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)

US Will Disregard Law Telling China Coast Guard to Fire on Foreign Ships

 A new Chinese law authorizing the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign ships in the South China Sea and the East China Sea will likely not deter the U.S. Navy from conducting its provocative freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) in the South China Sea and elsewhere in Asia.

The law is the first serious foreign policy challenge facing the new administration of President Joe Biden, who only took office on January 20. The Biden administration is expected to file a strong protest against the law, as will Japan.

China has revealed a new law that for the first time 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 contentious Coast Guard 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.

The bill empowers the China Coast Guard to create temporary exclusion zones “as needed” to stop other vessels and personnel from entering. The National People’s Congress standing committee, China’s top legislative body, passed the law on Friday.

Western military analysts said the law intends to cement China's illegal claim of ownership of the South China Sea against seven other Asian countries, and to frighten the Japanese into yielding the East China Sea.

Christian Le Miere, founder of Arcipel, a strategic advisory firm based in London and The Hague, said the new law “strikes at the heart” of America's policy of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

“China’s coast guard is already doing most of the heavy lifting in maritime coercion in the near seas, so it’s worth examining the new legislation just passed on this issue," he said.

The U.S., however, will likely disregard the law and has consistently declared illegal China's claim to own almost the entire South China Sea. In July 2017, the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague nullified China’s nine-dash line claim, which asserts control of most of the South China Sea. The Philippines brought the case against China to the International Court of Arbitration.

The U.S. under the former Trump administration increased the pace of its FONOPS in Asian waters. On New Year's Eve, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) conducted a two warship transit of the Taiwan Strait, drawing China's anger.

In an official statement, the U.S. Navy said the FONOP by the USS John S. McCain and USS Curtis Wilbur was "routine" and "in accordance with international law."

USS John S. McCain

"The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," said the Navy statement.

On December 22, McCain performed a FONOP in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, which Taiwan, China, and Vietnam all claimed to own. Two days later, the destroyer reappeared off Vietnam for another FONOP in the vicinity of the Con Dao Islands in the South China Sea in an unusual warning to Vietnam.

On December 18, the USS Mustin (DDG-89) also conducted a Taiwan Strait transit. A few days later, the PLAN's newest aircraft carrier, the CNS Shandong (CV-17), moved through the strait en route to the South China Sea. (Jan. 25. 2021)

Lack of Overseas Bases Dooms China's Bid for Naval Supremacy

Already the world's largest navy in terms of fleet size, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) nonetheless remains an isolated force unable to launch and sustain combat operations in far seas due to a crippling dearth of allies and overseas naval bases.

These glaring weaknesses are the greatest drawbacks bedeviling the PLAN, and will constrain and complicate its global expansion. It also makes PLAN easy prey for the U.S. Navy and allied navies such as the Royal Navy and the French Navy that enjoy the advantages of far sea basing.

These were the conclusions drawn in a new study, "Seizing on Weakness: Allied Strategy for Competing With China’s Globalizing Military," from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA).

The study by CSBA Senior Fellow Toshi Yoshihara and Research Fellow Jack Bianchi is a deep look into China’s weaknesses, especially those of the PLAN, as they relate to its worldwide ambition of attaining economic and military dominance. These weaknesses will have to be exploited by China's adversaries to defeat China's grandiose aim of supremacy.

The report argues that “China faces an inescapable two-front dilemma in the continental and maritime directions, imposing built-in limits on its global ambitions.”

Explaining the study at a CSBA online forum, Yoshihara said China "can only dream about this access” to a friendly country's modern naval facilities and skilled shipyard workers to maintain its fleet’s combat readiness far from home and in enemy waters.

Yoshihara said China “has a long way to go” in finding countries in far seas willing to host PLAN naval bases since doing so will expose these countries to American attacks and economic retaliation in a war against China.

CNS Shandong (CV-17)

The immense challenge for China in far seas basing comes down to quality, durability, the reliability of the host nation and the quality of naval facilities and local labor.

On the other hand, Bianchi said the historic “paranoia of encirclement” on land and sea among China's communist leaders is a key driving force in the expansion and global ambitions of the PLAN. China, however, is finding this task far more challenging than anticipated.

“Going global is very hard,” Bianchi emphasized.

There is also the competing demand for the PLAN to defend China's long and vulnerable eastern shore from the U.S. Navy. PLAN commanders admit their anti-access, area denial (A2/AD) shore defenses based on long-range ballistic missiles won't stop the U.S. Navy from seeking out and destroying the PLAN surface fleet in the open ocean.

