The War ZoneTue 19th Jan

Israeli Corvette Emerges With A Double Load Of Iron Dome Missiles As Potential Threats Grow

A photo has emerged of the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 5 class corvette Lahav armed with two Iron Dome air defense system launchers, apparently for the first time. This comes as Israel continues to be on a heightened state of alert as tensions with Iran and amid reports that Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen now possess Iranian-supplied “suicide drones” capable of reaching targets within the country.

Aviation ListMon 18th Jan

“Legion 15”: The Story Of The Italian Air Force Tornado IDS Shot Down During Operation Desert Storm

Even though the fact that the Italian Air Force lost one Tornado IDS during the service’s first Operation Desert Storm (ODS) air strike is very well known, the details about that mission that you can find online and in many aviation books are limited, if not completely wrong. In some cases, the only right thing is that the attack aircraft was shot down and the aircrew, pilot Maj. Gianmarco Bellini and navigator Capt. Maurizio Cocciolone ejected and became POW (Prisoners of War). For this reason, it’s worth, once and for all, setting the records straight.

Defence BlogMon 18th Jan

Excalibur Army unveils new 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer

Czech defense contractor EXCALIBUR ARMY officially unveiled its new 155mm 8×8 wheeled self-propelled howitzer called the DITA.

Defense NewsMon 18th Jan

Off the California coast, the US Navy tests hunting subs with an aerial drone

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy and General Atomics in November used sonobuoys dropped from an MQ-9A Block V Reaper to track a simulated submarine target on a U.S. Navy Pacific test range, in what GA says is the first time an aerial drone has deployed a self-contained anti-submarine warfare system.

The War ZoneMon 18th Jan

The Story Of The Jet That Would Have Delivered South Africa’s Nuclear Bomb

South Africa, an international pariah for much of the Cold War due to its apartheid policy, remains the only country to have developed nuclear weapons and then voluntarily given them up. Before it did so, the main focus of these developments was an air-launched weapon that was intended to be delivered by a Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer strike aircraft. This combination could potentially have struck targets in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as part of South Africa’s long-running campaign against regional rebel groups, or even hostile revolutionary governments.

Defense NewsMon 18th Jan

General education: What Austin can learn from Mattis’s rocky relationship with Congress

WASHINGTON ― The Warrior Monk was having a bad meeting.

The War ZoneMon 18th Jan

Listen To What The Capitol's 'Giant Voice' Alert System Sounds Like When It Goes Into Lockdown

Downtown Washington, D.C. has been turned into a veritable fortress in the wake of the storming of the Capitol building and ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration this week, as you can read about more in this War Zone piece from yesterday. Tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel, as well as law enforcement officers, are in place and on high alert. We have now gotten a demonstration of the take-absolutely-no-chances security posture in place in the city after a nearby fire triggered a brief lockdown at the Capitol, complete with loudspeakers blaring a message directing people to shelter in place or otherwise seek cover due to an "external security threat."

Overt DefenseMon 18th Jan

US Responds to Mexico’s Decision to Not Charge Ex-Minister of Defense

In October 2020, Mexican Ex-Minister of Defense General Salvador Cienfuegos, accused of corruption and cooperating with cartels, such as H-2, while in office from 2012-2018, was arrested by American authorities at Los Angeles International Airport. The Mexican government, which had apparently not been made aware of the investigation into Cienfuegos, was furious.

Overt DefenseMon 18th Jan

“I Cannot Wait To Leave This Job, Believe Me”: A Tale Of Two Appointees

With the impending departure of the Trump administration, the various political appointees in the Pentagon are similarly clearing out their desks. While the jury is still out on whether they could return in some other capacity in the future, what is certain is that some aren’t going to depart without offering up a parting soundbite or two to reporters, with Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller’s now-immortal quip from Thursday that “I cannot wait to leave this job, believe me” probably the most striking example.

Aviation WeekMon 18th Jan

NASA’s Mars InSight Lander Team Gives Up On Digging

Overt DefenseMon 18th Jan

Russian Troop Deployed on Golan Heights Fail to Deter IAF Airstrikes

The recent deployment of the Russian troops on the Golan Heights, Syria, was unexpected as both Russia and Israel retain a good relationship. However, the decision of the Russian Ministry of Defense to allocate some of the peacekeeping troops (dubbed ‘Mirotvortsy’) seemingly opposes the recognition of the Israeli claims over the Golan Heights and inserts Russian troops into the conflict between the Syrian regime and Tel Aviv. Supposedly, it is an answer to the discriminate Israeli attack on the Shia militias and Syrian forces deployed on the Syrian-Israel border. Russians claimed it was prepared to retaliate against Israeli strikes if necessary.

Aviation WeekMon 18th Jan

Thales Teams With Bharat To Offer Starstreak In India

Overt DefenseMon 18th Jan

US Amphibious Ships To Be Equipped With Ship Killer Missiles

The US Navy is actively seeking new assets to overcome the Chinese supremacy in the West Pacific region. One such idea is to equip the US Navy’s amphibious ships with anti-ship missiles in order to increase capability within the region.

Aviation ListMon 18th Jan

New Details About The Advanced Radar That Will Equip Tempest 6th Gen. Aircraft Revealed By Leonardo’s Engineers

A few months ago, Leonardo revealed to media outlets that the new Multi-Function Radar Frequency System (MRFS), the radar which will equip the Tempest sixth generation aircraft, will collect and process 10,000 times more data than existing systems, or “equivalent to the internet traffic of a large city every second”. The company also said that complete sub-systems have already been built and successfully tested, paving the way eventually to future airborne testing, but did not provide other details.

Defence BlogMon 18th Jan

U.S. Army to buy general-purpose and hardened penetration bombs

The U.S. Army Contracting Command announced in a Jan. 14 notice posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website that Army is looking to buy Mk-80 series general-purpose and BLU-109 hardened penetration bomb kits. 

Defence BlogMon 18th Jan

U.S. Navy to award contract for new electromagnetic aircraft catapult

General Atomics, a defense contractor that manufactures electromagnetic aircraft launch and recovery systems, will receive a contract for the procurement of supplies and services in support of new digital catapult systems of the Ford Class of Carriers.  

Defense NewsMon 18th Jan

Four challenges to countering WMDs — and how to overcome them

We’re entering a new year of promise in our enduring mission to counter the threat of weapons of mass destruction, with the recently announced joint efforts of Interpol and the U.N., the shift from U.S. Strategic Command to U.S. Special Operations Command, and the recalibration of a “countering weapons of mass destruction,” or CWMD, posture by many nation states.

Defence BlogMon 18th Jan

U.S. Marine Corps uses MRZR tactical warfighter as mobile command vehicle

The U.S. Marine Corps shared his experience with the use of the light, all-terrain platform as a mobile command post and communication vehicle. 

Defence BlogMon 18th Jan

Pentagon sends B-52 bombers to Middle East in show of power

The U.S. military flew a pair of B-52 Stratofortress long-range bombers to the Middle East Sunday for a deterrence mission against Iran.

Defence BlogMon 18th Jan

U.S. Marines conduct UTV training in Japan

The U.S. Marine Corps announced on Friday that Marines with 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division, have conducted the Utility-Terrain Vehicle Driver’s Course on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan.

The War ZoneMon 18th Jan

25,000 Guardsmen Are In The Capital, Five Times The Troops In Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq Combined

America sits on the precipice of a presidential inauguration the likes of which we have never seen in our lifetime. A deeply divided nation is still coming to terms with the events on Capitol Hill on January 6, when pro-Trump protestors stormed the Capitol, chanted about hanging Vice President Mike Pence, assailed police, and ran wild through the halls of America's seat of representative democracy. In reaction to those events and as the result of an avalanche of troubling intelligence, the center of the nation's capital has become a locked-down fortress with thousands of law enforcement officers from an array of federal and local agencies backstopped by an unprecedented deployment of National Guardsmen to the Capital Region—set to eclipse 25,000 troops in total. That is roughly five times the amount of troops now in Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq combined. 

Aviation WeekSun 17th Jan

Virgin Orbit Achieves Success With Second LauncherOne Test

Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket successfully reached space for the first time on Jan. 17, carrying 10 small satellites to orbit and marking a key milestone for the privately developed air-launched system.

