July 23, 201214 yr UNITED KINGDOMA “plan” preferred by Lib Dem coalition partner reportedly would see nuclear warheads fired from existing ASTUTE submarines, eliminating the need to replace the VANGUARD class nuclear boats. Aside from treaties (sounds like SHUK has a good bead on that anyway), what do you all think of the idea of shift some conventional VLS tubes to the nuclear deterrent role? I would tend to think that maybe the Trident SLBM isn't everything 20-50 years down the road when a cruise missile or VLS tube sized ballistic missile can do the same job. Range may suffer but SLBM range is pretty crazy long these days. Just wondering
July 24, 201214 yr UNITED KINGDOMA “plan” preferred by Lib Dem coalition partner reportedly would see nuclear warheads fired from existing ASTUTE submarines, eliminating the need to replace the VANGUARD class nuclear boats. Aside from treaties (sounds like SHUK has a good bead on that anyway), what do you all think of the idea of shift some conventional VLS tubes to the nuclear deterrent role? On the whole, I would prefer that nuclear-warhead missiles remain ballistic rather than cruise. You do not want a situation where in conflict between two nuclear-armed states a conventionally armed cruise missile is mistaken for a nuclear one. (As, while it's a fictional scenario, imagine what would have happened had the Soviets mistaken the Tomahawk attack in Red Storm Rising for a nuclear launch on Moscow)
July 24, 201214 yr Author Happy Tuesday, everyone! Here's your NNSotD. Lots of interesting developments taking place. Summary to follow ... 18 July USA Aircraft carrier JOHN C. STENNIS is returning to home port Bremerton after completing COMPUTEX exercises off California. (rmks: Scheduled for early Middle East deployment in “late summer.” Something else that makes me go, Hmmmmm. I don't know about y'all but I remember basic math. (See yesterday's NNSotD) 1 + 1 = 2 Continuing to track this development) 22 July FRANCE Mission Jeanne d’Arc 2012: Training squadron with helicopter carrier DIXMUDE and destroyer GEORGES LEYGUES completes six-day interaction with Portuguese navy … incl. amphibious exercise at the Bay of Setubal (Portugal). … now heading home for Brest (25 Jul) RUSSIA Baltic Fleet STEREGUSHCHIY class corvette SOOBRAZITELNIY, landing ship ALEXANDER SHABALIN, missile corvettes GEJSER (NANUCHKA) and DIMITROVGRAD (TARANTUL-III) sail from Baltiysk for St. Petersburg / Kronshtadt … participate in parade on Navy Day, scheduled on 29 Jul on the Neva River with some 50-ships and boats to attend. 23 July AUSTRALIA (USA) COLLINS class submarine FARNCOMB has successfully sunk former US supply ship KILAUEA during a “sinkex” at Exercise RIMPAC 2012 off Hawaii … fired one Mk 48 torpedo … KILAUEA broke into two parts and sank about 40-minutes later. (rmks: Follow the Mk-48 Discussion, with video of the ex-USNS Concord, in the Current Events thread – good stuff). CANADA The RCN has begun its annual Great Lakes deployment … “home promotion tour” until 09 Oct … frigate VILLE DE QUEBEC sails from Halifax, later to be joined by MVDVs MONCTON and SUMMERSIDE. CHINA The “aviation force of the East China Sea Fleet of the PLAN” has built helicopter landing platforms for its seven units stationed on remote islands (in the South China Sea), in a bid to ensure that war materials and living supplies can be timely delivered “in exceptional circumstances”. (rmks: Once again the Chic-Coms are reacting with characteristic restraint) IRAN (related) Deputy IRGC naval commander, RAdm Alireza Tangsiri: “Common sense does not dictate that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz, as long as it makes use of it" (rmks: Man, even a blind man can see the veiled threat there) INDIA (RUSSIA) A MiG-29KUB two-seat naval fighter jet made the first touch-and-go landings … “last week” … on the Indian Navy aircraft carrier VIKRAMADITYA (former ADMIRAL GORSHKOV) … currently undergoing sea trials in the Barents Sea. (rmks: Whoa, the thing actually got underway! Well, their one-up on the Chi-Coms. The Indies are actually up to the point of conducting T&Gs) PIRACY Anti-Piracy Forces: Romanian frigate REGELE FERDINAND conducts training preparing for upcoming deployment with EU NavFor in support of operation “Atalanta”. (rmks: And the cockaroches (excuse me the pirates) are quaking with fear (not)) RUSSIA +++ Admiralty Shipyard has begun sea trials of new scientific and expedition vessel AKADEMIK TRESHNIKOV … built for the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) … spent 11-days in the Gulf of Finland near the island of Hogland. (rmks: The first trials were initially scheduled in April, then rescheduled toMay, then silence … it looks like they are now on again) +++ BUYAN class corvette (“small artillery ship”) VOLGODONSK formally introduced in the Caspian Sea Flotilla. (rmks: A Caspian Sea scenario might be a nice diversion sometime. Gives me something to think about) UKRAINE +++ Refurbished FOXTROT class submarine ZAPOROSHIYE completed another series of sea trials which included first diving. +++ Trilateral Ukraine-Russia-Belorussia exercise “Slavic Commonwealth 2012” started … conducted off Odessa (Ukraine) until 27 Jul … “peace keeping tasks in a joint battalion in a conflict zone” … include amphibious operations / airborne landings … Russian ALLIGATOR class landing ship SARATOV carried troops and vehicles from Novorossiysk to training area. USA Update fire on board submarine MIAMI (23 May): A civilian shipyard worker has been arrested and charged with arson … details of how the fire was started and other matters of evidence are not being released. UPCOMING / PLANNED EVENTS USA (28 Jul) Ingalls Shipbuilding on 28 Jul will christen SAN ANTONIO class dock landing ship LPD 25 SOMERSET. (rmks: Another add to the DB) SOUTH KOREA – USA (20 Aug) Bilateral exercise “Ulchi Freedom Guardian” scheduled from 20-31 Aug … traditionally largely computer-based … will involve many of the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in the South, as well as some 3,000 from abroad, but there will be no field training. (rmks: We wouldn't want to upset the Commies on the northern half of the penninsula)
July 25, 201214 yr Author Updates are graciously provided by Marine Forum, with additional information from Naval Today and the Naval Open-Source Intelligence Blog. The commentary is my own. Enjoy! A mild kind of Wednesday. Summary to follow ... IRAN (related) South Africa’s Energy Minister has stressed determination to continue crude oil imports from Iran, despite the sanctions against Tehran … disruption of oil imports from Iran would be too costly for South Africa. (rmks: Maybe the South Africans nuke scientist can help the Iranian nuke scientists gain an appreciation for classic heavy metal (see below and: http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?s...18462&hl=)) SYRIA A Syrian navy boat opened fire at Lebanese fishing boats sailing in front of Arida coast at the Syrian-Lebanese borders. No injuries were reported in the incident. 24 July IRAN (related) Iranian nuclear (research) facilities may have been hit by another computer worm. (rmks: Hey guys, like the tunes? – Hope the President remembers to pay the band their royalty check, for helping the cause of truth, justice and the Amercian way) NIGERIA To more effectively fight insurgence, piracy and illegal fishing, President Goodluck Jonathan has approved joint patrols of the territorial waters (incl. the waterways in the Niger Delta) by the Navy, Army, Customs and Police. (rmks: This has the makings of a good scenario – stay tuned for one of my upcoming BRICS installments). PIRACY (aka, the Comics Section) +++ Anti-Piracy Forces: German frigate SACHSEN sails from Wilhelmshaven to relieve frigate BREMEN in EU Navfor. +++ Anti-Piracy Forces: A fourth Estonian armed forces vessel protection team deploys on board German frigate SACHSEN to support EU NavFor in operation “Atalanta.” (rmks: Will be embarked on board UN World Food Program ships, so the UN ships will get protection and the other merch's get squat and have to fend for themselves). RUSSIA +++ Combined Northern/Baltic Fleet task force has entered the Mediterranean, passing the Strait of Gibraltar. Ships initially will proceed to an anchorage somewhere in the Alboran Sea for replenishing. (rmks: Previous Russian navy deployments saw visits to Spanish enclave of Ceuta) +++ New budget plan stipulates to increase defence spending by 25.8 percent in 2013 and another 18.2% in 2014. (rmks: Oil revenues and arms exports must have had a bumper-crop year) USA Africa Partnership Station 2012 (East): HSV-2 SWIFT has completed four-month APS East … currently in Naples (Italy) for crew change … then to sail for West Africa for new APS West mission. UPCOMING / PLANNED EVENTS RUSSIA (27 Jul) Zelenodolsk shipyard will start construction of 5th Project 21980 GRACHONOK class patrol boat on 27 Jul.
