Benerson Little

Japan's "Scientific Whaling" Finding. Scientists with the Japanese "scientific whaling" program claim that it has yielded results. A Japanese review of the data from the carcasses of 4500 minke whales killed by Japanese whalers suggests that whales are losing their blubber, probably due to global warming, and are growing thinner at an alarming rate. Few if any legitimate scientists believe that the killing of thousands of whales justifies any scientific research, and most believe the Japanese study to be unethical. Some have suggested that the findings are nothing more than a pretense at justifying the "scientific" whaling program, which is widely believed to be nothing more than cover for commercial whaling. Some activists might more fittingly refer to Japanese "scientific whaling" as "research slaughter." (Sources: cdnn.info, author's)

Noisy Seas. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), man-made noise in the sea is interfering with cetacean (whale and dolphin) and other marine animal communication and feeding. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently concluded similarly that man-made ocean noise is harming cetaceans. Already most marine scientists believe that powerful sonars have caused mass strandings of whales and dolphins. Ship engines and propellers, and seismic airguns used in oil and gas exploration are also considered culprits. (Source: BBC)

Whales Versus Sonar to be Argued. The Bush administration is appealing injunctions on Navy sonar use in Southern California. The case, which will be heard by the US Supreme Court, is Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council, No. 07-1239. (Source: NY Times)

Whale in the Baltic. A lone humpback whale was spotted in the Baltic in August. Humpbacks are rare in the Baltic, given that it lacks the environment necessary for the whales to survive. (Source: AP)

Baby Whale Euthenized. A baby humpback calf, abandoned by its mother, was euthenized by Australian authorities in late August. The young whale was suffering from starvation, breathing difficulties, and shark bites. Nicknamed Colin, the whale been attempting to suckle from boats and had become an international sensation and media darling. (Source: BBC)

Trash Causing Digestion Problems. According to a recent report prepared for the US Congress, sea birds and sea turtles are developing digestive problems due to eating plastic. Increasingly, plastic is a significant source of pollution in the sea, both in its intact state and as it degrades. It fouls beaches, entangles marine life, and is mistaken by food by many sea creatures. The report to Congress recommends the banning of trash dumping into the sea. (Source: AP)

New Species of Giant Clam. Tridacna costata is, if the reader will pardon the oxymoron, a mid-sized giant clam recently discovered in the Red Sea. Scientists believe the clam may be "critically endangered" now, although, based on fossil records, it may have been the most prolific of the giant clams in the Red Sea 125,000 years ago. T. costata grow up to sixteen inches long, but some giant clams grow to four feet or more. (Source: BBC)

Explorer Seals. Scientists at the Australian Antarctic Climate and Ecosystem Cooperative Research Centre have equipped elephant seals with sensors in order to obtain measure temperature, salinity, and depth data beneath Antarctic ice, in order to track the effects of climate change. Satellites cannot see through the ice, data collecting floats cannot surface through the ice in order to transmit data, and ships are limited in their range by ice. Elephant seals, however, travel up to 40 miles per day and dive to depths of one and a quarter miles. The animals weigh up to three tons. (Source: AFP)

Dead Penguins. Over 200 dead, oil-covered penguins washed up on the shore of Florianopolis, a Brazilian resort, in late August, and there were reports of hundreds more. Some penguins, covered in oil, were recovered alive. (Source: AP)

Penguin Wetsuit. More positively, earlier this year Pierre, a 25 year old African penguin, was fitted with a wetsuit by scientists at the California Academy of Sciences. Parts of Pierre had lost their, leaving him bald and vulnerable to hypothermia. (Source: AP)

Jellyfish in Growing Numbers. Scientists note that jellyfish are being found in increasing numbers and closer to shore. Proposed reasons for this include increases ocean temperatures, overfishing of jellyfish predators, manmade breeding grounds, lowered oxygen levels, and increased nutrients. (Source: AP)

Nesting Loggerbacks. Biologists report a record nesting season for loggerback turtles on the Georgia coast, and similar nesting has been noted from Florida to North Carolina. Loggerhead turtles, which may reach 300 pounds or more, are currently listed as threatened and are under consideration for designation as endangered. (Source: AP)