The War ZoneSun 17th Jan

Iran's Missiles Landing Within 100 Miles Of A U.S. Carrier Is Provocative But Not Much Else

Iran's testing of a variety of medium-range ballistic missiles yesterday has caused a lot of misplaced fear and misunderstanding. The launch, which was part of the country's "first phase" of its Great Prophet 15 exercise, was not a surprise and saw ballistic missiles traveling over 1,000 miles into the Indian Ocean in a claimed anti-ship ballistic missile test. The missiles splashed down 100 miles from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group that has been operating in the region and 20 miles from another unidentified ship. Iran claims it destroyed a floating target in the tests, although this has not been confirmed in any way.

Aviation ListSun 17th Jan

Second B-21 Raider Under Construction As The First One Approaches Roll-Out In Early 2022

A second B-21 Raider bomber is under construction at Northrop Grumman’s facility at the United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, while the first one slowly takes shape ahead of its expected roll-out in early 2022. This program update was provided by Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, during a recent interview with Air Force Magazine.

Defence BlogSun 17th Jan

U.S. Army helicopters participate in unique joint exercise in Greece

On Saturday, the 241st Mobile Public Affairs Detachment has announced that U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), together with Hellenic Armed Forces, executed Eddie’s Odyssey, a first of its kind, joint training mission on Velopoula Island and over the Aegean Sea.

Defence BlogSun 17th Jan

Ukraine’s Motor Sich awarded $800 million contract to support Chinese JL-10 trainer fleet

Ukrainian manufacturer of jet engines Motor Sich has agreed to a record $800 million contract with People’s Liberation Army for turbofan AI-322 engine production, according to multiple reports.

Defence BlogSun 17th Jan

Russian Navy deploys stealth patrol vessel to Syria

The Russian Navy had deployed its latest patrol vessel Dmitry Rogachev to the naval base at Tartus on the north Syrian coast.

Aviation WeekSat 16th Jan

SLS Core Stage Hot Fire Shuts Down Early

The 212-ft.-long core stage for NASA’s first Space Launch System (SLS) rocket ignited for a long-awaited static hot fire on Jan. 16, the last major test in a decade-long initiative to build a superheavy-lift rocket for human travel beyond low Earth orbit. 

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Modernized Trident Missiles Require Rigorous Testing

The senior admiral directing the strategic systems program placed a strong emphasis on the rigorous testing of modernized Trident missiles to ensure their accuracy and reliability, as the Navy transitions from the Ohio-class to the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Trump Orders U.S. Central Command to Include Israel

The decision caps the outgoing administration's efforts to build a regional defense arrangement to counter Iran.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Iran Fires Long-Range Missiles Into Indian Ocean

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday fired long-range ballistic missiles into the Indian Ocean on the second day of a military exercise, state media reported.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Army Leaders Bracing for Budget Reductions

The Army is prepared to sacrifice near-term readiness for modernization if bleak budget forecasts come to pass, according to one senior official.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Russia to Exit Open Skies Treaty, Escalating Military Rivalry With U.S.

Washington withdrew from the treaty, which lets countries make reconnaissance flights over each other’s territory, last year. Moscow’s move could signal difficulties for the Biden administration.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

The Cno Has a Navigation Plan for China

Haste. That’s a recurring theme in Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Mike Gilday’s 2021 “Navigation Plan,” released this week. The Navigation Plan is a directive subsidiary to the “Triservice Maritime Strategy” published by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard last month. It explains how the navy should and must do its part to execute the Maritime Strategy.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

From Trump to Biden

On January 6, 2021, a mob of American rioters stormed the Capitol building in Washington, DC. The ensuing melee led to the killing of a Capitol Police officer and the death of four rioters. The episode was a national disgrace. It was an assault on Congress. It was an attempt to forcibly overturn the results of a democratic election. It was a gift to foreign enemies whose main goal is to see American power and leadership laid low, riven by internal division and chaos. And it would not have happened without the encouragement of the president of the United States, Donald Trump.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

National Guard Force in DC Grows to 25,000

The Pentagon announced Friday that it has increased the number of National Guard troops authorized for inauguration security to 25,000, even as military officials scramble to find suitable quarters to house Guardsmen flooding into Washington, D.C.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

More Than a Stress Test for the Army

The recent amalgam of failures at Fort Hood could have occurred at almost any installation if we are honest with ourselves. Those failures spotlight the inherent tension between recruiting and retaining soldiers for the size of force we say we need while maintaining the high position of trust we say we want. Indeed, we have not progressed nearly as far as we should, and the need for reform is palpable at the small-unit level. We must pair well-intended, downstream initiatives with systemic, upstream changes.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

From Counterterrorism to Irregular Warfare?

So, are we ending our counterterrorism missions and switching to a new Irregular Warfare model to tackle the insecurity issues of the world? Not exactly.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Conflicts to Watch in 2021

A crisis stemming from North Korea’s continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile testing is the top-ranked conflict concern for 2021, according to the Council on Foreign Relations’ (CFR) thirteenth annual Preventive Priorities Survey. The survey identifies potential violent overseas conflicts where U.S. troops might be deployed in the year ahead.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Navy's First Constellation Frigate Will Start Fabrication This Year

The first hull in a new Navy ship class in more than a decade is set to start construction later this year, the service’s program manager said this week.

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

F-35 Program Demonstrated Stellar Performance In 2020

Real Clear DefenseSat 16th Jan

Economic and Diplomatic Power is not a Substitute for Military Strength

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

Ukraine in talks to buy 5.56mm assault rifles

Ukrainian Armed Forces are in advanced talks with an unnamed European defense contractor about a possible purchase of a batch of 5.56mm caliber assault rifles, according to a source in the Czech defense industry.

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

U.S. National Guards sends more Soldiers in support of the Presidential Inauguration

The U.S. National Guars has deployed additional Soldiers and equipment to assist civilian law enforcement and officials with the protection of property and providing a safe environment for citizens to exercise their right to peacefully assemble and protest leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20.

The War ZoneSat 16th Jan

Bunker Talk: Let's Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn't Cover This Week

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn't cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did. In other words, it's literally an off-topic thread.

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

U.S. Air Force conducts military operations over Black Sea

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England conducted a joint training mission over the Black Sea, January. 14, 2020.

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

U.S. Air National Guard deploys F-35 stealth fighters to Florida

The U.S. Air National Guard has deployed 10 F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to 158th Fighter Wing to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida to participate in a weapon system validation exercise.

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

C-17 Globemaster III passes four million flight hours milestone

The C-17 Globemaster III massive long-haul military transport aircraft has now flown more than four million flight hours, achieving this impressive milestone in 25 years of operations. 

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

Ukraine reportedly to acquire 8 AN-74 transport aircraft

The Ukrainian Armed Forces will reportedly buy up to 8 An-74 multipurpose transport aircraft to replace the aging AN-26 fleet.

Defence BlogSat 16th Jan

Russian Air Force conducts a mass launch of AN-124 heavy cargo aircraft

For the first time, the Russian Air Force has conducted a mass launch of 6 AN-124 (Nato reporting name Condor) cargo aircraft, practicing the combat capability of safely and swiftly launching a large number of heavy aircraft.

The War ZoneSat 16th Jan

General Atomics' Stealthy Avenger Drone Flies With Infrared Search And Track Pod

General Atomics has conducted a flight test involving one of its stealthy Avenger unmanned aircraft carrying a Lockheed Martin Legion Pod under its wing. The Legion Pod is fitted with an infrared search and track sensor, or IRST, designed to detect and track other aircraft at extended ranges, but can also be configured to carry various other sensors and systems. This combination could quickly give Avengers an array of new capabilities for use when acting as a "loyal wingman" together with manned aircraft or flying autonomously, alone or together with other unmanned platforms. 

