Australia’s USV Program Supporting Maritime Border Security

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Australia’s USV Program Supporting Maritime Border Security
08/08/2025

Australia faces one of the world’s most daunting maritime surveillance challenges. With responsibility for approximately 10 percent of the world’s ocean surface and 59,700 kilometers of coastline, the Australian Maritime Border Command (MBC) has long struggled with the fundamental problem of insufficient assets and manpower personnel to effectively monitor such vast areas.

The solution has come in the form of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), which are proving to be a promising force multipliers in Australia’s maritime security operations.

At the forefront of Australia’s USV program is the domestically-developed Bluebottle platform, manufactured by Sydney-based Ocius Technology. These innovative autonomous vessels represent a uniquely Australian approach to maritime surveillance, designed specifically to address the challenges of persistent ocean monitoring in harsh conditions.

Measuring 5.6 meters (19 feet) in length, Bluebottle USV vessels harness solar, wind, and wave energy to remain at sea for months at a time without requiring fuel or human intervention. The vessels utilize a patented “rudder-flipper” system that converts the pitching motion of ocean waves into forward propulsion, allowing them to maintain speeds of 2-3 knots on solar power alone, with a maximum speed of 5.6 knots.

The effectiveness of Australia’s USV program is not theoretical for it has delivered measurable results in real-world operations. Through the provision of the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Martime Border Force has successfully deployed four Bluebottle USVs that have accumulated an impressive 23,000 nautical miles of unescorted maritime surveillance patrols off the coast of Western Australia. This represents a significant expansion of surveillance capacity that would have been impossible to achieve with traditional crewed vessels given budget and personnel constraints.

Perhaps most compelling is the documented success in combating illegal activities. During one 30-day mission split between two maritime sanctuaries, the USVs identified 19 boats violating protected areas. Each violator received government notification, and the deterrent effect was immediate. The following weekend saw zero violations. This demonstrates that USVs provide not just detection capability but also effective deterrence through persistent presence.

Australia’s USV program has found applications across multiple aspects of maritime security:

Illegal Fishing Detection and Deterrence

From August to December 2021, Maritime Border Command conducted comprehensive trials of the Bluebottle system specifically to assess its effectiveness as a maritime surveillance platform for detecting small boats that pose security threats. The trials confirmed that the mere presence of USVs in fishing areas led to voluntary compliance, with fishermen avoiding protected sanctuaries when they knew autonomous surveillance was active.

In a 30-day trial conducted by Parks Australia in early 2023, two Bluebottles monitored the Two Rocks and Jurien Marine Parks off Western Australia’s coast, capturing 24/7 real-time imagery of maritime activity. The trial specifically targeted illegal fishing in no-take zones, areas vital for protecting threatened species and allowing fish stocks to recover.

Border Security Operations

The Australian Army’s Regional Force Surveillance Group has integrated Bluebottles into Operation Resolute, the nation’s primary border protection operation. During a two-week deployment in October 2022, a contingent of 18 personnel used USVs to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance around remote islands off northwestern Australia, searching for foreign fishing vessels and evidence of illegal activities.

Major Alexander Brent, the Maritime Border Command liaison officer, noted that USV integration “added significant capability to the operation” by allowing ground forces to operate independently while still benefiting from continuous maritime surveillance. The contingent surveyed approximately 5,500 square kilometers during the deployment, demonstrating the force multiplication effect of unmanned systems.

Marine Protected Area Surveillance

Marine Parks Australia has emerged as a regular user of USV technology, deploying Bluebottles to patrol marine parks along the New South Wales coast. In one notable operation, the USVs monitored three separate areas, including one located 150 nautical miles offshore which is a distance that would be prohibitively expensive and logistically challenging for regular crewed patrols.

Technological Advantages and Force Multiplication

The success of Australia’s USV program stems from several key technological and operational advantages:

Persistent Presence: Unlike crewed vessels that must return to port regularly, Bluebottles can remain on station for months, providing continuous surveillance coverage. This persistence is powered by renewable energy systems that generate up to 1,500 watts from solar panels mounted on the vessel’s sail and deck.

Remote Operations: Ground forces can control the USVs remotely, freeing human personnel to focus on other critical tasks such as onshore reconnaissance and patrolling while maintaining maritime surveillance capability.

Operational Safety: USVs eliminate the need to place personnel in potentially dangerous situations, operating in the “dull, dirty, or dangerous” missions that are ideal candidates for unmanned systems.

Cost Effectiveness: The ability to conduct long-duration patrols without fuel costs, crew expenses, or regular maintenance cycles makes USVs significantly more economical than traditional surveillance methods.

Advanced Capabilities and Future Development

Australia’s USV program continues to evolve with increasingly sophisticated capabilities. The Royal Australian Navy has invested A$4.9 million in acquiring five Bluebottle USVs, with all vessels delivered by June 2023. These naval variants are being tested with advanced payloads for anti-submarine warfare and underwater surveillance missions through partnerships with defense contractor Thales Australia.

Recent developments include the integration of passive acoustic surveillance systems, demonstrated during trials off San Diego where a Bluebottle successfully deployed and operated a ThayerMahan Outpost passive sonar array for five days using only renewable energy. This capability positions Australia’s USVs as platforms for distributed underwater surveillance networks, supporting the AUKUS partnership’s advanced defense technologies.

