A U.S. Navy bouancy glider similar to one seized by Chinese forces. US Navy Photo
A U.S. Navy unmanned buoyancy glider was taken by Chinese forces in international waters earlier this week, two defense officials confirmed to USNI News on Friday. Read More
USS Dewey (DDG-105), USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108), USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), USS OÕKane (DDG-77) and USS Sterett (DDG-104) participate in a show of force transit training exercise on Nov. 4, 2016. US Navy Photo
The Navy released a new fleet plan that calls for 355 ships, outlining a massive increase in the size of its high-end large surface combatant and attack submarine fleets but a modest increase in its planned amphibious ship fleet, according to a Dec. 14 summary of the assessment. Read More
The following is a Dec. 14, 2016 executive summary of the Navy’s 2016 Force Structure Assessment. Read More
Unmanned rigid-hull inflatable boats operating autonomously close in on a contact of interest during an Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored demonstration of swarmboat technology held at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story on Sept. 30, 2016. US Navy photo.
The Office of Naval Research demonstrated for the second time the ability to turn already-fielded small boats into unmanned autonomous systems and use them for missions like harbor defense, two ONR program officials told reporters this week. Read More
A SM-6 Dual I fired from USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) during a Dec. 14, 2016 MDA BMD test. MDA Photo
The Missile Defense Agency proved it could intercept a complicated medium range ballistic missile target with the Navy’s SM-6 missile, the agency announced. Read More
The following is a U.S. Navy video published on Dec. 14 from night flying operations aboard carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) operating in the Mediterranean Sea. Read More
Afghan Army personnel destroying an IED. Al Jazeera Photo
The incoming Trump administration needs to send “a clear message of continued commitment” to the Afghan government that the United States will continue to support its decades-long struggle with the Taliban and other terrorist organizations, a former ambassador to Kabul said Wednesday. Read More
Air-Traffic Controller 2nd Class Alexes Boutin, assigned to the operations department aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in 2012. US Navy Photo
In Malcom Gladwell’s bestselling book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, he provides an example how New York City lowered crime by employing a program based on the “Broken Window theory.” The theory was the brainchild of James Q. Wilson and George Kelling “who argued that crime is the result of disorder. If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no one is in charge.” When this theory was put into practice in New York and the little things were taken care of (i.e. cleaning up graffiti) crime went down, and the residents of New York felt more secure and proud of their city.
The Navy’s new leadership team in Washington fortunately are not tasked with solving a crime wave in the fleet, but the concept of the Broken Window theory applies to any organization—fixing the little things can make a big difference. Read More
Lt. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson address Japanese reporters on Marine Corps Base Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 14, 2016. US Marine Corps photo.
Tuesday’s MV-22 Osprey crash off the coast of Okinawa occurred while the crew was conducting an aerial refueling operation at night and damaged the aircraft, with the crew choosing to land the aircraft in the water instead of risking flying over civilian homes on the Japanese island, the commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force said in a press conference. Read More
The following is the December 2016 revision to the Department of Defense Law of War Manual issued this on Dec. 13, 2016. Read More
