German Navy Set to Arm Warships with High-Energy Lasers

The German Navy (Bundesmarine) intends to arm its warships with high-energy laser (HEL) weapon systems for close-in defense against aerial drones and small watercraft within the decade.

It recently awarded a contract to arms maker Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH and missile systems company, MBDA Deutschland GmbH, to build, test and field a close-in defense HEL within the year. Both companies have formed a consortium called ARGE for the laser project.

At-sea trials of the new HEL demonstrator will be conducted in 2022 aboard the advanced air-defense frigate FGS Sachsen (F219), lead ship of the Bundesmarine's newest warship class. The demonstrator system will be put to the test under highly realistic operating conditions by the Sachsen.

Once the HEL demonstrator is installed, it will be used to test other aspects of the laser weapon system. These systems include the sensor suite and combat management system.

“The contract marks a systematic extension of the functional prototype laser weapon successfully tested in recent years, with the experience gained now dovetailing into one of the most ambitious projects in the field of laser weapon development in Europe,” said Alexander Graf, head of Rheinmetall Waffe Munition’s laser weapons program, and Dr.-Ing. Markus Jung, Head of Technology & Innovation, Directed Energy Division, Rheinmetall Defense.

Under the contract, MBDA Deutschland is responsible for target tracking, developing the operator’s console and linking the laser weapon demonstrator to the command-and-control system.

Rheinmetall is in charge of the laser weapon station, the beam guidance system, cooling, and integration of the laser weapon system into the laser source demonstrator.

What the Bundesmarine can expect from the project is a HEL "in the power class 10 to 20 kW on the carriage of the MLG27 light naval gun," said Dr. Jung in a recent interview..

"This system offers the possibility of neutralizing current seaborne threats such as fast attack boats, jet skis, skiffs and UAVs."

Jung said as the system is recoilless, it can be deployed, "perhaps in containerized form, on ships or boats that currently have little or no close-in defence capability."

He also said the German military has proven HELs can destroy aircraft and UAVs up to three kilometres away. HELs can also render medium-caliber munitions and munitions in munitions boxes harmless at up to two kilometers.

Jung said more powerful 100 kW lasers are needed to destroy mortar shells. HELs generating 120 kW and higher will be able to destroy combat aircraft at up to four or more kilometers away. (Jan. 28, 2021)

The Bundesmarine frigate, Hamburg

U.S. Navy Report Affirms China's Navy is Greatest Maritime Threat to U.S. since Cold War

The U.S. Navy reaffirms to the U.S. Congress China presents the greatest maritime military threat to the United States, and that its main mission is to curtail this threat.

The Navy made its case for confronting China in its "China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress" issued Thursday.

It said the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), is now the major challenge to its ability "to achieve and maintain wartime control of blue-water ocean areas in the Western Pacific -- the first such challenge the U.S. Navy has faced since the end of the Cold War."

The modernization and building-up of the PLAN is also a key element of communist China's challenge to the long-standing status of the United States as the leading military power in the Western Pacific.

Twenty-five years of massive spending by the Chinese government has led to the PLAN becoming a formidable military force within China’s near-seas region, PLAN warship are also conducting a growing number of operations in more-distant waters, including the broader waters of the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

The PLAN build-up will eventually see to its presence not only in the Indo-Pacific but also in the waters around Europe in the near future, said the report.

The Navy affirmed China’s military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, is now the top focus of U.S. defense planning and budgeting. This modernization has resulted in PLAN surpassing the U.S. Navy in numbers of battle force ships, making PLAN the numerically largest in the world.

USS George Washington (CVN-73) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) transit the Pacific Ocean

The U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) said PLAN has 360 battle force ships compared to a projected total of 297 for the U.S. Navy by October 2020.

ONI estimates China will have 400 battle force ships by 2025, and 425 by 2030. It also said PLAN's warships, aircraft, and weapons are now much more modern and capable than they were in the 1990s.

“Chinese naval ship design and material quality is in many cases comparable to (that of]) USN (U.S. Navy) ships, and China is quickly closing the gap in any areas of deficiency," according to ONI.

The Navy is meeting the PLAN challenge with all the resources at its disposal. The report said the Navy in recent years has taken a number of actions to counter China’s naval modernization effort.

Among these moves are shifting a larger percentage of the Navy fleet to the Pacific, assigning its most-capable new ships and aircraft and its best personnel to the Pacific.

The Navy has also maintained or increased general presence operations, training and developmental exercises, and engagement and cooperation with allied and other navies in the Indo-Pacific.

On the materiel side, the Navy has accelerated numerous programs for developing new military technologies and acquiring weapons (with a focus on long-range), new warships, aircraft and unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned underwater vehicles.

As for China-centric warfighting doctrine, the Navy has also begun developing new operational concepts, such as new ways to employ Navy and Marine Corps forces, for countering Chinese maritime anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) forces. (Jan. 29, 2021)

China Tells Taiwan 'Independence Means War'

China threatens Taiwan with war should the latter declare independence even as its diplomats warn the United States against continuing to treat China as a strategic rival.

