Pacific Perspective:Australian Government Chooses BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd to Build New Fleet of Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines

As part of the Australia/UK/US defence pact (AUKUS),contractors had to be chosen to execute Australia's plan for a new fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines.Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and UK Defence Minister Grant Shapps announced the news in Australia.It is the next step by Australia on the path to build and operate its own submarines,according to BAE Systems.Under the complex agreement,Australia and the UK will operate a common submarine in the future,incorporating technology from Australia,the UK and the US,based on the nextgen design led by BAE.BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd,a unit of the Australian Defence Force,will now bring together their complimentary skills,expertise and capabilities under a collaborative arrangement in Australia,leading to the establishment of a long-term,incorporated Joint Venture.Said Charles Woburn,BAE Systems Chief Executive:We're extremely proud of our role in the delivery of this vitally important tri-nation submarine programme.Our selection as a Partner in Australia,along with ASC,recognises our role as the UK's long-term design and build Partner and as a key player in Australia's maritime enterprise and wider defence landscape.We look forward to working with ASC to develop an enduring,sovereign nuclear-powered submarine building capacity for Australia.*SSN-AUKUS will be the largest,most powerful and advanced attack submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated and will start to replace the Astute class,which BAE Systems is building at its site in Barrow-in-Furness in Northwest England from the late 2030s.Australia expects to receive its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the early 2040s.BAE Systems is also designing and building the UK's next generation nuclear deterrent submarine,incorporating US technology,Dreadnought,with construction underway on the first three of four new boats.*In Australia,BAE Systems has a long and proud heritage over 70 years,providing advanced defence technology from air amd maritime sustainment to shipbuilding,protecting both people and national security,while keeping critical information and infrastructure secure.*For its part,ASC will be the prime contractor for the sustainment of visiting US and UK submarines;Australia's sovereign Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarines;and the new SSN-AUKUS submarines administered in Western Australia;but actually built at Naval Shipyard Osborne,South Australia.Under the SSN-AUKUS programme,there will be a rotational presence of US and UK nuclear-powered attack submarines,with sustainment services provided at Garden Island,Western Australia.In the early 2030s,Australia will acquire US-built Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarines.Finally,in the early 2040s,the first SSN-AUKUS submarines will be delivered.ASC will provide sustainment,including short-term,medium,and deep-cycle maintenance.ASC is a government owned business enterprise involved with Australian naval shipbuilding as a unit of the Australian Defence Force,based at Naval Shipyard Osborne,South Australia.*BAE Systems PLC (OTCM:BAESY),Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)

Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) aircraft carrier and F-35B Lightning II Fighters

The HMS Queen Eliabeth II (R08) is reportedly in the North Sea taking part in NATO Exercise Neptune Strike.Embarked is a squadron of US Marine Corps aviators and their F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters,which are short-takeoff vertical landing aircraft.

Britain's NATO influence ‘at risk’ if military does not strengthen | Lord Darroch - Times Radio

Lord Darroch is a former UK Ambassador to the US.

Steadfast Defender 24:UK Makes Major Commitment

The UK Ministry of Defence laid out its plans in the massive NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender 24 on 15 January 2024.Said the Ministry:In the context of our ever more dangerous world,the Secretary of State for Defence,Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP,will deliver a major speech at Lancaster House today to set out his vision for the UK to deter threats,lead among Allies and defend the UK...the Defence Secretary is expected to announce that in the first half of 2024,20,000 service personnel from the Royal Navy,the British Army,and the Royal Air Force will deploy across Europe to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender 24.*The drills will see the UK Armed Forces join 70,000 other NATO troops from 31 NATO Allies and candidate Sweden to operate across multiple countries coinciding with the Alliance's 75th Anniversary.This deployment will feature the RAF's most advanced fighter jets and surveillance aircraft,the RN's most advanced warships and submarines,and the full range of the Army's capabilities-from logistics to armour to Special Operations Forces.*Mr.Shapps' remarks are expected to say:We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies,lead our Allies and be prepared to defend our nations whenever the call comes.Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers.Old enemies are reanimated.Battle lines are being redrawn.The tanks are literally on Ukraine's lawn.And the foundations of the world are being shaken to their core.We stand at a crossroads...providing vital reassurance against the Putin menace.*Mr.Shapps noted that deploying this year is 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team...which will be operating across Europe to deliver one of the largest NATO deployments since the Cold War.Steadfast Defender 24 will deliver on the promises made at the 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit.The RN will be deploying eight warships and submarines and more than 2,000 Sailors.A UK carrier Strike Group,centred on a QE Class aircraft carrier and her air group of F-35B Lightning jets and helicopters,will operate as part of a potent Naval Force of Allied warships and submarines in the North Atlantic,the Norwegian Sea,and the Baltics.More than 400 Royal Marines Commandos will be deployed to the Arctic Circle at the heart of our Allied Amphibious Task Group designed to land in the High North and defend the Alliance in one of the world's harshest environments.Sixteen thousand troops from the British Army will be deployed across Eastern Europe from February to June 2024,taking with them tanks,artillery,helicopters,and parachutes.There will be live-fire manoeuvres,parachute jumps,an Army and Navy joint helicopter force,and Army Special Operations Forces on deployment.The British Army will deploy to test and strengthen the readiness of the UK's Land Forces in defending NATO,and to bolster its ability to operate jointly with Allied Armed Forces.*The RAF will be making use of some of its most cutting-edge aircraft,including F-35B Lightning attack aircraft and Poseidon P8 surveillance aircraft.The RAF will practise flying simulated conflict scenarios against near-peer adversaries,proving its ability to defer and defend against threats.*It is known that SD24 will practise a reinforcement of Europe from North America across the Atlantic Ocean.*More context:There is suspicion that Russia has not only been jamming Ukraine with Electronic Warfare,but NATO Allies as well.The Washington think tank Institue for the Study of War (ISW) noted high levels of GPS interference in Poland on 10 and 16 January 2024,and in the Baltic Sea Region between 25 and 27 December 2023.Several analysts believe it was likely Russia attempting to wage hybrid warfare against NATO.The ISW also noted that Putin has been sharply critical of the Baltic States recently for their perceived mistreatment of ethnic Russians living in them-an expansionist vision of Russian Federation sovereignty.ISW said that Putin:notably amplified a long-standing Kremlin effort to set information conditions for future escalations against the Baltic countries,likely as part of his wider effort to weaken NATO.

