Author: Michael

Is AUKUS flawed by design? Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate the AUKUS deal, particularly the newly announced plan for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Is this the best way to get a critical capability in Australian hands? Does it make sense from a cost or capability perspective? And should the United States be worried about […]
The post Is AUKUS Flawed By Design? appeared first on War on the Rocks.

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The MGM-140 Army tactical missile system, or ATACMS, is a long-range guided missile that gives operational commanders the immediate Firepower needed to win battles Behind Enemy Lines.
With a range of over 300 kilometers, a barrage of attack missiles can wreak havoc on hostile ground formations, artillery batteries, Supply Depots, communication centers, and other strategic objectives far away from the combat zones.

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The USN plans to buy 20 Constellation-class guided missile frigates. (Fincantieri Marinette Marine)
Outfitted to build Freedom-class littoral combat ships (LCSs), the Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) shipyard was ill-equipped to build the new fleet of Constellation-class guided-missile frigates (FFG 62s) set to be acquired by the US Navy (USN).
To win the USN contract to build the new ships, FMM disclosed plans to completely overhaul its shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – Let’s face it: The war in Ukraine sparked the development of tracked and ground combat vehicles. 
Successes and failures on the battlefield are tracked. They serve to discover new concepts aimed at improving the combat capability and effectiveness of current combat vehicles. Or for the creation of completely new ones. Such is the case with South Korea’s new stealth tank.
On a regional scale, South Korea will have to counteract North Korea. Seoul has already begun phasing out outdated ground systems.

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AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

The U.S. Marine Corps deployed one of its new VH-92A Patriot presidential helicopters to Las Vegas ahead of President Joe Biden’s expected visit there today. However, the VH-92A still isn’t approved for regular use in the “Marine One” presidential airlift role, largely due to lingering concerns about its critical secure communications suite. So, the one now in Las Vegas is there only in a “standby capacity.”
Pictures of a VH-92A flying in the Las Vegas area first emerged on social media this past weekend.

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A video of a Ukrainian soldier using a nearly century-old machine gun has gone viral on social media. In the 21-second video, the soldier is seen firing a heavily modified M1910/30 Maxim machine gun fitted with modern optics, stock, and suppressor. 
It’s unclear exactly where or when the video was shot; in fact, the soldier may not have been in combat. In any case, it’s remarkable that such an old platform is still viable.
As previously reported, Ukrainian forces were removing a number of seemingly outdated rigs from storage even before Russia mounted its invasion last year.

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U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Haley Stevens)

Today’s incident between a Russian Su-27 Flanker and a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper that saw the latter crash into the Black Sea after the jet collided with its propeller — read out full report here — has people questioning the defenselessness of the Reaper to nearby aerial threats. In particular, people want to know why they can’t be armed to protect themselves. The answer to that question may be surprising to some — they can!
A quick history lesson is needed as well as a reminder about a far more recent revelation.

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Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that its warplanes did not come into contact with a US drone that crashed in the Black Sea, claiming instead that the drone crashed due to “maneuvering.” abrupt.”
“The Russian fighters did not use their onboard weapons, did not come into contact with the UAV, and returned safely to their home airfield,” the Defense Ministry stated.

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Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Poland’s latest offer of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets for Ukraine could see the much-needed aircraft delivered in the next four to six weeks, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed today. While actually signing the jets over to Kyiv may be easier said than done, judging by past experiences, it’s notable that the issue has now progressed from the respective defense ministries to the head of the Polish government.

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USAF MQ-9 Reaper in Afghanistan. The Reaper is equipped with what is believed to be the ‘Gorgon Stare’ wide-area airborne surveillance system (WAASS). The MQ-9 downed in the Black Sea may have been equipped with a similar system. (United States Air Force)
A US Air Force (USAF) General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed into the Black Sea on 14 March, following what the Pentagon said was an aerial collision with a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter.

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