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NAVY NEWS WEEK 18-4

3 May 2017

Somali pirate gets life in prison for attack on US ship A Somali pirate has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in attacking a U.S. Navy ship Federal prosecutors said Wednesday that 31-year-old Mohamed Farah was among seven pirates who tried to commandeer the USS Ashland in 2010. The men had mistaken the Ashland for a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden. After the pirates opened fire, U.S. sailors destroyed their skiff and killed one pirate. The sailors rescued the surviving pirates. Farah and the remaining attackers were prosecuted in federal court in Norfolk and sentenced to various jail terms. Farah's attorney, Jason Dunn, told The Associated Press in an email that the sentence was excessive but unavoidable. The mandatory sentence for piracy has been life in prison since 1909. Before that, the mandatory punishment was death. Source : Foxnews

India’s Responsibility towards Somalia and The recent string of pirate attacks off Somalia signals resurgence of this menace to international shipping and trade. Even as the presence of in these waters helped mitigate some of the attacks, it is imperative for India to take lead and actively engage all the responsible stakeholders to direct international efforts in tackling the root causes of this threat to international maritime security. Over 700 attacks took place during the previous spell of pirate attacks off Somalia and Western Indian Ocean spanning 2008-2011 with about 750 persons held hostage in 2011, the peak year of piracy. The World Bank had estimated that the cost to global economy due to Somali piracy as $18 billion annually. Delays in shipping, ransoms to pirates, insurance premiums, changes in trade routes, installation of security measures onboard ships etc. contributed to this cost. The mobilisation of international of Europe, India etc. aided by United Nations resolutions helped mitigate this threat. However, observers have warned last year that piracy off Somalia would resurge owing to political instability in Somalia as well as the inadequacy of international community in addressing the root cause of this threat. Somalis are dependent on fishing for their livelihood. The civil war in the country had left no proper authority to safeguard the territorial seas and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) resulting in illegal fishing as well as dumping of hazardous waste material by foreign entities along Somalia‟s coast. The use of dragnets and other banned mechanisms to catch fish has also contributed to the decline of fisheries in Somalia‟s waters. Calling themselves as “saviors of the sea,” the Somali pirates started attacking these fishing trawlers stealing the produce as well as holding the crew for ransom as sort of a “tax.” The attacks got extended to commercial shipping vessels as well as luxury cruises eventually, with the fishing trawlers buying protection from local warlords. This ground situation seems to remain unchanged, which is re-fueling resentment amongst Somali population leading to the resurgence of pirate attacks. The naval forces were able to hot pursuit pirate ships even within the Somalian territorial waters, conduct special operations, trial and imprison the pirates in various countries. However, the desperate Somali youth unable to find meaningful jobs on land or the sea are compelled to resort to piracy again while the lack of proper enforcement authority to safeguard Somalia‟s territorial and EEZ waters is abetting the breeding conditions. Somalia had made several requests to the international community to help it combat piracy. In addition to contributions from individual countries, the United Nations Security Council has passed resolutions establishing United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia with a mandate to stabilise Somalia. Somalia‟s transitional federal governments as well as autonomous states – Somaliland and Puntland have entered into agreements with several firms and private organisations for thwarting piracy, but in vain. In this situation, it is incumbent upon India to engage all the responsible stakeholders, particularly different autonomous administrations in Somalia, to attain the twin objectives of combating ongoing piracy attempts as well as build partner capacity enabling Somalia safeguard its waters. This should be a specific interest based arrangement to negate any misperception in Somalia against India as influencing its domestic politics. India is undertaking various measures to combat traditional and non-traditional maritime security threats in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard routinely exercises with their counterparts in the Indian Ocean building partner capacity enhancing the security of sea lines of communication and safeguarding the EEZs. India should also consider building partner capacity of Somalia by re-organising, training and equipping its coast guard. New Delhi can deploy a long- term task force to the region for this purpose. The task force could meet its logistical requirements under the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the United States given the close proximity of Djibouti to the troubled region. The recent raids by Somali security forces freeing an Indian cargo ship as well as the crew taken hostage by the pirates shows the skill, seriousness and ambition on part of Somalia to combat piracy. This is a welcoming development for India to actively engage relevant agencies to safeguard the maritime global commons. The Indian Navy along with upgraded Somali coast guard could simultaneously thwart pirate attacks as well as illegal fishing trawlers and dumping of waste material in Somalia‟s waters. By apprehending such illegal ships and crews, India can establish trust with Somalia and work towards eradicating the social and economic conditions breeding piracy. India has growing interests in West Asia and Africa. The European and West Asian countries are mired with problems related to illegal migration, civil wars and power dynamics. Somalia requires a credible, assuring partner to combat piracy. These situations call upon India to make a practical assessment of its intentions and capabilities as a responsible power and take initiative in this situation. Source : defenceaviationpost It really was a pity that the functions of the task forces operating against piracy over the last few years, dids not include a function to patrol the fishing waters at the same time. This could have helped to create a more permanent solution to the piracy problem. Classicallly they were treatment the simptoms, not the cause.