F-35B Lightning II fighters during flight testing on the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales

The HMS Prince of Wales is currently visiting the US,where Marine Corps pilots practised joint operations with the Royal Navy.

U.S., UK Navies Respond to Merchant Vessel Distress Call in Strait of Hormuz

U.S., UK Navies Respond to Merchant Vessel Distress Call in Strait of Hormuz: United States and United Kingdom Royal Navy forces responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, June 4, as Iranian fast-attack boats harassed the commercial ship.

BALTOPS 2023 Shapes Maritime Forces Rapid Response

On 4 June 2023,NATO's most significant maritime exercise in the Baltic Sea Region,Baltic Sea Operations 2023 (BALTOPS) began in Tallin,Estonia.It will run through 16 June.Partcipating will be 50 warships,over 45 aircraft,and 6,000 personnel from 20 countries.The drills are intended to demonstrate NATO's commitment to preserve regional peace and security by exercising a team of international forces that can rapidly respond to a crisis.Nations taking part include Belgium,Canada,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,the Netherlands,Norway,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Spain,Sweden,Turkiye,the UK and the US.This will be Finland's first partcipation as a NATO Ally. It is the 52nd iteration of BALTOPS.BALTOPS remains an Alliance proving ground vital for honing the edge of combined interoperability in mine countermeasures;unmanned surface vehicle operations;and integrated air and maritime operations.This version will include the first ever robust drills in peronnel recovery by unmanned surface vehicles.Another enhancement will be a military chaplain exercise that enables Sailors and Marines to accomplish the mission with honour.All drills will build on last year's scenario story lines,including the undersea and space domains,such as the integration of the NATO Space Centre for space domain scenarios.* BALTOPS 2023 is led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet,but will be command-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) out of Oeiros,Portugal.During BALTOPS 2023,NATO will exercise a myriad of capabilities demonstrating the inherent flexibility of maritime forces,to include amphibious;gunnery;anti-submarine;and air defence operations;as well as mine-clearance operations;explosive ordnance disposal;unmanned underwater vehicle capabilities;and at-sea medical responses.Command ship for the drills is USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20).A submarine from the Royal Swedish Navy,HSwMS Uppland,will play a key role in the exercise.* Overseeing BALTOPS 2023 is Vice Admiral Thomas E. Ishlee,USN,Commander,U.S. 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO;Deputy Commander,U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa;and Joint Force Maritime Commander Europe.A graduate of Officer Candidate School,Rhode Island,VADM Ishlee is highly experienced in submarine operations,having served as an officer at several levels of submarine command,including command of Submarine Squadron 11,ensuring the readiness of six fast attack submarines,amomg other tasks.He also served as Director,Global Operations at U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).VADM Ishlee's decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal;the Legion of Merit;the Meritiorious Service Medal;Navy Commendation Medal;and Navy Achievement Medal; as well as various unit and service awards that are most meaningful to him.* Deputy Commander of BALTOPS 2023 is Rear Admiral James Morely,Royal Navy.A Warfare Officer,his commands have included Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea.He is a graduate of the Advanced and Higher Command Staff Course and the United States Capstone.