The program has also demonstrated autonomous target recognition and collision avoidance capabilities, with USVs successfully identifying and maneuvering around small vessels using automated visual recognition systems.

The Way Ahead

While Australia’s USV program has achieved significant success, it faces ongoing challenges. Weather conditions can limit operations, and the relatively slow speed of renewable energy-powered vessels means they may not be suitable for rapid response scenarios. Additionally, the technology requires sophisticated command and control infrastructure and trained operators to maximize effectiveness.

Australia’s experience with USVs offers valuable lessons for other nations facing similar maritime surveillance challenges. The key to success has been focusing on persistent surveillance missions rather than trying to replace all crewed vessel functions. By identifying specific operational niches where USVs excel such as long-duration monitoring, dangerous environment operations, and force multiplication, Australia has created a program that delivers measurable security benefits.

The Maritime Border Command’s integration of USVs represents more than just a technological upgrade; it demonstrates a fundamental shift in approach to maritime security. Rather than attempting to patrol vast ocean areas with insufficient traditional assets, Australia has embraced autonomous technology to extend its surveillance reach and effectiveness.

As the program continues to mature, with ongoing contract extensions and capability developments, Australia’s USV operations provide a model for how unmanned systems can address real-world security challenges. The combination of domestic innovation, operational integration, and international collaboration has created a program that enhances Australia’s maritime security while contributing to allied defense capabilities.

For nations struggling with similar challenges of vast maritime domains and limited resources, Australia’s USV program demonstrates that strategic investment in autonomous systems can provide cost-effective solutions that deliver measurable security improvements.

The success of the Bluebottle platform proves that unmanned systems are no longer experimental technologies but operational capabilities ready to contribute to maritime security operations.

A Paradigm Shift in Maritime Operations: Autonomous Systems and Their Impact

Armenia’s Geopolitical Realignment: From Russia’s Orbit to Western Partnership

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Armenia’s Geopolitical Realignment: From Russia’s Orbit to Western Partnership
08/07/2025

Armenia is executing a careful but decisive pivot away from Russia toward closer integration with the European Union and United States, driven by Moscow’s failure to protect Armenian interests during the Azerbaijan conflict and Russia’s broader decline as a reliable security guarantor.

The EU’s nuanced approach, offering partnership without demanding complete severance from Russia, contrasts sharply with traditional binary geopolitical choices and may prove more sustainable for Armenia’s complex regional position.

The Breaking Point: Russia’s Failure in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia’s strategic realignment was driven by Russia’s inability or unwillingness to fulfill its security commitments during pivotal moments of conflict with Azerbaijan. In September 2022, Azerbaijan launched cross-border attacks into recognized Armenian territory.

In response, Armenia invoked Article 4 of the CSTO treaty which thereby they were expecting support from its Russian-led security alliance but instead received only diplomatic overtures without any military assistance. The chief of staff of the CSTO, Colonel Anatoly Sidorov, explicitly rejected the notion of intervention and urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the conflict through political means. A CSTO mission was dispatched merely to assess the situation, which left Armenian leadership and public opinion deeply dissatisfied.

The decisive rupture in Armenian-Russian security relations came in September 2023, when Azerbaijan undertook a large-scale military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh. During the operation, Russian peacekeepers which were originally deployed under the 2020 ceasefire, which President Vladimir Putin had presented as a security guarantee failed to intervene as Azerbaijani forces reclaimed control over the region.

This led to the near-total exodus of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian population, over 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled to Armenia. Russian officials articulated that their peacekeepers would only use weapons if they themselves were endangered and did not act to protect the local population.

As a result, Armenia publicly acknowledged that its reliance on the Russian security umbrella was no longer viable. Prime Minister Pashinyan declared that the Armenian-Russian alliance was “insufficient to ensure Armenia’s external security” and shifted policy toward peacebuilding and independence, intensifying Armenia’s engagement with Western partners.

According to European Union officials and policy analyses, Russia’s lack of military response during Azerbaijan’s “blitzkrieg” effectively gave Azerbaijan a green light to act and contributed to Armenia’s strategic pivot away from Moscow.

Armenia’s Formal Break from CSTO

Armenia’s response has been methodical and irreversible. On February 23, 2024, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia had “frozen” its participation in the CSTO, stating “We have now in practical terms frozen our participation in this treaty” and that membership was under review.

The break became more concrete when Armenia announced in May 2024 that it had stopped making financial contributions to the CSTO, with Pashinyan declaring in June that “We will leave. We will decide when to exit…Don’t worry, we won’t return”. By December 2024, Pashinyan stated that “we already consider ourselves outside the CSTO” and “I believe we have crossed the point of no return”.

This dramatic shift reflects broader public sentiment. A 2024 poll by the International Republican Institute showed just 31% of Armenians viewed ties with Moscow positively, down from 93% in 2019. Meanwhile, a July 2024 Gallup opinion poll noted a 7% increase in support for Armenia’s membership in NATO, with 29% of respondents believing Armenia should strive for NATO membership, while support for CSTO membership decreased by 10%, with only 16.9% believing Armenia should maintain its membership.

