Crooked Bough News Round-up

— PHOTOS: The sights of AFA 2024 Day 3

 

at 9/18/24 3:21pm

From General Dynamic, a company that makes some seriously large platforms, comes the suitcase-sized Tactical Cross Domain Solutions system, or TACDS, on display at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) AFA 2024 — As the Air, Space & Cyber Conference wraps up until next year, Breaking Defense grabbed a few more photos from the show. Below check out the latest images and check out our full coverage of all the news out of AFA 2024 by clicking HERE. A patch is shown on an airmans uniform for the services ABMS effort. (Aaron Mehta/Breaking Defense) Intellisense Systems offerings at AFA 2024 included the LAD-2008 cockpit display system, as a virtual pilot banked left. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) This curious contraption at one end of the AFA 2024 hall is Resonant Sciencess RAZR, a high performing, fieldable, robotic system for close-range multi-spectral measurements of aircraft and aircraft components such as radomes, surfaces and edges, the company says. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) Looking over the crowd at AFA 2024 was the Teledyne FLIR Modular Surveillance system. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) iPerformX invited attendees at AFA 2024 to sit in its F-35 simulator to get a feel for the next-gen stealth fighter. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) Looking especially sharp, Amentums MULE UAV hung above visitors heads at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) General Electric went chromed out with its display of an F110 Turbofan engine at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) Elta, a subsidiary of Israeli firm IAI, displayed the ELL-8222SB, an airborne electronic jamming pod, at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) The Israeli firm Rafael came to AFA 2024, here displaying its ice Breaker 5th-gen long-range autonomous precision strike weapon system. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense)

[Category: Air Warfare, Networks & Digital Warfare, Pentagon, Space, AFA Multimedia 2024, Air Force, cyber security, ELTA North America, networks, Rafael, Space Force, technology, UAV] [Link to media]

— B-21 Raider bomber shows off in new video, flying up to twice a week

 

at 9/18/24 3:10pm

A B-21 Raider conducts flight testing, which includes ground testing, taxiing, and flying operations, at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The B-21 will interoperate with our allies and partners to deliver on our enduring commitment to provide flexible strike options for coalition operations that defend us against common threats. (U.S. Air Force photo) AFA 2024 — The flight test program for the Air Force’s newest stealth bomber is heating up, with the Northrop Grumman-made B-21 Raider sometimes taking to the skies as much as twice a week, program officials said today. Tom Jones, president of Northrops aeronautics sector, said the bomber’s progress during testing will pave the way for the system to be “a daily flier” later into the program. “We’re very pleased with how it’s going… We’re actually able to generate two test flights sometimes within a week, which, if you think about how far ahead we are, that’s great,” he said. After the bomber’s first flight in November, the Air Force and Northrop have focused on “expanding the operating envelope” for the aircraft and testing its various mission systems while in the air, said William Bailey, director of the Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office, which oversees the B-21 program. In addition to the flight test aircraft, the Air Force also has two B-21s undergoing ground-based evaluations. One of those has completed structural testing, which is helping the Air Force and Northrop understand how the aircraft is performing and to validate the digital models of the B-21, Bailey said. It is also conducting fatigue tests on another aircraft, which informs the team on how the bomber will age and perform over time, he said. The process is “not as flashy” as flight test, “however if you intend to build a lot of these and operate them for a long time, this is very important.” Testing continues for the B-21 Raider, a dual-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. Ellsworth Air Force Base, Whiteman Air Force Base, and Dyess Air Force Base are expected to receive the B-21. More here:… pic.twitter.com/Wry4CxQ5e3 — U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) September 18, 2024 The Raider is slated to replace the B-2 Spirit and the B-1 Lancer. The Air Force is planning for a minimum fleet of 100 B-21 bombers, with Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota tapped to be the first base to field the aircraft. Last week, the Air Force approved Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and Dyess AFB, Texas, as the second and third basing locations for the Raider. “Potential consideration for forward facing, either temporary or permanent, of this weapon system to be able to deter the various actors around the globe, I think, might be of interest to the senior policymakers,” Gen. Thomas Bussiere, Air Force Global Strike Command commander, said during the panel. The Pentagon’s top acquisition official approved the B-21 for low-rate production in January.

[Category: Air Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, B-21 Raider, Northrop Grumman] [Link to media]

— Air Force special ops CV-22 Ospreys could be ready to deploy in weeks, commander says

 

