ALERT The Winds of War Blow in Korea and The Far East

H

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
jward said:
Visegrád 24
@visegrad24

China just admitted it was their ship NewNew Polar Bear that last year damaged the gas pipeline Balticconnector between Finland and Estonia.

China claim it was an accident because of a storm.

Finland says:

1) There was no storm
2) You can’t lower the anchor to certain depth accidentally
3) You would notice the impact of dragging an anchor to vessel maneuverability

No accident
Click to expand...

Hummmm......
 
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jward

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Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
NATO Steps Up Naval Presence in Western Pacific to Counter China

Italian aircraft carrier is the latest to patrol the region.

Goal is to bolster US and allied navies, senior officials say

NATO is bolstering its presence in the Western Pacific by sending warships to more places, a move that risks stoking tensions with China, which is worried about the alliance’s growing influence in the region.

The latest entrant is the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, the first time Rome has deployed its lone carrier to the Pacific. The Cavour and an Italian frigate recently held exercises with the US carrier USS Abraham Lincoln near the island of Guam.

A day later, F-35 stealth jets and AV-8B Harriers launched from the Cavour practiced shooting down airborne targets.

 
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Ian Ellis
@ianellisjones

This is the fastest buildup of any military — equivalent to what Japan & Germany did prior to WWII & equal to what the Soviets were doing in the 60s & 70s: @MikeStudeman


“The Chinese have been going gangbusters to build up their military into, not just a world class capability, but one that actually can deal with any comer, including the U.S.

And they plan on using this force, not just to take over Taiwan, not just to dominate in the first & second island chains, & not just to have the ability to protect their sea lines of communication all around the world…

They intend to deal with ‘interventionist forces,’ which is us — if we intervene to help Taiwan save its democracy.”
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1824974926631354796
View: https://twitter.com/ianellisjones/status/1824974926631354796
 
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Ian Ellis
@ianellisjones

New — China conducts first 30+ hour “Taiwan Strait Maritime Cruise Law Enforcement Operation”

Ostensibly a patrol, this ex further normalizes military activity closer to Taiwan & looks a lot like a blockade rehearsal

• Came within ~2 miles of the median line
• Covered 400+ nautical miles from 17-18 Aug
• Expansion of similar operations surrounding Kinmen
• Flotilla of 3 ships: Hai Xun 06, Hai Xun 0802, & Dong Hai Ju 115
• Implementing traffic organization & control, & inspecting passing ships

“Previously, maritime departments from the mainland had already achieved regular law enforcement patrols in the waters near Kinmen — & now this ‘regularization’ has been further extended”

The military-civil operation, carried out under the guise of the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration & East China Sea Rescue Bureau, involved:

• Enhancing the mainland’s maritime management agency’s control over maritime traffic & emergency rescue capabilities in the Taiwan Strait

• Patrolling the waters & examining coastal shipping routes, anchorages, offshore construction sites, high-risk collision zones for commercial & fishing vessels, busy traffic areas, accident-prone zones

• Investigating & addressing maritime traffic violations, upholding navigational regulations, inspecting shipping routes, organizing & controlling traffic, conducting spot checks on passing vessels, & inspecting on-site the implementation of emergency search & rescue plans

• Confirming ship identification code details on-site, testing communication capabilities over land & sea, & ensuring the orderly conduct of radio communications on the water

More info, sources, & updates below.
 
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Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal

BREAKING: CHINA ACCUSES PHILIPPINES OF "DELIBERATE COLLISION" IN DISPUTED WATERS

China's Coast Guard accused a Philippine vessel of "deliberately colliding" with a Chinese vessel in a "dangerous" manner near Second Thomas Shoal, following repeated warnings.

China also claimed Philippine ships "illegally intruded" into waters near Sabina Shoal without permission.

China warned the Philippines to cease provocations or face consequences.

This incident follows a July agreement between the two nations amid ongoing tensions over territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Beijing asserts despite international rulings.

Source: Reuters
 
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Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
#Philippines warns of #UN case against #China over South China sea incident

Manila urges Beijing to refrain from 'aggressive' actions.

The Philippines on Tuesday warned it may file a case against China with the UN over an alleged incident in which two of its Coast Guard ships were damaged in separate collisions with Chinese vessels a day earlier.

National Maritime Council spokesman Alexander Lopez said Manila is considering filing the case and accused Beijing of violating international law, according to the Manila Times.

"We are looking at that, especially the part of the Coast Guard, because they know more," Lopez said.

He urged China to refrain from aggressive actions and adhere to international law.

On Monday, the Philippines reported that two of its Coast Guard ships were damaged in separate collisions with Chinese vessels that were conducting "unlawful and aggressive maneuvers" near a disputed South China Sea reef.

Last week, Manila lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing over what it called "dangerous maneuvers" over the disputed South China Sea.

Manila said Chinese military planes dropped flares in the path of Philippine Air Force aircraft flying over the Scarborough Shoal.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian later urged Manila to stop "infringement activities and provocations" at Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) "at once."