Potential to Reanimate Extinct Tortoise. Scientists report finding relatives of an extinct Galapagos tortoise, Geochelone elephantopus, and believe that with "careful cross-breeding" they can bring the species back to life. The Galapagos Islands were the site of Charles Darwin's studies that led to his theory of evolution, and were also used by English and French pirates and privateers cruising the South Sea. (Sources: BBC, author's)

EU to Review Current Fishing Policy. Concerned about over-fishing and the significant decline of fish populations, the EU will review current policy. Ultimately, the size of fishing fleets and the amount of time they spend at sea may be cut. In spite of technological improvements, fishermen are catching fewer fish. Current quotas are being flouted by the fishermen of some nations. Scientists anticipate that, at current rates of fishing, fish stocks will collapse within fifty years. (Source: BBC)

Shark Slaughter. Conservation group Oceana is urging that significant restrictions be placed on shark fishing and finning. Many shark populations are in significant decline; more than half of all shark species are endangered. Shark fishing is poorly regulated, when it is regulated at all. In some areas sharks are now required to be landed with their fins attached, and Oceana seeks to make this a universal standard. Actor Ted Danson has been speaking on the organization's behalf. For details on the loopholes in shark finning regulations, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7618802.stm. (Source: BBC)

State of the Sea

Coral Reefs in Danger. According to an assessment by the Global Marine Species Assessment (GMSA), more than one third of the seven hundred or more reef-building coral species are in jeopardy of extinction. Overfishing and global warming are named as two of the causes, but tourism in the form of diving and snorkeling is also named. (Source: cdnn.info)

Arctic Ice Disappearing. Many scientists agree that Arctic ice is disappearing at a quicker rate than anticipated, due to global warming, and that within a few years, or a few decades at most, the sea surrounding the Arctic will be navigable year-round. However, recent measurements indicate that Arctic sea ice has retreated as far as it will in 2008, and has not retreated as far as it did during 2007, a record year. This year's Arctic ice retreat was the second most extensive since satellite data began to be collected thirty years ago. (Source: BBC)

Mississippi Delta Dead Zone. In June, researcher at Louisiana State University predicted that the dead zone off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas would increase in size to over ten thousand square miles. A "dead zone" is an area of oxygen-depleted water in which some sea life suffocates. The coast of Louisiana and Texas is critical to the local fishing, shrimping, and crabbing industries. (Source: AP)

Extreme Waves. Australia is more and more battered by extreme waves (those greater than nine feet in height), whose origin is believed to be global warming. (Source: BBC)

States Sue Bush Administration. Nine US states have sued the Bush administration over rules regarding the dumping of water from ships, contending that there is a loophole that may allow ships to dump polluted water into a body of water that would be harmed by the contamination. The rules date from a June 2008 federal decision. (Source: AP)

Ban On Offshore Oil Drilling Dies. Democrats in the US Congress let the 25 year old ban on offshore drilling die in late September. The House recently passed legislation permitting offshore drilling 50 or more miles offshore, provided that the associated state agrees to such drilling. (Source: AP)




Russia Test Fires Ballistic Missile. In mid-September Russia successfully test fired a Bulava multiple strategic warhead missile from a Borei class submarine. Each Bulava missile carries ten individually targeted nuclear warheads and has a range of 5000 miles, and, according to a Russian press release, are capable of avoiding anti-missile systems. Russia opposes the US development of anti-ballistic missile systems, as well as the positioning of an advanced anti-missile radar in the Czech Republic, and the test may have been intended to send a message to the US and its NATO allies. Until the Reagan years of the Cold War, anti-ballistic missile systems were opposed by both West and East out of a fear that the development of a system that provided first-strike capability might provoke a pre-emptive nuclear strike. (Sources: AFP, author's)

Canada Asserts Claim to Arctic Sovereignty. Canada has announced that it intends to extend to 200 miles the Arctic range within which it will enforce its shipping regulations and environmental laws. Currently, Canada enforces them to 100 miles. Appropriate legislation will be introduced this fall. The proposed change comes amidst melting Arctic ice and the resulting opening of Arctic sea lanes. (Source: MarineLog.com)

US Needs More Icebreakers. A number of organizations, ranging from the US Coast Guard to the National Academy of Sciences are pushing for an increase in US icebreakers, lest the US lose its ability to adequately patrol the Arctic. (Source: NY Times)

