U.S. Navy – Base consolidation and closing is good???to a point. NAS Oceana is now home to so many units that the airspace has become overcrowded for training purposes.

• Virginia Pilot: Extra jets squeeze Oceana pilots

Canadian Navy – The Canadian military is also at the breaking point in terms of too many missions chasing too few sailors and too few ships.

• Sun Media: Our military at the breaking point

U.S. Navy – the U.S. Navy program to install commercial information technologies to help automate some aspects of its ships and reduce manning levels has passed a new milestone on the USS Ticonderoga.

• Janes’ Naval Forces: USN Smartship makes progress

Israeli Navy – The Israeli Navy has successfully test-fired cruise missiles from its new Dolphin-class submarines in the Indian Ocean. This gives Israel a sea-based strategic nuclear deterrent for the first time.

• Sunday Times (free, but registration required): Israel makes nuclear waves with submarine missile test

Indian Navy – The development of the Indian Navy as a blue-water force who is extending its area of operations into the South China Sea has taken Australia by suprise.

• Sydney Morning Herald: India’s arrival catches Canberra naval-gazing

Ukrainian Navy – The Ukrainian Navy is hosting the Cooperative Partner-2000 naval exercise between itself, several former Communist states, and NATO. Russia has been invited but has declined to participate due to jealousy over its loss of influence in the Black Sea region.

• Reuters: Ukraine hosts big NATO exercise, Russia missing

Russian Navy – Several Russian sailors were exposed to toxic chemicals while unloading a ballistic missile that had a cracked casing from a ship. The toxic cloud from the missile threatened residents of a nearby village before it dissipated.

• CBC: Missile fuel leak poisons Russian sailors

International Naval Review – The International Naval Review will occur on July 2-9 in New York City. Warships from 24 countries will be in New York Harbor and most will be open for public viewing. Reccommended for those who wish to obtain their naval open source intelligence up close and personal!.

• International Naval Review: Official Web site

Royal Marines – 42 Commando Royal Marines has departed Sierra Leone and returned to HMS Ocean, their mission to restore stability a complete success.

• BBC News: UK pullout from Freetown

Apologies to being down for two days, but I have caught a bad case of the flu and am temporarily incapacitated???NOSI should return Saturday.

Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Tobruk arrived back in Cairns, Australia today with 478 evacuees from the Solomon Islands.

• Sydney Morning Herald: Evacuees hail Tobruk crew

Indian Navy – The Italian cargo ship MV Medstar has been hijacked by stowaways who are seeking political asylum in Europe. The Indian Navy is standing by to assist the Indian Coast Guard who has the ship under surveillance.

• The Hindu: Commandos on alert for ship

Royal Navy – RAF Harriers that were operating in Sierra Leone alongside their Royal Navy counterparts have returned home. The deployment to Sierra Leone marks the first deployment of Joint Force Harrier.

• BBC News: Harriers return from Sierra Leone

Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Manoora, the former Newport-class LST, has arrived off the Solomons. It is carrying an infantry company, SAS personnel, and Blackhawk helicopters. Although Australia denies it is going to intervene militarily, it may become part of a multinational peacekeeping force.

• Sydney Morning Herald: Warship’s vigil adds to tension
• BBC News: Analysis – Australia’s role in Asia

U.S. Marines – the Marine Corps Chemical Biological Incident Response Force is continuously exercising for the day when a terrorist attack occurs on U.S. soil using chemical or biological weapons.

• Copley News Service: Marines brace for terrorism in U.S.

Indian Navy – a plea for jointness between India’s armed forces on the eve of them potentially seeing action in Sri Lanka.

• Rediff: India’s forces must join or perish

Canadian Navy – The Canadian Navy is converting the 4 former Upholder-class diesel submarines for its use. The first, HMCS Victoria, should arrive in Halifax in the fall; the remaining 3 will follow over 15 months. One of the submarines is to be stationed in Vancouver and used for training with U.S. Navy battlegroups deploying to the Gulf who are now encountering more and more diesel powered submarines on station.

• Toronto Sun: Run silent, run cheap

U.S. Navy – Somewhere in the Persian Gulf, the U.S.S. John Stennis has been enforcing the no-fly zones over Iraq for the past several months???

