NAVY NEWS WEEK 9-1

25 February 2018

Navy’s flagship HMS Ocean sold to Brazil for £84 million 17th February

Navy’s flagship HMS Ocean sold to Brazil for £84 million

The Ministry of Defence is selling the Royal Navy’s flagship vessel HMS Ocean to help plug a mammoth financial black hole. The £84 million sale to the Brazilian navy is due to go ahead next month and Ocean will sail to South America in the summer. Pressed on the amount of money that would be reinvested from the sale, an MoD spokesman confirmed it expected to yield a £55 million net profit, all of which would be pumped back into naval coffers. In its report published last month, the National Audit Office said that despite building in a £6 billion contingency, there was an “affordability gap” of at least £4.9 billion in the MoD’s equipment programme. However if all the risks of cost growth associated with the programme were to materialise the shortfall would rise to £20.8 billion, it said. HMS Ocean returned to Devonport in Plymouth in December following its final foreign deployment, which included assisting with the humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean following Hurricane Irma. Announcing the sale of HMS Ocean, Clive Walker, head of the Defence Equipment Sales Authority which managed the deal, said: “We have a proven track record of supplying surplus defence equipment on a government-to-government basis. “The successful sale of HMS Ocean to the Brazilian navy will provide a financial return to the UK which will now be reinvested in defence.” Modifications to HMS Ocean will be made by UK companies Babcock and BAE Systems, funded by Brazil, ahead of its transfer, the MoD said. It is understood the vessel will become a fully operational member of the fleet, rather than being used for display purposes. HMS Queen Elizabeth will eventually take on the role as the nation’s new flagship, and will be able to act as a helicopter carrier once its sea trials have been completed. The MoD spokesman said HMS Ocean’s helicopter-carrying capability would not be lost, with the likes of HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion able to take over those duties. Johnny Mercer, the Tory MP for Plymouth Moor View and a former Army officer and Afghanistan veteran, said HMS Ocean’s sale marked ” a sad day”. Writing on Twitter, he said: “I served on HMS Ocean. Sad day to see her go today, but determined our amphibious capabilities as a nation will only modernise and grow, and remain centred on #Plymouth. Looking forward to the Modernising Defence review later this year.” The amphibious warfare craft was host to Theresa May’s first visit on board a Royal Navy ship in December 2016, and five years earlier members of its aviation crew became unlikely internet sensations after their rendition of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You went viral. Source: http://www.heraldscotland.com

Canada and Poland join six NATO Allies in developing next-generation maritime multi mission aircraft 15 Feb. 2018 - Last updated: 20 Feb. 2018 09:12 On Thursday (15 February 2018), Canada and Poland joined a multinational effort for developing follow-on solutions for aging maritime anti-submarine and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. At a signing ceremony at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Defence Ministers from France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey welcomed Canada and Poland to the multinational effort on “Cooperation on Multinational Maritime Multi Mission Aircraft Capabilities.” “This joint effort recognises the fact that the majority of Allies’ maritime patrol aircraft fleets will be reaching the end of their operational lives between 2025 and 2035“ said NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller during the signing ceremony. She further encouraged the participants to “push on to the implementation phase. The goal here isn’t just a drawing board design – we need a new generation of aircraft, in the air, fulfilling what is an increasingly important mission”. The initiative offers participants the opportunity to adopt common solutions in this critical capability area. This will deliver better value for money, as well as operational benefits. Since 2017, the six Allies have started to define a common requirements document for future capabilities in this area, which should be completed in 2018. This work will provide a foundation for developing and fielding follow-on solutions. Source: https://www.nato.int

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Feb. 12, 2018) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departs Naval Station Rota, Spain. Carney, forward- deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its fourth patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners, and U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Turner/Released) It’s nice to seeUS Navy ships show their battle honours.