Activists Pass Gaza Blockade. In late August two pro-Palestinian protest vessels--the Liberty and Free Gaza--set sail in order to attempt to pass the Israeli blockade of Gaze. The vessels, carrying hearing aids and balloons, were permitted through the blockade. (Sources: BBC, AFP)




Last Coal-Burning Steamship. The SS Badger, the last coal-burning steamship in service in the US, was pulled from service on August 9 for repairs, and was back in service as a car and passenger ferry on Lake Michigan by August 15. The Badger was launched in 1952. (Source: MarineLog.com)

Sea Lanes and Missile Testing. Recent California regulations requiring the use of cleaner fuel for ships in California waters may send some ships into the Point Mugu Sea Range in order to avoid the regulations. The Point Mugu Sea Range is a 36,000 square mile test range. Ships entering the area might interfere with US missile tests. (Source: AP)

Exploration

Northwest Passage. NORDREG, the Canadian agency that monitors ship traffic in the Arctic Ocean, reports that a record eight or more foreign pleasure craft--one of them a sailboat under forty feet--are attempting the Northwest Passage. The voyagers are apparently inspired by last year's brief ice-free passage. (Source: Shiptalk.com)

Challenges

Rower Reaches Honolulu. Roz Savage, a British environmentalist, completed the first leg of her attempt to be the first woman to row across the Pacific. She departed San Francisco on May 25 aboard her boat Brocade and arrived at the Waikiki Yacht Club early in the morning on September 1, having rowed 2,900 miles. (Source: AP)

Refugees and Migration

African Migrants Die of Exposure. The BBC reports that at least twenty-five African migrants recently died of hunger, thirst, or exposure in the Mediterranean. Twenty-five survivors were rescued by a cargo vessel off the coast of southern Spain. (Source: BBC)

Migrants Die Off Malta. At least seventy-one African migrants are believed to have drowned near Malta after their vessel sank. A fishing vessel rescued survivers from a half-submerged dinghy. A sea and air search by the Maltese military turned up no other survivors. (Source: BBC)

Largest Migrant Boat. In late September, the Spanish coast guard rescued more than 230 African migrants from a single open boat 50 miles off the Canary Islands. (Source: BBC)

Storms

Hurricanes and Typhoons. August and September were noted for the number and severity of hurricanes and typhoons. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and Typhoon Hagupit caused significant damage in the West Atlantic and and West Pacific, respectively. (Source: AP, NY Times)

Increased Storm Strength. Scientists writing in the journal Nature have concluded based on satellite data that the strongest of storms--hurricanes, typhoon, and cyclones--have become more frequent in most tropical waters, although weaker storms have not. Some researchers suggest that large storms may become less frequent but much more powerful. Both human-caused global warming and natural cycles are believed to be to blame. (Source: BBC)

Modern Piracy and Related Violence

General. Somali piracy has reached epidemic proportions, with pirates attacking more than 50 vessels this year, capturing approximately 25, and currently holding 10 or more. Approximately 260 seafarers are being held hostage. Many of the vessels are being held near the town of Eyl. Not all Somali pirate attacks during the months of August and September are listed below. Captured vessels not listed below include the Centauri, the Stolt Valor, and the Great Creation. (Sources: Lloyd's, various)

Somali Pirates Seize Ship Carrying Tanks. In late September, Somali pirates seized the MV Faina, a Belize-flagged Ukrainian merchant vessel carrying T-72 tanks and other military arms. The pirates are reportedly asking for a $20 million ransom, although the figure has been disputed. Further, the pirates claim that the arms aboard were destined for Kenya as claimed, but for Sudan. One crew member has died, apparently of a heart attack, and there have been reports of a shootout between pirates over what to do with the ship's cargo. Somalia has granted permission for foreign powers to use force against the pirates holding the ship. Currently, the ship is surrounded by US warships, and a Russian warship carrying naval commandos is on its way. (Sources: AP, BBC, Lloyd's, author's)

French Hostages Rescued. On the night of September 15, a force of French naval commandos composed of the Commando Hubert--a French naval special operations unit specializing in "combat swimming"--parachuted into the ocean, swam underwater to the hijacked yacht Carré d'As, boarded it, and rescued Jean-Yves Delanne and his wife Bernardette Delanne. In the process, the commandos killed one pirate and captured six. (Sources: Le Monde, MarineLog, BBC, London Times, author's)

