The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been noticeably escalating its level of activity in the Taiwan Strait and around the island nation, to probe the reaction of Taiwan’s armed forces.
For example, Taiwan said about 30 incursions by PLA Air Force planes and seven by PLA Navy vessels were detected southwest of Taiwan on 9 September, with Chinese planes entering the Taiwanese air defence identification zone at least 21 times. PLA assets continued to do the same the following day.
One particularly vulnerable position is Taiwan’s remote Pratas Islands in the South China Sea. It is hard to imagine that
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Delays in the construction of the Polar Security Cutter – the future substitute for the Polar Star – are likely to prolong the ageing icebreaker’s service time even more, putting the USCG in a risky position.
The adaptable design of Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 frigate, already selected by the UK Royal Navy and Poland, has led to more orders from Indonesia while other countries continue to weigh it up.
The presence of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in the Persian Gulf means additional naval and aerial capabilities, which provides the US with multiple attacking options.
The US Navy’s acceleration of its laser weapon development initiatives reflects a decisive shift towards ultimately having a “laser on every ship” across tomorrow’s surface fleet.
The new frigate class’s focus on modularity, speed to build and enhanced armament align with the priorities of the US Navy’s Golden Fleet.
The US Navy is set to invest $30 billion in artificial intelligence, cyber, space and autonomy research and development efforts in FY2026 as the force rethinks how it fights in light of China’s naval rise.
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