Philippines seethes over Chinese build-up in South China Sea President Rodrigo Duterte has tried to thaw ties with Beijing, but public pressure is growing to take a tougher stance to defend the nation’s maritime claims, writes Richard Heydarian By : Richard Heydarian Under Singapore’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Beijing is rapidly deepening military-to- military relations with its smaller neighbours. During the Asean Defence Ministers Meetings Plus earlier this month, China and Southeast Asian countries agreed on a series of new initiatives to solidify their burgeoning ties. Later this year, the two sides are set to hold their first-ever joint naval drills, signalling warming ties as well as China’s emergence as the new pre- eminent force in the region. They also reiterated the importance of operating various confidence building measures such as the proposed code for unplanned encounters in both air and sea. This way, all sides hope to avoid accidental clashes and other forms of misunderstanding in maritime flashpoints such as the South China Sea China’s defence minister, Chang Wanquan, who represented the Chinese side during the meeting, reaffirmed his country’s “deep friendship” with Asean. He spent five days in Singapore where he also met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for a series of meetings aimed at ensuring ties are on an even keel. China and Singapore have been at odds in recent years over the latter’s warming relations with the United States and Taiwan, which Beijing treats as a renegade Chinese province. Singapore has also strained relations with China by emphasising compliance with international law, including the Philippines’ landmark arbitration award at The Hague contesting China’s claims in the South China Sea. Yet, relations have swiftly recovered in recent months. Singapore holds a particularly important role in Beijing’s ties with its southern neighbours since the city state is currently both the rotational chairman of Asean as well as country coordinator for Asean-China relations. Singaporean defence minister, Ng Eng Hen, who co-chaired the defence ministers meeting with China, called his Chinese counterpart a very good and solid friend of Asean, emphasising how the Chinese defence chief has “done a lot personally to try to move our bilateral defence relationship between China and Asean forward”. Yet, regional maritime disputes continue to be a source of tensions between China and some its regional neighbours, particularly Vietnam. During the Asean foreign ministers meeting, which was held during the same week in Singapore, regional diplomats did raise concerns over South China Sea disputes. According to Singapore’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, who chaired the meeting, Asean took “note of the concerns expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations and activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region”. China, Philippines talks silent on militarisation of South China Sea In particular, regional states have been worried about China’s alleged militarisation of its reclaimed land features in the South China Sea. According to various reports, Beijing has reclaimed as much as 290,000 square meters across the disputed Spratly chain of islands and beyond last year, including features claimed by Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines. China’s expanding strategic footprint in the area has presented new challenges to burgeoning ties with countries such as the Philippines, which has sought warmer ties with the Asian powerhouse under President Rodrigo Duterte. In response to growing public pressure to take a tougher stance on Chinese maritime assertiveness, the Filipino president imposed new restrictions on maritime scientific research by Chinese and other foreign entities in the Benham Rise, which lies in the Western Pacific and is part of the Philippines’ extended continental shelf. China has been seeking permits for scientific research in the strategically located area, which is rich in seabed mineral resources as well as fisheries. Yet, elements within the Philippine government and civil society have heavily opposed granting China access in the area. The Philippines Defence Minister, Delfin Lorenzana, who has raised concerns over China’s intentions in the Benham Rise, has also confirmed to me that his government will push ahead with upgrading its civilian and military facilities on Thitu Island. The move is likely to provoke vigorous criticism, and possibly even armed countermeasures by China, which also claims the Philippine-occupied feature – the second largest in the disputed Spratly chain of islands. There are also calls, especially from China hawks, for the Philippines to strengthen maritime security cooperation with the US, Japan, Australia, and India, which seek to constrain Beijing’s maritime ambitions. Duterte seems committed to strong ties with China, but the Philippines’ defence establishment is toughening the country’s position in both its eastern (Benham Rise) and western (South China Sea) flanks. Nevertheless, China will maintain the strategic high ground in the area, partly thanks to its vast military superiority as well as its diplomatic acumen. Asean is expected to emphasise dialogue rather than confrontation. As the Singaporean foreign minister put it, the “situation in the South China Sea is calmer now” and there is “a shared good faith and goodwill on both sides to try to … make a significant advance this year”. Eager to land in the good graces of Beijing, which has offered large-scale economic incentives to friendly nations, Southeast Asian countries seem to view diplomacy rather than strategic resistance as the best way to deal with the new regional superpower. Source : South China Morning Post Another miscalculation by a politician, thinking that China would play nice.