The European Alternative: A Nuanced Approach

The European Union has crafted a sophisticated response to Armenia’s strategic reorientation, offering partnership without demanding complete rupture with Russia. In March 2024, the European Parliament passed a resolution confirming that Armenia could apply for EU membership if it met the Copenhagen criteria. This was followed by concrete support: the EU announced a €270 million Resilience and Growth Plan in April 2024, boosting EU funding to Armenia by 50%.

Armenia has responded enthusiastically to European overtures. On March 26, 2025, Armenia’s parliament adopted a bill officially endorsing Armenia’s EU accession process with 64 parliamentarians voting to approve it. Public support is strong: an October 2024 poll found that 58% of Armenians were in favor of joining the European Union, while a January 2025 survey found that a majority believe Armenia will join the EU in the next ten years.

The EU’s approach includes practical benefits beyond financial support. In July 2024, the European Council approved beginning visa liberalization negotiations with Armenia, with the process expected to be finalized by June 2025 and Armenia introducing biometric passports by 2026. The EU also decided to support Armenia militarily through the European Peace Facility with €10 million to enhance the logistical capacities of the Armenian armed forces.

Economic Contradictions: The Russia Paradox

Despite political distancing, Armenia’s economic relationship with Russia has paradoxically strengthened since 2022. Trade turnover between Armenia and Russia reached a record $12 billion in 2024, with mutual trade increasing 1.6 times compared to the previous year. Armenia secured a spot among Russia’s top ten trade partners for 2024, accounting for 1.8% of Russia’s total foreign trade and ranking 8th alongside Germany.

This economic dependence reflects Armenia’s role in circumventing Western sanctions. Armenia’s GDP in 2024 is close to double what it was in 2021, rising from $13.9 billion to $27 billion, largely due to increased trade volumes and reexports to Russia worth more than $7.3 billion. Armenian media reported sharp rises in shipments of Russian gold and diamonds to Armenia and their subsequent re-export, with Armenia importing about 66 tons of gold worth $4.4 billion in the first half of 2024, almost all from Russia.

However, this economic relationship creates vulnerabilities. Russia supplies around 85% of all gas to Armenia and the country’s energy infrastructure is largely controlled by Gazprom, giving the Kremlin coercive tools against Yerevan. Additionally, cash remittances from Armenians working abroad, mostly in Russia, contribute significantly to Armenia’s GDP, making up 14% of GDP in 2018.

Limited U.S. Engagement

The United States has increased support for Armenia but with measured restraint. To date, the United States has invested approximately $3.3 billion in Armenia to support democratic reforms, economic growth and resilience, and humanitarian assistance, including $340 million since 2021. In 2024, the U.S. announced $20.6 million in new support for Armenia to bolster cyber, border, and energy security.

Military cooperation has expanded cautiously. The United States has provided $27 million in funding to support Armenia’s border security capabilities and approximately $18 million in Foreign Military Financing for armored ambulances, cyber defense operations, and training center improvements. The two countries have conducted joint Eagle Partner peacekeeping exercises in 2023 and 2024.

However, critics argue this support is insufficient. The total US-European aid package of $290 million over four years amounts to just $72.5 million annually which is one-third of what the United States gives the Central African Republic and a fraction of the $5.7 billion Armenia receives in Russian remittances.

Strategic Implications and Future Outlook

Armenia’s pivot reflects broader shifts in post-Soviet geopolitics.

With closed borders with both Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia remains geographically constrained, but the country is looking to new partners, especially India, to diversify its international relationships.

Armenia will only be able to diversify its economy more fully when the land border with Turkey, closed since 1993, reopens, though normalization efforts are proceeding slowly.

The EU’s approach of graduated integration without demanding immediate rupture with existing relationships may prove more sustainable than traditional binary choices. As Armenia’s Ambassador to the EU noted, “Armenian foreign policy is neither a turn towards the West nor a turn towards the East” which is a pragmatic acknowledgment of the country’s complex position.

Russia’s declining influence extends beyond Armenia. Recent tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan over the deaths of Azerbaijani citizens in Russian custody have created the unusual situation where both Armenia and Azerbaijan now view Moscow with suspicion, potentially reshaping the entire South Caucasus dynamic.

Armenia’s realignment represents a careful but decisive break from three decades of Russian dependence. The country’s approach which is to embrace European integration while managing continued economic ties with Russia reflects the pragmatic realities facing small nations caught between great powers.

The EU’s nuanced strategy of offering partnership without ultimatums may provide a sustainable model for other post-Soviet states seeking to diversify their relationships while avoiding the costs of complete geopolitical rupture.

The success of this transition will depend heavily on external factors: the outcome of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the stability of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the willingness of Western partners to provide sufficient economic alternatives to Russian dependence.

For now, Armenia has chosen a path of strategic hedging, but the momentum clearly favors deeper integration with European institutions and values.

Strategic Realignments in South Asia: The New Power Dynamics Shaping Regional Order

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Strategic Realignments in South Asia: The New Power Dynamics Shaping Regional Order
08/06/2025

By Pasquale Preziosa

South Asia, long considered the epicenter of geopolitical rivalry — particularly between India and Pakistan — is now entering a new era of heightened complexity.

