USNI News – The Marine Corps will soon test a prototype logistics supply drone inspired by drug smuggling narco subs.
Marine test underwater eavesdropping system with submarine
DefensieKrant – Defense and the Dutch company Optics11 have tested the brand new sound system OptiArray. This can detect, recognize and track objects even better underwater and at greater distances. (In Dutch)
(Thanks to Alain)
Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov sunk off Crimea, says Ukraine
BBC – A big Russian amphibious ship, the Caesar Kunikov, has sunk off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea, according to Ukraine’s armed forces.
Quality From Quantity: The PLAN’s Road to Achieve American Skill via Size
CIMSEC – The U.S. Navy’s historically diminished size combined with the constraints necessary to maximize that diminished force’s availability paves a path to relative diminished quality against a PLAN which is growing and improving every day. If the U.S. Navy is truly serious about honing a cognitive combat edge against its numerically superior opponent, then it must recognize, advocate for, and invest in the quantity necessary to cultivate quality. There are no silver bullets for the Navy’s most likely adversary; they are communists, not werewolves. The U.S. Navy is going to need, in laymen’s terms, “more” – not merely to fight the next war, but enough to keep cultivating in ourselves the skills and mindset to win it.
Mockup Of China’s Stealthy J-35 Fighter Appears On Unexpected Aircraft Carrier
The War Zone – A series of photos have appeared that suggest that a mockup of China’s stealthy J-35 carrier-capable fighter has been used for tests aboard the aircraft carrier Liaoning. As well as indicating further progress in the J-35’s path to a career as a frontline naval fighter, it also raises the possibility of a version of the jet operating from China’s two in-service carriers, which are not equipped with catapult launch gear, instead having ‘ski jump’ ramps. Previously, it had been expected that the J-35 was tailored to serve aboard newer types of carriers, of the kind fitted with catapults as well as arrestor gear.
Understanding the Deterrence Gap in the Taiwan Strait
War on the Rocks – For peace to be likely in the Taiwan Strait in the 2020s, Taiwan and its friends will need to take radical action to develop short-term constraints on Chinese action but also look for ways to encourage internal restraint among Chinese decision-makers, something that will require recognizing practically what the Department of Defense has recognized theoretically: that if China comes to view the evolution of the status quo in increasingly negative terms, its incentives not to use force are correspondingly reduced.
“This is a watershed moment.” Norwegian intelligence warns about mounting Russian threats
Barents Observer – Norway has not faced such serious threats against its national security in several decades, the country’s three main intelligence authorities warn in new reports. Among the key targets of malevolent foreign forces is Norwegian underwater infrastructure.
The fighter pilots hunting Houthi drones over the Red Sea
BBC – Under cover of darkness, a single fighter jet roars as it rips across the deck of the USS Bataan, a vast US assault ship. Moments later, a second jet follows.
HMS Diamond Sports Kill Markings As It Pulls Into Gibraltar
The War Zone – The Royal Navy destroyer had been on station for months in the Red Sea region where it downed multiple drones.
Estonia’s Blue Spear AShM System Achieves IOC
Naval News – Estonian authorities have officially confirmed that the Blue Spear anti-ship missile system has reached initial operational capability.
Could the Houthis sabotage undersea cables?
BBC – Yemen’s legitimate, UN-recognised government in Aden has warned that the Houthis, who seized much of Yemen in 2014, are now threatening to sabotage the crucial undersea communication cables, including internet lines, which run under the Red Sea – connecting Asia to Europe.
CMSI Note #4: Deck Cargo Ships: Another Option for a Cross-Strait Invasion
China Maritime Studies Institute – CMSI Perspectives and Key Take-Aways:
- In addition to RO-RO ferries, the PLA also uses another class of RO-RO ship, the deck cargo ship, in sea transport training exercises.
- Deck cargo ships are widely used in China’s ocean engineering and construction industry, constituting an existing and large-scale volume of lift capacity.
- The simple design and relative ease of construction of deck cargo ships means they can quickly be built in large numbers.