USS Bremerton Visits Singapore during Indo-Pacific Deployment

The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Bremerton (SSN 698) arrived in Singapore for a visit as part of its deployment to the Indo- Pacific region, Feb. 14. With a crew of approximately 140, Bremerton will conduct a multitude of missions and maintain proficiency of the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet. For some of the crew, this is their first time visiting Singapore. USS Bremerton, commissioned on March 28th, 1981, is named after the city of Bremerton, Washington. It is the tenth ship of the Los Angeles-class attack submarines. The vessel is 362-feet long, displaces 6,900 tons and can be armed with sophisticated Mark-48 torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles. source: US Navy

Port Towage Amsterdam tug Triton collected the Dutch Navy Ship Zr.Ms Rotterdam L800 from the Den Helder naval base and delivered the vessel safely at Damen Shiprepair in Amsterdam for drydocking and maintenance period , at the Noordzee kanaal the the tug Mercurius assisted the transport. © Note that the Zr.Ms Rotterdam, is missing a lot of electronics like radar, boats etc. Photo top : Cor van Niekerken © below : Joop Marechal

Lockheed Martin Receives Freedom-variant FFG(X) Conceptual Design Contract The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a $15 million contract to mature its Freedom-variant Frigate design as a part of the Navy's FFG(X) competition. Lockheed Martin submitted its Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) parent design in response to the U.S. Navy's FFG(X) conceptual design solicitation with Fincantieri Marinette Marine as its shipbuilder and Gibbs & Cox as its naval architect. Lockheed Martin received a $15 million conceptual design contract from the U.S. Navy on Feb. 16 to mature its Frigate design. Built to U.S. Navy shipbuilding standards, Lockheed Martin’s Frigate offering was designed from the keel up to be adaptable, scalable and responsive to the fleet’s needs. It remains the best platform to grow the fleet quickly and affordably Lockheed Martin received a $15 million conceptual design contract from the U.S. Navy on Feb. 16 to mature its Frigate design. Built to U.S. Navy shipbuilding standards, Lockheed Martin’s Frigate offering was designed from the keel up to be adaptable, scalable and responsive to the fleet’s needs. It remains the best platform to grow the fleet quickly and affordably. "We are proud of our 15-year partnership with the U.S. Navy on the Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship and look forward to extending it to FFG(X)," said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president of small combatants and ship systems. "Built to U.S. Navy shipbuilding standards, our frigate design offers an affordable, low-risk answer to meeting the Navy's goals of a larger and more capable fleet." The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date. There are eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production. Demonstrating the Freedom-variant LCS design flexibility and ability to integrate increased capabilities, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces selected an LCS derivative, the Multi-Mission Surface Combatant, to fulfill its small combatant requirement. This is the first sale in over three decades of a U.S.-built surface combatant to a foreign partner nation. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/frigate Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Founded in 1942, Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) is located on the Menominee River flowage into Green Bay. The largest shipyard in the Midwest, FMM has delivered more than 1,300 vessels to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and commercial customers, including the technologically advanced Littoral Combat Ship Freedom variant for the U.S. Navy. In 2008, FMM along with several sister shipyards also based in the Great Lakes region, became part of Fincantieri, one of the world's largest shipbuilding groups and number one by diversification and innovation, with more than 19,400 employees, of whom more than 8,200 in Italy, 20 shipyards in 4 continents. Fincantieri operates in the United States through its subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group, serving both civilian and government customers. Over the past five years, Fincantieri invested more than $100 million in both capital infrastructure and its resources to support FMM's transformation into what is now one of the best shipyards in the United States. Employing approximately 1,500 employees, today FMM is a state-of-the-art, full service new construction shipyard. Gibbs & Cox, the nation's leading independent maritime solutions firm specializing in naval architecture, marine engineering and design, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The company, founded in 1929, has provided designs for nearly 80 percent of the current U.S. Navy surface combatant fleet; approaching 7,000 naval and commercial ships have been built to Gibbs & Cox designs. SOURCE Lockheed Martin It is to be expected that the US Navy will go for a US design. All US warships have always been built in the US.

Gibraltar wins with Brexit: London to make the Rock a strategic military base GIBRALTAR is set to become one of Britain’s key strategic military bases with plans in he pipeline to finance work to extend the territory’s port so it can accommodate the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers, military sources have claimed. By SIMON OSBORNE

