Professor of War & Strategy in East Asia | FRHistS | @warstudies | @kcl_CGS | Postwar Japan as a Seapower. Naval affairs. Strategy. Indo-Pacific. One ping only.
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The Strategic Significance of the Maritime Theatre in the Russia–Ukraine War - good morning X.
Delighted and honoured this piece Dan Hallett and I penned is out with @RUSI_org flagship publication- a short thread about our argument: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.…
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Good morning Twitter. It appears one can comfortably assert that on 13 April 2022, a new piece of naval history was written in the context of this terrible affair that is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A thread on the RFN cruiser Moskva (pennant No 121):
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Tonight Russian commanders will feel less secure as they reflect upon the fact that the BS is no longer their lake. It’s a box with no way out. It’s where denial has exposed the limits of control. Things have got much harder.
Signing off for now. Thank you for reading!
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Perhaps the most iconic symbolism around the role of the Moskva is captured in the shelling of Snake Island, with the now image of the Ukrainian soldiers responding in kind to the ship hailing them to surrender: the ultimate David vs Goliath challenge. Grit and Determination.
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2. Politically, explaining why Russia could loose its flagship in the theatre where it has sea control is going to be hard - or even hide it;
3. Symbolically, Moscow is on fire. This is Ukraine response to Snake Island. This is David exposing Goliath’s disorientation.
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This raises important questions about familiar themes in this invasion so far:
a. Russian conops;
b. Russian confidence/underestimation of UKR;
c. Russian preparation and readiness.
This ship had no real business so close to shore; it clearly underestimated op risk;
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The dynamics confirm an old truth: fire is absolutely deadly threat to a naval combatant and if your crew and systems are not in tip top shape, that’s where the difference between success and defeat stands in war at sea. @CovertShores here is very helpful: navalnews.com/naval-news/202…
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Further, with the closure of the Bosporus to all warships, it also meant that this ship would be the main asset available to support Russian naval ops in the BS. Couple that with the current shift in op focus south, this is not just any ship. This is key asset. This is ‘Moscow’.
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So, what happened, and why does it matter?
We know from official sources that 2 Neptune missiles hit the ship and a major fire ensued. The ship was operating incredibly close to shore, which is remarkable given the limited point defence system it has.
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More will be written on this, since this is one of the most severe naval losses since the Falklands War. I shall come back to this too in due time.
For now, expect some more turbulence on the naval front. As weapons arrive, denial will be on the menu.
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The extent to which the ship was in a less than ideal state is debatable, but a couple of things matter here:
1. this is the flagship of the BS Fleet of the RFN;
2. it’s primary mission was to secure sea control and exploit;
3. it saw action very early on in the invasion.
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This is relevant because it raises a question about battle-readiness and overall op condition. A ship first commissioned in 1983, it was recommissioned in 2000, and was supposed to undergo refit and upgrade in 2016 - but it did not.
My two cents on the "Moskva". While it was the flagship of the VMF's Black Sea fleet and it won awards it was in a pitiful state. Broader modernisation was cancelled in 2015 and what was done was mostly servicing and extension of power plant's life.
vpk.name/news/132344_moderni…
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I have to say. For the lead negotiator to openly dismiss the value of the territory as a scene setter, and to go on and articulate straw man arguments after straw man arguments before ending on ‘they started it’ - is quite extraordinary. Just extraordinary.
"These are very tiny islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean where no one actually goes.”
“I don't think we should be too worried about losing" the Chagos Islands, says special envoy for negotiations between the UK and Mauritius Jonathan Powell.
@CalumAM | @ChloeTilley
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Let’ be clear though. This wasn’t just about symbolism. Snake Island occupies a key strategic position for any op vs Odessa to take place, and RFN did what one would expect them to do early on: secure it. As the map shows this is an important place to prevent ops vs Odessa.
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This is not a spring chicken in naval terms. It's a venerable, battle hardened, major surface combatant. Saw action in Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008, when it was sent to secure the BS - and sustained a hit. wired.com/2008/08/georgian-n…
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Images like this put to shame about a decade worth of academic writing about Chinese cautiousness in maritime disputes management.
The CCG launched a brutal assault on the AFP personnel aboard an AFP Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), aggressively ramming it and brandishing bladed and pointed weapons, explicitly threatening to harm AFP troops.
