“This is a very interesting YouTube story about the Artesian Basin. While not the main purpose of the story, it does demonstrate natural climate change over the years.”

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE CNN article

Why new Chinese maritime tech is spooking defense watchers | CNN

ED: An email from Bob Buick on the subject prompted me to put together my thoughts as to why the Chinese ship were in our waters.

Why Did PLA Navy Ships Circumnavigate Australia?

By Ray Payne OAM

Recently, warships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) completed a circumnavigation of Australia. On the surface, it might appear as a routine “freedom of navigation” operation or a training exercise. But when viewed through a broader strategic lens, I believe there’s a more pointed reason behind this Southern Hemisphere cruise.

The Chinese, I suspect, are conducting a form of strategic reconnaissance — not for geography or naval exercise alone, but to map the undersea communications cable network that wraps around our continent.

In the modern world, over 95% of global data — including internet traffic, financial transactions, and military communications — travels through undersea fibre-optic cables. These cables are the silent arteries of the global information network. They’re largely unprotected, and their locations are well-documented in civilian mapping data.

Should conflict erupt over Taiwan — and drag in the US, Japan, Australia, and other allies — one of the first moves in a broader information and cyber war would likely be the severing of these cables. This would effectively isolate countries like Australia from real-time coordination with allies. It would be a strategic masterstroke: cripple communication, sow confusion, and delay any unified military or political response.

Satellites would also be prime targets in such a conflict. Communication, navigation (including GPS), and surveillance satellites are all vulnerable to anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) — and China has demonstrated capabilities in this area. In a matter of hours, the digital lattice that underpins modern defence and civilian life could collapse.

In such a scenario, we would see a rapid reversion to legacy communication systems. HF radio, encrypted Morse code, and even physically couriered messages could once again play a vital role in military coordination. Civilian and military infrastructure would need to fall back on systems many believed were obsolete — though, ironically, some have kept these systems alive precisely because of this risk.

Those PLAN vessels weren’t just stretching their sea legs. I believe they were scanning, mapping, and perhaps even deploying remote sensing equipment or underwater drones to mark key data choke points.

We ignore this at our peril. Australia must assume that our undersea cable infrastructure is already marked and mapped by potential adversaries. Hardening these systems, establishing redundancies, and investing in secure, alternative communication channels should be seen as vital national security priorities.

We’re not just talking about the internet going down — we’re talking about digital isolation in the opening hours of a modern war.

• Choked on a carrot this morning, and all I could think of was, “I’ll bet a doughnut wouldn’t have done this to me.”
• Nothing spoils a good story more than the arrival of an eyewitness. (Mark Twain)
• It only takes one slow-walking person in the grocery store to destroy the illusion that I’m a nice person.
• It turns out that when asked who your favourite child is, you’re supposed to pick out one of your own. I know that now.
• It’s fine to eat a test grape in the produce section, but you take one bite of rotisserie chicken and it’s all, “Sir, you need to leave!”
• One thing no one ever talks about, when it comes to being an older adult, is how much time we devote to keeping a cardboard box because it is, you know, a really good box.
• I can’t believe I forgot to go to the gym today. That’s seven years in a row, now.
• If you dropped something when you were younger, you just picked it up. When you’re older and you drop something, you stare at it for just a bit contemplating if you need it anymore.
• I like to make lists. I also like to leave them lying on the kitchen counter and then guess what’s on the list when I am at the store.
• Ask your doctor if a drug with 32 pages of side effects is bad for you.
• I relabelled all of the jars in my wife’s spice rack. I’m not in trouble yet, but the thyme is cumin.
• I just read a book about marriage that says treat your wife like you treated her on your first date. So, tonight after dinner I’m dropping her off at her parent’s house.
• The best way to get back on your feet is to miss two car payments.
• I love bacon. Sometimes I eat it twice a day. It takes my mind off the terrible chest pains I keep getting.
• As I watch this generation try to rewrite history, one thing I am sure of is that it will be misspelled and have no punctuation.
• Driver: “What am I supposed to do with this speeding ticket?”  Officer: “Keep it. When you collect four of them, you get a bicycle.”
• I asked a supermarket employee where they kept the canned peaches. He said, “I’ll see,” and walked away.  I asked another and he also said, “I’ll see,” and walked away. In the end, I gave up and found them myself, in Aisle C.
• I told my physical therapist that I broke my arm in two (2) places. He told me to stop going to those places.
• I put our scale in the bathroom corner and that’s where the little liar will stay until it apologizes.
• When I was a kid, I used to watch the ‘Wizard of Oz’ and wonder how someone could talk if they didn’t have a brain. Then I got Facebook.
• Do you ever get up in the morning, look in the mirror & think, “That can’t be accurate!”
• I want to be 14 again and ruin my life differently. I have new ideas.
• Apparently RSVP’ing to a wedding invitation with “Maybe next time” isn’t the correct response.
• A guy walks into a lumberyard & asks for some 2x4s. The clerk asks, “How long do you need them?” The guy answers, “A long time. We’re gonna build a house.”
• I just burned 1,200 calories. I forgot the pizza in the oven.
• Who knew that the hardest thing about being an adult is figuring out what to fix for dinner and doing it every single night for the rest of your life until you die?
• I hate it when people act all intellectual and talk about Mozart when they’ve never even seen one of his paintings.
• Never trust an electrician with no eyebrows.
• So, my neighbour knocked on my front door at 3 a.m. 3AM!!! Luckily, I was already up playing the bagpipes.
• Instead of cleaning my house, I just watch an episode of “The Hoarders,” and think, “Wow! My house looks great.”