The US Navy treats the surface coating on their ships important The US Navy has awarded the International Marine & Industrial Applicators and QED Systems a $260.1 million joint contract for coating work on US Navy vessel surfaces. The work includes a variety of applications, including multiple-coating, ultra- high solids, epoxy and solvent based. It is also crucial to anti-fouling surfaces and structural repair for aircraft carriers, , and assorted surface vessels. Initial funding of $2,000 dollars has been allocated for Fiscal 2017 to start the process, which is expected to be completed by May 2022.

Saab Receives Order from FMV for Next Generation Anti-Ship Press release 28 April 2017 Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) for production of next generation anti-ship missiles. The total order value amounts to SEK 500 million and deliveries will begin in the mid-2020s. In March 2017, Saab announced an order from FMV for development and production of the next generation anti-ship system. It will be delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces and will be integrated on both the new Gripen E fighters and the Visby class . This new order covers deliveries of additional missiles. “With these missiles the Swedish Armed Forces will have an outstanding capability to defeat any target, on both land and sea at long distances. The system also allows them to engage targets regardless of weather conditions and enemy countermeasures”, says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab business area Dynamics. The next generation anti-ship missile system combines proven capabilities from the RBS15 anti-ship missile family with new and enhanced capabilities. The RBS15 is a missile system that has been used by navies, coastal batteries and air forces for almost 30 years. The next generation missile system has an improved combat range, an upgraded missile seeker, and a lower mass compared to the earlier system. It also has an ability to combat a wide spectrum of naval and land-based targets, an all-weather capability and a new design enabling future growth potential. The RBS15 missile family is jointly produced by Saab and Diehl Defence. Source: http://saabgroup.com

RBS15 Mk3 surface-to-surface missile (SSM)

The power to act - the power to win

With high-speed, long-range and unrivalled flexibility, the RBS15 Mk3 can provide a tactical advantage. The RBS15 Mk3 is the most modern surface- to surface missile system available on the market. As a long-range system, it is excellent as a main anti-surface armament for any type of naval vessel. It is designed to operate in a diverse range of scenarios, from antiship engagement in blue waters and littorals to land attack missions. The system is contracted by leading navies in international competition and in production and under delivery to Sweden, Germany and . The missile is jointly produced and marketed by Saab, Sweden and Diehl BGT Defence, Germany. The RBS15 Mk3 allows for true fire-and forget operability in all weather conditions, thanks to its advanced prelaunch programmable active radar seeker. Mission planning is performed through the Missile Engagement Planning System (MEPS), which provides the operator with built-in decision support and advanced salvo firing management. In combination with high system readiness, the missile system facilitates rapid reaction response to any threat. The flexible trajectory, low radar and IR signature, advanced defence penetration and the ability to perform a series of evasive manoeuvres – including re-attack if necessary – gives the missile a very high hit probability. Main operational features  Long range – Extremely flexible trajectory with multiple 3D waypoints  Advanced target seeker with all weather capability  Unrivalled sea-skimming capability  Advanced ECCM  Large warhead Technical specifications Length 4.35 m Fuselage diameter 0.50 m Wingspan 1.40 m Weight (in flight) 630 kg Weight (w. boosters) 800 kg Seeker Active radar Speed 0.9 Mach (subsonic) Range >200 km Trajectory Multiple 3D waypoints Long range, high-impact weapon Outclassing its competitors with a range of more than 200 km, the RBS15 Mk3 offers greater stand off and defence penetration capabilities. Unbeatable defence penetration is achieved through the unique combination of an advanced active radar seeker with built in Electronic Counter Countermeasures (ECCM), low sea skimming, random manoeuvres and increased thrust in the terminal phase. Its long range combined with a large number of horizontal and vertical waypoints mean that the operator can make tactical use of its flexible trajectory as well as using the missile for over-the-horizon targeting. The missile‟s large and lethal 200 kg blast and fragmentation warhead is triggered by delayed impact or proximity fuse function, causing a devastating impact on any target, including large naval vessels. Proven and reliable The RBS15 family has been in operation since the early 1980s and the latest generation, the RBS15 utilizes the best of Swedish and German missile system technology. The system is now in service with several navies such as NATO members Germany and Poland and additional customer deliveries are in progress. The RBS15 Mk3 missile system is designed with sustainable and affordable ownership in mind. Saab will support the missile system throughout its 30 year service life and offers flexible maintenance solutions including in- country maintenance for customer countries. Source: http://saab.com Royal Oman Navy Vessel 'Shabab Oman II' sets off on Europe voyage Al Musannah: On the Royal Orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme of the Armed Forces, the Royal Oman Navy Vessel (RNOV) "Shabab Oman II" set off for Europe on its third international voyage. The vessel left Said Bin Sultan Naval Base on Sunday during a ceremony held under the patronage of Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs. After shaking hands with crew members, Sayyid Badr was briefed by the ship's commanding officers on the ship history, marine routes for its voyage, the national objectives behind the journey and the modern marine equipment and facilities that enable the ship to carry out its mission. During the six-month voyage to Europe, the vessel will take part in the tall ships races scheduled to be held in the , as well as several festivals and competitions. The "Shabab Oman II" voyages aim to extend bridges of friendship and peace between the Sultanate and various nations around the world by introducing the Omani authentic cultural, rich marine history and the prosperity being witnessed by the Sultanate under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces. Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib al-Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs highlighted the leading role played by the ship today as it revives the rich marine history made by the loyal Omani forefathers. Rear Abdullah bin Khamis al-Ra'eesi, Commander of the of Oman (RNO) said that "Shabab Oman II" vessel completes the message, which was initiated by the "Shabab Oman I" namely spreading love and peace from Oman to various countries of the world. It will also showcase the Oman's glorious marine history and its bright present. The farewell ceremony for the vessel was attended by ministers, of the Sultan Armed Forces (SAF), military and security departments, honourable members of the State Council, members at Majlis A'Shura, Governors of North and South Al Batinah, senior officers at SAF, military and security departments, walis and the Ambassador of the French Republic to the Sultanate. Source : Times of Oman

