The Israeli army announced airstrikes on more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip, including weapons trucks and weapons warehouses of Hamas.

According to a December 4 announcement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the targets hit by airstrikes included a school in the city of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, where the force said it had the infrastructure of Hamas inside, including tunnels containing many explosives and weapons.
The IDF also conducted airstrikes on other targets in the Gaza Strip, including a weapons truck, a rocket launch site and a Hamas weapons depot.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (pictured) launched South Korea’s first military reconnaissance satellite on 1 December. The satellite is expected to strengthen the RoK Armed Forces’ early warning capabilities against potential North Korean threats. (SpaceX)
South Korea has launched its first military reconnaissance satellite using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the reconnaissance satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 1 December, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on 2 December.

A mock-up of the Eurodrone displayed at the Paris Air Show 2023. Japan has now joined the programme as an observer. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Japan has attained official observer status on the Eurodrone project, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) announced on 30 November.
The letter of approval was presented in Berlin by OCCAR Executive Administration Director Joachim Sucker to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi.

The deal is Thales’ ninth acquisition in the digital security area over the last nine years, and the second largest in after Gemalto.
The post Signal: Thales completes acquisition of Imperva in cybersecurity push appeared first on Army Technology.

Ukraine’s defence receives support from a key NATO ally through a supply contract for Rheinmetall’s artillery.
The post Rheinmetall secures €142m ammunition deal for Ukraine appeared first on Army Technology.

The Republic of China Navy and Marine Corps deployed AAV7 amphibious vehicles (an example pictured above) in the drills to boost operational preparedness to counter Chinese amphibious landings on Taiwan beaches in the event of a conflict. (BAE Systems)
The Republic of China (RoC) Armed Forces have initiated conducting drills to boost operational preparedness to counter Chinese amphibious landings on Taiwan beaches in the event of a conflict.

In yet another curious twist in its long history, the Monroe Doctrine, which turned 200 on Saturday, is making an unexpected political comeback in the United States. “I think it’s as relevant today as it was the day it was written,” declared Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump’s first secretary of state, in Mexico City in 2018. More recently, contestants for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination have competed to lay claim to the doctrine.

Twenty-three years after the U.N. Security Council passed the Women, Peace, and Security framework and six years after the United States became the only country to legislatively mandate its implementation, widespread misunderstanding remains about why it matters to national security. Contrary to what is sometimes heard among U.S. security practitioners in classrooms, conferences, and conversations, this is not a social justice program. It is not a diversity, equity, and inclusion mandate, or a call for the government to “do the right thing.

A Republic of Korea Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A drops a GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb during a training exercise in November 2022. (South Korea MND)
The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of munitions for South Korea’s Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs.
In an announcement on 1 December the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the South Korean government had requested the purchase of a range of air-launched munitions for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (RoKAF’s) F-35.

Anduril’s Roadrunner-M C-UAS vehicle. (Anduril)

Anduril unveiled a reusable, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air vehicle on 1 December. The twin turbojet-powered vehicle, dubbed Roadrunner, can be fitted with modular payloads, while the Roadrunner-M (Munition) is intended as a counter-unmanned aircraft

system (C-UAS).

The company said in a statement that the Roadrunner is capable of “high subsonic speeds and extreme maneuverability”, though specifications were not immediately available.

An artist’s portrayal of the Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. (Northrop Grumman)
The US is undergoing large-scale recapitalisation of its nuclear deterrent capability, with warheads central in this process: five warhead programmes are under way, two of which are in production and in-service phases, and three programmes are in development, according to a Department of Energy (DoE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) annual report.

Israel is said to be preparing a long-term plan to hunt down Hamas leaders globally to prevent the group from resurrecting after the Gaza war.

The US Wall Street Journal on December 1 quoted unnamed Israeli officials as saying that with orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s top intelligence agencies are planning to hunt down Hamas leaders living in foreign countries. Countries such as Lebanon, Turkey and Qatar, as fighting in Gaza continues to erupt after a 7-day ceasefire.

U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Xavier Jimenez/Released)
Missiles fired from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen struck three commercial ships in the Red Sea Sunday, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney responded to distress calls from two of those vessels and downed three drones approaching it.
The incidents began about 9:15 a.m. local time when the Carney detected an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) launched toward the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier M/V Unity Explorer, according to CENTCOM.

