Raw Intel

It has finally happened. We finally have news confirmation from Xinhua and also have pictures of J-15's first take/off and landing from Xinhua. The news of first landing came a couple of days ago, but this is the first time we have seen the photos. Here is a timeline of China's naval flanker program just to give you an idea: 2001, Assemble the T-10K-3 prototype that PLAN purchased from Ukraine. Use this for long term technical study. January 2007, AVIC1 and PLAN’s major program (J-15) research work started. July 2007, AVIC1 SAC had a large program tackling meeting January 2008, blueprint work finished, start prototype research & production stage August 31s…

This is HMAS Sydney (FFG 03) firing a SM2 on June 18th test off Hawaii. This weapon system appears to be perfectly capable today. The United States Navy still operates many frigates that could, yet cannot, use this weapon system. I believe we may have been right to retire the missile when we did, but we have also been lucky we have not needed it. USS Halyburton (FFG 40) and now USS Carr (FFG 52) have been operating in the Mediterranean Sea near Libya, and Libya may indeed one day find a way to shoot ASMs at ships offshore if this war continues much longer. If they do, having a functional SM2 sure would be handy for protecting the ship... Just saying. …

The Navy just released an interesting video of Raytheon's Griffin missile testing from USS Monsoon (PC-4) off VACAPES last month. Although relatively short-range (about 5km), Griffin brings some much-needed offensive firepower to the PCs. The $45k a pop Griffin has proliferated in the U.S. military in the past few years, with roll-on installations on Marine Corps C-130s and other aircraft. Monsoon's testing also represented a successful demonstration of laser designation and targeting at sea (albeit on a clear day). The dual quad-pack Griffin set up onboard Monsoon is very compact and lends itself to installation onboard even smaller vessels such as the MK VI. The …

An interesting discussion going on at AskReddit about the comparisons.... Let's say we go back in time with a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), since the numbers of members and equipment is listed for our convenience in this Wikipedia article , could we destroy all 30 of Augustus' legions? We'd be up against nearly 330,000 men since each legion was comprised of 11,000 men. These men are typically equipped with limb and torso armor made of metal, and for weaponry they carry swords, spears, bows and other stabbing implements. We'd also encounter siege weapons like catapults and crude incendiary weapons. We'd be made up of about 2000 members, of which abou…

What are the odds of this actually happening. Russian officials on Thursday said that the country will be completing the construction of a new class nuclear-powered destroyer by 2016. Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky told RIA Novosti that the prototype of the new class destroyer, which is designed to be used at sea, would be finished in around five years, adding that the warship had a 90 percent chance of being powered by nuclear energy. Vysotsky spoke at the 5th International Maritime Defense Show, IMDS-2011, in St. Petersburg, Russia, after Roman Trotsenko, President of United Shipbuilding Corporation, had previously stated that the company wa…

There are a few noteworthy submarine stories over the past week, but none are bigger than the launch of India's Advanced Technology Vessel INS Arihant. The 6,000 tonne Arihant was launched by India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a ceremony on the south-east coast. It was built entirely in India with Russian assistance and a second one is due to be constructed shortly. It will undergo trials over the next few years before being deployed and will be able to launch missiles at targets 700km (437 miles) away. Until now, only the US, Russia, France, Britain and China had the capability to build nuclear submarines. This beings India closer to becomin…

Nothing official yet - but from multiple sources including Norman Polmar, it looks like the push to chance the mission of USNI to make it an advocacy organization has been defeated. As a matter of fact, I will quote the good Dr. himself; All, The USNI Board of Directors has today decided unanimously to withdraw the proposal for a change in the Naval Institute's statement. [color= rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" > Yea!!! Does any more need to be said? On a variety of levels there are a lot of lessons for this battle and at some point a good POSTEX needs to be done - but for now, thanks to all who helped make this happen - and now lets enjoy…

Kyle Mizokami has a fine piece up at the Diplomat about the prospects for a Japanese amphibious fleet: Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief missions are typically supported by naval vessels. The March Tohoku emergency, as well as the January 2010 Haitian earthquake, saw multinational fleets sortieing to the assistance of island nations. In both instances, natural disasters disrupted local airports and port facilities, slowing the flow of relief into the disaster zone. The design of naval vessels, such as the USS Essex in Tohoku and the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour in Haiti, made them key to opening up affected areas. Self-sufficient in food and power, and desig…

Nice. No sketchy sound track. Just Sailors and their ships.Me? I like it because it reminds me of one of the best views in my Navy career - early AM when an UDALOY and a RAPUSHKA came out of the fog off Portugal en route to the STROG.This is the ADMIRAL CHABANENKO of Udaloy II class. The Russians do make attractive ships. View the full article

If you have an interest in the history of Russian shipbuilding, you'll find this page remarkably interesting. View the full article