ED: While I was digging up stories for today’s newsletter, I was shocked when I saw the headline “Denmark is sending soldiers to Ukraine.” But as I read on, I realized I might’ve jumped the gun a bit.

• They won’t be armed.
• They’re heading in to get hands-on experience with drone warfare tactics.

Danish troops are set to attend short-term military courses in western Ukraine, well away from the active front lines. The training will focus on skills such as reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and executing targeted attacks using drones. Major General Peter Boysen clarified that Danish soldiers are not being deployed to fight but to learn from Ukraine’s frontline experiences, particularly in modern warfare tactics.

Ukraine’s pioneering use of drones has become a defining feature of its defence strategy and is widely regarded as having reshaped contemporary combat. Both Ukraine and Russia have heavily relied on unmanned aerial systems for surveillance, targeting, and offensive operations. Denmark views this deployment as an opportunity to observe a “live testbed” for the development of advanced drone technologies and associated battlefield tactics.

The decision has sparked a strong response from Moscow. Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin condemned the move as a provocation, warning Denmark against increasing its involvement in the conflict. Barbin also cautioned that any military facility within Ukraine, regardless of its distance from the front lines, could be considered a legitimate target by Russian forces.

Denmark’s initiative forms part of its broader and long-standing support for Ukraine. In 2024, Copenhagen signed a 10-year security agreement with Kyiv, underlining its commitment to long-term defence cooperation. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Denmark has remained one of Ukraine’s most steadfast allies.

ED: My concern: You can easily picture a situation where, God forbid, a Russian strike hits them. NATO would then face a tough call—whether to enter the war or brush it off as a tragic accident.

An image from Korean Central Television shows leader Kim Jong Un checking the work on a new warship late last year. Korean Central TV

North Korea is reportedly building what could be the largest and most technologically advanced warship in its history, marking a bold step in Kim Jong Un’s ongoing push to modernise his military forces. However, despite impressive satellite imagery and speculation about cutting-edge capabilities, serious doubts remain about whether Pyongyang can truly bring such a project to fruition.

A Colossus at Nampo

Recent satellite photographs have revealed the construction of an enormous vessel at the Nampo shipyard on North Korea’s western coast. Measuring approximately 459 feet in length, the ship dwarfs all other known surface combatants in the North Korean navy. Analysts believe the vessel is a guided-missile frigate, potentially equipped with vertical launch systems capable of deploying missiles for both land and maritime targets.

Modern Ambitions, Old Limitations

While the size and apparent armament of the ship suggest modern naval aspirations, experts remain deeply sceptical of its true capabilities. Among the advanced features speculated are phased-array radar systems, which would significantly enhance the vessel’s ability to detect and track threats. However, North Korea faces steep technical challenges in integrating such sophisticated technologies, particularly in areas like communications, fire control, and sensor fusion.

The Russian Connection

One factor potentially aiding this ambitious build is Pyongyang’s strengthening ties with Moscow. As relations with Russia deepen, particularly amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, there are growing suspicions that North Korea may be receiving technological assistance from the Kremlin. Analysts point to the possibility of missile tech transfers or other naval system support in exchange for North Korean manpower on the Ukrainian front lines. If true, such cooperation could explain how North Korea is managing to sidestep international sanctions and technological bottlenecks.

A Navy in Name Only?

Despite Kim’s high-profile attempts to revamp the country’s naval force, the broader picture of North Korea’s maritime power remains bleak. Its current navy is largely outdated, with its only major surface combatants dating back to the 1970s. Constructing and, more critically, operating a modern warship of this magnitude demands not only advanced technology but also logistical and operational infrastructure that North Korea likely lacks.

Projection or Reality?

If this new frigate is indeed equipped with hypersonic missiles, as some have speculated, it could pose a serious challenge to regional stability. Yet many experts caution against taking these claims at face value. North Korea has a history of showcasing visually impressive weapon systems that often fall short of their advertised capabilities. To many seasoned observers, this latest warship is another example of North Korea’s preference for propaganda over performance.

In the end, the construction of this frigate—whether it becomes a fully functional warship or remains a showpiece—speaks volumes about Kim Jong Un’s ambitions. But turning ambition into reliable maritime power is a very different challenge, and one North Korea may not yet be equipped to meet.