The region’s established fault lines are being reshaped not only by traditional animosities but also by global shifts: the redefinition of United States interests, the tightening China-Pakistan strategic partnership, and India’s relentless pursuit of strategic autonomy.

Compounding these patterns, new regional challenges such as China’s ambitious plan to build the world’s largest hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (also known as the Brahmaputra) exert significant pressure on the regional balance.

U.S. Tactics: Transactionalism Over Strategy

U.S. policy in South Asia, once animated by Cold War logic or the post-9/11 “War on Terror,” now appears increasingly reactive, short-term, and transactional. Washington’s retreat from Afghanistan marked the start of this shift, creating both power vacuums and new opportunities for regional actors.

Current U.S. engagement often oscillates unpredictably between India and Pakistan. With India, Washington has issued economic pressure such as tariffs, threats of sanctions, and even mediation suggestions over the disputed Kashmir region while simultaneously calling for closer security and technological cooperation as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy. With Pakistan, U.S. overtures have taken the shape of energy agreements and renewed interest in counter-terrorism collaboration, despite its history of frustration with Islamabad’s policies in Afghanistan.

Such inconsistency has eroded American leverage.

By failing to articulate a coherent, long-term stance, the U.S. has unintentionally widened the maneuvering space for regional powers, who can now recalibrate their alignments and extract greater concessions from an unpredictable Washington.

Russia Re-emerges as Arms Partner

Amidst these shifting dynamics, Russia sees an opening to revitalize its historical defense relationship with India. Demonstrating strategic flexibility, Moscow has reactivated its offer for India to acquire the Su-57E, an advanced stealth fighter jet.

More importantly, Russia is not simply offering an arms sale but is proposing a comprehensive co-production arrangement with substantial technology transfer utilizing Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s manufacturing capabilities in Nasik. To address India’s immediate needs, Russia has also advanced the Su-35 fighter as an interim solution to maintain the Indian Air Force’s operational edge.

This move fits within a wider sphere of technological competition. India is determined to retain freedom of action, refusing to become overly dependent on any single foreign supplier, even as it seeks critical military technologies. This approach enables New Delhi to carefully balance the competing demands and pressures it faces, particularly from the U.S., by retaining options and negotiating from a position of greater autonomy.

China’s Dual Approach: Hydropower as Geopolitical Leverage

China’s role in South Asia is expanding along two major strategic vectors. The most significant development is Beijing’s plan to construct a colossal hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo. This is an upriver structure that will have outsized influence on water flows into the Brahmaputra, which sustains millions in India’s northeast.

While publicly framed as a developmental project to generate energy and combat climate change, the dam is also a potent instrument of silent coercion. By controlling a vital water source—a life artery for agriculture, livelihoods, and population stability in India’s northeast—China can subtly but powerfully influence India’s strategic calculations.

This form of infrastructural coercion complements Beijing’s broader pattern of “calibrated management” of its relationship with New Delhi: constantly testing Indian resolve, creating new dilemmas, and seeking to blunt India’s independent foreign policy by introducing new dependencies.

Turkey’s Aspirations: Neo-Ottoman Influence and Islamic Solidarity

Turkey, drawing from a revived neo-Ottoman ambition and leveraging its entrenched ties with Pakistan, is seeking to carve out a greater role in South Asia. Ankara’s engagement is especially pronounced in the Kashmir conflict which is a fraught issue that has become a rallying point in Turkish calls for Islamic solidarity.

Keen to position itself as an influential “middle power” within the Islamic world, Turkey is deploying both rhetoric and diplomatic capital to gain relevance in the region’s turbulent power games.

Regional Fallout: Middle Powers Seize the Initiative

The Indo-Pakistani-Afghan subregion which is the geographic core of South Asia has now emerged as one of the most unpredictable theaters in global geopolitics. Old alliances are in flux, and new axes are emerging. Fueled by rising nationalism, the breakdown of multilateral forums, and intensifying great power competition, regional states are busy redefining what it means to be a “power” in the 21st century.

India’s pursuit of strategic autonomy is perhaps best exemplified by its hedging between Washington and Moscow. It has deepened defense and technology ties with the U.S. —most visible in initiatives like the Quad — while simultaneously retaining its traditional defense relationship with Russia, mindful of energy, economic, and legacy weapons dependencies.

This balancing act gives India added leverage, as it refuses to be boxed in by any external power’s priorities.

At the same time, Pakistan is working to maximize gains from its “all-weather” friendship with China, while remaining open to selective engagement with the U.S. especially where economic and security assistance is available.

Chinese investment under the CPEC corridor and security ties with Beijing have clearly elevated Pakistan’s clout. However, Islamabad is careful to keep some diplomatic channels with Washington open, hedging against a total strategic dependency on China.

The New Unpredictability: Regional Order in Transition

What emerges is a volatile and interconnected geopolitical chessboard. Great powers compete for influence, while middle and even “small” powers (like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal) are learning to play major actors off each other, extracting material gains or security assurances.