HMS Queen Elizabeth leaves Gibraltar after first overseas visit photo : Francis Ferro (c) Last week’s visit of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was seen as a political and symbolic victory in Gibraltar ahead of Brexit which was largely opposed by Gibraltarians. And once Britain has left the European Union the outpost at the tip of southern Spain will become a vital Mediterranean foothold for the UK’s armed forces. Plans to improve Gibraltar's naval base and to make the Rock a strategic point for the Royal Navy have been under discussion for years, according to military sources. But what is clear is that London wants to continue counting on the Rock as a strategic base for the Royal Navy And the Gibraltarian press has been reporting on MoD plans to expand the maritime facilities so a new generation of carriers can be comfortably accommodated. A Gibraltarian diplomat said: “It is not yet clear what the status of Gibraltar will be once the Brexit process is completed and the United Kingdom is definitively separated from the European Union. “But what is clear is that London wants to continue counting on the Rock as a strategic base for the Royal Navy.” As she sailed into port under close security escort from HMS Sommerset and two Royal Navy patrol boats stationed in Gibraltar, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the visit highlighted the Rock’s strategic role for UK military operations. He said: “As the Rock casts its shadow over the flight deck of our world-class aircraft carrier, Gibraltar rightfully marks HMS Queen Elizabeth first overseas stop as she refuels and takes on supplies before continuing her sea trials. “I’m sure our friends in Gibraltar will be proud to see our future flagship sail through British waters into their famous port.” English is the official language of Gibraltar but many people also speak Spanish and the local language, which is called Llanito It can sometimes take up to 8 hours to get through immigration control. Gibraltar has different customs rules so the Spanish authorities want to check people aren’t smuggling goods into their country Although about 78% of the population in Catholic, Gibraltar has a significant population of Muslims, Jews and Hindus Gibraltar has applied to be a part of the Olympics but so far has not been accepted Anyone can get married in Gibraltar with just a day’s notice, and it will be recognised worldwide. Gibraltar is home to where John Lennon and Yoko Ono tied the knot! There is no tax goods in Gibraltar as Gibraltar is not part of the EU Common Customs Territory But the ship was moored on an outer dock because the naval base on Gibraltar is not big enough to give shelter to a ship of such dimensions, the largest that has ever served the Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth is now back out at sea and will spend the next month undergoing trials involving helicopters taking off and landing on the four-acre flight deck. Later in her voyage, F-35s, the world’s most advanced fighter jet, will undertake flight trials from aircraft carrier deck off the east coast of the US. Source : Express

BOSPHORUS STRAIT (Feb. 17, 2018) The Arleigh Burke- class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) transits the Bosphorus Straits, Feb, 17, 2018. Carney, forward- deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its fourth patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners, and U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Turner/Released)

Asia-Pacific’s top shipbuilder could hinge on SEA 5000 decision The government’s looming SEA 5000 decision could set the course for one of the contenders to be the leading exporter and shipbuilder in the Asia-Pacific region.Under the $35 billion Future Frigates project, the winner – BAE Systems, Fincantieri or Navantia – will design, build and sustain nine Future Frigates, with the government expecting the chosen company to develop a sustainable naval shipbuilding industry for Australia. Creating an export industry – whether it's whole vessels or parts and systems – is also part of the government's vision for a sustainable shipbuilding industry. A newcomer to the Australian defence industry, Fincantieri is already building up a name for itself in Australia as it awaits the decision of the Future Frigates contract, with the Italian ship designer working with local South Australian companies to construct three cruise ship blocks this year. The Italian company, which has operations across four continents and 20 shipyards around the world, is focused on securing the SEA 5000 project, but is already looking ahead to the lucrative export opportunities from Australia should it secure the Australian Future Frigates project. "Fincantieri has focused on SEA 5000 at the moment within the group," explained Fincantieri Australia director Sean Costello. "That's only appropriate, being such a strategic program for Australia and being such a large program in terms of its value. "From a global point of view, Australia fits onto the map as the development of Fincantieri in this region of the world ... One focus for Fincantieri as a whole business is the Asia-Pacific, so Australia is ideal for that." The growing trend towards acquiring the latest in warships is being driven by key members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and is likely to continue well into the future, according to Costello, presenting ample opportunity for an Australian-lead defence export industry. "We're seeing a trend in naval technology where allied navies are moving to the capability of the Future Frigate," he said. "The United States Navy has processes underway, as do other navies; Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. They're all moving in a single direction to having a high-end, network- centric warfare frigate that can also perform anti-submarine warfare. That's an epoch in naval technology." Fincantieri has proposed its FREMM frigate for the project, a design that is already in the water, with the Italian Navy recently celebrating the launch of its eighth of 10 promised FREMM frigates. BAE Systems has offered its Type 26 Global Combat Ship for the SEA 5000 project, while Navantia has put forward its F-5000. A decision on the $35 billion project is expected around April this year. Source: defenceconnect.