Under NATO Command for Power Projection:Carrier Strike Group 10

NATO Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 2022 (NEST 22.2) began on 14 October and was to have lasted 12 days.Actually,it was still active as of 28 October.NEST 22.2 was overseen by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) from its headquarters in Oeiras,Portugal.The focal point of the activity was the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG 10) and its integration with NATO Allies and Partners while under NATO command.This enabled the CSG to deliver effects in NATO Joint Operating Areas (JOAs) Allied Joint Forces Command (JFC) Naples,Italy and JFC Brunssum,the Netherlands,projecting Alliance cohesion through simultaneous operations in European waters.Commands throughout the Alliance came together to plan and execute all-domain real world Vigilance Activities,demonstrating NATO'S power and capability.Said Vice Admiral Thomas Ishee,commander U.S. 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO: The Neptune series is a tangible demonstration of the power and capability of the NATO Alliance in all-domain operations.Neptune Strike 22.2 is a prime example of NATO'S ability to integrate high-end maritime warfare capabilities of an Allied Carrier Strike Group,ensuring our collective capability to deter and defend.* NATO observed that,within the framework of Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA),the Vigilance Activity improved interoperability of the CSG with STRIKFORNATO;Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE);and the wider Alliance and Partners.It also generated effects in the maritime,air and land domains,providing deterrence and reassurance while offering powerful opportunities for Allied interoperability.It proves the power and cohesion of the NATO Alliance,according to Royal Navy Rear Admiral James Morely,deputy commander,STRIKFORNATO.Such Vigilance Activities ensure the appropriate strategic awareness and force readiness required to sustain the peace.* Added Rear Admiral Dennis Valdez,CSG 10 commander: The teamwork,trust and combat readiness built through these events are our competitive advantage.* As of 28 October,the CSG was transiting the Adriatic Sea,which separates Italy from Southeast Europe,during NEST 22.2.The CSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter,and if necessary,defeat our adversaries in support of national security.Indeed,the Spanish frigate ESPS Cristobal Colon (F105) accompanied the CSG during its Adriatic transit,and Rear Admiral Michael Sciretta,commander,Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) flew aboard an E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft from the USS George H.W. Bush.Lieutenant Commander Sean Delaney of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 40 had given Rear Admiral Sciretta a safety check before the two-seater aircraft's flight.* Allies and Partners taking part in NEST 22.2 included Albania;Canada;Croatia;Finland;France;Germany;Greece;Hungary;Italy;Lithuania;North Macedonia;Poland;Romania;Spain;Slovakia;Sweden;Turkey;the UK and the US with more than 80 aircraft;14 ships;and around 6,000 personnel.US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets conducted patrols over Romania,which has a border with Ukraine,with Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets.During a live-fire drill,Sailors from Team Jackpot,that is,Carrier Air Wing SEVEN (CVW-7),fired 50-caliber and M240B machine guns from the George H.W. Bush.Team Jackpot was also very pleased to meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg,who mingled with them during his visit to the CSG on 25 October 2022.*

Northern Viking 22:Protecting Sea Routes and Infrastructure

Underway in the high north is NATO Exercise Northen Viking 22,a high intensity and multi-domain series of maritime drills focused on critical sea lanes and infrastructure of the North Atlantic Ocean.Of special concern is the threat Russia poses to undersea telecommunications cables and its utilisation of the GIUK (Greenland/Iceland/UK) Gap,a naval chokepoint between the three land masses of the North Atlantic. In 2019,ten Russian submarines of the Northern Fleet,including two diesel and eight nuclear-powered submarines,left their homeport in the Kola Peninsula and attempted to breach the GIUK Gap undetected and enter the Atlantic Ocean. The Royal Navy's First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff,Admiral Sir Tony Radakin,is concerned about a phenomenal increase in Russian submarine underwater activity,as Russia's underwater programme intends to put at risk and potentially exploit undersea cables critical to the world's real information system.According to Admiral Radakin: That is where predominantly all the world's information and traffic travels.Russia has grown the capability to put at threat those undersea cables and potentially exploit those undersea cables.* The deep sea cables enclose thousands of miles of fibre optic cables for carrying digital information such as the Internet.Russia is believed to be mapping the undersea cables.* As well,heavily armed Russian warships had tested up to ten of the new Tsirkov hypersonic cruise missiles from a frigate and a submarine in December 2021.Indeed,in September 2021,a Russian spy ship,the Yankar,that can reportedly cut undersea cables,was detected in the English Channel and headed north.And Russia is believed to have submarines with robotic arms that can tamper with or cut vital cables critical to data traffic.Thus Russian sabotage could devastate the world's information-dependent economy,and the GIUK Gap woud be strategically important for Russia's Northern Fleet in any conflict with NATO.* Participating in NV 22 are Royal Navy warships the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09) and frigate Richmond (F239);plus the Royal Norwegian Navy's frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl (F314).Additionally,US Marines will stage an amphibious landing at Midsandur in Hvalfjordur,Iceland on 11 APR 22.Besides the US Marines,other participants include naval forces from France,Germany,Norway and the UK.The Icelandic Coast Guard and police will take part in search and rescue activities.The naval warfighters will practise defending sea routes to the south of Iceland and searching for enemy submarines off the Icelandic coast with anti-submarine warfare airplanes and helicopters.* At the top of the GIUK Gap is Thule Air Base,Greenland,a highly strategic asset and the northernmost outpost of the US military (US Space Force and US Air Force).Greenland is a Danish territory and the air base was even visited by Queen of Denmark Margrethe II recently.The base contains several missile warning sensors of Space Delta 4,as well as space surveillance and control sensors of Space Delta 2,which provide space awareness and advanced missile detection to NORAD,USSF and joint partners.Thule also contains the 12th Space Warning Squadron,which operates the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) for tracking ICBMs targeting North America;while the 23rd Space Operations Squadron of Space Delta 6 controls satellites.Thule Air Base is operated by the US Space Force and controlled by the US Air Force Peterson-Schriever Garrison,821st Air Base Group.A joint force team of 150 Space Force and Air Force personnel endure the hardship post (no families) with its absolutely brutal winter weather (temperatures down to -35F/-37.2 C) for one-year stints.*