HOMER, Alaska (April 29, 2017) The guided-missile USS Hopper (DDG 70) prepares to moor in Homer, Alaska, for a scheduled port visit. Hopper is visiting Homer in conjunction with its participation in exercise Northern Edge 2017. The biennial training exercise conducted in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex and includes participation from units assigned to Alaskan Command, U.S. , U.S. 3rd Fleet, Marine Corps Forces Pacific, and U.S. Army Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joseph Montemarano/Released)

Raytheon awarded contract to activate first Zumwalt-class destroyer Raytheon has been awarded a contract to provide engineering services to the U.S. Navy's first Zumwalt-class ship, the USS Zumwalt . The $111.3 million contract is for engineering services aboard the USS Zumwalt, including activation services and testing of the ship's equipment. Included in the services will be activation and testing of the ship's systems, the Navy announced on Monday. U.S. April 25 (UPI) The work will include activation services and testing of the ship's equipment. The contract has options that could eventually expand the program to $490.2 million. The work will take place in districts across the country, including Portsmouth, R.I., Tewksbury, Mass., and San Diego, Calif. The program also includes smaller projects in several other states. Work is expected to be complete by April 2021. The contract includes $43.4 million in funds appropriated for Navy maintenance, with $2.1 million expiring at the end of the fiscal year. The contract was not competitive, as Raytheon was deemed the only responsible source for the project. The Zumwalt-class destroyer has stealth capabilities and is armed with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles. It also features an Advanced Gun System with a range of up to 72 miles. The first ship of the class, the USS Zumwalt, started construction in 2009 and was launched in Oct. 2013. It is still undergoing testing, and the Raytheon contract will play a large role in getting the ship operational. Two of the ships have been built -- the USS Zumwalt and the USS Michael Monsoor, with the latter expected to be commissioned in 2018 -- and one other still under construction. The original planned production of 32 has been scaled back due to cost overruns and the ship's nearly $4 billion price tag. Source: UPI

