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Archive July 2000 - December 2000
Two good (and long) ways to end the year... Background - Amphibious Warfare- A rather long-winded essay on the state of the art in amphibious warfare. US Navy - ...and a four year old report that is still relavent - life aboard the nuclear ballistic missile submarine USS Florida.
Indian Navy - INS Sindhushastra, the first Indian submarine capable of firing Klub anti-shipping cruise missiles, has arrived in India.
South African Navy - The South African Navy's first tactical exercise in many years, performed with the German Navy, has taught it many valuable lessons. South African Navy - The South African Navy will acquire three Class 209 Type 1400 MOD submarines from Germany, to complement the purchase of four Meko A200 patrol corvettes..
French Navy - the French Navy has placed an order for 2 multipurpose amphibious warfare ships to replace the Orage and Ouragan. These ships will be similar to US Navy LHAs/LHDs. US Marines Through emerging concepts like Operational Maneuver from the Sea and Ship-to-Objective Maneuver, the US Marines are expanding their expeditionary reach.
Background: The World in 2015 - A summary of the CIA's Global Trends 2015 report, on what the world will look like in 15 years, and what threats the US will face. Indian Navy - While indigineous attempts to build a nuclear submarine are still a dream, India may attempt to again lease a nuclear submarine from Russia in order to perserve its nuclear know-how.
Chinese Navy - A well reasoned essay on why the Chinese can never successfully invade Taiwan.
Royal Navy - It will take 12 months to repair all of the Royal Navy's nuclear attack submarines which have cracks in their reactor piping. Royal Australian Navy - The US has threatened to downgrade military co-operation with Australia if European companies obtain an ownership stake in the Australian Submarine Corporation.
US Navy - The USS Harry S Truman canceled a port visit to Naples, Italy after a terrorist threat was made to the base.
Israeli Navy - Israel's 3 new submarines are at sea, on alert for a possible war with Syria. The submarines are rumored to be armed with nuclear tipped missiles.
US Coast Guard - US Coast Guard helicopters rescued thirty-four crew members from the cruise ship Seabreeze 1 off Virginia. There were no passengers onboard.
Royal Navy - The Royal Navy is being forced to mothball HMS Invincible because it does not have the funds to operate her.
Royal Australian Navy - Two Collins-class submarines reported for duty today, after being upgraded to limited operational capability. All 6 Collins-class submarines still need completely new combat systems.
US Navy - The Chagos islanders, who won the right to return to their homeland last month, will now sue the US for compensation for being illegally thrown off their island home. The US admits it cannot stop them from resettling on their home islands, but will not allow then to return to Diego Garcia itself.
US Marines - After another fatal crash of the MV-22 Osprey, the Marine Corps has grounded the aircraft again.
Nigerian Navy - The Nigerian Navy has been instructed to sink any vessels caught stealing oil from its oil export terminals. Sri Lankan Navy - The Sri Lankan Navy celebrated its 50th birthday by commissioning 3 vessels - an off-shore patrol vessel and 2 deep sea patrol ships.
Royal Navy - Security will be beefed up at Faslane for the Trident force stationed there; the Royal Marine Fleet Marine Protection Group will be moving into new headquarters there in the spring.
Canadian Navy - Enforcing its sovereignty over Arctic territory will be costly for the Canadian military.
Canadian Navy - As the size of its military force decreases, Canada is rapidly losing its ability to police its own sovereignty in the Arctic.
US Coast Guard - The US Coast Guard has activated a reserve port security team to go to the Persian Gulf and secure a port there so US Navy ships can dock and give their crews shore leave. Since the bombing of the USS Cole, US Navy ships in the Gulf have been at sea continuously, with the exception of replenishment ships.
US Navy - First person accounts of the attack on the USS Cole.
Canadian Navy - The destroyer HMCS Huron will laid up for an indefinite time, as there are not enough sailors to man her.
Columbian Navy - The story behind the submarine being built by Columbian drug lords with Russian submariners' help to smuggle drugs into the US.
Canadian Navy - The Halifax-class frigates will be updated to use the evolved Sea Sparrow missile.
Russian Marines - the head of the Russian Marines reflects on combat lessons learned recently in Checnya.
Russian Navy - The Norwegian Navy's timeline of the Kursk incident, and their lessons learned from it.
Norwegian Merchant Marine - Why the US and Russian navies have come to rely on Norwegian merchant shipping to help them out in difficult situations.
US Navy - A video documentary, with a large number of clips, depicting life aboard a ballistic missile submarine, the USS Wyoming.