Message to Russia:US,UK Bulking Up NATO'S Eastern Flank

In a matter of days,US and British forces will be reinforcing key NATO Allies in the Baltic and Black Sea Regions.On 2 February 2022,the Pentagon announced that,as ordered by US President Joseph R. Biden,3,000 US troops would be heading mostly to Poland and Romania;while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated earlier that the UK would be bolstering its troop presence in Estonia by about 900,on top of the 900 Soldiers already there leading a NATO enhancedForward Presence Battle Group.As well,the UK intends to send warships and fighter jets to the Eastern Flank. The US Air Force has already augmented NATO's Air Policing Mission in Estonia with six F-15 Eagle fighters from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,North Carolina's 336th Fighter Squadron,and the Harry S.Truman Carrier Strike Group has been leading Exercise Neptune Strike 22 in the Mediterranean Sea. The new US deployment will be separate from the 8500 troops in the US recently placed on high alert for call-up by the NATO Response Force.Two thousand of the newly designated troops will be sent from the US to Poland and Romania,US Army paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division and 18th Airborne Corps.A small headquarters unit will reportedly be sent to Germany.In addition,a 1,000 member US Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment Stryker Brigade Combat Team already in Germany will be deployed to Romania.These deployments have been under discussion with the NATO Allies concerned for some time. A Stryker BCT is a mechanised infantry brigade centered around the Stryker eight-wheeled variant of the General Dynamics LAV III,which is a light armoured vehicle.* Spain has detailed a minesweeper and frigate to augment NATO'S Standing Maritime Group 2;while France is sending Soldiers to Romania as well.* The rationale of the US and British deployments were articulated by UK officials in recent days.On 1 February 2022,British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke at a news conference in Kyiv,Ukraine alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: we will always stand up for freedom and democracy and Ukrainian sovereignty in the face of aggression.Somebody said we are exaggerating the threat-were the UK and the US trying to big this up? I've just got to say that is not the intelligence we're seeing.This is a clear and present danger and we see large numbers of troops massing;we see preparations for all kinds of operations that are consistent with an imminent military campaign...it is about the whole European security architecture,because be in no doubt about what I think President Putin is trying to achieve here.I think he is trying,by holding a gun,as it were,to the head of Ukraine,to get us to change the way we look at somerthing that was absolutely fantastic.And it wouldn't just be Ukraine that was drawn back into the Russian sphere of influence;you've got to think about Georgia;you've got to think about Moldova,other countries.I've just got to repeat what I said:our view is that time is urgent and this is something that needs to be addressed now.* The UK Chief of Defence Staff,Royal Navy Admiral Sir Tony Radakin,told a Cabinet meeting on 1 February that: a significant proportion of Russia's land combat power was now gathered on the Western border,coupled with deterrence operations such as military exercises on a scale never seen before.* Prime Minister Johnson informed the Cabinet that this: fitted into a pattern of coercion and intimidation that sought to undermine the values and principles of the West.*

Remembrance Sunday 2021 Edinburgh - 2 SCOTS P&D escort armed forces up t...