Fire breaks out on Russian destroyer ‘Marshal Shaposhnikov’ in Vladivostok A fire broke out aboard the Russian Navy Udaloy-class destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov in Vladivostok during welding works on February 15. According to Russian media, the fire broke out in one of the engine rooms of the destroyer. No one was injured in the incident and the fire did not cause damage to any of the vital systems aboard the ship, Russian news agency Interfax quoted a shipbuilding source as saying. See a video of the fire at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=t0aI0ajIJLQ In January this year, video footage emerged of a large fire dangerously close to two diesel-electric submarines at the Vladivostok naval base but the press service of the Russian Pacific Fleet said the fire was part of a “damage control” drill, denying reports of a fire outbreak. Marshal Shaposhnikov has been undergoing repairs and upgrades in Vladivostok since 2015. It is one of five ships in its class slated to receive weapon systems and sensor upgrades. Once the upgrades are completed, the destroyer is expected to set sail equipped with vertical launch systems for Kalibr cruise missiles and Uran anti-ship missiles. Source: Maasmond Maritime

One of These Five Ships Will Become the U.S. Navy's Next Frigate The Navy has moved forward with funding five potential designs that could fulfil its future guided missile frigate FFG(X) requirement. At least 20 of these vessels will be built, and as we have discussed in detail before, the project is among the Navy's most important initiatives. Fielding a highly capable surface combatant that can pick up many missions currently being conducted by over-tasked and more expensive destroyers will be essential to providing a more flexible and sustainable fleet in the decades to come. The $15M contracts were awarded to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Fincantieri Marine, Huntington Ingalls, Austal USA, and Lockheed Martin. The last two vendors currently build Littoral Combat Ships—the monohull Freedom class and the Independence class trimaran—for the U.S. Navy and both of their FFG(X) designs are based on those existing LCS platforms.

Austal’s design based on their Independence class LCS

Huntington Ingalls will put forward a version of their Patrol Frigate concept based off the Coast Guard's Legend class National Security Cutter. Fincentieri Marine's design is based on the Italian Fregata Europea Multi-Missione (FREMM) frigate. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works is proposing a modified variant of the F100 frigate, a Spanish design that is also in service with the Australian Navy.

Spanish F100 class with Arleigh Burke destroyer

All five entrants are based on mature platforms that already exist in one fashion or another. This lowers risk, development time, and cost. It's worth noting that some entrants are already closer in form to the Navy's requirements than others. Of the five being put forward, Bath Iron Works F100 class derivative—a ship that was already built for an Aegis system—seems to match the requirements very closely without major design revisions. It also helps that two close U.S. allies are already operating the type in separate configurations.

GD Huntington Ingalls design based on their Legend class USCG cutter

Its elevated superstructure design also provides enhanced line-of-sight for its phased arrays radars, something the other competitors may have trouble integrating into their existing designs. The plan is that the Navy will evaluate each design as it matures and will understand the various options each vendor proposes with their entrant and the projected costs that go along with them. Finalized proposals will be submitted in 2019 with a single- source contract being awarded in 2020. The Navy is willing to spend roughly $1B per ship, which should buy a very capable surface combatant.

Fincantieri Marine FREMM class

It is worth noting that one contender was left out of this phase of the program, the U.S.-German consortium made up of Atlas USA and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. ThyssenKrupp is a key contractor on Germany's abortive Type 125 frigates that the German Navy decided to reject due to a slew of issues.

It turns out TKMS has submitted a bid too for the US Navy FFG(X) with the MEKO design. Their model on display at SNA2018 shows the South African Navy configuration

Weeks after we initially reported on the blunder the story made international headlines. It's not clear if the debacle had anything to do with the Navy leaving the team out of the FFG(X) tender. Being able to produce a frigate with minimal developmental and construction hiccups will be essential for fielding the first vessels by 2025. As far as reforming one of the existing Littoral Combat Ship designs or the FFG(X) role, both Lockheed and Austal have high hopes that they can keep their LCS production lines open with FFG(X)s, especially seeing that the LCS production program was curtailed after a dismal record of meeting its goals.