The persistent threat of U.S. Navy attacks on China's eastern front negates the requirement that the security of the mainland from naval attack is the basic prerequisite for the PLAN's global reach. (Jan. 24, 2021)

China Adds More Muscle to Military Forces on Hainan

China continues to bolster its air and naval forces on Hainan Island, its southernmost province located in the South China Sea.

Called by some Chinese military pundits as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier," Hainan has seen a steady inflow of warplanes of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) since last year. In addition, a massive dry dock capable of handling China's two aircraft carriers is close to completion at the Yulin Naval Base. This facility is also the main base for the submarine fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

Western intelligence sources have detected the deployment of PLAAF Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early-warning (AEWC) aircraft and KQ-200 long-range, anti-submarine and maritime patrol aircraft at the two of the island's major airports.

Also present on Hainan are BZK-005 high-altitude, long-range unmanned aerial drones used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. These drones have been used for spy missions over the East China Sea and have been detected by the Japanese.

Satellite photos show KJ-500 AEWC aircraft and BZK-005 drones deploying to the Lingshui Air Base operated by PLAN on Hainan's southeast coast. A PLAAF regiment is flying its KQ-200s out of the civilian-military Qionghai Bo'ao Airport on the island's east coast.

A PLAAF airbase in Hainan’s main city of Sanya is currently being modernized with the construction of a new apron, at least 11 new hangars and resurfacing of other taxiways.

The additional warplanes deployed to Lingshui and Qionghai will strengthen China’s reconnaissance capabilities over the South China Sea and its many disputed islands.

New satellite images show a new dry dock at at the Yulin Naval Base capable of accommodating the aircraft carriers CNS Liaoning (CV-16) and CNS Shandong (CV-17) is close to completion.

A dry dock on Hainan will greatly strengthen the PLAN's presence in the contested South China Sea. It indicates PLAN aircraft carriers will be permanently based on Hainan.

Taken together, these moves by China will considerably boost the PLAN's capability in the South China Sea, which is likely to see the start of any hostilities against the United States and its allies.

In December 2020, PLAN conducted a live fire exercise in the South China Sea involving naval and aircraft units drawn from the Yulin Naval Base. Western military analysts said the exercise sends a signal the Yulin Naval Base will be involved in any future conflict against the U.S. (Jan. 24, 2021)

U.S. Marines Forming New Combat Units to Battle China in Asia

The U.S. Marine Corps is pushing through with its plan to form a new combat unit designed to seize Chinese-held islands in the Indo-Pacific should armed conflict between the United States and China break out over the next decade.

The new, lethal and more mobile combat unit is designated the "Marine Littoral Regiment" or MLR. The Marines intend to stand-up, or make operational, their first MLR later this year. Other MLRs will be stood-up in succeeding years.

MLRs will be designed to execute the Marines' island-hopping strategy against the People's Liberation Army Ground Force and the People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps in the Indo-Pacific.

“We’re laser-focused on the Pacific," said Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta, commanding general of the Marine Corps Training and Education Command.

"And this is where you’ll see our first Marine Littoral Regiment come online. This is where we have our forward-based fifth-[generation] aircraft in [Marine Corps Air Station] Iwakuni."

Initial plans call for an MLR consisting of 1,800 to 2,000 Marines and U.S. Navy sailors. An MLR will consist of a Littoral Combat Team, a Littoral Anti-Air Battalion and a Littoral Logistics Battalion, according to USNI News.

Experimentation with the MLR began in 2020 to determine what this unit might look like, and involved the 3rd Marine Regiment in Hawaii. This storied unit, which belongs to the U.S. 3rd Marine Division and the III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), will eventually become the first operational unit in this new concept.

Marine commanders said III MEF will stand-up the first three MLRs and begin a three-year experiment to figure out how to best build and fight the regiments against the Chinese.

The plan is to convert the 3rd Marine Regiment into the experimental 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, said Maj. Gen. Kevin Iiams, assistant deputy commandant for combat development and integration.

“We’ll put that all in, we’ll do some experimentation over the next couple of years out there in Hawaii to see what this will look like for a for an MLR,” said  Iiams.

U.S. Marines

In creating the MLRs, Marine Corps leaders are prioritizing naval integration between the Navy, which will carry Marines into battle, and the Marines themselves. The integration needed to create MLRs is seeing closer coordination to develop a joint warfighting concept between the staffs of U.S. Seventh Fleet, which is responsible for the Indo-Pacific, and III MEF.

