China reveals Philippine Personnel secretly resupplying BRP Sierra Madre by posing as Fishermen
Personally, I think that these “Secret” Operations are being done by the Naval Special Operations Command (NAVSOCOM) of the Philippine Navy (PN) as this seems to fall under their Area of Responsibility.
Remember that the NAVSOCOM Troops were also the ones that were involved in an Altercation with the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) earlier this Month.
PH NAVSOCOM trains with the U.S. Navy SEALs:
The Sierra Madre has become the most dangerous flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute
Related:
China’s latest actions not an armed attack – Palace
Xi Jinping has said that the US tried to provoke the Chinese military into attacking Taiwan but that Beijing did not take the bait, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing sources.
Xi claimed US tried to provoke Beijing into Taiwan attack – FT
Related:
FT: Xi Jinping claimed US wants China to attack Taiwan (archived)
The US military is planning to create a “hellscape” of drones in the Taiwan Strait if China moves to attack Taiwan, the top US military commander in the region has told The Washington Post.
US Wants To Create ‘Hellscape’ of Drones If China Attacks Taiwan
Related:
How American Drones Failed to Turn the Tide in Ukraine
US and Philippines launch Balikatan joint military drills in South China Sea
This year’s staging of Balikatan, the allies’ largest annual military drill, will include a joint sail in the disputed South China Sea outside the Philippines’ territorial waters. The French navy, a first-time Balikatan participant, and the Australian navy will also join the manoeuvres.
While the US and the Philippines resumed joint naval patrols in the area last year, and the US has in the past sailed there with other allies and partners, it will be the first time that the Balikatan drills have extended beyond 12 nautical miles off the Philippine coast and into waters claimed by China.
…
Six Philippine coast guard vessels will also participate in the drill, the first time the service — which has been at the forefront of frequent clashes with China over the past year — has been included in a military exercise.
…
Another closely watched component of the drills will be the Strategic Mid-Range Fires missile system, known as Typhon, which has a range of up to 2,500km. The US Army airlifted the system to the Philippines this month, the first such deployment in the Indo-Pacific. Intermediate-range ground-launched missiles had been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, but the pact collapsed in 2019 after both the US and Russia left it.
…
Troops will also practise tracking and targeting air and missile threats, retaking enemy-occupied islands in the Philippines’ far north, just south of Taiwan, and sinking a ship off the coast facing the South China Sea, expanding on drills last year.
…
The exercise coincides with an annual conference by China’s Navy, which will be attended by senior military officers including from the US. It also comes as US secretary of state Antony Blinken is heading to China on Wednesday in the two countries’ latest effort to manage tense relations.
Related:
Read More »USS Beloit prepares for launch, City of Beloit filled with pride
“This community has had a long history of supporting the military through Fairbanks Morse defense and they make many of the engines that go in Navy ships and they had significant support during World War II, said Sarah Lock, Director of Strategic Communications for the City of Beloit. “For a town of under 37,000 people, to have our name on a Navy ship around the world is incredible.”
History:
Read More »US to change Japan command posture to boost deterrence in face China -US envoy
Sources with knowledge of the planning have told Reuters Washington will consider appointing a four-star commander for Japan to match the rank of the head of Japan’s new military headquarters. Experts say a U.S. officer of that rank could lay the groundwork for a future unified Japanese-U.S. command.
Related:
A Vital Next Step for the U.S.-Japan Alliance: Command and Control Modernization
Reimagining U.S. Forces Japan
The current structure of alliance command and control is not sufficient for the task. U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) has changed little since the 1960s, when Japan was viewed as little more than a platform for U.S. military operations across the region. USFJ’s authorities and staffing are limited primarily to administering alliance agreements related to the 50,000-plus U.S. personnel stationed in Japan with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Army. U.S. forces in Japan represent some of the most important U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, but the three-star USFJ commander has limited joint operational authorities, and the separate U.S. service elements in Japan report back to their component headquarters in Hawaii.
The LCS has just what the Navy needs to defend freedom of the seas in the first island chain.
Littoral Combat Ships for Maritime COIN
Previously:
Littoral Combat Ship Still Fighting to Prove Its Worth
Bringing Vietnamese Counterinsurgency To The Philippines And South China Sea (Part I) – Analysis
The Office of Naval Research is an organization within the US Department of Navy. Ray Powell’s Project Myoushu started at Stanford’s GKC. Funny how Powell’s information has disappeared from Stanford’s GKC. The internet never forgets, though!
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
You must be logged in to post a comment.