at 9/18/24 2:53pm

A CV-22 Osprey prepares to take off Feb. 8, 2019 at U-Tapao airfield, Thailand. (1st Lt. Renee Douglas/ 353rd Special Operations Wing) AFA 2024 — Within a few weeks, Air Force CV-22 Ospreys will be ready to deploy for the first time since a fatal Osprey crash in November, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command said today. About 60 percent of AFSOC’s CV-22s are back to being fully operational, with the rest to follow by late 2024 or early 2025, said Lt. Gen. Michael Conley during a roundtable at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber conference. The CV-22 units in Japan and the United Kingdom are almost back to full mission readiness. We will deploy out here in the coming weeks, back to support other geographic commanders,” he said. “My whole fleet is not operationally running yet, but I have enough capacity and the right crews training to provide the capabilities on the battlefield.” Conley, who took the helm at AFSOC in July, declined to comment on where specifically the Ospreys will deploy, stating only that it will not take place in the Indo-Pacific or European theaters, which already have permanently stationed V-22 squadrons. The Pentagon grounded all versions of the Osprey in December after a CV-22 flying a training mission crashed off the coast of Japan on Nov. 29, killing eight crewmembers onboard. The Pentagon in March gave the services the green light to begin returning the Bell-Boeing-made tiltrotor to flight, putting into action a phased approach that involved retraining crews, reviewing maintenance records and instituting changes to emergency procedures meant to improve flight safety. In August, the Air Force released its accident investigation report on the crash, which found that it was caused by a “catastrophic failure” of the Osprey’s proprotor gearbox, but also listed decisions made by the aircrew as a factor that contributed to the accident. In particular, the report pointed to the aircrew’s actions in light of multiple “left-hand proprotor gearbox (PRGB) chip burn” advisories. Per Air Force guidance at the time, crews were directed to land as soon as possible if they receive that warning three times during a flight, but service regulations also provide commanders some discretion based on their circumstances and mission. Conley said that guidance has changed so that crews are now advised to land “as soon as practical” after a single chip burn warning, and to land “as soon as possible” after two warnings. “At the end of the day, there will always be aircraft commander and crew discretion. Its the nature of what we do. The environments are unique, depending on where we’re flying, what were dealing with,” he said. “But we have tightened up the guidance to make it less ambiguous to the crews up there.” The Air Force has sometimes taken a different, and perhaps more cautious approach to Osprey operations than the Marine Corps, having previously suspended V-22 flight operations due to safety concerns at times where the other service kept flying. Last week, Aviation Week reported that the Air Force is considering assuming airworthiness authority for the CV-22 from Naval Air Systems Command, which manages Osprey procurement and support for the US military through the PMA 275 program office. Asked about the potential move, Conley said it was a question for Air Force Materiel Command head Gen. Duke Richardson, and that AFSOC’s relationship with NAVAIR, the Marine Corps and PMA 275 “is probably as strong as its ever been.” “Id say that over the last eight or nine months, weve had the time, and weve kind of looked at the program in a holistic view. Weve considered lots of things, and theres been lots of ideas, lots of recommendations, and were still kind of calling through those on what is feasible, what makes sense,” he said. “I dont think anyones close to a decision on whether we need to break from the current construct.”

[Category: Air Warfare, Global, AFA 2024, Air Force, Air Force Special Operations Command, Bell, Boeing, CV-22, V-22 Osprey] [Link to media]

— After apparent mass pager attack, Hezbollah has few avenues for response, experts say

 

at 9/18/24 1:58pm

Mourners carry the coffins of people killed after hundreds of paging devices exploded in a deadly wave across Lebanon the previous day, during their funeral procession in Beiruts southern suburbs on September 18, 2024. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP) (Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images) BEIRUT — As Hezbollah contends with what appears to be a second wave of exploding personal devices today, experts here said that the armed Lebanese group has been dealt a severe blow and will likely struggle to respond to whats suspected to be an unprecedented, sophisticated attack by Israel. If Hezbollah will retaliate, it wont be soon, retired Lebanese armed forces Gen. Maroun Hitti told Breaking Defense, adding that the group would likely need at least a month to gather itself. On Tuesday afternoon reportedly hundreds of pagers carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon suddenly exploded, killing several people, including two children, and wounding scores of others. Hezbollah quickly blamed Israel and vowed retaliation — before another wave of bombings apparently struck walkie-talkies today. Israel has not taken responsibility for what news organizations are describing as a supply chain attack, but Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli troops today that Israel was in a new phase of war. Analyst David Des Roches said that beyond Hezbollahs immediate casualties, the group has to figure out how to safely communicate and contend with the larger fallout of such an extensive operation. Israel has managed to interject an element of doubt and mistrust between Hezbollah fighters, potential Hezbollah recruits and the Hezbollah leadership,” Des Roches, associate professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Security Studies, told Breaking Defense. When Hezbollah does respond, Des Roches said he expected it to mirror previous responses to Israeli attacks, namely firing rockets and missiles south toward Israeli targets. Even then, “now that their communications are compromised theyll be less capable of conducting coordinated operations, he said. Hitti agreed that Hezbollah would have to review its methods and security before undertaking any military action. Another retired LAF general, Wehbe Katicha, said he also expected Hezbollah to respond with a barrage of fire, similar to the response to the purported Israeli assassination of senior Hezbollah figure Fuad Shukr in July. Beyond that, he said, Hezbollah “is incapable to respond in a large military operation, or it will have to deal with a larger blow from Israel.” But Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at Kings College London, pointed out that Hezbollah isnt necessarily bound by geography to retaliate at the southern border or even in the Middle East. Krieg, also CEO of risk consultancy MENA analytica, said that since the purported Israeli operation was done in the grey zone without public attribution, Hezbollah could respond in kind, using black ops to strike at Israeli or Jewish targets overseas. (Hitting targets inside Israel, he said, would be very difficult at this stage considering the level of vigilance Israels security services are likely to have.) Hezbollah is believed to have an extensive overseas capability, specifically through its sub-group known as the Islamic Jihad Organization. The US Intelligence Community says the IJO is a highly compartmented unit that is primarily responsible for overseas operations, including against Western targets. Krieg also suggested Hezbollah could use proxies to carry out a retaliation operation for it. An overriding consideration, however, remains escalation. Since Hamass Oct. 7 attack, Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire, but for the most part — until this week — stopping short of conducting the kind of strikes that are likely to spark a wider regional war. “There may be one or two [attacks on] of Israeli interests or perceived Israeli interests abroad, just because they feel they have to do something in order to keep control over their base, Des Roches said. For now Hezbollah announced in a statement on Tuesday that it is conducting a wide-ranging security investigation “to find out the reasons that led to these simultaneous explosions. The public could learn more about Hezbollahs next move Thursday when Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah is scheduled to make a public address.

