Ethan Connell

Assistant Director @TaiwanMonitor looking at maritime security, MIW, cross-strait issues, and the Miami Dolphins. Posts photos of ships. Standard disclaimers.

[Ethan Connell @ethandconnell]

Excited to share some commentary I gave on the US Navy's mine countermeasures program and the LCS for @FT. Check it out!

[Financial Times @FT]

US confirms that two of its three Gulf-based minesweepers are in Malaysia https://t.co/iO8FM3d2ap

[Ethan Connell @ethandconnell]

@MoNDefense Going to use glub glub glub glub to describe the weather more often

[國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 @MoNDefense]

#Taiwan's Weather: glub glub glub glub The #ROCArmedForces: business as usual.

[Capital Weather @capitalweather]

So many awesome sky shots Friday night. This was definitely an upper echelon sunset.

Here are a several more amazing photos:

Credits:

* Washington D.C. Temple in Kensington (Courtney Homer)
* Above Dulles Airport (Jody McKitrick)
* Rainbow and lightning, from Rosslyn (Folk Fogan)
* Full rainbow (@tracywhq/Instagram)

[George Mason University @GeorgeMasonU]

250 years ago today, the Virginia Declaration of Rights was adopted by the Virginia Constitutional Convention.

Written by George Mason, the document inspired the Declaration of Independence and became a cornerstone for the U.S. Bill of Rights! #Virginia250 #MasonNation 💚💛

[Ethan Connell @ethandconnell]

36th Chemical Group caught smoking on the job

[Taiwan Security Monitor (台灣安全觀測站) @TaiwanMonitor]

The ROCA's 36th Chemical Group conducted a 10-day, 9-night CTC 2.0 base training event at a southern training center, practicing smoke operations in a high-intensity, force-on-force environment.

During the exercise, the 36th Chemical Group’s Smoke Battalion employed M56 turbine smoke generators and M3A3 mechanical smoke generators to screen main-force movement, assaults, and tactical maneuver.

[Taiwan Security Monitor (台灣安全觀測站) @TaiwanMonitor]

Somaliland opened its new representative office in Taipei’s Tianmu diplomatic district, marking another step in Taiwan–Somaliland ties since the two sides established reciprocal representative offices in 2020.

Somaliland’s representative said the relationship has expanded across education, healthcare, agriculture, technology, energy, and maritime affairs, while Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu highlighted future cooperation on maritime security, humanitarian assistance, and infrastructure.

[Capital Weather @capitalweather]

Amazing shelf cloud photo as intense thunderstorm moves into DC Thursday evening. Photo by @the_carmelody/Instagram

We have a great compilation of shelf cloud photos here: https://t.co/LqGWJilyg8

[Taiwan Security Monitor (台灣安全觀測站) @TaiwanMonitor]

China’s Ministry of Transport says its “special maritime traffic law-enforcement and sweep-survey operation” east of Taiwan has concluded and has released the attached map.

According to CCTV, the operation covered 1,030 nm of sailing and sweep-survey work from June 6-10, with Chinese government vessels inspecting 198 vessel transits and "correcting three instances of vessel violations or infractions."

CCTV framed the operation as a response to Japan and the Philippines’ announced talks on maritime delimitation east of Taiwan, claiming the talks “seriously infringe” China’s sovereignty and maritime rights.

[Ethan Connell @ethandconnell]

Link to awards: https://t.co/gpdWjwNRVF

[Ethan Connell @ethandconnell]

1/ Today’s Navy contracts include awards for enterprise maintenance/logistics IT modernization, naval nuclear propulsion components, hypersonic weapon prototyping, and maintenance for USS Iwo Jima.

[Ethan Connell @ethandconnell]

6/ Walashek Industrial & Marine received a $9.7M option for maintenance, modernization, and repair of steam propulsion plant systems aboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7).

The work is tied to the ship’s FY2026 selected restricted availability and is expected to run through May 2028.

[Taiwan Security Monitor (台灣安全觀測站) @TaiwanMonitor]

Additional images from Taiwan's Military News Agency highlighting recent HIMARS live-fire exercises:

[Capital Weather @capitalweather]

NEW: Severe thunderstorm watch for large parts of the DC area until 10p.

Storms most likely between 7 and 10p, esp from DC northward. Some storms could produce damaging wind gusts, torrential rain and lightning.

We'll have more updates as storms approach.

More info: https://t.co/Gbizf1y2JX

[Capital Weather @capitalweather]

🏖️ Heading to the Maryland or Delaware beaches this weekend? Our weekend beach forecast -- our first one as an independent Capital Weather! -- is up at https://t.co/Jm2qthUpLG and the Capital Weather app.

[Taiwan Security Monitor (台灣安全觀測站) @TaiwanMonitor]

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has released its FY2027 defense appropriations bill, including $2B for Taiwan’s defense.

The bill would provide $1B for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative (TSCI) and another $1B to replace or reimburse defense articles and services provided to Taiwan.

The measure follows the House Armed Services Committee’s FY2027 NDAA language authorizing up to $1B for TSCI, but both bills still need to clear the House and Senate before reaching the president’s desk.

[Randy Clarke @wmataGM]

New @wmata smart trip card dropping soon…plus limited edition Metro 50th & America 250th merch and wraps!