Russian President Putin Says The Russian Navy Will Soon Get Hypersonic Nuclear Strike Weapons

Reuters: Putin says Russian Navy to get hypersonic nuclear strike weapons

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday the Russian Navy would be armed with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater nuclear drones, which the defence ministry said were in their final phase of testing.

Putin, who says he does not want an arms race, has often spoken of a new generation of Russian nuclear weapons that he says are unequalled and can hit almost anywhere in the world. Some Western experts have questioned how advanced they are.

The weapons, some of which have yet to be deployed, include the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone, designed to be carried by submarines, and the Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, which can be deployed on surface ships.

The combination of speed, manoeuvrability and altitude of hypersonic missiles, capable of travelling at more than five times the speed of sound, makes them difficult to track and intercept.

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Update #1: Putin pledges new hypersonic and underwater nuclear weapons: report -- FOX News
Update #2: Russia’s Zircon hypersonic missile ‘proves its unique qualities’ as naval tests near completion – Defense Ministry -- RT

WNU Editor: Russian President Putin says he does not want an arms race. But this deployment of nuclear hypersonic missiles will guarantee one.

The USS Bonhomme Richard Fate Uncertain After Four Day Fire That Caused Extensive Damage To The Warship

Virginia-Pilot: Navy chief says USS Bonhomme Richard’s fate uncertain; damage from fire extensive

SAN DIEGO — The USS Bonhomme Richard has extensive structural, electrical and mechanical damage, a top naval chief said Friday after walking into the bowels of the charred warship that burned for more than four days off San Diego.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday pledged a thorough investigation into the Navy's worst U.S. warship fire outside of combat in recent memory. He said the probe will look at what caused the fire as well as whether there were enough sailors on duty when it happened and the circumstances around why a fire suppression system was deactivated when the blaze broke out early Sunday while the ship was docked undergoing maintenance.

The uniformed head of the U.S. Navy said he intends to make the results public.

“We need to go through this, catalog it all and get an understanding of whether or not we had it right,” he said. “And if not, how do we quickly adjust across the fleet to make sure it doesn’t happen again?”

Gilday on Friday went four decks below the flight deck, and then went up above the flight deck and examined the superstructure of the ship.

“I was able to get a good sense of the damage and the damage is extensive,” he said.

The future of the ship remains uncertain.

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More News On The USS Bonhomme Richard

Navy chief: US warship's fate uncertain; damage extensive -- FOX News/AP
CNO Gilday Promises ‘Thorough’ Investigation After Seeing Fire Damaged USS Bonhomme Richard -- USNI News
San Diego-based warship’s fate uncertain after blaze causes extensive damage, Navy admiral says -- AP
US Navy investigates massive four-day USS Bonhomme blaze -- BBC
Navy's Top Admiral Won't Yet Say if Bonhomme Richard Will Be Repaired After Fire -- Military.com
Photos show the damage sustained by the USS Bonhomme Richard during the fire -- Task & Purpose
USS Bonhomme Richard fire sparks questions on the need for amphibious assault ships -- FOX News
U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard prompts questions about lessons learned -- San Diego Union Tribune
The fire’s out. Now, will the Navy spend $4B to salvage a $760M warship?-- Washington Examiner

U.S. To Send Two Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups To South China Sea

NAVAL POWER. The USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz carrier strike groups in the Philippine Sea in June 2020. Photo from the US Pacific Fleet Facebook page

CNN: US Navy to send two aircraft carriers and several warships to South China Sea

The US Navy will send two aircraft carriers and several accompanying warships to the South China Sea in the coming days to participate in a military exercise.

The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Groups are conducting dual carrier operations in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea," said Lt. Joe Jeiley, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. "Operating two carrier strike groups in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea provides advanced training opportunities for our forces and provides combatant commanders with significant operational flexibility should those forces be called upon in response to regional situations.

"The presence of two carriers is not in response to any political or world events. This advanced capability is one of many ways the U.S. Navy promotes security, stability, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific."

The exercise is long planned but comes as China conducts military drills of its own in the area, near the contested Paracel Islands, exercises that have been criticized by the US and other countries. The Wall Street Journal first reported the carriers' participation in the coming exercise.

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Update: USS Ronald Reagan and Nimitz carriers sent to disputed waters as China tensions rise (WSJ)

WNU Editor: This deployment is going to get China's attention.

How SEALs Are Picked, Trained, And Paid

US Navy SEAL candidates during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, January 23, 2018. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Abe McNatt

Business Insider/SOFREP: Everything you want to know about Navy Special Warfare: How SEALs are picked, trained, and paid

* US Naval Special Warfare Command is the Navy component of US Special Operations Command.
* NSWC is organized around Navy SEAL teams, Special Warfare Combatant-craft teams, and other supporting units.
* Below, you can see how Navy SEALs and Combatant-craft crew members are selected and trained and how they're equipped and paid.

How long is Navy boot camp?

Navy Boot Camp is seven to eight weeks long, depending on scheduling. Navy Boot Camp resides at the Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, Illinois, which is in close proximity to Chicago. In Boot Camp, civilian recruits are transformed into Navy sailors.

During their time at RTC, recruits are subjected to physical training and military discipline. They are trained in subjects such as seamanship, small-arms familiarization, swimming qualification, firefighting, and ship damage control. Navy history, traditions, and core values are an integral part of the Boot Camp regimen, and recruits are constantly taught and questioned on these subjects.

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WNU Editor: They are not paid enough.

Militants Attack Indian Military Base In India-Administered Kashmir

Al Jazeera: Kashmir gunfight enters second day, five soldiers dead

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir - A fierce gun battle at an army base in Jammu city of Indian-administered Kashmir has entered the second day leaving at least six people, including five soldiers, dead, officials said.

Official figures released on Sunday said that three attackers have been killed and 11 people have been wounded in the ongoing attack on Sunjuwan army camp.

Indian Army chief Bipin Rawat has also rushed to Jammu to monitor the situation.

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WNU Editor: These attacks are now happening almost everyday.

More News On Today's Militants Attack On An Indian Military Base In India-Administered Kashmir

Ten killed in attack on Indian army camp in Kashmir -- AFP
Nine killed as gun battle rages in army camp in Kashmir -- Reuters
Sunjwan attack: 3 terrorists among 9 killed; NIA officials arrive in J&K -- ZEE News
Army camp attack: 5 soldiers, 4 terrorists dead; NIA takes stock -- Asian Age/PTI
Militants Storm Indian Army Base, Killing Soldiers and a Civilian -- New York Times

Israel Does A Live-Tweeting Reenactment Of The Six Day War

Israel Live-Tweeting Reenactment Of Six Day War -- Huffington Post

Once again displaying its ability to use social networks for bizarre purposes, Israel began live-tweeting a play-by-play reenactment of the Six Day War of 1967 Wednesday morning.
Luckily, this time around, no one will be killed (we hope.)

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the project on Tuesday:

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Update #1: Israel 'retweets' 1967 war as it happened -- Herald Sun
Update #2: Israel 'retweets' 1967 war as it happened -- AFP

My Comment: It is too bad that it is in Hebrew. From a historical perspective, it would be an interesting read. The twitter feed is here.