[Category: Global, electronic warfare (EW), lebanon, Middle East, pager explosions] [Link to media]

— CDAO opens big door for small biz with $15 billion, 10-year Advana recompete

 

at 9/18/24 1:29pm

Futuristic monitor showing information data on a dark background. (Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images) WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s prized platform for big-data analytics, Advana, is about to become a high-stakes test case for the Defense Departments ability to keep up with Silicon Valley. After seven years of operating the platform through consummate DC consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton,  the DoD wants to open the “walled garden” of Advana to a wide array of vendors, including small businesses and “non-traditional” contractors with no experience running the maze of defense procurement. To make that happen, today the Chief Digital & AI Officer (CDAO) announced plans for a 15-year, multi-vendor contract worth up to $10 billion. “One thing we want people to take away is you don’t have to do everything,” said Bonnie Evangelista, the deputy CDAO for acquisition, in a sidebar with select reporters at the Sept. 18 industry day for the new approach. “You don’t have to do every part of the tech stack if you do a single piece and you do it really well, you can have a contract.” Opening up Advana is a pillar of CDAO Radha Plumb’s yet-larger plan, called Open DAGIR, to overhaul Pentagon AI from the back office to the battlefield. The other pillar announced to date is a similarly ambitious opening-up of Palantir’s Maven Smart System, a AI toolkit in high demand by military planners at commands worldwide. RELATED: GIDE goes wide: Defense AI chief seeks host of industry players for global battle network While Maven ignited controversy early on over the use of AI for military targeting, Advana has quietly made itself essential. Originating as an obscure Pentagon comptroller project to help track financial transactions ahead of an audit, it proved capable of helping more and more officials manage more datasets for more missions. In 2021, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks issued a “data decree” memorandum [PDF] that declared “The Advancing Analytics (Advana) platform is the single enterprise authoritative data management and analytics platform for the Secretary of Defense” — and required specific approval before using any competing platform. That official status means CDAO is tinkering with one of the most high-profile pieces of software in the Pentagon, one relied on daily by decisionmakers from the Secretary of Defense down. So any missteps on this new path will be very visible — but so were the growing pains of the existing system as Advana struggled to keep with rising demand. The new approach, first described in detail today, calls for an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle that can handle up to $15 billion in total awards. While the overall IDIQ will be in place for a decade, CDAO made clear today that there will be many opportunities along the way to bring in new vendors or kick out companies that no longer perform. “There will be multiple awards,” Evangelista told reporters. “We are planning for on-ramping and off-ramping [vendors]  over the ten years, because technology change. How many companies does CDAO hope to bring on board? “I don’t know the right number,” Evangelista said frankly. “Part of today is to help us understand what is the right number.” CDAO expects further rounds of back-and-forth with industry before it settles on specific contract language and technical standards, each of which is tricky enough to figure out on its own but which must also work together smoothly to allow multiple contractors to plug-and-play in the same system. “This is the first industry day of this scale,” said Garrett Berntsen, the recently hired deputy CDAO for mission analytics. “We also have an RFI [Request For Information] that’s public that we’re seeking feedback on, [and] there will be additional future events.” “You can’t just plop something this massive down,” Berntsen told reporters. “We’re getting lots of feedback.”

[Category: Networks & Digital Warfare, Pentagon, Advana, artificial intelligence, big data, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer CDAO, cyber security, networks, Open Data & Applications Government-owned Interoperable Repositories - Open DAGIR, technology] [Link to media]

— Lot full? In an increasingly crowded orbit, MITRE studies how many LEO sats are too many

 

at 9/18/24 11:41am

The orbital population of active and inactive satellites continues to grow, especially in low Earth orbit. (Image credit: NASA) AMOS 2024 — Space is supposed to be big, vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big, as a wise man once said. But low Earth orbit (LEO), where most satellites now linger, is not as big as it may seem. And with thousands of satellites floating there now and tens of thousands more on the way, there will be, eventually, no room left. When that will happen is unclear, but a new study by MITRE takes a stab at establishing a framework to determine at what point does the sheer volume of space traffic in LEO overwhelm the environment — making it impossible for satellites to function due to interference and the risk of collision with each other and orbiting debris. The study, called Integrating Orbital Carrying Capacity into International Policy Constructs: Leveraging Best Practices from Aviations Risk-Based Norms, is based on adapting the approach the international air traffic control system uses to manage airspace to prevent planes from colliding, said Kevin Toner, vice president of MITREs Center for Government Effectiveness and Modernization. Toner, along with several other MITRE officials, spoke with Breaking Defense on Monday on the margins of the annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) conference. The paper, the officials explained, will be presented in full at the 75th International Astronautical Conference in October. As the number of satellites in LEO, roughly 300-2,000 kilometers above the Earth, continues to skyrocket global concerns are growing about what is known as carrying capacity in the orbital regime have also grown. Like any physical space, LEO has a limited capacity, meaning theres only so much room for satellites without significantly increasing the chance deadly on-orbit crashes — which in turn create more space junk that can crash into other things. For example, the issue of LEO crowding and concerns about equitable access for developing countries came to the fore at the March meeting of the Science and Technical Subcommittee of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). The primary source of worry is the plethora of mega-constellations comprising thousands of satellites being launched by commercial companies and governments, including militaries, around the world. SpaceX alone has already put some 6,000 Starlink satellites in LEO, and hopes to expand its broadband network to over 40,000. The company also is launching hundreds of its militarized Starlink, called Starshield, for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and has Space Force interest as well. Amazons Kuiper Project in 2023 launched the first two of a planned 3,000 satellite constellation, and OneWeb has 630 of its planned 648 satellites on orbit. Not to be left out, Chinas state-owned Shanghei Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) on Aug. 6 launched the first 18 of a planned Starlink clone, called Thousand Sails (G60), that it hopes eventually will include some 15,000 satellites. China also reportedly has plans for another mega-constellation called Guowang, to include some 13,000 satellites. Meanwhile, the Space Forces Space Development Agency is on its way to orbiting up to 500 satellites in LEO for its planned Transport Layer of data relay satellites; and another 100 or so for its Tracking Layer of missile warning/tracking satellite. MITREs study suggests that the key to managing LEO in a way that allows the maximum number of users lies breaking the problem down into specific altitude bands and considering not just macro-numbers but the timing of when congestion occurs. Broadly, there are lots of definitions of carrying capacity. Some are a number: this is the max. I think one of the points we try to make in the paper is that there are other aspects, like time, for example. At what time and in which orbits comparatively do carrying capacities vary? Tone said. With those considerations at hand, along with an understanding of how and when satellites are moving around, the next question the MITRE paper looked at is how do you optimize [the amount of space traffic] by thinking about it the same way air traffic controllers think about airspace, whether its Class A, Class B, or Class C, he said. The most heavily congested air corridors are Class A, where you always have aircraft moving down these highways, Toner explained. Class B are certain areas where large numbers of aircraft converge, such as airports; and Class C are less populated air traffic lanes. To translate to space terms, the orbital region between 700-900 kilometers is an already crowded danger zone akin to Class A air corridors. The Earths poles, where most LEO sats converge at one time or another, could be compared to Class B. And the more lonely orbits of above 1,000 kilometers are like Class C. The goal of the MITRE framework proposal is to help facilitate international collaboration and standard-setting according to a fact sheet provided to Breaking Defense. It provides a pathway for developing globally harmonized policies that ensure the safety and sustainability of space activities, the fact sheet adds.