NATO North Atlantic Drills Step Up Naval Acumen

Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020 is currently underway in waters off the Icelandic coast.The drills run from 29 June-10 July.Six NATO Allies are participating:
Canada, France, Germany, Norway, the UK and the US,with 5 warships;5 submarines; and 5 maritime patrol aircraft.Vessels engaged in the scenarios include the Royal Navy frigate HMS Westminster;US guided-missile​ destroyer USS Roosevelt; German Submarine U 36; and Norwegian frigate HNoMS Sverdrup. Maritime patrol aircraft involved are 2 ATL IIs from France;2 P-8A Poseidons from the US Navy; and a Royal Navy P-8A.The Icelandic Coast Guard can provide air traffic control and search and rescue as needed.*
The aim of DM 2020 is, according to VADM Keith Blount, Royal Navy, Commander,Allied Maritime Command:
To sharpen warfighting skills by focusing on high-end capabilities including Anti-Submarine Warfare.Dynamic Mongoose will ensure that we remain prepared for operations in peace, crisis and conflict.*
DM is an advanced ASW exercise.Overall, said RADM Andrew Burcher,USN, Commander, Submarines NATO:
The exercise is a unique opportunity to enhance naval forces' warfighting skills in all dimensions of Anti-Surface and Anti-Submarine Warfare in a multinational and multi-threat environment.*
The US Navy operates Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 out of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland.It serves in the Northern European theatre.*

NATO Goes Big and Bold for the Baltic Sea Region

BALTOPS 2020, one of the largest military exercises in Northern Europe,got underway on 7 June 2020 and runs till 16 June.Warships from 17 NATO Allies and 2 Partners will be enhancing flexibility and interoperability in order to elevate preparedness for an international crisis.It is the 49th iteration of the expansive drills.*
On 8 June, the US Navy's Command and Control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) served as a platform for an MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 (HSC-28), while the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Otto Sverdrup (F 312) transited the Baltic Sea,as did the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and the German Navy replenishment oiler FGS Rhoen (A 1443). Indeed,a German Navy Mk88 H Super Lynx helicopter flew over the Mount Whitney the same day.The multi-role chopper ranges from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to search and rescue and utility missions.*
About 3,000 troops,28 naval vessels and 28 aircraft are participating from 17 NATO Allies and 2 Partners from the following nations:
Canada, Denmark, Estonia,Finland, Germany, Greece,Italy,Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the US.*
HQ for the drills is Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) in Lisbon, Portugal-an historic first for the exercise.NATO'S own AWACS planes will coordinate some of the air manoeuvres, the Alliance said.*
According to the Royal Navy, the drills will concentrate on core naval warfare tasks such as air defence;ASW; and mine-hunting.Frigate HMS Kent and minehunter HMS Ramsey are spearheading the RN contribution to BALTOPS.Ramsey's CO LTCR Joel Roberts explained that:
In these uncertain times, continuing to deliver on operations is essential in protecting collective NATO and UK interests, and BALTOPS demonstrates our enduring commitment to strengthen our combined understanding, diverse range of capability, and ability to respond to emerging threats.*
HMS Kent had recently conducted joint drills with the US Navy in the Barents Sea off Russia.Adept at ASW, the Kent combines passive underwater sensors and presently a Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron to hunt and,if need be, eliminate submarine threats.In this exercise,HMS Kent will be ready to deal with multiple threats from aircraft, boats
 and submarines with her cutting edge suite of sensors and weapon systems for detection and engagement.
Said CO CDR Matt Sykes:
In these turbulent times,it is also vitally important that we demonstrate our commitment to the Region and to upholding the principles of freedom of access to the Baltic Sea.*

First To Fight:US Marine Corps Bashes the Enemy with the Lightning II - plus the UK's own F-35B milestone

According to Naval Support Activity Bahrain,the US Marine Corps' F-35B Lightning II has been unleashed for combat operations in support of the counter-terrorist Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan.On 27 September 2018,an F-35B conducted a successful airstrike to assist with ground clearance operations.
US Navy VADM Scott A. Stearney,commander,US Naval Forces Central Command:
As part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group,this platform (the F-35B Lightning II) supports operations on the ground from international waters,all while enabling maritime superiority that enhances stability and security.*
The Essex ARG in turn belongs to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit,which is the first combat-deployed MEU replacing the AV-8B Harrier with the Lockheed Martin F-35B.The F-35B scrambled for the mission is from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211,which is currently embarked on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2).COL Chandler S. Nelms,13th MEU commander,said that:
The opportunity for us to be the first Navy-Marine Corps team to employ the F-35B in support of manoeuvre forces on the ground demonstrates one aspect of the capabilities this platform brings to the region,our allies and our partners.*
The F-35B,with its short takeoff/vertical landing capability,is the same variant of the Lightning II being acquired by the UK.*
CNN reported that the target on the 27 September Marine Corps mission was a fixed Taliban Islamist extremist location.The raid was dedicated to Marine Corps hero LTCOL C.K. 'Otis' Raible,who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012 when,armed with only a pistol,he led a quick response as the Taliban launched an incursion against Camp Bastion,blowing up Harrier AV-8B aircraft on the ground.Photos show that the F-35B  launched on 27 September was armed with weapons including the GBU-32 JDAM;the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb;and the GAU-22 gun pod.
It is not known how many F-35Bs went on the mission or how many of them delivered ordnance on the target.Perhaps only one delivered ordnance and others played an intel support roll,so this blog has used the singular to refer to the attacking aircraft.*
In late May,it was revealed that the Israeli F-35 Adir Joint Strike Fighter conducted the first two strikes ever made by any nation with the fifth generation aircraft.The targets were in the Middle East-quite possibly they were Iranian forces on the ground in Syria or elsewhere.*
On 25 September,Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots began developing the operational envelope of the F-35B on the UK's new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier with the first takeoffs and landings on the deck of the advanced warship.This re-established British aircraft carrier aviation after an eight-year gap that began when their last AV-8B Harrier was retired from service.*
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT)

