The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.

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This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Friday, December 13, 2013

Japan seeks more defense force...[ 3208 ]

Japan seeks more limber defense force

Jun Iiyama, Nikkei staff writer // December 12, 2013 6:04 am JST

The Osprey can take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a plane.

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TOKYO -- Japan's new defense planning will emphasize speed and flexibility, with integrated land, sea and air forces and more maneuverable weaponry.

Government and ruling bloc officials on Wednesday put together new National Defense Policy Guidelines and an accompanying medium-term plan. The cabinet is expected to finalize them, along with Japan's first-ever national security strategy, next week.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's approach to national security addresses China's widening naval reach and the threat posed by North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles.

"Dynamic Joint Defense Force," which is what the government is calling its concept, differs little in name from a key principle of the current guidelines, adopted in 2010 under a different ruling party. That idea, called "Dynamic Defense Force," seeks to boost deterrence by mobilizing units as needed anywhere in the country. But many in Abe's Liberal Democratic Party oppose simply copying the Democratic Party of Japan, hence the rebranding.

The new concept will guide equipment selection for the Self-Defense Forces in the next five years covered by the medium-term plan. The emphasis on maneuverability is apparent in the choice of the Osprey, a vertical take-off and landing transport plane used by the American military that can move personnel and material faster than helicopters. The Global Hawk spy drone is also on the government's wish list.

The Ground SDF will get new rapid-deployment divisions as well as an amphibious unit. It will also adopt a unified chain of command like the SDF's air and sea branches. A squadron of E-2C early warning surveillance planes will take up residence at the Air SDF's Naha base in Okinawa. The Maritime SDF will get additional small destroyers.

Abe's government will seek an increase in defense spending compared with the period covered by the 2010 plans. Officials are eyeing upwards of 24 trillion yen ($230 billion) in outlays over the five years starting next April.