Goldman Sachs, Chase, Lazard and Barclays are among the banking companies to hire ex-CIA, GCHQ, MI6 and US military personnel.

The current rate of Russian tank losses since it began its winter counter-offensive can be met by Moscow’s production capacity.

Alarms regarding the number of casualties and the depth of destruction to Gaza’s physical infrastructure continue to ring loudly in the throes of the Israel-Hamas conflict. At the time of writing, more than 23,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and a staggering amount of collateral damage has made everything from medical care to burial in death exceedingly challenging in the war-torn area. This is the level of death and destruction despite the Israeli government’s assertion that it has conducted a “precision, focused and process-based campaign.

Seen in Spanish service, the H215 will soon be fielded by Romania also with the anticipated procurement of two helicopters by the country’s navy. (Airbus Helicopters)
The Romanian Navy is to receive a pair of Airbus H215M helicopters equipped for anti-surface vessel warfare (ASuW), the manufacturer confirmed to Janes on 30 January.
The anticipated procurement was revealed in a European Union (EU) notification posted on 19 January, which said that the two helicopters would be acquired by Industria Aeronautică Romană (IAR) as the prime contractor for an estimated RON823.

Scott Sturman & Doug Goodman, RCD
Executive Order 14057 justifies the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions as necessary to counteract the existential threat…

D1
The year’s $80.9 billion total for Foreign Military Sales is up more than half from the previous year.

Mark Pomerleau, DefenseScoop
The multi-channel, software-defined radios will ensure communications equipment does not fall into obsolescence.

Naval Tech.
A strategic investment of $913m aims to reinforce U.S. naval capabilities through an overhaul project.

Kris Osborn, Warrior Maven
The U.S.

Rheinmetall has received an order in the three-digit-million-euro range to provide Fuchs 2 armoured carrier components.

To all our incredible readers, welcome aboard TWZ.com! 
Today is truly a special day. I’m ecstatic to formally announce that The War Zone is finally its own site. Not only that, but we are under a new web address that reflects the short-hand name that we, and many of our readers, refer to The War Zone as — TWZ.com. 
We also have a great launch sponsor for the new site, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. They are leaders in the uncrewed aircraft space and we are leaders when it comes to writing about uncrewed systems. It’s a great match and we really appreciate their support.

The VMIMS (seen here at DefExpo in October 2022) consists of a modified MDSL ALSV 4×4 armoured vehicle fitted with a two-door cab and an Alakran-L deployable mortar system equipped with an 81 mm mortar. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)
Milanion NTGS, the UK manufacturer of the Alakran deployable mortar system, has said deliveries of the Indian Army’s Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System (VMIMS) are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.

The MH-139A, a developmental version of which is seen here on 19 December 2019 at Duke Field in Florida. (US Air Force)

Boeing conducted the first flight of a production MH-139 Grey Wolf on 23 December at Leonardo Helicopters’ facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company told
Janes
on 26 January.

The helicopter is the first of 13 ordered by the US Air Force (USAF) under a March 2023 low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract. The LRIP helicopter is scheduled for delivery to the USAF between June and August, Boeing said.

A model of Lockheed Martin F-35A in Czech colours at the IQPC International Fighter Conference on 6 November 2023. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
The Czech Republic has signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the procurement of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 29 January.

Host L Todd Wood speaks with former IDF/Defense Contractor/Author Niv Kaplan on situation on the ground in Israel.
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Exploring the Saab 29 Tunnan, this article breaks down its technical characteristics, history and legacy in military aviation.
History and innovative design of the Saab 29 Tunnan in aviation
The Saab 29 Tunnan, also known as “The Flying Barrel,” is distinguished in the history of military aviation for its unique design and operational capabilities. Produced by the renowned Swedish firm Saab, the Tunnan marked a milestone by being the first Western European fighter with a swept wing after World War II, a feature it shared with the German pioneer Messerschmitt Me 262.

Scientists at the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine are looking to update the rules that govern Army training and operations in cold weather environments. Photo is from 2017 of soldiers doing cold weather training. U.S. Army Photo by Jamal Wilson.
How cold is too cold? Army researchers want to find out. 
For soldiers in arctic conditions, cold injuries are a constant threat.

The Department of Defense has started the first round of a crowdsourcing effort to find “bias” in large language models, as the Pentagon explores the upsides and risks of generative artificial intelligence capabilities.
The DOD has been using so-called bug bounty programs, such as Hack the Pentagon, to discover cyber vulnerabilities. Now, it aims to apply a similar concept to look for flaws in artificial intelligence tools.
The so-called AI bias bounty, which is being led by the Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO) in partnership with ConductorAI, Bugcrowd and BiasBounty.

Many U.S. Naval installations are right on the water’s edge and are at risk from climate change and dangerously aging infrastructure. But according to two of the Pentagon’s top climate officials, the Navy is deploying emerging and advanced technologies to maintain and modernize its onshore stations.
During the Google Defense Forum presented by DefenseScoop on Jan.