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The one lesson that one can draw from these naval events is that sea denial is a real thing. And it can be done relatively cheaply - if geography and strategic objectives allow it. This here from @CIMSEC is spot on, and absolutely on the money: cimsec.org/an-anti-access-de…
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On the other hand, we need to be very cautious about suggesting that sinking a ship is easy, or that there are ‘lessons’ for any other in here.. whether NATO, China, or anyone else… if I hear anyone making silly comparisons with Taiwan I might explore (sorry I digress).
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So, as I pointed out here: nitter.app/alessionaval/status/15… earlier on today, there are three very important points to consider here (others as well but once things are clearer):
1. Militarily, the Russians are in a pickle on amphibious plans for Odessa;
Russian navy evacuates flagship Moskva in Black Sea. Ukraine claims it was hit by a missile - news about it continue to unfold. Some initial thoughts from yours truly here - cnn.com/2022/04/14/europe/ru…
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Has anyone noted that whilst the UK is delivering military assistance to Ukraine, it is also delivering relief to Tonga, whilst the FS and the DS are in Australia to speak cooperation. This week seems to show that you can Tilt and be a European power. More soon to recap.
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Italian media reporting 7/8 rounds of 76mm at roughly 6km distance. If confirmed a real alternative to missiles - certainly cheaper - and evidence of targeting systems for a ship that was armed for AAW as a primary function. Good stuff.
Nave Duilio #MarinaMilitare abbatte drone nel #MarRosso.
"Gli attacchi terroristici degli Houthi sono una grave violazione del diritto internazionale e un attentato alla sicurezza dei traffici marittimi".
Così il Min. @GuidoCrosetto
Leggi la notizia➡️ bit.ly/3wKDNPn
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Japan set to land Australia frigate order in first warship export deal - also in English. This is remarkable news for a number of reasons. The details are unclear but some reactions worth considering: asia.nikkei.com/politics/def…
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Shinzo Abe: The legacy of Japan's longest-serving PM - an article full of old tropes that manages to miss entirely the crucial significance Abe’s legacy. My own thread on the statesman that has changed Japan’s role in international order: bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-53…
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One thought on the side: having flown on a P-3C low altitude flyby, and having been at the receiving end of one, there is nothing threatening about this P-1 passage. Just nothing. Considering the circumstances that is.
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Press Release: Regarding the incident of an ROK naval vessel directing its fire-control radar at an MSDF patrol aircraft - long but quite instructive video on 3 accounts: 1. Flying distances were well within the ordinary for on scene observation; 1/2 mod.go.jp/e/press/release/20…
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Ni hao Twitter. Quite a bit of coverage of the Pelosi trip to Taiwan and Chinese military reactions to it -thus far. Allow me to offer a few thoughts on the military dimension and wider strategic context, with maps and indeed links to Russia and the Black Sea. Oh Yes. A thread:
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Good morning Twitter. With a lot happening out there, this is a bit trifling. But on a personal note. It turns out I was promoted to Professor. The journey from the Neapolitan shores to the London riverbanks has been exciting. Thank you to the many that supported and mentored me.
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Good morning Twitter. I am back. Courtesy of the Russian Navy's commitment to test if and how naval warfare evolves. Yes, a thread about the 'naval drone' attack conducted at the WE by seemingly Ukrainian forces against the Black Sea Fleet. Spoiler alert: NOT. A. REVOLUTION.
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War games expose aircraft carriers as the Royal Navy’s weak link - really? What a shocker. Alternative title: war at sea is a attritional. Alternative title: war games discover that a good naval history book wd have been a much more revealing exercise. 🤨 thetimes.com/uk/defence/arti…
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No. Japan never had a pacifist security policy. It has had a defence oriented one. And that doesn’t change.
After six decades of pacifist security policy, Japan will now arm itself with one of the world’s largest defence budgets to counter China
on.ft.com/3FxkEkV
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Morning Twitter. First days of PLA exercises completed, new phase just settling in, a few thoughts to recap what we have seen so far and the wider significance -a thread about missiles, joint manoeuvres, and the value of micro signalling hidden behind lots of military activities:
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Tokyo terminates working level talks with Seoul after revealing new evidence on radar lock-on dispute | Last piece of the puzzle out. No place left to hide for the ROK. japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/0…
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Just a note for the policy thinkers this side of Suez. That’s what prewar looks like. Ironically they don’t call it that.