US Navy - The USS Harry S. Truman carrier battle group and USS Nassau amphibious ready group have set sail from Norfolk for the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. They will be relieving the USS George Washington carrier battle group and the USS Saipan amphibious ready group.
US Navy - Port security at most US Navy ports is lax. Bahrain, headquarters of the 5th Fleet, is an exception to the rule.
Indian Navy - The second of three Krivak-class frigates built in Russia for India was launched yesterday.
French Navy - The aircraft carrier Charles de Galle will be out of action until the spring, due to what is believed to be a defect in the design or metal of its propellers. US Navy - The USS Hawes became the first US warship to transit the Suez Canal since the attack on the USS Cole. Russian Navy - The Russian Navy is using explosions set off near the Kursk to prevent other navies from getting too close to the sunken submarine.
Russian Navy - Russian-flagged cargo ships are spying on US and Canadian naval operations in the waters off Washington State and British Columbia.
Malaysian Navy - the Malaysian Navy has stepped up patrols by its Special Forces, or Paskal, to protect its islands on which holiday resorts are located from attack by pirates based in the Phillipines.
Royal Navy - Security is not what is should be in the Royal Navy as well as the US Navy, as some retired folks out for a drive penetrated the security of Faslane, where the Royal Navy's Trident nuclear deterrent is kept.
Royal Navy - a lack of combat ready pilots has grounded over one quarter of the Royal Navy's Sea Harriers.
French Navy - the French carrier Charles De Gaulle has achieved an initial operating capability. Unfortunately, while exercising in the Carribean, the ship has suffered propeller problems which forced it to return early to its base in Toulon for repairs. Meanwhile the Aeronavale faces new challenges as a new era of French naval aviation begins with the impending deployment of the Rafale.
South Korean Navy - North Korea claims that South Korean Navy ships are violating its territorial waters in a bid to reignite tensions between the 2 countries.
Sorry for the gap, but I've been hard at work on a number of other projects lately. I'll resume updates today, and catch up the last 10 days in the next day or so. Royal Navy - 42 Commando Royal Marines from the HMS Ocean amphibious ready group have arrived again off of Sierra Leone, and are carrying out "show of force" amphibious exercises. The British Army, meanwhile, is helping to plan a major offensive against the rebels.
US Navy - The inhabitants of the Chagos Islands, which includes Diego Garcia, were unlawfully evicted from their homes in the late 1960's, a High Court judge in London has ruled. The islanders are to be returned to their original homes immediately. It is unclear what is to become of the air and naval base on Diego Garcia itself... Royal Navy - Further information on the "generic defect" that is found in the nuclear reactors of all Royal Navy SSN's. US Navy - A further listing of operational readiness problems in the fleet due to budget shortfalls...
Sorry, no news today as I'm down with the flu. I should be back on-line by Saturday.
US Navy - Life aboard the ballistic missile submarine USS Rhode Island - how they train to avoid the fate of the Kursk.
US Navy - US Navy ships have been temporarily forbidden to transit the Suez Canal. This is putting a definite crimp on the ability to shift US forces between the Mediterranean and the Gulf. US Navy - Two interviews with Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig, in which he paints his vision of an Internet-enabled US Navy as well as the future of the US Navy.
US Navy - The USS Cole is on her way home.
US Navy - The USS Kitty Hawk battle group is exercising in Operation Foal Eagle, off Korea.
Royal Navy - The Royal Navy is sending a task force back to Sierra Leone, headed by HMS Ocean which is in the Mediterranean and has 42 Commando embarked. The UN has requested these troops, which will remain off shore as a rapid reaction force.
OK, this brings us up-to-date: US Navy - The US Navy has given up on saving the LST USS LaMoure County, and will have her towed to a port in Chile and scrapped.
I hope to perform a catch-up of naval news tomorrow. In the interim... Russian Navy - There were 23 survivors of the Kursk's explosion, according to a note found on the body of one of the sailors who has been recovered by divers.
I'm back from an excellent meeting in Germany. I hope to do a full update / catch-up on Thursday or Friday, but here are 2 stories to get us going again... U.S. Navy - How the USS Cole disaster should have been avoided...
This is the last NOSI update until Tuesday October 24. US Navy - Latest on the USS Cole
US Navy - More news on the apparent terrorist attack on the USS Cole. The Cole was on its way to the Gulf to join in enforcing the oil embargo preventing Iraq from exporting oil except under UN supervision.
US Navy - Breaking News - The USS Cole, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was attacked by an explosive laden zodiac boat while in harbor in Aden. There are at least 4 US Sailors dead and 20-30 injured. There is a large hole in the hull but the ship is not in danger of sinking. US Navy - the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Monterey has become the second "smart ship," with fewer problems so far than the first "smart ship."
