Dr. Will Inboden sat down with Sen. John Cornyn to discuss the issues of declassification and transparency, along with the ongoing debate about the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The two also discussed the role of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Congressional oversight, and how Section 702’s renewal is important for U.S. national security Image: Wikimedia Commons
The post A Conversation with Sen. John Cornyn appeared first on War on the Rocks.

In the escalating conflict between Houthi militants and the United States in the Red Sea, a new concern is surfacing – the staggering cost of defending against drone attacks. This article delves into the increasing expenses incurred by the U.S. Navy as it grapples with the threat posed by Houthi drones and missiles.
The Rising Threat
Houthi Attacks on the Rise
As Iranian-backed militants intensify their assaults on commercial ships navigating critical global shipping routes, the U.S. Navy finds itself engaged in intercepting an alarming number of drones and missiles.

AFRICOM PAO
Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG), the newly formed international coalition to protect commercial shipping from Houthi attacks, will be akin to a highway patrol on the Red Sea, the Pentagon’s top spokesman said Thursday. The coalition was formed in response to scores of attacks on vessels that began in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
“It’s very important to understand that Houthis aren’t attacking just one country, they’re really attacking the international community,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters, including from The War Zone.

via X
A picture, seen a the top of this story and uncropped below, has emerged offering the best look to date at a unique pylon that Ukrainian MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters, as well as Su-27 Flankers, are using to carry U.S.-supplied JDAM-ER precision-guided glide bombs. A photograph of a MiG-29 fitted with a pair of these visually distinctive pylons, which have tapered protrusions that extend well forward of where the bomb is attached, first appeared back in June.
The JDAM-ER-armed MiG-29 seen in the new picture showing off the pylon design has the bort number White 22.

Bill Gertz: Congress, Pentagon At Odds Over Pacific Task Force Needed To Prep For China War.
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The Su-75 Checkmate and a cheap Chinese copy were presented with pomp at the MAKS 2021. This announcement, framed in the grandiloquence typical of Russian defense events, has vanished in thinner air than the one these fighters fly. Shengyang FC-31, JAS-39 Gripen, the F-35 Lightning II, promoted itself as a low-cost competitor against aeronautical giants like Vladimir Putin under the watchful eye of
Su-75: A list of unrealizable wishes
Su-75
In a show of excessive ambition, the Kremlin promised the production of some 300 Su-75 in fifteen years.

The capabilities of the Air Force’s next-generation drones — known as collaborative combat aircraft — are expected to increase over time, but that doesn’t mean there will be consistent leaps from one increment to the next, the service’s top weapons buyer told DefenseScoop.
The goal is to field the first tranche of CCAs by the end of fiscal 2028. The Air Force plans to spend more than $6 billion on related projects over the next five years.
“The whole idea of having increments of capability is that they are different.

Marine veteran Ethan Hertweck was killed in Ukraine on Dec. 8, 2023. Photo courtesy of Leslie Hertweck, composite by Task & Purpose.
Marine veteran Ethan Hunter Hertweck often quoted an axiom, his mother Leslie recalled: “All that’s necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ethan decided that he needed to help the Ukrainian people, Leslie Hertweck told Task & Purpose.

The US Army is preparing to reduce its fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters by almost 8%, as it prepares to replace them, said Maj. Gen. Mac McCurry, commander of the US Aviation Center of Excellence, Army, in a recent interview.
The service plans to cut approximately 157 Black Hawks, or 7.5% of its total utility fleet, from its active-duty component.

U.S. Army Sgt. Liliana Munday was one of a few dozen troops who completed the French Desert Commando Course in November in Djibouti. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Haden Tolbert).
Sgt. Liliana Munday worked out three times a day to prepare for the French Desert Commando course in the rugged mountains of Djibouti.
Munday was one of 40 U.S. service members who signed up for one of this year’s French Desert Commando Course, a five-day trial in the Arta Mountains, west of the nation’s capital, Djibouti City.

In early 2024, government oversight officials will meet with multiple Defense Department teams and formally review the agency’s new Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence Adoption Strategy — to ultimately assess whether it fulfills guidance they provided in a March 2022 report.
A watchdog study published last year urged DOD to improve its frameworks, inventory processes and official approaches for incorporating the powerful, still-maturing technology.

Ukraine believes that first-person UAVs will be a weapon that will help change the battlefield because they are cheaper and more effective than artillery shells.