The War ZoneFri 15th Jan

Those Mysterious Dark Helicopters Were Landing On Multiple Downtown LA Rooftops Last Night (Updated)

A trio of mysterious gray Bell 407 helicopters equipped with unique antennas, which may belong to an especially secretive U.S. military aviation unit, was up in the skies again over greater Los Angeles yesterday. You can read more about what we've been able to determine about them so far in our initial reporting here. During their most recent flights, two of them landed multiple times on rooftops in downtown L.A. This is very reminiscent of realistic urban training exercises that the U.S. Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment has conducted in the same general area in the past, among other locations across the United States.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

Thales Alenia To Plan European Satellite Servicing Demo

Breaking DefenseFri 15th Jan

No CMMC Penalty for Companies Hit By Solar Wind Hack

ALBUQUERQUE: The massive SolarWinds hack was exposed just as the Pentagon was, ironically, rolling out a new approach to cybersecurity. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification is designed to ensure companies in the Pentagon’s supply chain are as secure as they claim to be.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Saudi Arabia makes artificial intelligence a cornerstone of its 2030 vision

BEIRUT — As Saudi Arabia moves forward with an ambitious economic plan, the country’s data and artificial intelligence authority released a multiphase strategy that aims to position the nation as a global leader in the field by 2030.

The War ZoneFri 15th Jan

North Korea’s New Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile Is Its Biggest Yet

Right on cue, after declaring the United States its biggest threat and announcing it was preparing for a new round of weapons tests, North Korea presented several examples of an apparently new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) during a parade in its capital, Pyongyang. The missiles and various other weapons rolled through Kim Il Sung Square under the gaze of the country’s leader Kim Jong Un as part of North’s Korea’s latest grand propaganda display of its growing military might.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

Acting Defense Secretary Skeptical Of U.S. F-35 Investment

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Pentagon weapons tester wants to delay fielding of new Army tactical network tools

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Defense’s weapons tester recommended that the Army delay fielding decisions for radios and other communications gear from its most recent integrated tactical network toolset until a brigade has a chance to test them fully in March.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

In the wake of tragedy, the US surface fleet is all in on simulators

WASHINGTON — It has been nearly four years since one of the worst years in modern U.S. Navy history, when a string of accidents and collisions sidelined three ships and resulted in the deaths of 17 sailors. But the service’s top surface warfare officer wants to make clear that it hasn’t moved on.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

HASC Chairman Initiates Process To Grant Defense Secretary Waiver

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

US Army taps industry for autonomous drones to resupply troops

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is tapping industry for drones that can deliver supplies to infantry brigade combat teams in the field, according to a request for information posted to the federal contracting website Beta.Sam.Gov on Jan. 13.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

EU Looking For Synergies Between Space And Defense

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

French Army orders 364 Serval armored vehicles

PARIS — The French Army is expected to receive 108 Serval armored vehicles in 2022 as part of an order from manufacturers Nexter and Texelis totaling 364.

Breaking DefenseFri 15th Jan

Space Force Awards NSTXL Space Consortium Contract

WASHINGTON: After The Washington Post questioned the choice of the nonprofit National Security Technology Accelerator to run the public-private Space Enterprise Consortium, the Space Force delayed the contract award while it reviewed the concerns. Two weeks after the Post article appeared, the service today officially gave the contract to NSTXL, saying it had found no issues that would affect the firm’s performance.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

Raytheon, Palantir Selected To Compete For U.S. Army’s TITAN

Aviation ListFri 15th Jan

RAF C-17 Trained For The First Time To Operate From Austere Runways

The Royal Air Force recently announced that a C-17 Globemaster III of 99 Squadron operated for the first time from an austere runway in Louisiana, United States. As mentioned in the press release, “the entire crew experienced first-hand the complexities of operating in this type of environment and learnt how best to prepare both aircraft and personnel to deliver safely, when called upon”.

Breaking DefenseFri 15th Jan

Missile Defense Costs To Soar $5B A Year: CBO

WASHINGTON: Pentagon investment in missile defense from 2020 through 2029 may total a whopping $176 billion, says the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in a new study. This estimate represents a $50 billion increase from CBO’s previous 2017-2026 missile defense cost review — or $5 billion per year.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

NASA Picks More University Research Projects

Overt DefenseFri 15th Jan

Australia Formally Selects AH-64E Apaches As Tiger Replacements

Australia’s Defense Minister Linda Reynolds announced today that the Australian Defense Forces will be purchasing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters to replace the “Aussie Tigers” currently used in the armed reconnaissance helicopter (ARH) mission, with the first AH-64Es to be delivered starting from 2025.

Overt DefenseFri 15th Jan

Space Force Decides on preferred Headquarters Location

Could it be sweet home Alabama for the US military’s newest branch? According to a statement released by the service on Wednesday, the Space Force would like its home to be Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Secrets of Tempest’s ground-breaking radar revealed

ROME – Radar engineers on the Tempest fighter program have said they expect to break data processing records. The secret, they explain, is all about miniaturization and going digital.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

The Revolution Behind the Attempted Revolution

Was the Capitol Riot America’s equivalent of the Reichstag Fire?  Or were the shots fired there more akin to those of Fort Sumter, presaging a second Civil War?  Making a comparison to other singular micro events in history is often problematic due to the many differences in each case.  But exploring the causes behind the revolt, especially the macro events that shaped the environment in which dissent, anger, and frustration have festered, is far easier.  The insurrection that played out across the offices and hallways of the U.S. Capitol was not just a reflection of the anger and seditious behavior of some  Americans, it was a symptom of the fissures wrought by the information revolution which has been tearing the fabric of global society apart for the last few decades.  

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Navy Looks to Arm LPD-17 Amphibious Vessels With LRSM

If Naval Strike Missiles are implemented, the U.S. Navy will be fulfilling the original LPD-17 “San Antonio-class” designer’s vision that is now over two-decades old.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

Russia Withdraws From Open Skies Treaty

Breaking DefenseFri 15th Jan

Geurts Out As Navy Acquisition Executive; Biden Team Considers Who Is Next

WASHINGTON: The Biden team is making a clean break at the top of the Pentagon’s civilian leadership, with Navy acquisition chief James Geurts joining Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite out of the building on Jan. 20.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Aerovironment buys Arcturus UAV in $405M deal

WASHINGTON — Aerovironment, a leading supplier of unmanned aircraft systems to the U.S. military, has purchased Arcturus UAV for $405 million. Arcturus is currently competing for a $1 billion Army contract to replace the Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft system.

Overt DefenseFri 15th Jan

Israel and Slovakia Sign Deal on New Multi Mission Radars

In an intra-governmental deal, Slovakia is to purchase seventeen new Multi Mission Radar (MMR) systems manufactured by the ELTA division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The agreement is valued at approximately €150 million.

Defence BlogFri 15th Jan

Ukraine receives new batch of Humvee armoured vehicles

On Friday, the U.S. Embassy Kyiv Ukraine announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces has received a new batch of 20 HMMWV M1151 armoured vehicles along with 84 boats.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

SoftBank Reinvests In OneWeb

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

French forces get new batch of micro-drones for recon missions

PARIS – The DGA French military procurement agency has ordered 300 micro-drones from Parrot for reconnaissance and intelligence missions by the conventional and special forces.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

UK Supplier Halts Fuel System Sales For Turkish UAV

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Iran tests suicide drones that look similar to those used in Saudi attacks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard conducted a drill Friday that saw suicide drones crash into targets and explode — triangle-shaped aircraft that strongly resembled those used in a 2019 attack in Saudi Arabia that temporarily cut the kingdom’s oil production by half.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

See the weapons at North Korea’s latest military parade

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea displayed new submarine-launched ballistic missiles under development and other military hardware in a parade that underlined leader Kim Jong Un’s defiant calls to expand the country’s nuclear weapons program.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

In waning days, Trump shakes up CENTCOM to increase Arab-Israeli efforts against Iran

With just days left in his presidency and in a bid to solidify Arab-Israeli efforts against Iran before Joe Biden takes office, Donald Trump has shaken up the headquarters overseeing U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

The Six Blind Men and the Elephant

In the Indian parable of “The Blind Men and the Elephant,” six blind men come across an elephant by the side of the road. To learn about the animal, each feels the animal, unknowingly touching a different part. The man who happens to put his hand on the elephant’s side confidently announces, “Well, well! This beast, he is exactly like a wall.” The second, feeling the tusk, declares, “My brother, you are mistaken. He is more like a spear than anything else.” The third, holding the elephant’s trunk, proclaims, “Both of you are wrong. Clearly this animal is like a snake.” The remaining three men express equally divergent assessments — of the exact same animal.

