Four days after a deadly drone attack on U.S. troops in Jordan, plans are leaking out about the expected American response, sending many of the intended targets scrambling for cover. 
“U.S. officials have confirmed to CBS News that plans have been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets — including Iranian personnel and facilities — inside Iraq and Syria, the news outlet reported on Thursday. 

The U.S. is planning to strike Iran-backed groups, and Iranian personnel, in Iraq and Syria, and while some Iranians are nervous, their leaders remain defiant.

Robert Rudd was 32 when World War II broke out, but his mother was chronically ill in Gatesville, Texas and he was the only family member who could look after her. He took a draft deferment to care for her.
When she passed away in 1942, Rudd enlisted in the Army and by the fall of 1944 was fighting in Europe with the 2nd Infantry Division.
On January 30, 1945, Rudd’s 38th Infantry Regiment attacked heavily fortified German positions near Rocherath, Belgium in the farthest-north fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.

This report critically examines the stealth claims of the Su-57 and J-20 fighters, contrasting them with established technical parameters. Do Su-57 and J-20 Stand a Chance in Stealth Against F-22 and F-35?
Technical analysis of the Chengdu J-20 and its controversial origins
J-20
The development of the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon originated in the J-XX program in the late 90s. This fighter, intended to be an exponent of the fifth generation, shows influences from previous designs such as the J-10.

Exploring Ukraine’s prowess in long-range strikes against Russian forces and assets.
Introduction
Ukraine’s military capabilities to carry out long-range strikes against Russian troops and installations have become a crucial element in today’s geopolitical landscape. Despite facing challenges in the supply chain and funding from the US, Ukraine has managed to not only maintain but advance its long-range capabilities. This article explores Ukraine’s arsenal and strategic advancements in its military capabilities.

After watching the first episode of the new Apple original series, Masters of the Air, audiences everywhere agree: It’s incredible. Last week, service members, veterans and their families had a once-in-a-lifetime experience for an advance screening of the series, in, of all cities, Dayton, Ohio, courtesy of USAA. With a population of only about 137,000 people, one wouldn’t expect too much out of Dayton, but USAA certainly knew what they were doing.

Col. Nick Hague will be the first Space Force guardian to travel to space this fall as part of a NASA mission to the International Space Station.
Photos courtesy U.S. Space Force Photo and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet).

The Space Force may have its first boots off the ground and into orbit this year. Space Force Col. Nick Hague will join a NASA mission to the International Space Station sometime this fall, a flight that would make him the first member of the nation’s new space-focused military branch to launch into space.
The trip will be Hague’s third flight toward space.

The Pentagon is looking for help to turn a vision of future fleets of hundreds of low-cost highly autonomous drone boats able operate collaboratively to intercept “noncooperative” ships into a reality.
What is known as the Production-Ready, Inexpensive, Maritime Expeditionary (PRIME) Small Unmanned Surface Vehicle (sUSV) project might also a stepping stone to the acquisition of networked swarms of armed uncrewed watercraft or ones with electronic warfare suites. This might even include explosive-packed kamikaze types designed to ram into their targets and detonate.

Boosting the U.S. military’s ability to “blind” Chinese forces is at the top of the priorities list for the officer nominated to be the next commander of Indo-Pacific Command, he told lawmakers.
During his confirmation hearing Thursday and in written responses to advance policy questions, Adm. Samuel Paparo, who currently commands Pacific Fleet, noted the importance of being able to counter the People’s Liberation Army’s command, control, computing, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting (C5ISRT) systems.

(U.S. Army photo/Task & Purpose composite).
The U.S. Army Special Forces have established a long-standing tradition of being the go-to force for irregular warfare, no matter the environment or obstacles, earning the nickname ‘Snake Eaters’ along the way as well as the distinctive green beret. 
But what distinguishes them on the battlefield is not just their prowess with weapons or tactics, but their intelligence. It’s no surprise that many Green Berets are avid readers, and many great books have come out of the Special Forces community over the years.

The diesel-powered Kronshtadt is designed to destroy enemy ships and infrastructure and will likely serve in the Northern Fleet.
Yesterday, Tuesday, January 30, the submarine’s flag was raised in a ceremony at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg. Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander of the Northern Fleet Aleksandr Moiseev and other distinguished representatives were present at the site, as reported by the Russian Navy.
It has taken the shipyard almost 20 years to complete the ship in two periods. Construction began in 2005 but stopped in 2009 and resumed in 2013.

