Author: Michael

U.S. Marines assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division conduct amphibious assault exercises in Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) launched from dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during exercise Steel Knight 23 (SK23), Nov. 30, 2022. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Zachariah Issa).

The Marines may be full speed ahead on adopting its first new amphibious vehicle since the Vietnam War, but the Corps’ newest ride is still facing significant operational and mechanical issues, the service’s top officer recently revealed.

Royal Australian Air Force

The Ukrainian Air Force has confirmed that it’s now using the U.S.-supplied Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, air-launched precision-guided weapon against Russian forces in the country. The announcement follows confirmation from U.S. officials that the long-range JDAM-ER version of the weapon had been supplied to Ukraine, providing the ability to hit targets up to 45 miles away with considerable destructive power, the implications of which The War Zone has previously explored in detail.

Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed a new recruitment of 147,000 more soldiers yesterday, Thursday. This figure represents an increase of 9% compared to last year’s spring recruitment decree. This conscription order focuses on the standard year-long military service that most adult Russian men are expected to perform. Even so, the recruitment increase underscores Russian forces’ continued struggle to advance into Ukraine. 
Whether the new recruits are posted to Ukraine or not, their tours of duty are unlikely to be rewarding.

Earlier this month, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared that Russia would complete updating missile defense systems by the end of the year to safeguard Moscow.
According to Shoigu, Russia plans to have an air defense division and brigade, a special purpose air and missile defense brigade, an anti-aircraft regiment equipped with the S-350 surface-to-air missile complex, a Razvyazka space surveillance radar station, and a brigade of special operations for air and missile defense up and running by the end of 2023.

The British Army will buy 84mm Carl-Gustaf M4 man-portable multipurpose recoilless guns to fill the gap in anti-armor capabilities left by the donation of similar equipment to Ukraine.
In a meeting on March 29 with his Swedish colleague, Pal Jonson, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace revealed the purchase worth £4.6 million ($5.7 million) plus a little more for an ammunition and training package.
The ministry said in a statement that the Saab-made weapons would be used to “replenish” stocks of ammunition delivered to Ukraine in its defense against Russia.

As part of the Army’s transition to multi-domain operations, it is looking at resourcing what it is calling theater information advantage detachments, or TIADs.
These organizations are envisioned to be aligned to theater Armies and coordinate with other theater-level organizations such as the Multi-Domain Task Force and Expeditionary Cyber Teams, according to an Army spokesperson.
These expeditionary cyber teams, part of the 11th Cyber Battalion, are scalable and will maneuver with units and conduct operations on the ground for commanders.

U.S. General Services Administration.

If you’re a fan of 1980s action movies, you might be forgiven for thinking the building pictured above looks familiar. While it may look like a rouge CIA headquarters from a TV show, the Chet Holifield Federal Building — better known as the “Ziggurat” building — in California has a fascinating history tied to the U.S. aerospace industry of the Cold War.
And it can be yours!
The building, which is located in Laguna Niguel, California, initially caught our attention because it’s currently listed for auction on the U.S.

The Silent Arrow GD-2000 glider drone. (Silent Arrow).

Army Special Forces soldiers have tested a brand new unmanned aerial delivery system to enable the quick resupply of friendly forces in the most contested environments, the service announced on Thursday.

Coast Guard veteran Reagan Pettigrew may have penned a fiction novel about loss and the weight of suicide ideations but its his own journey the character embarks on, page after page. And he’s just getting started. 
“I got into writing as an escape from the military honestly,” he admitted. 
Growing up in California, he had a chance to take a tiger cruise with his cousin’s ship as a teen and that solidified his decision to enlist. “I just remember never seeing so many stars. You couldn’t see anyone other than the glow of their cigarettes.

The first NATO DIANA regional headquarters was opened by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană (left) and UK Minister for Defence Procurement Alex Chalk (right). The centre will bring together academia, industry, and government in a shared space along with the UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator, defence contractors, and the US Department of Defense’s Tri-Service Office. (Crown Copyright)
The first NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) office was formally opened in London on 30 March, the authority announced.