Overt DefenseFri 15th Jan

India Introduces New Indigenous ASMI Submachine Gun

India has introduced a new 9x19mm submachine gun – the ASMI. Indigenously designed the new weapon uses modern materials and manufacturing techniques and it even takes Glock magazines, feeding from the extended 33 round magazines. It is claimed that the weapon will cost around 50,000 Indian Rupees or $685 to manufacture.

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Russia follows US to withdraw from Open Skies Treaty

MOSCOW — Russia said Friday it will withdraw from an international treaty allowing observation flights over military facilities following the U.S. exit from the pact.

Defence BlogFri 15th Jan

U.S. military says it found potential risk with new Chinook rotor blades

On 13 January, the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation has released his 2020 annual report on major Defense Department weapon systems, highlighting the identified issues with new fully composite blades of Chinook CH-47F Block II helicopter.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Hypersonics, Unmanned Ship Teaming Ahead for USS Zumwalt

Navy officials said this week that the destroyer, which still hasn't been deployed almost five years after she was christened, might find a place in the fleet after all.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Roper Concerned About Mid-Tier Industrial Base

The Air Force’s top weapons buyer is concerned that the acquisition of medium-sized companies by larger defense contractors will negatively impact competition for future programs.“You've seen some major acquisitions [of this sort] over the past couple of years, and they are huge caution flags for me. Not caution from the sense of, ‘Is it good business for that company?' ... They are caution flags in the sense of our industrial base is getting smaller," Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Will Roper told reporters Jan. 14 during what was expected to be his last press event before he steps down when the Biden administration takes office.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Sharpening America's 'Swiss Army Knife'

In the 2011 film Contagion, scenes unfold of the Army National Guard passing out food and participating in security missions as the world wrestles with an all-consuming virus. In a case of life imitating art, the Army National Guard has done precisely that, and more, during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Air Force's Hangar for Future B-21 Stealth Bombers

The U.S. Air Force held a virtual B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber industry day this week to discuss construction projects to house the new stealth bomber, known as the Raider, according to a release.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

NMCRS Should Extend Benefits to Reserve Component

Overt DefenseFri 15th Jan

Altay Tank Indigenous Engine Trials Among Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries’ Plans For 2021

The Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries has released a video outlining its plans for 2021, including the first trials of an indigenous engine for the Altay main battle tank project. 

Defence BlogFri 15th Jan

Kim Jong-un shows its new submarine-launched ballistic missile

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has unveiled a new submarine-launched ballistic missile at a parade in capital city Pyongyang on Thursday night.

Defence BlogFri 15th Jan

North Korea unveils next-generation short-range ballistic missile

North Korea held a new night-time military parade on Thursday, attended by leader Kim Jong-un.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Trump Orders Military Shift for Israeli-Arab Cooperation Against Iran

Defense policy move is latest step by administration to shape Middle East agenda for Biden

Defense NewsFri 15th Jan

Will improved relations with Qatar lead to more military cooperation?

BEIRUT — Six Gulf states and Egypt have signed what has been dubbed the al-Ula agreement, ending a rift with Qatar that lasted more than three years. With signs that diplomatic relations are improving, regional analysts are wondering if joint military cooperation between the signatories is next.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Herman Melville and the American Maritime Experience

I hold the view—perhaps a not very popular one today—that no professional U.S. mariner, civilian or military, can have a complete understanding of and appreciation for the American maritime experience who has not read—carefully read—at least some of Herman Melville’s seagoing work. As I will show, through his work, Melville was up to much more than churning out sea stories. But in producing great literature, no American writer did more to capture the culture and sweeping vistas of the young nation’s commercial and, to a lesser degree, naval ventures on the high seas. Reading Melville in the 1850s, or in the 1950s or today, for that matter, Americans learned for the first time what it meant to be a “Nantucketeer” in 1820.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Design Delays on Columbia Sub Program Leading to Cost Increases

The Government Accountability Office released a new report that warns Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine cost and schedule plans are at risk due to problems with a new digital design tool and cascading effects stemming from the design challenges.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Biden and the Pentagon Can Declare War on Climate Change

Global warming is a national-security risk, and the new administration will find a willing partner in the military.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Operation Desert Storm—30 Years Later

In January 1990, I transferred from my department head tour at Fighter Squadron-1, based at Naval Air Station Miramar, to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Although friends had urged me to stay in the cockpit to enhance my chances of screening for command, the writing on the wall of the Goldwater-Nichols Act’s mandate for joint duty for officers was clear, and I felt the need for some intellectual diversity.

Defence BlogFri 15th Jan

Australian Army selects AH-64E Apache to replace Tiger helicopters

The Australian military has confirmed that it has selected the Boeing AH-64E Apache as its armed reconnaissance helicopter to replace the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) from 2025.

Defence BlogFri 15th Jan

Iraq parades new South Korean-made armoured vehicles

The Iraqi armed forces displayed South Korean-made Promoter DAPC-2 4×4 armoured vehicles for the first time during the military parade on 6 January.

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Document Reveals U.S. Strategy in the Indo-Pacific

Real Clear DefenseFri 15th Jan

Golden Horde: The Air Force's Plan for Networked Bombs

The War ZoneFri 15th Jan

Report Adds Further Evidence Iran's Soleimani Was Killed By New Highly Precise Missile

Details contained in a new Pentagon report add to the already mounting evidence that the U.S. military used an AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) to kill Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq just over a year ago. In addition, it strongly suggests that these missiles have been employed in other strikes that may have been carried out by the secretive Joint Special Operations Command or the Central Intelligence Agency dating back to at least 2016.

Aviation WeekFri 15th Jan

Australia Picks Apache For Armed Reconnaissance Helo Requirement

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

L3Harris to build prototype satellite capable of tracking hypersonic weapons

WASHINGTON — The Missile Defense Agency has awarded L3Harris Technologies a $121 million contract to build a prototype satellite capable of tracking hypersonic weapons, the agency announced Jan. 14.

Aviation ListThu 14th Jan

NORAD Conducts Planned “Falcon Virgo” Air Defense Exercise Over Washington D.C. Area.

Operation “Falcon Virgo”, a planned air defense exercise over the U.S. national capital region, will take place on Jan. 14-15 and again on Jan. 25-26, 2021. The exercise, which is a “routine air defense exercise” according to a media release from the North American Air Defense Command, will include “exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responses to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled”

The War ZoneThu 14th Jan

Russia Should Ditch Its Cursed Aircraft Carrier And Focus On Its Two New Amphibious Assault Ships

The latest photos of the Russian Navy’s sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, currently undergoing a prolonged refit, suggest that work on the warship has more or less stopped in the last 12 months. At the same time, Russian media reports indicate that the two new amphibious assault ships under construction for the country’s navy will be even bigger than previously thought. Ultimately, these new warships would provide the Russian Navy with a much more flexible, affordable, and useful alternative to the Admiral Kuznetsov, even though it’s unlikely they will ever embark fixed-wing manned aircraft. Above all that, eliminating the trouble-plagued Kuznetsov once and for all would free up funding that would allow Russia to make its amphibious ships everything they possibly can be. 

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Pentagon testing office finds problems — again — with network security system

WASHINGTON — For the fourth year in a row, the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester recommended Thursday that components stop migrating to a fraught network security system until the department proves that the system can effectively help defend against cyberattacks.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

UK Skynet 6A Satellite Passes PDR Milestone

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Acting SecDef Criticizes Lingering Cold War Acquisition Mindset

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Lockheed Transfers Orion Capsule To NASA

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

US Navy’s No. 2 civilian claims leadership shouldn’t be blamed for old failures. Some disagree.

WASHINGTON – In an eyebrow-raising statement, the acting undersecretary of the Navy complained about congressional oversight of Navy programs, suggesting that current leaders shouldn’t be held responsible for previous administrations’ failures.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Blue Origin Team Previews Human Lunar Lander Proposal

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Lockheed, Boeing, BAE Systems, Maxar join wave of companies pausing political donations

Updated 1/13/21 at 9:24 pm EST with BAE Systems comment

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Pentagon’s weapon tester pushes for better assessments of offensive cyber tools

WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense weapon tester wants to improve the way the Pentagon assesses tools and capabilities for offensive cyber operations that disrupt or destroy enemy data systems.

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

AI Can Save Taxpayers Money: JAIC Chief

WASHINGTON:  “When you talk about defense spending, there are very few places that you can spend money and actually get a positive fiscal return on your investment,” notes Lt. Gen. Mike Groen, director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. “AI has places where you can actually spend money to make money.”