This popped up today on Facebook. Good morning PSNS & IMF family, I would like to share with you a recent update from U.S. 7th Fleet. USS George Washington (CVN 73) got underway from Yokosuka last night to assure she can sustain a state of readiness in the long term for the defense of Japan. The forward deployed carrier remains in the local waters off Japan. Moving George Washington is a precaution given the capabilities of the vessel and the complex nature of this disaster. PSNS & IMF has more than 460 project personnel onboard George Washington, nine of whom are our Yokosuka Detachment workers. This team continues to perform work on her Selected…

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona and her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, attend a ceremony at the Pentagon, Feb. 10, 2012. Mabus announced the naming of the U.S. Navy's newest next variant littoral combat ship, USS Gabrielle Giffords, at the ceremony. Giffords was critically wounded in 2011 by a gunman in Tucson, Ariz. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley --------------------------------------------------------------------- While I'm glad that Congresswoman Giffords is doing better than expected, I'm not sure why the Navy would name a ship after her. She seems like a great l…

The transnational police agency Interpol has done tremendous work making sure that criminals cannot simply escape justice by moving out of one country's jurisdiction. But if the following is true, they may have become just another group afraid to cross the Islamists. Hamza Kashgari, a 23-year-old columnist, stands accused of blasphemy in his homeland of Saudi Arabia for tweets he posted on Islam’s prophet Mohammed that many of his countrymen find insulting to Islam. In his postings on the occasion of Mohammed’s birthday last week, Kashgari imagined a skeptical discussion with the founder of Islam. Many Saudis are enraged, demanding that he be arrested and pu…

Heard about the conversation about Naval History at the United States Naval Academy? The original post was very interesting. The follow up was very compelling. An outside observation by a civilian was very encouraging. But I think in the end what I appreciated most was seeing someone in Navy public affairs address the issue professionally and directly in a blog comment. Well done. This week I found myself reading about the value of naval wargaming as it was discussed over email and reading about the value of naval history as it was debated in the blogosphere; and both of these conversations served as a fresh reminder that my hobbies are neither as unique nor as tr…

Perhaps it is because I spent a lot of time as a JO playing around with the how, when, and to what degree we would nuke someone that nuclear weapons can sometimes be a cold subject. Especially at the tactical nuke level - it isn't the end of the world. Indeed, we trained to fight and win in a nuclear environment not that long ago. Along those lines, I think more people should get comfortable with Alex Wellerstein's NUKEMAP. From Davie Crocket to the Tsar Bomb - play dial-a-yield all you want. Want to know what a probably terrorist nuke of NYC would look like? Without pondering fallout .... build your own ... even your hometown if you wish. …

This chills my bones. 10:45AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with Secretary of State Clinton Oval Office Closed Press 12:30PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet for lunch Private Dining Room Closed Press Obama has shown repeatedly that you are onlyas useful to him as you are useful to him. Biden is not helping and is certainly hurting whim, just by being Crazy Uncle Joe. Romney just trumped him w/ the Prince of Veeps. O can one up him w/ the Queen of Veeps. A XX chromosome play will certainly change the dynamics and it is really all Obam…

Learn and adapt ... learn and adapt. Using attack helicopters from the sea appears to be in vogue, again. The concept appeared dormant, but gained new attention in Europe when the French and U.K. moved to deploy on ships the Tiger and Apache helicopters in support of military operations in Libya. Australia also has plans to deploy its Tiger ARHs from ships. Now Russia is joining the mix. The country's military is conducting trials to clear the Ka-52 for ship-borne operations, with the Northern Fleet using the Vice Adm. Kulakov for at-sea trials. When I saw that pick, my puzzl'r started tingl'n and I said, "Ah, ha! I've seen that…

As outlined first and foremost by B.G. Burkett's book, Stolen Valor - we all know that the fakes and poseurs out there are not just harmless braggarts. They are harmful frauds that smear those who actually served, and through their false statements, absorb funds and benefits from those who deserve them.The Supreme Court - being without benefit of having served - just doesn't get it. They killed the Stolen Valor Act and there is nothing more to be done.What we can do is continue to do what we have done for years and the internet makes possible. Find the poseurs and publicly shame them. Partner with local news organizations to get the word out. If we no longer have the law…

Hat tip Lee. View the full article

The Associated Press has confirmed when the Iranians will cross the Suez Canal. Suez Canal officials say two Iranian naval vessels are expected to start their passage through the strategic waterway early Tuesday. Canal officials say the ships are expected to pay a fee of $290,000 for the crossing. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren't authorized to speak publicly about the matter. If the ships make the passage, it would mark the first time in three decades that Iranian military ships have traveled the canal that links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. It seems pretty clear that from the Iranian point of view, this is a communic…