A few minutes for a quick update, after all... US Navy - The US Navy chose EDS to install and operate the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). NMCI, once deployed, with give the Navy and Marine Corps a single world wide intranet, thus reducing barriers to collaboration, cooperation and integration between different units. The hope is that this will revolutionize the Navy's day-to-day operations.
Apologies for the lack of news the last few days. Unfortunately, I am a bit swamped this week, preparing for a presentation at a meeting in Germany next week, in addition to my normal work. NOSI may be updated this week, but look for the next regular update to be around Tuesday October 24th.
U.S. Navy - The US, Japanese, South Korean and Singapore navies have begun the first combined submarine rescue exercise in the Pacific, Exercise Pacific Reach 2000.
Editorial note - you have undoubtedly noticed by now that from time to time I insert Background articles into NOSI, to help us better understand the reasons why naval forces are deployed to and engaged in various operations. I don't especially seek such articles out, but when I come across good ones I add them into the daily mix. Background - US - The importance of the CINCs - a fascinating series of 3 articles showing the importance of the CINCs to US foreign policy today.
Malaysian Navy - Malaysia is sending Army and Navy units to guard its islands that contain tourist resorts against attacks from Phillipine Muslim guerillas.
Royal Navy - The Royal Navy task force off Yugoslavia, led by HMS Invincible, have assisted in rescuing survivors from the Greek ferry that sunk in the Aegean.
Background - Yugoslavia
Royal Australian Navy - The frigate HMAS Newcastle will stand by off the Solomon Islands to assist in peace talks, if needed.
There will not be a NOSI column on Sunday, we'll be back on Monday. Today is "Down Under Day" in tribute to the Olympics in Sydney... Royal Australian Navy - Aboard HMAS Waller, one of the Collins-class attack submarines. A frank description of the problems with the boat is provided.
U.S. Navy - In order to help make its case for a larger nuclear attack submarine fleet, the U.S. Navy is starting to be more open about its submarines and their operations and their value.
India Background - Why India is increasingly important to the U.S.
Indian Navy - India's Marine Commandos have many missions.
We are experiencing some technical problems and will be back tomorrow hopefully...
Phillipine Navy - Phillipine armed forces are engaged in a pitched battle with rebels on the island of Jolo, who are holding a number of hostages. The battle apparently is an attempt to rescue the hostages. The Phillipine Navy has set up a blockade of the island.
Russian Navy - in what is heralded as an important precedent for the Russian legal system, the Russian Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of an ex-navy officer who was jailed on espionage charges after exposing the perilous state of Russia's decaying nuclear fleet. U.S. Navy - the commander of naval air forces in the Pacific feels he has too many missions and too few resources to carry them out.
U.S. Navy - the USS La Moure County, an LST, ran aground today off Chile while conducting amphibious exercises. There was minor damage to the ship but no injuries to the crew.
Royal Navy - More details have emerged on the British assault in Sierra Leone. In addition to elements of the 1 Bn The Parachute Regiment and the SAS, elements of the Royal Marines Special Boat Squadron took part in the attack.
Royal Navy - In a daring dawn raid, members of the 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment and the SAS freed 6 British Army hostages being held by rebels in Sierra Leone. The Paras suffered casualties of 1 killed and several wounded. The Royal Navy ship Sir Percivale, in Freetown harbor, is being used as a casualty receiving ship.
Royal Navy - More problems with the propulsion system of Britain's Swiftsure-class nuclear attack submarines, leading to further readiness woes.
Russian Navy - The Russian military will be cut in size by one third by 2003, with the Russian Navy being reduced in size by 50,000 personnel. Russian Navy - A German journalist claims in an article in the Berliner Zeitung Daily that a guided missile from a Russian warship sank the Kursk. The Russian's deny the story.
NATO - a report from submarine rescue exercise Sorbet Royal 2000, off Turkey, aboard the Turkish submarine Hizirreis.
U.S. Marines - The U.S. Marines have cleared the MV-22 Osprey and AH-1W Cobra to resume flight operations. The CH-53E Super Stallions remain grounded. U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy has provided Russia with an intelligence assessment of what caused the loss of the Kursk. U.S. Navy - An recent report by the Navy Inspector General has concluded that funding shortages are impairing the combat performance of naval aviators.
U.S. Navy - Due to a lack of funds, the U.S. Navy is spending more time in port this fiscal year than it intended to - it simply does not have the funds available to send ships to sea.
NATO - NATO is about to begin Operation Sorbet Royal 2000, its largest ever submarine rescue exercise. The exercise is held every 3 years, and was scheduled for this time before last month's sinking of the Kursk.