Lockheed’s design based on their Freedom class with redesigned superstructure

Lockheed's Freedom class design may have a leg up on Austal's Independence class for the FFG(X) bid as Saudi Arabia is ordering a variant of the design that has a lot in common with the Navy's FFG(X) requirements—especially in the anti-air warfare capability department. This could offset developmental costs for the Navy to some degree, although the idea of sticking with the LCS jet boat concept—which is largely regarded as vulnerable to battle damage—in an even more bloated form may be a path the Navy avoids regardless of synergies in development costs and commonality. There is no doubt that this is an exciting time for many of us who have pled for the Navy to field a proper frigate for years. With this in mind, the final 2019 selection can't come soon enough. Source: The Warzone

Surface Navy wants to slash shore time for its officers The Navy is looking to slash the time surface warfare officers spend on shore in a bid to boost seamanship skills and prevent them from atrophying during rear echelon assignments. The effort spearheaded by new Surface Warfare boss Vice Adm. Rich Brown aims to address concerns arising from a pair of reviews following last summer’s fatal collisions in Asia, which concluded that SWOs were getting insufficient ship-handling experience and that their skills degrade during long shore-assignments. The plan currently in development will be to ensure that SWOs do their division officer and department head tours on ships, instead of staff or squadrons billets that spend much of their time on shore, Brown told an audience Feb. 14 at the Center For Strategic and International Studies. Destroyer Squadron and Amphibious Squadron billets will all be post-DIVO and Department Head tours.

Members of the Surface Warfare Officers School practice ship handling in a full mission bridge simulator. A pair of reviews after last summer’s fatal collisions concluded SWOs were getting insufficient ship-handling experience. Photo: Lt. Megan Chester/US Navy

That plan has the seal of approval from Fleet Forces commander Adm. Phil Davidson, Brown said, but it will need to be reviewed by the chief of naval operations. Another initiative Brown is looking to spearhead is to cut the time between a department head tour and an officer’s executive officer/commanding officer fleet-up tour – a tour where a junior commander or senior lieutenant commander gets selected to move from an XO tour and, if approved by the outgoing CO and immediate superior, take command of the ship. That tour keeps the same officer on the ship for three years. Today the average officer spends about 5.3 years between his or her department head tour and fleet-up tour, Brown said, but the aim is to cut that time to 4.5 years. Brown also offered a strong defense of the fleet-up program that came into existence in the mid-2000s, but has been a source of some controversy for a variety of reasons. “Under the traditional career path, the average time between XO ride and CO ride was four years,” Brown said. “So, the question is, where do you want to take your degradation of skills? Before the XO tour or the CO tour? Under the fleet up model, there is zero degradation of skills between the XO tour and the CO tour, it was the driving factor behind fleet up.” The fleet-up program also creates more investment in the material condition of the ships that officers serve on because it helps them understand the issues and gives them time to chip away at nagging issues. Additionally, the program ensures that poor-performing XOs won’t take command, he argued, adding that 21 officers have been prevented from assuming command for various reasons since the program’s inception. “That is a safety valve, and we think it’s a great safety valve,” Brown said. The arguments don’t convince everyone, however. The program leaves holes in other places in the surface warfare enterprise and overloads other areas with hot-running officers, said retired Capt. Rick Hoffman, a former skipper of the cruiser Hue City. While Hoffman concedes that the fleet-up program has benefits, the drawbacks include packing too many hot-running commanders on hulls with Fleet-up paths and directing them away from other platforms such as cruisers, which are an O-6 major command with no fleet-up path. “Meanwhile, on [Littoral Combat Ships], I have no fewer than four commanders affiliated with one hull,” Hoffman said. (Under the new model for manning LCS, two crews associate with one hull.) Hoffman agreed that the gap between XO and CO under the traditional model is an issue, but not an intractable one. “Clearly that gap can be overcome by training, preparation, turnover time, etc.” he said. “But ultimately the XO/CO fleet-up program didn’t prevent the McCain or Fitzgerald accidents over the summer. Under that logic, the last place you should have problems is on the bridge.” Source: defensenews AGS comments: Interesting simulator as looks more like an aircraft cockpit. But more time at sea can only be a benefit for young surface warfare officers

