USS Mustin (DDG-89) transits the Taiwan Strait on Aug. 18, 2020. US Navy Photo
A U.S. guided-missile destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday following an exercise with Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces, U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement to USNI News. Read More
USS Essex (LHD-2) arrives at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for RIMPAC 2020 on Aug. 10, 2020. US Navy Photo
A scaled-down Rim of the Pacific Exercise began today off Hawaii with a third of the expected countries and a fifth of the expected personnel participating due to COVID-19-related restrictions. Read More
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) steams ahead on July 27, 2020. US Navy Photo
The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is back in the South China Sea, as relations between the United States and China remain strained. Read More
M/T Wila, a merchant vessel in international waters en-route to the UAE port of Khor Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman, was boarded by armed Iranian personnel from both an Iranian Sea King helicopter and the Iranian auxiliary vessel Hendijan (1401) on Aug. 12, 2020. US Navy Photo
Iranian forces were looking for 1.1 million barrels in petroleum products seized by the U.S. Justice Department when they took over a merchant tanker in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week, DoJ officials confirmed to USNI News. Read More
Motor Tanker (M/T) Wila, a merchant vessel in international waters en-route to the UAE port of Khor Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman, was boarded by armed Iranian personnel who fast roped aboard the ship from an Iranian Sea King helicopter as it hovered above on Aug. 12, 2020. US Navy Photo
An Iranian special forces team boarded and seized a Liberian tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates for about five hours on Wednesday. The action by Iranian forces drew swift condemnation from the U.S.-led collation created to deter harassment of merchant ships in and out of the Persian Gulf. Read More
Soldiers from a M110A2 self-propelled artillery squad from the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army. CNA Photo
Taiwan is emphasizing asymmetric defenses from mines to anti-ship missiles, overhauling its reserve forces and professionalizing its military structure to better defend itself from “a more belligerent and aggressive” China, the island’s president said Wednesday. Read More
An American MV-22 Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 lands on French amphibious ship FS Tonnerre on June 28, 2019, during the Semper Thunder exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C. USNI News photo.
France earlier this week dispatched one of its amphibious ships to assist Lebanon following a deadly explosion in Beirut. Read More
Concept image of the LPX-II Lighting Carrier from South Korea. Republic of Korea Navy Image
South Korea’s 2021-2025 defense blueprint, which was revealed yesterday, provides fresh details on the plans to develop an aircraft carrier capability for the Republic of Korea (RoK) Navy. The LPX-II project will be a dedicated light aircraft carrier for F-35B; it will not be an amphibious assault ship. Read More
The following is the Aug. 4, 2020, Congressional Research Service report, Emerging Military Technologies: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
Undated image of HMS Enterprise underway. Royal Navy Photo
The U.K. Royal Navy plans to send one of its survey vessels to assist Lebanon following a deadly explosion in its capital city’s port. Read More