(Screenshot via Twitter).
The war in Ukraine has seen an anachronistic array of weaponry. As Task & Purpose has reported in the past, the conflict has seen both modern, high-tech systems from attack drones to Western-supplied rocket systems and Patriot missile batteries. It’s seen those modern weapons ground down by the muck and mire of trench warfare. 
Even with a somewhat steady influx of new weaponry, both Ukraine and Russia have relied on homemade, slapped-together weapons to help with the fighting.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Carney. (Photo courtesy U.S. Navy).
A U.S. Navy destroyer fired in self-defense in the Red Sea after coming to aid a pair of commercial ships attacked by Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to reports.
The hourslong attack, according to the Associated Press which cited unnamed American officials, saw the USS Carney shoot down drones launched at both it and a commercial bulk carrier near the body of water linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, a major shipping route.

Public Domain

According to widely accepted research including that of the military services themselves, organizations that are effective have common values, teamwork, unity, cohesion, and a shared vision of what it takes to be successful.  The literature is full of training that stresses these values.  DOD as required by Congress does annual surveys to determine how things are going.  The very first question asked in the 2022 survey is about cohesion!  The second question asked is about connectiveness.  The third question is about engagement and commitment.

Public Domain

The Pentagon is confirming a US warship and commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea today. The escalation is unfortunate but predictable after the suspicious nature of the start of the Gaza War. Many have been suspecting there is a push for a wider conflict in the region.
“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon said, reported AP.

A series of recent press articles (notably The Times, Financial Times and Forbes) have claimed that Germany is willing to lift its ban on exporting another 48 Typhoons to Saudi Arabia. The problem is that, in all cases, it is pure misinformation.
First, there is no evidence that the German government has taken such action. On July 12, Chancellor Olaf Scholz publicly confirmed his decision to abide by the embargo on arms sales to Saudi Arabia imposed in November 2018.

The looming winter casts a formidable shadow over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, ushering in a phase of prolonged deadlock and intensified skirmishes. Amidst the chilling battleground, speculations arise about the possibility of negotiations surfacing in the coming year.
Harsh Winter Conditions: A Stalemate Catalyst
Retired Colonel Seth Krummrich, now Vice President of a prominent consulting firm, predicts a grim scenario, stating, “Winter will only add to the misery on the battlefield. Neither side will achieve a breakthrough in such weather conditions.

Khokhol had to crawl for three days and two nights amid minefields along the Russian lines after straying into an enemy base.

In October, a soldier codenamed “Khokhol”, a member of the Artan task force of the General Directorate of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR), was sent to support a GUR unit at the Kupyansk front in Kharkiv province, northeastern Ukraine.
“Our platoon had 28 people, brought weapons, night vision goggles and other necessary equipment and set out to support them,” Khokhol said.
Khokhol and his teammates arrived early in the evening.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — After a series of hiccups and schedule slippage, the Army is revising its approach to testing its long-range hypersonic weapon. And the service’s acquisition chief hopes the missiles can be fielded next summer.
Multiple scheduled flight tests of the Dark Eagle have been called off, most recently one that was slated for Oct. 26. Now, officials are charting a new course.
A “big meeting” was held this past week, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Doug Bush told DefenseScoop on Saturday.

We first fell in love with Gary Sinise as Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, and we quickly learned his passion for the military community was no act. Following 9/11, Sinise started his own foundation.
“After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, I began devoting much of my time supporting the men and women who were deploying in response to those attacks – the brave service members who, each day, protect our cities and defend our great country,” Sinise wrote on his website.

Security footage of the two suspects in the March 2022 Planned Parenthood bombing. (Photos courtesy Department of Justice).
An ex-Marine pled guilty this week to the March 2022 firebombing of a Planned Parenthood clinic while an active-duty service member stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. 
Chance Brannon entered his guilty plea on Thursday, Nov. 30 to a four-count federal indictment..

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Pentagon leaders have approved the procurement of three “pretty special” capabilities that were tested under the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) initiative, the department’s chief technology officer said Saturday.
RDER is a signature initiative of Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu that started about two years ago.

PLAAF
China has released a photo of its J-16 Flanker derivatives tooled up with air-to-air missiles. The most impressive loadout shown out of a quartet (division) of J-16s in an overhead break pattern includes the huge PL-17 (also referred to as the PL-XX or PL-20) long-range air-to-air missile.
The image shows the formation of four jets with varying configurations of air-to-air missiles, two of which are particularly impressive. The fighters in question carry four PL-10s, one PL-12, four PL-15s, and one big PL-17.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sonny Escalante
The sudden arrival of mirror-like coatings on all of America’s stealthy tactical jets (F-22, F-35, F-117) definitely grabbed a lot of interest starting in late 2021 and appeared repeatedly through 2022 in various forms. But all the known instances of combat aircraft receiving these exotic treatments, which are thought to decrease the signature of the aircraft, most likely in the infrared spectrum, have been on examples flying for testing purposes, although the concept dates back decades.

