NAC News – Edition 543
Your weekly national and international naval news for the week of December 15th, 2023
Edition: 543 Quote: The German Admiralty wrestled with the “Dreadnought” problem for eighteen months, and did nothing. Why? Because it meant their spending twelve and a half million sterling on widening and deepening the Keil Canal, and dredging all their harbours and all the approaches to their harbours, because if they did not do so it would be no use building German “Dreadnoughts” because they could not float!” Memories, by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Fisher, Fisher, John Arbuthnot Fisher, Baron, 1841-1920, page 15, Dictated September 1919.
Rod Hughes: Editor NAC News rhughes@shaw.ca (Comments welcome to help improve this service.) Links to keep in touch with the NAC and RCN can be found at the bottom of this email. Contact Kevin Goheen executivedirector-nac@outlook.com if you wish someone to be added to the NAC News email distribution. (Influencer or good candidates to become a NAC member, and note the first year’s NAC/Branch membership dues are waived)
NOTICES
UPDATED 27 February 2024 7:30 – 18:00 Ottawa time, ShipTech Forum 2024. This year’s theme is “Pushing Fleets Beyond Designed Life”. NAC is an official supporter of the organizer VANGUARD, Canada’s leading trade media that serves the Canadian defence and security industries. Vanguard expects 300+ attendees and 12 exhibitors. As such there is a $50 discount for NAC members who wish to purchase a ticket and the promo code is STF24_NAC. Last week for the Early Bird registration! All CAF & government personnel can register for FREE. Not Able to Attend in Person: all speaker sessions will be live streamed, to allow for virtual attendance.
Editor – NAC is a member of the Conference of Defence Association, and their Institute (CDAI). Established in 1932, CDAI is an umbrella organization for 36 member associations who represent over 400,000 active and retired members of the CAF. CDAI has requested to know if any NAC members would like to get involved with either their youth mentorship programme, or to be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and speak to the media on naval matters. NAC sees this as a first-rate opportunity to bringing naval affairs to the forefront. If you are interested in the youth mentorship programme please contact the NAC ED Kevin Goheen, and for the potential maritime SMEs contact either our President Bruce Belliveau or our Naval Affairs Director Tim Addison.
________________________________________________________________
THIS WEEK’S SIGNIFICANT ARTICLES
Putin says no peace in Ukraine until his goals are achieved
Halifax Shipyard Launches Canada’s Fifth Arctic And Offshore Patrol Ship and Canada’s AOPS: Arctic patrol programme enters final stretch
US Congress passes bill allowing sale of Aukus nuclear submarines to Australia with another useful element Protect NATO from Donald Trump? The U.S. Congress just passed that into law
________________________________________________________________
CANADA
Happy Holidays from the Defence Team Leaders (Editor – 1:49 min video)
Canada’s military colleges are at a crossroads. What 2 graduates want now (Editor – includes news videos)
Our Clearance Divers dispose of SIX World War MINES in the Baltic Sea! (Editor – RCN 4:27 min video)
Defence minister says he wants to change the drinking culture on military bases
Upcoming Changes to CPP Contribution Rates for CAF Members
B.C. Ferries gets green light for four new hybrid-electric vessels
Carnival Panorama cruise ship back in Victoria after Oregon repair
Editor – Books for Xmas shopping – Salty Dips Vol 11 – The intent of this volume is to educate Canadians through interviews, stories, and reminisces, about their navy’s history as seen through the eyes of those who served. This latest volume mostly focuses on social change in the Canadian Navy that has taken place from the 1950’s to 2001. A worthy, entertaining read! Available for purchase in paperback and eBook from Amazon, Friesen Press, Google, Chapters, & Apple.
Hunter and Hunted – This graphic novel for young adults follows Charlie, a young man who, like so many Canadians during WWII, didn’t want to miss out on the action when Canada declared War on Nazi Germany. He signed up to join the RCN and was soon to take part in the longest battle of the war – the Battle of the Atlantic. Order your copy today from the Naval Order your copy today from the Naval Association of Canada.
Purchase a Calendar to Support Feral Felines at HMC Dockyard and HISTORY: Cats in the Navy
RCN Our Navy Today Volume 6 Issue 9 (Editor – welcome home and Merry Christmas to the crews of HMC Ships Ottawa, Vancouver, Moncton, and MV Asterix! Jobs well done!