Chinese shipbuilder Hengli Heavy Industry is looking to hire 30,000 workers, building to 50,000, as it launches a new shipyard, completed in just 153 days on Changxing Island, spanning over 2m square metres of building space across 17 large workshops. lloydslist.com/LL1152261/Hen…
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(1) Chinese warship nearly hits U.S. destroyer in Taiwan Strait during joint Canada-U.S. mission - just as everybody was shaking hands at SLD. Bit of a spammer. Also, this is the same USN DDG that rushed to the rescue of USNS Impeccable in 2009. globalnews.ca/news/9743650/c…
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2. Approaches from P-1 were conducted with monitoring of VHF channels with ample opportunity for ROKN vessel to engage P-1 instead of fa FC antenna; 3. Most problematic, ROKN vessel failed to respond to requests of clairification concerning FC antenna use. This is just unusual.
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Europe must resist pressure to become ‘America’s followers,’ says Macron – sure. Nothing to object in principle. But deeply tone deaf when the relayed pics are Macron with a massive ORC flag at the back, and at a time US support to UKR dwarfs Europe’s. politico.eu/article/emmanuel…
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Good evening twitter. I promised I’d come back to the sinking of the RFN cruiser Moskva (Pennant no 121) once more info were to become available. Here I am now. A thread reflecting on the most severe naval loss since the Falklands Wars: what happened, and its consequences.
Good morning Twitter. It appears one can comfortably assert that on 13 April 2022, a new piece of naval history was written in the context of this terrible affair that is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A thread on the RFN cruiser Moskva (pennant No 121):
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Simon McDonald: “It’s the end of the game for Britain” - read attentively, this interview is indicative of the malaise behind the perceived irrelevance: a type of senior official that has very little to contribute to make a country diplomatically relevant: newstatesman.com/the-weekend…
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Really excited about the cover for my upcoming vole 'The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific'. It's a long time coming effort which saw some incredible scholars coming together - the content is hopefully as sharp as the cover! more on this soon :)
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Real conversation -
PLA officer: I really enjoyed your talk.
Me: thank you sir.
PLA officer: I don’t agree with all you said but I like the way you said it.
Me: well, I’m sure this is a promising start of a conversation.
PLA officer: would you like to work for the PLA?
Me:...
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Absolutely damming: ‘As a Marine, I fought in Iq and Afg and participated in Hurricane Katrina (…). As a journalist, I covered (…) Syria. Never have I witnessed a greater, swifter collapse of competence than what I have seen with the U.S. evacuation’. nytimes.com/2021/08/28/opini…
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‘Very, very false’: Dutch minister quashes Beijing view on Ukraine at top security forum – great piece. Confirms that powers in the middle are seemingly the ones carrying the torch of speaking against Chinese distortions. politico.eu/article/dutch-mi…
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Good evening. The pas few weeks have been quite eventful from a naval perspective. Several theatres have seen different types of action - all providing evidence of the declination of sea power in the contemporary world, and of how contested order at sea stands. A thread:
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Where is Russia taking Ukraine's stolen grain? - This is remarkable. Great job by BBC here, documenting the systematic nature of Russian theft. Also worth noting references to destruction of facilities which suggests 2023 will see UKR in economic trouble. bbc.co.uk/news/61790625
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Good morning Twitter. Some happy personal news. Yesterday I became the first academic to receive a Commendation of the Ambassador of Japan, one of 3 awards by the GoJ, for outstanding contribution to advance UK-Jpn ties if defence and security. It was an overwhelming honour -
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Good morning twitter. Apologies I’m a little late at this, but in light of the debate over the utility of a British carrier group in the Indo-Pacific raised by @FT the other week, I thought I’d try to answer the question. Here some thoughts and a thread:
warontherocks.com/2021/08/wh…
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Let’s be serious. Anytime anyone pretends to portray China as a stakeholder in the maritime order just show this. Unacceptable to desecrate a war grave at sea. Utterly Shameful.
This is an absolutely disgusting operation: Chinese scrappers on the vessel CHUAN HONG 68 are breaking up the wrecks of British battleship PRINCE OF WALES and battlecruiser REPULSE, sunk Dec 1941. news.usni.org/2023/05/25/u-k…. Statement from the Royal Navy at nmrn.org.uk/news/statement-h…
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In the aftermath of yesterday’s daring attack v RU airfields, the UK SDR has been updated with photos of the only safe allies airfields as reference. They come with air defences and they can move about. Very handy indeed.