UK Leads Massive NATO Exercise in Scotland

NATO Exercise Joint Warrior 18-1 has commenced at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde,Scotland.The expansive,all-domain drills are being staged from 21 April to 4 May 2018.More than 11,600 personnel from 17 NATO Allies and Partners are participating,including:
Australia;Belgium;Canada;Denmark;Estonia;Finland;France;Germany;Latvia;Lithuania;the Netherlands;Norway;Spain;Sweden;Turkey;the UK;and the US.*
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 is taking part along with six extra ships.For example,the US Navy is sending two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers,the USS Ross (DDG 71) and the USS Gravely (DDG 107),as well as the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE-12).
Besides the ships,the US Navy is detailing a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from the "Tridents" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 26.*
JW 18-1 scenarios include multiple sovereign nations disputing resources and territory;counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling activity;information warfare;and evacuation operations.JW 18-1 gives the NATO Allies and Partners the chance to practice high-end warfighting between near-peer adversaries,across air,land,sea and cyber domains.According to the exercise commander,Captain Joint Tactical Exercises Planning Staff,CAPT Paul Pritchard RN:
This exercise gives the UK participants a chance to train with our Allies and Partners,honing our skills and developing our tactics.It is hugely important in making sure we can fuse all elements of our capabilities,enhancing our ability to conduct joint operations now and in the future.*
For their part,the US Marine Corps Reserves' Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company,Force Headquarters Group,will assist with airborne assaults;amphibious landing;and training in counter-insurgency,counter-piracy and interstate war.Live-fire exercises are also on the programme at various weapons ranges.
Said 3rd Brigade platoon commander MAJ Graham Perry:
The area we will be conducting the exercise is unique in that it is the only location in the UK where you can practice live combined arms and naval gunfire integrated with ground indirect fire as well as close air support.*
Close air support will be provided by aircraft such as the Apache and Wildcat helicopters,as well as the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber.

USS Nebraska Test Firing Sends Powerful Message - plus the US and UK's new ballistic missile submarines

On 26 March 2018,the US Navy's Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) successfully launched two Trident II D5 missiles.The unarmed missiles were part of a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) in the Pacific Test Range off the California coast,the US Navy said.According to Captain Mark Benning,Deputy Director of Strategic System Programs (SSP):
The successful completion of DASO 28 was not only an important milestone in USS Nebraska's return to service,but also an important demonstration of the reliable and credible sea-based leg of the US nuclear deterrent triad.*
The primary objective of DASO 28 was to evaluate and demonstrate the readiness of the Nebraska's strategic weapon system and crew before its first operational deployment after its midlife refueling overhaul.The Nebraska is assigned to Submarine Group 9,one of eight Ohio-class submarines homeported at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor,Washington State.Ballistic missile submarines are an element of the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM).*
DASO 28 was carefully monitored by the Military Sealift Command's USNS Waters (T-AGS 45).Its instrumentation and personnel,including scientists and engineers,tracked the submarine and its missiles through the launch process.*
Both the US and the UK are currently engaged in procuring new classes of ballistic missile submarines.The US is procuring the Columbia-class,which will consist of 12 submarines armed with 16 D5 missiles;while the UK is procuring the Dreadnought-class,which will have 3-4 submarines armed with 8 D5 missiles.The two classes will share a Common Missile Compartment (CMC) design,and the US is providing the UK with technical assistance;while the UK has provided substantial initial funding for the CMC.
The Columbia-class is named for the first submarine in the class,the USS Columbia (SSBN 826),named in honour of the District of Columbia.Procurement of the new submarine will run from 2019-2033,with the first SSBN entering service in 2029,a Congressional Research Service report to Congress indicated.*
General Dynamics (GD)