July 26, 201214 yr Author Updates are graciously provided by Marine Forum, with additional information from Naval Today and the Naval Open-Source Intelligence Blog. The commentary is my own. Enjoy! Some interesting tidbits today - the Russkies do a marketing test fire of the Club missile and an interesting twist for E Med scenarios. Summary to follow ... 24 July PIRACY Somalia: Security forces in Puntland semi-autonomous region conduct massive security operations in Galkayo … four days to combat crime and conduct anti-piracy operations. (rmks: No cockaroaches (excuse me pirates) were harmed in reporting this event – blast it all) RUSSIA In a live missile firing exercise in the Caspian Sea Frigate GEPARD tested new Kalibr-NK missile against coastal target … hit 10x10m building over distance of 180 km … “first Russian warship ship fitted with this new missile system” (rmks: Land-attack capable Club/SS-N-27 variant of the 3M14TE – This will likely serve as marketing for the system) USA Pacific Partnership 2012: US Hospital ship USNS MERCY and Japanese landing ship OOSUMI complete Vietnam phase of PP12 … departed Vinh … now headed to Sihanoukville, Cambodia, for the fourth and final mission port. 25 July AUSTRALIA Customs Vessel HERVEY BAY intercepts a boat carrying a suspected 80 asylum seekers off the West Australian coast. CYPRUS (RUSSIA) Cyprus has categorically denied rumors it might be prepared to provide the Russian navy with a base. (rmks: Man, that would add a different twist to things in the E. Med! – I can see lots of scenario potential in this, much to the chagrin of both Greece and Turkey) FRANCE Mission “Jeanne d’Arc 2012”: Training squadron with helicopter carrier FS DIXMUDE and destroyer FS GEORGES LEYGUES returns to Brest, ending a 5-month training cruise. IRAN Iran will “soon” launch the production line of high-precision missiles and armed seaplanes. (rmks: The IRGC must be getting a raise in the defense budget allocation) RUSSIA Signing contract for repair of fire-damaged DELTA-IV class submarine RFS YEKATERINBURG “indefinitely delayed” … submarine already at Zvezdochka shipyard (Severodvinsk). (rmks: Likely due to bureaucratic issues and the precise amount of the kick-backs) UNITED KINGDOM The fifth of six TYPE 45 destroyers, HMS DEFENDER; arrives at Portsmouth after her passage from the Clyde and is formally handed over to the Royal Navy … commissioning “in the latter half of the year”. (rmks: I see another HUCE update in the future) 26 July INDONESIA (AUSTRALIA) Indonesian search and rescue authorities are searching for an asylum-seeker vessel reported in distress off Madura Island, northwest of Bali.… headed for Australia with 70 – 80 people.
