Naval and Defense News

[kevinkins]

Quick interesting read:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/sub- ... -1.4512960

The RCN is helping to keep an eye on NK. The ship in the periscope view is owned by a Danish company with a small presence in China based on their web site. They have a large fleet in Japan.

[Broncepulido]

Big troubles on USS Gerald Ford CVN?
Great article with interesting links:
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/18 ... le-debacle

[xavierv]

France to Launch Studies on Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier Replacement

Enfin! (At last!) France is set to launch studies on the replacement of the sole aircraft carrier of the French Navy (Marine Nationale). The Charles de Gaulle will be decommissioned by 2040, according to the 2019-2025 military planning law which will be presented tomorrow in the ministerial council.
...
"We reserve the possibility of having an aircraft carrier at the same time as the Charles de Gaulle or after" a source close to the Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly told AFP.
...
More recently, during the SNA 2018 tradeshow held in Washington D.C. in January, Navy Recognition learned that the French Navy has been briefed on E-2D Advanced Hawkeye by Northrop Grumman. We contacted a French Navy PAO who confirmed to us that procurement of E-2Ds is being considered as part of the 2019-2025 military planning law. The French Navy Naval Aviation currently deploys three E-2C Hawkeyes acquired in 1998, 1999 and 2004.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ement.html


Keel Laying of Future Turkish Navy LHD TCG Anadolu

Spanish shipyard Navantia announced today that the keel of the future Turkish Navy Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) has been laid at the Turkish shipyard of SEDEF (a member of TAIS Shipyards) in Tuzla, Istanbul. The vessel, which will be named TCG Anadolu, is based on Navantia's Juan Carlos I vessel already commissioned with the Spanish and Australian navies.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... adolu.html

[kevinkins]

As Warner Wolf used to say during the sports report - "lets go to the videotape":

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2018 ... rd%20Brief

Crisp video.

A report yesterday on the Russian military build-up in the Far East:

https://jamestown.org/program/russia-em ... -far-east/

Packs a lot of military detail is a short article.

[Dysta]

FOX says the WW3 has begin, what do you think?

https://mobile.twitter.com/LucasFoxNews ... 6848740352

[kevinkins]

Apparently not as more info comes in. Fox just reported that the US and Russia were in contact over the hot line for a week as the pro-Assad troops built up to take oil fields in the rebel held area (Deir el-Zour). Reports hint that an array of F22, F15, Apache, a C130 gunship, and even a HIMARS was put into action to break up the attack. This development today make the analysis below a bit more relevant:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/is-pu ... le/2646895

[Dysta]

I don't know what readership SCMP is trying to appese, but their journalism of Chinese military developments comes with lots of hypocritical mispresumptions than what China actually did. And more medias are quoting those alarming news already:

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02- ... themselves

-----------

ETIM was bombed by US airstrike in Afghanistan, which is pleased China, and other medias go silent about it:

https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/us-air- ... se-border/
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/nati ... d786f.html

[Dysta]

-1 to Israeli F-16:

https://mobile.twitter.com/CGTNOfficial ... 4913140737
https://mobile.twitter.com/yeh1a/status ... 6466764800

Triggered retaliation and IDF is now shelling Assad's and Iranian forces:

https://mobile.twitter.com/Mzahem_Alsal ... 1497619457

[xavierv]

French Navy Frigates Could Get Ballistic Missile Defence Capability

According to the 2019-2025 military planning law released today, France will study the integration of Aster 30 B1NT missiles aboard Air Defense Frigates, providing them with Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability.
...
The 2014 French military planning law has earmarked funds to launch the development of Aster Block 1 NT in cooperation with Italy. This new version of Aster will extend the antiballistic capability of the missile from a range of 600km up to 1,500km.
...
The Aster 30 Block 1 NT missile evolution consists in a new seeker operating in Ka band, replacing the current Ku band seeker, as well as a new improved weapon controller. This change delivers a significant performance enhancement.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.p ... ility.html

[thewood1]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 03956.html

I know its been mentioned, but my view on this is its a very typical escalation scenario...

Iranian-backed militia sends drone into Golan Heights accidentally on purpose. Israel knocks down the drone. Israeli airstrikes on drone operator. Syria fires on Israeli aircraft and hits one. Israel goes after air defense system involved in attack on aircraft. I am not sure what Syria or Iran can do from a conventional standpoint. I think Iran would be very reluctant to escalate to the point of having to spend a lot of money. They appear to be very sensitive to moving too fast in situations like this due to domestic issues.

