Glaring errors by US Naval Institute on World Navies

In their International Fleet review in the March 2015 issue of Proceedings the US Naval Institute made many mistakes about the activities of the World’s Navies, many of them glaring.

In the case of Iran they ignore there are three Jamaran class FFG’s under construction, one in Khorramshahr, two in Bandar Abbas.  They also ignore the acquisition of the Aquitaine class DDG Tahya Misr by Egypt from France, the Israeli deal to acquire two Sachsen class DDG’s from Germany, the Turkish Juan Carlos I variant Amphibious Carrier under construction in Tuzla, the Algerian Navy acquiring two Russian Steregushchy class and three Chinese Bengbu class FFG’s.

They also wrongly assume that India is seeking more American weapons, when in fact India has not been satisfied with American material since the USS Trenton/INS Jalashva LPD acquisition.  They also ignore that all three Kolkata class DDG’s are operational, the INS Kolkata is simply the only one commissioned, and they ignore the new Visakhapatnam class DDG’s, with the INS Visakhapatnam being launched and INS Porbandar under construction.  India also has commissioned the first two Arihant class SSBN’s, and the progress on the Supercarriers India is building, with INS Vikrant almost complete and INS Vishul commencing construction.  Most glaringly, they ignore the fact India has been exporting warships to other countries over the past few years, namely Sri Lanka and Mauritius.  Indonesia is also becoming an exporter, building two Makassar class LPD’s for the Philippines and instructing Peru how to build two Makassar class LPD’s, while purchasing two FFG’s from the Netherlands.  Australia has already launched the HMAS Hobart DDG, simply allowing the Canberra class Amphibious Carriers to be completed first.  Japan has already commissioned the JDS Izumo and has commenced construction on the second Izumo class Carrier.  China has already completed two Type 55 class DDG’s, and is collaborating with Singapore on building Aircraft Carriers.

No mention is made of Russia’s two Admiral Gorshkov class DDG’s which have been launched, or the full status on the joint Amphibious Carrier with France.  The full status of the production of the Aquitaine class DDG’s is ignored, as is the two Baden-Wuerttemberg class DDG’s Germany has launched, the new Multirole Command/Logistical Ship KNM Maud Norway is acquiring from South Korea, or the fact that all Venezuelan Mariscal Sucre class FFG”s are now operational.

The US Naval Institute needs to better check it’s facts.  Had they checked directly from satellite images and the websites of other countries as I have done they would not have made these mistakes.