Military Personnel

Marines Identify 3 Killed in MV-22 Crash off Australian Coast

(left to right) Maj. Tobin Lewis, 37, Capt. Eleanor LeBeau, 29, Cpl. Spencer Collart, 21

THE PENTAGON – The Marines identified the three service members who were killed in the Sunday crash of an MV-22B off the coast Darwin, Australia.

The Marines were Cpl. Spencer Collart, 21, Capt. Eleanor LeBeau, 29, and Maj. Tobin Lewis, 37. All three Marines were assigned to “the Red Lions” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor (VMM) Squadron that were forward deployed to Marine Rotational Force – Darwin.

Collart, who...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/28/marines-identify-3-killed-in-mv-22-crash-off-australian-coast

Navy Ships, Aircraft in Florida Sortie to Avoid Tropical Storm Idalia

Tropical Storm Idalia on Aug. 28, 2023. National Weather Service Image

Tropical Storm Idalia on Aug. 28, 2023. National Weather Service Image

Ships and aircraft assigned to Florida Navy installations in the path of Tropical Storm Idalia will start sortieing today in preparation for the storm’s landfall.

Idalia is heading north from the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to turn east and cross over Florida and Georgia in the vicinity of Naval Station Mayport, Fla., and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., on Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

“Curren...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/28/navy-ships-aircraft-in-florida-sortie-to-avoid-tropical-storm-idalia

U.S., Australia, Japan Drill with the Philippines in South China Sea; China Flies Military Drone Near Taiwan

HMAS Canberra (L02) with JS Izumo (DDH-183) on Aug. 24, 2023. JMSDF Photo

The U.S., Australia, Japan and the Philippines carried out a joint exercise in the waters off Manila on Thursday involving the Australian and Japanese large-deck ships on deployment in the region. Meanwhile, Chinese bombers flew near Japan while a Chinese unmanned air vehicle conducted a flight off Taiwan’s east coast, according to Japan Ministry of Defense press releases.

A Friday release by the Japan Maritime Self Defense...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/27/u-s-australia-japan-drill-with-the-philippines-in-south-china-sea-china-flies-military-drone-near-taiwan

MV-22 Osprey Carrying 20 Marines Crashes in Australia

U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, transports Royal Australian Air Force and Navy senior leadership during Talisman Sabre 23, in the Coral Sea, July 22, 2023. US Marine Corps Photo

An MV-22 Osprey carrying approximately 20 U.S. Marines crashed off the coast of Darwin, Australia, local news reported Sunday morning.

The helicopter crashed around 11 a.m. local time on Melville Island while Marines were conducting...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/27/mv-22-osprey-carrying-20-marines-crashes-in-australia

Acting Commanders Set to Take Charge of Naval Academy, Naval Air Forces and NAVSEA

(l to r) Rear Adm. Fred Kacher, Rear Adm. George Wikoff and Rear Adm. Tom Anderson

Temporary leaders for the Naval Academy, Naval Air Forces and Naval Sea Systems Command are set to step into acting roles between now and Sept. 7, as an ongoing hold on confirming senior military nominations continues, USNI News has learned.

Rear Adm. Fred Kacher will start next week as the superintendent of the Naval Academy after Vice Adm. Sean Buck prepares to retire, a USNA official confirmed to USNI News....

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/25/acting-commanders-set-to-take-charge-of-naval-academy-naval-air-forces-and-navsea

Ukrainian Forces Plant Flag in Crimea Following Raid

Satellite image of the Crimean Peninsula. NASA Image

Ukrainian forces landed on Crimean shores Thursday, according to local press reports.

The forces, assisted by the Ukrainian Navy, planted a flag in Crimea before engaging in combat, the Kyiv Independent reported. Ukrainian forces landed near the village of Maiak, on the Crimean coast.

Ukrainian Defense Intelligence told CNN that Ukrainian and Russian forces clashed, resulting in casualties for the Russians.

CNN also reported that the attack...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/24/ukrainian-forces-plant-flag-in-crimea-following-raid

Second North Korean Launch Failure Draws Protest from Japan

June 1 launch of Chollima-1 rocket. KCNA Photo

North Korea carried out an unsuccessful attempt to launch a military satellite on Thursday, with the launch vehicle breaking up into three separate parts that landed in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and the Philippine Sea.

Thursday’s launch was the second attempt to deploy the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite using a Chollima-1 rocket as the launch vehicle following the failure of the first attempt on May 31.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Japanese...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/24/second-north-korean-launch-failure-draws-protest-from-japan

Growing Tension with China Requires More Surveillance off the Philippines, Report Finds

PCG vessels – BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan escorted the indigenous boats utilized by the AFP as supply vessels to transport essential provisions to our troops aboard BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, completing the mission on Aug. 22, 2023. Philippine Coast Guard Photo

With a U.S. Navy reconnaissance plane circling overhead, two resupply ships escorted by two Philippine Coast Guard vessels maneuvered their way through a Chinese naval blockade in a five-hour confrontation to bring food, other...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/23/growing-tension-with-china-require-more-surveillance-off-the-philippines-report-finds

USS Howard Suffered ‘Soft Grounding’ Near Bali Ahead of CO Removal

USS Howard (DDG-83) conducts small boat operations off the Japanese coast on Jan. 24, 2023. US Navy Photo

A Japan-based guided-missile destroyer made a “soft-grounding,” near the Indonesian island of Bali ahead of a port visit on Aug. 10, USNI News has learned.
USS Howard (DDG-83) was heading to the island for a port visit when the destroyer grounded, Navy spokesperson Cmdr. Megan Greene said in a statement.

“On the morning of Aug. 10, USS Howard (DDG-83) experienced an apparent soft grounding...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/22/uss-howard-suffered-soft-grounding-near-bali-ahead-of-co-removal

Report to Congress on South China Sea Disputes

The following is the Aug. 21, 2023, Congressional Research Service report, China Primer: South China Sea Disputes.

From the report

Multiple Asian governments assert sovereignty over rocks, reefs, and other geographic features in the heavily trafficked South China Sea (SCS), with the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) arguably making the most assertive claims. The United States makes no territorial claim in the SCS and takes no position on sovereignty over any of the geographic features in...

https://news.usni.org/2023/08/22/report-to-congress-on-south-china-sea-disputes

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