: Review Fractures Pentagon

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy expects that it’s new Astute-class submarines will be the last manned submarines it builds; and expects them to be replaced by robotic submarines.

• Daily Telegraph (registration required): Robots to replace submariners

US Navy – The US Navy has asked the UK to iron the bugs out of a sub-boat that is part high speed raiding craft and part submarine.

• The Sunday Times (registration required): Navy to test stealth speedboat that turns into a submarine

US Coast Guard – Who can help make up the US Coast Guard’s funding shortfall?

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Toss the Coast Guard a Life Ring
  

US Navy – A fascinating review of the Bush Defense Review, and the Bush Administrations view on the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). The opinion expressed here is that the military changes very slowly — when it changes at all — and if all that comes out of this defense review is a small change — it should be enough to eventually snowball into a big change, down the road. “RMA by stealth” is what it is termed???

• New Yorker: Dreaming About War
  

US Navy – Laser weapons are closer to deployment than we may have been lead to believe???

• Tech Review: The Light Brigade
  

NOSI will be taking a short break from July 4 – July 11. I will see you back on July 12.

Royal Navy – Why did the Royal Navy *really* lose HMS Sheffield? New questions about the Exocet attack on her have arisen.

• BBC: Navy accused of Falklands ‘cover-up’
  

US Navy – The USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) has been commissioned.

• PR Newswire: U.S. Navy, Marine Corps to Commission Seventh Northrop Grumman LHD Amphibious Assault Ship
  

US Navy – Roles for unmanned aerial vehicles.

• Christian Science Monitor: New push for robotic aircraft

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy’s Type 23-class frigates, which were originally designed for use in the North Atlantic, are having difficulties handling the heat in the Persian Gulf due to insufficient air conditioning.

• Daily Telegraph (registration required): Sailors roast in Cold War ships

US Coast Guard – A day in the life of the Midgett, a Hamilton-class high endurance cutter.

• Seattle Post Intelligencer: Operation Deepwater’s goal: Newer, faster ships for Coast Guard

US Navy – The prototype SH-60R Strikehawk successfully deployed the AN/AQS-22 dipping sonar during recent trials.

• Jane’s: USN AQS-22 dipping sonar trials successful
  

US Navy – An essay by the CINCPAC on how the Navy must change to adapt to the new information age.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Change Is Possible & Imperative

US Navy – The last ship was launched downed the ways at Bath Iron Works.

• Associated Press: Century-Old Shipyard Tradition Ends

US Coast Guard – The Coast Guard is struggling to fulfill its search and rescue mission.

• Seattle Post Intelligencer: Coast Guard struggles to fulfill mission

US Navy – The first Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) to undergo a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) was delivered to the US Navy.

• Jane’s: Upgraded LCAC delivered, production SLEP contracted
  

US Navy – The USS Enterprise will soon be exercising off Scotland.

• Times of London (registration required): US carrier puts Royal Navy in the shade

US Coast Guard – The Coast Guard is recallling its port security forces which were sent to the Gulf after the Cole bombing because the Pentagon will not reimburse them for their efforts; they will be replaced by Naval Reserve Inshore Boat Units.

• Virginian Pilot: Coast Guard recalls units from Persian Gulf
  

US Navy – Mothballed ships are being turned into artificial reefs.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy ship begins trip to the bottom
  

Background – US Defense Review – Neither US political party is happy with the route the defense review is taking.

• Economist: Cannon to right of him, cannon to left
  

Background – New Zealand – A further review of New Zealand’s plans for disarmament.

• Associated Press: New Zealand aims to set the world an example on defense

Taiwanese Navy – The Taiwanese Navy is investigating the recruitment of Russian submarine designers to help it design and manufacture its own attack submarines.

• Jane’s: Russians talk subs with Taipei
  

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy’s Triton trimaran is exercising off Norfolk. Preliminarily, it appears to provide a steadier, smoother and faster platform than single-hull designs.

• Virginian Pilot: U.K. displays prototype as U.S. aims for better ships
  

US Navy and Marine Corps – More on the high tech amphibious exercise Kernel Blitz Experimental.

• San Diego Union Tribune: Marine, Navy units to work out the bugs on high-tech battlefield
  

Royal Australian Navy – The Australian task force that was sent to East Timor in September 1999 was aggressively probed by Indonesian aircraft and submarines; the task force was often at battle stations; and Australian F-111’s were bombed up and ready to bomb Indonesian communication centers in Jakarta to ensure the safety of the task force.

• Daily Telegraph (registration required): Australia ‘was set to bomb Jakarta in Timor conflict’

US Navy – The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Scranton has recently surfaced at the North Pole.

• Virginian Pilot: Sub crew takes in view of world from North Pole
  

Royal Navy – HMS Beagle, is on its third and final survey mission of Sierra Leonean waters.

• All Africa: Royal Navy Surveys Freetown Peninsula

Indian Navy – Russia would like India to take over its naval base at Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.

• The Hindu: Funds crunch hits Russian naval presence in Vietnam

US Marines – The US Marines are adapting new camouflage uniforms, with high tech camouflage patterns.