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Space Force joins the intelligence community

WASHINGTON — The intelligence arm of the United States Space Force is now an official part of the U.S. intelligence community, following a Jan. 8 ceremony.

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Pentagon’s weapons tester gives update on Navy’s new long-range anti-ship missile

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy’s new Long Range Anti-Ship Missile must go through more rigorous and realistic testing, according to the 2020 annual report from the director of operational test and evaluation.

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

Roper Hints NGAD Could Replace F-35; Why? Life-Cycle Costs

WASHINGTON: The F-35 fighter jet’s exorbitant life-cycle costs means the Air Force cannot afford to buy as many aircraft as it needs to fight and win a war today, which makes the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program all the more important, says outgoing Air Force acquisition czar Will Roper.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

F-35A Still Costs Too Much To Buy In Bulk: USAF Official

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Trump’s behavior demonstrates that Biden must change US nuclear policy

President Donald Trump’s role in inciting the shocking events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and concerns about his state of mind highlight the grave risks posed by the policy that gives presidents the sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons — without the need for consultation or agreement by anyone. This danger is heightened by a second policy that allows the United States to use nuclear weapons — not just in response to a nuclear attack, but also first during hostilities.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

USAF Poised To Sign 'Boring' Acquisition Strategy For ABMS

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Thales UK secures Indian partner for selling its Starstreak air-defense missile

LONDON – The Northern Ireland arm of Thales UK has struck a partnering arrangement with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) as part of its effort to secure a deal with the Indian military to purchase the British-developed Starstreak man-portable, air-defense system.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Blue Origin Launches Upgraded New Shepard System

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Rock Star Investor Launches Ark Space Exploration ETF

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

Hypersonics, Unmanned Ship Teaming Ahead for Zumwalt Destroyer

WASHINGTON: The Navy plans to install hypersonic missiles on its troublesome Zumwalt destroyers, after Congress gave them the green light to start studying the move in the 2021 budget.

The War ZoneThu 14th Jan

Iran Films One Of America's Most Powerful Submarines Lurking Near Its Military Exercise

A video has emerged that reportedly shows an Iranian Navy Sea King helicopter flying over what looks to be a U.S. Navy Ohio class guided-missile submarine sailing a periscope depth somewhere in the North Arabian Sea This very likely the USS Georgia, which made an unusually public transit into the Persian Gulf, sending a clear signal to Iran, last month. The Iranian Navy claims that the American submarine was operating close to where it has been conducting a major exercise this week and that it left after being detected. It's extremely rare to see U.S. Navy submarines sailing so close to the surface like this anywhere in the world, let alone in any sort of proximity to potential hostile forces.

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Indian government clears $6.5 billion deal for homemade Tejas fighter jets

NEW DELHI — India on Wednesday cleared the country’s largest-ever indigenous defense deal worth $6.5 billion for the purchase of 83 LCA MK1A Tejas light combat aircraft.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

SpaceX Confirms First U.S. East Coast ISS Dragon Cargo Return

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Norquist to serve as acting defense secretary; acting service secretaries named

WASHINGTON — David Norquist will serve as acting secretary of defense for the start of the Biden administration, Defense News has learned.

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

JADC2 May Be Built To Fight The Wrong War

Although it is one of the US military’s highest priorities, service and industry leaders remain confused about Joint All-Domain Command and Control, variously describing it as a communication architecture, a data-sharing approach, an operational concept, or a decision-making tool. Last week the Joint Staff J-6, Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall, provided much-needed clarity by characterizing JADC2 as a new decision-making approach to support the emerging Joint Warfighting Concept.

Overt DefenseThu 14th Jan

BAE Systems Win Contract to Upgrade Dutch CV90s With New Turrets

BAE Systems has signed an extensive mid-life upgrade contract worth more than $500 million to make major improvements to the Royal Netherlands Army’s fleet of 122 CV9035NLs. The contract will see BAE fit a new turret that will vastly improve the vehicle’s capabilities while providing crews with improved protection and ergonomics for increased combat efficiency.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Greek Rafale Procurement Secures Parliamentary Support 

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Here’s why Biden’s first defense secretary may be a Trump appointee

WASHINGTON ― U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s first defense secretary may turn out to be President Donald Trump’s last deputy defense secretary, at least for several days.

Overt DefenseThu 14th Jan

Frontex Unveils New Uniform As It Faces EU Investigation

Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, is now the first uniformed service of the European Union. The announcement was made on Monday, alongside the unveiling of the uniform in a video posted on social media. The new uniform signifies that Frontex is the European Union’s first uniformed service.

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

US Army’s future battle command system is cleared for production

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army’s future battle command system that will link sensors and shooters across the battlefield has been cleared for production, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed to Defense News Jan. 13.

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Romanian government approves Naval Strike Missile buy

WARSAW, Poland — The Romanian government has approved and sent to the parliament a draft bill that will allow the country to buy Naval Strike Missile coastal defense systems through a foreign military sales (FMS) procedure.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Kim Jong Un Seeks to Bully Biden on the Diplomatic Stage

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

For Surface Warfare Officers, It's All About Command

An officer’s entire service in the Navy is one of continued training and should be one of progressive development, looking to the day when he is placed in command of the largest type of fighting ship, and if an officer served in each of the various departments of a ship’s organization, particularly in the engineering department, he is thereby much more capable of exercising the high office of command and is thereby better fitted to train and prepare his ship as a whole to meet the acid test of the day of battle. 

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Redesignation to Atlantic Fleet Has Implications for Homeland Defense

U.S. Fleet Forces Command is moving forward with its redesignation to U.S. Atlantic Fleet, as Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite announced last month. But while in some ways it’s just a name change, there are some implications for how homeland defense is carried out, Fleet Forces Commander Adm. Chris Grady said today.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

U.S. Army's IBCS Is Cleared for Production

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army’s future battle command system that will link sensors and shooters across the battlefield has been cleared for production, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed to Defense News Jan. 13.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Alabama Site Selected Over Offutt for Space Command HQ

The Air Force selected Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as its “preferred” site for a new headquarters for U.S. Space Command — but the boosters of Offutt Air Force Base’s bid are not giving up hope yet.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Army's 'Robin Sage' - Special Forces Make-or-Break Test

Every few months, several North Carolina counties host a unique special-operations event.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Pelosi's Risky Blunder: Talking About Trump and Nuclear War

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had every reason to be concerned. With President Trump trying to outdo the Roman Emperor Nero by undermining the Constitution he swore to defend, she was concerned about the possibility — perhaps no longer entirely remote — that he might initiate a nuclear conflict. So it was perfectly in order for her to consult Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, on how the military might respond to a presidential order to launch a nuclear strike against a state he perceived to be an adversary of America. 

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Barrett's MRAD: The Best Sniper Rifle to Ever Fire a Shot?

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

J-20 Fighter Bomber: World's First 2-Seat Stealth Fighter

China has announced plans to begin production of a new two-seat variant of the Chengdu J-20 fifth-generation fighter that would, according to Chinese officials, dramatically increase the platform’s offensive capabilities. This announcement comes on the heels of China’s other significant J-20 announcement this week, relating to China’s decision to stop sourcing Russian engines for their stealth fighter. China will instead modify an existing domestic power plant for its purposes.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

An Incremental Approach to the DPRK

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

The Death of Critical Thinking in the Military?

