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Scuttlebutt (News)

·       U.S. Bears Arms in India-China Rivalry, Politico. SecDef Carter lays the groundwork for U.S. companies to build ships for New Delhi.

·       U.S. Navy Denies Russian Fighters Chased Off Destroyer in Black Sea, USNI.  USN denies claims by Russia media that Russian Sukhoi SU-24 Fencer fighters forced the USS Ross to abandon her mission.

·       Kendall, LaPlante Complete Long Range Strike Bomber Review, Breaking Defense. Kendall revealed that he is the Milestone Decision Authority for the program after he and LaPlante conducted a review.

Now Hear This (Opinions)

·       No Margin for Error as Navy Builds New Nukes, Breaking Defense. Rear Admiral Joseph Tofalo worries about potential delays in the Ohio Replacement Program as the current class of Ohios age.

·       Cut ‘Pure Overhead,’ Navy Sec. Mabus Says: DFAS, DLA, DOT&E, Breaking Defense.  Mabus argues for Congress cut to DoD’s independent agencies instead of the Navy’s budget during a talk at the American Enterprise Institute. Watch the full conversation here.

·       The Big Story Behind China’s New Military Strategy, By Alexander Sullivan and Andrew Erikson, The Diplomat. Sullivan and Erikson argue that China’s new defense white paper indicates its increasing overseas interests and growing military capabilities.

Deep Dives (Analysis)

·       Sustainable Plan and Comprehensive Assessment Needed to Mitigate Long-Term Risks to Ships Assigned to Overseas Homeports, by GAO. The GAO finds that, while homeporting overseas increases forward presence, it also increases maintenance risks. The Navy must asses the risks to costs, readiness, and expected services.

Fact of the Week: The SSBN force will carry around 70% of U.S. strategic nuclear warheads in compliance with the latest START treaty; yet, it has been reduced from a force of 41 in the 1960s and 1970s to 14 of the Ohio-class and 12 planned ORP SSBNs.