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.

USAF
Large sections of two U.S. Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters that were seriously damaged in separate accidents years ago are being grafted together into a single fully operational jet. The hope is that the process of creating this aircraft, which has been nicknamed the “Franken-bird,” will demonstrate new equipment and procedures and help improve and expand the U.S. military’s capacity to repair or repurpose severely damaged F-35s in the future.
The Franken-bird is being assembled at the Ogden Air Logistics Complex (OALC) at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

Bahr served as a medic in 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment for almost seven years. (Courtesy photos/Task & Purpose composite).
Dr. Marshall Bahr, M.D., launched Lead The Way Recovery this week, a new approach to addiction and substance abuse. He saw his first few patients on Monday, applying his experience as a Ranger medic and his extensive clinical background to treat those in need of help.
“Addiction doesn’t spare — it doesn’t care what color your skin is, how rich or poor you are, what your education level is. It just doesn’t care, it doesn’t discriminate,” Bahr said.

Navy Federal Credit Union partners with Rebuilding Together, through its Veterans at Home program, to make no-cost home repairs and safety modifications for those in the military community and others in need.
More than half a century ago, William Johnson, a veteran of the U.S. National Guard and Army, moved into the right half of a “side-by-side” duplex in Arlington, Va., a stone’s throw from the quiet cemetery where countless veterans rest in peace.
Johnson and his wife, Daisy, rode the ups and downs of life from their cozy red-brick colonial.

National Archives and Records Administration via Wikimedia Commons
On October 30, 1944, during World War II, the submarine USS Salmon endured near-catastrophic levels of damage, and survived to tell the tale.
The deformation of Salmon‘s hull, resulting in major flooding, was caused by depth charges being deployed by Japanese forces. The extent of the damage “can be considered one of the most serious to have been survived by any U.S. submarine during World War II,” the Navy indicated in a subsequent report.

The Army is conducting market research to determine the best path forward to release a smartphone app that troops can use for timely and true information about the facilities, conditions and supplies on any military installations where they’re visiting or stationed. 
In October, the service’s Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George first told DefenseScoop about how he’d charged a team of Army Software Factory technologists to prototype such a tool — dubbed then “My Army Post” — in a bid to improve soldiers’ and their families’ lives with support from technology.

As it takes stock of potential unmanned systems that could be fielded for the Pentagon’s ambitious Replicator initiative, the Defense Innovation Unit is planning to host a technology summit in the coming months to offer industry more details about the effort.

GM Defense
GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has been awarded a contract by the Department of State (DoS) to commence full-rate production of heavy-duty up-armored Chevy Suburbans. Once in service, the armored SUVs will be used by the department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) for the transportation of officials and dignitaries in challenging and potentially dangerous locations abroad, as well as for sensitive movements within the United States. You can read our earlier profile on the DSS’s future armored SUVs here.

via X
A recent video shows a Russian Lancet loitering munition — a type of ‘kamikaze’ drone with an integral warhead that can loiter in a target area, before attacking its chosen target by flying into it and detonating — just blew up Ukrainian Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack aircraft… Or did it? It turns out the footage is not all that it appears to be at first glance, with the Lancet’s actual target being a remarkably accurate decoy of the aircraft in question.

Welcome to Mid-Afternoon Map, our exclusive members-only newsletter that provides a cartographic perspective on current events, geopolitics, and history from the Caucasus to the Carolinas. Subscribers can look forward to interesting takes on good maps and bad maps, beautiful maps and ugly ones — and bizarre maps whenever possible. *** Several people responded to our last map by asking where Greenland went. Apparently in the course of flipping around North America, I lost track of it, and while Iceland ended up over by Kamchatka, Greenland disappeared.

L Todd Wood interviews BG Yossi Kuperwasser (Ret) in Israel, discussing the ‘why’ and ‘how it happened’ behind the Oct 7th attack.
Subscribe to the podcast!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afp-pods/id1650277586
!function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src=”https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2y1af”+(arguments[1].video?’.’+arguments[1].video:”)+”/?url=”+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+”&args=”+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].