The traditional center of gravity is shifting as new forms of assertiveness and competition such as technological, infrastructural, and narrative factors, reshuffle alliances and animosities.

Ultimately, the future configuration of South Asia’s political order will be written by how adeptly India, Pakistan, China, and ambitious middle powers navigate this disorder.

Their choices, alliances, and responses to mounting pressure will not only determine the regional balance of power but also inform the contours of the broader international order in the years ahead.

South Asia thus stands at a strategic crossroads, serving as both a stage for great power rivalry and a laboratory for new modes of regional diplomacy and competition where the old certainties are gone, and the game remains wide open.

This article is based on the August 4, 2025 article published by the author in Italian in PRP Channel.

Helicopter Evacuation Exercise

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Helicopter Evacuation Exercise

U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico conduct a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025.

Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency.

QUANTICO, VIRGINIA,

06.04.2025

Photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers  

Marine Corps Base Quantico    

U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico approach an AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter for a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers)
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Nathaniel Vinson, an expeditionary firefighting and rescue specialist with Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, conducts a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers)
U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico conduct a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers)
U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico conduct a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers)
U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico carry a casualty while conducting a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers)
U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Air Facilities Quantico pose for a group photo after conducting a helicopter medical evacuation exercise at MCAF Quantico on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of an emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Braydon Rogers)

The Porcupine Defense: How the Philippines is Revolutionizing Maritime Security with “Small, Cheap, and Independent” Capabilities

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on The Porcupine Defense: How the Philippines is Revolutionizing Maritime Security with “Small, Cheap, and Independent” Capabilities
08/05/2025

By Robbin Laird

The Philippines is pioneering a revolutionary “porcupine defense” strategy that uses distributed maritime autonomous systems to create defensive geometries that complicate adversary attack profiles while providing multiple axis points for disruption — proving that innovative, cost-effective platforms can effectively challenge traditional maritime power projection.

A New Paradigm in Maritime Defense

As tensions escalate in the South China Sea, the Philippines has emerged as an unlikely innovator in maritime defense strategy. Rather than attempting to match China’s massive naval buildup ship-for-ship, Manila is implementing what former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne describes as acquiring “small, cheap, and independent” capabilities—essentially growing more quills for their defensive porcupine.

This approach represents a fundamental shift from traditional naval thinking. Instead of concentrating power in expensive capital ships vulnerable to concentrated attack, the Philippines is distributing capabilities across networks of autonomous systems that create what defense analysts call “economy of force” missions with outsized strategic impact.

The Strategic Architecture of Porcupine Defense

The porcupine defense strategy operates on a simple but powerful principle: make the cost of attack prohibitively complex and unpredictable. By deploying numerous small, autonomous platforms across their 7,000-island archipelago, the Philippines creates defensive geometries that force adversaries to account for threats from multiple vectors simultaneously.

This strategy manifests in several key ways:

  • Distributed Sensor Networks: Philippine unmanned surface vessels (USVs) equipped with advanced ISR capabilities create persistent maritime domain awareness across vast ocean areas. These platforms, including the four MANTAS T-12 systems and the Devil Ray T-38, can operate independently for extended periods while feeding real-time intelligence to command centers.
  • Multiple Launch Points: Land-based anti-ship missiles positioned across the archipelago, combined with mobile maritime platforms, create dozens of potential attack vectors that adversaries must simultaneously monitor and defend against.
  • Asymmetric Cost Ratios: As Chris Morton of IFS observes, “Simply the fact that we can hold at risk Chinese manned vessels with USVs and Starlink is mind blowing.” A relatively inexpensive autonomous platform can threaten vessels worth hundreds of millions of dollars, fundamentally altering the cost-benefit calculus of maritime aggression.

Technology Integration: The Force Multiplier

The Philippines’ approach succeeds because it integrates cutting-edge technology with tactical innovation. The Maritime Security Consortium, providing up to $95 million annually through U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, enables rapid deployment of advanced systems without the decades-long acquisition cycles typical of traditional naval procurement.

Key technological enablers include:

  • Starlink Communications: Real-time data transfer and remote operation capabilities allow operators to control platforms beyond line-of-sight, extending the operational reach of defensive networks.
  • Autonomous Navigation: Advanced AI systems enable platforms to operate independently while maintaining network connectivity, creating persistent presence without constant human oversight.
  • Modular Payloads: Systems like the Devil Ray T-38, capable of carrying 4,000 pounds of payload at speeds exceeding 70 knots, can be rapidly reconfigured for different mission requirements.

Operational Implementation: Task Force Ayungin

The establishment of Task Force Ayungin — named after the Philippine designation for Second Thomas Shoal —demonstrates how this strategy translates into operational capability. Based in Palawan and operating within the Command and Control Fusion Center at Western Command, the task force provides technical assistance for Philippine USV operations while maintaining Philippine operational sovereignty.

This model addresses a critical challenge in modern alliance relationships: how to provide advanced capabilities while respecting partner nation autonomy. U.S. officials have clarified that while the task force provides training and intelligence support, actual missions remain “purely Philippine operations.”

