Sea State

Tensions in the South China Sea continue to escalate, with around 100 Chinese ships detected in Malaysian waters near the Luconia Shoals on 24 March. In response, Malaysia sent its Maritime Enforcement Agency and navy to monitor the area, and Malaysia’s Minister for National Security, Shahidan Kassim, said it may take legal action if the ships enter Malaysia’s EEZ. China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, said in a regular briefing that he ‘did not understand the details’ of the matter, but wanted to point out that it was currently fishing season in the South China Sea. For some interesting background reading, The National Interest takes a look at the evolving role of Chinese coastguards here.

One of the USN’s most enduring naval mysteries has finally been solved, with a USN tugboat missing since 1921 discovered sunk off the coast of San Francisco. According to a statement released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the US Navy on 23 March, the wreck of USS Conestoga was found about 50km west of San Francisco. The boat, the last USN ship to be lost without a trace during peacetime, left San Francisco on 25 March 1921, and was bound for American Samoa—via Hawaii—with 56 officers and sailors on board, when it disappeared in bad weather. The Telegraph has a video of the wreckage here.

Flight Path

In this week’s look at the F-35 program, Pentagon officials have committed to an extensive schedule of airshows this year to try and boost the JSF’s public image and improve public perceptions. Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, F-35 program manager, said that the events are an attempt to close the perception gap between public takes on the program and reality. We look forward to some cool airshow videos in the future. Also, be sure to check out this article from Real Clear Defense which examines domestic budgetary constraints that might affect the future of Australia’s JSF program.

Two recent articles have taken an interesting look at the impact of money on air force programs. National Defense magazine looks at how money is shaping the modernisation of the USAF, particularly when balancing the maintenance of legacy fleets and the development of new aircraft. And over at War is Boring, James Stevenson has argued why he thinks the secrecy surrounding the B-21 program might hinder future funding by looking at how the less-classified Advanced Tactical Fighter program won-out over the ‘black’ A-12 Avenger II project.

Rapid Fire

US troops will soon be stationed in the Philippines for the first time in 25 years. Facilitated under the 2014 defence agreement between the two countries, four airbases and one army camp will be made available to the American military. The Philippines is currently embroiled in a territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea, and the strategic positioning of US forces in the country is indicative of recent Philippine efforts to strengthen their claims.

With the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit beginning on 31 March in Washington DC, the North Korean military has once again engaged in more sabre rattling, with their propaganda machine releasing a video showing the destruction of the US capital by a nuclear attack. For those interested in following the progress of North Korea’s aggressive and erratic behaviour, the Council on Foreign Relations has created a global conflict tracker which regularly updates the North Korea Crisis.

And finally, the computer gaming company Wargaming has rescued and refurbished one of only six WWII Australian-built tanks left in existence—the Australian Cruiser Mark 1 ‘Sentinel’. The company, which is responsible for the online multiplayer game World of Tanks, originally discovered the tank in 2006 and is currently displaying the relic at the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum.

SAL feature: the life and times of the Collins-class submarine (part 2)

Last week, we delved into the history of RAN’s Collins-class submarine, looking back at the project’s conception, its troubled construction phase, the McIntosh-Prescott Report and the fast-track program to bring the submarines up to operational standards. This week, we’ll look at the bad publicity and political controversies of the project, availability issues and the Coles Review, the outlook for the Collins class and the future submarines project.

Bad publicity has followed the Collins throughout its life. Negative press began in 1994, during the tumultuous construction stage, and reached what chroniclers of the Collins project Peter Yule and Derek Woolner describe as a state of ‘almost hysteria’ by the time of the election in March 1996. The ‘dud subs’ label was originally used by a group of officers in RAN’s surface fleet, and later used by the Coalition to attack then-Opposition leader Kim Beazley. In 1998, a newspaper headline describing the Collins as ‘noisy as a rock concert’ cited the findings of a leaked secret US navy report. The story haunted the Collins-class through the next decade, despite officials denying that the phrase had ever appeared in an official report.

Availability issues continued to plague the class in the early 2000s. As a result, the Coles Review was announced by the Federal Government in August 2011. The Phase 1 Report detailed a number of interim recommendations about how to address ‘long-standing and entrenched difficulties’ with the Collins-class, and the final report found that organisational and management issues were rife in the program. It offered a number of recommendations to address those issues which were taken on board, and as reported by Andrew Davies and Mark Thomson in May 2015, improvements to meet those benchmarks have been made.