• San Diego Union Tribune: Carrier packs mighty wallop for Persian Gulf duty

Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Tobruk is about to depart the Solomon Islands, with 500 refugees aboard. In the meantime, HMAS Manoora, a Newport-class landing ship, is being sent with 200 troops, 3 Blackhawk helicoopters and 6 amoured personnel carriers to the Solomons to assist in the evacuation.

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Tobruk yet to pull anchor in Solomons
• Reuters: Australia sends troops to Solomons for evacuation

Royal Australian Navy – HMAS Tobruk, anchored off the capital, Honiara, is undertaking an evacuation of foreign nationals from the Solomon Islands. The New Zealand frigate Te Mana will arrive on Saturday. Aside from the crew of the Tobruk, no other Australian troops are involved; the evacuation is occuring with the agreement and cooperation of the local militias.

• BBC News: Australia begins Solomons rescue
• Age Online: 350 evacuees boarding Tobruk

Royal Navy – After the Royal Marines leave Sierra Leone next week, the frigate Argyll and the support ship Sir Percivale will stay behind to support the 200 British soldiers left behind who will take over training of the Sierra Leone Army.

• BBC News: UK commits warships to Sierra Leone

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – As the Japanese and Chinese navies expand in size, missions, and operational areas, they are beginning to encounter each other more often at sea, as illustrated by events of the past month.

• STRATFOR: Japan, China both newly ambitious in Asian waters

Taiwanese Navy – the Taiwanese Navy has received the U.S.S. Pensacola, an Anchorage class dock landing ship, from the United States.

• Reuters: Taiwan Navy gets U.S. landing ship

Turkish Marines – Turkish Marines are exercising with the Greek armed forces in Greece during NATO exercise Dynamic Mix 2000.

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Military exercise to unite old enemies

Canadian Navy – HMCS Calgary sets sail for a 5 month deployment to the Gulf, to help enforce U.S. sanctions against Iraq.

• Calgary Sun: Calgary sailors off to hot spot

Sri Lankan Navy – It is now claimed that of the two Dvora-class patrol vessels lost in combat recently, one was destroyed by Tamil Sea Tigers through ramming, and the other was destroyed by the Sri Lankan Air Force which mistakenly identified it as an enemy vessel.

• BBC Online: Sri Lanka probes naval losses

Suriname Navy – The Suriname Navy, over the weekend, forced the removal of an offshore oil platform from its territorial waters, at gunpoint.

• CNN: Guyana, Suriname stick to guns in maritime dispute
• Reuters: Suriname navy forces oil rig out of disputed water

Royal New Zealand Navy – The New Zealand Anzac frigate HMNZS Te Mana is standing by to evacuate New Zealanders from the Solomon Islands where a coup is underway, if necessary. Henderson Field, the country’s international airport (which dates to the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942) is not considered to be safe to fly into currently.

• Sydney Morning Herald: Warship on alert for NZ sea evacuation

Sri Lankan Navy – Two more Sri Lankan Dvora-class gunboats were sunk in a battle against the Tamil Tigers, who are said to have lost 4 boats of their own.

• BBC News: Sea battle in Sri Lanka

Royal Navy – HMS Sutherland and HMS Newcastle are visiting India during a round-the-world cruise, the first in 13 years for the Royal Navy. Eight vessels are taking part.

• Times of India: British Navy showcases ship on goodwill visit

U.S. Navy – The Pacific Fleet is saving money by cutting short time at sea for its ships, including deployments and exercises, in order to have money for maintainence. The Atlantic Fleet on the other hand is simply deferring maintainence???

• Daily Herald: Navy’s budget knife slashes deployments

Sri Lankan Navy – The Sri Lankan Navy is to receive patrol boats from Israel, which will help it strike Tamil Sea Tiger bases from stand-off ranges offshore, and thereby help to interdict the Tiger’s supply chain. The number of patrols boats purchased and when they will arrive was not disclosed.

• Reuters: Fresh fighting in Sri Lanka,government boosts navy
• Sunday Observer of Sri Lanka: Navy to target LTTE sea supply lines: New Israeli boats to fight Sea Tigers

French Navy – The French Navy has a long term committment to help police Tanzania’s exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 miles off-shore, against illegal fishing.

• East African: Now French Navy to Police Tanzania Waters

U.S. Navy – The U.S. Navy is going to spend the funds necessary to upgrade its attack submarine fleet with new intelligence-gathering systems to help the boats fulfil their increasing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

• Janes’ Defense Weekly: Spy operations boost for U.S. submarines

U.S. Military – The inability to utilize information operations assests to their fullest extent during Operation Allied Force, due to political reasons within the U.S. military, was perhaps one of the greatest failures of the campaign in Kosovo.