Denmark Forced to Release Suspected Pirates. In September the Danish warship HMDS Absalon intercepted two suspected pirate vessels and arrested ten men, but due to circumstances of jurisdiction and logistics the suspected pirates were set ashore less than ten days later. (Source: MarineLog)

Royal Navy Has Power to Arrest Pirates. In a reversal from a recently reported British opinion, the Royal Navy does have the power under UNCLOS (the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) to detain, arrest, and try suspected pirates. The original opinion caused an outcry in Great Britain. (Source: Lloyd's)

Somali Pirate Gangs. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), six distinct pirate gangs are operating in Somali waters and the Gulf of Aden. More than $30 million has been paid in ransoms to Somali pirates this year. (Sources: Lloyd's, BBC)

EU to Establish Anti-Pirate Force. The European Union has voted to establish an anti-piracy force to combat the now out-of-control Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden. (Source: BBC)

Coalition Forces Establish Patrol Zone. In response to the increase in pirate attacks off Somalia, in particular to those in Gulf of Aden, coalition naval forces have established a patrol zone to ensure safe passage for merchant shipping, although its success so far is mixed. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) fears that piracy will soon be out of control in the region. (Sources: Lloyd's, IMB)

Piracy Alert. The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre issued an alert on August 13, advising of "two suspicious trawlers in the Gulf of Aden believed to be pirate mother vessels looking to attack ships with the intent to hijack." The trawlers are long white Russian-built stern trawlers, one of them with the name "Burum Ocean" and other with "Athena" or "Arena." One of the trawlers is reportedly operating roughly 60 nautical miles northeast of Bossasso, Somalia. (Source: IMB Piracy Reporting Centre)

Three Ships Captured in a Single Day. On August 21 pirates seized three ships: an Iranian bulk carrier, a Japanese tanker, and a German-owned, Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship. (Source: MarineLog.com, Lloyd's)

Ships Banned from Gulf. In early September Malaysia's shipping company MISC Bhd banned its ships from the Gulf of Aden, pending adequate protection. Malaysia has dispatched warships to the region. Two Malaysia merchant ships, the Bunga Melati 2 and Bunga Melati 5 were seized in August. (Source: MarineLog)

Nigerian Ship Seized by Somalis. The Nigerian merchant ship Yenagoa Ocean was seized by Somali militants in Mogadishu in early August. The ship had received permission to enter the harbor in order to seek medical attention for sick crew members. (Source: Shiptalk.com)

Merchant Ship Captured Near Yemen. The Thor Star, a general cargo ship loaded with timber for Thailand, was captured by heavily-armed Yemeni pirates 100 miles south of the Yemen coast on August 13. (Sources: Lloyd's)

Somali Pirates Capture Tug. On August 4, Somali pirates attacked and captured a tug off off Bosasso, Somalia. Further details were unavailable. (Source: ICC Piracy Report)

German Tourists. According to Shiptalk.com, the two German tourists released by Somali pirates last month had actually been held by Yemeni pirates in Somalia. (Source: Shiptalk.com. See also last month's newsletter.)

No Force for Somalia. The Arab League has declined to raise a force of peacekeepers to serve in Somalia. Some diplomats and analysts had suggested that the League might be better able to deal with Islamic radicals in Somalia. However, the League's member nations feel that they should wait until Somali adversaries weary of warfare before sending in troops and aid packages. Given the difficult history of finding a solution to the Somalia problem, the League's attitude can be considered reasonable. (Source: Shiptalk.com, author's)

Shipowners Hiring Private Security. Some shipowners, particularly the larger shipping firms, are hiring security forces to protect their vessels during transit through the Gulf of Aden. Although the International Maritime Bureau acknowledges a shipowner's right to do so, the organization does not recommend the measure. IMO is concerned in general about the potential loss of life among seafarers in a firefight between pirates and security forces, and about the danger of a firefight aboard oil tankers and other vessels carrying hazardous cargo. Other shipowners are uncomfortable with private security and are instead demanding naval protection. (Source: Lloyd's, MarineLog)

Rapid Rescue Anti-Pirate Force. Captain John Dalby of Great Britain is offering a "Rapid Rescue Force" composed of former Royal Marines to come to the aid of merchant ships attacked and captured in the Gulf of Aden. The group has reportedly carried off a successful rescue in Malaysian waters. (Source: Shiptalk.com)

Yemeni Fishermen Reportedly Tortured. Yemeni authorities have accused Eritrea of capturing and beating or torturing 42 Yemeni fishermen. The fishermen were released aboard one of their boats; Eritrean authorities confiscated the other three. (Source: Shiptalk.com)

Nigerian Pirates. Lloyd's List notes that there have been 82 pirate attacks in Nigerian waters this year.