These twin threats delivered Thursday at different fora continue China's bellicose rhetoric meant to dampen the Biden administration's enthusiasm for supporting Taiwan. China calls Taiwan a renegade province that will inevitably re-unite with the mainland, by military force if necessary.

In unusually threatening terms, China's Ministry of National Defense on Thursday in Bejing explained the unprecedented forays by large numbers of warplanes belonging to the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) on Jan. 23 and 24 into Taiwanese airspace were acts of self-defense against provocations by Taiwan and the U.S.

Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian described the PLAAF sorties as "necessary actions" while calling Taiwan an inseparable part of China.

“The military activities carried out by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in the Taiwan Strait are necessary actions to address the current security situation in the Taiwan Strait and to safeguard national sovereignty and security,” said Wu.

“They are a solemn response to external interference and provocations by ‘Taiwan independence’ forces."

Wu then assailed a “handful” of people in Taiwan seeking the island’s independence.

“We warn those ‘Taiwan independence’ elements: those who play with fire will burn themselves, and ‘Taiwan independence’ means war,” he said.

Soldiers of the Republic of China Army.

The aerial incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone led the Biden administration to call on China to stop placing pressure on Taiwan.

Cui Tiankai, China's ambassador to the U.S., said there could be "mistakes" if the Biden administration clings to the Trump administration's view that China is a "strategic rival."

"Treating China as a strategic rival and imaginary enemy would be a huge strategic misjudgment," said Cui in a forum in Beijing on Thursday. "To develop any policy on the basis of that would only lead to grave strategic mistakes."

Cui said China would not yield on matters concerning sovereignty and territorial integrity, clear references to Taiwan.

"China will not back down. We hope the United States will respect China's core interest and refrain from crossing the red line," warned Cui.

On the other hand, Cui said China wants cooperation, not confrontation with the U.S. He called for both countries to address differences through dialogue but again warned the U.S. against it crossing China's "red lines." (Jan. 28, 2021)

Biden Reaffirms Japan's Ownership of Senkaku Islands

President Joe Biden has reaffirmed the United States' iron clad commitment to the security of Japan, telling Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide in their first call his country will help protect Japan's Senkaku Islands against China.

Biden and Suga spoke specifically about Japan's barren Senkaku Islands being claimed by China. The string of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea is located west of Okinawa Island, east of mainland China and northeast of Taiwan.

China bolstered its claim to the Senkakus after the discovery of potential undersea oil reserves close to the islands in 1968. Japan administers the Senkakus from Okinawa.

Biden previously confirmed his commitment to the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the United States and Japan signed in 1951 that established a military alliance between both countries. The treaty, which was amended in 1960, affirms the Senkakus as part of Japan.

"I would like to deepen my personal relationship with President Biden and work to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance," said Suga to Japanese media after the 30-minute conversation.

President Joe Biden

The White House later said Biden and Suga talked about Washington's "unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan under Article 5 of our security treaty." It said Biden reaffirmed "his commitment to provide extended deterrence to Japan," which "includes the Senkaku Islands."

Suga and Biden agreed to work with Australia and India, fellow members of the Quadrilateral Alliance (or"Quad") of democracies collectively standing against Chinese territorial expansionism across the Indo-Pacific region.

For his part, Suga expressed Japan's serious concerns about a new Chinese law revealed over the weekend authorizing the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign ships in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

China's Coast Guard Law explicitly allows the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels -- including military vessels -- in a dangerous move that makes the prospect of an armed conflict with the United States and Japan more likely.

The law empowers the China Coast Guard to “take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons when national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon by foreign organizations or individuals at sea."

The law also allows coast guard personnel to demolish other countries’ structures built on Chinese-claimed reefs and to board and inspect foreign vessels in waters claimed by China.

On Sunday, new U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi in their first talk the Senkakus fall under the scope of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

Austin “affirmed that the Senkakus are covered by Article V of the treaty.” The Pentagon later said the U.S. "remains opposed to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea." (Jan. 28, 2021)

US Must Keep Boosting Military Ties with India to Counter China

A ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is calling on the U.S. Navy to strengthen its ties with India and the Indian Navy to further counter Chinese maritime expansionism.

“I think there’s great opportunity with the nation of India to continue to grow that relationship," said long-time HASC member Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA).

"I’ve been there to visit several times with their military leaders and they are very interested because of what China’s doing with the One Belt One Road –which essentially surrounds India."

Wittman said India "feels threatened with that, as they should–looks to the United States to partner even more. The Indian government is recapitalizing their fleet of (Indian Navy) ships, building 45 new ships, which is a pretty big task. We need to do more of the work with them.”

Adopted in 2013, the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative created by President Xi Jinping is a global infrastructure development strategy that's building roads and ports in some 70 countries. China expects to complete OBOR in 2049.

Wittman contends the Department of Defense, the U.S. defense industry and Congress must work to guarantee the U.S. gets more “capability and capacity” out of each dollar than China or Russia get out of theirs.

He said spending smart is a must given the U.S. won't ever have the unlimited resources to outspend both China and Russia. The U.S. also has to do things differently to stay ahead of China in the arms race.

“It can’t all be about defensive systems. It can’t be all about offensive systems," according to Wittman.