IDF
Israel and Hamas resumed their war Friday after a week-long pause as negotiations over hostages broke down.
Hamas launched rockets into Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) returned to bombarding Gaza while each side blamed the other for why the ceasefire could not continue into an eighth day. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue for another at least temporary halt to hostilities.
“Following Hamas’ violation of the pause, combat has resumed in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said on Telegram. Since 7 a.m. local time, “the IDF has struck over 200 terror targets.

A report from the House of Lords on AI enabled Autonomous Weapon Systems indicates MoD procurement will need to keep pace with innovation.
The post Lords: MoD need ‘complete reset’ for AI and autonomous weapons appeared first on Army Technology.

FILE: A CV-22 Osprey flies above Tokyo, Japan, April 5, 2018. (Senior Airman Joseph Pick/U.S. Air Force).
The remains of one of the airmen aboard a CV-22B Osprey that crashed on Wednesday off the coast of Japan have been recovered while the seven other airmen who were on the aircraft at the time remain missing, according to U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, or AFSOC.
U.S. and Japanese forces continue to look for the seven missing airmen, who are officially listed as “duty status-whereabouts unknown,” or DUSTWUN, according to an AFSOC news release on Friday.
The following U.S.

Hosts L Todd Wood and Col John Mills (USA, Ret) discuss the Pacific naval freedom of navigation incident, Ukraine/Poland border, Gaza, and the the brewing war crisis in Latin America with Venezuela.
Subscribe to the podcast!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afp-pods/id1650277586
!function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src=”https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2y1af”+(arguments[1].video?’.’+arguments[1].video:”)+”/?url=”+encodeURIComponent(location.

Image by MOROVICTOR

Ukrainian special forces have acted deep inside Russia writes UK intelligence firm Inkerman in a recent report.

On the night (local time) of 29-30 November 2023, an explosion damaged a freight train passing through the Severomuysky Tunnel in the Itykit-Okushikan section of the East Siberian (Baikur-Amal) Railway in the Republic of Buryatia in eastern Siberia.

In the wake of the Israel-Gaza war, geopolitical tensions gripped the world, leaving the USA and the UK on the edge of diplomatic uncertainty. As per the UN, the Gaza Strip faced unprecedented devastation.
Ceasefire Extension Drama
Initially set until November 27, the ceasefire agreement witnessed an extension as Israel and Hamas agreed to an additional two days. This extension became a crucial window for Qatari and Egyptian mediators racing against time to secure further agreement or potentially establish a permanent truce.

India’s Defence Acquisition Council approved the Area of Necessity on $26.8bn of defence expenditure across Aland sea and air domains.
The post India clears $26.8bn defence deal with 98% domestic production appeared first on Army Technology.

The BAAINBw has ordered 50 Dingo 2 A4.1 armoured vehicles from KNDS. (Bundeswehr)
The Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support, and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann + Nexter Defense Systems (KNDS) announced on 30 November that they had signed a contract for 50 Dingo 2 A4.1 armoured vehicles the day before. KNDS said in a press release that the vehicles would replace Dingo 2s transferred by the Bundeswehr to Ukraine.

The US Navy conducted another exercise in the Gulf using unmanned systems such as the MAST-13 USV. (US Navy)
Recent events underscore how military operators are beginning to increasingly test and deploy unmanned systems in the Gulf.

US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) utilised Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS
Indianapolis
(LCS 17) as a staging base and command centre on 27 November for a host of unmanned systems during live weapons firing exercises in the international waters of the central Gulf, US Navy (USN) officials confirmed.

AF Technology
A total of 118 of the advanced air-to-surface missiles will be produced and delivered to the two services, split 84 and 34 respectively.

Sandboxx News
After recent rumors surfaced that the United States Air Force is testing a new high-performance spy plane developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, Sandboxx News decided to…

Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics
The Eagle II boasts capabilities that even fifth-generation fighters don’t have—all in a fourth-gen disguise.

A Gurkha from 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles with an L85A3 5.56 mm assault rifle (right) next to a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade paratrooper with a Howa Type 20 5.56 mm assault rifle (left) during Exercise ‘Vigilant Isles’ in Somagahara Camp, Japan, on 15 November. (Crown copyright)
British Army soldiers embedded with the Japan Ground Self‐Defense Force (JGSDF) for the first time during Exercise ‘Vigilant Isles 23′ in Japan from 15 to 26 November.