China claims most of the South China Sea, including the Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometers (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.

aa.com.tr

Philippines warns of UN case against China over South China sea incident

Manila urges Beijing to refrain from 'aggressive' actions - Anadolu Ajansı
aa.com.tr aa.com.tr
Image
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1826187506712510947
View: https://twitter.com/IndoPac_Info/status/1826187506712510947
 
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Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
NATO Steps Up Naval Presence in Western Pacific to Counter China

Italian aircraft carrier is the latest to patrol the region Goal is to bolster US and allied navies, senior officials say

NATO is bolstering its presence in the Western Pacific by sending warships to more places, a move that risks stoking tensions with China, which is worried about the alliance’s growing influence in the region.

The latest entrant is the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, the first time Rome has deployed its lone carrier to the Pacific. The Cavour and an Italian frigate recently held exercises with the US carrier USS Abraham Lincoln near the island of Guam.

A day later, F-35 stealth jets and AV-8B Harriers launched from the Cavour practiced shooting down airborne targets.

x.com

x.com x.com
 
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Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
#China Quietly Launches Most Advanced Submarine

China has recently launched what could be its most advanced diesel-electric submarine, according to a report, as it continues to expand its undersea fleet.

Naval News broke the story on Wednesday, but no official announcements were made by the country's defense ministry or navy. The report said the submarinecould be a new variant of the Type 039A/B/C, also known as the Yuan-class under NATO terminology.

There are 48 diesel-electric-powered submarines in the Chinese Navy's service, and almost half of them (21) belong to the 3,600-ton Type 039A/B, according to a report released last year by the U.S. Department of Defense.

The current variant, the Type 039C, has a sail with a stealthy design.

The new submarine was launched quietly in April at the Wuchang shipyard in central China. It was spotted by former U.S. Navy submariner and defense analyst Tom Shugart, who said in July that the submarine might have an x-shape stern that he had "not seen before on any Chinese submarine."

H.I. Sutton, a maritime security analyst who writes for Naval News, noted the forward section of the new submarine was similar to the existing variant of the Yuan-class in terms of proportions. This indicated that their forward hulls, where sonar and torpedo functions are located, were similar in design.

However, the hull section behind the sail of the new submarine appeared "significantly longer," he observed.

This might suggest that the submarine has a vertical launch system, or VLS, for firing missiles, a new armament addition that did not feature on the existing variant of the Yuan-class.

VLS is a common feature on surface warships and nuclear-powered submarines, which gives them the flexibility to load the best set of missiles for any missions. It is less common in diesel-electric submarines, which are smaller than submarines powered by nuclear reactors, according to Sutton.

The number of VLS cells on the new submarine (each cell holds one missile) could be between four and eight. They might load with missiles that are too large to fire from torpedo tubes, which is the case with the current Yuan-class, such as anti-ship ballistic missiles or land-attack cruise missiles.

Besides diesel-electric submarines, China operates six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and six nuclear-powered attack submarines, according to the Pentagon's report. It is expected that the country's submarine force will grow to 65 units by 2025 and 80 units by 2035.

Meanwhile, China continues to expand the size of its non-nuclear-powered submarine fleet capable of launching advanced anti-ship cruise missiles, the report added.

The Pentagon also said it expects a total of 25 or more Yuan-class submarines would be produced for the Chinese Navy by 2025.

In comparison to China, all of the submarines in the U.S. Navy—ballistic missile submarines and attack submarines—are powered by nuclear reactors.

 
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Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
AIR FORCE BRACES FOR CHINESE MISSILE THREAT: DISPERSES OPERATIONS ACROSS SMALL BASES

Seriously... "CHINESE MISSILE THREAT?!"

As tensions with China apparently rise, the U.S. Air Force is advancing its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy, dispersing operations across smaller, remote bases to avoid potential missile strikes on major airfields in the Pacific.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin:

“If we’re going to need to operate from those [sites], having active defenses would certainly help against a threat of a large number of missile attacks."

The strategy includes exercises like Bamboo Eagle to refine operations, but challenges in securing and commanding these scattered bases remain.

Source: Defense News
 
H

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
You have to wonder how many semi-truck loads of MREs pushed or air dropped into North Korea it would take to get the party started...............

Posted for fair use.......
asiatimes.com

South Korea's new plan for North Korea's 'freedom' - Asia Times

Every year, on August 15, there is a public holiday in South Korea to commemorate the day the Korean peninsula was liberated from Japanese colonial rule.
asiatimes.com asiatimes.com

North-South Korea

South Korea’s new plan for North Korea’s ‘freedom’​

Yoon revises call from ‘peaceful unification’ to ‘freedom’ in formula that ultimately aims at regime change in the North

by Peter Han August 23, 2024

Every year, on August 15, there is a public holiday in South Korea to commemorate the day the Korean peninsula was liberated from Japanese colonial rule. On this day, there is a longstanding tradition whereby South Korean presidents outline their vision for Korean unification – Korea has been divided between the North and South since 1945.

But the country’s current president, Yoon Suk Yeol, proposed a new approach this year. Rather than emphasizing “peaceful unification” with North Korea, as has been the focus of many previous presidents, Yoon’s vision places “freedom” at the heart of South Korea’s unification pursuit.

In his speech, Yoon spelled out the tasks he sees as crucial for moving towards a unified Korea. Among them was the “need to change the minds of the North Korean people, to make them ardently desire a freedom-based unification.” Simply put, this will involve promoting the freedom of North Koreans to access information from the outside world.