30 foreign warships to mark RSN's 50th birthday The Republic of Singapore Navy is celebrating it's 50th anniversary, and one key event is the commissioning of the first Littoral Mission Vessel, Independence. BY: Charmaine Ng Singapore will this month play host to the largest gathering of naval vessels, as part of celebrations for the navy's 50th anniversary. From May 7, led by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), about 30 warships from 20 countries will make their way to the Republic from the Malacca Strait and South Sea. Participating countries include China, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia. As part of the group sail, the warships will take part in the Western Pacific Naval Symposium Multilateral Sea Exercise, where Singapore will lead in exercising the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea. The code was signed in 2014 by 21 members of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, which includes China and eight Asean countries. It guides how military vessels should react to situations to reduce the risk of incidents at sea. After arriving in Singapore, the warships will take part in the International Maritime Review on May 15 - a show of strong ties forged in the RSN's 50-year history, said RSN50 organising committee deputy chairman Saw Shi Tat. "This is the first time that the Singapore navy is organising the International Maritime Review," Saw told reporters last Friday. "The scale... is testament to the friendships we have forged with friends and partners all over the world." With President Tony Tan Keng Yam as the reviewing officer, the event will comprise a parade, a land review of the warships in harbour, and a sea review of warships at the anchorage. During the review, Changi Naval Base will be officially named RSS Singapura - Changi Naval Base. More than 4,000 guests and participants will be present, including over 30 chiefs of navy and directors-general of coast guards. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will commission the navy's first Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) on Friday, which marks 50 years since the Singapore naval was first raised at Telok Ayer Basin on May 5, 1967. The vessel, named Independence, is the first of eight LMVs locally designed and built here. A time capsule of items marking the RSN's achievements since its silver jubilee in 1992 will be sealed, such as a poster of the ports-of-call during the RSN's first voyage around the world in 2000, and a replica of the Independence-class LMV. Events are lined up for the public, including storytelling sessions by men and women of the navy for children, and rope-tying workshops at selected Safra clubs during the June school holidays. In November, the public will get to tour navy ships, view equipment and weapons, and interact with navy personnel. "The navy's development over the past 50 years has closely mirrored the development of Singapore," said Col Saw. "And in its golden jubilee year, all can be proud of the navy's achievements and contributions that it has made to the defence of our country." Source: straitstimes

HOOD CANAL, Wash. (April 28, 2017) The Ohio-class ballistic-missile USS Alabama (SSBN 731) transits the Hood Canal as the boat returns to its homeport at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor following a routine strategic deterrent patrol. Alabama is 1 of 8 ballistic-missile submarines stationed at the base, providing the most survivable leg of the strategic deterrence triad for the United States. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amanda R. Gray/Released)

HSL looks to Navy for orders To make use of its surplus capacity After achieving remarkable turnaround and increasing the net profit, Hindustan Shipyard Limited, the country‟s premier shipbuilding yard is now in need of some orders on nomination basis from the Navy to make use of its surplus capacity. This has necessitated as the commencement of work on two Strategic Operating Vessels (mini submarines) and five Fleet Support Ships will take at least a year.At present, the order book is not enough to keep its workforce engaged throughout the year. Request made The request to this effect was made by Rear Admiral L.V. Sarat Babu, HSL Chairman and Managing Director, during the recent visit of Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chairman, Chief of Naval Staff, to the yard. The CMD apprised him of the large surplus capacity that was likely to remain idle for sometime till the launching of construction of Fleet Support Ships and Strategic Operating Vessels and requested him to consider nominating some of the shipbuilding and ship repair projects for the Navy in near future. Agreement signed Inter-Governmental Agreement signed between the governments of South Korea and India and designating HSL to have collaborative arrangement with one of the shipyards of Korea would be a big boon. In all likelihood, shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd would be nominated by South Korea for partnering with HSL to get its expertise in shipbuilding. Series of initiatives A series of initiatives to boost the morale of the workforce and improve productivity have helped the company to make a turnaround by earning a net profit of Rs. 19 crore in 2015-16 after a long gap. With renewed vigour, the management could increase it to Rs. 30 crore (provisional) during 2016-17. The value of production, which was Rs. 294 crore during 2014-15 went up substantially to Rs. 593 crore during 2015-16 and to over Rs. 625 crore (provisional) in 2016-17. This was the highest value of production since the inception of the shipyard 75 years ago. source : The Hindu

The Role of in Promoting Russian Presence and Deterrence in Peacetime October 20, 2016 Alex Clarke The following is a two-part series on the role cruisers played in the Soviet and . The first part examines historical inspiration for developing a -focused force, concepts of employment, and strategic rationale. Part II will focus on how cruisers shaped the environment through forward presence during the , and how the nature of presence may evolve into the future. Part 2 to follow.

The Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered Kirov-class cruiser. (Wikimedia Commons)

By Alexander Clarke “A Man-of-War is the best ambassador.” This is an often quoted phrase of Britain‟s 17th Century Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell;1 a phrase stated in an age when seapower had shown promise of potential,2 but not yet attained the capabilities, or achieved the feats, that would truly make it demonstratively so.3 This words were said before the ministry of William Pitt (the Younger, Prime Minister 1783-1801 & 1804-6),4 before the works of Alfred Thayer Mahan5 and Julian Stafford Corbett6 were published, and before the age of Empire and Gunboat Diplomacy.7 Yet still, in just eight simple words, it sums up the root construct of all this history and thought that have, does, and will continue to shape the world and relations between states to this day. It does this because it succinctly sums up a principle function, and duty, of warships in „peacetime.‟ A function, which is entirely entwined with navies‟ roles of maintaining maritime security8 – enabling freedom of trade, as well as access to the bounty of the sea, and presence,9 the protection of interests, reassurance of allies, and deterrence of potential aggressors. Maritime Security and Presence are big missions for navies, they are the roles of „peacetime’ which make „peace’ such a relative term for navies in comparison to armies.10 A situation accelerated by the fact that in „peacetime’ the rules of engagement become by necessity stricter, the constabulary duties (fishery protection, counter piracy, counter smuggling, etc.) get greater focus, and engagements with other nations, both friend or potential foe, become more nuanced and subjective. This though is nothing new, and despite the recent phraseological development of the „Oceanic Global Commons,‟11 patrolling the world‟s original super highway – the sea,12 has been the subject of discussion and debate probably since humans first set to sea. The best lesson that has been drawn from these discussions, is that there is always more to be learned. So with the discussion started, it is necessary to explain the question, why focus on the Soviet, and successor Russian navy? That is explained by the fact that while the Soviets and the have never achieved dominant status at sea, they have successfully managed to enhance their status, maximize their presence, and achieve a growing level of influence through leveraging the capability they had/have in ways that have limited other nations ability to interfere with their interests. This success has not been achieved by accident, instead it is a product of long running analysis;13 analysis which has diverged at a significant point from the traditional Anglo-American Western naval model14 – not through a different understanding of warfighting, but a different perspective on operations outside of warfighting. As students of history the Soviets had seen how a land power, Germany, had not really gained anything, but lost a lot strategically by building a fleet which was shaped directly to challenge the largest sea power prior to WWI15 – conversely the same nation had got far closer to success with a more asymmetric approach both in that war and WWII. The prime example of this is a weapon of , the submarine. Unfortunately, the experience of both WWI and WWII showed that submarines alone were not enough in war time; furthermore, it showed they are only really useful in wartime. In „peacetime‟ they are good for intelligence gathering, Special Forces operations, and practicing for war. Submarines are so limited in conducting presence operations because they are by their very nature stealth units, and the visibility required for presence goes against this fundamental attribute. Furthermore, due to the physical and technological sensitivity of their hull coats and sonic signatures, even port visits to the closest of allies are fraught with potential risks that are more sensibly avoided. The use of submarines in the presence mission, therefore usually comes at the point of it becoming focused towards „conventional‟ deterrence16 – rather than just overt presence. This is where surface combatants come in, and it explains the evolving Russian approach with a growing focus on designs which were far more general purpose than specialists despite their often stated role of Anti-Submarine Warfare.17 No area is this seen more clearly than in the consistent focus on cruisers, and the „cruising mission.‟18 Understanding the difference is something which will begin to matter more, not only because of the resurgent Russia, but the growth of other navies, for example China and India. These nations have not merely acquired equipment, they also draw heavily from the Russian (and by extension, Soviet) naval experience and practice in conceptualizing naval operations. How and why the Soviets used the Cruiser… The post-WWII Sverdlov class19 was where the Soviet navy started to bring their vision of cruiser capability to fruition. Pre- war plans had been very conventional and these post-war plans were heavily influenced by their understanding of WWII German naval surface raider operations.20 These operations had tied down large amounts of Royal Navy (RN) combatants, and had been very successful. For example the cruise of the „Pocket’ , the Admiral Graf Spee, whilst ending heroically (for both sides21) at the Battle of the River Plate,22 had sunk nine merchant ships, captured two ships, and „frightened‟ at least one other. Although these are the easily measurable effects, there is no real way of quantifying how many Captains changed or altered their course, how many loads were late or connections missed, all as a result of the fear of where the German raider was – or just as strong, the fear of where it might be. In any case, the effects were not limited to the merchant marine. According to the Soviet Historian L.M. Eremeev23 in his work Some Results of the Cruiser Operations of the German Fleet, the RN mobilized numerous forces to catch the Admiral Graf Spee, including Commodore Harwood‟s South Atlantic Squadron, seven cruisers, two aircraft carriers, a , and at least three (although considering the escorts required by the capital ships mobilized, he was likely underestimating this number by a long way). This demonstrated to the the potential of surface ships, if used in a „cruiser warfare‟ manner, to exert great impact upon operations disproportionate to the realistic capabilities of the vessel.