[Category: Space, AMOS 2024, Low Earth Orbit / LEO, mega-constellations, MITRE, space debris, Space Force, space traffic management, Starlink] [Link to media]

— In new ‘Navigation Plan,’ CNO puts Navy’s targets on China’s 2027 deadline

 

at 9/18/24 10:00am

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti participates in a wreath laying ceremony at the Anitkabir Atatürk Mausoleum, in Ankara, Türkiye, June 3, 2024. (US Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda Gray) WASHINGTON — The Navys top officer today released a new Navigation Plan, placing the services strategic focus squarely on preparing for a future conflict with China, potentially within the next few years. “The challenge posed by the [People’s Republic of China] to our Navy now goes well beyond just the size of the PLA Navy fleet. Ships matter greatly but gone are the days when we assessed threats based purely on the number of battle force ships or tonnage,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti wrote in the new document, published today. “Through operational concepts like multi-domain precision warfare, grey zone and economic campaigns, expansion of dual use infrastructure (e.g., airfields) and dual use forces (e.g., Chinese maritime militia), and a growing nuclear arsenal, the PRC presents a complex multi-domain and multi-axis threat.” The “Navigation Plan,” or NAVPLAN, is an overarching strategic document routinely published by the Navy’s top admiral. (Prior to today, the most recent NAVPLAN was published in July 2022.) Similar to the Marine Corps’ Commandant’s Planning Guidance, the document provides an outlet for the Navy’s top officer to share their vision for the future with the fleet. Franchetti’s new NAVPLAN is heavily focused on the 2027 timeline that Chinese leadership have said they’ve given to their military to be prepared for a conflict — likely over the status quo of Taiwan — with the United States or any American allies who might intercede. It highlights long-range fires, non-traditional sea denial, counter C5ISRT, terminal defense and contested logistics as key capabilities. An integral part of the Navys efforts to counter China will be what the CNO has dubbed “Project 33.” (Thirty-three alludes to the fact Franchetti is the 33rd officer to serve as the chief of naval operations.) Key aspects of Project 33 include eliminating ship, submarine and aircraft maintenance delays; scaling the use and integration of robotic and autonomous systems; boosting recruitment and retention; and “train[ing] for combat as we plan to fight, in the real world and virtually.” Franchetti’s document also alludes to the financial pressures the Navy is under and how the service will “eventually face deep strategic constraints” on its ability to simultaneously conduct daily operations and invest in future modernization short of any budgetary boost. “This 2024 Navigation Plan reflects our current emphasis on readiness and capability considering near-term budgetary and industrial realities, while continuing to advocate for the resources needed to expand all aspects of the Navy’s force structure necessary to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war,” she wrote. The document also makes a lesser mention of Russia, stating the “wounded and isolated” country “remains dangerous,” as well as the ongoing attacks by Hamas and the Houthis in the Middle East. “Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang have strengthened their linkages and are actively targeting the U.S., our allies, and our partners in the information domain,” the document said. “Damage to undersea pipelines and cables underscored how seabed infrastructure has become targetable.” The NAVPLAN sets several goals for the larger service and designates a “single accountable official” for each target with a 2027 deadline. The vice chief of naval operations for example will “achieve and sustain an 80 percent combat surge ready posture for ships, submarines and aircraft.” The service’s top requirements officer, also called the N9, will integrate robotics and autonomous systems for “routine use” by operational commanders, according to the document. “We must meet all the objectives in this Navigation Plan to field the people and capabilities needed to fight and win today, in 2027, and beyond,” Franchetti wrote. “As we accelerate where possible, we will also continue the crucial work already underway to enhance the critical capabilities and enablers laid out in prior Navy guidance.”

[Category: Naval Warfare, 2027, Adm Lisa Franchetti, Asia, China, CNO, Indo-Pacific, Navigation Plan, Navy, Taiwan] [Link to media]

— Norway’s Kongsberg to build new missile factory in Virginia

 

at 9/18/24 9:28am

A Naval Strike Missile produced by Kongsberg. (Photo courtesy of Kongsberg.) WASHINGTON — The aerospace and defense arm of Norwegian contractor Kongsberg announced Tuesday its building a missile production facility in James City County, Va., that will boost capacity for the Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile. The new missile production facilities in the U.S., Australia and Norway address the strong and long-term demand for our unique technology and the critical need to strengthen collective defense capabilities, Geir Håøy, CEO of Kongsberg, said in a company statement. Kongsberg has a proud history in the U.S. and we are delighted to continue to invest in the country to support American interests while creating jobs locally. The factory will bring 180 jobs to the region and include a $100 million investment over the next several years, according to the company. Kongsberg also has a factory in Johnstown, Pa., which it said this week will expand to include hiring 20 additional employees. The companys new Virginia factory will focus on producing the Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile. NSM is an anti-ship missile used by the US Navy and produced jointly by Kongsberg and RTX. It carries a 500-pound class warhead, advanced seeker and a programmable fuze, according to RTX. The Joint Strike Missile is derived from NSM and is being integrated for use onto the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in conjunction with Lockheed Martin. Air forces from Norway, Japan, Finland, Australia and the United States have all placed orders for the weapon. “Today’s announcement by Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace represents a significant investment in our local community,” said Rep. Rob Wittman, a senior member on the House Armed Service Committee, in a written statement. “Kongsberg’s decision to expand their U.S. presence and build a new missile production facility in James City County was made with the goal of helping meet increasing global demand for the Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile, he continued. This new facility will create nearly 200 new jobs locally while investing over $100 million into the economy of the Commonwealth in the coming years.”