Minister of Strategic Industry of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin, on December 20, announced a plan to produce more than a million first-person drones (UAV FPV), which are regularly used by frontline units for reconnaissance. And attack the enemy, along with 10,000 medium-range suicide UAVs and at least 1,000 long-range aircraft with the ability to attack targets at a distance of over 1,000 km.

The Red Sea, once a vital trade route, has become a hotbed of conflict due to Houthi raids targeting cargo ships. In response, a 10-country alliance led by the US has launched Operation Protect Prosperity (OPG) to safeguard international waters.
Formation of the Alliance
The Pentagon’s announcement on December 18 marked the establishment of a formidable coalition comprising the US, UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. The alliance aims to counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

Aircraft carriers are massive, floating airports that host thousands of personnel. Equipped with barber shops, post offices and convenience stores, flattops can be likened to miniature cities on the water. They even carry their own plumbing systems, water treatment facilities and electric generators. In fact, one of America’s first aircraft carriers used its generators to save Christmas.
USS Lexington in dry dock c. 1928 (U.S. Navy)
USS Lexington (CV-2) was originally designed as a battlecruiser.

Welcome to Rewind & Reconnoiter. Each week, we’ll ask one of our authors to look back at an article they’ve written for War on the Rocks in light of a current news event. Did their argument hold up? Read more below to find out. *** Last year, Ryan Gingeras wrote “Why Erdogan Might Choose War with Greece” for War on the Rocks in which he argued that “a conflict between Greece and Turkey appears not only possible but probable.” Amidst the apparent effort by Turkey and Greece to “mend ties,” we asked him to look back on his article and argument.

The United Kingdom announced that two modern mine hunters, originally promised before the 2022 expansion of the war in Ukraine, will be transferred to Ukraine. The formerly British ships have great capabilities to make Ukrainian mine hunting at sea more safe. And Ukraine faces many dozens, potentially hundreds, of mines in the Black Sea.
The mines are choking Ukraine’s economy, especially shipments of grain, and so clearing the mines is essential to Ukraine’s future.
But, unfortunately, Ukraine might not get the ships into the Black Sea as long as the war continues.

Ambrey
Nearly every day, private armed security teams (PASTs) stationed on a floating armory somewhere in the Indian Ocean will get a message from supervisors at Ambrey, a U.K.-based firm specializing in maritime risk management. They are to grab their L1A1 SLR or Steyr Scout rifles and head out to a commercial ship sailing to the narrow and increasingly dangerous Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Once on board, the PAST will provide armed security, overwatch and help the crews take all the safety precautions possible for a trip through waters where U.S.

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Army is altering its approach for a key program designed to make units faster on the battlefield.
The Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2) initiative aims to make command posts more mobile and survivable.
The Army had previously outlined contracts for CPI2 to initially be built on Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles variants, which are very large. Now, it’s scaling that back.

The UK has committed the Type 45 Daring-class destroyer HMS
Diamond
to Operation ‘Prosperity Guardian’, which has been set up to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
(UK Ministry of Defence 2020)

The UK Royal Navy (RN’s) Type 45 Daring-class destroyer HMS
Diamond
(D 34) has joined the newly formed multinational security initiative international task force set up to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

To drive the Canadian military deeper into digital, General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada secured four contracts for land C4ISR systems.

The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) program faces challenges that must be addressed. Meanwhile, the service hasn’t written off the possibility of acquiring boost-glide systems despite hiccups with the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), according to its top weapons buyer.
The Pentagon has been pursuing multiple types of hypersonics that have unique characteristics. Boost-glide missiles such as ARRW are first launched from a rocket booster that gives them sufficient energy to reach speeds greater than Mach 5 and then glide toward their targets.

Israel said it was attacking Hamas’s last strongholds in northern Gaza, preparing to end the ground campaign in the area.

“We have switched to fighting in the Daraj-Tuffah area adjacent to the Shejaiya district in Gaza City,” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said on December 20.
According to him, this is the area where one of Hamas’s last battalions is located in the northern Gaza Strip, indicating that the IDF may be nearing completion of the ground campaign in this area of ​​the strip.

Leader Kim Jong-un declared that North Korea is ready to respond proportionately if the enemy provokes it with nuclear weapons.

