Australian Navy – the Australian Navy investment in expeditionary amphibious forces will become completely operational by the end of the year. Sydney Morning Herald: Military opts for amphibious force Indian Navy – the Indian tanker carrying water to Gujarat has arrived. The Hindu: Naval ship carrying water reaches Gujarat port Royal Navy – the Royal [...]

NOSI has been down for several days due to problems with its ISP which are hopefully resolved. Chinese Navy – Chinese naval and air forces are exercising off Taiwan, as a form of psychological warfare before Taiwan’s new President is sworn in. Associated Press: Chinese military exercises not a threat of war, official says Indian [...]

Phillipine Navy – The Phillipine Navy is currently engaged in joint operations against rebels on the southern island of Basilan. BBC News: Phillipine Army to Crush Rebels

Russian Navy – A Russian patrol boat fired on and then captured a Japanese fishing boat, north of Japan in disputed territorial waters. The Russians claim the fishing boat was in their territorial waters, the Japanese claim it was not. BBC News: Russian navy fires on Japanese boat BBC News: Further background information on this [...]

U.S. Navy U.S. Navy – Status of the U.S. Navy as of April 17, 2000

South African Navy – the South African Navy will be upgraded with new corvettes and submarines from Germany, and will play a bigger role in the future in peacekeeping in Africa, and law enforcement within South Africa, according to a speech given at a naval conference in Durban by Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota. African National [...]

South African Navy – The South African Navy and the German Navy are participating in “Exercise Cape of Good Hope” that will give the South African Navy the chance to study and exercise all aspects of naval warfare. African National Congress – German Naval Task Group to Dock in Durban

Indian Navy – An excellent essay on the history of the Indian Navy, and particularly its close relationship with Russia over the previous decades. The essay is by Admiral J G Nadkarni (ret) of the Indian Navy. It begins by describing how the Indian Navy was driven into the arms of the Russians by the [...]

U.S. Navy – Tests have shown that the Russian tanker seized by U.S. Navy forces earlier this week on suspician of illegally smuggling Iraqi oil was filled mainly with Iranian oil, with some Iraqi oil also present. The disposition of the tanker has yet to be decided. Associated Press: US: Russian Tanker Had Iraqi Oil [...]

Iranian Navy – Iranian Navy patrol boats have seized 10 tankers suspected of smuggling Iraqi oil, in violation of UN sanctions. The seizure is seen as a way for Iran to start to develop a closer relationship with the United States. BBC News: Iran Seizes Iraqi Oil Shipments

U.S. Navy – The USS Russell has seized another Russian tanker suspected of smuggling oil out of Iraq. Tests are being performed to determine the origin of the oil. The Royal Dutch Shell Group claims the oil comes from Iran. BBC News: U.S. Seizes Tanker in Gulf Agence France Presse: Shell Claims Oil on U.S.-Intercepted [...]

U.S. Coast Guard – Vice Adm. John E. Shkor, Commander of the Coast Guard in the Atlantic, states that his forces are working at an unmaintainable operations tempo, and has therefore ordered his forces to reduce operations by 10%, across the board. Associated Press: Coast Guard will cut Atlantic operations by 10 percent Royal Navy [...]

Taiwan Background – A new, classified Pentagon report states that Taiwan is more vulnerable to attack than had been generally thought. The main reason is the Taiwanese military’s isolation from the international community, which has led to them falling behind in the information-based revolution in military affairs. Washington Post: Pentagon Fault’s Taiwan’s Defense Capabilities

NOSI resumes publication, with an updated style. U.S. Marines – The 1,100 Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are participating in Operation Dynamic Response 2000 within Kosovo until mid-April. Also participating are 900 other troops from the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Argentina. The exercise falls on the 1 year anniversary of the NATO air [...]