This approach suggests the South Korean government will continue its hands-off policy towards the activists who have for months been sending balloons across the border filled with leaflets criticizing the regime of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

Yoon’s government has refrained from intervening with the activities of these activists, who are mainly North Korean defectors. It has even cited a Constitutional Court ruling from 2023 that declared these actions protected under freedom of expression.

At the same time, Yoon’s approach will involve preserving the values that make South Korea a “free” nation, and making these the guiding principles for a unified Korea. These include its liberal democracy, free-market economy, and respect for human rights.

So far, there has been no response to Yoon’s announcement from the North. The North’s silence is quite unusual, as Pyongyang almost always responds to Seoul’s proposals for unification immediately – and negatively.

What South Korea wants​

Seoul’s aims are twofold. For one, it hopes that with plenty of access to outside information, more North Koreans may aspire to live in the South, increasing the number of defection attempts across the border.

The number of successful defections dropped significantly from 2020 after North Korea sealed its borders during the pandemic. But after border controls eased again in 2023, the annual number of defectors making it to the South almost tripled to 196.

Recently, on August 20, Seoul’s military announced it had picked up a North Korean soldier who had crossed the border – the second defection in two weeks.

Furthermore, Seoul envisions that an influx of information could lead to a popular uprising in the North. Such an uprising may pressure that regime to either bend and allow greater freedom and human rights to its people, or to break.

But these scenarios are unlikely to turn into reality. After all, Pyongyang’s tight control of outside information has so far enabled the regime to survive.

Seoul’s new vision for unification is provocative and may not be well received by Pyongyang. It may even put the lives of ordinary North Koreans at risk by encouraging Kim’s regime to tighten its information control.

Yoon’s commitment to developing a new vision for Korean unification can be traced back several months. In March, South Korea’s presidential office announced its intention to update the National Community Unification Formula, which since 1994 has been the government’s official unification policy.

The formula is comprised of three stages: seeking reconciliation and cooperation with the North, establishing a Korean commonwealth, then creating a single unified Korea.

While the exact nature of the update is not yet clear, the decision to revise the existing unification formula is not a surprise. There has been no progress beyond the first stage since the formula was introduced three decades ago.

Seoul’s decision to review and update its unification formula also came after Kim reportedly abandoned hopes for unification in January. In a speech delivered at North Korea’s parliament, he said the constitution should be changed to designate the South as the “principal enemy.”

Retaliation from the North​

The primary goal of freedom-based unification – giving ordinary North Koreans greater access to information from the outside world – is something to which Kim’s regime is fervently opposed.

Information control has for decades been, and will continue to be, one of North Korea’s top priorities. The increased consumption of foreign media in North Korea, especially of K-Pop music and K-Drama television shows, has already resulted in multiple public executions.

So, retaliation against Seoul’s freedom-based unification overtures should be expected. North Korea has already sent hundreds of balloons filled with excrement and trash into South Korea as a response to the leaflet launches. And in June, Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, warned of additional retaliatory measures if they continue, saying South Korea should be “ready to pay a gruesome and dear price.”

From North Korea’s point of view, any attempt at sending flyers containing outside information is a direct threat to the regime’s stability.

Freedom of expression and access to information are important universal values that need to be protected at all times. But provoking Kim’s regime may jeopardize lives by triggering a more repressive crackdown on people in North Korea.

It is for this reason that Seoul’s push for freedom-based unification could be a hard sell for the North Korean people.

Peter Han is a PhD candidate in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
 
jward

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Jay Tarriela
@jaytaryela

The Chinese Coast Guard engaged in unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel, which was on a humanitarian mission to provide Filipino fishermen with diesel, food, and medical supplies.

It is PRC that is trespassing in our Exclusive Economic Zone. Escoda Shoal is located within our EEZ, while your claim to Xianbin Jao exists only in the imagination of the Chinese Communist Party. The only reason you are calling for our vessel to withdraw from Escoda Shoal is that you are clearly conducting illegal activities that harm our marine environment. Additionally, please refrain from perpetuating the falsehood that our vessel is grounded; we are not as naive as you might think.
 
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North Korea's Kim Jong Un calls for building more 'suicide drones'

Aug 26, 2024

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for the development and production of more “suicide drones” as the strongman oversaw a “performance test” of a variety of combat and spy drones, state run media reported Monday.

Kim viewed the test of several maritime and ground attack drones with different striking ranges by the North’s Drone Institute, part of its Academy of Defense Sciences, on Saturday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

The drones “all correctly identified and destroyed the designated targets after flying along different preset routes,” the report said.

Photos accompanying the report — the first time Pyongyang has made public the existence of its suicide drones — showed blurred images of two of the weapons attacking targets, including a dramatic image that showed one of the drones destroying what appeared to be mock-up of South Korea’s main K-2 battle tank.

Pointing to the growing importance of drones on the battlefield, Kim said that developing different types of the weapons and “steadily increasing their combat performance” are crucial “in preparing for a war.”

“It is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones of various types to be used in tactical infantry and special operation units, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones,” the North Korean leader said.

Drones, including kamikaze variations of the weapons, have featured prominently in the war in Ukraine — a fact that analysts say has not gone unnoticed by Kim.

The provenance of the suicide drones and other UAVs involved in the weekend test was unclear, but the weapons appeared to resemble drones such as the Hero 30, manufactured by Israel's UVision, and the Lancet model made by Russia's Zala Aero Group.

