US National Security Strategy 2022: Key Parts

Gessler, on October 13, 2022, drew my attention to:

The Biden White House's, National Security Strategy 2022, a 48 page PDF document, that naturally covers a lot. It is especially interesting regarding: 

TAIWAN page 24: "We have an abiding interest in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which is critical to regional and global security and prosperity and a matter of international concern and attention. We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side, and do not support Taiwan independence. We remain committed to our one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances. And we will uphold our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act to [But the US] support Taiwan’s self-defense and to maintain our capacity to resist any resort to force or coercion against Taiwan." 

RUSSIA-UKRAINE page 26: "The United States will not allow Russia, or any power, to achieve its objectives through using, or threatening to use, nuclear weapons. America retains an interest in preserving strategic stability and developing a more expansive, transparent, and verifiable arms control infrastructure to succeed New START and in rebuilding European security arrangements which, due to Russia’s actions, have fallen in to disrepair."

[Within the document Control-F for many other references to Ukraine]

INDIA, QUAD, AUKUS page 37: "As we work with South Asian regional partners to address climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the PRC’s coercive behavior, we will promote prosperity and economic connectivity across the Indian Ocean region. The Quad and AUKUS will also be critical to addressing regional challenges, and we will further reinforce our collective strength by weaving our allies and partners closer together—including by encouraging tighter linkages between likeminded Indo-Pacific and European countries." 

AUSTRALIA JAPAN KOREA INDIA page 38: "...We reaffirm our iron-clad commitments to our Indo-Pacific treaty allies—Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand—and we will continue to modernize these alliances. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan under our mutual security treaty, which covers the Senkaku Islands [Pete Comment: A complication for Biden is that Taiwan also claims the Senkakus - calling them the "Tiaoyutai" islands] . As India is the world’s largest democracy and a Major Defense Partner, the United States and India will work together, bilaterally and multilaterally, to support our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific..." 

There are many other interesting parts including "Deepen Our Alliance with Europe" from page 38 onwards.

Taiwan Unimpressed With Elon Musk's Advice

Elon Musk's suggestion Taiwan should bow to China's will has led to backlash.

Australia's SBS News, October 10, 2022, reports: 

"...Elon Musk's comments over the weekend on both the China-Taiwan dispute and the war in Ukraine have fueled another Twitter storm and ire from politicians, while community leaders in Australia claim the billionaire's thoughts were both inappropriate and "embarrassing".

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, thought to be the world's richest person, on [October 8, 2022] told the Financial Times that allowing China some control over Taiwan would help to resolve the cross-strait dispute.

...Yi-Tsun Chen, president of Taiwanese Assoc of Canberra [Taiwan's defacto Embassy], said the comments led him to believe Mr Musk was an "idiot". He said Mr Musk failed to understand that Taiwan had grown apart from China and has now developed it's own unique culture..."

Wiki reports on Musk-Tesla's "Relations with the governmentof China":

"Tesla has received special treatment and strong government support in China, gaining perks such as tax breaks, cheap financing, the ability to wholly own its Chinese operations, and assistance in building its Shanghai factory (Giga Shanghai) at breakneck speed.^[244] 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Bloomberg, one Tesla executive said, "Tesla didn't just have a green light from the [Chinese] government to get back to work—it had a flashing-sirens police escort."^[244]

Musk has frequently praised China, a controversial stance due to deteriorating U.S.–Chinese relations, China's ongoing persecution of Uyghurs, and alleged human rights abuses in Hong Kong.^[245] James McGregor, chairman for Greater China at APCO Worldwide, said that foreign companies in China under Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping need to "be aware that the ultimate plan is for all the advanced technologies to be Chinese."^[245] McGregor added, "I hope that Elon is going in there with both eyes open."^[245]

In August 2020, Congressional negotiators (led by then-U.S. Senator Cory Gardner) highlighted Tesla's ties to China as a potential national security risk for the United States.^[246][247]

In July 2021, Bloomberg Businessweek reported on Tesla's "fall from grace" in China due to data collection and safety issues. Tesla reportedly asked the Chinese government to censor criticism of Tesla on social media.^[248]"

Japanese Subsonic to Hypersonic Missile Research

wispywood2344, on October 1, 2022, commented: 

The diagram wispy drew for "More on Japan's ASCMs Types 12 & 17" of September 26, 2022 does not cover all of Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) ATLA's current anti-ship missile development & procurement projects.

wispy will now write about the omitted ones. 

1. Advanced Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) Research on elemental technologies for new ASCMs (FY2018-FY2022) [1][2].

All Japanese ASCMs were manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), but Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) won the bid for this research project.

This project aims to realize subsonic ASCMs with "long range," "high manoeuvrability," "modular structure," "stealth," and "automated optimal routing" around 2030.

One of the reasons why the Japanese MoD has begun development of the "Type 12 Imp[roved]." [Pete comment: This appears to a semi-indigenous Japanese effort similar to US Harpoon and Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missiles] that it cannot wait for completion of this project. 

2. Research on elemental technologies for highspeed glide missiles for islands defense (FY2018-FY2025) [2][3][4][5].

The aim of this project is to realize a ground-to-ground hypersonic glide missile capable of inter-island firing.

Two types exist: the rapidly-deployable "Block 1", and the long-range "Block 2".

The former is scheduled to begin production in FY2023, before the completion of this research project, like the "Type 12 Imp.".

The range is said to be 500 km, but it is not known which type it is.

Anti-ship capability will be added in the future. 

3. Research on elemental technologies for hypersonic cruise missiles (FY2019-FY2025)[6][7]

This project is development of a scramjet engine capable of cruising at hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 or higher).

