Author and founder of CDM, L Todd Wood continues his series of reports from within Israel.
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J.D.

The Pentagon helped stoke and prolong this war for a globalist agenda, not for American national security

Mother and SonImage by Yevtushuk Victor

Our Pentagon is covered in shame, not honor.
America has lost its moral authority.
There was never a U.S. national security interest to expand NATO to Russia’s borders, in the Kremlin’s very own back yard, and stoke a war that would expend hundreds of billions of American taxpayer dollars, vital military equipment, and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian lives.

Ukraine took a seat at the Nato Military Committee for the first time in an enduring cooperation following the Russia’s invasion.
The post Ukraine joins Nato Military Committee appeared first on Army Technology.

James J. Wirtz, CIMSEC
Will unmanned forces transform naval campaigning? Given recent events following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, maritime transformation appears to be well underway….

Zachary Kallenborn, Derrick Tin & Gregory Ciottone, Small Wars Journal
Terrorists, suicide bombers in particular, create chaos and bring death and destruction to the masses.

Paul Poast, The Atlantic The past two years have seen the most conflicts of any time since the end of the Second World War.

Steele Brand, Law & Liberty
Within hours of Hamas’ unprecedented attack that sparked yet another land war in Eurasia, Israel summoned reservists home and began reintegrating them into its…

Francis P. Sempa, Real Clear Defense
Any true postmortems on the 21st century wars in Iraq and Afghanistan should factor in the domestic human costs of those conflicts.

In a recent turn of events, the United States has rejected Thailand’s proposal to acquire Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft, citing production limitations and insufficient infrastructure on the receiving end. However, a deeper analysis reveals that the rejection may be tied to Thailand’s burgeoning relationship with China, raising questions about the evolving dynamics of global alliances.
The Global Diplomatic Litmus Test
The meticulous approach taken by the United States in approving F-35 deals underscores its concerns about the strength of global alliances.

In the ever-evolving landscape of military technology, Russia’s T-90 series has carved a niche for itself. While the T-14 may still be perceived as more of a concept than a reality, the T-90 from the 1990s stands out as Russia’s stalwart on the battlefield.
The Rare Gem Emerges
Amidst the various T-90 variants, the spotlight is now on the elusive T-90A Obr. 2005. Recent images circulating on the internet reveal a T-90A Obr. 2005, nicknamed “Taxi,” purportedly deployed in the conflict-ridden Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine under the 27th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade.

To defend itself, Israel has invested heavily in its air defense system. A major component of this defensive network is interceptor missiles. As incoming weapons fly higher and faster, so too must the interceptors. To that end, Israel Aerospace Industries led the development of the Hetz (Hebrew for Arrow) 3 exoatmospheric hypersonic anti-ballistic missile. On the evening of November 10, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Ministry of Defense announced the first successful operation interception by the Arrow 3.
An Arrow-series missile is test launched at Point Mugu (U.S.

IDF
Even as his troops are still searching for evidence that Hamas is using hospitals as military centers, Israel’s Chief of the General Staff says that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will expand its operations elsewhere in Gaza.
“We are close to dismantling the military system that was present in the northern Gaza Strip,” Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Friday in a message to his troops while touring the Palestinian enclave. “While there remains work to be completed, we are approaching it successfully.

Staff Sgt. Meiziaha T. Cooper, left, her husband Desmond Cooper and their 4 and 9 year-old children were found dead Wednesday in their home on Fort Stewart. Photos from Meiziaha Cooper’s Facebook.
A soldier found dead Thursday along with her family in their home on Fort Stewart was “a mentor, a mom” and “the best NCO I could ever ask for,” according to a soldier who worked with her on the base.
Staff Sgt. Meiziaha T. Cooper and her husband, Desmond Cooper, were pronounced dead after being found in their home just after 5 p.m.

MBDA
The Swedish Navy’s stealthy Visby class corvettes are about to get a significant boost in firepower, with the addition of the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) — a surface-to-air missile that can engage a wide variety of threats. This would fill what was otherwise a significant gap in these fascinating warships’ capabilities.
The sale of the naval missiles is a boost for the manufacturer, European missile house MBDA, and follows recent success for the land-based version of the CAMM, Poland having recently signed a multi-billion-dollar deal for the extended-range CAMM-ER.

Recently, Barack Obama weighed in on Israel’s war against Hamas and, unsurprisingly, repeated all the conventional wisdom that our politicians on both sides have indulged in since 9/11. One comment, in particular, evoked one of the most dangerous views of the conflict with modern jihadism: that this venerable doctrine of Islam is a kind of heresy or extremism that does not represent Muslims around the world.

UVision
Small loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, with new specialized seekers would be a valuable additional tool for finding and taking out enemy land-based electronic warfare systems, according to U.S. Special Operations Command. This underscores the threat posed by electronic warfare capabilities that potential adversaries, especially China and Russia, have already fielded and new systems they are continuing to develop. It also speaks to ongoing discussions about the roles of U.S.