“The MLR will be uniquely designed to maneuver and persist inside a contested maritime environment where its primary mission will be to conduct sea denial operations as part of a larger Naval Expeditionary Force,” said Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Josh Benson.

“The MLR being built in Hawaii over the next three years will be the first of its kind in the Marine Corps.”

Benson said the specifics of the MLR will begin to take shape over the next few years. He said experiments, wargames, modeling and simulation will be used in the phased approach to the MLR development.

Organizing the first MLR will first involve constructing the new formation mainly from units that already exist in Hawaii. Combat capabilities will then be incorporated.

“The largest muscle movements between now and the standup of the MLR will be structure and manpower adjustments," Benson revealed.

"While this is taking place, further refinement of associated capabilities and concept development will occur in order to ensure the first MLR is capable of contributing to the continued Force Design Phase III efforts.” (Jan. 23, 2021)

Biden will Be Tough on China; Stand with Taiwan

China, identified by the U.S. military as the most dangerous strategic threat to the United States, won't see any immediate easing of sanctions or diplomatic pressure under the Biden administration.

Despite immense areas of disagreement, both President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump agree the U.S. must confront Chinese aggression with resolute strength. The Biden administration is expected to hold China to account for its human rights violations, especially against the Muslim Uyghur minority, and for its illegal territorial claims in the South China Sea, East China Sea and the Himalayas.

Team Biden agrees with the Trump administration on several “extremely touchy” issues concerning China. Early signals show the Biden administration “may change the tone and tenor of the conversation with Beijing -- but they’re not really gonna change the policy,” said Lanhee Chen, director of domestic policy studies and lecturer at Stanford University.

He pointed out that Antony Blinken, Biden’s nominee for Secretary of State, said during his confirmation hearing this week he agreed with the previous administration’s assessment that China committed genocide against the minority Uyghur Muslims.

Blinken also admitted Trump was "right in taking a tougher approach to China." On the other hand, he "very much" disagreed with the manner in which Trump went about this issue.

Blinken also “made clear that the U.S. will not be abandoning Taiwan anytime soon.” He told senators he remains in favor of greater engagement with Taiwan, or the Republic of China.

Antony Blinken

The U.S. is Taiwan’s largest arms supplier and most powerful international backer. This relationship flourished under Trump and seems set to continue under Trump.

Emily Horne, spokeswoman for the National Security Council (NSC), reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Taiwan remains "rock-solid."

"President Biden will stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Asia-Pacific region -- and that includes Taiwan," said Horne.

Taiwan took heart when its de facto ambassador to the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim, was invited to attended Biden's swearing-in on Wednesday.

Hsiao said she was honored to be at Biden's swearing-in representing Taiwan's government and people.

"Democracy is our common language and freedom is our common objective," she said in a video message to Taiwan.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen sent her congratulations to Biden, saying she hoped both countries can work together to maintain regional democracy, freedom, peace and stability.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was the first time Taiwan's Washington representative had formally been invited to the swearing-in of a U.S. president. It noted this gracious gesture reaffirms the close friendship between Taiwan and the U.S. based on shared values.

"These shared values are democracy, freedom and human rights," said ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou.

The United States severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 to recognize China. The U.S., however, is bound by treaties to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. (Jan. 23, 2021)

Biden SecDef Nominee Says China a Greater Threat than Russia

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, President Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense, affirms China remains the most dangerous strategic threat facing the United States.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing, Austin emphasized his focus as defense secretary will be on the threat posed by China. He believes China is the “pacing threat” confronting the U.S.

“Clearly the strategy will be arrayed against the threat and China presents the most significant threat going forward because China is ascending," said Austin.

"Russia is also a threat, but it’s in decline. It can still do a great deal of damage as we’ve seen here in recent days. And it’s a country that we have to maintain some degree of focus on, but China is the pacing threat.”

Austin told the senators the U.S. military maintains a qualitative edge over China. That advantage, however, is diminishing and must be remedied.

“We’ll have to have capabilities that allow us to hold – to present a credible threat, a credible deterrent, excuse me - to China in the future," Austin pointed out.

"We’ll have to make some strides in the use of quantum computing, the use of AI, the advent of connected battlefields, the space-based platforms. Those kinds of things I think can give us the types of capabilities that we’ll need to be able to hold large pieces of Chinese military inventory at risk."