[Category: Air Warfare, Naval Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Joint Strike Missile, Kongsberg, Naval Strike Missile, Navy, Rob Wittman] [Link to media]

— Air dominance requires first establishing a layered approach

 

at 9/18/24 8:45am

  CJADC2 requires connected layers of communications, networking, intelligence, and cybersecurity. In this brief video we connected with Northrop Grummans VP & General Manager, Networked Information Solutions, Jenna Paukstis and discussed: the layered approach for establishing air dominance; the capabilities needed to do so; and a new, resilient suite of solutions for theater interoperability at the tactical edge called NG InSight that increases survivability with faster, multi-level secure networked data sharing and resilient line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications links. Watch now.

[Category: Air Warfare, Networks & Digital Warfare, Sponsored Post, AFA 2024 Perspective Northrop Grumman, Air Force, cyber security, JADC2, networks, Northrop Grumman, Perspectives, Presented by Northrop Grumman, sponsored content, technology, video] [Link to media]

— Italy plans out $15B-plus spending on dozens of F-35s and Eurofighters

 

at 9/18/24 8:20am

An Italian air force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 32nd Wing, Amendola Air Base, Italy, prepares to land at Aviano Air Base, Italy (US Air Force) BELFAST — Italy expects to dole out billions more in defense spending on Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation and Eurofighter Typhoon fourth-generation combat jets under targets laid out in a new multi-year military spending document. Published on Monday, the defense ministry paper [PDF] sets out 2024-to-2026 funding plans and notes that 25 additional F-35 aircraft will be procured at an estimated value of €7 billion ($7.8 billion). The new order, which also includes related items like engines and logistics support is split between 15 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) models for the Italian Air Force and 10 Italian Navy F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) platforms. The document says the move will be made to meet the operational needs of the Italian armed forces and will bring the countrys total fleet up to 115 aircraft, according to an online translation. Though thats still short of a targeted 131-plane fleet, it says the buy will improve Italys geopolitical positioning in the context of European security. (F-35 maker Lockheed Martin says that Rome currently has 60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs.) Funding of €1.9 billion ($2.1 billion) has already been allocated to support the F-35 order, alongside €60 million ($67 million) for “adaptation” at Grottaglie air base, which is being prepared to host Italian Navy F-35B jets. Additionally, 24 Eurofighters, built to the new Tranche 4 configuration, are to be procured as a replacement for 26 older Tranche 1 models, designated F-2000 in Italian service, at an estimated cost of €6.9 billion ($7.7 billion). The older Typhoons are set to be phased out in 2029. Approval for a ministerial decree for such an acquisition is currently in progress, the spending document says. The plan to acquire additional Typhoons formally commenced in July, based off a government motion to do so, reported Janes. Elsewhere, the spending document reveals that a payment of €550 million ($611 million) has been committed to by Italy for the sixth-generation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with the UK and Japan, though there is no indication of how the funding will be spent exactly. That investment in GCAP R&D aims to guarantee Italys position in the international program and to allow local industry access to final development, of the future fighter, the document says.

[Category: Air Warfare, Global, AFA 2024, Air Force, Eurofighter Typhoon, Europe, F-35, GCAP, Italy, Lockheed Martin, NATO] [Link to media]

— Air Force cyber official says AI could help DAF sort through nearly 2.5 million daily cybersecurity alerts

 

at 9/18/24 7:02am

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas Hensley, 16th Air Force commander, is greeted by Col. Craig Bailey, 9th Maintenance Group commander, on Beale Air Force Base, California, Aug. 24, 2023. Maj. Gen. Hensley visited the 9th MXG during an infrastructure tour of Beale AFB and was briefed on how the U-2 Dragonlady functions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexis Pentzer) AFA 2024 — A key Air Force cybersecurity official told Breaking Defense he wants to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to help sort through the millions of cybersecurity alerts the service gets every day. Lt. Gen. Thomas Hensley, commander of the 16th Air Force, the service’s information warfare organization, said the Department of the Air Force (DAF), which includes the Space Force, receives an overwhelming nearly 2.5 million cybersecurity alerts each day. And, he said, that number will only grow as the DAF connects more weapon systems and more battle management systems. Hensley’s solution: Develop AI and ML programs to comb through and track the the cyber alerts, helping to weed out false alarms, so humans can focus on the “analytical work for true threats. “So AI/ML, [will] take all of this data, do the metadata analysis, do the content triage and filter up the information that only human beings can do, and thats the nuanced, focused, analytical work,” Hensley told Breaking Defense in an interview at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference Tuesday.  He said the Air Force currently has capabilities like the Enterprise Logging Ingest and Cyber Situational Awareness Refinery system database among others — both help servicemembers log data more efficiently — but the service hasnt bolted on the AI/ ML logic that can help us do things faster. Regarding the popular concern that AI is going to succeed in taking over human jobs, Hensley said, “this is not the case.” “Its going to help human beings do their job better,” Hensley said, adding that hiring more people to monitor and analyze the millions of cyber alerts a day is not a viable solution.  “What I tell people is were not going to mass [hire] our way out of this. Were not going to be able to hire more people to monitor all the sensors, and so weve got to be smarter with the technology that we have,” he said.  The idea of an AI or ML platform that could sort through and analyze data at a basic level may not be too far fetched for the DAF. It previously released a large language model for Airmen, Guardians, civilians and contractors called the Non-classified Internet Protocol Generative Pre-training Transformer, or NIPRGPT, which serves as the DAF’s rendition of the popular public generative AI known as ChatGPT. NIRPGPT’s goal is to help users with communications and more mundane tasks on a secure system.  While the DAF is focused on implementing AI and ML capabilities for speed and efficiency purposes, Hensley emphasized cybersecurity will remain a focused priority. He said the cutting edge systems must have cybersecurity “baked in from the beginning” if they want to withstand today’s information warfare environment, a philosophy he mentioned has been a critical lesson learned from the war in Ukraine.  “I think the key there is starting with cybersecurity, protecting your information. That is the foundation of all that we do. So whether its, you know, using our day-to-day computer to do day-to-day work, or its the weapon systems that we employ, its the battle management systems that we utilize, we have to protect the networks,” he said. 

