Navy Lookout – In this article we look back at a difficult year for the RN, summarising the key events, achievements and issues for the Naval Service in 2024.
North Korea’s New Warship Appears To Be Designed For Vertical Launch System, Phased Array Radar
The War Zone – North Korea’s new warship design has emerged and it appears to be the largest the country has yet constructed. The vessel, which looks to be around the size of a typical modern frigate, or at the least a very large corvette, also appears to be designed to accommodate a vertical launch system (VLS) for missiles and a phased-array radar — two advanced items not previously seen on a North Korean design.
2024 World Naval Operational News Highlights
The ten most significant naval news stories / trends / themes this year included:
- The Houthi’s anti-access area denial campaign which has effectively closed commercial shipping through the Suez Canal. How much longer will they be allowed to continue it?
- The US Navy’s superb effort to defend commercial shipping and itself from Houthi attacks by all manner of above sea, at sea, and undersea weapons. How much longer can its luck hold out, and at what overall cost?
- The inability of the Western nations to shut down the Houthi threat – a small nation state has effected commerce on a global basis and the world has done nothing about it. Why not?
- The Indian Navy’s efforts to protect its own merchantmen from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Somali pirates off of Africa. Where next will it project its growing naval power?
- The ever-growing vulnerability of undersea infrastructure of all types to nefarious actors. When will the West undertake substantiative action to actively defend this critical infrastructure?
- The ever continuing rise of the People’s Liberation Army Navy and its ever-agressive actions around the world. When will the US seriously contribute resources to countering it?
Instead we have repeatedly seen over the last decade:
- The inability of the US Navy to design ships in a logical manner.
- The inability of the US Navy to construct ships in a regular manner.
- The inability of the US Navy to crew ships in a consistent manner.
- The inability of the US Navy to maintain and repair ships in a timely manner.
Are these the actions of a country that is serious about countering the Chinese Navy? The time to act is growing very, very short…
China’s New Domestically Developed Y-20 Airborne Early Warning Jet Spotted
The War Zone – A homegrown airborne early warning and control jet based on the Y-20 cargo aircraft is a big enhancement for China’s current fleet dominated by turboprops.
China Names Type 076 Amphibious Catapult Carrier “Sichuan” At Launch Ceremony In Shanghai
Naval News – Chinese shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua today, December 27, conducted a launch ceremony for the innovative new Type 076 amphibious carrier, at its facilities on Changxing Island in Shanghai. The event marks a major milestone in a project drawing significant international attention. According to officials statements the new ship will receive the hull number 51 and the name “Sichuan”, after the eponymous province in southwestern China.
Boxing clever? China’s next-gen tailless combat aircraft analysed
Royal Aeronautical Society – On Boxing Day 26 December 2024, pictures and video emerged of a new Chinese stealth aircraft, featuring a unique configuration of three engines, diamond planform and no tail. Veteran aviation journalist and stealth expert BILL SWEETMAN assesses what we know so far.
Risks of Military Confrontation in Arctic Increasing, Say U.S. and Russian Officials
USNI News – The Arctic is “where the confrontation of the world’s leading states is unfolding,” the head of the Russian Navy said at a recent forum in St. Petersburg where regional cooperation had traditionally dominated the agenda.
Finland Seizes Russian Oil Tanker After Suspected Undersea Fiber-Optic Cable Sabotage
USNI News – Finnish authorities seized the Russian oil tanker Eagle S after the country’s police opened a criminal investigation into the vessel’s possible involvement in another cutting of undersea power and communications cables in the Baltic Sea on Christmas Day.
Russia-linked cable-cutting tanker seized by Finland ‘was loaded with spying equipment’
LloydsList – Eagle S, the Russia-linked tanker suspected of damaging an underwater electricity cable on Christmas Day, was kitted out with special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity, according to a source with direct involvement in the ship, which has since been detained by Finnish police.
Estonia navy to protect undersea power link after main cable damaged
BBC – Nato has said it will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea, and Estonia has sent a patrol ship to protect its Estlink1 undersea power cable, after Russia was accused of sabotaging its main power link in the Gulf of Finland.