The similarities have raised suspicions that Moscow, which agreed to a wide-ranging defense pact with Pyongyang in June that includes military assistance, could be providing the North with the weapons or technology needed to build them.

A South Korean military spokesperson told the Yonhap news agency that more analysis was needed to determine if Russia had directly provided the North with the weapons. The spokesperson noted the gifting of drones in the past.

While the lion’s share of attention on North Korea’s illicit weapons production has focused on its long-range missiles intended to deliver nuclear bombs to the continental United States, Kim has also ordered a massive expansion of a variety of conventional and nuclear-capable autonomous weapons that could also endanger South Korean and Japanese forces.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees a performance test of drones organized by the Drone Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences at an undisclosed location in the country in this image released Monday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees a performance test of drones organized by the Drone Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences at an undisclosed location in the country in this image released Monday. | KCNA / KNS / VIA AFP-JIJI

Last December, Kim ordered the building of more spy and attack drones and the further development of electronic warfare capabilities, in addition to a ramped-up production of its nuclear bombs and powerful missiles.

At an arms exhibition and military parade in July last year attended by then-Russian defense chief Sergei Shoigu, Pyongyang unveiled for the first time two new types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that strongly resemble the massive U.S. Global Hawk and the medium-sized U.S. Reaper drones.

In January, North Korea said it had also tested a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone — purportedly designed to destroy naval vessels and ports — in response to a combined naval exercise by South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

In Monday’s report, Kim called for “constantly developing” underwater strategic weapons systems as well as underwater suicide attack drones, while “proactively introducing artificial intelligence technology into the development of drones.”

He also stressed the need “to more intensively conduct tests for their combat application and equip ... units with them as early as possible.”

In addition to bolstering North Korea’s deterrence capabilities, some observers say Kim may also be using his weapons build-up to give him an advantage in the event of a return to talks with the United States following the November election of a new president.
www.japantimes.co.jp

North Korea's Kim Jong Un calls for building more 'suicide drones'

Kim said that developing different types of the autonomous weapons and “steadily increasing their combat performance” are crucial “in preparing for a war.”
www.japantimes.co.jp www.japantimes.co.jp
 
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someone somewhere raises the valid question : do they have the man power to handle this, given the increasingly dismal birthrates.-


Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
#Japan Ministry of Defense Unveils Record High FY 2025 Budget Request

Japan’s Ministry of Defense requested a record 8.54 trillion yen, or $59 billion, for its Fiscal Year 2025 defense budget.

The new budget request includes bolstering standoff weapons capabilities, establishing a constellation of satellites for detection and tracking threats, continuing funding of two under-construction Aegis guided-missile destroyers, more ships for transporting troops and supplies around Japanese islands, deploying a mobile radar to Kita Daito island, and reorganizing the JMSDF’s surface fleet.

Unlike the Department of Defense’s fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, Japan’s runs from April through March.

Japan’s defense budget has been steadily increasing since 2012. FY 2023 was the first year of the country’s five-year Defense Capability Buildup Program, and, since then, the budget increased annually by more than a trillion yen or $6.89 billion.

The National Security Strategy in 2022 also called for Japan to achieve a target of 2 percent of GDP to be spent on defense by FY 2027 with the FY 2025 budget request coming in at 1.6 percent.

The targeted GDP goal though has been complicated by the weakening yen, with the increased defense spending translating to less than was envisaged in 2022 when Japan formulated the Defense Capability Buildup Program.

The budget requested 970 billion yen or $6.68 billion for standoff defense capabilities to “thoroughly defend Japan’s territory” and “drastically strengthen our stand-off defense capabilities to deal with ships and landing forces invading Japan, including its islands,” according to the MOD budget request document.

Development and operationalization of a new satellite constellation for target detection and tracking capabilities necessary for standoff defense is one of the new items requested for in this category, with the MOD asking for 323.2 billion yen ($2.24 billion) with construction and launches in stages to begin at the end of FY 2025 and a planned operational date of the end of FY2027.

Other new items that the MOD noted as part of its budget request in this category are the procurement of ship-launched improved Type 12 anti-ship missiles for 17 billion yen ($117.84 million) and submarine-launched guided missiles for 3 billion yen ($20.79 million).

Ongoing programs include 18 billion yen ($124.7 million) for two sets of ground equipment for the ground-launched version of the Type 12 anti-ship missiles, 30 billion yen ($208 million) for high-velocity glide missiles for island defense and 256.9 billion yen ($1.78 billion) for the expansion of manufacturing capabilities for hypersonic guided missiles.

The amounts requested for foreign-manufactured standoff weapons are 16.1 billion yen ($111.7 million) for the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) to be equipped on the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A Lightning II fighters, 2.6 billion yen ($18 million) for the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) to equip the JASDF’s upgraded F-15 fleet and 1.8 billion yen ($12.48 million) for adding Tomahawk cruise missile launch capabilities to Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) ships.

Naval programs and acquisitions in the FY 2025 budget request include 80.8 billion yen ($560.6 billion) for the two Aegis System Equipped Vessels destroyers under construction with the funds requested for preparations for tests and trials. The first destroyer will be delivered in FY 2027 with the second in FY 2028.

Also requested was 3.3 billion yen ($22.8 million) for a study into a replacement ship for the four Kongo-class Aegis destroyers, which is expected to be decommissioned in the 2030s.