Busy February:NATO Increases Maritime Forces in the Black Sea

In a move described by the US Navy as proactive rather than reactive,NATO has made a point of thoroughly exercising its maritime forces in the Black Sea this month.The activity is overseen by Allied Maritime Command,which is headquartered in Northwood,Slough,UK.The multinational HQ there is crewed by 300 officers,petty officers and civilians,all under the command of Royal Navy Vice Admiral Peter Hudson,who is the prime maritime advisor to the Alliance.The Command plans and executes all NATO maritime operations,including the Counter Piracy Operation Ocean Shield in the Mediterranean.It also directs Operation Sea Guardian,with tasks in support of maritime situational awareness;upholding freedom of navigation;conducting interdiction tasks;maritime counter terrorism;and contributing to capacity building. *
On 30 January,warships of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 cruised through the Bosphorus Straits to enter the Black Sea with Royal Navy destroyer and SNMG2 flagship HMS Duncan and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep joining the ships of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2.The two patrols emphasised NATO's maritime presence in the Sea with drills increasing interoperability among the Groups and Allied nations that operate in the Sea.Both Groups,a total of six warships,made a port call at Constanta,Romania from 1-4 February as part of operations supporting national sovereignty through collective defence.
There were courtesy calls with local civilian and Naval authorities;as well as planning for further interoperability exercises with the Romanian Navy after departing Constanta and public tours of the warships.*
The SNMG2 currently consists of HMS Duncan;Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand;and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep.SNMCMG2 includes RN survey ship HMS Enterprise;minesweeper ROS Lt.Lupu Dinescu;and mine-hunter TCG Akcay.Prior to the port call,the two Groups patrolled both the Mediterranean and the Black Seas,conducting passing exercises (PASSEX) and operations.Both Groups are part of the NATO Reaction Force,providing crucial skill sets to keep sea lanes and ports open during a crisis.They stage a wide range of multinational drills with NATO Allies and partners to enhance operability and maintain warfighting skills.*
As part of the PASSEX activity,a PASSEX with the Bulgarian Navy was staged.One of its highlights was a boarding exercise with participants from the Romanian Navy and the Royal Marines.Previous to the Bulgarian PASSEX,there was a PASSEX with the Romanian Navy as well,including an intense air defence drill,or ADEX,in which one or two Romanian Mig 21 aircraft flew over Allied warships off the shore of Constanta.*
At the conclusion of the Maritime Groups' exercises,the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) entered the Black Sea on 17 February,joining the USS Ross (DDG 71).According to USN 6th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Christopher Grady:
We operate at the tempo and timing of our choosing in this strategically important region.By nature,ships are flexible,mobile forces,and the Navy is uniquely capable of providing credible and capable forces to defend our national interests throughout the world.*
It is the first time since July 2017 that two USN warships have operated simultaneously in the Black Sea.Both guided missile destroyers are forward-deployed to Rota,Spain as part of a group of four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

Russia Probes British Defences by Sea and Air - Belgian fighter jets among responders

The Russian military has been probing the UK's area of national interest in recent weeks,raising NATO concern as fighting between the Ukrainian Army and Russian-backed rebels intensified in Eastern Ukraine.On 8 January 2018,the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster intercepted and escorted two Russian warships,the Stereguschin-class frigates Soobrazitelny and Boiky,plus their support ships Paradoks and Kola,out of the English Channel.
Commander Simon Kelly,commanding officer of the Westminster,explained:
The English Channel is an absolute lifeline for the UK,and it is very important that HMS Westminster and the Royal Navy maintains a watchful eye on this key strategic link.*
Presumably,the Russian warships have by now returned to their Baltic homeport.*
In the Baltic State of Estonia,Britain has deployed its Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) artillery,which is long range and precision-guided by GPS,along with 800 troops as part of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence strategy.*
On 15 January,the RAF launched Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland,on a quick reaction alert as two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers approached the UK.The Russian Defence Ministry said their bombers were escorted by Belgian F-16s as well as British Typhoons at different stages of their mission.*
According to the UK Ministry of Defence:
The RAF worked closely with NATO partners to monitor the jets as they passed through a variety of international airspace,before they were intercepted by the RAF over the North Sea.Subsequently,our fighters escorted the Russian Blackjacks North,out of the UK's area of interest.At no time did the bombers enter UK sovereign airspace.*
For his part,British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
The threats this country faces are intensifying and we will not hesitate in defending our skies from acts of aggression.Our excellent RAF tracked the Russian aircraft every step of the way,and they continue to police UK and international airspace every hour of every day,to help keep the British people safe.*
RAF QRA was launched today because the Russian military aircraft were not talking to air traffic agencies,the MOD added.