The range is unknown.

Anti-ship capability will be added in the future. 

4. Importation of mult-national subsonic JSMs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Strike_Missile#Joint_Strike_Missile  (FY2018-)[2][8]

The only ASCMs that can be operated on the Japanese Air Force’s F-35A fleet.

They are introduced from the U.S. by FMS, but their delivery delay is considered problematic. 

[1] The MoD. "Preliminary project evaluation report : Research on elemental technologies for new anti ship missiles". See Japanese language PDF:

https://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/11339364/www.mod.go.jp/j/approach/hyouka/seisaku/results/29/pdf/jizen_01_honbun.pdf

[2] The MoD. "Summary of FY2023 defense budget request". See page 9 of Japanese language PDF: https://www.mod.go.jp/j/yosan/yosan_gaiyo/2023/yosan_20220831.pdf

[3] The MoD. "Preliminary project evaluation report : Research on elemental technologies for highspeed glide missiles for islands defense". See Japanese language PDF: https://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/11339364/www.mod.go.jp/j/approach/hyouka/seisaku/results/30/pdf/jizen_02_honbun.pdf

[4] The ATLA. "Current status and future prospects oh highspeed glide missiles for islands defense". See Japanese language PDF: https://www.mod.go.jp/atla/research/ats2019/doc/fukuda.pdf

[5] Mainichi-Shimbun (newspaper), "The MoD considers installing an anti-aircraft-carrier warhead on the high-speed glide missiles for island defense, as well as increasing their speed and range".

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20200224/k00/00m/010/219000c

[6] The MoD. "Preliminary project evaluation report : Research on elemental technologies for hypersonic cruise missiles". Translates to English: https://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/11339364/www.mod.go.jp/j/approach/hyouka/seisaku/results/30/pdf/jizen_06_honbun.pdf

[7] The ATLA. "Explanation of standoff defense capability". See Japanese language PDF: https://www.mod.go.jp/atla/soubiseisaku/vision/rd_vision_kaisetsuR0203_05.pdf

[8] Kyodo News, Translates to English: "Delayed acquisition of long-range cruise missiles for ASDF F35, budget unexecuted". https://nordot.app/894192844776275968?c=39546741839462401  

News About French Barracuda SSNs

The French Barracuda SSN program, after some years of delay is finally reaching maturity. Delays were most officially due to revisions of the future Barracuda’s roles combining multiroles suiting the relative peace after 1992 with the end of the West vs Russian First Cold War. However a greater design emphasis (perhaps mainly in the combat system) on anti-submarine warfare may have emerged with the Second Cold War from around 2014 with a new Russian threat, as well as (for the first time) a Chinese threat. Also I suspect that the Barracuda’s K15 reactor needed some extra miniaturisation from its larger K15 dimensions in the French Triomphant-class SSBNs and in the French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle. 

I am advised by a French friend that first commissioned Barracuda SSN, French Ship (FS) Suffren (photo above) recently visited the UK’s largest nuclear submarine base HMNB Clyde at Faslane, Scotland starting September 22, 2022. Clyde (photo below) is of course Britain’s SSBN base and I believe British SSNs also frequently visit.

Other news is that the second Barracuda, Duguay Trouin, was launched on September 9, 2022. Its K15 reactor (with 150MW (thermal) power) has gone “critical” (ie. nuclear fuel activated and steam produced). 

Six Barracudas have long been planned, but with the resurgent Russian threat there are rumours that a 7^th or even 8^th Barracuda might be built.

Major Rebuff Against China: AUKUS Issue at IAEA

Gessler on October 1, 2022 reported: 

It seems China has withdrawn its resolution against proposed AUKUS nuclear propelled submarines for Australia at the latest International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference (September 26-30, 2022) due to a lack of support. 

It appears India (one of the 35 Board Members of the IAEA*) played a major diplomatic hand in getting many of the smaller countries of the Board to "take an objective view" of the matter, helping scuttle the resolution.

India’s Economic Times (ET), October 1, 2022, reported:

“Synopsis

India’s considered role helped many smaller countries take a clear stand on the Chinese proposal. Realizing that its resolution would not get majority support, China withdrew its draft resolution on September 30, ET has learnt.” 

I hope more details emerge about the exact happenings at the IAEA event, which just concluded on September 30, 2022.

Pete Comment and Background

In addition to India other powerful members of the IAEA Board would have been persuasive against the Chinese resolution. Those powerful members would have included the US and UK, likely Germany and possibly Japan and France.

* The 35 IAEA Board Members for 2022-2023 are:

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Libya, Namibia, Pakistan, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Uruguay and Vietnam.

Australia Now Has Submarine Command Course

Submarine commanders for the RAN have always been trained overseas. See SubMatt’s 2020 list.

Now Australia’s Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter (APDR) October 4, 2022 reports an Australian Government announcement:

“Australia has successfully launched a sovereign training program to produce its next generation of submarine commanders, with two Royal Australian Navy submariners passing the inaugural Australian Submarine Command Course. The international-standard course culminated in a rigorous sea-phase that tested participants in undersea and special warfare scenarios.”...

MORE SEE APDR 

Pete Comment

It will be interesting if SSK officers from foreign navies, particularly Canada’s, will now attend this Australian course.

An Australian course is good news, though there may be a potential problem. As Australia has always had a major shortage of submarine commanders, who have risen through RAN ranks, hopefully there will be no undue Australian Government political pressure to pass all prospective Australian submarine commanders.

Australian commanders for our future SSNs will be a different, much longer project - probably taking place on UK Astutes in the next 16 years or later.