• ABC: From Cammies to Pixies?

Royal Australian Navy – The Australian landing ship Kanimbla is standing ready in Vanuatu to help in further relief efforts following last week’s eruption of Lopevi volcano.

• NewsRoom: Aussie Navy Ready

Indian Navy – INS Nirghat, a missile boat of the Indian Navy, sunk the wreck of the MT Hengsen, the Singapore tanker which had broken up on June 12, near Goa Harbor.

• The Hindu: Navy sinks tanker wreck
  

Russian Navy – The US and Russian navies have agreed to hold joint exercises together.

• Associated Press: Russian, U.S. naval commanders agree to cooperation projects
  

South Korean Navy – South Korea is calling for a maritime pact with North Korea to cover passage of North Korean commerical ships though South Korean territorial waters.

• Reuters: South Korea Calls for Maritime Pact with North

US Navy – President Bush will live aboard the USS Enterprise while attending the G8 summitt in Italy, for security reasons.

• Daily Telgraph (registration required): Bush to live on aircraft carrier at G8 summit

US Navy and Canadian Navy – A US Navy intelligence officer and a Canadian helicopter pilot are both claiming that while observing a Russian intelligence gathering ship near Puget Sound which monitors Trident missile submarines, they were attacked by a laser weapon from the ship and suffered visual damage. The US officer is suing the Russian civilian company that owns and operates the ship; the Canadian pilot has been discharged from his service.

• Washington Times: Navy officer sues over laser attack
• Halifax Herald: Pilot forced out after laser incident

Chinese Navy – The Chinese are placing anti-ship cruise missiles on Woody Island, in the Parcel Islands, in the South China Sea. The missiles will be within range of important sea lanes.

• Washington Times: Inside the Ring

US Marines – The V-22 Osprey is not likely to return to the air until 2002.

• Dallas Morning News: V-22s not likely to return to air this year

US Navy – The US Navy is on high alert in the Gulf for possible terrorist activity against it after the verdict against the Khobar Towers bombers in Saudi Arabia, and all of its ships were sent to sea.

• CNN: U.S. military in Gulf on highest state of alert

Royal Navy – The UK confirmed that it will indeed purchase two new aircraft carriers

• BBC: Hoon to confirm ‘supercarrier’
  

• Daily Telegraph (registration required): New aircraft carriers on the way

Royal Navy – The UK purchase of the Joint Strike Fighter will replace both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Harriers.

• Jane’s: Renamed aircraft project reflects joint RN/RAF role
  

Malaysian Navy – Piracy, as a form of for-profit hostage taking, is on the rise in Malaysia.

• Associated Press: Ransom-hungry pirates copy Abu Sayyaf

Columbian Marines – Columbian Marines are fighting a riverine operation against drug traffickers.

• Christian Science Monitor: Rivers: the last frontier in coca war

US Coast Guard – A day in the life of the US Coast Guard.

• Dayton Daily News: Coast Guard protects, patrols

US Navy – Life aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt .

• Dayton Daily News: Aboard a city in the sea

Indian Navy – The Indian Navy’s continued quest for Russian-built nuclear powered submarines.

• Times of India: India plans to acquire latest submarines

Background – US Defense Review – The two war strategy is on the way out, the new defense strategy should be released by the end of the summer and will revolve around long-range precision warfare.

• Washington Post / Thomas Ricks: Defense Reforms to Guard Against Emerging Threats
• Daily Telegraph (registration required): US admits that it cannot fight two wars at once
• Daily Telegraph / John Keegan (registration required): Pentagon freed from menace of war in Europe

Royal Navy – The Royal Navy is to get its two aircraft carriers, an announcement is expected soon.

• The Sunday Times (registration required): Navy to get two ‘super’ aircraft carriers

US Navy – So where will the US Navy do it’s pre-deployment training, now that “irreplaceable” Vieques is going away? Florida is lobbying to pick up some of the load???

• CNN:
  Florida eyes Navy training switch from Puerto Rico

US Marines – Exercise Kernel Blitz Experimentation 2001 is underway in the Pacific, with a focus on testing new information technology.

• North County Times: Exercise to put technology to the test

US Navy – 16 navies are involved in the inaugural Western Pacific Mine Counter Measure Exercise and Diving Exercise off Singapore and Indonesia.

• Associated Press: U.S., Chinese officers meet on USS Inchon in South China Sea exercise
• Associated Press: US, China and 14 other navies practice mine hunt in South China Sea
  

Canadian Navy – Canada appears to be compromising excellence in its choice of helicopters to replace its 40 year old Sea King helicopters, in order that it not choose today the same helicopter it ordered and then canceled as being too expensive in 1993 – the EH-101.

• Reuters: Canadian govt. hits turbulence on helicopter bid

Canadian Navy – ???meanwhile the Sea Kings will have to be kept aloft, at greater and greater prices???while they continue to suffer accidents due to their age???

• Ottawa Citizen: Sea King upgrade cost climbs $26M