Infrastructure Supporting Innovation

The Philippines’ strategy is supported by strategically positioned infrastructure designed for rapid deployment. The new fast boat base in Quezon, just 160 miles from Second Thomas Shoal, exemplifies this approach. Designed to launch watercraft within 15 minutes, the facility supports distributed operations while maintaining the flexibility to respond to emerging threats.

Similarly, the upgraded Naval Detachment Oyster Bay includes maintenance capabilities specifically designed for unmanned platforms, ensuring sustained operations without dependence on major naval bases that present attractive targets for adversaries.

Beyond Traditional Deterrence

The porcupine defense strategy represents more than just a cost-effective alternative to traditional naval power.It fundamentally changes the nature of maritime deterrence. By creating defensive networks that are difficult to target comprehensively, the Philippines makes the cost of successful attack extremely high while keeping their own investment relatively modest.

As Secretary Wynne notes, “You need to buy more quills, and you can’t grow them fast enough for the porcupine defending itself.” This insight captures the strategic advantage of distributed defense: adversaries must plan for threats from dozens of potential sources, while defenders can add new capabilities incrementally and rapidly.

Regional and Global Implications

The Philippine model is attracting attention from allies and partners worldwide. Recent visits by Italian and German naval forces demonstrate growing international interest in this approach, while the trilateral framework developing between the United States, Japan, and Philippines suggests broader adoption of distributed defense concepts.

This strategy also aligns with evolving U.S. military doctrine emphasizing distributed operations and allied innovation. Rather than depending solely on American platforms and presence, the Philippine approach creates indigenous capabilities that complement rather than compete with traditional allied assets.

The Economics of Innovation

Perhaps most significantly, the porcupine defense demonstrates that technological innovation can overcome resource disparities. The Philippines cannot match China’s naval shipbuilding capacity or defense spending, but they can deploy systems that hold Chinese assets at risk while operating within sustainable budget constraints.

The Maritime Security Consortium model, using joint exercises like Balikatan to demonstrate and deliver systems rapidly, represents a new paradigm for defense cooperation that emphasizes capability delivery over traditional arms sales.

A Blueprint for Small Nation Defense?

The Philippine experience offers a blueprint for other nations facing similar strategic challenges. By focusing on “small, cheap, and independent” capabilities integrated into coherent defensive networks, smaller nations can create credible deterrence without bankrupting their defense budgets.

This approach may prove particularly relevant as maritime tensions increase globally and traditional naval platforms become increasingly expensive and vulnerable to emerging threats.

The porcupine defense strategy emerging in the Philippines represents more than tactical innovation. It’s a fundamental reimagining of how smaller nations can maintain sovereignty in an era of great power competition. By growing more quills faster than adversaries can plan to remove them, the Philippines is proving that strategic creativity can overcome material disadvantages.

As Chris Morton’s observation suggests, the ability to hold major naval assets at risk using relatively inexpensive autonomous systems represents a “mind blowing” shift in maritime power dynamics—one that may define the future of naval warfare in contested waters worldwide.

Note: For the Special Report which discusses the porcupine defense concept, see the following:

Shaping a Porcupine Defense Strategy for the Philippines: The Role of Maritime Autonomous Systems

For a podcast which discusses this report, go here

Congress Revolutionizes Combat Readiness with Osprey Nacelle Modernization

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Congress Revolutionizes Combat Readiness with Osprey Nacelle Modernization
08/04/2025

By Robbin Laird

In combat, reliability isn’t just important. It’s everything. Seconds count and missions hang in the balance.

So it’s good news that Congress just made a $160 million investment in combat readiness with the Osprey Nacelle Improvement Program, which will keep America’s most versatile aircraft in the fight.

The global strategic landscape isn’t waiting for 2035. While future force planning matters, the urgent priority is crystal clear: maximize the combat readiness of the warfighters we have deployed right now. The “fight tonight force” needs solutions that work today, not a decade from now.

Enter Congress’s strategic masterstroke: a $160 million authorization to accelerate the V-22 Osprey nacelle improvement program in the recent budget reconciliation package.

This isn’t just another upgrade – it’s a force multiplier that transforms one of the military’s most critical assets.

Here’s the stunning reality: 60% of all V-22 maintenance actions happen in the nacelle area. Think about that. More than half of every maintenance hour, every grounded aircraft, every delayed mission traces back to this single component system.

The Nacelle Improvement Program doesn’t just tinker around the edges. It makes targeted improvements to attack fleet needs, taking into consideration fleet maintainer’s input during the design of the nacelle’s modification. Bell’s redesign tackles these areas head-on by improving wiring harness and wiring architecture, redesigning hinges, latches, and access panels for ease of maintenance, and reusing repairable components which also contributed to the cost savings benefit of the modification. These aren’t minor inconveniences; they’re items that, when improved, will reduce maintenance man hours spent on the aircraft and significantly increase overall aircraft readiness.

The proof isn’t in promises. It’s in performance. Thirty CV-22s have already received the nacelle modernization, and the results are transformational:

  • Nearly 9,000 flight hours accumulated
  • Over 20,200 maintenance hours saved to date
  • Dramatically reduced maintenance requirements across the board

But statistics only tell part of the story. What about real-world impact?