NATO's Brilliant Mariner 17:Certifying France for Leadership at Sea

Brilliant Mariner 17 is a NATO non-Article V Crisis Response Operations exercise aimed at certifying France's Aero-Naval Rapid Reaction Force (FRMARFOR) for command of the NATO Response Force (NRF) Maritime Component in 2018.France will assume command on 1 January 2018 and serve in that capacity for one year.The drills are running from 29 September-13 October 2017.Participating are 3500 personnel,27 warships,two maritime patrol aircraft,and amphibious assets from twelve nations,including:
Canada;Denmark;France;Germany;Greece;Italy;the Netherlands;Norway;Portugal;Spain;Turkey;and the UK.*
The NRF is a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force comprised of land,air,maritime and Special Operations Forces components that can deploy quickly wherever needed to strengthen the Alliance's deterrence and defensive posture,and project stability beyond the Alliance's borders,NATO said.*
Brilliant Mariner 17 is an opportunity for France to exercise command and control at the NRF MCC level.The participating units and crews will evaluate readiness and validate capabilities by operating in a demanding and challenging environment,enhancing collaboration and improving interoperability.*
Brilliant Mariner 17 is headquartered at the French Toulon Naval Base on the Mediterranean.Among the drills conducted so far were:
1.The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond conducted a live firing gunnery exercise (GUNEX) with its 4.5 inch gun at sunrise along with French frigate FS La Fayette;
2.A Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG) from the Canadian Forces conducted small arms training aboard the frigate HMCS Charlottetown;
3.A Royal Danish Navy boarding party disembarked HMCS Charlottetown into a rigid-hulled inflatable boat;
4.Spanish Navy Marines from the Strategic Projection Ship ESPS Juan Carlos I conducted operations on French Military Facility Camp de Garrigues during an infantry exercise;
5.Royal Navy frigate HMS Enterprise received French Rear Admiral Olivier Lebas,who was transferred by helicopter off the exercise flagship,French amphibious ship (LHD) FS Mistral,and winched to the deck.
6.ESPS Juan Carlos I sent Spanish Navy AV-8B Harrier II Plus jets into night operations.
7.French Army Tigre,NH 90 and Puma helicopters practiced "Touch and Gos" on the flight deck of FS Mistral.
8.Spanish Navy Marines conducted amphibious assault training from FS Mistral,including transport ashore by French catamaran.They were also deployed on land by Spanish Navy Sea King helicopters and a French Army Puma for a projection force helicopter drill.
9.A flotilla of 21 Allied ships sailed in formation in the Mediterranean on 8 October.

US,UK and Norway Ink Pact - North Atlantic security needs addressed

On 29 June 2017,the US,UK and Norway drew even closer as they signed a memorandum of intent to outline principles of cooperation for North Atlantic security.The new pact by the three NATO Allies comprises a framework for future cooperation based on the fact that all three will be heavily relying on the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft by 2023,if not before.The US has already put the P-8A in service;while the UK and Norway are preparing for stationing and maintaining the Poseidon.*
The Poseidon is a modified Boeing 737-800 ERX airliner that has both surveillance and maritime strike capability for both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.It is armed with five internal and six external struts for the AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER and AGN-84 Harpoon missiles;the Mark 54 torpedo;and the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC).*
The memorandum was signed by Defence Ministers Michael Fallon of the UK;Jim Mattis of the US;and Ine Eriksen Soreide of Norway on the sidelines of the recent NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels.The ministers described the pact as being:
a statement of intent to lay out guiding principles for a trilateral partnership with P-8A aircraft to address the changing security environment in the North Atlantic.As the United States,the United Kingdom,and Norway continue to work to advance trilateral maritime security cooperation,this agreement establishes a framework for further cooperation in areas such as readiness,enhancing defence capability,and interoperability.*
The agreement is a foundation for such capabilities as coordination of operations in the North Atlantic and other regions as necessary,exchange of information,and exploring opportunities to co-locate maintenance and training assets,a defence official told USNI News.For example,the US and UK have already signed an agreement to base US Navy P-8As at RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland.*
Vice-Admiral James G. Foggo III,former commander of the US Navy's 6th Fleet and nominee to command US Naval Forces Europe and Africa,told Proceedings magazine:
Not only have Russia's actions and capabilities increased in alarming and confrontational ways,its national security policy is aimed at challenging the United States and its NATO Allies and partners.*
There is agreement in NATO and defence analytical circles that Russian naval activity has grown more aggressive since it annexed Crimea and instigated unrest in Eastern Ukraine in 2014.In 2015,the Nordic Defence Cooperation countries of Norway,Sweden,Denmark,Finland and Iceland said:
Russia's conduct represents the biggest challenge to European Security.As a consequence,the security situation around the Nordic countries has significantly weakened during the past year.We must be prepared to respond to face possible crises or incidents.The Russian military is acting provocatively along our borders,and there have been several border violations around the Baltic Sea.Closer cooperation in Northern Europe and solidarity with the Baltic states will contribute to stronger security in our region and raise the threshold for possible military incidents.*
The UK is currently preparing facilities for the P-8A at RAF Lossiemouth,Scotland.Both Royal Air Force and Royal Navy personnel will crew the nine aircraft the UK is purchasing.Their initial training is taking place in the US,as will depot level maintenance of UK P-8As.*
Boeing (BA)