"It has to be about how do we do things thoughtfully to impose risks upon the Chinese, to impose uncertainty upon the Chinese, to make sure that they have to expend more of their dollars to counter that uncertainty, which helps us in being able to maintain and I hope being able to outpace them.”

Rep. Rob Wittman

Wittman said one key area where the U.S. Navy can outpace China is in unmanned platforms, which consist unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned underwater vessels (UUVs).

Wittman emphasized it’s important the Navy take the correct approach as it develops and builds new unmanned ships critical to the U.S. Navy maintaining control over the vast waters of the Indo-Pacific.

He also said the U.S. must improve its relationships with Indo-Pacific nations both strategically and economically. He admits the U.S. is not going to be able to go it alone against China.

"We will not have the ability just with economic resources that we have here at home to do all of this by ourselves," Wittman pointed out.

He said partnerships created by the United States in the Indo-Pacific are crucial because the current environment includes several threats (China, Russia and terrorism), unlike the Cold War era when the single U.S. foe was the erstwhile Soviet Union. (Jan. 27, 2021)

Australia Modernizing Navy to Fend-Off China

Australia is prepared to spend upwards of US$770 million (A$1 billion) to develop indigenous long-range anti-ship missiles and lightweight torpedoes as it adds more military muscle to combat future aggression close to its shores by China.

The huge defense spending package announced Monday by the government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison will modernize the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with the weapons it needs to project and maintain sea control against China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

The outlay will go to providing RAN with long-range anti-ship missiles, extended range surface-to-air missiles, advanced lightweight torpedoes and maritime land-attack capabilities.

Australia wants its future anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles to be capable of finding and destroying PLAN warships at ranges in excess of 370 kilometers. The new maritime land strike missiles should be able to reach out to 1,500 km.

These weapons systems, which are currently in the United States' arsenal, will enhance RAN's ability to protect Australia's maritime resources and borders by threatening the destruction of PLAN warships at very long range.

Minister for Defense Linda Reynolds said the new weapons will arm the current and future RAN submarine and surface combatant fleets. The long-range weapons with give the Australian Defense Force (ADF) more options as it fights to protect Australia’s interests.

Launch of SM-6 missile

“These new capabilities will provide a strong, credible deterrent that will ensure stability and security in the region,” according to Reynolds. “The planned acquisitions –- when aligned with the ongoing state-of-the-art combat system development and national shipbuilding programs –- represent an investment of up to A$24 billion, which will build a lethal and highly responsive Navy for decades to come."

She said the weapons' acquisition project also seeks opportunities to broaden Australia’s weapons manufacturing base, thereby reinforcing the government’s long-term commitment to Australian industry and delivering sovereign industrial capabilities.

“This investment is part of the Morrison government’s A$183 billion Naval Shipbuilding Plan, which will see up to 23 classes of vessels built here in Australia, creating thousands of jobs and significant opportunities for Australian industry.”

The defense ministry will continue its long-term investment and key contribution to the Evolved SeaSparrow Block 2 missile program developed by the United States. It will also invest in developing the Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC surface-to-air missile and the Standard Missile 6 Block 1 to meet Australia’s long-range air defense requirements. (Jan. 26, 2021)

India Downplays Latest Bloody Border Clash With Chinese

India keeps downplaying a Chinese military incursion in the Nathu La pass between Bhutan and Nepal as nothing serious despite Indian media reports to the contrary.

An Indian Army statement dismissed reports of a bloody incursion by the Chinese military, saying there "was a minor face-off at Nathu La area of North Sikkim on 20 January 2021 and the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols."

This "minor incident" was only revealed Monday by the Indian Army. It occurred in north Sikkim and has since been "resolved," said the army.

The incursion was later identified as a Chinese border patrol that tried to enter Indian territory, but was forced back, said the army.

On the other hand, Indian media is reporting a violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops. What occurred last week was a bloody brawl between Indian and Chinese troops that resulted in injuries to men on both sides, said the Indian magazine, Swarajya, which labeled the incident a "unilateral aggression by China."

The magazine said Indian soldiers fought-off the Chinese intruders

The weekly English-language magazine India Today claims 20 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) were injured in the melee, as well as four Indian Army soldiers.

The most serious clash between both sides since the deadly June 15, 2020 fight in Ladakh occurred before India and China began their ninth round of military-to-military talks to resolve disputes around the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Ladakh region. The marathon talks lasted 16 hour. Results have not been made public.

The Sikkim region between Bhutan and Nepal is some 2,500 km (1,500 miles) east of the Ladakh. This night time fist fight in mountainous terrain in sub-zero temperatures led to the deaths of 20 Indian Army soldiers and at least 50 men of the PLAGF.

The "violent face-off" took place at the high-altitude terrain of the disputed Galwan Valley along the porous border called the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The LAC, which is 3,488 kilometers long, separates India's Ladakh province from China's Aksai-Chin region

The fatal clash was not unexpected. It followed a six-week-long stand-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers marked by fistfights and stone-throwing. Several soldiers from both sides were injured in a May 9 brawl. (Jan. 26, 2021)