Cpt. Chiara Botello from 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division receives the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Conroy Bowl on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii on Jan. 14, 2021. (1st Lt. Angelo Mejia/U.S. Army).
Soldiers who were forced out of the Army for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine have received letters with instructions on how to rejoin, as the service faces its toughest recruiting environment in a generation.

(Task & Purpose composite image).
The M9 Beretta earned the nickname of “world defender” because of its back-to-back contracts that kept it in circulation from 1995 to 2017. Then, in 2017, SIG Sauer won the Department of Defense modular handgun contract with their proposed P320-M17, which is akin to declaring it the best combat pistol — at least right now, or at least better than the M9. 
However, a previously submitted P226-MK25 that lost to Beretta’s M9 in 2009 eventually became the preferred sidearm for U.S. Navy SEALs.

Senior Navy leaders believe their department has reached a major zero-trust cybersecurity objective years ahead of the deadline, according to the chief technology officer.
Last fall, the Pentagon released a far-reaching zero-trust strategy to direct how its components move to protect their networks and information architectures against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

The Department of Defense on Friday publicly released its new strategic guidance for operations in the information environment, which calls for a shift in how the Pentagon approaches the integration of “informational and physical power.”
The document, which was signed in July by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, marks the first update of the strategy since 2016.
The U.S.

(Photo by David Mareuil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
On November 14, Japan’s eighth Mogami class frigate, JS Yūbetsu, was launched in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture, in the southern part of Japan’s Honshu island. Mogami class 30FFM Multi-Function Frigates are set to become the backbone of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and are packed with a wide array of advanced features. The stealthy frigates, which feature a futuristic appearance given their clean, geometric profiles, will have the ability to perform various mission-sets for the JMSDF.

(Task & Purpose photo composite).
It’s time for everyone to calm down about fears that America’s Generation Z has elevated despised terrorist Osama bin Laden to some sort of Yoda figure.
As most Americans already know, Bin Laden planned the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania that killed nearly 3,000 Americans. Almost 10 years later, Navy SEALs killed the infamous, elusive bin Laden in a daring night raid inside Pakistan.
On Monday, more than 20 years since 9/11, a TikTok user posted a video in which she read parts of bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to America.

In a dramatic turn of events on November 5, pro-Palestinian protesters in Turkey gathered in front of the Incirlik air base, a key US military installation in the Middle East. The protestors, carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags, sought to express their opposition to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. The situation escalated as thousands attempted to breach the compound, leading to a forceful response from the police, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.

A Mojave unmanned aerial system designed for short takeoff and landing (STOL) was put through its paces in a maritime environment this week when it operated from the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, the U.K. Royal Navy and drone maker General Atomics announced Friday.
The demo took place Nov. 15 off the coast of Virginia. The trial came as the United Kingdom, United States and other nations’ militaries are pursuing new robotic platforms for strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and other missions.

In a pivotal moment, Germany is redefining its security policies in response to the resurgence of large-scale armed conflicts in Europe. With Russia-Ukraine tensions persisting and a significant Israeli-Palestinian conflict unfolding, Germany, as the leading economy in Europe, is challenging long-standing notions about its military role.
Turning the Tide: Chancellor Scholz’s Defining Zeitenzwende Speech
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, initially hesitant to provide direct military aid to Kyiv, dramatically reframed Germany’s stance, emphasizing a moral duty to resist Russian aggression.

General Atomics
The Mojave drone, specifically developed with the ability to perform short takeoffs and landings, including from rough fields, with minimal support, has begun experimental operations aboard the U.K. Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. The event marks an important milestone in the development of the Mojave — as well as the wider family of Q-1 lineage drones — which hadn’t previously operated from an aircraft carrier, as well as for the Royal Navy, which is increasingly looking to harness the capability offered by uncrewed aircraft for its carrier force.

Hosts L Todd Wood and Col John Mills (USA, Ret) discuss China building a new Panama Canal.
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Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Gular said Thursday that Turkey was in talks with Britain and Spain to buy 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, although Germany was opposed to the idea.
“We are working on the acquisition,” he declared in a parliamentary appearance in Ankara. “Now the United Kingdom and Spain are trying to convince Germany, (although) we are not in talks with Germany… If possible, we plan to buy 40 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.”
NATO member Turkey has also requested the purchase of American F-16 fighters, although the order has been delayed.

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. *** How would history change if America was backwards? It’s a question the country’s leading historians still refuse to answer. When you ask, they just back slowly away. So let me suggest three possibilities: Everything would be the same.

UK estimates of Russian equipment losses to be over 7,117 armoured vehicles, including 2,475 MBTs and 1,300 artillery systems.
The post UK estimates indicate Russia has lost 15% of its tank inventory in Ukraine appeared first on Army Technology.