[Category: Air Warfare, Networks & Digital Warfare, 16th Air Force, AFA 2024, Air Force, artificial intelligence, cyber security, cybersecurity, networks, Space Force, technology] [Link to media]

— Space Force chief: Commercial imagery analysis aided Niger withdrawal — just don’t call it ‘intel’

 

at 9/18/24 5:35am

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Thomas Chamberlain, 3rd Airlift Squadron loadmaster, conducts ground duties before take-off during the withdrawal from Air Base 201, Niger, July 13, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Amanda Jett) AFA 2024 — A Space Force pilot program provided rapid “situational awareness” reports, written by commercial imagery analysis firms, to security forces on the ground during the US military’s recently completed withdrawal from Niger, the Chief of Space Operations said here this morning. “Last February, I told you were kicking off a pilot program for tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking for TacSRT,” he told a standing-room-only audience at the Air Force Association’s massive annual conference. “This $40 million effort was intended to support AFRICOM requirements … [and] complement the exquisite work done by the intelligence community with unclassified operational planning products delivered on tactically relevant timelines.” Since then, the pilot has provided updates on flooding in Kenya and extremists in central Africa, Saltzman said. But, he said, the thing that stands out most to me was the Space Forces Europe used TacSRT to support us forces as they completed their withdrawal from Air Base 201 in Niger [this] August. “Throughout the withdrawal, the team maintained overwatch of everything within five kilometers of the base, he said. On average, the timeline from collection on orbit to delivery into the hands of security forces was about three and a half hours — but the team got it down to as little as one and a half hours … by the end of the event.” Peppered with reporters’ questions at a subsequent roundtable, Saltzman took pains to distinguish what TacSRT did from traditional intelligence provided by US spy agencies, let alone military targeting. “This is not like traditional collection and purchase of imagery, It’s something different,” he emphasized. “It’s not about targeting. This is about providing situational awareness.” Saltzman may have been treading carefully here because of ongoing tension over whether Space Force was treading on others space imagery turf. EXCLUSIVE: GMTI emerges as new front in Space Force-NGA turf battle Under current law and policy, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has responsibility for buying imagery from private firms, while the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) buys commercial analytic products, such as computer models and digital maps. (In fact, NGA just announced a contract for them worth up to $290 million.) At least some officials at these long-established satellite intelligence agencies have pushed back against the Space Forces ambitions for commercial satellite imagery. Saltzman has touted how Space Systems Command has provided “near-real time information and support” in earthquakes, floods, and wildfires around the world. TacSRT, he said, was a pathfinder, with the idea being that we could expand the program if it proved to be value added, and thats exactly what it did. Through a virtual “marketplace” of vetted commercial providers, Saltzman explained, the Space Force puts out broad requests and gets, not raw images, but situation reports. In the Niger case, he said, they asked for anything anomalous occurring within “five kilometers” around the air base. “TacSRT doesn’t buy imagery,” he said. “What TacSRT has done, in this pilot in particular, is we simply ask a question into the marketplace: ‘Hey, what generally does it look like around Air Base 201? Are there any items of interest? Trucks that are massing, or do we see people that are milling around? “We simply ask the question, and commercial industry provides us products that try to help us answer the question,” he summed up. “This is just situational awareness, again, operational planning products, not  intelligence products.” Now that TacSRT has proved its value in real-world operations, Saltzman said, his plan is to scale it up. That could escalate a budgetary battle already underway in the appropriations committees on Capitol Hill. “The next step is just giving [them] more money so we can expand,” he said.

[Category: Congress, Networks & Digital Warfare, Space, AFA 2024, Africa Command, cyber security, Gen. Chance "Salty" Saltzman, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, networks, Niger, Space Force, tactical surveillance reconnaissance and tracking, technology, US AFRICOM] [Link to media]

— The Air Force optimizes for the future fight, with lessons from today [VIDEO]

 

at 9/17/24 8:12pm

AFA 2024 — The second day of the annual Air and Space Forces Association conference is in the books here at a gray, rain-soaked National Harbor, Md. But while it wasnt the most pleasant day out, there was plenty of interesting conversation inside the convention to keep the attention of the heavily attended show. In the above video, Breaking Defense Editor-in-Chief Aaron Mehta and Air Warfare Reporter Michael Marrow break down what to know from day two of the conference while previewing a trio of notable panels scheduled for day three. As always, you can find our stories from the conference here and a collection of photos and videos from the show here.

