Invite Taiwan to RIMPAC Taiwan should be invited to the world’s largest naval exercise next year, according to the US’ 2022 defense spending blueprint signed into law by President Joe Biden this week. The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) says the invitation would supplement US efforts to support the self-governed democratic island in the […]
China’s Surprise Submarine Move Shows Its Growing Power Submarine sales are a powerful weapon in the game of international power and influence. China is increasingly combining it with the Belt and Road Initiative in ways which shape the geopolitical landscape. The latest surprise submarine supply illustrates this. When a Chinese submarine entered the Malacca Strait on […]
French Navy Frigate Bretagne Conducts Crew Exchange in Iceland. FREMM Bretagne in Iceland The crew swap in Iceland allows the frigate to spend more time in the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) gap to detect and track submarines. The French Navy (Marine Nationale) conducted an in-theatre crew exchange for the Aquitaine-class FREMM Frigate Bretagne earlier this month. The […]
USN Cargo Drone The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is looking at the use of small drones to deliver mail drops and other supplies to ships at sea. According to a news release: “The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) – whose ships and sailors have supported Royal Navy operations since 1905 with fuel, food, spare parts, ammunition and […]
The U.S. Navy took delivery of the future USS Canberra (LCS 30) at Austal USA on December 21. This is the second Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Austal has delivered to the Navy in 2021. Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said: “With two ship launches, two christenings, and now the successful completion of sea trials […]
Attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) arrived in its home port in Bremerton, Wash., on 21 December after transiting the Pacific Ocean on the surface due to damage from a collision in the South China Sea. Connecticut reached Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton after pulling into the San Diego harbor a little over a week ago […]
NOC-WA held a Christmas Dinner at Fremantle Yacht Club on Thursday 9 December 2021 during which our immediate past Chairman, Commander Bob Mummery, OAM, RAN ret’d was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from our National President, Rear Admiral Simon Cullen, AM, CSC, RAN ret’d. The current Chairman, Commodore Brett Dowsing, RAN ret’d presented the […]
Diesel Submarines Can Help Resist China. Deterence and warfighting exigencies demand it. Here’s What You Need to Know: SSKs have no need to match SSNs; they need to be good enough for the job, and cheap enough to buy in bulk. Among the more-than-ample reasons for acquiring a flotilla of diesel-electric submarines for the U.S. […]
Indonesia and China are at maritime loggerheads amid rising Chinese incursions into Indonesia’s EEZ. An unprecedented Chinese protest over Indonesia drilling for natural gas in its own waters appears to have cast new light over why Jakarta remained strangely silent over a recent seven-week incursion by a Chinese research ship and two armed Coast Guard […]
By Simon Cullen (NOC President) Today I had the honour to present a NOC book prize to REOC 2/21 course member LEUT Leesa Maroske. Leesa is a Public Relations Officer who is now working with the Mine Warfare community at Waterhen. Leesa was recognised for her course results as well as self-discipline, resolution, undeviating application […]