July 30, 201214 yr Author Updates are graciously provided by Marine Forum , with additional information from Naval Today and the Naval Open-Source Intelligence Blog. The commentary is my own. Enjoy! Big doings in River City, these past few days. It will be interesting to see if this update generates any conversations, here on the forum. Summary to follow ... 26 July USA The US Coast Guard took delivery of its 14th HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft from EADS North America … plans for a total of 36 such aircraft. USA Aircraft carrier ABRAHAM LINCOLN passes the Strait of Gibraltar, leaving the Mediterranean into the Atlantic Ocean, heading for Norfolk. (rmks: Hurry home guys and gals) 27 July CHINA Destroyer QINGDAO and frigate YANTAI pass the Suez Canal towards the Mediterranean … for regional port visits. (rmks: From the – And now for something completely different file – Former 11th Chinese anti-piracy task group, just ended operations in the Gulf of Aden; conduct a “goodwill tour” before heading home. No word yet on whereabouts of third ship in the 11th group, supply ship WEISHAN HU) EGYPT An Egyptian navy vessel has “asked” five Italian fishing vessels with 37 crew to proceed to the Egyptian port of Alexandria where they have been detained. The fishermen claimed they were intercepted in international waters. (rmks: Very unusual incident unless the fishermen made a “navigational error.” Likely the new MB government is beginning to feel its oats and is getting fiesty) FRANCE Eurocopter delivers one NH90 NFH naval helicopter to the Hyères naval air base. (rmks: As the Kilo is to submarines, the NH90 is fast becoming the new vanilla in the naval helicopter market. It will be interesting to see how Sikorsky reacts) IRAN (related) An Iranian news agency reports the country has begun to stockpile a three-month supply of foodstuffs for its population. (rmks: Me thinks trouble is afoot) RUSSIA +++ VAdm Chirkov: … talking to Cuba, Vietnam and the Seychelles about providing (permanent) berthing space for maintenance and supply of Russian navy ships … add. info: Vietnam will allow Russia to set up a ship maintenance base at Cam Ranh (Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang quoted). (rmks: This has distinct scenario possibilities). +++ VAdm Chirkov: … will resume work to complete LADA-class submarines SEVASTOPOL and KRONSHTADT. (rmks: Ya just knew these programs wouldn't be laid to rest – they have too many rubles invested in them already) +++ Zelenodolsk shipyard starts construction of 5th Project 21980 GRACHONOK class patrol boat. USA Huntington Ingalls has been contracted with building LPD 27 (yet unnamed) SAN ANTONIO class dock landing ship … at its Pascagoula (Mississippi) facility. 28 July CHINA Wuchang Shipbuilding in Wuhan has launched China’s largest and most advanced patrol vessel … HAIXUN-01 (5,418-tons, 128.6m long; operational range 10,000 nm) … first Chinese patrol vessel to simultaneously incorporate marine inspection and rescue functions … expected to be put into service by the end of this year. (rmks: Man, that's one heavy PV. Likely it is the prototype for a new class of large surface combatant. I'll have to root up a pic for the forum). RUSSIA (Med Deployment) +++ Northern Fleet / Baltic Fleet ships have completed replenishment operations in the Alboran Sea and resumed transit to the Central /South Eastern Mediterranean … spend Navy Day at sea … subsequently to rendezvous with former anti-piracy task group comprised of destroyer VIZEADMIRAL KULAKOV (Northern Fleet) and tanker IVAN BUBNOV and salvage tug MB-304 (Black Sea Fleet). +++ MoD statement suggests Baltic Fleet tanker LENA and salvage tug SLIVA SB-921 are on return transit to home port Baltiysk +++ Black Sea Fleet landing ships NIKOLAI FILCHENKOV and TSESAR KUNIKOV return to home port Sevastopol after “accomplishing their missions in the