China Mobilizes DF-26 Missiles in Response to Warship Passage

 

Nuclear, intermediate-range anti-ship missiles shown on television after Navy warship sails S. China Sea

China has mobilized nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles in response to the passage of a Navy warship near disputed islands in the South China Sea this week, according to state-run Chinese media.

The long-range, anti-ship ballistic missile known as the DF-26—dubbed the “Guam-killer” because of its ability to strike targets on the U.S. western Pacific island—was moved in northwestern China, China Central Television reported Wednesday.

Iran Deploying Warships to Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico

Iranian military frigate and light replenishment ship are seen docked for refueling / Getty Images

 

Iranian supreme leader instructs navy to expand presence

Iranian military leaders announced on Tuesday the country will send a fleet of warships into the Atlantic Ocean en route to the Gulf of Mexico, where the Islamic Republic aims to solidify ties with several Latin American states, according to the commander of Iran’s navy.

Following orders from Iran’s supreme leader, the newly installed commander of its navy, Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi, announced a fleet of Iranian warships would soon be making their way into the Atlantic Ocean, despite what Iran claims is opposition by U.S. officials.

Trump White House vows to stop China taking South China Sea islands

U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order on U.S. withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership while flanked by Vice President Mike Pence (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (R) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington January 23, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

The new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump vowed on Monday the United States would prevent China from taking over territory in international waters in the South China Sea, something Chinese state media has warned would require Washington to “wage war.”

The comments at a briefing from White House spokesman Sean Spicer signaled a sharp departure from years of cautious U.S. handling of China’s assertive pursuit of territorial claims in Asia, just days after Trump took office on Friday.

“The U.S. is going to make sure that we protect our interests there,” Spicer said when asked if Trump agreed with comments by his secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson. On Jan. 11, Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea.

How China wins the South China Sea war without firing a shot

China is engaged in a broad-ranging information warfare campaign as part of a covert effort to take control of the South China Sea — in the words of ancient strategist Sun Tzu, without firing a shot.

The Chinese cyber attacks have been carried out extensively on regional states along with political influence operations designed to falsely convince the international community that the waters of the sea are and have been China’s sovereign maritime territory.

James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, told a Senate hearing last week that aggressive Chinese cyber attacks were continuing. ”China continues to succeed in conducting cyber espionage against the US government, our allies, and US companies,” he said.

US Defense official: Chinese warship stole US underwater drone

 

(CNN) A US oceanographic vessel Thursday had its underwater drone stolen by a Chinese warship literally right in front of the eyes of the American crew, a US defense official told CNN Friday.

In the latest encounter in international waters in the South China Sea region, the USNS Bowditch was sailing about 100 miles off the port at Subic Bay when the incident occurred, according to the official.

Russia’s Arctic Dreams Have Chinese Characteristics

The most significant geophysical event on our planet since the end of the ice age is taking place today—the opening of the Arctic. As the High North maritime environment warms, the Arctic Ocean’s abundant energy, minerals, fish stocks, and other natural resources are becoming increasingly accessible, while new potential maritime routes promise to reduce shipping times and costs and accelerate ties between major commercial centers. These new opportunities for energy development, natural resources extraction, and shipping suggest that the region risks becoming an arena of intense competition, tension, and potentially even confrontation, not only between the United States and its two near-peer strategic competitors—China and Russia—but also among other Asia-Pacific states with observer status in the Arctic Council.

US Taunts Russian Warship in Mediterranean In Near Collision

When a country is infiltrated from the lowest levels to the highest, this is what you get. There’s normally a time in the military to play hardball with your adversaries, however, now is not one of those times. The Russian bear is being poked in the eye with a tiny stick without realizing or caring that behind this same bear is a nuclear arsenal now on par or more powerful and capable than that of the United States.

 

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday a U.S. destroyer had approached dangerously close to a Russian warship in the Mediterranean Sea on June 17, and protested at what it said was a flagrant U.S. violation of rules to avoid collisions at sea.

The alleged incident involved the USS Gravely and the Russian Navy frigate Yaroslav Mudry, the ministry said in a statement. The Gravely approached the Russian vessel at a distance of 60-70 meters from the port side and crossed in front of it, it said.

Congress Warns Russia Over ‘Provocative’ Military Action Against U.S. Forces

Russian intercepts of U.S. military craft sparks anger on Capitol Hill

A bipartisan delegation of leading senators is spearheading an effort to hold Russia accountable for a recent series of provocative military action against U.S. forces stationed across the globe, according to a new congressional measure that demands Moscow cease the “dangerous and unprofessional” activity targeting American forces.