North Korea’s central news agency KCNA said leader Kim Jong-un on December 20 met and congratulated the soldiers of the 2nd Company of the Missile General Department, who participated in the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM) Hwasong-18 a few days earlier.
“Mr. Kim Jong-un emphasized that the activities conducted by the company have demonstrated the strong position of the armed forces to protect the country.

The Vector fixed-wing remotely piloted aerial system. (Quantum Systems)
The New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 14 December that it has awarded contracts to three companies for small, micro, and nano unmanned aircraft systems (UASs).

Sarah Minson, deputy secretary for Capability Delivery at the MoD told
Janes
that EPE New Zealand Limited (EPE) will supply the Skydio X-series of quadcopter micro UAS and the Flexnet Remote Ground System (RGS) from Bertin Exensor.

Jon Harper, DefenseScoop
The sea service wants to acquire extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles that can travel long distances and lay mines without putting sailors in harm’s way.

A&SF Mag.

Army Technology
Leidos completed U.S. Army tests on the Enduring Shield multi-launch missile defence system designed to counter cruise missiles and UAS.

Todd South, Defense News
The Army’s newest rifle and automatic rifle are already in the hands of soldiers for testing and will officially field to its first unit in 2024.

Franks, Warrior M.
The NGAD program is determined to avoid the pitfalls experienced in the F-35 program.

Presented at the UN Security Council, the UAE-authored resolution to suspend fighting in Gaza was previously vetoed by the US.

Babcock has been contracted to provide sustainment and support for the two ex-Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunters recently donated by the UK to Ukraine. (UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
Babcock International has been awarded a contract covering the support and maintenance of the Ukrainian Navy’s two newly acquired ex-Royal Navy (RN) Sandown-class mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) – Chernihiv (ex-HMS Grimsby) and Cherkasy (ex-HMS Shoreham).

Denmark and Sweden have signed a statement of intent to produce additional CV90 combat vehicles for Ukraine.

Hungary wants a short- to very-short mounted air defence system, and has contracted Rheinmetall to add the Skyranger 30 to a Lynx KF41.

The unease in Israel reaches new heights as Hezbollah takes center stage in security concerns, surpassing even the longstanding threat from Hamas. This article delves into the growing apprehensions among Israelis, exploring the factors contributing to the perceived threat posed by Hezbollah and the potential implications for the region.
Hezbollah vs. Hamas: Unraveling the Security Dilemma
A. Differentiating Threats
Israelis on the northern border, including reserve soldiers like Itai Reuveni, are redirecting their attention from Gaza to Lebanon, highlighting a shift in perceived threats.
B.

The biggest deals of the year highlighted how global security has been reshaped by advancements in technology.

The X2D UAS (pictured above) features an autonomous navigation suite designed to perform real-time 360° obstacle avoidance, object detection, and motion prediction. (Skydio)
The New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed three contracts with EPE New Zealand Limited (EPE), US-based Quantum-Systems Inc, and Australian company Criterion Solutions Pty respectively to procure unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) for the New Zealand Army as part of the Network Enabled Army (NEA) programme, the MoD said in a press release in mid-December.

Given the current stalemate in Russia’s war with Ukraine, calls for a ceasefire have increased. Those opposed, however, argue that Russia will simply use a ceasefire to rest and rearm and then attack again. That can’t be ruled out. Yet there are grounds to question this assumption. In a post-conflict environment, President Vladimir Putin would face several internal challenges that could constrain his behavior, or at least make renewed warfare a more challenging proposition.

This year, we observed growing defence expansion as nations around the world modernise to avoid falling behind their adversaries.

The analysis of the landing gear of the FC-31, with its double nosewheel configuration, reveals a possible but questionable orientation toward operations on Chinese aircraft carriers.
While favoring landings on flat surfaces under heavy loads, this arrangement is not exclusive to carrier-based aircraft. However, a question arises here about the real robustness of this configuration in the face of the extreme demands of deck landings, a scenario where structural resistance is critical.

Boeing
Boeing has now delivered the first of its Orca extra-large unmanned undersea vehicles, or XLUUVs, to the U.S. Navy. Delivery submarine drone has been delayed by several years, in part due to differences between Orca and its prototype as well as the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The delivery was announced earlier today by Boeing, following the completion of acceptance testing earlier in December. In partnership with the Navy, it has previously undergone several phases of at-sea testing, including maneuvering above and below the surface which we saw glimpses of back in the summer.