The budget request also includes 314 billion yen ($2.17 billion) for three FFM frigates, a larger and improved version of the Mogami-class frigate able to carry long-range missiles and enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities as well as 116.1 billion yen ($804 million) for a ninth Taigei class submarine with a new manpower saving system.

The budget request ask for eight F-35As and three F-35Bs for the JASDF, as well as two improved capabilities P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for the JMSDF.

The MOD requested funding for its plan to deploy a mobile radar on Kita Daito Island in the Philippine Sea with 7.9 billion yen ($54 million) requested for the TPS-102 mobile radar system to be deployed there and 6.5 billion yen ($44.3 billion) for the base and facilities for the radar.

The FY2025 budget request also includes the Japanese military’s reorganization plans including the plan to combine the JMSDF’s warships, minesweepers and amphibious ships into a single command.

Currently, Japan’s surface ships are divided into the Fleet Escort Force comprising of four escort flotillas, each headed by one of the JMSDF’s big deck destroyer helicopter carriers. Each flotilla has two escort squadrons.

Five more escort squadrons are each tied to a specific naval district while the minesweepers and amphibious ships are grouped together into the Mine Warfare Group. Both the Fleet Escort Force and Mine Warfare Group reporting independently to JMSDF Fleet Command.

Separately the JMSDF’s five Hayabusa fast attack craft and coastal minesweepers operate as local district forces split among the JMSDF’s five naval districts.

The planned reorganization combines the Fleet Escort Force and Mine Warfare Group into the tentatively named Surface Fleet command, which would report to JMSDF Fleet Command. Within the Surface Fleet Command will be three surface battle groups, the Amphibious Mine Warfare Force and the Patrol Defense Group.

 
N

northern watch

TB Fanatic

Space Force general warns of China, Russia threat to satellites​

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin look toward each other as they shake hands prior to their talks in Beijing, China, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin look toward each other as they shake hands prior to their talks in Beijing, China, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

By Bill Gertz - The Washington Times - Friday, September 6, 2024

Military forces in China and Russia are closely watching U.S. programs to protect satellites and space systems and could counter those measures with a large-scale attack, according to a senior Space Force general.

Gen. Michael A. Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, told the recent Intelligence and National Security Summit that the Pentagon and Space Force are moving toward the use of large constellations of satellites that will make targeting satellites more difficult for Beijing and Moscow, both of which have developed several types of satellite-killing weapons.

“Proliferation means I’m now spreading out orbitology across multiple different orbits, so that they can’t just take out one satellite; they have to take out a bunch of satellites,” he said.

“Then through proliferation, we’re partnering with other entities to get just more assets on orbit. That is a significant investment for the United States Space Force.”

Gen. Guetlein acknowledged the new approach may not work. Asked if he regards masses of satellites to be at risk in the event of a large-scale attack, he said: “Yes, I do.” Both Russia and China, he added, “are watching what’s going on in places like Ukraine and Gaza, and they are understanding how the world has become dependent upon space.”

The comments were first reported by Air and Space Forces magazine.

Russia is said to be close to deploying a space-based nuclear weapon that would be capable of taking out a large number of satellites in orbit.

Rep. Mike Turner, Ohio Republican and chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, disclosed the Russian nuclear space weapon in February, calling it a “serious national security threat.”

China has similar plans for nuclear space arms as reported in this space in June.

The Air Force China Aerospace Studies Institute reported that Chinese military researchers are examining the use of nuclear blasts in space against large numbers of targets such as Starlink satellite swarms.

• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.

 
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Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
PH Navy logs largest Chinese ship presence in West Philippine Sea

The Philippine Navy has logged the biggest-ever presence of Chinese ships and warships in the West Philippine Sea since it began publishing its weekly tallies.

A total of 203 ships of China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia (CMM) as well as Chinese warships were recorded from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, according to Navy data released on Tuesday.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, told INQUIRER: “This is the highest we have recorded in the vicinity of our nine occupied features in the West Philippine Sea for this year.”

“Nevertheless, the increase in numbers will not justify their illegal presence, their coercive and aggressive actions and their deceptive narratives,” Trinidad further said.

Trinidad said the amount of China’s deployment is “not normal.”

However, he noted that “it is within the range of the capability they could project” in the West Philippine Sea.

Before this, the previous record of the Philippine Navy showed the highest number of 163 Chinese vessels from August 20 to 26.

Trinidad attributed the uptick in Chinese ships to a significant increase in deployments at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, where the number of Chinese vessels rose from 53 during the August 20-26 period to 71 between August 27 and September 2.

This increase in numbers comes amid the mounting tensions between the CCG and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the area.

The situation intensified on Aug. 19, when BRP Cape Engaño and BRP Bacagay were subjected to aggressive maneuvers by CCG vessels while traversing the waters off the shoal, damaging both ships.

On Aug. 25 CCG vessels blasted water cannons against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel there.

Then on Aug. 26, Chinese vessels prevented BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engaño from resupplying BRP Teresa Magbanua, prompting the latter to run on critical supply.

The military resorted to helicopters to deliver supplies, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr.

Before such incidents, the PCG did not have difficulties sending supplies to BRP Teresa Magbanua, according to the spokesperson for West Philippine Sea matters, Commodore Jay Tarriela.

