Navy is the Best Situated Service for FY14

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Breaking Defense says the Navy is in the best position of all the services to sell its 2014 budget for three reasons: the US shifting of attention into the Pacific, its submarine fleet has advanced its electronic warfare and cyber capabilities, and the call by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert for more, cheaper ships.

While on its 32,000-mile, 10-month maiden deployment the Navy’s USS Freedom conducted operational patrol missions in the South China Sea, reports DefenseTech. The research and development ship leads Navy plans for high-speed, shallow water multi-mission vessels to eventually comprise a large percentage of the Navy’s fleet.

Almost half of a Defense News poll of more than 350 US national security leaders cite cyberwarfare as the most serious threat to the nation. Defense News invited 3,888 subscribers, self-identified  as senior military members or civilians in the DoD, the congressional and White House staffs and the defense industry to participate in the poll. Nearly 40 percent of the respondents identified themselves as Republicans, less than 14 percent Democrats, in the military the respective percentages were nearly 57 percent and less than 8 percent. Republicans saw terrorism as an equal threat but Democrats saw climate change as the number two threat. No Republican listed climate change as a threat. The full report here.

Deloitte’s 2014 Global Aerospace and Defense Outlook sees commercial aerospace growth but declines in defense,the result of drawdowns in war theaters and affordability concerns about the traditional military, reports FCW.

The UK’s Royal Air Force’s Panavia Tornado GR4 is realizing cost savings with 3D printer-generated spare and repair parts for the strike aircraft, reports Flight Global. “You can manufacture the products at whatever base you want, providing you can get a [3D printing] machine there,” says Mike Murray, BAE’s head of airframe integration.

The Russian Navy expects 40 new warships and auxiliary vessels in 2014, reports Defence Talk. According to Rear Admiral Viktor Bursuk, a deputy commander of the Russian Navy the new vessels will include surface ships of various classes. The Russian Navy will also commission the third Borey-class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine, the Vladimir Monomakh, and a Varshavyanka-class diesel electric submarine. Defence Talk also reports Russia plans to test 70 new missiles and rockets in 2014.

The Chinese missile frigate to provide escort to the international effort to retrieve and then destroy chemical weapons from Syria is on standby in Cyprus, reports DefenseTech. The US Cape Ray is being rigged to destroy the weapons at sea. Underway for pick-up of the weapons are a Norwegian navy ship and merchant ship and a Danish navy ship and merchant ship under escort from Russian warships. The transfer of the chemical weapons to the US Cape Ray will be made at an unnamed Italian port.

CNN Security Clearance reports SecState John Kerry says the US will help Iraq but put no boots on the ground and answers five questions to explain the current fighting including why fighting has resumed at such lethal levels, the involvement of al Queda and how the Syria civil war is spilling into neighboring Iraq.