Trident: Monday 11 December 2023 Volume 57, Issue 25
NAC Naval Affairs Programme Briefing Note #37 Alliances, Coalitions, and the RCN (Editor – please share to anyone you think may benefit from the knowledge, after all, that’s what our naval affairs programme is all about – educating Canadians)
________________________________________________________________
USA & AMERICAS
USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Dec. 11, 2023
Defense Acquisition Trends 2023: A Preliminary Look (Editor – opening the kimono)
Facing a Navy-Wide Sailor Shortage, USS Ford Sheds 500-600 Crew
US Navy and LM Successfully Test Key Capabilities of Advanced Off-Board EW System
Navy Submarine Just Tested A Torpedo Tube-Recovered Drone
U.S. Coast Guard Seizes Five Illegal Fishing Boats in One Day off Texas
Op-Ed: US Coast Guard Must Prosecute Former Leaders Who Covered Up Abuse
Opinion: The Shortage of Mariners Willing to Work for Less
________________________________________________________________
INDO-PACIFIC
US CSIS: Scared Strait: Understanding the Economic and Financial Impacts of a Taiwan Crisis (Editor – not a maritime article but food for thought)
UK announces 2025 Carrier Strike Group deployment to Japan
Australian Hull Steel for Australian SSN-AUKUS Nuclear-Powered Submarines with Astute lessons for Australia’s AUKUS submarine workforce and for background Australian Submarine Agency
RNZN hollowed out despite proving frigate air defence capability people people people Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Recruitment Video: ‘Always Ready’ (Editor – good chuckle in a 3:34 min video)
Activity at Najin Points to Continued DPRK-Russia Arms Transfers
China takes restriction measures amid Philippine vessels trespassing and Philippine Supply Boat rammed by China Coast Guard vessel in South China Sea then Manila May Expel Chinese Ambassador Over China Coast Guard’s Behavior
U.S. 3rd Fleet Hosts RIMPAC Mid-Planning Conference
China-Vietnam maritime cooperation a mutual trust model in safeguarding regional security, stability
Indian Coast Guard’s fleet to be twice the size of Pakistani Navy with 200 ships and 100 aircraft
Why India’s 3rd Aircraft Carrier ‘INS Vishal’ is an absolute must to counter China’s high-tech Super Carriers but Navy has shortage of 10,896 personnel: Govt
INS Arihant’s nuke-capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile ‘ready to roll’
MDL submits bid for over Rs 20,000 crore project to build 3 new Kalvari class submarines
China’s weakness: the Malacca Strait (Editor – background in a 12:13 min video)
HD HHI to Develop Indigenous Submarine for Export Market
Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as top opium producer
Hopes HMAS Sheean will be given to Tasmania
Seaspan Orders Largest Car Carriers Entering Market with Hyundai Glovis
________________________________________________________________
EUROPE
Ukraine:
Two New Project 11711 for Black Sea Fleet to Replace War Losses and Project 11711 Batch II Ships to Carry Ka-52M Helicopters
UK to give two Royal Navy minehunter ships to Ukraine and more details British Minehunting Ships to Bolster Ukrainian Navy As UK and Norway Launch Maritime Support Initiative
Visit of hidden unmanned surface vessel base in Ukraine
General:
European militaries increasingly reporting seriously depleted resources (Editor – not a maritime article but one with ominous implications) as is this Trump’s victory at 2024 presidential election could lead to US withdrawal from NATO — NYT
Northern Europe Countries Open A Seabed Security Experimentation Center
Spain Seizes 11 Tons of Cocaine Hidden With “Voluminous Containers”
Russia’s new Black Sea naval base alarms Georgia
Sanctions, Shipping, and Sabotage: China and Russia Enter the ‘Gray Zone’ in the Baltic Sea
Wow, All Hamina-Class Fast Attack Craft Back In Finnish Navy Service (Editor – 4:03 min video)
William puts on Royal Navy uniform to see officer cadets pass out at Dartmouth
Decision Time Approaches For Walrus Class Submarine Replacement
It’s time for Sweden’s navy to grow
All the New most powerful weapons will be installed on The UK’s Type 26 Super Frigates (Editor – the Canadian variant will differ from the UK but still an interesting look in an 8:05 min video)
Netherlands Navy’s frigate HNLMS Tromp tracks two Russia ships
German MCM-Replacement Fails, Current Fleet To Receive Life-Extension
Putin in Arkhangelsk: Arctic industry and infrastructure on agenda
________________________________________________________________
MIDDLE EAST