Mediterranean” … have rehearsed “interaction, communication, antiaircraft, antisubmarine and other operations” together with destroyer SMETLIVIY. (rmks: Personally, all this activity doesn't make much sense, other than churning-up wakes. It could be Syria related, the Russkie way of showing the flag to Assad) SYRIA (related) +++ Russia warned that it would “not cooperate” with European Union sanctions requiring EU governments to search vessels suspected of carrying weapons into Syria. (rmks: Say it ain't so! I am shocked our friends the Russkies would say such a thing) +++ Russian navy chief, VAdm Chirkov: … prepared to in case of emergency evacuate personnel and materiel from port of Tartus … if Russian facility there should come under attack. +++ In a move to bypass the UN Security Council – blocked by China and Russia – Saudi Arabia prepares draft resolution for the UN General Assembly, calling for “safe havens” to be established. USA +++ Ingalls christens SAN ANTONIO class dock landing ship LPD 25 SOMERSET. +++ Pacific Partnership 2012: Hospital ship MERCY arrives in Sihanoukville (Cambodia) to begin the final mission phase of PP12 29 July AUSTRALIA Two boats with a total of 66 asylum seekers intercepted over the weekend. Sri Lankan navy rescues 27 people whose boat had experienced engine failure just after departing the island for Australia. CHINA Destroyer QINGDAO and frigate YANTAI begin a port visit to Istanbul (Turkey) … afterwards reportedly to continue into the Black Sea for undisclosed destination(s). RUSSIA (Navy Day) +++ Over 15,000 servicemen, as well as more than 170 vessels and submarines took part in festive activities … with naval parades at Severomorsk, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, Novorossiysk and Vladivostok. +++ (First ever) joint Russian – Ukrainian naval parade in Sevastopol +++ (Future) Indian aircraft carrier VIKRAMADITYA participates in Severomorsk parade. 30 July RUSSIA President Vladimir Putin to attend keel-laying ceremony for fourth BOREJ class ballistic missile submarine, KNYAZ VLADIMIR, at Sevmash (Severodvinsk). UPCOMING / PLANNED EVENTS RUSSIA (Aug) The Northern Fleet plans large-scale drills in the Barents Sea in August … with aircraft carrier ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV (rmks: Also possibly the missile cruiser PETR VELIKIY), nuclear powered and diesel electric submarines, naval aviation and coastline forces to participate … drills will include missile launches and live artillery fire. (rmks: Probably won’t have to wait long for rumors that this is related to Syria. If they move to the Med, things along Syria could get very interesting)
July 30, 201214 yr The US Coast Guard took delivery of its 14th HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft from EADS North America … plans for a total of 36 such aircraft. CHINA Destroyer QINGDAO and frigate YANTAI begin a port visit to Istanbul (Turkey) … afterwards reportedly to continue into the Black Sea for undisclosed destination(s). The rare and well equipped HC-144A Ocean Sentry (in the DB without the now official name) is a variant of the EADS CASA CN-235: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EADS_CASA_HC-144_Ocean_Sentry Will the Chinese ships visit Bulgaria, Romania and Russia, or will be them bold to visit ... Georgia?
July 30, 201214 yr Author The EADS CASA CN-235 is a very good mid-range MPA platfrom. It can be equipped with a rather nice set of teeth, which could fit into the budget of any small naval air element or country air force. Concerning the Chi-Coms, they very well could hit all the BlackSeaFor major ports. Although Russia and Georgia have been on the outs, they are both members of that regional naval organization. I've toyed with a scenario series concerning the Black Sea. After the BRICS series, I may have to bring it back onto the front-burner, as part of The Pledge.