In November Oshkosh Defense announced that it had been awarded a $160m deal for additional JLTV for international customers.
The post Israel looks set to become latest JLTV operator appeared first on Army Technology.

John M. Donnelly, Roll Call
Lawmakers say defense contractors are exploiting loopholes on parts’ prices.

Howard Thompson, The Messenger
Once again, political and budgetary dysfunction in our nation’s capital threatens our government’s ability to perform its most basic function: to pay for its…

Joseph DeTrani, The Cipher Brief
OPINION — The Biden-Xi Summit of November 2023 was a step in the right direction. But it was only a step.

NIPP

Joseph S. Nye Jr.

One night in October, Eilat became the target of three missiles launched from Yemen that almost disturbed the peace of the city.

The quiet night of October 31 was disturbed by the launch of three missiles from Yemen towards Eilat, Israel.

Alert at Israeli air base: Rapid response to missile threat
At an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base in southern Israel, alarms rang. The soldiers, sheltered in an underground bunker, began to analyze the approaching supersonic missile.

Elbit Systems and CN ROMARM are collaborating strategically to improve the artillery capabilities of Romania.
The post Elbit Systems and CN ROMARM SA to establish Romanian artillery centre appeared first on Army Technology.

Embraer’s aerospace ambitions soar to greater heights through partnerships with SAMI and NIDV on an international level.
The post Signal: Embraer’s global expansion soars as alliances unveil defence initiatives appeared first on Army Technology.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so they say.
For many military families, this is their first year without their sons, daughters, grandchildren, spouses, and loved ones home for the holidays. A harsh reality of being in the military is that many do not make it home for the holidays.

The Block III version of the Pakistan-China-developed JF-17 fighter aircraft includes several improvements over earlier aircraft, according to the Pakistan Air Force. (Janes)
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has started to induct into service the latest version of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)/Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) JF-17 ‘Thunder’ fighter aircraft.
The PAF said in mid-November that the new Block III aircraft provides the PAF with several improved capabilities over the earlier Block II version.

Recent analysis indicates that the British Army has hundreds of obsolete and unused tanks, an issue seen as critical in times of rising military tensions.
Iron Soldiers Standing Still: Chieftain and Challenger 2 Storage
An investigation by Defence24, a publication of Polish origin, indicates the existence of nearly 900 tanks Chieftain, relics of the tense Cold War era, which remain at rest in locations undisclosed by the British armed forces.

Hypersonic weapons, once considered the preserve of science fiction, do many Israeli defense companies view today as a real threat to the state of Israel.
Recognized global powers such as  Russia, China and Iran claim to possess hypersonic missiles. Recently, Tehran unveiled its alleged hypersonic missile, the Fattah. This triggered speculation and assessments within the Israeli defense sector about the authenticity and effectiveness of these weapons, especially in the context of the war between  Ukraine and Russia, where these missiles were allegedly used.

The Royal Canadian Air Force will operate 14 P-8A Poseidon multimission maritime aircraft, with the option to acquire a further two at a later date. (Boeing)
Canada has selected the Boeing P-8A Poseidon multimission maritime aircraft (MMA) to fulfil its Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirement.
The decision was announced on 30 November, with the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) saying that up to 16 Poseidons (14, plus an option for an additional two) will be acquired.

Seen in Portuguese colours and markings, the KC-390 will be flown by the Netherlands also. (Embraer)
Netherlands Industries for Defence and Security (NIDV) and Embraer have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) geared at co-operation between the respective national defence sectors in general, and specifically related to the Brazilian-built C-390 Millennium transport aircraft and A-29 Super Tucano light attack and trainer aircraft.

Since the launch of the Belt and Road initiative in 2013, Chinese private military companies envisioned working with U.S. firms like Blackwater. They sought to replicate Blackwater’s role in Iraq, safeguarding China’s Belt and Road initiative against criminal and militant violence. In doing so, they also sought to benefit from the newfound legitimacy of private military companies as opposed to old-fashioned mercenaries.  But the private military and security business changes quickly.

