Sea Links
Sea Links Special: CBO Shipbuilding Report
CBO report: Plan underestimates ship costs.
New U.S. Navy Fleet Unaffordable.
CBO report examines possible JSF cuts.
New Boomers to Cost $8 Billion Each.
New Navy Sub May Cost $1 Billion More.
Read the Report. (pdf)
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US Navy
John Finn, Medal of Honor Winner, Dies at 100.
CBO: Navy Shipbuilding Plan Not Affordable.
Littoral Combat Ship visits Canada.
BP Begins ‘Top Kill’ Effort to Plug Oil Spill.
USN May Look to Flywheels To Power Electric Weapons.
Terror-fighting fireboat helps open NY Fleet Week.
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Warships of the World
S Korea freezes trade with North over warship sinking.
SKorea stages anti-submarine drill amid tension.
India gets ready to operate N-submarine.
Rebuilt submarine HMAS Dechaineux returns to service.
Russia to buy 4 copter ships from NATO state. More.
Russian warships gather at Far East for drills.
Japanese Navy’s New Soft-Power Ops.
Israel Eyes World’s First Air-Defense Corvettes.
Five foreign navies sending ships for Canadian Navy centennial.
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New Wars at Sea
Hezbollah vows to destroy Israel’s navy.
Patrols force pirate attacks, growing ‘more brazen,’ farther afield.
SPANISH fishing trawler repels pirate attack.
Is the U.S. Prepared to Face Midget Subs?
French Warship saves Merchant vessel Nordneptun from pirates.
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From the Navy Vaults
The Spanish capture of the Dutch island of St Martin’s. (War and Game)
Privateers: History: Ancient Merchants And Rich Cargo. (Pauline’s Pirates & Privateers)
Dunkirk: The Forgotten Heroes. (The Old Salt Blog)
Ships gather in Ramsgate ahead of Dunkirk re-enactment. (BBC News)
Mongol Fleets in Southern China. (Cog and Galley)
Clad in Iron: The American Civil War and the Challenge of British Naval Power. (Strategypage)
Islamic Navigation. (Cog and Galley)
USS Olympia: Historic warship’s future may be sunk. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
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dogon wallet Sea Links | New Wars
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D.E. good to know we have a Aegis supercruiser in the Gulf in case the pirates make a giant technological leap with cruise missiles! Yeah, like that will happen. More likely a suicide ramming.
Hey Mike,
Yeah, he ‘resurrected’ himself just in time. And maybe the spelling of the phrase I offered should be changed to ‘Somalie Zombie’… Can’t you just visualize an Indian Bollywood epic soon to appear – Somalie Zombie Pirates of the Kerala Coast…
Back to more serious news – here are two more informative and correct reports about USS San Jacinto’s recent anti-piracy actions.
US DOD: U.S. Navy Ship Disrupts Suspected Pirate Attack
By Lt. j.g. Kyra D. Lassiter
USS San Jacinto Public Affairs
GULF OF ADEN, June 1, 2010 – The U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto yesterday disrupted nine suspected Somali pirates from attacking a Maltese-flagged vessel that was transiting here.
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=59424
Navy Times: Cruiser foils 2nd pirate attack in a week
By Lance M. Bacon – Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jun 1, 2010 14:50:29 EDT
The cruiser San Jacinto on Tuesday morning thwarted its second pirate attack of the past week.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/06/navy_pirates_060110w/
“he woke up!”
Yikes! Right out of a movie.
USS San Jacinto (CG-56) has captured nine Somali pirates following an attack upon a merchant vessels. The nine captured pirates have now been turned over to Yemeni authorities.
Island Crisis: USS San Jacinto disrupted Somali pirates’ attack
GULF OF ADEN (BNO NEWS) – The USS San Jacinto (CG 56) disrupted the attack of nine Somali pirates on a Maltese-flagged vessel on Monday, The U.S. Naval Force announced on Monday.
USS San Jacinto responded to a distress call M/V Avenue Beauty, which was transiting 90 miles north of Somalia, when it was attacked by pirates. The vessel master immediately sounded the alarm and directed his crew to executed counter-piracy measures which caused the pirate vessel to interrupt the attack and fled.