Air Force maintainers report that when an upgraded Osprey flags a fault during pre-flight, they can have it mission-ready in about an hour. The same fault on a legacy nacelle? That aircraft is grounded for the entire day.

One hour versus one day.

That’s not just improved efficiency – that’s the difference between mission success and mission failure. That’s the difference between getting troops the support they need – when they need it – or leaving them hanging when it matters most.

Understand what these numbers really represent: This isn’t just about wrench time; it’s about operational confidence. When maintainers know they can get aircraft back in the fight quickly and reliably, it changes everything. Mission planners can count on their assets. Commanders can commit their forces with confidence. Warfighters know their lifeline won’t let them down.

In a time when every defense dollar faces scrutiny, Congress made the smart play. Rather than chase flashy new programs that won’t see combat for years, they invested in the force that’s deployed today. They recognized that a $160 million investment in proven reliability improvements delivers immediate returns in combat effectiveness.

This is what strategic thinking looks like: identify the critical bottleneck, apply resources where they’ll have maximum impact, and deliver enhanced capability to the operators who need it now.

One caveat, however: It is imperative Congress, and the Department of Defense follow through on this down payment on readiness. Funding for nacelle improvement must be maintained at a consistent level until the job is done.

The Osprey Nacelle Improvement Program represents more than technical enhancement. It’s a force multiplier that transforms maintenance nightmares into operational advantages. Every hour saved in the hangar is an hour gained in mission capability. Every readiness and reliability improvement are steps toward mission success. A nacelle improvement program that could generate a 10-12% readiness increase is a huge first step.

Adding a CMV NI program to the end of the AFSOC run would also provide the USMC and perhaps our Japanese partners the needed decision space to enter a NI program. If the USMC intends to fly the MV-22 to 2055, nacelle improvement could be an essential part of any future V-22 readiness and modernization program.

Congress didn’t just authorize an upgrade. They committed to victory for the “fight tonight” force that stands ready to defend American interests wherever and whenever called upon.

Featured image: U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron familiarize themselves with the new nacelle improvement modifications on a CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 7, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Drew Cyburt)

Note: And if your looking for why, the Osprey-enabled force is crucial in today’s and tomorrow’s fights, look at this recent example:

Japan Establishes a New Osprey Base: A Strategic Move to Counter China’s Expansionist Policies

This year, I have brought my experience with the Osprey nation, in a way which allows readers to think through how new technologies and re-worked concepts of operations drive change in both directions, in two books which highlight the tiltrotor enterprise.

A Tiltrotor Perspective: Exploring the Experience

A Tiltrotor Enterprise: From Iraq to the Future

 

Shaping a Porcupine Defense Strategy for the Philippines: The Role of Maritime Autonomous Systems

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on Shaping a Porcupine Defense Strategy for the Philippines: The Role of Maritime Autonomous Systems

This report analyzes the Philippines’ “porcupine defense strategy,” emphasizing its reliance on maritime autonomous systems (MAS) and distributed lethality to deter aggression in the South China Sea.

It highlights the Taiwan-Philippines-Japan strategic triangle and the critical importance of the First Island Chain and Luzon Strait for regional security and global trade.

The report details how U.S.-Philippines military cooperation, including fast boat bases and the deployment of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), is transforming naval operations through a “kill web” paradigm and mesh fleet concept.

Ultimately, the strategy aims to make the Philippines a formidable barrier by distributing defensive assets and leveraging technology, offering a blueprint for smaller nations facing similar geopolitical challenges.

Maritime autonomous systems (MAS) play a pivotal role in transforming naval warfare and enhancing deterrence by shifting away from traditional, capital ship-centric operations towards distributed, networked approaches. This fundamental reimagining of naval strategy allows for greater resilience, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in contested environments.

Here’s how MAS contribute to this transformation:

Shifting Paradigms in Naval Operations

  • From Linear Kill Chains to Maritime Kill Webs: Traditional naval operations relied on a linear “kill chain” (find, fix, target, engage, assess), which is vulnerable to sophisticated anti-access/area-denial capabilities. The “kill web” paradigm, enabled by MAS, shifts to distributed, networked warfare, where sensing, decision-making, and strike capabilities are spread across multiple platforms operating as an integrated network. The loss of a single element in a kill web does not compromise the entire operation.
  • Mesh Fleets for Distributed Awareness: The “mesh fleet” concept involves scalable networks of autonomous surface vessels (USVs) that operate both independently and collaboratively. Companies like MARTAC have pioneered this with systems like the MANTAS T-12 and Devil Ray platforms. This approach shifts from “large blue water boats providing concentrated awareness to distributed awareness” through swarms of unmanned vessels.
  • Distributed Maritime Effects (DME): The transformation involves moving away from concentrating power in capital ships to distributing capabilities across a network of assets. DME are the effects created by this distributed force, often supplementing or operating independently of traditional capital ship operations. MAS, coupled with manned air assets, can generate “combat clusters” to deliver DME.
  • Re-thinking Maritime Strategy: The sources argue for a rethinking of maritime strategy that embraces autonomous technologies, distributed forces, and innovative acquisition models.