On Oct. 28, the Israel Defense Forces entered the Gaza Strip and ended weeks of speculation over when, how, and if Israel would re-occupy the coastal enclave. Eschewing a rapid shock-and-awe style offensive, the Israeli military has instead bisected Gaza and encircled the territory’s urban areas, suggesting that Israeli forces are settling in for a prolonged siege of Hamas’ strongholds. These operational choices reflect the Israeli leadership’s political declarations.

Sean Mirski, a lawyer and U.S. foreign policy scholar, discussed his recent book, We May Dominate the World, which explores the rise of American hegemony in the Western Hemisphere. Mirski discusses how the United States pushed European powers out of the hemisphere while simultaneously expanding its power abroad. The conversation then pivoted to the anxiety great powers often feel about losing power and what that may mean for other reiognal powers and their foreign policy. Image: NORAD 
The post The Making of the American Hegemon appeared first on War on the Rocks.

The first of 31 Sea Tiger helicopters for the German Navy departed Donauwörth production facility on its maiden flight on 30 November. (Airbus)
The NHIndustries (NHI) NH90 Sea Tiger for the German Navy (Deutsche Marine) made its maiden flight on 30 November.
The milestone took place at Airbus Helicopter’s Donauwörth production facility in southern Germany, ahead of flight trials and delivery to the navy in 2025.
The Sea Tiger is an enhanced version of the German-specific Sea Lion that is itself an enhanced version of the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH).

Canadian officials announced that the country’s military will receive the first P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft in 2026 in a deal worth $5.9 billion.

During a meeting on November 30, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair announced that the country would buy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft to replace the CP-140 Aurora fleet that has been in operation for more than 40 years.
Canada will initially buy 14 P-8A aircraft with the option to buy two more later for a total deal value of $5.9 billion.

Anduril
A novel missile-like air vehicle called Roadrunner, with high degrees of modularity and autonomy, and that can be readily reused, has been unveiled by defense contractor Anduril. There is already a version, the Roadrunner-M, with a high-explosive warhead that can be used as a low-cost loitering anti-air interceptor with the ability to return home for refueling and reuse if it isn’t expended in the course of its mission. This is just one potential application for this twin-jet-powered platform that boasts high subsonic speed and takes off and lands vertically.

Autonomous technology manufacturer Anduril has created a new high-speed drone, including a variant that company executives say can intercept and destroy enemy aircraft.
The uncrewed system, dubbed Roadrunner, is a “twin-jet powered autonomous air vehicle” that can take off and land vertically and fly at “high subsonic speed,” according to a press release provided to reporters ahead of Friday’s announcement.

When you arrive, arrive violently. It’s important in combat to interrupt the enemy’s actions, to get inside their operations and shred them. For years, the U.S. has referred to this as “violence of action.”
But the concept dates back thousands of years, often in different names. And for the World War I generation, it was “Spirit of the Attack,” and our grandfathers and great-grandfathers really got into Spirit of the Attack. Entire countries based their plans ahead of the Great War on the idea that their troops would show greater Spirit of the Attack than their enemies.

As a military spouse, you aren’t employed by Uncle Sam. However, as an extension of their decisions and movements, you learn plenty of their tricks along the way. From dealing with moves to attempting to get a call through to TRICARE, to simply pulling into post, there are several nuances to learn about the U.S. government. 
Before you know it, you’re a “salty spouse” and can smell BS from a mile away. We kid, of course, but there are things of note that an experienced spouse can just pick out. Usually, the ones that newbies will never see coming.

Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images
The largest single attack against Ukraine by Russian Shahed-136 type drones last week led to an unusual discovery. Technicians from a Ukrainian drone training and development company said they found a 4G modem with a SIM card from the Ukrainian Kyivstar telecom firm inside some of the downed drones. This could have implications of varying degrees of impact.

Russia’s Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska, almost always abbreviated as VDV, are the Russian airborne forces. Like most airborne forces, they train as shock troops to break up enemy defenses and formations. Now, Russia has reconstituted a fifth division of VDV and sent them into battle.
But the Russian airborne struggled at the start of the war and never recovered, so it’s unclear if the new VDV division represents a real expansion of capability.