Singapore Ships Not Reporting Attacks? The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) alleges that some Singapore shipowners have been told not to report pirate attacks on their vessels to the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre. The IMB gives as its source private conversations with several Singapore shipowners. (Source: Lloyd's)

South China Sea. Pirates struck twice in the South China Sea in late September-early October. (Source: Lloyd's)

Pirates of the Mediterranean. In August pirates boarded the Cayman-registered luxury yacht Tiara off Corsica and stole nearly $200,000. Authorities are investigating. (Source: Lloyd's)

Drug Smuggling

Coast Guard Captures Drug Subs. The US Coast Guard cutter Midgett captured a sixty foot semi-submersible "drug sub" after a US Navy patrol aircraft spotted the craft and directed the cutter to its location on September 17. Aboard were 295 bales of cocaine worth nearly $200 million. The capture was the second within a week by the US Coast Guard. Only a few days earlier a Coast Guard boarding team from the USS McInerney surprised a drug sub underway. The smugglers attempted to force the boarding party overboard by reversing engines, then attempted to scuttle the craft, but were forced by the boarders to abandon the attempt. Aboard were seven tons of cocaine. Such "drug subs" are referred to as self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) craft. As of January, 2008, Columbian forces had captured or sunk eighteen. (Source: MarineLog)

Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism

Manila Bay Ferry Bomber Arrested. Ruben Pestano Lavilla, believed to be the bomber responsible for the attack on the Superferry 14 on February 27, 2004, was arrested in Bahrain and extradited to Manila in late August. He is alledged to be the mastermind behind the Rajah Solaiman Movement, an Islamist terrorist organization linked to two al-Qaida affiliated militant or terrorist groups located in the southern Philippines. The group is believed responsible for several bombings in Manila in 2004 and 2005. One hundred sixteen people died aboard the ferry in a fire caused by the bombing. (Source: BBC)

Modern Navies and Naval Warfare

Sri Lankan Navy in Sea Battle. The Sri Lankan navy reportedly destroyed seven small Tamil Tiger craft and three larger Tiger vessels in a pitched battle at sea on off the coast of north-west Sri Lanka. According to a Sri Lankan navy spokesman, the battle began during a routine patrol, lasted for three hours, involved forty craft, and left twenty-five rebels dead and two Sri Lankan sailors wounded. (Source: BBC)

Russia Concerned About NATO Warships. Russian naval leaders have expressed concern about the growing number of NATO warships in the Black Sea, a region hitherto dominated by the former Soviet navy, then to the present by the Russian navy. According to NATO, there are only five NATO warships in the region, and all were part of an exercise organized prior to the Russian invasion of Georgia. Russian has complained that the presence of the foreign warships violates the 1936 Convention of Montreux, which limits non-coastal warships to three weeks in the Black Sea. (Source: NY Times, BBC)

Russian Navy Sinks Missile Boat. According to the Russian Itar Tass news agency, Russian warships destroyed one of four attacking Georgian missile boats on August 10, claiming self-defense and not that Russia was enforcing a blockade. (Source: Marinelog.com, Micportal.com, Fairplay, et al)

Russian Blockade. During the Russian invasion of Georgia and for some time afterward the Russian Navy blockaded the Georgian port of Poti, although Russia denied it was enforcing any such blockade. However, other sources stated that a defacto blockade of the port of Poti existed in order to prevent resupply by the US, Israel, or NATO. Russia bombed the city during the invasion, and later also deployed "peacekeepers" to to the port, ostensibly to await international monitors, but in fact were engaged in sinking ships in the harbor and destroying Georgian naval and other military arms and equipment. Oil shipments were blocked, although the Georgia's largest oil port, Batumi, did not come under blockade. The US has demanded that all Georgian ports be opened to all international traffic. However, in the matter of the invasion of Georgia, some commentators and analysts suggest that the US may have little unilateral bargaining power, and, after the invasion of Iraq, little moral authority to lecture Moscow on its invasion of Georgia. Russian forces had withdrawn by September 13; until then, Poti had only been opened to humanitarian aid. (Sources: Lloyd's, BBC, NY Times, Marinelog.com, author's)