The American Navy vessel arrived quickly and followed the pirate skiff in a helicopter. The pirates were heading towards the south coast of Somalia. The nine pirates aboard the skiff did not comply with the orders to stop their vessel.
On the early hours of Tuesday, a boarding team with U.S. coast guards and Navy sailors were sent to the pirate vessel. The pirates had already disposed the weapons and ammunition as well as pirate paraphernalia.
With these 9 pirates, the USS San Jacinto has detained 22 pirates so far in the last seven days. The pirates were turned over to Yemeni Naval Forces.
http://www.islandcrisis.net/2010/06/uss-san-jacinto-disrupted-somali-pirates-attack/
Yesterday I noted that the Maldives had recovered five living and one dead Somali from a skiff found near one of the Maldives Islands. Well, when funerary preparations were underway to prepare the single dead Somali for burial – he woke up! I can now imagine a new phrase… …Somali Zombie.
Haveeru Online: ‘Dead’ Somali man regains consciousness DATE: 2010-06-01
MALE, June 1, 2010 (HNS) – The Somali man thought to be dead on a boat discovered near Haa Dhaal atoll Makunudhoo Monday has regained consciousness just before burial.
Island Chief Ibrahim Shareef, who earlier referred to the other five crewmen as saying that the man had died three days ago, said he started moving around 10:30 am Tuesday.
“When we took him out for burial, he suddenly started moving. His leg muscles and several other parts of his body were wearing off. He was in a compartment filled with water,” he said.
The man has been taken to the health centre where he is recovering with the other crewmen, Shareef added.
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/details/30900/%5C%27Dead%5C%27_Somali_man_regains_consciousness
Minivan News: Island superstition saves ‘dead’ Somalian man from being buried alive by police
By Ahmed Nazeer | June 1st, 2010
A Somalian man has narrowly escaped being buried alive after he was found comatose along with with five other men drifting in a small boat near the island of Makunudhoo in in Haadhaalu Atoll.
http://minivannews.com/society/island-superstition-saves-dead-somalian-man-from-being-buried-alive-by-police-7683
More near-dead and dead Somalis have been found near the Maldives Islands, southwest of Sri Lanka. Also, the report describes earlier discoveries of Somalis and empty boats around the Maldives this year.
Haveeru Online: Vessel with Somalis found near Makunudhoo
MALE, May 31, 2010, 17:50 (HNS) – A boat with six Somalis onboard has been found around half an hour ago near Haa Dhaal Makunudhoo, the Island Office has said.
Island Chief Ibrahim Shareef said one out of the six people was dead, while others were in critical conditions. They have been taken to the island’s health centre, he added.
Shareef referred to the crewmen as saying that they left Somalia with 17 people, but tossed out bodies after some died onboard.
He further said the office reported the case to police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
MNDF rescued an Iranian fishing boat 75 miles west of Huvadhu Atoll with 20 people onboard on May 16. According to the boat’s captain seven out of the 20 unidentified crewmen were pirates who hijacked the boat some six months earlier.
An abandoned boat suspected to be belonging to Somali pirates was discovered off Laamu Atoll just north of Huvadhu on April 27.
In December fishermen in Addu atoll spotted a similar boat with seven Somalis in distress drifting off Hithadhoo. The crew are still in custody at Dhoonidhoo detention and have been interrogated by US Marines.
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/details/30898/Vessel_with_Somalis_found_near_Makunudhoo
Eight near-dead Somalis have been found in the Indian Lakshadweep Islands and taken into custody by Indian officials. This is a chain of tiny atolls some 200 to 300 kilometers off the southwest coast of India. It’s possible or even likely that the eight survivors found by Indian forces are Somali pirates. They were found with two skiffs of the type used in piracy. However, so far they are claiming to have been fishermen set adrift. The presence of these Somalis so far east and near the Indian mainland fits in with several previous encounters with apparent Somali pirates operating near India.
Sify News: Somalis spotted in Lakshadweep, three arrested
2010-05-28 20:20:00
Many Somali nationals were spotted in Lakshadweep islands Friday, a day after three of them were found in an unconscious state on Minicoy Island and arrested, an Indian Navy official said.