[Category: Air Warfare, AFA Multimedia 2024, Air Force, video] [Link to media]

— Air Force’s interim tanker buy in limbo as service mulls next-gen refueler timeline

 

at 9/17/24 4:42pm

A KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft connects with an F-15 Strike Eagle test aircraft from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on Oct. 29th, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt Michael Jackson) AFA 2024 — As industry eagerly awaits the Air Forces decision on an interim tanker plan, service officials now say the potential acquisition hinges on the fate of a different plane: the services future next-gen tanker and, specifically, how quickly they can make it operational. In a briefing with reporters Monday, Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter said the service’s efforts are now focused on completing an analysis of alternatives for the Next Generation Air-refueling System (NGAS), a future tanker concept thats currently in early stages but one that officials believe will be critical for refueling operations in contested environments like the Indo-Pacific. The results of that analysis, Hunter said, will ultimately determine the shape of the nearer-term tanker buy. The service’s most recent tanker strategy unveiled in March 2023, which called for an interim buy of roughly 75 tankers to continue recapitalizing the aging KC-135 Stratotanker, is broadly still the case,” Hunter emphasized during a roundtable at the Air, Space & Cyber here in Washington. However, that “construct” is “critically dependent on getting after NGAS” and how quickly the service can field the aircraft. “So we need to understand the NGAS part of the story to truly make additional progress on tanker recap,” Hunter said.  Essentially, when the service unveiled its new tanker strategy — doing away with a three-pronged approach known as KC-X, KC-Y and KC-Z in the process — officials expected the interim purchase would buy time to field the NGAS by the mid-2030s. But as the NGAS analysis of alternatives proceeds, officials expect to get a better idea of what the NGAS program will look like, including what a realistic timeline could be. A longer timeline would, presumably, necessitate more interim capability, for instance. A congressional mandate requires the Air Force to maintain a minimum inventory of 466 tankers, the bulk of which are currently Eisenhower-era KC-135s, also known as Stratotankers. Some of that fleet is currently being replaced by Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus, and the potential interim tanker buy, perhaps for more KC-46s or for another airframe, would continue that process and enable more KC-135 divestments. Asked whether the Air Force would be challenged to maintain KC-135s in the event the service dramatically changes the interim tanker buy or skips it altogether, Hunter replied that KC-135R variant of the aircraft would be maintained “as necessary until we are able to replace them.” Additionally, Hunter said the service does not currently intend to propose altering the tanker inventory requirement.  In a roundtable with reporters today, US Transportation Command chief Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost stressed that she needs the Air Force to ensure KC-135s remain “credible” in the event they need to be relied on. Van Ovost’s command formulates the number of tankers needed to fulfill war plans.  “The crews need to be trained for the high-end fight, to this contested logistics fight. And I need the capabilities to fight [with these] airplanes in the environment I intend to fly them in, she said.  As for NGAS, the Air Force has released a small number of requests for information (RFI) to industry in a bid to gather feedback on the service’s plans, the most recent coming last week for the aircraft’s mission systems. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said the RFI will help establish a “competitive vendor pool” and that results could be incorporated into the rest of the tanker fleet.  Hunter said that RFI demonstrated a new approach with industry, allowing the Air Force to engage vendors earlier in the process. A separate RFI for the NGAS airframe will be issued after the analysis of alternatives completes, he added.  Any downward revision in the interim tanker plan, including an outright cancellation, would likely be a blow to Boeing. Hunter himself originally suggested the Air Force was leaning toward the company’s KC-46 for the interim buy, and analysts told Breaking Defense at the time that the beleaguered aerospace giant’s position only strengthened when Lockheed Martin bowed out of a partnership with Airbus to compete for the effort.  Boeing’s current contract with the US Air Force for 183 KC-46s is set to complete deliveries in 2029, and a fixed-price development contract for the Pegasus has forced the company to eat over $7 billion in losses on the program. A sizable new round of procurement for the tanker, Boeing officials have said, offered a chance to help recover losses.

[Category: Air Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Airbus, Andrew Hunter, Boeing, Frank Kendall, Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, KC-135 Tanker Recapitalization Program, Lockheed Martin, Next Generation Air-refueling System (NGAS)] [Link to media]

— PHOTOS: The sights of AFA 2024 Day 2

 

at 9/17/24 2:52pm

Honeywell offers an x-ray view of its F124 engine at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) AFA 2024 — After a host of speeches, panels and roundtables, day two of Air, Space & Cyber Conference 2024 has come to an end, but not before Breaking Defense toured the show floor to bring readers a first-person look at whos doing what. Below are a selection of photos, and be sure to click HERE to follow our coverage of the biggest news from the show. Marvin Group displays what it calls a common armament test set, or MTS-209, at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) At AFA 2024, Verdego Aero showed off its VH-3-185 Hybrid Electric Aircraft Powerplant. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) Alaska Defense extends a mobile lighting platform at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) Power Technology, seller of laser diode modules, put a few colorful lasers on display at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) A hardware component of Northrop Grummans NG InSight suite of integration and communication products. (Carley Welch / Breaking Defense) At AFA 2024, Leonardo DRS, the US arm of the Italian defense firm, shows off cockpit tech dubbed TH-73A. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense) A Ghost Robotics Vision 60 Q-UGV stands on all fours at the ready at AFA 2024. (Brendon Smith / Breaking Defense)

[Category: Air Warfare, Pentagon, Space, AFA Multimedia 2024, Air Force, photo gallery, Space Force] [Link to media]

— Boeing tackling workforce challenges amid F-15EX, Super Hornet production line changes