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And right now everyone of your allies is really wondering what’s your credibility worth. And not just that. They’re wondering whether once they’ve agreed to a cost, you’ll still come through. Yup. That bad.
.@SecDef: Our alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific matter a great deal to the United States. They matter because the Indo-Pacific is the region of consequence."
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Bringing back rams for the grey zone is quite the statement. Interesting the position, clearly suggesting it’s to knock out of action smaller vessels. Implying also some pretty remarkable RoEs.
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I’m not sure people realise how hard this is. 201 days. Absolutely remarkable.
The submarine that returned to Falsane yesterday had been on deterrent patrol for 201 days.
The crew are to be congratulated on yet another epic feat of endurance but are we pushing people and boats too hard?
navylookout.com/royal-navy-n…
Photo @MichaelJWC626
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BBC on boat chased down by China in South China Sea - superb reporting here. Honestly this is when BBC towers above all others. Clear, informative, and enabling to understand the complexities on the ground. CCG getting very proficient harasser. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51n…
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Good morning Twitter. The long anticipated new frameworks of Japan's defence and security are out. On schedule as planned. Like clockwork. The original docs are here on the JMoD page - mod.go.jp/j/approach/agenda/… some initial thoughts which I will follow up on as I plow through them:
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China seizes disputed reef in the South China Sea - the remarkable thing of the noise in international affairs of late is helping advancing the seizing of features in the SCS in a way we had not seen in years. With consequences for Taiwan too. on.ft.com/4iznhUC
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What Is China’s Strategy in the Senkaku Islands? - Very grateful to @WarOnTheRocks for giving me the opportunity to clarify some of the latest changes in Chinese operational behaviour and stress how this dispute is not just a peripheral affair. warontherocks.com/2020/09/wh…
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Good eve Twitter. The maritime blockade of the Black Sea is an issue that should concern the international community, beyond it military relevance to the war in Ukraine. A short thread with the main arguments on my latest piece. asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Russ…
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Well. That’s not entirely correct. Some do. With confidence. Flair. And old fashion raw power.
Red Sea Is Now So Dangerous Even NATO Warships Are Avoiding It by @johnkonrad gcaptain.com/red-sea-is-now-…
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Ok this is actually brilliant. Thank you @simon_puxley for steering me towards it.
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China accuses US of seeking ‘Asia-Pacific Nato’ - you never know you’re on the right track until the PLA vehemently opposes it. It’s so comforting they’re so consistent. ft.com/content/b889d33c-7745…
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An article by the Defence Secretary on the situation in Ukraine - Remarkable. gov.uk/government/news/an-ar…
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It’ll take a while. They might even tow it back. But the fire must have been very extensive for evaluating the crew.
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Middle Powers: don't write off Britain and Japan - Engelsberg ideas - good morning Twitter. Saturday morning. Time to relax and do some reading to nurture the mind. I’ve got just the thing for you. Britain, Japan, and why those in the middle matter. engelsbergideas.com/notebook…
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This is visually excellent and offers a lot to chew on. ig.ft.com/taiwan-battlegroun…
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Good evening Twitter. Tonight PM Sunak gave his first big foreign policy speech. The text is below. The PM comes as a politician with limited FP experience, and criticisms already are emerging which I think miss much needed context, so here is a thread: gov.uk/government/speeches/p…
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Japan wants de facto ‘Six Eyes’ intelligence status - this is an excellent article. Let me review some of the points made because this is where the Indo-Pac is getting incredibly interesting.
1. Japanese political maturity. Kono gave excellent answers. asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic…
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The ROK MND official video is now out and it’s a bit of an anti-climax. Here’s a few thoughts about it: 1. It’s not actually ROK video footage but JMOD footage with new captions. That’s neither very helpful or enlightening. 1/3 piped.video/watch?v=CGWO4Kdk…
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What is an Italian Carrier Strike Group Doing in the Indo-Pacific? - Good morning X/Twitter. Another day, a new piece. This time on the question of the week. The Italian CGS has been on an intense deployment east of Suez. Why does that matter? A thread: warontherocks.com/2024/08/wh…
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Japan, Australia sign defense pact to counter China’s rise - good morning Twitter. I usually don’t like using the word ‘historic’ too easily. Yet today this new Reciprocal Access Agreement is a truly remarkable step. A few thoughts on its significance: asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int…
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The New Age of Naval Power | TIME - these past weeks, from the Black Sea to the Red Sea to the SCS - lots happening in the naval world. Here I explain why naval power matters today, it has to do with the connectivity that powers prosperity. time.com/6836406/naval-power…
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I love the idea that the answer to known risks is unknown ones.