July 31, 201214 yr Author Updates are graciously provided by Marine Forum, with additional information from Naval Today and the Naval Open-Source Intelligence Blog. The commentary is my own. Enjoy! Interesting stuff happening in naval news. Summary to follow ... 16 July CHINA The first POMORNIK (ZUBR) class LCAC, built in the Ukraine for the Chinese navy, has begun mooring trials … in Feodosia. (rmks: Ah, don't you just love the relationship the Slavs and Russkies have with the Chi-Coms and I thought they were adversaries) 27 July BRAZIL Shipbuilder INACE delivers the first of four riverine hydrographic vessels (Aviso Hidroceanográfico Fluvial) to the Brazilian Navy. (rmks: The ship were likely built in the thriving yards of their Northeastern region) RUSSIA Zvezdochka officially returns DELTA-IV ballistic missile submarine NOVOMOSKOVSK to the Russian navy … had entered the shipyard in 2006/07 for comprehensive mid-life upgrade. (rmks: A sign of the condition of Russian naval infrastructure – it took nearly five-years for MLM (mid-life modernization)) 28 July USA Southern Seas 2012: Frigate UNDERWOOD in the Caribbean Sea, half way through her final deployment … on 27 Jul stocked up at Colon (Panama). 29 July UNITED KINGDOM Submarine TRIUMPH returns to home port Plymouth, ending a 10.5-month deployment. (rmks: Man, that's a loonnngggg deployment. Welcome home, guys) USA Africa Partnership Station (West) 2012: HSV-2 SWIFT departs Rota (Spain) after loading cargo and humanitarian supplies … now heading for Liberia for first APS West stop … six other West African nations to follow. 30 July AUSTRALIA Frigate MELBOURNE has left the Middle East Area of Operations after a six-month deployment as part of Operation “Slipper” … heads home to Sydney … frigate ANZAC has taken over. CHINA Aircraft carrier ex-VARYAG reportedly completed 25-days of sea trials and returned to port Dalian. (rmks: Still hasn't conducted a single T&G. The Indies are still in the lead) COLOMBIA Another 20-m semi-submersible, ready to be loaded with six tons of cocaine, seized by the Colombian military near the northern coast … fifth this year and the 76th to be seized since 1993. (rmks: Good job guys) GHANA Refurbished former German navy TYPE 143 fast patrol boats P-38 YAA ASANTHWA and P-39 NAA GBEWAA arrive at the Sekondi naval base, completing their transfer voyage. (rmks: Let's see if they can do some good, combatting the cockroache (excuse me, pirate) infestation) IRAN (related) US lawmakers agreed on a bill calling for a new round of sanctions on Iran, targeting energy, shipping and insurance sectors. (rmks: Don't you idiots in the beltway get it? The Mullahs are already crushing the people over there and they don't care about the common people. The sanctions are hurting the average Akmed on the street, not the Mullahs. Here's a sanction we should try – PGM ... precision guided munitions) PHILIPPINES +++ The Philippine navy has acquired up to four, domestically-built small (16.5m) fast attack craft … two more to follow in August … to be used for interdiction, patrolling, and for maritime and border security (rmks: read the Spratly's). +++ The Philippine coast guard may expect to get 12 new vessels from Japan in 2014 … no details yet but likely to be ten 40-m boats which will be considered development aid, and two larger ships that are to be viewed as grants. PIRACY Red Sea: A number of reports concerning suspicious activity have been received during the last week in the Southern Red Sea … suggesting pirates, with continued bad weather in open ocean areas, move to operate in less-exposed or coastal areas. (rmks: No pirates were injured reporting this news ... blast it all) RUSSIA +++ President Putin told a meeting in Severodvinsk the Russian Navy would receive 51 modern surface warships and 16 multi-purpose submarines (likely 8 YASEN, 8 KILO-III) plus eight BOREJ class ballistic missile submarines before 2020 … announces complex overhaul of national shipbuilding industry. (rmks: Even Czar Vlad is known to tip a few shots from time-to-time. This is likely the vodka version of the story) +++ Med-Deployment: Combined Northern Fleet/Baltic Fleet task force in the Central Mediterranean … conducting anti-submarine and air defence exercises and live artillery firing … heading east for rendezvous with VIZEADMIRAL KULAKOV task group … Baltic Fleet tanker LENA and salvage tug SLIVA SB-921 “in the North Atlantic” returning to home port Baltiysk. +++ Moscow-based conservative (rmks: Read the Russian version of conservative - in other words, a mouthpiece for the Czar) “Institute of Expert Assessments”: It is time to recognize Russia’s overwhelming presence in the Arctic and rename the Arctic Ocean the ‘Russian Ocean.’ (rmks: Wow, free advertisement for the BRICS scenarios. Thanks guys) SPAIN General Admiral Jaime Muñoz-Delgado sworn in as new navy chief (AJEMA) … replacing Admiral General Manuel Rebollo García UKRAINE President Yanukovych officially appoints VAdm Yuri Ilyin as commander of the Ukraine navy … had been acting commander after Adm Maksymov retired on short notice “for health reasons” a few weeks ago. USA Budget office analysis shows the most recent 30-year shipbuilding plan underestimates the cost of growing and maintaining the fleet by more than $3 billion annually over the next three decades … US Navy comment: “different views on inflation.” (rmks: And the soap opera continues) 31 July AUSTRALIA Patrol boat LAUNCESTON provided assistance to a asylum seeker vessel south-west of Indonesia's Sumba Island … more than 300 nautical miles from Ashmore Islands … rescuing 69 people. CHINA Frigate YANTAI arrives at Constanta (Romania) for a scheduled port visit until 04 Aug. (rmks: Looks like they are following a clockwise circuit of the Black Sea) INDIA India formally opens a key naval station, aptly named INS Baaz (Hawk), in the southern part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands … boasts the ability to keep an eagle eye on maritime choke-point Strait of Malacca. (rmks: Fodder for an upcoming BRICS scenario. Stay tuned)
July 31, 201214 yr (rmks: Don't you idiots in the beltway get it? The Mullahs are already crushing the people over there and they don't care about the common people. The sanctions are hurting the average Akmed on the street, not the Mullahs. Here's a sanction we should try – PGM ... precision guided munitions) That might have the effect of rallying the common people to the regime rather than anything else. Bombing attacks on their own can't force a revolution.
August 1, 201214 yr Author Updates are graciously provided by Marine Forum with additional information from Naval Today and the Naval Open-Source Intelligence Blog . The commentary is my own. Enjoy! Happy August first everyone! Amazing how fast the year is progressing. Summary to follow ... 30 July GREECE One of the two remaining POMORNIK class hovercraft damaged in a fire at Amfiali naval station. (rmks: Poor guys, can't win for loosing) 31 July CHINA (rmks: Busy day for the Chi-Coms) +++ China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA), Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) and the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) have contracted Helsinki-based Aker Arctic to design a new 120-m Polar Research Vessel. +++ Pictures of the first prototype of a possible carrier based AEW aircraft have emerged on the Chinese internet … JZY-01 looks to be based on the Y-7 aircraft. (rmks: Appears too big to operate from ex-VARYAG, although it could likely get aloft from the bow ramp. Probably is intended for the later indigenous aircraft carrier) +++ Destroyer QINGDAO arrives at Sevastopol (Ukraine) for an unofficial visit; frigate YANTAI at Constanta (Romania). (rmks: Still no info on whereabouts of supply ship WEISHAN HU. Likely it either lost the port of call draw this week or is steaming for Georgia) GERMANY Frigate KÖLN decommissioned during a ceremony at the Wilhelmshaven naval base. IRAN (related) Russia is taking legal action to block companies controlled by Iran from acquiring the strategic Astrakhan port on the Caspian Sea in violation of UN sanctions. SRI LANKA (AUSTRALIA) The Sri Lanka navy intercepts two trawler with 103 Australia-bound asylum seekers … just off the Sri Lanka coast … may face up to five years in prison “leaving the country through unauthorized ports“ which is an offence under Sri Lankan law. USA Center for International and Strategic Studies: The Navy should deploy more amphibious ships and submarines to the Asia-Pacific theater, and the Marine Corps should rethink its plan to move 4,700 Marines from Japan to Guam. (rmks: See the discussion thread here) 01 August AUSTRALIA A boat carrying about 28 asylum seekers intercepted near the Cocos Islands. Australian naval vessels are set to be given greater access to Indonesian waters as part of a collaborative response in dealing with asylum seeker boats in distress. UNITED KINGDOM TYPE 45 destroyer DARING returns to Portsmouth after completing her maiden operational deployment to the Middle East (rmks: Cruise began in January).
August 1, 201214 yr Here the mentionated JZY-01: http://china-defense.blogspot.com.es/2012/...t-platfrom.html
August 1, 201214 yr Author The Hawkeye similarities are striking! Wonder if it actually flies and works. We'll have to see.
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