Gene Hackman, one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, turned 94 years old on January 30. His career took flight in the late 1960s in Hollywood with his Oscar-nominated supporting role in the award-winning and box office hit Bonnie and Clyde. His career launched in the 1970s with him still performing at high levels well into the 1990s and 2000s. He retired from the industry in 2004 at the age of 74.

In the complex landscape of tanks and geopolitical intricacies, the consistent delivery of three tanks per day from Russia to Ukraine demands a closer look. Let’s unravel the layers of this geopolitical chess game in simpler terms.
The Tank Narrative
Russia’s formidable tank industry operates like a daily supply chain for Ukraine. Picture it as a game of chess; some tanks are taken out, and new ones swiftly replace them. According to British intelligence, Russia faces an average loss of approximately 3.2 tanks daily, spanning from October to January 25.

In 2022, Matthew Abbott wrote “Breaking the Diplomatic Deadlock with North Korea” for War on the Rocks, in which he argued that there was still “there is still some hope for diplomatic progress” with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In the two years since, the North’s actions and rhetoric have grown increasingly hostile – earlier this month, Kim Jong Un even declared an end to the policy of seeking reunification with South Korea, prompting some analysts to warn the country was preparing for war with its neighbor.

A dramatic new view released by the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) shows several of its uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) strike and sink the Russian Tarantul-III class missile corvette Ivanovets. The attack took place Wednesday night local time on the Black Sea near Lake Donuzlav in western Crimea, the GUR said on its Telegram channel.
A 128-second video posted on Twitter shows what appears to be a complex attack on the Ivanovets by what Lt. Gen.

The Pentagon is said to have confirmed for the first time the use of the U.S. Navy’s SM-6 missile in the ongoing campaign against missiles and drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militants targeting shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. If the SM-6 was indeed employed, it would be the first known use of this surface-to-air missile in combat. As we have discussed in the past, the SM-6 offers some unique capabilities, including defense against incoming ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of flight, which appears to have been the case on this occasion.
An unnamed U.S.

In a first, the Air Force’s newest wing, focused on electronic warfare reprogramming, integrated with the service’s famed Weapons School to expose students to its capabilities and provide more realistic training.
The 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing was created in 2021 as a result of the Air Force’s landmark electromagnetic spectrum study to reinvigorate spectrum within the service. The unit has three primary missions: rapid reprogramming, target and waveform development, and assessment of the Air Force’s EW capabilities.

The UK MoD has cancelled earlier plans to fit an LDEW demonstrator to a Type 23 frigate. (Thales)
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has dropped plans to trial a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) demonstrator from a Royal Navy (RN) Type 23 frigate.
Revealing the decision in a 30 January parliamentary answer, Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge said the move was intended to free up money for the UK’s wider Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) programme. Thales had been under contract to develop the maritime LDEW demonstrator.

The AD Counter FPV C-UAS developed locally by Kvertus is in service with the Ukrainian military. The device disrupts FPV RF signals, rendering the threats uncontrollable. (Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine/Mykhailo Fedorov)
Ukraine is deploying a new locally developed, portable counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) that blocks first-person view (FPVs) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The system – AD Counter FPV – is manufactured by Ukraine company Kvertus and is designed to disrupt FPVs operating in the 850–940 MHz radio frequency (RF) range.

Public Domain

A Department of Defense office overseeing special operations invited two terrorism experts to discuss their new book on far-right terrorism in the U.S., screenshots obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation show.
The invitation appeared to go out via email to “all” staff of SO/LIC, the acronym for the Pentagon’s office overseeing special operations and irregular warfare.

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As a current servicemember, you have multiple options available to you that are not available to civilians that can help you craft your retirement plan.

Chris, Melanie and Zack review the Council on Foreign Relations’ annual Preventive Priorities Survey, which asked foreign policy experts to rank 30 current and possible future conflicts relative to their likelihood and impact on U.S. national interests. The leading threat, according to these experts, was of political violence or domestic terrorism in the United States associated with the 2024 presidential election.

The Norwegian Defence Material Agency has ordered NASAMS missile defence equipment after donating to Ukraine in 2023.

WaPo
Director Wray said that the defensive operation fixed routers used by China-backed Volt Typhoon to hit communications, energy,…

Pomerleau, DefenseScoop
Officials are conducting a top-to-bottom review with an eye toward Cybercom 2.0.