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Pentagon Report Paints Grim Picture of America's Industrial Decline

The arsenal of democracy may not be dead, but it is definitely dying. That’s the message I got from perusing the Pentagon’s 2020 assessment of U.S. industrial capabilities, which was released on Tuesday.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Brazil Deploys KC-390 For U.S. Exercise

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

SpaceCom: Nebraska Sweetens Pot With $107M in Public, Private Aid

Just in case Nebraska’s great schools, low cost of living, top-notch universities, smart workforce and enthusiastic support for the military aren’t enough to bring the U.S. Space Command’s headquarters to Offutt Air Force Base, backers of the bid have come up with a few more reasons.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Nebraska's Last Known Pearl Harbor Survivor, Dies at 102

Edward Guthrie was born during the flu pandemic of 1918, died during the COVID-19 pandemic and lived 102 years in between. His death Thursday marked the end of an era.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Toward a More Nuanced View of Airpower and Operation Desert Storm

Approaching the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, airpower enthusiasts will undoubtedly crow airpower’s key role in the coalition’s swift victory, and not without reason. The dominance of coalition airpower, and the U.S. Air Force specifically, enabled one of the most lopsided victories in the history of warfare. During the six week air campaign, the U.S. Air Force accounted for nearly 60 percent of the coalition’s 112,000 combat missions, all but three of the 35 aerial victories, and over 90 percent of the 7,400 tons of laser-guided weapons dropped by coalition aircraft. Once the ground war began, it lasted a mere 100 hours, and despite the coalition’s two-to-three disadvantage in men and equipment, the coalition suffered just under 300 casualties. During the brief ground war, the invasion penetrated 150 miles into Iraq, traveling nearly twice the speed of the famed Nazi blitzkrieg of World War II. By all measures the campaign was an undisputable success.

Overt DefenseThu 14th Jan

Indian Government Orders Tejas Fighter Jets….Finally

The Government of India has approved a fresh purchase for 83 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The order for the indigenously designed-and-built multirole aeroplane will be composed of 73 Mk.1A fighters and 10 Mk.1 twin-seat trainers.

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

For the US Navy, the future of shipbuilding (and warfare) is in the power plant

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy wants to buy a next-generation large surface combatant by the end of the 2030s, but its not being built for a new kind of sensor or weapon system. The newly dubbed DDG(X) is being built for power.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

AeroVironment Acquires Group 2-3 UAS Provider Acturus

AeroVironment on Jan. 13 announced its second major acquisition in as many months, unveiling a deal to buy Arcturus UAV, a privately-held provider of Group 2 and 3 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and contractor-owned services to military customers.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Special Forces Divers Explore Beneath Norad's Mountain Complex

Recently, a Combat Diver Special Forces team had the opportunity to make a special dive inside a mountain base used by the Space Force.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Learning to Fight From Theory

The divide between officers and non-commissioned officers (NCO) is sometimes described as the difference between ‘book learning’ and practical experience. While many of the Australian Army’s enlisted are incredibly well-educated, I still hear some refer to ‘book learning‘ with distaste because I think they have not honed their ability to learn from theory.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

Strategy and Competition at the Ends of the Earth

The Arctic and Antarctica are well-known Cold War theaters. While these frozen frontiers hosted strategic competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, they also produced legacies of cooperation that have extended through the twentieth and into the twenty-first centuries. Indeed, the polar regions continue to host cooperative relations between Washington and Moscow, despite cooler ties elsewhere. Why is this the case? Perhaps more crucially, how can this current climate of cooperation between Russia and the West within these regions be bolstered for another thirty years? And what might fracture it?

Aviation ListThu 14th Jan

The Russian S-70 Okhotnik UCAV Struck Ground Targets With Unguided Bombs During Weapons Testing

The Russian next-generation Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik (Hunter) struck some ground targets in the Ashuluk range (home of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ Combat Training and Combat Application Center) in southern Russia, according to a source in the military-industrial complex cited by the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti. The drone hit the target with high accuracy using 500 kg (1100 lb) free-fall unguided bombs, likely the standard FAB-500 M-62 bomb used by Russian aircraft, carried in the weapons bay.

UK Defence JournalThu 14th Jan

New £76m contract to enhance F-35 support at RAF Marham

In this role, BAE Systems say it will lead a 170+ strong industry team to execute the two-year agreement valued at ~$101m (~ £76m) to enhance maintenance, mission planning and training services for the UK’s F-35 Lightning fleet based in Norfolk.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

The Powerful Implications of Israel's Successful Missile Defense Test

The Israeli Missile Defense Organization and U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced earlier this month the successful completion of a series of tests of a multilayered missile defense system using the David’s Sling, Iron Dome and Arrow systems.

Overt DefenseThu 14th Jan

Israel Launches Unusually Heavy Airstrikes Against Iranian Targets in Eastern Syria

Beginning at 1:10 in the morning, Israeli aircraft attacked multiple positions in the Deir ez Zor governorate in an unusually heavy round of airstrikes. SANA TV, Syrian State Media, confirmed that Deir ez Zor city, as well as Bukamal, were targeted by Israeli aircraft.

Aviation WeekThu 14th Jan

Pentagon Launches 'Speed-Dating' Platform For Tech Startups, Investors

UK Defence JournalThu 14th Jan

BAE Systems to provide new turret for Dutch CV90s

BAE say that the upgrade program with a new turret will vastly improve the vehicle’s capabilities while providing crews with improved protection and ergonomics for increased combat efficiency.

UK Defence JournalThu 14th Jan

US says ‘no stronger defence relationship’ than with UK

There is no stronger defense relationship than this! 🇺🇸🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/GvomHAMdkt

UK Defence JournalThu 14th Jan

UK Space Agency launch study into nuclear-powered space exploration

The UK Space Agency say that this new research contract will see planetary scientists work together to explore the game-changing potential of nuclear power as a more plentiful source of energy, capable of making possible deeper space exploration in the decades to come.

UK Defence JournalThu 14th Jan

UK ‘must learn lessons’ of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Azerbaijan utilised its highly professionalised special forces and technological superiority to comprehensively overwhelm Armenian forces.

Defence BlogThu 14th Jan

French Army to receive 300 micro-drones from Parrot

French drone manufacturer Parrot announced that it will supply 300 ANAFI Unmanned Aerial Systems for the French Army under a five-year contract.

Defence BlogThu 14th Jan

Pentagon awards contract to General Electric for CH-53K’s engines

General Electric Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, has been awarded a contract worth more than $101 million for the procurement of 21 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines for a new heavy-lift helicopter from Sikorsky for the United States Marine Corps.

Real Clear DefenseThu 14th Jan

New UNO Counterterrorism Center Will Aid in DHS's Bioterror Exercise

Earlier this month, a top member of the Department of Homeland Security’s counterterrorism team visited Omaha and Lincoln to learn about the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s biocontainment program and tour the hospital’s quarantine facilities.

Defense NewsThu 14th Jan

Think tank pitch to Biden: Broker a NATO bank to finance new weapons

COLOGNE, Germany – NATO was built on the idea of pooling military capabilities, so why not create its own bank to grease the financial wheels? That’s a question posed by a new report from the Washington-based Center for American Progress to the incoming Biden administration.

The War ZoneThu 14th Jan

Everything We Know About The Mysterious Dark Helicopters That Have Been Circling Los Angeles

Yesterday, plane spotters in the greater Los Angeles area caught glimpses of three mysterious Bell 407 helicopters painted overall in what looks to be a dark gray color, but with no easily identifiable markings. Covered in antennas that one might expect to see on examples in use by military or law enforcement units, but unlike any we at The War Zone are familiar with, the sightings immediately caught our attention. While we don't know for sure who is operating them or for what purpose, these helicopters appear to have a very unusual history and there are solid indications that they could be associated with a very secretive U.S. military aviation unit.

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

Navy’s Unmanned Plan Inches Forward; Ships To Have Crew Quarters

WASHINGTON: The Navy is working on designs for its future Large and Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels that would allow them to support small crews for limited and specific missions, the service’s top unmanned systems officer said today.

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

Colorado Politicians Vow To Fight Huntsville Choice For SPACECOM

WASHINGTON: Colorado politicians are crying foul over the Trump Administration’s choice of Huntsville, Ala. to be the permanent home of Space Command — despite the fact that, as Breaking D readers alone knew, Redstone Arsenal reportedly won the contest in the first round of Air Force reviews in 2019.

Breaking DefenseThu 14th Jan

Navy Acting Undersec: USS Ford, LCS ‘Not Our Fault’

WASHINGTON: The outgoing acting Undersecretary of the Navy today called for term limits on members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees, complaining that members are blaming current Navy leadership for past failures. 

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Navy CIO 2021 priorities: Don’t return to pre-COVID IT practices

WASHINGTON — In 2020, the year marked by telework due to COVID-19, the U.S. Navy learned that it could move rapidly on IT projects. The service doubled its bandwidth in weeks. It built two new sites for its virtual private networks. It quadrupled its telework capacity.