- These vessels may be tasked to bring in large columns of logistics and follow-on forces to consolidate landing areas, possibly in waves not far behind landing assault forces.
- Deck cargo ships can distribute the risk for many units making transits and force an adversary to find suitable kill solutions to strike numerous lower value targets.
Army Activates New Watercraft Formation in Japan
USNI News – In the service’s latest move to bolster its presence in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Army activated the 5th Composite Watercraft Company at North Dock, Yokohama, in Japan on Monday.
Inside the Foundry, the Navy’s program to modernize hardware across the surface fleet
Breaking Defense – Breaking Defense was given exclusive access to the Foundry, the US Navy’s office developing its Integrated Combat System, vital for the surface fleet.
Maersk CEO Says Military Operations Can’t Guarantee Safety of Ships in Red Sea
USNI News – The military operations in the Red Sea cannot guarantee the safety of commercial shipping in the region, the chief executive officer of a major shipping company said on Thursday.
Pentagon tech hub hires Anduril to get large underwater drone to Navy
Defense News – The Defense Innovation Unit awarded Anduril Industries a contract that will get its Dive family of large-diameter autonomous underwater vehicles into the hands of sailors for operations this year.
US Navy Destroyer Set To Call In Japan’s Ishigaki Island
Naval News – A U.S. Navy missile destroyer plans to call at Ishigaki Port in Okinawa from March 11 to 14. This would mark the first-ever visit by an American destroyer to this politically sensitive island. It could draw strong opposition not only from China but also from Okinawans.
PLA Navy, Air Force extend reach with new milestones in replenishment ships, large cargo planes
Global Times – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and Air Force are extending their reach with new milestones in replenishment ships and large cargo planes, a move experts said on Sunday contributes to not only China’s national defense but also world peace and stability.
Irish Naval Service Plans €300 Million Support Ship Buy
Naval News – According to a Prior Information Notice issued by the Irish Department of Defence on January 23rd, the new vessel will provide the Irish Naval Service with a flexible platform, able to perform a variety of missions. In a first for the Naval Service, which has seldom deployed vessels overseas, the new MRV will be designed from the outset to support operations both at home and overseas.
French underwater drone swarm maker bids to reshape maritime surveillance missions
Breaking Defense – A company official told Breaking Defense that the micro AUV market is relatively niche, but new startups are beginning to pop up, and it’s likely a similar trend to the proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems and uncrewed ground combat systems will soon emerge in the naval domain.
Mini Anti-Ship Cruise Missile That Fits Inside An F-35 Is On The Navy’s Wish List
The War Zone – The U.S. Navy is interested in acquiring a relatively low-cost and compact air-launched stand-off anti-ship weapon, four of which could be carried internally by certain variants of the F-35 stealth fighter.
The Red Sea: A Key Subsea Cable Crossroads Under Siege
Telegeography – The Red Sea is a global hot spot at the moment due to repeated attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels against commercial shipping vessels. While this inlet is a strategic location for global shipping, it also plays a vital role in global communications networks.
San Antonio Class Looks Very Different After Shedding Its Stealthy Masts
The War Zone – The latest San Antonio class ship has a new radar and lacks the low-observable mast enclosures that gave the type its futuristic look.
South Korea, US explore joint ship, weapons maintenance opportunities
Defense News – South Korea and the United States are exploring whether the former’s defense industry could help maintain, repair and overhaul the latter’s warships and weapons, according to a series of news releases from South Korea’s Defense Ministry.
Supplier bottlenecks threaten US Navy effort to grow arms stockpiles
Defense News – Indeed, the service has dramatically increased its weapons spending in the last two years. After slowly ticking up from $3 billion to $4 billion over seven years, Navy weapons spending jumped more than 70% from fiscal 2022 to fiscal 2024, when the service requested $6.9 billion. But output on production lines remains hampered by supply chain challenges, leaving the Navy with too few of the longest-range and most lethal weapons it would want in a fight.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
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