When the program was established in 1982, the submarines were expected to have an operational life of around 30 years. It was clear by the mid-2000s however, that the acquisition process for a replacement would likely take much longer. In December 2007, the government announced that planning for the Collins-class replacement had commenced. Last month’s launch of the 2016 Defence White Paper confirmed the acquisition of 12 submarines for entry into service from the early 2030s. In order to see the Collins-class meet the challenge of sustaining submarine operations and superiority over growing naval forces in the Asia–Pacific, the government announced a periodic refit which will see the submarines receive upgraded communication and sensor capabilities.

It should be noted that despite the controversies, the Collins-class are excellent submarines. They’ve exceeded expectations in a number of areas, including contracted speed, low-speed underwater endurance, manoeuvrability and the performance of the ships control system. From all accounts, they’ve performed well in war games with the US, and have been able to patrol long distances throughout the Asia–Pacific.

Sea State

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the $1.2 billion contract to construct two auxiliary oiler and replenishment vessels for RAN, Defence Minister Marise Payne confirmed last week. The ships, inspired by the Spanish Navy’s 19,800-tonne SPS Cantabria-class vessel (which RAN leased in 2013), are expected to enter into service by the early 2020s to replace HMAS Sirius and Success.

A North Korean People’s Navy submarine is missing and presumed sunk, US officials announced last Friday. The unknown class submarine was operating off the North Korean coast when it’s believed to have suffered a failure during an exercise. The incident comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang warning of a ‘pre-emptive retaliatory strike at enemy groups’ in retaliation to the joint US–South Korean military exercises we mentioned last week. The Center for International Maritime Security takes a look into North Korea’s naval capabilities here.

Combat dolphins are back. Russia’s Defence Ministry opened bidding last Wednesday on a 1.75 million ruble contract to deliver five dolphins to the military in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol by 1 August. According to the public contract document, the ministry is looking for two female and three male dolphins, aged between three and five years, with perfect teeth and no physical impairments. While the listing didn’t detail what the dolphins were to be used for, the mammals have previously been used by both the US and Soviet Union to detect submarines and underwater mines and to spot suspicious objects during the height of the Cold War.

Flight Path

Have you tried turning it off and on again? That’s one question an F-35 pilot probably wouldn’t expect to hear mid-flight should the fighter jet’s radar system fail.–but this may very well have happened. But in the F-35’s latest setback, Major General Jeffrey Harrigian, the Pentagon’s F-35 integration office chief, revealed last week that a software glitch has meant that the fifth-generation fighter’s radar can fail mid-flight, requiring a restart. Oops.

On top of this, the F-35 has received a healthy dose of criticism this week: War is Boring posted a lengthy article examining the US Director of Operational Test and Evaluation’s annual report on the F-35 by drawing out its major flaws. The article looks at a number of F-35 capabilities that were examined in the rosy review we looked at last week, offering a more critical take on the program. US Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan recently told Defense One that joint programs are ‘hard’ and it doesn’t seem likely that another joint, F-35-type program is currently in the works. And this article from The National Interest argues that America’s air supremacy is fading fast, and critically assesses the future role of the F-35 in filling this gap. For an Australian perspective, ASPI’s submission to the Senate Inquiry into the F-35 is now available to view here (#47).

Because pictures of aircraft are cool, Business Insider Australia has put together a neat slideshow of what they see as the 10 most game-changing aircraft of the 21st century. Did your favourite make the list?

Rapid Fire

According to US defense officials, plans are in the works that might see US troops accompany Iraqi forces in an attempt to retake Mosul from Daesh. Contributing teams of approximately 15 soldiers to work within Iraqi brigades, the US troops will assist with intelligence, tactics, fire support and logistics—with the latter being a significant shortcoming in the Iraqi Army’s operations in the vast Samarra desert.

The Myanmar military has released 46 child soldiers from its ‘Tatmadaw’ army as it slowly makes progress on fulfilling the June 2012 pact with the UN to have child-free armed forces. The military has so far released 744 underage recruits in 12 sets since 2012, but it remains unknown how many children are still serving in the Myanmar military. While the military in Myanmar remains influential after decades of rule, the country is progressively transitioning to a civilian-led democracy after the National League for Democracy defeated the military-aligned USDP in last November’s elections.

And finally, if the thought of drones pervading the sanctity of your private life and personal safety keeps you awake at night, rest easy! Soon, you will be able to take matters into your own hands with the SkyWall 100 drone-neutraliing bazooka. Created by the British company OpenWorks Engineering, the bazooka deploys a net that’s able capture a drone mid-flight and simultaneously release a parachute to bring it gently to the ground. If it all sounds a little too good to be true, see it in action in OpenWork’s promo video.