AUKUS risks are piling up. Australia must prepare to build French SSNs instead | Peter Briggs | bit.ly/4gneMvr
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Chinese-owned firm acquires UK’s largest semiconductor manufacturer | A story that deserves attention, a matter of strategic importance, and thankfully @TomTugendhat is on the case. theguardian.com/business/202…
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Japan likely to come to Taiwan’s aid during a Chinese invasion - the basic headline is actually nothing really new, but the piece has some excellent comments in it from various observers. telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2…
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Winning without fighting? Why China is exploring 'cognitive warfare' | all war is cognitive - Clausewitz was always clear: war starts on the mind of the adversary when they do not bend to your will. A chilling and thoughtful piece. Some key passages: japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/0…
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Twitter buona sera. Admittedly taking it slow to enjoy Easter, time has to some final reflections over the Macron visit to PRC and exceptional level of PRC military manoeuvres which concluded today. A thread: lesechos.fr/monde/enjeux-int…
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The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific: Strategy, Order, and Regional Security - Kindle edition - out on 01 June. Now if that’s not your summer reading, I don’t know what is. amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BLZNDPM…
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There comes a time when dialogue bears no purpose. This is that time. The evidence is out there and short of compromising capabilities, JPN MoD did all it had to. The ROK case stands exposed and unbecoming of a military partner. A real shame for ROK-JPN relations.
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Good evening Twitter. Yours truly again - this time on a less usual subject. This summer there’s a European carrier strike group sailing through the Indo-Pacific. That’s not unheard of. What’s remarkable is that the CSG is centred on the Italian carrier Cavour: A thread -
'The Italian Indo-Pacific engagement can count on a modern, proficiently run and technologically advanced fleet, together with air assets from both the air force and the navy' writes @alessionaval in today's #RUSICommentary.
rusi.org/explore-our-researc…
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The single most maritime nation statement I’ve heard in months. Also the reason why the UK and Japan should work closely together. Which they do.
Kishida on free trade:
Japan is different from the U.S., China or the EU, which all have large domestic markets. We are an island nation with few resources, so we can't survive unless principles like free trade, the rule of law and democracy are upheld. We must join hands with countries beyond the U.S. and protect these ideas as an international community.
asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pic…
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The pitfalls of modern battleship diplomacy - starting with the title this is a very disappointing read. What strikes me the most is the poor understanding of naval diplomacy informing it. Thread. ft.com/content/37ee1dd4-588b…
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I’m sorry but as a proud Italian, Brit, and European. There’s one thing I must put my foot down on. We should never, ever, be in a position to have to rely on American food. That’s the front line and the last line of strategic autonomy. Ammos - fine. Food - not fine. 😉
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NATO removes Tokyo office mention from joint communique - excellent summary of what is fast becoming a rather anti-climatic petty drama. @kenmoriyasu makes sense of a situation that is embarrassing for it reveals about Europe-Asia ties: a 🧵: asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int…
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Undersea cables and the vulnerability of American power - some important observations from @aaronbateman22 here. There are a few reflections worth pondering - a quick thread: engelsbergideas.com/essays/u…
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In all, Macron's visit -and crucially the interview that somehow created a context to it- was problematic because it displayed strategic illiteracy, downplayed European values and agency, and misrepresented international order. No wonder why many were not pleased with it.
Thanks!
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Many will comment on Shinzo Abe in the hours and days to come. His death is shocking and hard to explain.
For my part, I’ve written about his role in changing Japan from a country that reacted to international events to a shaper of them.
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If confirmed - this casts a very dark shadow on the IS administration. One thing is leaving a strategic partner that stands for core principles of sovereignty hanging out to dry; it’s regrettable. Actively sabotaging its governance is just Russian-like action. It’s despicable.
According to a report from Politico, four senior members of U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s Administration have held “secret discussions” recently with some of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s top political opponents, as Washington attempts to see if it can hold a quick presidential election to oust Zelensky from power in Kyiv.