BRP Teresa Magbanua, sent to guard Escoda Shoal since April 16 due to suspected reclamation activities in the area, is now the longest-deployed asset in the West Philippine Sea.

On the other hand, SeaLight director Ray Powell reported on Tuesday that several CMM vessels retreated to China due to Tropical Storm Enteng.

Enteng, which reportedly killed 13 people so far, is forecast to head towards the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday before intensifying into a typhoon on Thursday, according to state meteorologists.

Beijing asserts sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea—including most of the western section of Manila’s exclusive economic zone—even if such a claim has been effectively invalidated by the arbitral award issued in July 2016.

The landmark ruling stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013 or a year after its standoff with Beijing at Panatag Shoal.

 
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Mario Nawfal
@MarioNawfal
KIM JONG UN PLANNING TO BUILD NEW NAVAL BASE

Kim Jong Un has announced plans to build a new naval base for bigger warships and submarines, state media reports.

State television shows videos of Kim at an artillery academy and pictures of the supposed new naval base.

Source: Sky News
 
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Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
jward said:
someone somewhere raises the valid question : do they have the man power to handle this, given the increasingly dismal birthrates.-


Indo-Pacific News - Geo-Politics & Defense
@IndoPac_Info
#Japan Ministry of Defense Unveils Record High FY 2025 Budget Request

Japan’s Ministry of Defense requested a record 8.54 trillion yen, or $59 billion, for its Fiscal Year 2025 defense budget.

The new budget request includes bolstering standoff weapons capabilities, establishing a constellation of satellites for detection and tracking threats, continuing funding of two under-construction Aegis guided-missile destroyers, more ships for transporting troops and supplies around Japanese islands, deploying a mobile radar to Kita Daito island, and reorganizing the JMSDF’s surface fleet.

Unlike the Department of Defense’s fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, Japan’s runs from April through March.

Japan’s defense budget has been steadily increasing since 2012. FY 2023 was the first year of the country’s five-year Defense Capability Buildup Program, and, since then, the budget increased annually by more than a trillion yen or $6.89 billion.

The National Security Strategy in 2022 also called for Japan to achieve a target of 2 percent of GDP to be spent on defense by FY 2027 with the FY 2025 budget request coming in at 1.6 percent.

The targeted GDP goal though has been complicated by the weakening yen, with the increased defense spending translating to less than was envisaged in 2022 when Japan formulated the Defense Capability Buildup Program.

The budget requested 970 billion yen or $6.68 billion for standoff defense capabilities to “thoroughly defend Japan’s territory” and “drastically strengthen our stand-off defense capabilities to deal with ships and landing forces invading Japan, including its islands,” according to the MOD budget request document.

Development and operationalization of a new satellite constellation for target detection and tracking capabilities necessary for standoff defense is one of the new items requested for in this category, with the MOD asking for 323.2 billion yen ($2.24 billion) with construction and launches in stages to begin at the end of FY 2025 and a planned operational date of the end of FY2027.

Other new items that the MOD noted as part of its budget request in this category are the procurement of ship-launched improved Type 12 anti-ship missiles for 17 billion yen ($117.84 million) and submarine-launched guided missiles for 3 billion yen ($20.79 million).

Ongoing programs include 18 billion yen ($124.7 million) for two sets of ground equipment for the ground-launched version of the Type 12 anti-ship missiles, 30 billion yen ($208 million) for high-velocity glide missiles for island defense and 256.9 billion yen ($1.78 billion) for the expansion of manufacturing capabilities for hypersonic guided missiles.

The amounts requested for foreign-manufactured standoff weapons are 16.1 billion yen ($111.7 million) for the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) to be equipped on the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A Lightning II fighters, 2.6 billion yen ($18 million) for the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) to equip the JASDF’s upgraded F-15 fleet and 1.8 billion yen ($12.48 million) for adding Tomahawk cruise missile launch capabilities to Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) ships.

Naval programs and acquisitions in the FY 2025 budget request include 80.8 billion yen ($560.6 billion) for the two Aegis System Equipped Vessels destroyers under construction with the funds requested for preparations for tests and trials. The first destroyer will be delivered in FY 2027 with the second in FY 2028.

Also requested was 3.3 billion yen ($22.8 million) for a study into a replacement ship for the four Kongo-class Aegis destroyers, which is expected to be decommissioned in the 2030s.

The budget request also includes 314 billion yen ($2.17 billion) for three FFM frigates, a larger and improved version of the Mogami-class frigate able to carry long-range missiles and enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities as well as 116.1 billion yen ($804 million) for a ninth Taigei class submarine with a new manpower saving system.

The budget request ask for eight F-35As and three F-35Bs for the JASDF, as well as two improved capabilities P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for the JMSDF.

The MOD requested funding for its plan to deploy a mobile radar on Kita Daito Island in the Philippine Sea with 7.9 billion yen ($54 million) requested for the TPS-102 mobile radar system to be deployed there and 6.5 billion yen ($44.3 billion) for the base and facilities for the radar.

The FY2025 budget request also includes the Japanese military’s reorganization plans including the plan to combine the JMSDF’s warships, minesweepers and amphibious ships into a single command.

Currently, Japan’s surface ships are divided into the Fleet Escort Force comprising of four escort flotillas, each headed by one of the JMSDF’s big deck destroyer helicopter carriers. Each flotilla has two escort squadrons.