U.S. Navy - The destroyer Nicholson and fast combat support ship Detroit collided during refueling. Damage to both ships is said to be minimal. There were some minor injuries to the Nicholson's crew.
Russian Navy - A clearer explanation of the current U.S. Navy hypothesis that an explosion of a torpedo during loading or launching is what caused the sinking of the Kursk. The Kursk's crew was felt to be well trained and it is unlikely that a seamanship error caused the loss.
U.S. Navy - One of the consequences of the Kursk's sinking may very well be decreased funding for the U.S. Navy, as one of its potential adversaries is shown to be a paper tiger.
Royal Navy - At the present time, 6 out of 7 of the Trafalgar-class nuclear attack submarines are not fit for operational service.
Yugoslavian Navy - Yugoslavian forces last week boarded in the Adriatic Sea and detained a U.S. cargo vessel carrying humanitarian food aid to Kosovo.
Russian Navy - Evidence has been uncovered that the cause of the explosions on the Kursk may have been a malfunction occuring during tests of a new version of the Squall torpedo.
U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy is playing down its work in helping to recover the wreckage of the Gulf Air crash, to avoid offending Arab sensibilities.
U.S. Navy - U.S. Navy helicopters are assisting in the search for survivors from yesterday's Gulf Air Airbus 320 crash off Bahrain. U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy claims that although it has been asked to double the number of intelligence missions its submarines have undertaken in the last 10 years, the number of submarines in service has been cut nearly in half in the same time.
Russian Navy - more on the Kursk.
Russian Navy - Norwegian divers are helping the Russians to more fully investigate the site around the Kursk. The Russians are interested in raising the submarine.
Russian Navy - Norwegian divers have successfully opened the outer and inner hatch of the Kursk, and found the compartment behind it totally flooded. There is now no hope of finding anyone alive on the Kursk. The British submersible LR5 will not be used.
Russian Navy - Norwegian divers have been unsuccessful in unscrewing Kursk's rescue hatch. There is a crack in the hatch and the British rescue submarine may be unable to dock with it. The Russians now believe the crew is dead.
Russian Navy - Russian rescue submersibles continue to attempt docking with the Kursk's rescue hatch, without success. The British rescue submersible LR5 should be on the scene today.
Russian Navy - A Russian rescue capsule reached the escape hatch on the Kursk, but was unable to latch on. The Royal Navy rescue team should reach the Kursk tomorrow.
Russian Navy - the Royal Navy rescue crew which is proceeding to the site of the Kursk report seeing a video of the sub on the ocean bottom which shows she suffered a high energy explosion from the bow to the conning tower. It appears less and less likely that there are survivors left. U.S. intelligence reports there has been no sign of life onboard since the explosion.
Russian Navy - Rescue attempts continue for the Kursk's crew. The Royal Navy may be involved in future rescue attempts. Please note that the below links are to the main stories on each site. There are related stories on each site as well, which can be gotten to from these main story pages. Finally, if you have not registered for the Times of London and the Daily Telegraph, I encourage you to do so. They are, I believe, amongst the finest papers available on the Internet.
Russian Navy - A rescue operation is underway to evacuate more than 100 sailors from the Oscar II class submarine on the bottom of the Barents Sea.
Russian Navy - A Russian Navy Oscar II class nuclear submarine is stranded at the bottom of the Barents Sea; the commander of the Russian Navy says rescue efforts are unlikely to succeed.
NOSI will resume a normal daily publication schedule on Tuesday. Chinese Navy - Two Chinese Navy ships will visit the Everett Naval Station next month, as part of an exchange with the U.S. Navy.
U.S. Navy - The Amphibious Ready Group comprising the U.S.S. Wasp, U.S.S Oak Hill and U.S.S. Trenton and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit have returned home after a 6 month deployment, during which they participated in Exercise Dynamic Mix 2000.
Indian Navy - INS Mysore, which is currently on an around-the-world cruise, will exercise with the French Navy off France and Africa later this month. This will be the second exercise this year between the Indian and French navies. Uruguayian Navy - The Uruguayan minesweeper Valiented collided with a Panamanian-flagged freighter and was cut in half and sunk.
Pakistan Navy - A recent Indian Navy intelligence report states that the Pakistan Navy is more of a threat to India than was previously thought.
Canadian Navy - The Canadian Navy boarded the ship GTS Katie in order to free its cargo of Canadian Army equipment, which was being held hostage as part of a contract dispute.
Canadian Navy - It appears the Canadian Navy will board the ship GTS Katie and return it to port with its cargo of Canadian Army supplies.