US Warships Bring Humanitarian Aid. Three US warships carried humanitarian aid into the Georgian ports: the USS McFaul (DDG-74), a guided missile destroyer carried aid into Batumi, Georgia; the Coast Guard cutter Dallas (WHEC 716) and the USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20), a joint command and control ship, carried aid into Poti prior to the withdrawal of Russian troops. The USS McFaul originally had orders to bring aid to Poti, but the destination port was changed, apparently given that Russian troops still occupied the port in significant numbers. Russia has accused the US of using the humanitarian aid as cover for rearming the Georgian military, charges the US has denied. The US also flew numerous humanitarian airlift missions into Tbilisi, Georgia. (Sources: AFP, AP, McClatchy, Military.com, author's)

Georgian Coast Guard Training With US. Georgian coast guard midshipmen began training with aboard the destroyer USS Mason (DDG-87) in the Black Sea in early October. Some analysts speculate that this will irritate the Russian government. (Source: AP)

Joint Venezuela-Russia Naval Exercise. According to a Rear Admiral Salbatore Cammarata Bastidas of the Venezuelan navy, Venezuela and Russia will hold a joint naval exercise, including four Russian warships and one thousand men, in November in Venezuelan territorial waters. The Russian flotilla set sail in late September, with the heavy nuclear-powered Kirov class guided missile cruiser Peter the Great as its flagship. Venezuela has already called for a military alliance with Russia, ostensibly to protect Venezuela from alledged US aggression. The naval exercise will likely antagonize the US, especially given recent US criticism of Russia's invasion of Georgia, and may be intended to do so. Russia confirmed the exercise on September 8, although up to this date Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, amidst telling the US to “Go ahead and squeal, Yanquis,” had stated that the exercise was only in the planning stage. Chavez pointed specifically to the re-activation of the US Fourth Fleet (inactive since 1950) as part of the reason for the joint exercise, although his remarks are probably more opportunistic rhetoric than substance. The Fourth Fleet is commanded by Rear Admiral Joseph D. Kernan, a Navy SEAL, and is responsible for the Caribbean, Central, and South America areas of operations. Russia's commitment to the Venezuelan exercise may have been instigated in part by NATO's presense in the Black Sea. (Sources: BBC, NY Times, AFP, author's)

Russian Bombers in Venezuela. In September, Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers used Venezuela as a base during exercises in the Caribbean. The commander of the US Fourth Fleet stated that, while the US Navy would keep an eye on the bombers, they were otherwise unconcerned. A Russian spokesman stated that the aircraft were unarmed. The bomber exercise was likely in response to the NATO presence in the Black Sea. (Sources: Military.com, AP)

Alabama Sailor Killed in Pakistan. Petty Officer Matthew O'Bryant, USN, of Theodore, Alabama was killed in Pakistan on September 20 when a truck bomb exploded at the Marriott Hotel, killing 53 people. (Source: AP)

Pentagon Steel Aboard US Ship. Steel from the 9/11 Pentagon wreckage will be permanently displayed on the quarterdeck of the Arlington (LPD 24), a San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship currently under construction. The ship is expected to be commissioned in 2011, at which time USS will be affixed to the ship's name. The Arlington was named in memory of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, which is located in Arlington, Virginia. (Sources: Military.com, Richmond Times, author's)

Littoral Combat Ship Christened. The Independence, the second of two prototype littoral combat ships, was christened on October 4 at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. The vessels are designed as multiple roles, including special operations support, and are intended for shallow waters where larger combatants cannot operate. However, the program, like the Navy's shipbuilding program in general, has been plagued by cost overruns and accusations of mismanagement. (Sources: AP, author's)

US Navy Statue at Normandy. France has honored the US Navy with a statue at Normandy beach. More than one thousand Navy personnel died during the first four days of the landing. (Source: AP)

USS Intrepid Returns. The WWII aircraft carrier Intrepid has been towed back to its moorings where it serves as a museum. The ship has undergone two years of refurbishing. The ship made news two years ago when it almost immediately became stuck in the mud as it was being towed from its moorings. (Source: NY Times)