The Russian air force has become increasingly aggressive against the United States in recent months, culminating in an April incident in which a Russian military plane performed a dangerous barrel roll over an American reconnaissance plane, coming within 100 feet of the U.S. plane.

US warships may join EU in patrolling waters off Libya

American warships may join European Union vessels off the coast of Libya by the summer in a Nato-led attempt to slow the flow of refugees from Africa into Europe, it emerged at a meeting of the G5 world leaders in Hanover.

Until now, the EU, through Operation Sophia, has been entirely responsible for policing the international waters off Libya and Nato has been patrolling the much narrower Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece.

Russian Naval Expansion Threatens U.S. Influence in the Western Hemisphere

 

On Wednesday, April 20, 2016, the New York Times reported that the most Russian attack submarines, in two decades, are patrolling the coastlines of “Scandinavia and Scotland, along with the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic.” This increased area of patrols and the Russian’s build up of arms is approaching Cold War levels, and signals the increasingly competitive and uneasy relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

…

Russia’s activity within the Western Hemisphere has increased since the beginning of he Obama Administration. Russian activity in the Western Hemisphere first began with the sale of military equipment to Venezuela that soon transitioned into the two nations participating in joint naval exercises. It was believed that the Russia decision to launch the exercise came after the U.S. announced it would be reforming the 4^th fleet to patrol the Caribbean.

S.O.S. for the U.S. Navy

Barack Obama has reduced the U.S. Navy to its smallest size since before World War I. He has also allowed our sailors to be subjected to serial, provocative humiliations by adversaries around the world. Taken together, you have a formula for disaster.

Russian fighter jets get close to U.S. destroyer

Apparently the neo-Soviets have a thing for the USS Donald Cook, being that this is their second time harassing it. The first time around, in 2014, they actually shut it down with advanced electronic warfare equipment.

See the following previous post for further details:

What frightened the USS Donald Cook so much in the Black Sea?

Please see the source for the video.

Update: A video of the flyby as it happened:

Update 2: Another new video, different angle:

 

(CNN) Unarmed Russian fighter jets made two extremely close overflights this week of the USS Donald Cook, sailing in the Baltic Sea, CNN has learned.

Navy officials are not commenting publicly, but inside the Pentagon there is an intense discussion about releasing video and still photos of the Russian encounter to demonstrate the danger the jets posed to the ship, a U.S. official told CNN.

One of the Russian jets flew within 75 feet of the Cook’s ship superstructure.

Russia and China Increase Defense Spending While US Continues Cutting

 

 

Every year at this time, we see the same kind of headlines: “U.S. biggest military spender in the world.” They’re are all based on the release of the global military spending database, an annual report compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

What the headlines usually miss is that U.S. defense spending is going down while global military spending is going up. The fact that the U.S. spends more on defense than any other individual nation dramatically misses the point.

U.S. warship sails near island claimed by China in South China Sea

WASHINGTON–A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of an island claimed by China and two other nations in the South China Sea on Jan 30, in an operation the Pentagon said aimed to challenge efforts to restrict freedom of navigation.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims.

Russian aircraft approach USS Ronald Reagan, prompting US fighter jet scramble

Another day, another Russian provocation. At least this time they were polite enough not to shut off the carrier like they did the USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea — which you do not hear about in this article.

 

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group and South Korean navy ships steam in formation during an exercise Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, in international waters to the east of the Korean Peninsula. Two Russian aircraft flew within one nautical mile at a height of 500 feet, prompting the carrier to launch four fighter jets in response. The Russian aircraft left without further incident. Nathan Burke/U.S. Navy

 

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The USS Ronald Reagan scrambled its fighter jets earlier this week after two Russian naval reconnaissance aircraft flew within one nautical mile of the U.S. aircraft carrier as it sailed in international waters east of the Korean Peninsula, according to 7th Fleet officials.

In the latest in a series of incidents involving Russian aircraft, two Tupolev Tu-142 Bear aircraft flew as low as 500 feet Tuesday morning near the Reagan, which has been conducting scheduled maneuvers with South Korean navy ships. Four F/A-18 Super Hornets took off from the Reagan’s flight deck in response to the Russian advance, 7th Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Lauren Cole said Thursday.