Sea State

China and Cambodia held their first joint naval training exercise last week, with three Chinese warships docking in Sihanoukville port on 22 February for a five day visit. 70 Cambodian sailors and 737 Chinese counterparts participated in simulated rescue activities and emergencies at sea. Following the exercises, Vice Admiral Tea Vinh, commander of the Royal Cambodian Navy, and Rear Admiral Yu Manjiang, Chinese naval commander, discussed the potential for Beijing to supply Cambodia with warships to defend its maritime territory. The two countries have been strengthening their bilateral defence ties over the past few years, with China now the largest donor of military aid to Cambodia. The Diplomat has an analysis of these developments here.

RAN looks set for a major recapitalisation after the 2016 Defence White Paper was released last Thursday. 12 future submarines, nine anti-submarine warfare frigates and 12 offshore patrol vessels form the centrepiece of the plan to regenerate Navy, as the Turnbull Government seeks to create a future force capable of maintaining stability in the Asia–Pacific. In response, China has expressed serious concerns regarding the Paper’s remarks on the South China Sea, with China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying the country strongly disagreed with Australia’s criticism of its land reclamation activities.

Flight Path

Late last week, US Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James revealed the first rendering of the Long Range Strike Bomber, designated the B-21. The designation signifies that the LRS-B is the first bomber of the 21st century. The contract was awarded last year to Northrop Grumman over Lockheed Martin and Boeing, with the US Government Accountability Office recently denying a Boeing protest over the contract. The selection process and cost-reimbursement contract of the new LRS-B did generate some dissenting views, but if you’re still sceptical, have a look at this recent article from War on the Rocks which outlines three reasons why work on the B-21 is ready to begin without changing the contract type.

The bomber will need a name (like the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit) and Secretary James has asked the public for suggestions. Check out some of the choicer suggestions (like ‘Money Pit’ and ‘Bad Guy Make Go-Away System’) and find out how you can have your say here.

A video using 360 degree immersive cameras to show a US pilot’s perspective as he takes off in an F/A-18 Super Hornet from an aircraft carrier has recently been released. You can drag the camera around to view every direction and can even look down at the pilot’s controls.

Rapid Fire

In conjunction with the second anniversary of the annexation of Crimea by Russia last Friday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced plans for a ‘substantial enhancement’ of its military capacity around the Black Sea and the Kherson Oblast, which borders Crimea. Poroshenki’s call to arms, that began with ‘Crimea was, is and will be an integral part of the Ukrainian state and the country-criminal will be forced to return the loot’, follows on from Ukraine’s interior minister Arsen Avakov’s statement that Ukraine would be preparing a special unit of the National Guard for their impending return to Crimea.

The US Army has patented a new ‘limited range projectile’ that self-destructs upon reaching a set distance in order to limit collateral damage should it fail to hit its designated target. Members of the US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Centre designed the projectile so that when fired a pyrotechnic substance inside the bullet ignites a reactive material that causes the bullet to become aerodynamically unstable once it reaches a particular distance.

And finally the 2016 Australian Defence White Paper has unveiled details about Australia’s investment in land combat and amphibious capabilities to 2025–26. See a brief summary of the future Army on The Strategist here and read about why Army’s current (and soon to be upgraded) M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks are still champions of the battlefield here.

Sea State

The second meeting of the India–US Joint Working Group of Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation concluded in New Delhi on 18 February, after three days of talks. The meeting is the second of three scheduled under the India–US Defence Trade and Technology Initiative, which aims to improve cooperation in defence production between the two countries. An 11-member US delegation, headed by Rear Admiral Thomas J. Moore, visited defence and industrial installations in Goa and Bengaluru, and India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier being built at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi. According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, various aspects of aircraft carrier technology cooperation were discussed over the four days.

US author and director Peter Navarro sat down this week with Jim Holmes, professor of strategy at the US Naval College, to discuss his new book and six-part documentary film series Crouching Tiger. In the video, the two discuss China’s naval history, their intentions in the Asia–Pacific and the United States’ pivot towards Asia.

Finally, head over to Foxtrot Alpha to check out a video featuring a live-fire display from USS Vicksburg. The vision showcases the simultaneous release of all of a Ticonderoga-class cruiser’s gun batteries.

Flight Path

China has been stirring up the South China Sea again recently, giving us lots of Flight Path fodder. Back in November, Moscow and Beijing signed a contract for the delivery of 24 Su-35 jets to China. On Friday, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported that the first four jets will be supplied by year’s end. This piece in The National Interest argues that control of the skies over the SCS is crucial to any future Chinese dominance over the region’s islands and seas, and assesses the impact of China’s acquisition on the balance of the SCS.

