UWA Defence and Security Institute’s Post

https://lnkd.in/gsxntKQA China's naval vessels are now permanently deployed at Cambodia's Ream Naval Base, a leading expert has told Newsweek. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has sought to build a blue water navy, potentially supported by a network of naval bases worldwide to host Beijing's warships. China's first—and so far only confirmed—naval base is located on the Horn of Africa at Djibouti, where the PLA is permanently deployed. Beijing reportedly is considering pursuing military facilities in multiple locations, including—but not limited to—Burma [Myanmar], Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and the UAE.

Chinese Warships Permanently Deployed at New Overseas Naval Base #China's naval vessels are now permanently deployed at #Cambodia's Ream Naval Base, a leading expert has told Newsweek. The base has come back into focus after the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published new satellite imagery on April 18 showing two People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessels still docked at the pier. "The satellite imagery strongly indicates that the two vessels never left—the two gaps when they were not at the pier are short enough that it seems far more likely they were engaged in brief exercises at sea, not that they returned home and were replaced by other ships," said the CSIS's Gregory Poling, senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank. "In that case, the most likely explanation for this five-plus-month deployment alongside other developments—construction that appears aimed at housing Chinese personnel and the 2019 memorandum of understanding that granted China exclusive access—is that a permanent Chinese military presence has started, and we will likely see naval vessels rotationally deploying to Ream for long stints." #internationalrelations #geopolitics #defense #navy #warships #indopacific

The #Quad nations' warships gathered for the #Malabar naval exercise off #India, marking an important development in regional security. Ralph Cossa, President Emeritus of #PacificForum, discussed the implications with Seth Robson for Stars and Stripes, noting that "The Quad, while not an alliance, is developing into a significant venture that China perceives as aimed at Beijing." While the exercise doesn't signal Indian involvement in conflicts over #Taiwan or the #SouthChinaSea, Cossa highlights that "China also needs to wonder if India would take advantage of Chinese preoccupation to settle some scores along the Sino-Indian border." Read the full interview: https://lnkd.in/gChjsYfX #IndoPacific #Geopolitics #RegionalSecurity #US #Japan #Australia

🌍 China Continues To Show Force Amidst Issues In the South China Sea, Showcases Massive Naval Capabilities 🚢 China’s naval capabilities are advancing rapidly, with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) deploying three aircraft carriers at sea for the first time. This historic move, involving the Liaoning, Shandong, and the newly launched Fujian, underscores China's growing ability to project power well beyond its shores. This summer has seen: - 🇨🇳 The simultaneous deployment of 400 Chinese and Russian warships in the Ocean 2024 joint exercise - ❄️Three Chinese icebreakers patrolling Arctic waters - 🇺🇸 Increased tension as the U.S. repositions its fleet, including the return of the USS Theodore Roosevelt to the South China Sea While the West maintains a technological edge, the rise of China’s naval presence is redefining the balance of power, especially in the Western Pacific. With regional tensions mounting and complex military operations becoming more routine, it’s clear that global naval dynamics are shifting fast. How do you see this impacting geopolitical stability in the years ahead? 🤔 #SpotShip #Observations #ShippingAndShipping

China’s blue-water ambitions to project its power beyond first island chain are proceeding apace, according to Andy Wong writing in Asia Sentinel. China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Type 003 Fujian, recently completed its third successful sea trial on July 29. Given recent heightened naval and overall military activity as well as posturing with its two allies Russia and North Korea, all signs indicate that China’s plans for sustained naval power projection beyond the First Island Chain in the near future are proceeding as planned if not becoming increasingly focused. The latest activity, some of which involves high-profile exercising of its nascent carrier force, is part of a naval buildup initiated by President Xi Jinping. According to a June report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the nature of the buildup, particularly in terms of naval capability and force strength, is western militaries to reassess China’s potential to match and surpass US naval power in particular at a faster than anticipated pace. China now possesses the world’s largest navy, operating 234 warships larger than 1,000 tonnes in contrast to the US Navy’s 219. While the US continues to hold a qualitative edge on an individual ship-to-ship basis, that gap is rapidly closing not least because China is massively outpacing the US in new ship construction, having launched twice as many destroyers and eight times as many cruisers in the past decade. Read on ... https://lnkd.in/eXjAy-Fe