Austin strongly believes the U.S. military retains a qualitative and competitive edge over China.

He also said he intends to revisit the Trump administration's 2021 National Defense Strategy that ranks China as the top threat to the U.S. The NDS lists the five greatest dangers to U.S. national security as China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and global terrorism.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin

"These are the same threats that Secretary Ash Carter described at the end of the Obama administration, but the order has changed," said the 2018 NDS.

"Whereas Carter had put Russia first, the Trump administration puts China first. Further, the administration’s strategy places greater emphasis on China and Russia than the other three threats."

The document describes China as a strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing features in the South China Sea.

“I think much of the document is absolutely on track for today’s challenges, Mr. Chairman," said Austin in response to a question from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK).

"As is the case with all strategies — if confirmed — one of the things that I would look to do is to work to update the strategy and work within the confines of the guidance and the policy issued by the next administration."

Anthony Blinken, Biden's nominee for Secretary of State, said much the same thing during his nomination confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.

He said both confrontation and competition with China must be approached from "a position of strength, not a position of weakness." He asserted the U.S. has the means to confront China and these are "fully within our control." (Jan. 21, 2021)

Taiwan Stages Combat Drill vs. Chinese Airborne Invasion

Taiwan staged a brigade size military drill aimed at defeating an airborne invasion of the country by paratroopers and airborne troops of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The exercise Tuesday involving the joint arms battalion of the 584 Armor Brigade of the Republic of China Army (ROCA) simulated repulsing an airborne assault of the Taoyuan International Airport. The mock attack conducted at the Hukou Army Base south of Taipei also saw the debut of the army's unmanned helicopter drone, said the Military News Agency.

Any PLA invasion of Taiwan will be preceded by aerial attacks and air landing assaults on key command and control centers and other strategic targets such as airports by paratroopers, special forces units and other airborne troops.

ROCA said the aim of the exercise was to hone the battalion’s suppressive fire capabilities, battlefield surveillance abilities and defense skills. Army soldiers practiced destroying PLA anti-armor weapons while conducting air strike coordination. Emphasis was laid on armored vehicle offensive maneuvers.

The combat exercise came only a day before the exit of the Trump administration, which has been the country's most supportive U.S. administration in decades.

The exercise incorporated real combat scenarios and highlighted the ability of joint battalions to independently conduct coordinated operations.

Lt. Col. Huang Yu-tin, commander of the 584th brigade’s joint arms battalion said the information drones provide help enhances situational awareness and leads to better battlefield decisions.

He said the military's new drone flies at a maximum altitude of 3,000 meters and has  a range of five kilometers. The drone can observe enemy targets at a distance and relay intelligence back to the operations command center.

The Ministry of Defense said helicopter drones are expected to be deployed with troops in the first quarter of 2022.

The combat exercise was meant to reassure the public the military is on high alert ahead of February’s Lunar New Year festival on February 12 when many troops take leave and visit their families.

“No matter what is happening around the Taiwan Strait, our determination to guard our homeland will never change,” said Maj. Gen. Chen Chong-ji, director of the department of political warfare, about the exercise.

Chen said the exercise was intended as a show of force underscoring Taiwan’s determination to maintain peace. (Jan. 18, 2021)

Taiwan F-CK-1 fighter

High-Energy Lasers Will Arm 2 US Navy Warships This Year

The U.S. Navy is forging ahead with plans to arm an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer and a Littoral Combat Ship with laser cannons capable of destroying aerial drones and small fast attack boats.

The USS Preble (DDG-88), a destroyer of the U.S. Seventh Fleet that transited the Taiwan Strait in March 2019, will be the first Navy destroyer to be armed with the "High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance" (HELIOS). Integration of the powerful 60 kW HELIOS laser close in weapons system with the Preble will take place this year.

This historic milestone is the culmination of more than a decade of development work perfecting a ship-borne laser, or directed energy, weapon capable of cheaply and efficiently eliminating threats from small but dangerous weapons such as aerial drones. HELIOS is under contract with Lockheed Martin.

The integration of HELIOS with Preble follows a recent demonstration of full laser power in excess of the 60 kW requirement set by the Navy. HELIOS' scalable laser design architecture combines multiple kilowatt fiber lasers to attain high beam quality at various power levels.

The Navy will also arm the Littoral Combat Ship USS Little Rock (LCS-9) with an even more powerful weapon. Little Rock will be the first warship to deploy a 150kW HELIOS laser weapon system, making this warship the first in its class ready to go to war with this weapon.