Some of the politicians spoken to by U.S. Officials are reported to be Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Prime Minister of Ukraine, as well as senior members of the European Solidarity party, which is led by Zelensky’s predecessor, Petro Poroshenko.
Aides to President Trump appear to be confident that Zelensky would lose any election due to “war fatigue and public frustration over rampant corruption” despite Zelensky still polling between 45-55% in most polls, well above both Tymoshenko and Poroshenko.
All of this appears to stem from several weeks now of disinformation claims made by U.S. President Trump and other members of his administration, including Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, about Ukraine and President Zelensky, which culminated in last week’s heated-argument in the Oval Office between Trump, Zelensky and U.S. Vice-President JD Vance. These include President Trump calling Zelensky a “dictator without elections” as well as Gabbard and Elon Musk both falsely claiming that Zelensky had “canceled the elections” despite the Ukrainian Constitution forbidding any election to occur while the country is still under martial law as a result of the Russian invasion.
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Taiwan needs more than weapons to thwart China’s ambitions. Good evening Twitter. Yesterday it was time to talk about Macron. Today some reflections on Taiwan. A piece and a thread from me: telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2023…
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Japan to sign military pact with UK as allies eye China threat ft.com/content/6ea15304-551b… - misleading title. Really. It's the completion of the RAA. The irony is that given the topic there's no comment from either a UK or a Japan based expert. And it shows:
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Defence firms 'need reassuring' that big orders will be long-term - lots to reflect upon in this piece, chiefly two things: industry needs more commitment than opportunity; and schemes to ensure investments doesn’t become liabilities in competitiveness. bbc.com/news/articles/c5y832…
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Two things. First. Whoever made the point below, should be fired on the spot. Not just because of inherently incompetent remark. But because no planner who doesn’t know how to use hard power for statecraft shouldn’t be in that very job in the first place.
Military planners fear that HMS Prince of Wales could be attacked by Houthi rebels when it passes through the Red Sea this year adding to concerns in Whitehall that Britain’s large aircraft carriers have become “obsolete” in an era of missile and drone strikes, by @georgegrylls thetimes.com/article/e008ddc…
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Why NATO Should Stay Out of Asia | this type of article really leaves me puzzled. It both conflates engagement and misrepresents ambitions. A couple of points from the framing in the introduction: foreignaffairs.com/world/why…
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This account is turning out to be the most inspiring thing Twitter has seen since it turned into X. The simple, affectionate, and yet professional messages - are something that many should aspire to emulate. Truly.
Unsuspecting Petty Officer called to the bridge. She assumed she was in trouble until handed a cookie and placed in the Captain’s chair. 🍪
Message to family: “I love you and always thinking of you.”
Returned to work to do wiring repairs on fighter jets (electrician!). ⚓️⚡️
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I want to reassure everyone. I don't just spend my days in lovely cafes in Taipei reading books. I also stroll around parks and talk about military exercises. As one does.
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Ouch. Your reminder that European naval power is being tested in the Red Sea in a way that might help bringing it back to the cutting edge of command of the sea.
Although managing to shoot down 4 Houthi drones, 🇩🇰Danish frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt was unable to fire ESSM missiles at times while in action in the Red Sea due to integration issue with Dutch APAR radar and Danish C-FLEX Combat Management System.
76mm shells also exploded prematurely when fired.
The ship is returning home sooner than expected.
marineschepen.nl/nieuws/Deen…
Via @marineschepen
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Important news - if anyone had any doubt, the whole AUKUs tension is now finished. That’s a game changer.
Australia and France agree on reciprocal Pacific military base access asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Int…
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An absolutely remarkable graph. Not just because of the China role - which we knew. It visually conveys how - if you take PRC, ROK, and Japan out - the rest of the world is almost absent.
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The more I read what analysts write about AUKUS, the more I realise modern naval warfare suffers from an astounding level of illiteracy in the community. This invigorates my decision to write the new book.
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Johnson set to unnerve allies with ‘Global Britain’ defence review - this is a very good article, that perhaps unintentionally, is most revealing of the inadequacies of UK commentariat on strategic issues. Let me give it a go with a few thoughts: ft.com/content/4a002266-21ee…
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The New Age of Naval Power in the Indo-Pacific: Strategy, Order, and Regional Security amzn.eu/d/j5rDt2J only a few weeks to go. If you want to understand why naval interactions matter in places like the Taiwan strait - this is your port of call. Pun intended. 😉
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