Five more escort squadrons are each tied to a specific naval district while the minesweepers and amphibious ships are grouped together into the Mine Warfare Group. Both the Fleet Escort Force and Mine Warfare Group reporting independently to JMSDF Fleet Command.

Separately the JMSDF’s five Hayabusa fast attack craft and coastal minesweepers operate as local district forces split among the JMSDF’s five naval districts.

The planned reorganization combines the Fleet Escort Force and Mine Warfare Group into the tentatively named Surface Fleet command, which would report to JMSDF Fleet Command. Within the Surface Fleet Command will be three surface battle groups, the Amphibious Mine Warfare Force and the Patrol Defense Group.

Click to expand...

If they can't find the manpower, that means they'll have to make up the difference with firepower......
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
dnaindia.com
North Korea fires 'unidentified ballistic missile' towards East Sea, South Korea says
4–5 minutes

World

South Korean news outlet Yonhap had previously reported that Kim had on August 24 overseen a performance test of various drones.

North Korea fires 'unidentified ballistic missile' towards East Sea, South Korea says

North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea on Thursday, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing South Korea's military.

Giving no further details about the same, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the analysis of the incident is underway.

Pyongyang last launched a ballistic missile on July 1, Yonhap News Agency reported. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for the development and production of more "suicide drones" to enhance war preparedness, amid tensions brewing in the Korean peninsula. North Korea fires 'unidentified ballistic missile' towards East Sea, South Korea says
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Military takes down over 1,300 Chinese-made surveillance cameras at units
Chae Yun-hwan


SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- The military has recently taken down more than 1,300 surveillance cameras installed at various bases, including those near the border with North Korea, after discovering they were Chinese-made equipment, a military official said Friday.

In late July, military and intelligence authorities found out the surveillance cameras supplied by a South Korean company were produced in China during military equipment examinations, according to the official.

The military has uninstalled all of the equipment in question and is replacing it with domestic equipment due to security concerns. Currently, about 100 of them have been newly installed.

"The CCTVs at issue were found to be designed to be able to transmit recorded footage externally by connecting to a specific Chinese server," the official said. "No data has actually been leaked."

The official said the surveillance cameras were not used to monitor the border with North Korea but for military training grounds and base fences.

The company that supplied the cameras is suspected to have falsified the equipment's country of origin, and the military is considering taking legal action against it.

This undated file photo, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows the defense ministry's emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This undated file photo, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows the defense ministry's emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr

Military takes down over 1,300 Chinese-made surveillance cameras at units | Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- The military has recently taken down more than 1,300 surveilla...
en.yna.co.kr en.yna.co.kr
 
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Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Posted for fair use........(for article images please see article source. HC)



North Korea shows first photos of banned uranium enrichment site​

By Hyunsu Yim and Josh Smith
September 12, 2024 8:42 PM PDT Updated 23 min ago
  • Summary
  • North Korea shows photos of Kim touring centrifuges
  • N.Korea nuclear programme banned by U.N. Security Council
  • Kim calls for increase in materials for tactical nuclear bombs
  • Leader also oversees missile test and commando drills
SEOUL, Sept 13 (Reuters) - North Korea for the first time showed images of the centrifuges that produce fuel for its nuclear bombs on Friday, as leader Kim Jong Un visited a uranium enrichment facility and called for more weapons-grade material to boost the arsenal.

The state media report on Kim's visit to the Nuclear Weapons Institute and a production base for weapon-grade nuclear materials was accompanied by the first photos of the centrifuges, providing a rare look inside North Korea's nuclear programme, which is banned under multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The photos showed Kim walking between long rows of metal centrifuges, the machines that enrich uranium. The report did not make clear when the visit occurred nor the facility's location.

Kim urged workers to produce more materials for tactical nuclear weapons, saying the country's nuclear arsenal is vital for confronting threats from the United States and its allies.

The weapons are needed for "self-defence and the capability for a preemptive attack," he said.

The North Korean leader said "anti-DPRK nuclear threats" from the "U.S. imperialists-led vassal forces" have crossed the red-line, according to the report.

North Korea is believed to have several sites for enriching uranium. Analysts say commercial satellite imagery has shown construction in recent years at the main Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center, including its uranium enrichment plant, suggesting possible expansion.


Uranium is a radioactive element that exists naturally. To make nuclear fuel, raw uranium undergoes processes that result in a material with an increased concentration of the isotope uranium-235.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday that the U.N. nuclear watchdog had observed activity consistent with the operation of a reactor and the reported centrifuge enrichment facility at Yongbyon.

Kim stressed the need to increase the number of centrifuges so as to "exponentially increase" the nuclear weapons and expand use of a new type of centrifuge to further strengthen the production of weapon-grade nuclear materials.

The new type of centrifuge shows North Korea is advancing its fuel cycle capabilities, said Ankit Panda of the U.S.-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"Kim also appears to suggest that North Korean tactical nuclear weapons designs may primarily rely on uranium for their cores," he said.

This is notable because North Korea is more able to scale up its highly enriched uranium stockpiles, Panda said, compared to the more complicated process for plutonium.

North Korea invited some foreign scientists to view a centrifuge facility at Yongbyon in 2010, but Jenny Town of the U.S.-based Stimson Center said Friday's report is the first and only photographs of the equipment.