John Nagl & Paul Yingling, The War Room
Counterinsurgency in the words of a critic

Chrissy Houlahan, RealClearDefense

James Van de Velde, RCDefense

The Pentagon’s latest AI program will monitor critical minerals’ availability for arms manufacturing and the energy transition.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed one C-27J Spartan aircraft and 215 airmen to participate in Exercise Cope North 24 in Guam from February 5 to 23, 2024. This long-running military exercise focuses on integration through combat readiness and agile operations with the United States and Japan.

The Houthi missile first penetrated the outer defense layer and approached the US warship, forcing it to activate the final defense layer to shoot it down.

Houthi forces in Yemen announced on January 31 that they had launched a series of cruise missiles at the US destroyer USS Gravely in the Red Sea to show support for Palestine and “protect the country and people of Yemen.” The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it intercepted a Houthi anti-ship missile, recording no casualties or damage.

Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines say Russian forces have all kinds of weapons, but their tanks are the scariest.

Russian forces have recently continuously attacked many Ukrainian positions on the 1,000 km long front line, especially in the eastern region. “They kept firing. Planes flew over our heads,” Dmytro, a Ukrainian soldier in the 1st Presidential Guard Brigade, said on January 31 about the situation on the front lines.
“But perhaps the scariest thing is the Russian tanks,” Dmytro said.

Ukrainian national resistance, incontestably lethal and strikingly durable, provides an enticing blueprint for small nations threatened by aggressive powers. The rush to learn lessons, mimic actions, and draw conclusions from Ukraine is an established industry. It should be. Ukraine’s response to Russian conquest serves up an innovative and gutsy trove of tactics and methods to adopt for national defense strategies. Two years into a war that many predicted it would lose quickly, Ukraine deserves this respect and study.

Once a pacific sea in a notoriously violent region Ecuador’s is a story of paradise lost. Prison riots. Cocaine. And cartels. The world’s insatiable demand for the drug has destabilized countries and has prompted Ecuador to use the military to quell civil unrest. The afternoon edition of Ecuador’s state-owned TC news proceeded like any other day, with segments on sports, weather, and, of course, politics — until masked and hooded gunmen burst into the studio, completing a hostile takeover televised live to a shocked nation.

NATO countries are buying F-35 aircraft. (Swedish Armed Forces)
NATO countries are on course to reach the goal of spending at least 2% of their GDP to defence spending to continue to ensure the alliance’s military readiness, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on 31 January during an event at the Heritage Foundation.
NATO defence ministers agreed to commit to the 2% minimum in 2006, but Stoltenberg acknowledged that even as of a few years ago only three countries had met that bar. Complaints from US officials prompted more countries to reach the level, he noted.

The Russian Navy has received its first series-produced Project 677 Lada class submarine, named Kronstadt. Development of the new boat has been dogged by problems, leading to long delays, but its acceptance by the Northern Fleet confirms that, unlike the U.S. Navy, the Russian Navy remains committed to fielding new conventionally powered submarines, as well as their nuclear-powered brethren.
Zvezda, the Russian Ministry of Defense’s media network, today reported on the commissioning of the Kronstadt into the Northern Fleet’s 161st Submarine Division.

For the first time since they began swatting down Houthi missiles and drones fired into the Red Sea region, a U.S. warship had to use its Mark 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) against an incoming threat, CNN reported. Taken at face value, this is a very unsettling revelation as Phalanx’s engagement envelope is very close to the ship and is seen as a ‘last ditch’ point defense system. How the missile managed to penetrate the Aegis destroyer’s defenses is unclear at this time.

Sgt. Kennedy L. Sanders and Sgt. Breonna Moffett were both posthumously promoted from the rank of specialist, the Army said. The two soldiers were killed along with Sgt. William Rivers in a Jan. 28 drone attack in Jordan. All three were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, which is based at Fort Moore, Georgia. Photos from U.S. Army and Facebook.
Two Georgia soldiers who died in the Jan.

U.S. forces for the first time destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile preparing to launch Wednesday, a U.S. defense official told The War Zone. The incident took place at about 3:30 p.m. local time, U.S. Central Command said.
“U.S. forces identified the missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that it presented an imminent threat to U.S. aircraft operating in the region,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

Jan. 31 at approximately 3:30 p.m. (Sanaa time), USCENTCOM forces struck and destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile prepared to launch. U.S.