The official said more Somali nationals were detected Friday afternoon about 100 km south of Kavaratti Island of the Lakshadweep, and aircraft and ships of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard have launched intense search operations to nab them.
On Thursday, a navy patrol in the Lakshadweep found three Somalis lying in an unconscious state on Minicoy Island after they swam ashore abandoning their boat.
‘The men were exhausted and dehydrated. They had managed to swim ashore after abandoning their boat. It is also learnt that a fourth man drowned,’ a navy spokesman said.
An abandoned boat was found in the Arabian sea near the island, he said. The three were taken to a hospital.
http://sify.com/news/somalis-spotted-in-lakshadweep-three-arrested-news-national-kf2uudbjhjf.html
More developments are provided in the following news accounts.
Express News Service: Five more Somalis held from Lakshadweep
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/kochi/five-more-somalis-held-from-lakshadweep/177277.html
Express News Service: Somalis brought to Kochi for interrogation
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/kochi/somalis-brought-to-kochi-for-interrogation/177401.html
Here’s information about the Lakshadweep Islands from Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshadweep
Nuclear-armed Israeli submarines are now patrolling off the coast of Iran. The following report seems to suggest that they are operating in the Persian Gulf, but I find that difficult to accept. Rather, I suspect that they may be patrolling in the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean. Well, that is – if any of this is real.
The Sunday Times / Times Online: Israel stations nuclear missile subs off Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi in Tel Aviv
Three German-built Israeli submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles are to be deployed in the Gulf near the Iranian coastline.
The first has been sent in response to Israeli fears that ballistic missiles developed by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political and military organisation in Lebanon, could hit sites in Israel, including air bases and missile launchers.
The submarines of Flotilla 7 — Dolphin, Tekuma and Leviathan — have visited the Gulf before. But the decision has now been taken to ensure a permanent presence of at least one of the vessels.
The flotilla’s commander, identified only as “Colonel O”, told an Israeli newspaper: “We are an underwater assault force. We’re operating deep and far, very far, from our borders.”
Each of the submarines has a crew of 35 to 50, commanded by a colonel capable of launching a nuclear cruise missile.
The vessels can remain at sea for about 50 days and stay submerged up to 1,150ft below the surface for at least a week. Some of the cruise missiles are equipped with the most advanced nuclear warheads in the Israeli arsenal.
The deployment is designed to act as a deterrent, gather intelligence and potentially to land Mossad agents. “We’re a solid base for collecting sensitive information, as we can stay for a long time in one place,” said a flotilla officer.
The submarines could be used if Iran continues its programme to produce a nuclear bomb. “The 1,500km range of the submarines’ cruise missiles can reach any target in Iran,” said a navy officer.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7140282.ece
The last time the Seychelles Coast Guard patrol vessel Topaz took on a pirate vessel it turned into a gunfight. This time a PAG surrendered to the well-armed Topaz, once intercepted.
Pirate Action Group disrupted due to excellent cooperation between EU NAVFOR and the Seychelles Coast Guard
May 30, 2010
On Saturday evening, 29 of May, the Seychelles Coast Guard disrupted a Pirate Action Group, including a mother ship with 9 suspected pirates on board and two fast attack skiffs, after being led to the target by an EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft from the Swedish Coast Guard.
On last Thursday, 27 May, an EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft from the Swedish Coast Guard spotted a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) about 500 nautical miles east of the Somali coast. The PAG consisted of 1 whaler and 2 skiffs. At that time, no units were close enough to verify and control the vessels.
On Saturday morning, the PAG was relocated some 250 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles. Thanks to the good cooperation between EU NAVFOR and the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) combined with the use of the same system to communicate, Mercury, the task could be easily transferred to SCG.
On Saturday evening, the SCG Patrol Ship Topaz had caught up and could identify the suspected pirate boats. After confirming that they had pirate paraphernalia on board, 9 suspected pirates were disarmed and their two attack skiffs were destroyed. The suspected pirates were then embarked in their mother ship (whaler) and released.
http://www.eunavfor.eu/2010/05/pirate-action-group-disrupted-due-to-excellent-cooperation-between-eu-navfor-and-the-seychelles-coast-guard/
Mike Burleson said : ” I continue to be intrigued by the idea of “fixed wing” UAVs, which can be launched from just about anything, as opposed to the helicopter-type such as Fire Scout, though there is a place for these too.”