An artist’s impression of the Poseidon in German service. (Boeing)
Germany is increasing its buy of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA), with a further three aircraft approved by the country’s government.
Kommandeur Marineflieger, Sea Captain Broder Nielsen, confirmed the additional purchase on 17 November, saying, “The budget committee of the Bundestag has approved the procurement of three more P-8A Poseidons. A good and important decision for the operational capability of German naval aviation.

CDM Founder L Todd Wood reports direct from Tel Aviv on the situation on the ground.
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Norway’s response to global security challenges is shaped by strategic defence investments and collaborations.
The post Norway fortifies defence capabilities with $1.6bn surge for military evolution appeared first on Army Technology.

The Royal Swedish Navy’s Visby-class corvettes are to be fitted with the Sea Ceptor local area anti-air missile system. Space for a vertical launcher installation for CAMM missiles already exists in the weapon deck area beneath the main deck hatch. (MBDA)
Sweden is moving ahead with plans to retrofit MBDA’s Sea Ceptor local area anti-air missile system to its five Visby-class corvettes as part of the mid-life upgrade (MLU) for the class.

The USMC is procuring 175 ACV-30s, with an IOC planned for 2026. (BAE Systems)

The US Marines Corps (USMC) plans to deploy its first four 8×8 Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) in March 2024,
Janes
learned at SAE Media Group’s Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2023 conference held in London from 13 to 15 November.

The new antenna array associated with Project Strongbow is shown here in testing at SwRI’s San Antonio, Texas, facility. (SwRI)
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has begun retrofitting an upgraded communications eavesdropping suite on its 12 Halifax-class frigates under Project Strongbow.
Work has started on the implementation phase, according to Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND), with initial operational capability (IOC) planned for 2025.

A still from a video released by Edge during the Dubai Airshow shows a Reach-S flying from the airport on Abu al-Abyad island. (Edge Group)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces have ordered both Reach-S unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and Garmoosha rotary UAVs, local defence company Edge announced during the Dubai Airshow on 16 November.
It said the Reach-S order covers the delivery of 100 UAVs without specifying the value of the contract, while the contract for an unspecified number of Garmoosha UAVs is worth AED239 million (USD65 million).

DNews
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S.

Doug G. Ware, S&S
WASHINGTON – Gen.

Sam LaGrone, USNI News
The Navy awarded Ingalls Shipbuilding a $130 million advanced procurement contract for the service’s next planned big deck America-class amphibious warship, according…

DScoop
A leader of Air Force Futures provided insight into the latest thinking about collaborative combat aircraft.

John Waters, Real Clear Defense
The safety was flicked off, the hammer cocked. The gun was one inch above the seam of my pants pocket. A sudden move and the thing might go off.

Former IDF Intelligence head discussed future Israel-Hamas War Gaza campaigns at an Israeli National Public Diplomacy Directorate briefing.
The post Israel plan 2024 South Gaza campaign and temporary evacuations appeared first on Army Technology.

A total of 125 Italian Army Ariete MBTs will be upgraded. (Italian MoD)
Lieutenant Colonel Salvatore Bizzarro, head of the Force Development Section of the Italian Army General Staff’s Capability Development and Financial Planning Division, presented plans to modernise his service’s armoured forces and develop new-generation platforms on the last day of SAE Media Group’s Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2023 conference held in London from 13 to 15 November.

EDA redefines defense strategy in response to Ukraine war, stirring debate on EU security and military priorities.
The post Realigning EU defence: EDA’s new priorities in light of Ukraine war appeared first on Army Technology.

EDGE Group has witnessed a year of milestones with contracts, strategic collaborations, and technological advancements.
The post Signal: EDGE Group’s moves at Dubai Airshow 2023 propel UAE’s defence sector appeared first on Army Technology.

The Kavro Doma 360 helmet (pictured above) comprises top-to-chin (longitudinal) and side-to-side (lateral) harness adjustment functionality. (MKU Limited)
Indian defence company MKU Limited has launched a new ballistic helmet known as the Kavro Doma 360 at the Milipol Paris 2023 exhibition held in Paris from 14 to 17 November.
The helmet, according to the company specifications, can protect against AK-47’s 7.62×39 mm mild steel core (MSC) bullets, as well as 7.62×51 mm and 5.56×45 mm NATO rounds.

Following its formal handover,
Bani Yas
departed Lorient on 23 October and is expected to arrive in the UAE in early December.
(Naval Group)
French shipbuilder Naval Group has delivered the first Gowind 2500 corvette on order for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The new vessel, named Bani Yas (P 110),was formally handed over during a ceremony held at Naval Group’s shipyard in Lorient on 21 October, the shipbuilder announced on 11 November.

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system is key to the country’s air defense. Using advanced radar and high-speed precision missiles, Iron Dome can detect and intercept incoming munitions like rockets and artillery. Three days after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023, the United States announced that it would send military aid to Israel, including Iron Dome interceptors. On October 26, 2023, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed that the U.S. is sending two Iron Dome systems to Israel.