Public Domain

CNN is reporting the Biden administration is considering direct attacks on Iranian soil after the deaths of American troops in Jordan by a drone strike yesterday.
After admittedly leaving American forces exposed, and saying ‘it’s only a matter of time before they are killed,’ Biden got his wish yesterday as American were murdered, and many more wounded.
The OBiden regime wants World War III.
It seems they are going to get it.
Spend time with your kids, they may not be around much longer.

Ep. 69 War with Iran? Yes. We’re already in it.

Three Army Reserve soldiers from Georgia were killed in Jordan by a drone attack. The three soldiers were identified as, from left, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23. Photos from US Army and Facebook.
The three American soldiers killed in a drone attack at a U.S. base in Jordan this weekend were Army Reservists from a Georgia-based engineer unit.
Sgt. William Rivers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett were killed in the Jan.

via X/Telegram
The remains of a Ukrainian-developed R-360 Neptune ground-launched cruise missile have reportedly washed ashore on Russia’s Sea of Azov coastline. This looks to be the first look at any part of one these missiles actually fired in anger. Ukraine’s forces famously used Neptunes to sink the Russian Navy’s Project 1164 Slava class cruiser Moskva in 2022 and reportedly began employing a new land-attack version last year.

USAF
The Czech Republic has become the latest customer of the F-35 stealth fighter, following several years of planning between the country and the United States. This comes amid a ballooning F-35 footprint in Europe as of late, particularly amongst NATO member states.
It was officially confirmed today by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft’s manufacturer, that the Czech government has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) marking its intent to procure 24 fifth-generation F-35 aircraft through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sale (FMS) program.

Costas Metaxakis/AFP via Getty Images
Reports in the Greek media suggest that the country is preparing to transfer to Ukraine much-needed S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems. Unusually for a NATO member, Greece has fairly significant stocks of Soviet-era and Russian-made air defense systems, some of which it has now apparently agreed to hand over to Kyiv.

The al-Shaddadi base in northeast Syria came under an attempted rocket attack today, U.S. officials say. Google Earth image
As the Biden administration mulls over how and when to respond to Sunday’s deadly attack on U.S. troops in Jordan by Iranian-backed militias, a U.S. patrol base in Syria was attacked, two U.S. official stold The War Zone.
“On the morning of Jan. 29, multiple rockets were launched at patrol base al-Shaddadi,” one of the officials said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.” The officials did not specify who carried out that attack.

A Marine Corps activity that aids command-and-control modernization efforts has been designated a Department of Defense “science and technology reinvention laboratory” — making it the service’s first entity to receive the special authorities that come with the label.
Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA) — which is part of Marine Corps Systems Command and is based at Camp Pendleton, California — was tapped as an STRL, the service announced Monday.

If you wanted to know how to get the address of someone in basic training, look no further. Do you know someone who is headed to basic training? This is your guide for mailing address and letter ideas. Basic training is a difficult time, and mail call is something every recruit look forward to. Below is the address format for each basic training location to send your letter.
Basic Training Mailing Address
There are four different Army basic training locations that trainees can be sent to. Army basic training consists of 10 weeks of training.

When Band of Brothers exploded onto the scene in 2001, audiences were mesmerized by Easy Company’s courage, torment and humanity. The Pacific followed in 2010 as a companion piece centered on the 1st Marine Division’s battles in the Pacific theater — Guadalcanal, Okinawa and raising the flag on Iwo Jima. Now, Executive Producers Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman return with Masters of the Air, retelling the Eighth Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group’s brutal encounters with the German Luftwaffe.
Harrowing doesn’t begin to cover it.

The US Defense Security and Co-operation Agency has notified Congress of a possible deal involving Croatia buying eight Black Hawks.

Slovenia purchased IRIS-T air defence systems from Diehl through Germany and the European Sky Shield Initiative.

Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, said Sunday that employees of a Ukrainian arms company conspired with officials to embezzle nearly $40 million that had been earmarked for the purchase of mortar shells to fight the war with Russia.
The agency said five people had been charged, and one had been detained while trying to leave the country. The five could face sentences of up to 12 years in prison.
The country’s prosecutor general stated that the funds have been seized and will be returned to the Ukrainian defense budget.

During its fourth-quarter 2023 earnings call, Lockheed Martin detailed its 2023 financial results and its plans for deliveries of its F-35 fighter jet in 2024. The manufacturer delivered 98 F-35 aircraft in 2023. Originally, had planned to deliver 147-153 F-35s during the year, but reduced this target in July 2023 to 100-120 aircraft and then reduced it further in September 2023 to 97 aircraft. Lockheed Martin had delivered 141 F-35s in 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian army currently has 880,000 people, about 300,000 more soldiers than figures announced more than a month ago.

“We have 880,000 soldiers, an army of nearly a million people,” President Zelenksy revealed in an interview with German television channel ARD on January 29. “Ukraine’s workforce today is about 30 million people or more, but I don’t know the exact number.