The state-run Chinese outlet People’s Daily Online recently reported that the Chinese military is capable of detecting US F-22 stealth fighters operating in the East China Sea around its Air Defence Identification Zone. The announcement came the day after the US flew four F-22’s over South Korea as a show of force against Pyongyang.

And if you’ve ever wondered what future air forces might look like, Defence News has some neat ideas—think Star Wars-style lasers and robotic ‘teammates’ for pilots in the air. For more detail from USAF chief scientist Greg Zacharias, you can read his interview here.

Rapid Fire

As a part of strengthening US capabilities in Europe, over 5,000 tons of US Army Europe ammunition has been sent to Miesau, Germany. The ammo was moved in 415 shipping containers, and will be utilised in the US’ Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is a response to Russia’s adventurism in Ukraine in 2014.

While NATO increases its defences at Russia’s borders, sources report that the Kremlin’s military budget will be reduced by 5% in 2016 due to its economic downturn. The prospective drop, which amounts to US$1.29 billion, follows last year’s 4% reduction, which was attributed to falling global oil prices and the impact of withering Western sanctions.

The Saudi Arabia initiated exercise North Thunder which kicked off at King Khalid Military City in north eastern Saudi Arabia involves the ground, air and naval forces from 20 Arab and Islamic nations including Jordan, the UAE, Oman and Malaysia. Running from 16 February through to 4 March, the aim of the exercise is to increase coordination between the participating countries, exchanging expertise, and develop a state of readiness.

Sea State

Boeing has told Reuters on February 12 that the company has implemented a number of new measures aimed at combating a rise in health issues reported by F/A-18 and EA-18G fighter jet pilots. The statement follows last week’s revelations from Michael Turner, Chairman of the House of Representative Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, of a decline in the well-being of pilots, with common problems including insufficient oxygen and depressurisation during flight. Specific measures are underway to address those issues, including incorporating changes to the filter material in the aircrafts’ on-board generation systems and improving maintenance practices.

Russia continues to invest in its naval fleet, with President Vladimir Putin expressing his desire to modernise Russia’s submarine fleet by purchasing additional boats, and potentially by developing and acquiring new models. Check out this fascinating infographic from designer Anton Egorov for a look at Russia’s current submarines and their maximum depth.

Real Clear Defense’s interview series, Defense Talks, last week featured US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson, who discussed the US Navy’s budget restraints, how it can maintain its fighting edge, and the threat of peer competitors Russia and China.

Flight Path

This week, US Air Force (USAF) officials announced force structure changes resulting from the 2017 defense budget. This official US DoD infographic shows the various proposed force structure changes set out by the 2017 budget for the next five years. Breaking Defense has published an informative article outlining some of the key changes to USAF structure, which also includes a spreadsheet detailing the most significant program investments, such as finance for the Long-Range Strike-Bomber increasing from $736.2 million to $1.36 billion in fiscal year 2017.

You might recall the infamous ‘blimpgate’ incident we reported on late last year. For those of you up late at night pondering the fate of the wayward airship, rest assured, it will fly again. Recent investigations into the incident found that the blimp’s escape was due to a combination a design, human error and procedural issues. Despite this, and funding cuts of US$30 million to its program announced the month after the incident, the blimp will grace the skies once again.

And in F-35 news (because it wouldn’t be Flight Path without an update), the US general in charge of the program, Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, has outlined the biggest risks yet to be faced by the development program in a fascinating Defense News overview.

Rapid Fire

The DPRK’s purge of its top military officials continues in the lead up to the Congress of the Workers Party in May with reports emerging last week that North Korean Army chief Ri Yong-gil had been executed either on 2 or 3 February. A member of the Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee and a deputy delegate to the Supreme People’s Assembly, he became the Chief of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) General Staff in 2013. However, this was short lived: following in the grim footsteps of other senior staff since Kim Jong-un came to power, he was apparently executed due to corruption and participating in a factional conspiracy.

Fun fact: 14 February marked a century since as many as 15,000 Australian Army soldiers led a ‘strike’ through the centre of Sydney in what has become known as the ‘The Battle of Central Station’ or ‘The Liverpool Riot of 1916’. Soldiers looted pubs, raided food carts, smashed shop windows and harassed civilians in response to deteriorating living conditions at Casula Camp and disputes about training expectations. It resulted in the court-martialling of as many as 1,000 soldiers and the death of a volunteer recruit, Ernest William Keefe, who was shot dead in a melee by troops and police officers called to quell the situation. A bullet hole can still be found at the entrance to Central Station’s Platform 1, and The Daily Telegraph has illustrated a commemorative outline of the event here.