Here is something else you might like :
Volare, Volans: Submarine-Launched UAV from Germany
Gabler is working on the modular mast called Triple M : brochure
EMT is working on the Mini-UAV, a derivative of their Aladin : brochure
Hey Pauline! Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, I find the discrepancy in the picture very interesting.
Mike, I think of you and your father daily. I hope all is well. Love the new header, too. My own Dad had an old boat very much like that; good times out on the water (well, except for my brother who puked regularly but hey…)
Can SECC be recovered underwater by the launching sub? That would be a neat trick!
Thanks Scott! I continue to be intrigued by the idea of “fixed wing” UAVs, which can be launched from just about anything, as opposed to the helicopter-type such as Fire Scout, though there is a place for these too.
Boeing working hard to make the BURLESONIAN dream come true, aka “every submarine [can be] an aircraft carrier” :
Boeing Conducts Test Flight of ScanEagle Compressed Carriage
Some background info on ScanEagle Compressed Carriage (SECC) here :
“Another derivative of the ScanEagle, currently pursued by Boeing is the ‘ScanEagle Compressed Carriage’ (SECC) design. Using air durfaces and fuselage derived from the dominator program and avionics, payloads and controls of the ScanEagle, this vehicle is planned for air insertion or launch from submarines.”
Mike Burleson said : “If I can get Dad home and well again!”
I wholeheartedly hope you’ll be able to make it happen.
Meanwhile, we’ll try to get the ball rollin’…
“Mike is back !!!”
Well, sort of. If I can get Dad home and well again! But at least I can work on the posts. Thanks everyone for your patience and interest.
Mike is back !!!
Hurrah ! Hurrah !
(:-))
The first test of a USN-developed laser-based CIWS has “successfully tracked, engaged, and destroyed” a drone target in flight.
Danger Room: Navy’s Drone Death Ray Takes Out Targets at Sea
By Nathan Hodge Email Author May 28, 2010
For years, the U.S. Navy has been pursuing a workable ray gun that could provide a leap ahead in ship self-defenses. Now, with a series of tests of a system called the Laser Weapon System, or LaWS), it may be one step closer to that goal.
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), the service’s technology development arm, announced today that LaWS had “successfully tracked, engaged, and destroyed” a drone in flight, during an over-the-water engagement at San Nicholas Island, Calif.
It’s certainly not the first time lasers have shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle — last year, the Air Force zapped several drones with beam weapons in a series of tests at China Lake, Calif. — but this test brings an additional bit of realism — and an extra technical challenge. Laser beams can lose strength as they move through the moist, salty sea atmosphere above the sea, so the Navy needs directed-energy weapons that can work effectively on ships.
The LaWS is essentially a laser upgrade to the MK 15 Close In Weapon System (CIWS), a.k.a. the Phalanx gun, a radar-guided autocannon that is already installed on Navy surface combatants. According to NAVSEA, the system tested (shown here) fired a laser through a beam director installed on a tracking mount, which in turn was controlled by a Mk 15 CIWS. That’s the basically same system that controls the Phalanx.
It represents a possible next step for the Phalanx system, which is currently limited by the range of its 20mm autocannon (Raytheon, manufacturer of the Phalanx, is also marketing a missile system to replace the gun). The Phalanx is a last line of defense against sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and hostile aircraft, but the laser wouldn’t replace the gun completely. Theoretically, directed energy weapons would increase the range of the system, but you would still have the gun as a backup if the laser fails to do the job.
LaWS might also have other applications: land-based Phalanx guns have been used to shoot down incoming rockets and mortars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a laser Phalanx could — theoretically — avoid the problem of the “20mm shower” (unexploded rounds falling back to earth).
And after all, what’s a holiday weekend at Danger Room without news of the latest directed-energy weapon?
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/navys-drone-death-ray-takes-out-targets-at-sea/