Charles Hardy (left) during World War II. (Photo courtesy the Hardy family).
More than 75 years after he returned stateside, Charles Hardy is receiving an award for his military service in France during World War II. The former Army combat engineer will be declared a Knight of the Legion of Honor on Dec. 4.
The former soldier and retired railroad foreman will receive the honor at the French consulate in Washington, D.C. next week. Born in Cumberland, Maryland, Hardy joined the U.S. Army in July 1943.

Spain procrastinates on acquiring the Lockheed-Martin F-35 as other European countries move forward, with Portugal possibly swapping its fleet of F-16 AM/BM aircraft for these modern fighter-bombers.
The roar of engines modifies the European war panorama
In the vantage point of modern warfare, Lockheed-Martin scanned the horizon in 2017, anticipating that Spain, Belgium and Switzerland would soon be ready to adorn their hangars with F-35 fighter-bombers. After six years of waiting, Spain remains in the turbulence zone, but a change in altitude seems imminent.

Contrary to expectations, Kazakhstan chose the Russian Su-30SM fighter instead of the French Rafale option.
The advance of Kazakh air defense
On November 30, Yerzhan Nildibayev, second commander of the Kazakh Air Defense, mentioned that Kazakhstan has opted to purchase Russian-made  Su-30SM  fighters, ruling out a French offer for Rafale aircraft.
In his announcement, Nildibayev detailed that the purchase of ten more Su-30SMs is planned for the period 2023-2024, justifying the decision by its superior price-quality ratio compared to the French competition.

India’s Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri, has agreed to the approval of Acceptance of Need (AoNs) for various Capital Acquisition Proposals amounting to Rs 2.23 crore (approx. 27.6 billion), of which procurement worth Rs 2.20 crore (98% of the total AoN amount) will be sourced from domestic industries. This will substantially boost the Indian defense industry’s ability to achieve the goal of being “Made in India.

The Israeli army announced attacks on more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip after the ceasefire with Hamas expired and fighting continued.

On December 1, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that its divisions launched many new attacks in the Gaza Strip. Israeli infantry destroyed many mined structures, tunnels, rocket sites and other Hamas facilities.
According to the IDF, the Israeli Air Force coordinated with infantry divisions to attack more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip.

Russia announced that its military will increase the number of troops to more than 1.3 million people to respond to threats such as NATO’s continued expansion.

In a December 1 announcement, the Russian Ministry of Defense said the maximum number of the country’s armed forces increased by 170,000 people, equivalent to about 15%, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin two days earlier. This decision brings the total number of Russian troops to 1,320,000 people.

Capt. James Harney (photo courtesy U.S. Navy).
The commodore of a U.S. Navy amphibious squadron has been relieved of duty this week, according to the Navy. Capt. James Harney, the head of Amphibious Squadron 5, was removed from command due a “loss of confidence” in his “ability to perform his duties,” the Navy announced the evening of Friday, Dec. 1.
That’s a common, vague reason given by the U.S. Navy in response to these firings.

South Korea announced that it had successfully launched its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit from a US base in California.
South Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite was launched at 10:19 a.m. on December 1  from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA. The booster used is the Falcon 9 of the SpaceX Group, which billionaire Elon Musk co-founded.

On December 2, the Korean Ministry of National Defense said that the satellite entered orbit about 4 minutes after launch and successfully contacted the ground station at 11:37 a.m., meaning the device worked normally.

The US paired the body frames of two damaged F-35s to create a complete fighter to save costs and components.

On November 30, the US Air Force announced that it is implementing a project to combine two broken F-35 stealth fighters into a new one called Franken-bird (Frankenstein’s monster bird). The project was conducted by the F-35 Program Office (JPO) at Hill Air Force Base in Wyoming, with support from the 388th Airlift Wing stationed at Hill Base, F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin and the logistics force at the base.

John J. Waters, RealClearBooks “West and me took a walk around the big base,” I started.

Francis P.

The Korean Air Force eliminated F-35A fighters that collided with birds last year because repair costs were higher than buying new ones.