The top enlisted leaders from the five active duty branches and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman testified at the House Armed Service Committee’s Quality of Lilfe Panel on Jan. 31, 2024. In a picture from a 2023 Congressional hearing, current SEAC Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, center, speaks between Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Anastasia McCarroll.

The Space Force is focused on acquiring readily available on-orbit satellite refueling technology and a propulsion “backpacks” concept to meet emerging critical space mobility requirements from combatant commands, according to a service official.
“We’re taking our cues from what Space Systems Command is talking about, so that’s where prioritizing the on-orbit refueling is coming from as the immediate need,” Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, program executive officer for assured access to space, told reporters Wednesday.

FORT MEADE, Md. — U.S. Cyber Command is in the midst of a holistic top-to-bottom review to reshape its organization and forces and ensure it’s best postured to deal with threats in a highly dynamic environment.
Officials are dubbing the review Cybercom 2.0.
“As we’re trying to look at the future of U.S. Cyber Command, I want to have a bold move forward,” Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of Cybercom and director of the NSA, told reporters during a media roundtable at Fort Meade. Nakasone is set to retire Friday following a change-of-command ceremony where he will pass the torch to Lt.

With the first episodes of Masters Of The Air having received considerable praise for their air combat sequences especially, the story of the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) in World War II is very much back in the public consciousness. In its initial review of the series, The War Zone noted its attention to detail, especially in the terrifying scenes of B-17s flying into flak or being attacked by Luftwaffe fighters.
The combination of simulated concussive blasts, shrapnel, and machine gun rounds very effectively summon up the chaos of the daytime bomber offensive.

As the U.S. Navy continues to wend its way toward acquiring its first batch of Constellation class frigates, a major question remains: is 32 vertical launch system cells enough for these ships?
Debates about the Constellation‘s vertical launch capacity reflects broader concerns, including how these cells might be reloaded at sea in a major conflict, across the Navy as a whole.

Overview
In a significant geopolitical shift, the United States recorded a staggering $238 billion in weapons sales to foreign governments in 2023, marking a substantial 16% increase from the previous year. This surge, fueled by rising global instability and European nations fortifying their defenses against Russian forces, has far-reaching implications for both diplomatic relations and the defense industry.

A gun truck acquired for two cans of chewing tobacco by paratroopers in Kabul has arrived at Fort Liberty and will eventually be an exhibit in the base’s museum. Army photo.
More than two years after paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division acquired a Toyota Land Cruiser with a mounted anti-aircraft gun during the chaotic days of the Afghanistan evacuation, the vehicle is finally at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. It will be displayed at the Division’s on-base museum.
Army Maj. Gen.

Sharothi Pikar — a longtime defense procurement and cybersecurity leader — is exiting her post as the Pentagon’s first-ever deputy chief digital and AI officer for acquisitions to take on new responsibilities within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
In response to questions from DefenseScoop on Wednesday, a CDAO spokesperson confirmed for the first time publicly that Pikar “has been hand-selected by the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Hon.

Introduction
In the ever-evolving landscape of modern warfare, the United States Army is set to introduce a game-changing addition to its arsenal—the M10 Booker Combat Vehicle. This cutting-edge, light tank is poised to redefine strategic military operations, offering a unique blend of firepower, agility, and logistical efficiency.
Unleashing the M10 Booker
M10 Booker
The Scenario
Picture this: the 82nd Airborne Division receives orders for a Joint Forcible Entry mission into enemy territory.

A lot happens every day. Alliances shift, leaders change, and conflicts erupt. With In Brief, we’ll help you make sense of it all. Each week, experts will dig deep on a single issue happening in the world to help you better understand it. *** Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Defense released its first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy, a 59-page document aimed at “ensuring that the U.S. defense industrial base meets the demands of a challenging national security landscape well into the future.

The Department of Defense will be taking promising joint warfighting capabilities Down Under this year and next year for key assessments that could lead to accelerated fielding, according to the Pentagon’s chief technology officer.
The Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER), and the Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) efforts that feed into it, will be heading to Australia, Heidi Shyu told reporters Wednesday on the sidelines of the Potomac Officers Club’s annual Defense R&D Summit.

France and Sweden begin a new strategic partnership based on the advancement of anti-tank and air defence capabilities between MBDA and Saab.