Canadian Navy - Two Canadian warships - HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Montreal - have drawn alongside a cargo vessel that is effectively holding hostage Canadian Army military equipment that is being returned from Kosovo to Canada.
Taiwanese Navy - the Taiwanese Navy will hold routine amphibious exercises this week near the Taiwan Strait U.S. Navy - The USS Chancellorsville, a guided missile cruiser, will make a port of call in Qindgao, China this week. Chinese vessels will reciprocate with ports of call in Hawaii and Seattle later this year.
Canadian Navy - The last Oberon-class submarine was decommissioned yesterday. They will be replaced by 4 Upholder-class submarines in the near future.
Warning - Updating of NOSI will most probably be irregular over the next 2 weeks. Pakistani Navy - The opening of the Pakistan Navy's new port at Ormara last month will affect the strategy and tactics of both the Indian and the Pakistan navies in a future war.
U.S. Navy - The former presidential yacht Sequoia has found a new home. I took a tour of her once, while she was on a goodwill cruise around the U.S. - she is a beautiful ship!
U.S. Navy - The U.S. military has again begun working closely with the Indonesian military for the first time since East Timor was devastated by Indonesian troops and militiamen last year. The U.S. is concerned that Indonesia could disintegrate under the weight of multiple religious and separatist conflicts.
U.S. Navy - A day in the life of VAW-124, an early warning squadron flying E-2C Hawkeyes, aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.
U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy is improving Sailors' quality of life by providing each with an e-mail account to stay in touch with home during deployments.
No NOSI on Monday, I'll be lecturing at the Surface Warfare Institute of Medicine's Officer Indoctrination Course in Portsmouth, Virginia. Taiwanese Navy - The Taiwanese Navy placed into commission the Anchorage-class amphibious landing ship U.S.S. Pensacola and 3 missile patrol boats. The landing ship, along with 2 Newport-class LSTs will form Taiwan's amphibious rapid response force.
Royal Navy - An attempt to sue the British government for the sinking of the Argentinian Navy cruiser General Belgrano during the Falklands War has failed.
Chinese Navy - Russia has finished work on the second Sovremenny class frigate it is building for China, and sea trials have begun. Delivery is expected by the end of the year. The ship is armed with the SS-N-22 anti ship cruise missile.
Indian Navy - the Indian Navy commissioned it's 10th Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindushastra. It is to be equipped with the Klub anti ship missile.
French Navy - The French Navy's stealth missile frigate, Aconit, is currently on an around-the-world cruise, with the majority of its time being spent in Southeast Asia. It is currently visiting Singapore.
Sorry for the lack of updates the last 2 days, but I am again out-of-commission with a bad case of the flu. Should be back in a day or so...
U.S. Navy - A collision at sea has occured, during underway replenishment, between the USS Denver and the USNS Yukon off Hawaii. Both ships were heavily damaged but no injuries were reported.
Background - Falklands - In a conference on the future of the Falkland Islands, Britian vowed to continue its military committment to the islands for as long as it is needed. There are felt to be large oil holdings off the islands.
Indonesia Navy - More on the Indonesian Navy capture of boats that were smuggling weapons to the riot-torn province of North Maluku.
Indonesia Navy - The Indonesian Navy has captured two boats that were smuggling weapons to the riot-torn province of North Maluku.
Indian Navy - The Indian Navy must maintain control over the 1,200 islands in its territory in the Indian Ocean to ensure these islands are not used by those who have no title to them.
U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy is lobbying hard for a 360 ship fleet to protect U.S. interests worldwide, up from the current count of 305 ships.
Ghanan and Nigerian Navies - Lessons learned in littoral warfare in Africa during operations other than war in Liberia.
U.S. Navy - U.S. Navy submariners claim their forces have been cut to dangerously low levels, given the wide spectrum of missions they are now called upon to execute. By next year the U.S. will be down to 50 SSN's, a 50% reduction from Cold War strength.
Background - Electromagnetic weapons - We are becoming increasingly vulnerable to electromagnetic weapons, which emit a blast of electromagnetic radiation which toasts the electronics of any device within its range. There are suggestions that such weapons have already been used surreptitiously in wars and in terrorist operations. These weapons can be easily made at home...
U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy announced that the first of 32 DD-21 class land attack destroyers would be named the Admiral Elmo M. Zumwalt, after the former Chief of Naval Operations.
Iranian Navy - The United States now has evidence that the governments of Iran and the United Arab Emirates are assisting Iraq in its illegal oil smuggling operations, at a nice profit to each. Meanwhile, Iran continues to maintain publically that it is helping to enforce the sanctions againts Iraq.
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