Public Domain

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military will make “significant progress” toward reclaiming a World War II-era airfield on the Pacific island of Tinian in the upcoming months, an air force general said, part of an initiative to disperse aircraft across the Indo-Pacific region as China’s missile threat continues to grow.
The U.S. Air Force is stepping up construction at the Tinian North airfield, once used by the largest B-29 bomber fleet during World War II, and at the Tinian International airfield, Gen.

Boeing capture
Boeing has delivered another two F-15EX Eagle IIs to the U.S. Air Force, a year later than originally hoped. Manufacturing-related issues were the primary driver behind the delays.
A spokesperson for Boeing confirmed to The War Zone that the Air Force’s third and fourth F-15EXs, also known as EX3 and EX4, were delivered to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida today. Air Force pilots had conducted pre-delivery checkout flights on these jets earlier this month.

Since late 2021, a surprising phenomenon has dominated the skies: the deployment of mirror-like coatings on US tactical stealth aircraft like the F-22, F-35 and F-117. This renewed interest in a technology that reduces aircraft signature, especially in the infrared spectrum, has been notable throughout 2022. Although primarily observed in test missions, this camouflage strategy dates back several decades.

This week, an F-35C operating from the USS Abraham Lincoln was spotted off the coast of California, sporting these enigmatic coverings.

Twelve airmen were will recieve distinguished flying cross for missions during the kabul airlift. Photo by Sgt. Samuel Ruiz, composite by Task & Purpose.
In the latest round of awards for the Kabul airlift, the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command approved 12 Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Bronze Star Medals, 208 Air Medals and 73 Meritorious Service Medals to aircrew and other personnel who flew in and out of the chaotic scene at Hamid Karzai International Airport in the final days of August 2021.
The 12 DFCs — the highest award in the U.S.

FILE: Santa Claus waves upon arriving at the 419th Fighter Wing’s Christmas party Sunday. (Airman 1st Class Crystal Charriere/U.S. Air Force).
It’s been an especially demanding year for the U.S. military air defenses, which have spent 2023 shooting down a Chinese spy balloon, UFOs, and Houthi missiles and drones – all while troops continue to fight ISIS and fend off attacks in Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. military as a whole watches warily as China increases the size of its navy and nuclear stockpile.
The demands on the U.S.

Major Sayed Hussain Musawi, Major Mohammad Bashir Safdari, and Lieutenant Ali Jan Ferdawsi. Photos courtesy of Salem For Refugees. (Task & Purpose composite image.).
As the Taliban took over Afghanistan over the summer of 2021, Afghan Air Force pilots flew their aircraft out of the country to prevent the aircraft from falling into terrorist hands. Many then made their way to the U.S., hoping for a chance to find a permanent home.
Three of those pilots were killed in a single-engine plane crash on Saturday near Independence, Oregon.

Drones and artificial intelligence capabilities that have been tested and refined in the Middle East by an innovative U.S. Navy task force are now under consideration to support the new multinational coalition set up to protect ships transiting the Red Sea, multiple sources told DefenseScoop.
On Tuesday in Bahrain, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Operation Prosperity Guardian — a new security initiative between the United States and an undisclosed number of other nations to “jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Army tested its modernized communications network with a division for the first time last month, a major milestone as it seeks to scale technologies across the service.
As the Army transitions from the global war on terror to great power competition and large-scale combat operations, the division will be the main unit of action as opposed to the brigade.
Up to this point, the Army’s integrated tactical network — a combination of program-of-record systems and commercial off-the-shelf tools — had been tested with brigades and below.

DONETSK OBLAST, UKRAINE – DECEMBER 9: Ukrainian soldiers of the UAV strike company ‘Achilles’ of the 92nd Assault Brigade ‘Ivan Sirko’ are on day duty adjusting to work with FPV drones in Bakhmut direction on December 9, 2023 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Photo by Vladyslav Kravets/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC “UA:PBC”/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Kyiv says it plans to manufacture around a million first-person view (FPV) drones next year, as part of expanding efforts to build uncrewed aircraft of different types.

Raytheon
The U.S. Army plans to substantially increase its arsenal of Coyote counter-drone interceptors, as well as associated launchers and radars, in the next five years or so. The service says it wants to buy 6,000 jet-powered Block 2 variants, which carry an explosive warhead to destroy their target, and 700 more Block 3 versions that utilize an unspecified “non-kinetic” payload.