DDG 1000 Update. The US Navy may get a third DDG 1000 warship after all. The program was recently limited to two vessels, but funding has been provided for a third. However, there is no requirement that the Navy actually build the ship. (Sources: MarineLog, Military.com)

LPD 17 Class Ships. Reports of deficiencies with the new class of US Navy amphibious warship continue. Recently US Navy shipbuilding programs have come under fire for deficiencies and cost overruns. (Source: Military.com)

USS Houston Update. According to recently released documents, the USS Houston, a Los Angeles class fast attack submarine, had leaked radiation for two years, most of it into harbor at Pearl Harbor and Guam. However, the US Navy described the leak as "weepage" and that the total radiation released was 9.3 micro curies--negligible, in other words. A typical home smoke detector contains one micro curie of radiation, for example. (Source: Military.com)

US Navy CO Relieved of Duty. The commanding officer of Strategic Communication Wing One, a Navy squadron responsible for communicating between the President and nuclear submarines, among other duties, was relieved of command for "loss of confidence in his ability to command." The Navy did not provide specific details regarding the reason for relieving the officer, but an outside source indicated that he was relieved not for poor performance but for "an undisclosed personal matter." This was the third time within a month that a high profile Navy commanding officer has been relieved of duty for cause. (Source: AP)

Coast Guard Captain Charged. The US Coast Guard's chief of response for the Pacific Area has been charged with wrongful use of cocaine and obstruction of justice. The charges are being investigated in accordance with Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (Source: MarineLog.com)

Naval Special Warfare

Navy SEAL Killed in Afghanistan. Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Thomas Harris drowned while crossing a turbulent river during combat. A veteran of multiple combat deployments with SEAL Team Ten, Petty Officer Harris was a member of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group when he died. A man of many talents, like many in the Teams, he had an undergraduate degree in studio art from Davidson College, and had pursued a master's degree in architecture at the University of North Carolina. His art had been exhibited at various venues on the east coast. (Source: Military.com, author's)

Coast Guard Navy SEALs? Under a new program, up to four US Coast Guardsmen a year--two officers and two enlisted--will undergo Navy SEAL Basic Underwater Demolition and SEAL training (BUDS), and, if they graduate and later qualify as combatant swimmers or Naval Special Warfare officers, will serve as members of operational SEAL units prior to returning to the Coast Guard. Ultimately, the program is designed to benefit the Coast Guard's Deployable Operations Group. There were no volunteers during the first two weeks after the program was announced; the application deadline is mid-September. While some service members and observers suggest the program will be good for the Coast Guard, others are not sure that the SEAL mission is compatible with the Coast Guard missions of law enforcement and lifesaving. Reaction among the Navy SEAL community has been mixed. Some current and former Navy SEALs believe that their ranks should be drawn only from the US Navy. Others consider graduation from BUDS, followed by the successful earning of of the "Trident" or SEAL insignia, to be the only test that matters. (The Trident is worn only by those who have graduated BUDS and successfully passed their subsequent probationary period.) (Source: Military.com, author's)

Fake SEALs and Other Liars. Military.com reported in September on those who pretend to be or to have been Navy SEALs or other members of elite military combat units. The practice is particularly pernicious in the cases of frauds who use the pretense to acquire employment, promotion, other material gain, or public notoriety. Not only is this fraud an insult to men and women who actually have served in the military in any capacity, it is an insult to those who actually have served in these special professions, and particularly so those who have been wounded or killed while so serving. In some cases, impersonators may face prison for wearing unauthorized military awards, per the Stolen Valor Act of 2005. For information on identifying and exposing these fake heroes, see http://sec-global.com/services/ctp/vsg/, or http://information.usnavyseals.com/us-navy-seals-info/10-ways-to-spot-fake-us-navy-seal/, or do an Internet search on "fake Navy SEALs." (Source: Military.com, author's)

SCAR Update. As noted in last month's newsletter, the SCAR assault rifle is undergoing evaluation, although according to an article in the Blackwater newsletter, not all are yet sold on it. Many, however, seem quite impressed with the weapon's performance and versatility. (Sources: Blackwater.com, Military.com)


Copyright Benerson Little 2008

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