"It shows how advanced their enrichment capability has become, which gives greater credibility to both their ability and commitment to increasing their nuclear weapons arsenals," she said.

North Korea has previously shown photos of what it says were nuclear warheads. It has conducted six underground nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017.

Estimates of the number of North Korean nuclear weapons varies widely. In July a report by the Federation of American Scientists concluded that the country may have produced enough fissile material to build up to 90 nuclear warheads, but that it has likely assembled closer to 50.

Kim also oversaw the test launch of a new 600mm multiple launch rocket system on Thursday and visited an army training base on Wednesday, according to separate KCNA reports.

In a statement carried by KCNA, North Korea's foreign ministry institute spokesperson criticized a recent defence ministerial meeting between member states of the U.S.-led United Nations Command in Seoul, calling it a "war organization."

Germany joined the command last month, becoming the 18th nation in a group that helps police the heavily fortified border with North Korea and has committed to defend the South in the event of a war.

Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Stephen Coates
 
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Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Housecarl said:
Nothing over at 38North.org on this at the moment.
Click to expand...

Here we go........

Posted for fair use......(For all the images please see article source. HC)
www.38north.org

First Look at North Korea’s Uranium Enrichment Capabilities - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea

On Friday, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un visited uranium enrichment ...
www.38north.org

First Look at North Korea’s Uranium Enrichment Capabilities​

On Friday, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un visited uranium enrichment facilities to learn more about the country’s fissile material production process and capabilities. During the visit, Kim was accompanied by Hong Sung Mu, one of the country’s leading nuclear scientists, and the head of the country’s Nuclear Weapons Institute, whose name is unclear.

The North Korean media coverage of this site visit is the first time images of the country’s centrifuge program have been shown. While only five photos were provided, it is clear that the uranium enrichment program has advanced significantly since it was first revealed.

The centrifuges shown are not the P-2 equivalents observed by Dr. Siegfried Hecker during his delegation’s visit to the main Uranium Enrichment Plant (UEP) facility in Yongbyon in 2010, but a more advanced design. The size of the cascades and hall shown also signify substantial capacity, perhaps not to the level of “exponential growth” as Kim has mandated, but significant growth, nonetheless. And finally, it is probable that these centrifuges are North Korean designed and manufactured; however, they likely use at least some imported materials despite decades of increasingly harsh sanctions imposed to hinder the country’s nuclear development.

These images send a strong message that the country has ample capacity and continued will to expand its nuclear program.

The Centrifuges

The centrifuges in the image are not the P-2 centrifuge equivalents seen in 2010 when Sig Hecker visited North Korea but appear to be a more advanced design.

Based on the images, the cooling coils appear to be around the centrifuge motors inside a centrifuge housing. Centrifuges spin at incredibly high speeds and are subject to enormous stress that can lead to a mechanical failure. In such a case, the centrifuge housing serves as a barrier for blocking damage to nearby centrifuges caused by shrapnel.

Another important protection measure is the fast-acting valves on the feed, product and tailpipes of each individual centrifuge, together with vibration sensors. The valves isolate the ailing centrifuge, blocking pressure impulses or dust that damages other centrifuges. Such valves are subject to export controls and are both hard to obtain and difficult to manufacture.

The centrifuges are also secured by heavy footings to limit collateral damage in case of failures.

The size of the cascade hall shows that North Korea’s enrichment program has taken substantial steps forward.

What is shown in the images is probably of North Korean design, but likely required at least some imported materials to produce.

Figure 2. Images from Kim Jong Un’s visit to an uranium enrichment facility showcase the layout of the cascade hall. (Source: Rodong Sinmun)
Configuration

In the first image, Kim Jong Un is seen standing alongside many centrifuges. There are approximately 70 visible in each row. There are two rows positioned close to each other and two more rows on the other side of the central piping. Added together, that makes approximately 280 centrifuges per section.

The image appears to show three sections, and additional centrifuges are visible past some support columns. These seem to be the same columns in the second image, which is taken from the same platform but on the other side of the room.

Figure 3. Images from Kim Jong Un’s visit highlight three sections of the photographed centrifuge hall. (Source: Rodong Sinumn)
From this angle, we can see an additional three sections of centrifuges, so together, the hall could hold an estimated 1,680 centrifuges.

A third image shows hundreds more centrifuges in a different room, which is determined from the different floor covering, lower ceiling and different walls.

In this image, some of the centrifuges are not connected, providing visual proof of Kim’s intention to keep building up the country’s enrichment capability.

Taken together, the two rooms likely account for over 2,000 centrifuges, although it should be noted that it is impossible to determine if they are all functioning.

Figure 4. Some centrifuges are not connected, as shown in images from Kim Jong Un’s visit. (Source: Rodong Sinmun)
The Location

This is one of the biggest questions and difficult to answer from the images alone, particularly because the visual clues available are few. What is clear is that at least two different rooms are depicted.

The first is potentially at the UEP at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center.

The two halls at the UEP measure approximately 120 meters by 15 meters each, but based on commercial satellite imagery, interior walls subdivide this space, so the actual length of the open floor space is approximately 93 meters.

It is unclear where the second room is located. It is possible it is within the annex that was added in 2021 or 2022 to the centrifuge hall at Yongbyon, or it may be offsite at one of the suspected uranium enrichment facilities North Korea is yet to disclose.
 
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