Aviation WeekWed 13th Jan

Boeing Starts Working On New Seeker For PAC-3

Aviation WeekWed 13th Jan

Italian Ground Segment Startup Leaf Space Lands VC For Growth

Aviation ListWed 13th Jan

F-35Bs Armed With Gun Pod Continue Supporting Operation Octave Quartz With Armed Aerial Patrols over Somalia

Octave Quartz is the name of the U.S. operation to reposition forces in Somalia to other East Africa operating locations while maintaining pressure on violent extremists and supporting partner forces. “Joint Task Force – Quartz operations support U.S. Africa Command and international efforts that promote a peaceful and stable Somalia. Violent extremist organizations like al-Shabaab present long-term threats to U.S. and regional interests,” reads every public statement released by the U.S. DoD about the operation in the Horn of Africa.

Breaking DefenseWed 13th Jan

Space Force Reaches Out To New Partners– Eye On China

WASHINGTON: The Space Force is looking for “opportunities” to build ties with nations in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean region, says Vice Chief DT Thompson. And while he didn’t spell it out, it isn’t hard to extrapolate that the focus on that part of the world has everything to do with China.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Do the earliest Arleigh Burke-class destroyers still have legs? The US Navy thinks so.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has a problem: The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program was too successful.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

US Space Command site to be located in Huntsville, Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The U.S. Air Force is expected to announce Huntsville, Alabama, as the location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters, according to Alabama’s governor.

Breaking DefenseWed 13th Jan

Mossad Head Briefs Biden Admin On Iranian Nukes, Missiles

TEL AVIV: Yosi Cohen, head of Mossad, is in Washington today to brief key figures in the Biden administration, armed with a “mountain” of the latest Israeli intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Did your state receive the most defense dollars? We’ve got the numbers.

WASHINGTON — California topped the list of states receiving defense dollars in 2019, a period in which overall Pentagon contracts and payroll spending in the 50 states and Washington, D.C., totaled $550.9 billion, the Department of Defense revealed Wednesday.

Aviation WeekWed 13th Jan

SpaceX To Launch Bezos-Backed Methane-Tracking Satellite

The War ZoneWed 13th Jan

Declassified Document Outlines Trump Administration’s Secret Pacific Strategy 

The U.S. government has just declassified a critical national security document, the 2018 Indo-Pacific strategy, which, for the last three years, has provided the template for U.S. policy in this strategically vital region, spanning from the west coast of the United States to the west coast of India. In particular, the strategy outlines ways to counter Beijing’s burgeoning influence in the Indo-Pacific, plans to deal with an increasingly bellicose North Korea, as well as the importance of strengthening India as a military counterbalance to China.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Trump orders DoD to explore use of nuclear power for space

WASHINGTON — In the waning days of his administration, U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at pushing the Department of Defense toward quickly developing and producing small nuclear reactors for military use — and to see if they could be used by military space vehicles.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Can Biden solve the Space Force’s public relations crisis?

WASHINGTON — When leaders gathered at the White House to commemorate the first birthday of the Space Force, it was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, the new military branch stumbled into another public relations quagmire after Vice President Mike Pence announced that members of the service would be called “guardians.”

Aviation WeekWed 13th Jan

Intuitive Machines Selects SpaceX For Lunar Launch

Aviation WeekWed 13th Jan

Huntsville Named Home For U.S. Space Command

Aviation WeekWed 13th Jan

NASA, Russia Assessing Second Small ISS Leak

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Naval Group prints first propeller for powering French warship

PARIS — France’s Andromède mine-hunting ship is now being propelled by a 3D-printed propeller designed and manufactured by Naval Group, the company announced on Wednesday.

Breaking DefenseWed 13th Jan

Building JADC2: Data, AI & Warfighter Insight

WASHINGTON: Warfighters can’t wait passively for some Pentagon mega-program to deliver the AI-driven command system of the future, the director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center says in an exclusive interview. Commanders and officials across the Defense Department must be active, informed consumers of AI, Lt. Gen. Mike Groen says, because their specific professional expertise and their organizations’ unique data are essential to customizing AI algorithms to their different missions.

Overt DefenseWed 13th Jan

Israel’s Improving Security Situation

As 2020 makes way for 2021, Israel continues to face a number of difficult challenges. Covid infections are spiking, the Biden administration threatens to be less pro-Israeli than that of the current incumbent and January 1st already saw one Palestinian shot and resultingly paralyzed by an Israeli soldier. Nevertheless, the IDF has seen remarkable successes over the course of 2020. The foremost among these: only 3 Israelis (1 soldier and 2 civilians) were killed due to terrorism or combat, less than in any previous year. By contrast, 2019 saw 9 deaths and 2018 saw 16.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Army issues $17 million in contracts for TITAN development

WASHINGTON — The Army has issued agreements to Palantir Technologies and Raytheon Technologies in support of the design and software maturation of a new next-generation ground station.

Aviation ListWed 13th Jan

Italian Navy Cavour Aircraft Carrier To Start F-35B STOVL Aircraft Qualifications With The U.S. Marine Corps Next Month

The Italian Navy Cavour aircraft carrier is about to start qualification with the new F-35B, the STOVL variant, of the Lightning II jet. The flagship of the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) is set to reach Naval Station Norfolk in mid-February to start F-35B qualifications with the U.S. Marine Corps, Naval News reported.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Iran holds missile drill with two new warships

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Navy began a short-range missile drill in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday and inaugurated its largest military vessel, state TV reported, amid heightened tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program and a U.S. pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic.

Overt DefenseWed 13th Jan

UN Peacekeeper Casualties In Rebel Attack On Central African Republic Capital

The Central African Republic claims that its security forces repelled a rebel assault on the nation’s capital of Bangui today. 

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Cyprus, UAE sign first military cooperation agreement

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday signed their first military cooperation agreement as the eastern Mediterranean island nation seeks to bolster relations with nearby countries in the Middle East.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Cummings to serve as acting Pentagon acquisition head

WASHINGTON — Stacy Cummings, the acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for acquisition, will temporarily fill the department’s top acquisition office once Joe Biden becomes president, Defense News has learned.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Drone maker to pay $25M over military gear parts

PORTLAND, Ore. — Aerial drone manufacturer Insitu will pay $25 million to settle allegations that its military drones were outfitted with used components instead of new ones.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

SWO boss: ‘Many challenges remain’ in fixing surface fleet’s manning problems

Chronic manning shortfalls aboard U.S. Navy warships were found to have contributed to the fatal 2017 collisions of the Fitzgerald and John S. McCain, disasters that killed 17 sailors and scarred many more of their shipmates for life.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

New in 2021: Going to the field may look different for Marines

In 2020 the Marine Corps laid out the initial force design plan for the Corps’ next decade.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Hanwha-led team launches Redback vehicle for Australian Army competition

MELBOURNE, Australia — Hanwha-led Team Redback officially launched its Redback infantry fighting vehicle on Tuesday ahead of delivering three for evaluation trials as part of a risk mitigation effort for the Australian Army.

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Bolstering US-Japan technology ties is key to deterring threats in Asia

A top security issue for the incoming Biden administration must be forging closer technology ties with Japan as a counterweight to the trinity of mutual adversaries we face in Asia.

Overt DefenseWed 13th Jan

French Military Facing Mounting Losses and Controversy in the Sahel

On December 29th, three French soldiers were killed when an armored vehicle was struck by an IED. Less than a week later, two of their comrades met a similar fate, bringing the total of French soldiers killed in the Sahel region since 2013 to 50. Another, attack occurred on January 8th when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb near a Franco-Malian patrol, injuring six Frenchmen who were inside one of the patrol’s armored personnel carriers. Three of the soldiers have been evacuated to a hospital in France. Although France has been fighting in the region since 2013, more than half of all French deaths in the region occurred over just the past two years; the conflict has been growing increasingly costly.

UK Defence JournalWed 13th Jan

British Hovercraft builder delivers new 995EDs

The deals have seen two eight-metre-long 995EDs made for the Hong Kong Marine Police and one for Estonian Border Guard. In total seven 995ED hovercraft have been built and sold since the model was unveiled at the ExpoNaval trade fair in Chile in 2018 with clients ranging from the Malaysia Marine Department to private customers. The 995ED entry price is around £650,000 with plenty of options, and the craft has capacity for eight people or up to four stretchers or any combination up to a maximum payload of just under a tonne making it suitable for a variety of roles. Top speed is 30 knots at full ‘all up weight’.