Yemen’s Houthis warn they will target all Israel-bound ships in Red Sea then Tanker Damaged by Houthi Missile Strike in Red Sea with an unclas explanation Tanker Strinda Struck by Houthi Yemen Anti-Ship Cruise Missile in the Red Sea (Editor – 18:18 min video) and then it continues:
Houthi Forces Attempt to Board Tanker off Yemen
Liberian-flagged Container Ship Catches Fire After Being Hit By Projectile in Red Sea
Lethal Drones from Yemen Attacked French Frigate in Red Sea, Say Officials
Maersk Ship Targeted by Missile in the Red Sea
Bulgarian-Owned Bulker Boarded South of Yemen in Arabian Sea
U.S., Japan Ships Complete Bilateral Exercise in Gulf of Aden
HMS Lancaster rotates 200-strong crew for Middle East missions over Christmas
Egypt Launches First Domestically-Built Frigate in Navy Modernization
Saab to Supply Double Eagle Underwater Mine Disposal Drone to Kuwait
ONE Containership Remains Anchored off Egypt Awaiting Inspection (Editor – inevitably a container offload somewhere and then a docking to replace the bow)
________________________________________________________________
GLOBAL INTERESTS
Russia Insists on an Expanded Boundary in the Arctic Ocean
NOAA: 2023 Had the Hottest Summer on Record in the Arctic
Nigerian Navy boosts its drone fleet with 12 new Comstrac System Ovation drones
A23a: Monster iceberg just shy of a trillion tonnes
InterManager Calls for Safety Improvements After Surge of Enclosed Space Deaths on Ships
________________________________________________________________
SCUTTLEBUTT
The quest for the Northwest Passage was based on philosophy, not evidence
Action in the South Atlantic (Editor – remember RCN Midshipmen Cann, Hatheway, Palmer, and Silver.at Coronel)
The Great Lakes, a Canadian Perspective (Editor – amazing stats in a 11:20 min video)
The Mariner’s Mirror – Great Maritime Innovations 1: The Stockless Anchor (Editor – 27 min podcast) and the complimentary The Stockless Anchor Explained (Editor – 2:46 min video)
________________________________________________________________
THIS WEEK IN RCN/MARITIME HISTORY
17 December 1944 HMCS MONTREAL (frigate) rescues survivors of U-Boat 1209 wrecked on Wolf Rock southwest of Land’s End.
19 December 1945 The Government of Canada approves in principle the formation of a naval air branch.
20 December 1941 HMCS Adversus, ex-RCMP patrol ship, while on patrol was lost at sea when caught in a blizzard and run aground on McNutts Island near Shelburne, NS. All 16 crew survive.
20 December 1943 HMCS Prince David is re-commissioned as a Landing Ship Infantry (Medium).
SIGNIFICANT RCN DATES – If you see any omissions or errors please inform me, and any more modern significant dates are also welcomed. The list draws primarily from the Directory of History and Heritage’s comprehensive “Significant Dates in Canadian Military History”, the now defunct “Canada Channel”, “Legion Magazine”, The Naval Service of Canada, Its Official History Vol 1-3, NAC member Roger Litwiller’s excellent web site, encyclopedic guidance from NAC member Fraser McKee, the Uboat.net site, and anywhere else I can find credible information. For the merchant ship history, a special thanks to NAC member Bill Dziadyk for his able assistance and detailed work. The RCN lost 1,965 men and 24 ships during the War, most of them in the Atlantic. A comprehensive list of the staggering merchant losses – sunk, damaged, or lost – Canadian Merchant Ship Losses of the Second World War, 1939-1945 by Rob Fisher {Revised June 2001}, and for the loss of individual personnel RCN Ship Histories, Convoy Escort Movements, Casualty Lists 1939-1947)
Keep in touch with the NAC
If you are receiving NAC News, consider friends joining NAC – Membership and Renewal plus NAC Naval Affairs Papers, Briefing Notes, Niobe Papers, and much more.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/navalassn/
Twitter: @navalassn
Should you wish to donate or leave a memorial: NAC Endowment Fund
NAC reference to assist veterans and/or seniors is located at Veteran’s Corner
Keep in touch with the RCN
Facebook – RoyalCanadianNavy | MarineRoyaleCanadienne;
Twitter – @RoyalCanNavy | @MarineRoyaleCan;
LinkedIn – RoyalCanadianNavy-MarineRoyaleCanadienne
Instagram – RoyalCanNavy | MarineRoyaleCan;
Flickr – RoyalCanadianNavy-MarineRoyaleCanadienne
YouTube – RoyalCanadianNavy | MarineRoyaleCanadienne
Vimeo – RoyalCanadianNavy-MarineRoyaleCanadienne
|
You are receiving this email because you are associated with NAC and have been receiving NAC News.
Copyright © 2023 Naval Association of Canada, all rights reserved.