On December 1, the Korean Air Force announced a comprehensive assessment showing that the F-35A lost 300 parts after colliding with a bird and then landing on the runway at Seosan base in January 2022, including the fuselage frame. aircraft, engines, control and navigation systems.
Due to high costs, long repair times and other safety issues, the Korean Air Force’s evaluation committee concluded that this F-35A should be scrapped instead of repaired.

L.C. Williams, DefOne
A congressional panel highlights its concerns about infrastructure, the industrial base, keeping up with Russia, and staying ahead of China.

Sean Carberry, National Defense Magazine
If the Defense Department and industry deliver on modernization plans, a plethora of new aircraft, tanks, ships and other weapons currently under…

Graham Allison, Natnterest
I entered Henry Kissinger’s classroom at Harvard University 58 years ago, in 1965. Indeed, I have been learning from him ever since.

Email from Lt. Gen Rod Bishop to the USAFA Superintendent:
Rich–as a die hard Falcon football fan, I certainly share with you (and what coach and the team must be a feeling)–i.e, “disappointment” after an 8-0 start of “what could have been.

Russian drones already pose a considerable threat to Ukrainian service members and civilians. Russia intentionally strikes civilian infrastructure in addition to hitting military targets. Now, it appears to be using that same civilian infrastructure to guide its own drones, the same drones it’s destroying the infrastructure with.
The Kyivstar Network
Kyivstar is the largest cell phone network in Ukraine, serving nearly half of all cell customers there. Russia made targeted attacks against the carrier in 2022, especially with cyberattacks, trying to bring it down.

Via Social Media/X
For the second time since Ukraine began employing Storm Shadow and later SCALP-EG cruise missiles, the wreckage of an ADM-160 Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) has appeared. The last and only known other time a MALD appeared in Ukraine was in May of last year, right when it became clear Storm Shadows were in use. You can read our report on that incident and all about ADM-160 in our previous report here.

⚡️The fallen 🇺🇸American decoy missile AGM-160 MALD, probably in the Kherson region.

(Task & Purpose composite image).
“How can I feel comfortable advocating for military service when so many members of our community don’t feel welcome or even have their needs met?” I asked at a recent panel titled “Changing Perceptions, Shaping Futures: Breaking Down Barriers Between Veterans and Gen Z.” 
The panel’s goal was to clear up misconceptions about the military and panelists included representatives from the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, the Veterans Administration, the Military Officers Association of America, and an active sergeant in the U.S. Army.

The AUKUS alliance will kick off a new innovation challenge series early next year with an initial focus on electronic warfare, defense leaders from the three nations are set to announce Friday.
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles, U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, met at the Defense Innovation Unit’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, where the primary focus of their discussions was on advancing Pillar 2 of the trilateral military partnership.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob “Jake” Galliher was killed Wednesday in the crash of a CV-22 Osprey in Japan. Photo from Facebook, U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andre Dakis.
An Air Force linguist from Massachusetts was confirmed to have died in the crash of CV-22 Osprey off the coast of Japan on Wednesday, November 29.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob “Jake” Galliher was trained in Mandarin Chinese and was likely one of the service’s elite language experts known as Airborne Cryptologic Language Analysts.

In a world where air heavyweights like the United States show superiority, Russia sees a new ray of hope in reusing the MiG-35 light multirole fighter.
MiG-35 of the 4++ generation: An unexpected return?
There was a time when the MiG-35 light multirole fighter seemed doomed to oblivion in favor of its heavier competitor, the Su-35S. However, in a sudden turn of events, with 2023 in sight, there is a call for the revival of the MiG-35 to meet the challenge of the fleet of  F-16, F-15, F-35, and F-22 of the United States.

The brewing conflict of Venezuela invading Guyana would be the latest and closest of Xi’s arson campaign

Image by SurinameCentral

The failure of enforcing the Monroe Doctrine is coming home to roost. Ed Martin of the Eagle Forum convened a timely gathering on November 30, 2023 on the importance of the Monroe Doctrine and appeared on Warroom to discuss.
Venezuela, a key proxy of China who hosts a heavy footprint of Chinese, Iranian, Hamas, and Russian advisors is now looking to invade next door Guyana. Evan Ellis discusses this mess in a recent article. Evan is an excellent source.

A new RAND Corporation report found that minority officers stay in the Army longer but receive fewer promotions. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Jason Elmore.
Black, Hispanic, and Asian officers stay in the military longer than their white counterparts, a new report found, but have less success rising through the ranks.
The study was conducted by the RAND Corporation and looked at the Army’s retention of racial-ethnic minorities and made recommendations for the service to improve the career prospects of diverse talent.