UK Defence JournalWed 13th Jan

UK to supply 100 military vehicles to Lebanon ‘at no cost’

The British Army describe the vehicle as “a lightly-armoured, highly-mobile fire support and force protection Land Rover”.

UK Defence JournalWed 13th Jan

Merlin helicopter declares emergency after departing Culdrose

The Open Source Intelligence Twitter account SkyWatcher Intel is following this, if you don’t follow them then I’d suggest you go do that now.

Defence BlogWed 13th Jan

Kratos gets $12.7M contract for ‘attritable’ unmanned combat air vehicle engine

U.S drone maker Kratos has announced that it was awarded a contract from the U.S. Air Force to complete cost optimized turbojet engine for future cruise missiles and ‘attritable’ unmanned combat air vehicles.

Defence BlogWed 13th Jan

Russia to begin testing its new mobile 152mm howitzer

Russian state media is reporting that the 2S43 Malva self-propelled artillery system on the wheeled chassis will begin testing this year.

Defence BlogWed 13th Jan

U.S. Marine Corps to extend the service life of AV-8B Harrier to 2029

BAE Systems, a global leader in electronic warfare, has announced that the U.S. Navy awarded Vertex Aerospace LLC the $123 million Contracted Maintenance, Modification, Aircrew, and Related Services (CMMARS) task order in July 2020 to provide aircraft maintenance and Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) services for the U.S. Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier fleet. 

Defence BlogWed 13th Jan

Northrop Grumman innovates new functionality to protect F-35

U.S. Defense contractor Northrop Grumman has announced on Tuesday that it has received a contract award from Lockheed Martin to enable new functionality to protect the 5th Generation F-35 Lightning II multi-role fighter.

Defence BlogWed 13th Jan

U.S. Air Force awards contract to Boeing for 12 KC-46A tanker aircraft

The U.S. Department of Defense and Boeing announced on Tuesday an agreement worth about $1.7 billion for 12 KC-46A tanker aircraft, growing the fleet to 79 Pegasus tankers.

Overt DefenseWed 13th Jan

US Joint Chiefs Publish Unprecedented Memo In Response To Events at US Capitol

In an unprecedented move the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the heads of the six branches of the US military have issued a joint memorandum to all service people in the wake of the deadly Capitol protests and ahead of the Presidential inauguration on 20th January

Defense NewsWed 13th Jan

Top military leaders issue warning to troops after deadly Capitol insurrection

The Defense Department’s top uniformed officials want service members to know that Joe Biden is going to be their next commander in chief, and that any attempt to prevent a peaceful transition of power will have consequences.

Breaking DefenseWed 13th Jan

Navy’s Next Destroyer Will Ensure ‘No Target Is Out Of Range’

WASHINGTON: The Navy is laying plans for a next-generation destroyer to join its new frigate and light amphibious warship as the foundation of a nw fleet.

Breaking DefenseWed 13th Jan

Joint Chiefs Issue Extraordinary Condemnation Of Capitol Attack

WASHINGTON: The Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a public message unlike any ever issued by the nation’s top military leaders, today condemned last week’s attack on the US Capitol.

Breaking DefenseTue 12th Jan

Multiple Missiles & Lasers Eyed For Navy’s New Frigate

WASHINGTON: The Navy’s Constellation-class guided-missile frigate will sport launchers for 16 Naval Strike Missiles alongside 32 tubes to launch Tomahawks, giving the ship the ability to pound multiple targets at range.

Defense NewsTue 12th Jan

Here’s the latest on the US Navy’s new Constellation-class frigate

Correction: The follow-on ships in the Constellation class will cost between $850 million and $950 million in constant-year 2018 dollars.

Breaking DefenseTue 12th Jan

New IC Commercial Space Council Hopes To Speed Intel To Users

WASHINGTON: A new Commercial Space Council set up by the Intelligence Community is designed to rethink how data and analysis is gleaned from commercial space systems to help speed intel products to users.

Breaking DefenseTue 12th Jan

‘A 20th Century Commander Will Not Survive’: Why The Military Needs AI

WASHINGTON: Sure, the director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center loves cutting-ege technology. But when he talks about what AI can do for combat commanders, he goes back to Clausewitz.

Breaking DefenseTue 12th Jan

Air Force Leaders Exits ‘Business As Usual, Experts Say; Roper Rumors

WASHINGTON: The resignations of five top Air Force officials on Jan. 19, including Secretary Barbara Barrett and acquisition czar Will Roper, are nothing more than normal practice for a presidential transition, say myriad DoD and expert sources.

Breaking DefenseTue 12th Jan

Defense Firms Join Wall Street, Tech Giants & Shut Hill Money Spigot

Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Leidos are temporarily pausing all donations to members of Congress across the board.

Defense NewsTue 12th Jan

All eyes on Reed as Austin waiver splits Democrats

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jack Reed has yet to take over as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, but he’s already facing division within the panel and his party over the issue of President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Pentagon.

Defence BlogTue 12th Jan

DARPA one step closer to full-scale flight testing of intermediate-range hypersonic weapons system

A top-secret U.S. government body called the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced that it to move to a new phase of the intermediate-range hypersonic ground-launch weapons program and bringing it one step closer to a full-scale flight testing.

Breaking DefenseTue 12th Jan

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Do-Or-Die’ JADC2 Summit To Crunch Common Data Standards

WASHINGTON: The Joint Staff has called an all-hands-on-deck conference for the end of the month to hash out common data standards for future Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) operations, says Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dennis Crall, head of the J6.

Defence BlogTue 12th Jan

Russian Strategic Rocket Forces receive 70 new combat anti-sabotage vehicles

Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, or RVSN, has received about 70 Typhoon-M combat anti-sabotage vehicles, multiple news outlets reported.

Defence BlogTue 12th Jan

Nigerian anti-terrorism operation marks combat debut of Chinese VT4 tank

Chinese-made most advanced main battle tank made its combat debut in Nigerian anti-terrorism operation during a clash with Boko Haram militants in the northeast of the country

Aviation ListTue 12th Jan

RAF Typhoon’s Sonic Boom “Rattles Windows” From Cambridge To London During Quick Reaction Alert Operation

A loud sonic boom was heard across Cambridgeshire in eastern England earlier today as two RAF Typhoon jets accelerated to supersonic speed to respond to a ComLoss: a civilian aircraft not responding to the radio calls of the ATC agencies. The two British jets were scrambled from RAF Coningsby, to intercept a Bombardier Global Express registration D-AFAL operating as IFA6016 from Flughafen Nuernberg Airport, Germany, that experienced the temporary radio failure over southeastern UK.

Overt DefenseTue 12th Jan

Thousands of National Guardsmen Deploying to Washington D.C. Prior to Inauguration Day

Following the storming of the Capitol in Washington D.C. on January 6, in which five people died, the authorities in the city have called in the National Guard to reinforce security to protect the inauguration of President-Elect Biden on January 20. Potentially placing unprecedented numbers of National Guardsmen on the streets of the U.S. capital.

Overt DefenseTue 12th Jan

Small Diameter Bomb GBU-39 Approved for Saudis

On the 29th December 2020, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved the sale of Boeing’s GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb-I to Saudi Arabia. The contract worth nearly $300 million and comprises 3,000 pieces of ordnance.

UK Defence JournalTue 12th Jan

BAE Systems to support U.S. Harrier fleet to 2029

The U.S. Department of the Navy awarded Vertex Aerospace LLC the $123 million Contracted Maintenance, Modification, Aircrew, and Related Services (CMMARS) task order in July 2020 to provide aircraft maintenance and Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) services for the U.S. Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier fleet.

UK Defence JournalTue 12th Jan

Typhoon jet scrambled to intercept civilian aircraft

a German aircraft lost communication with air traffic controllers was safely diverted to Stansted Airport.

Aviation ListTue 12th Jan

Northrop Grumman Selected To Demonstrate A New Electronic Warfare Suite For The F-16

The U.S. Air Force selected Northrop Grumman to complete the prototypes for a new Electronic Warfare (EW) suite to be installed on the F-16 Fighting Falcon. According to the press release, the new system will protect pilots from the growing danger of radio frequency-guided weapons by detecting, identifying and defeating advanced threat systems.