BOSPHORUS STRAIT (Feb. 17, 2018) Sonar Technician Surface 3rd Class Seth Chopper Nikki Benak and Sonar Technician Surface Surface 3rd Class Antony Bey man a .50 caliber machine gun aboard the Arleigh Burke- class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) as the ship transits the Bosphorus Straits, Feb, 17, 2018. Carney, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its fourth patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners, and U.S. national security interests in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Turner/Released) A beautiful picture. A ‘clever’ Australia needs a larger, more potent navy In an interview in Australian Foreign Affairs, Paul Keating noted that China under Xi Jinping was looking to craft a new form of global governance, rejecting the notion of China as a strategic client of the US. Keating also talked about our need to be clever. He observed that ‘before the Industrial Revolution, China was on the top of the system and had a tributary system of states which bowed and genuflected to them. Let’s hope we’re not going to be bowing and genuflecting.’ He went on to say that ‘self-reliance and self-help should be the keynote of our foreign policy’. In my view, that needs to expand to defence policy as well. Depending on the US isn’t the answer, just as in 1942 Britain in its own ‘darkest hour’ could do little to help us. This is our real dilemma. From a defence perspective, how does Australia become clever and manage the emerging behemoths in our Indo-Pacific region, while maintaining our key alliances and using the US as a ‘balancer’? We could start by looking at maritime issues from a true strategic perspective, rather than, as is often expressed, a job policy for South Australia and other states. We also need to educate Australians—ignorance of the sea in Australia’s historiography is overwhelming. In 2002, I coined the phrase that as a nation we are ‘girt by beach’ not ‘girt by sea’. Australians and beaches have synergy, and if we consider maritime issues, our thinking is, at best, only about three kilometres to sea—the view we get from the beach. Before 1914, we started very well with an effective naval force that had strategic dominance over the German Pacific fleet, deterring attacks on Australian cities, but then came the horrendous casualties in land warfare, especially on the Western Front. The impact of that on the Australian psyche was felt throughout World War II and continues to skewer defence culture and thinking in Australia, resonating in a deeply personal and tragic way in Australian remembrance. For matters pertaining to the sea, we see ourselves as a small element within a larger maritime force, first British and now US. As a result, when naval officers speak on maritime issues there remains a hesitancy to challenge the primacy of land forces and land-based air power. The emphasis is on individual naval programs, employment opportunities and the like. Basically, we’re content to be thankful for what we have and to stay relatively quiet. Little focus is put on the enduring concepts of sea control and maritime strategy, which are supposed to be the rationale for developing and deploying maritime power, especially for an island continent. In a region increasingly dominated by China and India, Australia is unlikely to fight at home unless our maritime forces are first destroyed. Australia is surrounded by the three largest oceans on earth, yet governments over more than three decades have failed to focus on forward defence via powerful, sustainable and deployed maritime forces. China and India are focusing increasingly on that area. Despite much that is written and spoken, we have a navy that remains a sea-denial element of a continental strategy. There’s little ability to take power and project it forward. Mobile sea-based air power and strike is neglected, almost vilified, and to even debate it is heresy in Australian defence circles. We’ve been lulled into thinking that transporting land forces over the sea is the navy’s primary role, not taking the war to the enemy, violently and aggressively. The navy of today and tomorrow is the same size in a ship sense as it was in 1976 when I joined, with about a dozen destroyers and frigates. However, strategically we’re significantly less effective vis-à-vis the region. The minister’s introduction to the 2016 defence white paper states that it ‘sets out the most ambitious plan to regenerate the Royal Australian Navy since the Second World War’. That sounds impressive, but it’s essentially misleading—in essence, we’re doing ship replacement. The navy remains too small and it’s a self-defence force, with limited power projection or ability to conduct sea control at distance. We should be talking to the Australian public about strategic truths in a language they understand, explaining to them the new reality. To have self-reliance and self-help in this era requires a much larger, more potent navy. Fixed-wing, strike-capable aircraft carriers are required to project maritime air power via the short take-off, vertical landing version of the joint strike fighter. And we need perhaps twice the number of destroyers and frigates, so that we can really carry out aggressive operations against numerically larger air, surface and submarine threats, to dominate, deter and if necessary defeat. The submarines we’re getting are potentially good, but that’s an isolated area of improvement. Even with the less-than-lethal force of today, the navy is about 2,000 personnel too small, resulting in stresses at each and every operational interface. Can we afford to be clever? Not on a 2% defence budget—so that’s the first discussion we need to have as a nation. As an island continent in the new Indo-Pacific reality, we cannot remain mute as our maritime forces continue to be deficient. Source: ASPI – The Strategist The writer, Richard Menhinick, had an extensive career in the Royal Australian Navy, including commands at sea, ashore and on operations.

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