The Marine Corps intends to upgrade 50,000 radios with new multi-channel, software-defined models that will be more resistant to adversary threats.
The capabilities are being modernized with NSA cryptographic standards, which the agency is mandating across the Department of Defense.
Marine Corps System Command has already fielded over 4,000 of the platforms since October 2023, with tentative plans to complete fielding of new radios and upgrading existing systems in fiscal 2025, according to a spokesperson.

It can be daunting to explore opportunities for higher education—whether you’re still on active duty or you’re a veteran, there’s a lot to consider: military benefits, scheduling, professional curriculums, or even dependent benefits. It makes life much easier—and the path more clear—when there are people ready to help with resources catered to the military community. Enter National University.

General Dynamics submitted one ARV prototype to the USMC for testing in 2023. (General Dynamics Land Systems )

The US Marine Corps (USMC) is planning to select one to two companies for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the advanced reconnaissance vehicle (ARV) programme, a USMC official in charge of ground combat told
Janes
.

A capability that has evaporated from the U.S. Military is now back in vogue.

Public Domain

The U.S. Military was once over flowing with smaller amphibious warfare vessels (LCMs, LSM, LCTs etc.). And yes, at one time, the Army had more boats than the Navy. Those days are long gone.
The Army almost totally divested of all watercraft in 2019, I pointed this disconnect out to an Army General that gave a Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) Speech. The day before, Army had announced they were walking away from the watercraft world entirely. Kind of hard to do MDO without watercraft.

Saab is now fitting the first of two Global 6000 airframes with its GlobalEye mission equipment for the Swedish Air Force. (Saab)
Saab has inducted the first of two Global 6000 airframes for conversion to the GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) configuration for the Swedish Air Force (SwAF).
The prime contractor for the programme announced the milestone on 26 January, about six months after it officially received the aircraft from Bombardier in Canada in July 2023.

Sentinel‐1A, launched in 2014, was the first Earth-observation satellite built for Europe’s Copernicus programme. (ESA)
The European Union (EU) awarded separate contracts to two consortiums led by Telespazio and OHB System on 23 January to explore the feasibility of exploiting the Copernicus Earth-observation constellation for defence.
The two contracts were awarded as part of the Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS), which seeks to bolster the defence and security of the EU member states.

The CV9035NL mid-life upgrade has a new turret with a pop-up ATGM launcher, a mast-mounted commander’s sight, and a hard-kill active protection system. Although the first production-standard vehicles have yet to be delivered, the RNLA is considering further upgrades for some of its subsystems.

Tegler, NatDef
The Navy announced in April 2023 a second delay in the debut of its carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling aircraft, the Boeing MQ-25A Stingray.

Mark Pomerleau, DefenseScoop
The Navy wants to increase its collaboration in the cyber domain with allies and other international partners to improve interoperability and the sharing of…

R.

J. Hill, Army Tech
The U.S. Army is reshaping its formation structure to be more soldier-centric and threat-informed, which requires an extensive digital plan.

Larry Porges, History Net
Seventy-Five years ago Lucky Lady II became the first plane to circumnavigate the world nonstop.

The first of an initial four UH-60M Black Hawks for Croatia (pictured) was delivered in February 2022. The former Yugloslav country has been approved to buy eight more such helicopters for a final fleet of 12. (Croatian Ministry of Defence)
Croatia has been cleared to buy additional Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters, with the US State Department granting approval for the proposed procurement on 26 January.

Greece is set to join the growing group of European and international allies operating the F-35, with the US State Department approving the sale of up to 40 aircraft. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)
The United States has approved combat aircraft sales to Greece and Turkey worth a combined USD31.6 billion.
In two separate notifications posted at the same time on 26 January, the US State Department approved the sale of new Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft to Greece, and new and modernised Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to Turkey.

The Hawkei (seen here in a four-door configuration) is one of the platforms from the Thales Australia portfolio that will be offered for the Light Protected Mobility aspect of the LMP. (Thales)

Thales intends to offer its Bushmaster and Hawkei wheeled protected patrol vehicles for elements of the British Army’s Land Mobility Programme (LMP),
Janes
learnt at Defence iQ’s International Armoured Vehicle (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.

As current and former Marines, we embrace the changes of Force Design 2030. We’ve come to this conclusion after critically examining the implications of these changes as well as considering the risk of failing to reform the Marine Corps for the modern era. We’ve observed that over the last four years, the collective weight of study, experimentation, and real-world actions has reinforced the validity of the reforms being undertaken by the Marine Corps. We’ve all contributed to this effort in various ways.

The Nurol Makina Ejder Yalçın is one possible contender for the LMP that was displayed at IAV 2024. A UK subsidiary of the company was formed in 2023 to market the company’s products to the UK. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)
Details of the British Army’s Land Mobility Programme (LMP), including the number of vehicles required and procurement timelines, were revealed at Defence iQ’s International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.