Figure 1.The Cruise of the Admiral Graf Spee, illustrating not only the number of its success but the range and breadth of them. (UK National Archives)24

Eremeev not only discusses these wartime achievements, but the political and national impacts of such ships being built. The Sverdlov class were (even in the post-WWII/early Cold War era), powerful looking ships, fitted with the very best radars the Soviets had available,25 and had an impressive array of weaponry (see Figure 2) for the period.26 They were also big – displacing 16,000 tons,27 which is roughly double that of a modern RN Type 45 Daring-class destroyer or the U.S. Navy‟s Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The Sverdlovs were ships which were just as useful for solo raiding missions and Task Group commands as they were for peacetime „impression presence‟ and diplomacy missions. What‟s more, the Sverdlov was a light cruiser design28 and there were even bigger ships planned.29 Maximum benefit was sought from every rouble of the naval budget30 by making the most of unit presence for peacetime missions and multiplication of assets to make any opponent‟s attempts to use the sea as complex as possible.31 Warfighting was about sea denial, raiding, and the tying down of enemy forces while simultaneously making their movement difficult.32 Peacetime was for building relationships, strengthening alliances, for stretching muscles, gaining experience, and hindering other actors such as Britain and the United States in their attempts to shape the world whilst simultaneously seeking to shape it themselves.33 The 1950s Sverdlovs were not though the only class of ship built by the Soviets that would fit into this mould. They were more the beginning of a story, which would continue into the 1970s with the Slava-class, Kara- class,34 and the behemoth 28,000 ton Kirov-class „.‟35

Figure 2: The Sverdlov class: this plan illustrates how heavily armed the ship class was with twelve 152mm in four triple mountings, twelve 105mm in six double mountings all combined with a heavy anti-aircraft armament, torpedoes, sophisticated sensors, a top speed of 33kts, and a range of 9000 nautical miles.37 (UK National Archives)38

Alongside these vessels were other cruiser designs, less capable in terms of combat and command, but still with comparable status, size and armament of cruisers;36 just as large a statement of intent and capability. This capability was different from western navies, as it was not built upon the warfighting prowess of aircraft carriers. The cruiser-centered force better suited the strategic vision and peacetime presence mission profile for the Soviet Union better than any other available option. The advantages were that cruisers are cheaper and easier to build and operate than aircraft carriers, can physically enter more ports to support diplomacy, and while being lesser in range of combat power than aircraft carriers were not necessarily lesser in combat capability within that more limited scope. This made them powerful tools for a nation which was seeking to flex its muscles around the world as a method of spreading its influence but not foment a naval arms race in the way that it was already in a strategic arms race.39 The Soviets realized that aircraft carriers, like Germany‟s pre-WWI ,40 would be seen as provocation and direct challenge. Cruisers were enough of challenge to be status worthy, but did not represent a direct confrontation of the carrier-centric NATO navies41 – therefore, would not be a direct attack on their confidence and thus a provocation. This is a policy though which did not stop with the end of the Cold War; in fact modern Russia has gone to great lengths to continue it.

Figure 3: The Kirov-class cruiser Ushakov that was formerly known as the Kirov alongside a Slava-class cruiser which had also been renamed from the Admiral Flota Lobov to the Marshal Ustinov. (CWO2 Tony Alleyne via Wikimedia Commons)42