Missing in the Gray Zone? China’s Maritime Militia Forces Around Taiwan
The Diplomat – While maritime militia forces are not playing a major role in China’s multi-pronged pressure campaign against Taiwan, they are not completely absent from the battlespace.
Commissioned in Russia, INS Tushil warship sets sail for India
The Tribune – INS Tushil, the latest multi-role warship of the Indian Navy, that was commissioned on December 9 at Kaliningrad, Russia, has been tasked to an operational deployment on its journey to India.
(Thanks to Alain)
2 Indigenously-Built Warships ‘Nilgiri’ And ‘Surat’ Delivered To Navy
NDTV – The Mazagon Docks Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) created history by delivering two indigenously built, modern Capital Warships ‘Nilgiri’ and ‘Surat’ to the Indian Navy, officials said in Mumbai on Friday.
(Thanks to Alain)
US warship docks in Cambodia for first time in 8 years
China Military Online – The US littoral combat ship USS Savannah(LCS-28) docked at the port of Sihanoukville in Cambodia on Monday. According to AFP, the US warship docked at a dock kilometers away from a Chinese-renovated naval base, marking the first American military port call to one of Beijing’s closest regional allies in eight years.
(Thanks to Alain)
What We Know About The Russian Cargo Ship That Sank In Mediterranean
The War Zone – Ukrainian intel claims the cargo ship was headed to Syria to take Russian materiel out of the country, but Moscow says otherwise.
CMSI Translations #11: Mid-Life Overhaul and Upgrade of the Type 052C Guided Missile Destroyer
China Maritime Studies Institute – The construction of the Type 052C guided missile destroyer took a long time, and it was experimental in the sense of “taking small steps for rapid progress” (xiao bu kuai pao). In fact, it was also the engineering prototype of the standard fleet destroyer Type 052D. The first and second Type 052C ships were launched in April and October 2003, respectively. They were the most advanced guided missile destroyers of the PLAN at that time, but the subsequent four ships of the same type were launched in October 2010, July 2011, and January and July 2012, respectively.
F/A-18F Was Shot Down By Friendly Fire As Jets Were About To Land On The Carrier
The War Zone – The friendly fire incident also came amid a sustained Houthi drone and missile attack targeting the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.
U.S. Naval Strategy and Fleet Design for the Twenty-First Century
National Interest – James Holmes reflects on the US Navy’s big debate: stick with massive ships or embrace a fleet of smaller, nimbler vessels for the future fight.
Italy’s New Trieste LHD: Technical Overview
Navy News – On 7 December, the Marina Militare has received the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Trieste (L 9890) from Fincantieri. This new generation vessel is one of the most advanced ship dedicated to amphibious warfare, worldwide.
Optimising the Royal Netherlands Navy for its Role within NATO
RUSI – This Whitehall Report examines the ways in which the Royal Netherlands Navy can optimise its force structure and planning to meet its obligations under a scenario in which Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty is invoked.
Vietnam Unveils New VCS-01 Mobile Coastal Defence System
Naval News – At Vietnam’s second ever international defence exhibition –VIDEX 2024, held at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi from 19-22 December 2024 – the country’s most prominent defence company Viettel showed off its new VCS-01 Truong Son coastal defence missile system now operational with the Vietnam People’s Navy.
Somali piracy 2.0 – the BBC meets the new robbers of the high seas
BBC – Two Somali fishermen wearing big scarves over their heads to hide their faces glance around furtively as they walk into the room for a secret meeting to tell me why they have recently decided to become gun-wielding pirates – in search of million-dollar ransoms.
US warplane shot down in Red Sea ‘friendly fire’ incident
BBC – An American fighter jet has been shot down over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the US military has said.
Kelly/Waltz SHIPS Act Seeks to Elevate the Value and Numbers of U.S. Commercial Ships
Center for Maritime Strategy – Bipartisan, bicameral legislation is now in play on Capitol Hill to give U.S. commercial shipbuilding industry the boost it needs to both compete with China and better serve national security needs.
China’s Military Power: The Capability Forest Beyond Corruption Trees
1945 – This week, the Department of Defense released its twenty-fourth annual China Military Power Report (CMPR). Here are the most important revelations from its 182 pages that informed professionals need to know.
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