• Janes’ Intelligence Review: Information operations – coming of age?

???seems to be a slow news day so???

Janes’ Fighting Ships

• Janes’ Fighting Ships: Foreward to the 1999-2000 edition

U.S. Marines – A further discussion of the issues surrounding the U.S. bases on Okinawa. Kadena Air Force Base is called the “Gibraltar of Northeast Asia” and the Marine forward presence there is key to getting them to troublespots as quickly as is possible.

• Newsweek: Reducing the American footprint

Nigerian Navy – The Nigerian Navy will recommission some laid up vessels to help it more aggressively patrol the Niger delta region, to prevent piracy against oil producing installations.

• Africa News Online: Grounded combat vessels for reactivation

Royal Marines – 42 Commando Royal Marines are agressively patrolling the area around Freetown, having completely replaced 1 Bn The Parachute Regiment.

• ITN: 3,000 extra troops to join Marines

Sri Lankan Navy – The Sri Lankan Navy sank several supply ships of the Tamil Tigers in a gun battle.

• Associated Press: Sri Lanka’s Tamil war spills to sea

Chinese Navy – The Chinese Navy will soon test fire indigeneously produced cruise missiles just north of Taiwan. Japanese and American surveillance ships are reported in the area.

• Agence French Presse: China plans missile drill near Taiwanese territory

U.S. Navy – Although the U.S. denies it will get directly involved in the conflict in Sri Lanka, it continues to keep a close eye on the conflict, with a task force steaming near Sri Lanka and P-3C Orions keeping watch on the area from their base on Diego Garcia. The Indian Navy remains prepared to assist in an evacuation of Sri Lankan troops, using landing craft, if necessary.

• The Hindu: U.S. not to take any action in Sri Lanka
• Rediff.com: U.S. Navy keeping watch on Lanka

U.S. Navy – Pacific background – The ability of the U.S. to rely on bases in Okinawa will be increasingly challenged in the future.

• San Jose Mercury News: U.S. forces welcome in Okinawa hangs by a thread

U.S. Navy – Elements of a U.S. Navy battlegroup have moved south from the Gulf to the southen Arabian Sea, as a show of solidarity with government forces in Sri Lanka.

• The Hindu: U.S. moving warships towards Sri Lanka

Asian Background – In a definite break from the past, the Pentagon is refocusing its war planning from conflicts in Europe to future conflicts in Asia.

• Thomas E. Ricks for the Washington Post: For Pentagon, Asia moving to forefront

U.S. Navy – U.S. Navy, Marine, Air Force and Army forces are participating in Exercise Natural Fire 2000 in Keyna, along with forces from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The exercise is described as a peace operation that stresses how to cope with natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

• Associated Press: Exercises train African, U.S. forces

Indian Navy – The Indian Navy has finalized plans for the evacation of Sri Lanka troops from Jaffna, when the time comes.

• The Hindu: India gets ready for “Operation Jaffna”

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force – A Chinese “Yanbing” class icebreaker, that has a suspected espionage capability, passed legally through the Tsugaru-kaikyo strait for the first time. The icebreaker is being shadowed by the Sawayuki, a “Hatsuyuki” class
destroyer.

• Agence France Presse: Japanese destroyer tracks suspected Chinese spy ship

Indonesian Navy – The U.S. has quietly resumed military cooperation with Indonesia, particularly the Indonesian Navy and Air Force.

• New York Times: U.S. quietly resumes military ties with Indonesia

Royal Australian Navy – The Australian Navy will not purchase Kidd-class destroyers from the U.S. Navy, feeling they are not good value for the dollar.

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Government destroys plans to buy U.S. ships

Royal Navy – Britain has stated her long term plans for Sierra Leone include 1) Stabilization of the country by Paras and Royal Marines in the short term, 2) Provision of a long standing military advisory force to train and lead the Sierra Leone Army, and 3) Small arms and ammunition for the Sierra Leone Army.

• BBC News: Britain’s Sierra Leone plan

Indian Navy – The Indian military is now ready to assist with an evacuation from Sri Lanka, if asked to do so.

• Times of India: Tipnis asks Southern Command to be alert