HELIOS in combat

The Navy said lasers deployed aboard its LCS fleet contributes to a layered laser defense effort, and boost the LCS’s lethality to counter fast-attack craft and aerial drones.

Little Rock will receive HELIOS during its upcoming deployment later this year amid efforts to boost the LCS’s lethality, said Vice Adm. Richard Brown, Commander of Naval Surface Forces.

The warship will likely deploy to U.S. Fourth Fleet whose area of responsibility covers the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans around Central and South America.

HELIOS will assist LCS warships in its surface warfare mission to counter fast-attack craft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and detect incoming targets.

The ongoing effort to bring more lethality to the LCS fleet is meant to dispel rumors LCS aren’t survivable or lethal enough in surface combat, said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin Vice President and General Manager of Small Combatants and Ship Systems.

Little Rock is a monohull Freedom-class LCS. The LCS fleet comprises two hulls: a monohull version built in Wisconsin by Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri, and a trimaran version built by Austal USA in Alabama. (Jan. 16, 2021)

U.S. Report Accuses China of Genocide vs. Muslim Uyghurs

The U.S. Congress has issued a scathing report openly condemning China for committing genocide against Muslim Uyghurs in the Muslim-majority Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and other Muslim minorities in the country.

The report released Thursday by the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) accuses the communist Chinese government of "crimes against humanity - and possibly genocide." It also assails China for harassing and harming Uyghurs living in the United States.

"Disturbing new evidence has also emerged of a systematic and widespread policy of forced sterilization and birth suppression of the Uyghur and other minority populations," according to the report.

In addition, elementary and middle-school-age children Xinjiang were involuntarily separated from their families.

Taken together, these trends "suggest that the Chinese government is intentionally working to destroy Uyghur and other minority families, culture, and religious adherence, all of which should be considered when determining whether the Chinese government is responsible for perpetrating atrocity crimes—including genocide—against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other Turkic and predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in China."

Under international law, crimes against humanity are defined as widespread and systematic. The burden of proof for genocide, which is the intent to destroy part of a population, is more difficult to prove.

The United Nations confirms some one million Uyghurs and other Muslims are imprisoned at so-called "educational and vocational institutes" and prison camps throughout Xinjiang.

A genocide declaration by the U.S. will mean other countries will have to think hard about allowing companies to do business with Xinjiang, which produces 20% of the world’s supply of cotton. It also makes further U.S. sanctions against China highly likely.

The U.S. has already levied economic sanctions against China for its oppression of Uyghurs. On Wednesday, it banned the importation of all cotton and tomatoes produced in Xinjiang over China's use of forced labor to make these products.

The move is the harshest to date to block the importation of goods made in Xinjiang. The ban was announced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Some $9 billion worth of cotton products and $10 million worth of tomato products were imported into the United States from Xinjiang in 2020.

Major fashion brands such as Nike, Adidas and Gap have come under fire from human rights groups for using cotton sourced from China.

CECC co-chair Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts, called China's actions to destroy human rights in Xinjiang "shocking and unprecedented." He urged Congress and the incoming Biden administration to hold China accountable for its crimes against the country's minorities.

"The United States must continue to stand with the people of China in their struggle and lead the world in a united and coordinated response to the human rights abuses of the Chinese government," he said.

The CECC report recommends a formal U.S. "determination on whether atrocities are being committed" in Xinjiang. A determination is required within 90 days of U.S. legislation passed on Dec. 27.

CECC is an independent agency of the U.S. government that monitors human rights and rule of law developments in China. It was given this mandate by the U.S. Congress and focuses on China's compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (Jan. 15, 2021)

US Navy Will Deploy More Littoral Combat Ships to Indo-Pacific

 The U.S. Navy will surge the deployment to the Indo-Pacific of its fleet of littoral combat ships (LCS) this year even as the incoming administration of President Joe Biden is signaling it will move forward with the "Pivot to Asia" strategy of the Obama administration.

Among the most modern ships in the Navy, LCS' are ideally suited to operating in the Indo-Pacific because their shallow draft allows them to maneuver in waters with a depth of only four meters. Their shallow draft is well suited for Indo-Pacific operations due to the many shallow-water ports in the region that impede larger warships.

The Navy has funding to build 35 littoral combat ships. Of this total, 21 have been commissioned into the Navy and are operational. Four warships will be decommissioned starting 2022, however.

Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, Commander, Naval Surface Forces, said the LCS warships assigned to Asia will lead the Navy's ongoing campaign to resolutely counter China's growing influence in the region. Chinese expansionism is being spearheaded by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which is becoming a formidable blue water navy.

Kitchener said the Navy has identified missions the LCS will fulfill in U.S. Seventh Fleet, the largest of the forward deployed Navy fleets.

Based at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, the fleet commands up to 70 warships, 300 aircraft and 40,000 Navy, Marine Corps personnel, and Coast Guard support personnel.

"If you look at the things we want to do and the Seventh Fleet ... that's what (Vice Adm. William Merz, Commander, Seventh Fleet) wants to use them for," according to Kitchener. "And there's a lot of capability there. They're going to be on the front lines.

Kitchener said littoral combat ships are useful platforms, especially in the Pacific, where the Navy and Marine Corps are focused on littoral (or close to shore) operations in a contested environment and expeditionary advanced base operations.

USS  Gabrielle Giffords

Adm. Michael M. Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, last week asserted he's committed to making good use of the Navy's 31 littoral combat ships.

The littoral combat ships that will be deployed to Asia will be among the most lethal in the fleet, said Gilday. LCS can bring a lethal capability to day-to-day competition at sea, said Gilday.

"I'm going to deliver that with LCS in this decade," vowed Gilday.

Every LCS will be armed with the Kongberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM), said Kitchener. He also said the Navy is continuing to study how to make the warships more lethal.

"I think it's going to become exciting," he said. "We've just got to deliver a sustained plan of how many we're going to get out there next year, maybe the following year. And we've got to meet that requirement."

NSM is long-range, precision-strike weapon anti-ship and land-attack missile that can find and destroy enemy ships from up to 185 kilometers away. It was designed specifically for littoral water ("brown water") scenarios.

Kitchener noted the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) that operated in the South China Sea in 2020 was the first LCS to get the missile, which is called the RGM-184A in Navy service. (Jan. 14, 2021)

Biden Administration will Push Obama's "Pivot to Asia' Strategy

 

The appointment of old Asia hand Kurt Michael Campbell to the new position of “Indo-Pacific coordinator" at the National Security Council (NSC) by president-elect Joe Biden sends a strong signal to Asian allies the new administration will take a hard line against China.

Campbell, who formerly served as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs under the Obama administration, was one of the architects of Obama's "Pivot to Asia," or East Asia Strategy. This strategy called for strengthening bilateral security alliances; deepening America's working relationships with emerging powers (including China) and advancing democracy and human rights, among others.

As Indo-Pacific coordinator, Campbell will have broad management over NSC directorates responsible for China-related issues and parts of Asia. He's expected to adapt the Pivot to Asia strategy to deal with the new strategic situation created by president Donald Trump's confrontational strategic competition against China.

Campbell will report directly to incoming national security adviser Jake Sullivan, a close friend whom he worked with at the Department of State during the Clinton administration, said The Washington Post.

Campbell and Sullivan made their thoughts known about how to deal with China in late 2019 in a joint essay for the magazine, Foreign Affairs, with the title, “Competition Without Catastrophe: How America Can Both Challenge and Coexist With China.”

They dismissed the failed strategy that sought to engage China in hopes China will liberalize. Instead, they argue competition against China must revolve around the goal of coexisting with China rather than expecting to change it.

Kurt Campbell

In their definition, however, coexistence isn't passive acquiescence to the status quo. Rather, their concept of coexistence means accepting coexistence as a challenge that can be shaped to foster U.S. national interests.

“Although coexistence offers the best chance to protect U.S. interests and prevent inevitable tension from turning into outright confrontation, it does not mean the end of competition or surrender on issues of fundamental importance,” they wrote. “Instead, coexistence means accepting competition as a condition to be managed rather than a problem to be solved.”

Campbell expounded on his philosophy in a new essay in Foreign Affairs published only last Tuesday. Along with co-author Rush Doshi, director of the Brookings Institution's China Strategy Initiative, Campbell focused on how the U.S. can “shore up” the international order in Asia by restoring a balance of power with China, bolstering alliances and then using those alliances to push back on Beijing’s aggressive actions.

These solutions harken back to the tenets of Obama's Pivot to Asia. Campbell wants to strengthen and expand alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better contain China.

A network of overlapping coalitions allows the U.S. to join with like-minded partners to “send a message (to China) that there are risks to China’s present course."

“This task will be among the most challenging in the recent history of American statecraft," wrote Campbell and Doshi. (Jan. 13, 2021)