Sparton’s Post

‘As Australia awarded itself an ill-thought-out peace dividend at the end of the Cold War, the impact fell hardest on the Navy’s surface combatant fleet’ A useful piece by Kim Beazley outlining ‘how we got here?’ A question I have frequently pondered with Royal Australian Navy that does not have the capability it needs to protect Australia’s maritime strategic interests. The question is is how do we rectify this? ‘The Red Sea struggle has demonstrated that future wars might well require more capable warships to protect sea lanes from land-based threats. The USN is now focusing greater attention on numbers. Small, heavily armed ships and unmanned surface and underwater systems are being rapidly developed and we are interested’. https://lnkd.in/geYS8EaD

The historic maritime warfare tactics utilized in the World War II Iwo-Jima amphibious attack campaign predominantly featured linear, condensed ship-to-shore mechanized armored assaults. Explore more about the evolution of US Navy's amphibious warfare tactics in the Rim of the Pacific here: https://lnkd.in/eMqAVH2M

I see a lot of discussion about the Jones Act and US Maritime policy. I do not wish to relitigate the direct policy issues. Rather, I think it is worthwhile to consider how US shipyards have increasingly become dependent on US Navy construction -- where there is no foreign competition and price is no obstacle. While the issues with the Littoral combat ships are multifaceted, I cannot help but wonder if there was any pushback from the shipyards on what seems to have been an inevitable white elephant? Lots of good thinkers out there. Any thoughts? #littoralcombatships #shipyards #Jonesact #maritime

The conflict in #Ukraine🇺🇦 has clearly demonstrated that unmanned systems are fundamentally changing the dynamics of warfare, both in the air and at sea. Within the #naval #domain, Ukraine’s maritime unmanned systems have distinguished themselves as significant players due to their combat capabilities. Over time, Ukrainian forces have consistently shown progress in this field, progressing from #USV #WBIEDs to remotely controlled unmanned surface vessels armed with rockets and other explosive payloads. Ukraine recently unveiled a new type of #USV #WBIED armed with air-to-air missiles, strengthening its leading position in unmanned systems technology for naval warfare, while Russian forces are endeavoring to develop similar capabilities and are actively working to counter emerging threats in USV WBIED warfare.

If you can’t measure it, does it really exist? “MCDP-1’s preoccupation with maneuver warfare makes it a fragile doctrine based on a single, unfalsifiable theory of victory.” This article by Maj Christopher Denzel USMC, challenges the orthodoxy that manoeuvre warfare is the tool to unlock the enemy’s will to fight. It’s a grand theory but how do you test it? What are the measurable variables that allow the theory to be proven or falsified? This is important at a time when the “plucky manoeuvrist” is considered in many quarters to be the answer to a lack of attritional capability and mass. #doctrine #manoeuvre #theory #concepts #pme #military #warfare #warfighting

The latest from Irregular Warfare Initiative by Doug Livermore. "The losses sustained by Israel dwarf, per capita, those suffered by the US on 9/11, and the monumental effects on Israeli society will take time to fully assess. This episode highlights Hamas’ prowess in guerrilla warfare, showing how adeptly they harness local resources and knowledge to achieve their objectives, all while maintaining an extraordinary level of secrecy. It underscores the evolving nature of conflict in today’s world, where non-state actors can rival conventional military forces in both strategy and execution, making them formidable adversaries on the modern battlefield." https://lnkd.in/dQB2Ppsk

The conflict in Ukraine has clearly demonstrated that unmanned systems are fundamentally changing the dynamics of warfare, both in the air and at sea. Within the naval domain, Ukraine’s maritime unmanned systems have distinguished themselves as significant players due to their combat capabilities. Over time, Ukrainian forces have consistently shown progress in this field, progressing from USV WBIEDs to remotely controlled unmanned surface vessels armed with rockets and other explosive payloads. Ukraine recently unveiled a new type of USV WBIED armed with air-to-air missiles, strengthening its leading position in unmanned systems technology for naval warfare, while Russian forces are endeavoring to develop similar capabilities and are actively working to counter emerging threats in USV WBIED warfare.   Get the full report: https://lnkd.in/dRXNaPMU

During the stand down, units will discuss “fundamentals of safe flight operations, ground safety, maintenance and flight procedures, and maintaining combat readiness,” Marines say. http://ow.ly/usBF104UFx2

I call this concept a “virtual U-haul.” If your vehicle doesn’t have enough capacity to bring everything you need, you hitch a U-haul to increase it.

VBSS stands for Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure. It's a term used by military and law enforcement agencies for maritime boarding operations. These operations involve approaching and boarding a vessel, usually a ship, to search it for contraband, illegal activities, or threats. VBSS teams are highly trained specialists who are skilled in tactics like fast-roping, rappelling, close-quarters combat, and hostage rescue. They often use specialized equipment such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs), grappling hooks, and breaching ladders. VBSS operations can be complex and dangerous, and they require a high degree of coordination and skill. VBSS teams are often deployed to apprehend pirates and terrorists who are operating at sea.The success of a VBSS operation depends on a number of factors, including the training and experience of the team, the intelligence available about the target vessel, and the sea conditions. #military #defense #defence #vbss #marine #maritime #ocean #sea #rescue #specialforces #specialoperations #navy #navyseals #rescue #combat #vessel #ship #operations