I could see Israel now considering expanding its strikes to clear out Syrian air defense units away from the Israeli border. Hezbollah's response here will be interesting. Lets see if cooler heads prevail.

edit:
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2018 ... ish-state/

Official comments match my theory of escalation. SA-5 and SA-17 SAMs attacked the initial strike and shot down the F-16. The Israel retaliated and hit the SAM sites.

There is a scenario in there somewhere.

[kevinkins]

Two conflicting analyses of the North Korean parade re: available transporter-erector-launchers (TEL):

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/09/north-k ... force.html

https://www.38north.org/2018/02/jbermud ... 45ffba056c

I am no expert, but I tend to side with 38North.

[thewood1]

I was doing some research on VLS loadouts and this caught me eye. I couldn't find any mention of this in the thread.

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/exc ... stem-21425

This is probably more important than any new weapon system deployment that gets hyped up. Operational VLS replenishment has and its impact on the salvo and missile attrition battle can alter the naval strategy in the Pacific more than any individual weapon system.

Forgot this one also...

https://www.dsiac.org/resources/journal ... -launching

A little history on the strike down crane on early VLS ships in the USN.

And another link...

https://www.nap.edu/read/5868/chapter/4#14

Note table 2.1 and the pier-side reload times and the newer TRAM process being developed for VLS replenishment. Its 35 hours vs 8 hours. In heavy combat, that would mae a very big difference. It also has a direct impact on how many ships you need to win the long-term salvo battle.

[Dysta]

ORIGINAL: thewood1

I was doing some research on VLS loadouts and this caught me eye.

It was me, many thanks wood!

Not just US, Chinese 052C and particular 052D also have hard-installed reloading cranes. It still can't explain the feasibility to UNREP VLS missiles, but your research surely clear somethings up.

[thewood1]

If you read the links, you'll see that the US has always had the theoretical ability to replenish VLS at sea using the integrated crane on VLS 41. But in practice, it was slow, dangerous, and not extensible. So it was removed in most new build DDGs and CGs. The new focus is to either build a better at sea system or a hybrid system to have the pier-based replenishment system moved on to support ships that can be moved to in-theater anchorages.

I suspect the cranes in PLAN VLS ships are also more theoretical than practical.

[kevinkins]

Israeli F-16 downing update:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-f-16- ... -shrapnel/

"Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar, the Israeli Air Force’s second-in-command, said the Israeli planes faced a massive barrage of Syrian anti-aircraft fire, which reportedly included at least four different types of Russian-made air defense systems, specifically the SA-5, SA-17, SA-6 and SA-3."

[Dysta]

ORIGINAL: kevinkin

the Israeli planes faced a massive barrage of Syrian anti-aircraft fire

If that Iranian drone is the bait for the IAF F-16 group, then I think the Assad's side had done a tactical victory by combine it with SAM traps.

[thewood1]

While anything is possible, I am not sure Syrians/Hezbollah really wanted to provoke a big response like that. It can be assumed that Israel hit most of the SAM sites in retaliation. One F-16 in exchange for a lot of SAM sites isn't a very good trade, considering the effort needed to get them and emplace them in that area right now.

I do think they might be testing Israeli air defenses, and maybe prepared themselves for an Israeli strike. But I'm not sure they were hoping for a big response.

[Dysta]

There are some forums heating up the debate whether China should intervene the coup in Maldives or not. But recently one of the Chinese 052D is now decided to patrol around Indian Sea instead of positioning near Somali. Henri predicted this is a sign of intervention, if not a declaration of war. Could this be a scenario opportunity??

https://mobile.twitter.com/HenriKenhman ... 7090354178

[kevinkins]

JSTARS will be phased out it appears:

https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-ne ... ing%20News

The USAF will be going with a "system of systems" approach the details of which are not discussed.

In other news, the USMC "is slowly teasing out a new concept that could see a distributed network of floating barges housing Marines, Ospreys and other defense weapon systems as the force prepares for war with more sophisticated adversaries." The idea is to lower its signature to incoming missiles. Supplied by a sea base outside missile range, the barges are an interesting idea.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/y ... rd%20Brief

[Dysta]

ORIGINAL: kevinkin
The idea is to lower its signature to incoming missiles. Supplied by a sea base outside missile range, the barges are an interesting idea.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/y ... rd%20Brief

In other word, they want to navalize the Riverine artillery barges:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverine_artillery