They have done this by keeping as many of the Soviet-era ships in service as they are able to. Soviet cruisers are still the core of the Russian fleet and its capability to project influence worldwide.43 There has also been a resurgence in submarine production,44 and perhaps more interestingly, a focus on the procurement of new -sized combatants.45 Additionally, there has been a significant reconstituting of amphibious warfare capability.46 Based, as this policy is, in a fairly simple and straightforward analysis of international relations that there are:  Actors – nations which take charge and command events  Reactors – nations which flow with the tide of events, only reacting to what happens  Contractors – nations which get others to act on their behalf These are classifications which can, and do change from circumstance to circumstance. The Russians have clearly chosen to equip themselves to be „actors’ as often as possible. This is understandable as they do not have enough reliable, capable, allies to be „contractors‟ – and even if they did, possible „contractors‟ often do not have sufficient influence over the course of events to satisfy and sustain Russian interests. Being a „reactor‟ would mean that Russia would automatically cede any influence on the pace and circumstance of events. This is more than just theory and direction, it is a policy which has been illustrated by real world events in Georgia,47 Syria48 and Ukraine.49 Dr. Clarke graduated with a PhD in War Studies from KCL in 2014, the thesis of which focused upon the Royal Navy’s development of and design in the 1920s and 1930s. He was supervised during this by Professor Andrew Lambert. Alongside this he has published works on the 1950s with British Naval History, and has also published on current events with European Geostrategy and the Telegraph online as part of the KCL Big Question series. He has maintained an interest in digital history, and is organizing, hosting, and editing a series of Falklands War veterans interviews for the Center for International Maritime Security and Phoenix Think Tank. Recent research outputs include presenting a paper at the National Maritime Museum’s 2016 conference on the ASW capabilities of the RNAS in WWI, and will be presenting a paper on the design & performance of Tribal Class Destroyers in WWII at the forthcoming BCMH (of which he is a member) New Researchers Conference. 1. Tsouras (2005), p.396 2. Rodger, The Safeguard of the Sea; A Naval History of Britain, 660-1649 (2004), pp.263-71 3. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean (2004) 4. Ibid, pp.364-6 5. Mahan (1987) 6. J. S. Corbett (1911) 7. Cable, Gunboat Diplomacy 1919-1979, Political Applications of Limited Naval Force (1981), and Clarke, August 2013 Thoughts: Naval Diplomacy – from the Amerigo Vespucci to a Royal Yacht (2013) 8. Clarke, Protecting the Exclusive Economic Zones – Part I (2014), and Clarke, Protecting the Exclusive Ecconomic Zone – Part II (2014) 9. Clarke, October 2013 Thoughts (Extended Thoughts): Time to Think Globally (2013) 10. Air forces, as has been highlighted recently also experience issues – with other nations probing air space; but still they do not face potential problems on the scale or diversity that navies could experience, especially navies belonging to nations with far flung territories strewn around the globe. 11. Flournoy and Brimley (2009) 12. Hipple (2014) 13. TNA: ADM 223/714 (1959), and TNA: ADM 239/533 (1960) 14. (1980, p.230) goes into great detail as to the diference between the idea of dominance at sea adopted by Russian in comparison to England, and America which had inherited the English model. 15. Massie (2005) – a conclusion which is further supported by the experience of Japan in WWII, it had also chosen to build a scaled battlefleet, and whilst with its challenges this did make some sense – its lack of infrastructure to support a rapid expansion of its fleet to equivalent levels meant that although it suited the cultural/political perception of its national leaders, it was not necessarily as sensible as a less conventional fleet structure might have been (Stille, The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War 2014). 16. A. Clarke, August 2013 Thoughts: Sea Based Conventional Deterrence; more than just gunboat diplomacy! (2013) 17. Polmar (1991), and TNA: ADM 239/821 (1959), both highlight how often ships with very capable surface-to-surface and surface-to-air weaponry, for example the Kara Class (Polmar (1991), pp.155-7) are described as ASW Guided Missile Cruisers, yet both their SA-N-3 Anti-Aircraft missiles, and SS-N- 14 anti-submairne missiles, had significant anti-ship capability (especially the latter, which being torpedos at their terminal stage are arguably more dangerous than a pure missile system)…furthermore as the class was built, one of the class, , had it‟s air-defence upgraded to include the far better SA-N-6 (which also has an anti-ship capability), and all of the class were built with extenseive command and control facilities. 18. Clarke, Europe and the Future of Cruisers (2014) 19. Clarke, Sverdlov Class Cruisers, and the Royal Navy’s Response (2014) 20. TNA: ADM 223/714 (1959) 21. TNA: ADM 116/4109 (1940) 22. TNA: ADM 116/4109 (1940), TNA: ADM 116/4320 (1941), and TNA: ADM 116/4470 (1940) 23. TNA: ADM 223/714 (1959) 24. TNA – Admiralty: 116/4109 (1940) 25. A. Clarke, Sverdlov Class Cruisers, and the Royal Navy’s Response (2014) 26. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), pp.199 27. Ibid, pp.197-9 28. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), pp.197-9, and Polmar (1991), p.164 29. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), pp.194-7 30. Gorshkov (1980), p.248, and Dismukes & McConnell (1979), pp.88-114 31. Gorshkov (1980), pp.213-77, and Dismukes & McConnell (1979), pp.1-30 32. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), pp.215-6, G. S. Clarke (2007), and Gorshkov (1980), pp.213-22 33. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), pp.215-6, G. S. Clarke (2007), and Gorshkov (1980), pp.245-53 34. Polmar (1991), pp.155-7 35. Ibid, pp.148-51 36. For example the Slava, Kresta and Kynada classes (Polmar (1991), pp.152-4 & 158-63) 37. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), p.199, and TNA: ADM 239/533 (1960) 38. TNA – Admiralty: 239/533 (1960) 39. Rohwer & Monakov (2006), illustrates this in their work by highlight how many grandiose naval schemes were planned, and enver completed; when if the will had been present, and decision had been made, then the Soviets under Stalin could have allocated the resources to do it. 40. Massie (2005) 41. Clarke, Sverdlov Class Cruisers, and the Royal Navy’s Response (2014) 42. Wikimedia Commons (2015) 43. Janes (2006), or for those wanting quick verification of this then there is the Russian Navy Website (http://rusnavy.com/nowadays/strength/) or Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Russian_Navy_ships) for those preferring something slightly more straightforward. 44. Cavas (2015) 45. Pike (2015) 46. Keck (2015), and Defence Industry Daily Staff (2015) 47. Georgia: McGuinness (2013), and King (2008) 48. : Keck, Russia’s Aircraft Carrier to Visit Syrian Naval Base (2013), and Daily Mail Reporter (2011) 49. Ukraine: Harress (2015) Source: http://cimsec.org

