Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
On Display - DKM Bismarck in 1/350
Kostas Katseas [angeleyes] takes us prowling the Denmark Straight with his build of the DKM Bismarck in 1/350. Enjoy.
North Korea warns naval incursions could spark clash
Source: Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea warned South Korea on Thursday that a rash of "reckless" incursions at their disputed maritime border could spark a naval clash.
North Korea's navy accused South Korean warships of routinely broaching its territory — 10 times on Monday alone — in the waters off the divided peninsula's western coast.
"The reckless military provocations by warships of the South Korean navy have created such a serious situation that a naval clash may break out between the two sides in these waters," the military said in a statement carried Thursday by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
The warning of a clash in the West Sea — site of deadly naval skirmishes in 1999 and 2002 — comes even as relations between the two Koreas show signs of improvement after more than a year of tensions.
South Korea's Defense Ministry dismissed the North's claim, saying its navy ships have never violated the western sea border.
"They've repeating this for a long time. We don't really care about that," said a ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war because their three-year conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, in 1953. They are divided by a heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone.
North Korea, however, does not recognize the western maritime border drawn unilaterally by the United Nations, and it routinely issues warnings to the South about incursions across the military line.
Recently, there have been signs that relations might be improving. On Wednesday, North Korea extended a rare apology to the South for releasing a massive amount of water from a dam near their border last month. Six South Koreans drowned in the flooding.
South Korea's top official for inter-Korean relations, meanwhile, indicated that Seoul is prepared to offer the North food aid without conditions as a humanitarian gesture — an apparent softening of the government's stance toward Pyongyang.
"We will provide limited humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable groups in North Korea regardless of political and security circumstances," Unification Minister Hyun In-taek said in a speech to the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea. "We will do our part to end the suffering of our brothers in the North," he said.
For a decade, South Korea was one of biggest donors to the impoverished North. But the flow of aid from Seoul stopped when President Lee Myung-bak took office last year, saying any help must be conditioned to denuclearization.
North Korea has faced chronic food shortages since flooding and mismanagement destroyed its economy in the mid-1990s. Famine is believed to have killed as many as 2 million people in the 1990s. Hyun did not elaborate on a time frame or amount of possible aid to North Korea.
South Korea, meanwhile, wants to discuss the return of 560 soldiers who have been held by North Korea since the war and 504 civilians, mostly fishermen whose boats have been seized near the maritime border.
North Korea says the civilians voluntarily defected to the North and denies it has any South Korean prisoners of war.
South Korea also wants to stage more reunions of families divided by the war. On Friday, Red Cross officials are to meet in North Korea to discuss staging future reunions.
South Korea to construct 6 Aegis-class destroyers
Source: Russian Navy
Korean Navy plans 6 destroyers with Aegis components to be commissioned within 2019-2026 to enhance country's presence at coastal and sea regions. That was said on Tuesday by The Korea Times referring to Korean Navy spokesman.
Destroyers KDX-IIA with displacement of 5 600 tonnes, equipped with SPY phased array radars and armed with close combat systems will be the basis of strategic mobile fleet headed by state-of-the-art 7 600-tonnes KDX-III destroyers.
Two mobile fleet squadrons will comprise destroyers KDX-III, KDX-II and KDX-IIA, auxiliary vessels, new frigates and attack submarines. Fleet's home port will be naval base to be established at Cheju Island by 2014.
Two of three KDX-III destroyers scheduled to be constructed have been already put afloat, third one to be commissioned as early as 2012. Sejong-project lead ship The Great started combat service in Dec 2008, third destroyer Yi I will fall on combat training tasks accomplishment in 2009 upon termination of sea trials.
One of six Korean destroyers KDX-II headed for Somali coast in March to take part in anti-piracy mission – first abroad mission of Korean Navy.
Destroyers will shift each other twice a year during this mission.
"Considering the necessity of distant cruises we need new destroyers", said Kim Jang-su, spokesman of South Korean ruling party. "If the price is the same, it is better to build three more KDX-II class ships than one KDX-III for $1 bln".
Aegis is one of the newest ship-based combat control systems including powerful phased array radars, SAM system and modern computers. By means of this system, American, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish and Korean ships may simultaneously detect, track and defeat hundreds of aerial, ground-based, and sea-surface targets.
KDX-III is one of the most advanced ships equipped with Aegis system and capable to carry 128 SA missiles, SS missiles and antisubmarine missiles in vertical launchers.
The Light Carrier Historical Project
Today’s website is The Light Carrier Historical Project. This site is all about the WWII CVL. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1917 - USS Cassin (DD 43) is torpedoed by German submarine U-61 off the coast of Ireland. In trying to save the ship, Gunner's Mate Osmond Kelly Ingram becomes first American Sailor killed in World War I and later is awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism. He becomes the first enlisted man to have a ship named for him, in 1919.
1948 - First women officers on active duty are sworn in as commissioned officers in regular Navy under Women's Service Integration Act of June 1948 by Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan: Capt. Joy B. Hancock; Lt. Cmdr. Winifred R. Quick; Lt. Cmdr. Anne King; Lt. Cmdr. Frances L. Willoughby; Lt. Ellen Ford; Lt. Doris Cranmore; Lt. j.g. Doris A. Defenderfer; and Lt. j.g. Betty Rae Tennant.
1957 - USS Lake Champlain (CV 39) reaches Valencia, Spain, to assist in flood rescue work.
1960 - USS Patrick Henry (SSBN 599) begins successful firing of four Polaris test vehicles under operational rather than test conditions. Tests are completed Oct. 18.
1965 - U.S. Naval Support Activity Danang Vietnam established.
Photo of the Day
A landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 prepares to enter the well deck of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5).
Gator