Enhancing Deterrence through “Porcupine Defense”

“Small, Cheap, and Independent” Capabilities: The Philippines has adopted a “porcupine defense strategy,” which fundamentally disrupts traditional attack calculations through innovative use of MAS. This strategy focuses on acquiring “small, cheap, and independent” means to execute enhanced defense.

  • Multiple Axis Points for Disruption: The Philippines is deploying networks of USVs, UAVs, and land-based missile systems to create a new defense geometry with multiple axis points from which to launch disruptive capabilities. This approach makes it increasingly difficult for an adversary to execute a well-planned, timely defeat strategy.
  • Altering Cost-Benefit Calculations: The porcupine defense alters the cost-benefit calculation for aggressors. Each autonomous platform is relatively inexpensive but can pose significant threats to much more valuable manned vessels. As Secretary Wynne noted, aggressors would need to “buy more quills” than they can quickly grow for the defending porcupine.
  • Asymmetric Advantages: MAS offer an asymmetric advantage, as they can operate in contested environments where human-crewed vessels would face unacceptable risks. They can maintain persistent presence, operate in swarms, and are more rapidly replaced if destroyed than legacy capital ships. This allows smaller nations to create credible deterrence without bankrupting their defense budgets.
  • Complicating Attack Plans: The porcupine defense is designed to complicate and disrupt potential Chinese maritime attack plans by creating multi-axial complexity and enabling rapid response deterrence and unpredictable counter-attacks from distributed, missile-equipped fast boats and drone swarms.

Key Operational and Technological Contributions of MAS

  • Enhanced Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA): Uncrewed vessels (USVs) significantly expand ISR coverage in archipelagic territories. The Philippine Navy’s USV Unit, for instance, focuses on improving ISR capabilities and MDA. The distributed network of sensor-equipped platforms creates comprehensive surveillance, making it difficult for hostile forces to mask movements or conduct covert operations.
  • Rapid Deployment and Shortened Acquisition Cycles: MAS offer much shorter routes for credible defense by combining land-based missiles with maritime ISR and counter-ISR from USVs, UAVs, and future UUVs. The acquisition of MAS represents a “credible 3–5-year program of rapidly enhancing Filipino defense,” in stark contrast to decades-long traditional defense procurement cycles.
  • Payload Agnosticism and Scalable Deployment: Mesh fleet platforms are flexible carriers for diverse payloads, including sensors, communications equipment, and weapons, allowing for rapid reconfiguration. Larger vessels can deploy smaller ones (e.g., Devil Ray T-38 carrying MANTAS T12s), extending operational reach without additional infrastructure.
  • Distributed Launch Points: Unlike traditional naval operations dependent on major ports, mesh fleet vessels can launch from virtually anywhere, eliminating concentrated vulnerabilities.
  • Crisis Management and Escalation Control: MAS enhance the kill web’s role in crisis management by enabling graduated responses, from passive ISR to active weapons carriers. This provides military commanders with precise, scalable options tailored to specific threat levels, crucial for “controlled war”.
  • Affordability and Attritable Platforms: MAS offer an affordable, capable, and persistent addition to naval forces. The introduction of “attritable” platforms, like MARTAC’s M18 “MUSKIE,” which are designed for one-way missions and can overwhelm enemy defenses through sheer numbers, showcases a move toward “$50,000 weapons, not just million-dollar weapons”.

U.S.-Philippines Cooperation as a Blueprint:

The U.S. is investing in new infrastructure (like fast boat bases) and providing cutting-edge unmanned systems and training to the Philippines. This “Maritime Security Consortium” provides significant annual funding for unmanned systems, demonstrating a new model for rapidly deploying advanced military technology to allies.

This cooperation supports the Philippine “porcupine defense” and could serve as a blueprint for similar partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing capability delivery over traditional arms sales.

In essence, MAS are driving a “mind blowing” shift in maritime power dynamics by democratizing advanced naval capabilities, making it possible for nations to create formidable defensive networks that are resilient, cost-effective, and capable of holding much larger adversaries’ assets at risk, fundamentally reshaping deterrence and the future of naval warfare.

 

a CH-53K King Stallion Visits Perth Amboy High School

Posted on | by Robbin Laird | Leave a Comment on a CH-53K King Stallion Visits Perth Amboy High School

Perth Amboy High School students tour a CH-53K King Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025.

America’s warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard’s enduring role on, under, and above the seas.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)

U.S. Marines Corps Sgt. Chase Hawkins, left, and Sgt. William Pyles, with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, speak to Perth Amboy High School administration at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
Perth Amboy High School students and administration pose for a group photo in front of a CH-53K King Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
Perth Amboy High School students tour a CH-53K King Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
Perth Amboy High School students observe a CH-53K King Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, pose for a group photo in front of a CH-53K King Stallion during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
Perth Amboy High School students tour a CH-53K King Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
U.S. Marines, Sgt. Chase Hawkins with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, converse with Perth Amboy High School administration during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)
Perth Amboy High School students tour a CH-53K King Stallion during an aircraft expo at Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, during Fleet Week New York 2025, May 21, 2025. America's warfighting Navy and Marine Corps celebrate 250 years of protecting American prosperity and freedom. Fleet Week New York 2025 honors the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard's enduring role on, under, and above the seas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Diana Salgado)