Yacht donation boosts schools-based maritime education in South Africa (Cape Town, South Africa): Maritime education at Simon‟s Town School‟s Lawhill Maritime Centre has been given a boost with the donation of a 26 foot yacht to be used for practical sail and navigation training.The yacht is a donation from the international maritime mentoring programme, Marine Inspirations (www.marineinspirations.org) and yacht sponsor, the Caimari family in Spain. The yacht was named „Homero‟, in memory of the late Mr Homero Caimari, and christened by Mrs Anne Wade at an event held at False Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) on Wednesday, 26 April, 2017. 'Homero' will in future be moored at FBYC, which has generously provided a berth at no charge, at the yacht club in Simon‟s Town. Maintenance of the yacht will be undertaken by maritime students, under the watchful eye of yachting experts. The yacht, which was purchased second-hand, was refurbished by Simon‟s Town School‟s maritime students, while the refitting was arranged by well-known yachting expert, Mr David Abromovitz. The Marine Inspirations programme is the brainchild of two South African superyacht captains, Captains Phil Wade and Anthony Just. Three years ago Marine Inspirations partnered with Simon‟s Town School‟s Lawhill Maritime Centre and the S.A.T.S General Botha Old Boys' Association to provide young South Africans with the opportunity to travel to the Spanish island of Mallorca to participate in a programme which offers young people from financially-challenged backgrounds an opportunity to learn about, and experience, the international superyacht industry.For many programme participants, the Marine Inspirations experience is one of many „firsts‟ – from leaving the country and travelling abroad for the first time, to even their first visit to an airport, their first flights, and being the first members in their families to travel abroad.During their time in Spain, they are also mentored by experts in the yachting industry. Whenever possible, they even participate in superyacht regattas. While the Marine Inspirations programme is focused on providing students with practical navigation and sail-training, it is a personally enriching, life-affirming experience which boosts students‟ self-esteem and shows them that, no matter where they come from, they have the ability to achieve the life they want if they are prepared to work hard and make effort and sacrifices. They are given a brief but important „taste‟ of a possible future career in yachting and the maritime industry, which is very motivating, and dares them to dream big. Supporting the Marine Inspirations programme in Spain are also the South African based „maritime mentors‟ from the S.A.T.S General Botha Old Boys Association, which provides bursaries to deserving maritime students. The students who will participate in the 2017 Marine Inspirations programme will be announced shortly. For more information visit: www.marineinspirations.org . Follow 'Marine Inspirations' on Facebook and on Twitter @marineinspire

Saipem‟s 5th generation ultra deepwater drillship Saipem 10000 in the Zohr Field offshore Egypt, busy with drilling operations.Off her bow is the PMS Mayo busy with Survey operations. Photo: John de Wet ©

“Avontuur” moored in Bremen in the Europahafen April 26th, having brought a load of 20 tonnes Honduran coffee. She is one of the few vessels trying to revitalize merchant shipping under sail. Appropriately, the cargo has been discharged manually and put into storage using cargo-bikes. Photo: Lars Stemmler (c)