Partnership of Convenience: Ream Naval Base and Cambodia-China Convergence Cambodia’s Chinese-funded Ream Naval Base, on the Gulf of Thailand, is unlikely to fall exclusively into Beijing’s grasp, but it could still serve as a key intelligence-gathering post for China. In a new Lowy Institute Analysis, entitled "Partnership of convenience: Ream Naval Base and the Cambodia–China convergence", I set out why Cambodia has sought defence relations with China. It also examines Beijing’s assistance to modernise Ream Naval Base, and what Western countries can do to balance China’s influence over Cambodia. This analysis is drawn from open source materials and interviews with Cambodian defence officials and intelligence officials from Southeast Asian states. Appreciate all the guidance and helps from Herve Lemahieu Susannah Patton Clare Caldwell Daniel Flitton Andrew Griffits Link to the Analysis is here: https://lnkd.in/gpa7eAPk

EXCLUSIVE EXTREMARATIO Chinese sources: the Chinese Navy, in a real exercise, launched an attack to practice breaking through the second island chain and attempt to block the U.S. Navy's passage through the Bearing Strait #ChineseNavy operations to advance its battle formations in the western and northern #Pacific continue unabated. Meanwhile, continued joint naval operations between the #Russian and #Chinese navies in the area add up. A July 14 "Chinese Ministry of Defense Communiqué," in accordance with the annual plan between #China and #Russia, reports that Chinese and Russian naval formations recently carried out the fourth joint maritime patrol in the waters of the North and West Pacific #PLAN #China #US #USNAVY #BearingStrait #IndoPacific #secondislandchain #OSINT #ExtremaRatio #HUMINT https://lnkd.in/dBXpakCE

Naval Assets Aircraft Carriers: China has two aircraft carriers in service, the Liaoning and the Shandong, with a third carrier, the Type 003, under construction. Destroyers: The PLAN operates a fleet of modern destroyers, including the Type 052D and Type 055 destroyers, which are equipped with advanced anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine capabilities. Submarines: China has a growing fleet of submarines, including nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and attack submarines (SSNs). Amphibious Assault Ships: The Type 075 Yushen-class amphibious assault ships enhance China's ability to conduct large-scale amphibious operations. Auxiliary and Support Vessels: The PLAN also includes a variety of auxiliary and support vessels, such as replenishment ships and hospital ships, to support long-range operations. Recent Developments Djibouti Naval Base: China's first overseas military base in Djibouti has been expanded to accommodate larger vessels like aircraft carriers and submarines. This base plays a crucial role in China's power projection capabilities in the Indian Ocean. Increased Subsurface Presence: China has stepped up its deployments of manned submarines and underwater drones in the Indian Ocean, raising concerns among regional powers like India. Strategic Partnerships: China has been developing port access facilities and security partnerships across the Indian Ocean Rim, including in countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Maritime Exercises: The PLAN has been actively engaged in military exercises and outreach activities to demonstrate its presence and enhance its operational capabilities in the region.

A recent renovation of the Ream Naval Base, located off the southern coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, was a joint project between Cambodia and China that began in early 2023. According to CNN (https://lnkd.in/d2B_vvmx), Chinese warships first arrived at the base on December 3, 2023, for the purpose of training the Cambodian navy. #Defense and #intelligence analysts can leverage our constellation to collect multiple points of interest worldwide with weekly and daily revisits. Increased frequency enables analysts to track base modifications, military assets, and activity for timely intelligence. Explore our high-resolution, low-latency delivery tasking options: https://lnkd.in/eAET7Htn 

Today we have another post in our #80thanniversaryseries, recognizing the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf! On this day in history, 23 October 1944, the Battle of Leyte Gulf begins. This was a series of sea battles that lasted three days as Allied forces fought to reclaim the Philippines. The naval conflicts were relatively short-lived, but the fighting on the Philippine islands lasted for months. The hope for the naval battle was to support the land-based fighting as well as to cut Japan off from its access to raw materials for war production. The fighting was fierce, and for the first time, U.S. Navy ships were struck by kamikaze attacks—suicide bombers that drove their planes into American vessels to inflict maximum damage. After days of fighting, the Allies eventually emerged victorious, reducing the Imperial Japanese Navy to the point where it could no longer pose a serious offensive threat for the rest of the war. The destruction of the Japanese Navy and the eventual recapture of the Philippines were vital steps towards ensuring Allied victory in the Pacific War. Sources: National Museum of the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command U.S. Department of Defense Image: Japanese cruiser bombed by American planes during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. National Archives photo from the Naval History and Heritage Command #usn #leytegulf #ijn #navy #wwiihistory #pacificwar #battleoffsamar #battleofsurigaostrait #navalbattle #leyte #philippines #macarthur #nimitz