Free Republic

In what Reuters has dubbed a massive “show of force”, dozens of Chinese warships have been observed on satellite imagery, exercising with an aircraft carrier and warplanes above the heavily-disputed South China Sea, as part of the previously noted massive military drills, which the PLA ominously said were “in preparation for war.” The four images, provided by Planet Labs for Reuters confirms the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning joined the annual naval war drill earlier this week. According to the Taiwan Defense & National Security ministry, late last week Taiwan sent two ships and military aircraft to shadow the Chinese aircraft...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A new international naval force under American command will soon begin patrols to confront escalating attacks by Somali pirates after more than 100 ships came under siege in the past year, the U.S. Navy said Thursday. But the mission — expected to begin operations next week — appears more of an attempt to sharpen the military focus against piracy rather than a signal of expanded offensives .. The force will carry no wider authority to strike at pirate vessels at sea or specific mandates to move against havens on shore — ..

New Maritime Strategy by: Nirmala Punnusami, October 09, 2007 A two-day conference entitled, “A New Maritime Strategy” at The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on September 26, 2007, organized by The Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis, hosted a multiplicity of panelists, many in uniform, who spoke about several crucial issues, ranging from rationale for a new maritime strategy to the need for developing critical skills for naval personnel to meet 21st century challenges. The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Plans and Strategy from the United States Navy, Vice Admiral John C. Morgan Jr. set the...