 

at 9/17/24 2:23pm

Boeings F-15EX features fly by wire flight controls and new electronic warfare equipment (Boeing) WASHINGTON — Workforce fluctuations as Boeing ramps up F-15EX production and sunsets the F/A-18 Super Hornet line are driving up cost and inefficiency, and recovery from those challenges will not be immediate, the head of the company’s fighter programs told Breaking Defense today. “It will take time — we’re rebuilding a workforce that needs the experience,” said Mark Sears, Boeing’s vice president for fighters. “[In] aviation, the learning curve is steep in terms of how people learn how to do this work — F-15 in particular [and] these older platforms is even harder. And so for F-15, you can be a good mechanic, but its mostly about the number of times you do a job that makes you a good mechanic.” Over the past year, Boeing has decreased the number of mechanics working on the Super Hornet from 300 to 200 workers as production of the aircraft slows down, Sears said. That has forced the remaining employees to take on an additional portion of the workshare. Conversely, on the F-15EX where production is increasing from a rate of one aircraft to about 1.5 aircraft per month, Boeing has added about 150 new mechanics this year, who are working on the aircraft for the first time and are still building proficiency. “Theres a significant learning curve on F-15,” Sears said. “If you walk the F-15 [production] line, its kind of like a museum of what aerospace manufacturing is. You start in the back of the line, looks like it did in 1969. You go to the forward part of the line, where we just digitally remastered the forward fuselage, and thats advanced modern manufacturing techniques.” Last week, Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said that the company expects margins to be negative at its defense division for the third quarter due, in part, to higher-than-expected costs associated with the shifting production outputs on the F-15EX and F/A-18 lines. Boeing eventually intends to increase production of the F-15EX to two fighters per month, but the company won’t see output at that level until around 2026, Sears said. Meanwhile, the Super Hornet line is set to close down in 2027. Sears noted that the production issues at Boeing are further complicated by its supply chain, which has seen a similar shift in its blue-collar workforce since the COVID-19 pandemic, with some suppliers noting that the average level of experience has dropped from around 20 years to six years. The company is taking some steps to try to drive up production efficiency on the F-15EX line. First, the company is redesigning certain portions of the airplane that are difficult to build, bringing those elements in line with modern manufacturing techniques. The balance there, however, is ensuring that those design changes are significant enough to improve ease of assembly while not triggering the need for the Air Force to perform additional flight testing, Sears said. One example is the F-15’s center fuselage, which is broken into five main sections. The company is redesigning one of those segments — the most complex part of the structure because of how the plane’s landing gear is affixed to it, he said. “It’s area where, when we make a defect, if we have a defect … it is the most complex part of the airplane for us to have to analyze, to disposition it, to tell them how to fix it,” Sears said. Boeing is also rewriting all its production and technical manuals to simplify instructions for new mechanics, but it will take a couple years to get through all 14,000 jobs on the line, Sears said. “Were starting in the most complex areas first with the oldest engineering that were trying to simplify, and then well work our way up to the most modern parts and engineering, which shouldnt be as much of a change,” he said. Earlier this year, Boeing announced plans to buy GKN Aerospace’s St. Louis-area facility and absorb its workforce. The plant, which was once part of McDonnell Douglas before that company was acquired by Boeing, is the sole source of about 100 parts used on the F/A-18 and F-15. “Weve always had kind of a shared destiny with that site, and now that its part of The Boeing Company again, the merger of that back into the organization has gone well,” Sears said. “The performance has not degraded and probably improved, and the collaboration between us and the site has gone really well.”

[Category: Air Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Boeing, Business & Industry, f-15, F-15EX, f/a-18E/F, Super Hornet] [Link to media]

— Boeing encountering workforce challenges amid F-15EX, Super Hornet production line changes

 

at 9/17/24 2:23pm

Boeings F-15EX features fly by wire flight controls and new electronic warfare equipment (Boeing) WASHINGTON — Workforce fluctuations as Boeing ramps up F-15EX production and sunsets the F/A-18 Super Hornet line are driving up cost and inefficiency, and recovery from those challenges will not be immediate, the head of the company’s fighter programs told Breaking Defense today. “It will take time — we’re rebuilding a workforce that needs the experience,” said Mark Sears, Boeing’s vice president for fighters. “[In] aviation, the learning curve is steep in terms of how people learn how to do this work — F-15 in particular [and] these older platforms is even harder. And so for F-15, you can be a good mechanic, but its mostly about the number of times you do a job that makes you a good mechanic.” Over the past year, Boeing has decreased the number of mechanics working on the Super Hornet from 300 to 200 workers as production of the aircraft slows down, Sears said. That has forced the remaining employees to take on an additional portion of the workshare. Conversely, on the F-15EX where production is increasing from a rate of one aircraft to about 1.5 aircraft per month, Boeing has added about 150 new mechanics this year, who are working on the aircraft for the first time and are still building proficiency. “Theres a significant learning curve on F-15,” Sears said. “If you walk the F-15 [production] line, its kind of like a museum of what aerospace manufacturing is. You start in the back of the line, looks like it did in 1969. You go to the forward part of the line, where we just digitally remastered the forward fuselage, and thats advanced modern manufacturing techniques.” Last week, Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said that the company expects margins to be negative at its defense division for the third quarter due, in part, to higher-than-expected costs associated with the shifting production outputs on the F-15EX and F/A-18 lines. Boeing eventually intends to increase production of the F-15EX to two fighters per month, but the company won’t see output at that level until around 2026, Sears said. Meanwhile, the Super Hornet line is set to close down in 2027. Sears noted that the production issues at Boeing are further complicated by its supply chain, which has seen a similar shift in its blue-collar workforce since the COVID-19 pandemic, with some suppliers noting that the average level of experience has dropped from around 20 years to six years. The company is taking some steps to try to drive up production efficiency on the F-15EX line. First, the company is redesigning certain portions of the airplane that are difficult to build, bringing those elements in line with modern manufacturing techniques. The balance there, however, is ensuring that those design changes are significant enough to improve ease of assembly while not triggering the need for the Air Force to perform additional flight testing, Sears said. One example is the F-15’s center fuselage, which is broken into five main sections. The company is redesigning one of those segments — the most complex part of the structure because of how the plane’s landing gear is affixed to it, he said. “It’s area where, when we make a defect, if we have a defect … it is the most complex part of the airplane for us to have to analyze, to disposition it, to tell them how to fix it,” Sears said. Boeing is also rewriting all its production and technical manuals to simplify instructions for new mechanics, but it will take a couple years to get through all 14,000 jobs on the line, Sears said. “Were starting in the most complex areas first with the oldest engineering that were trying to simplify, and then well work our way up to the most modern parts and engineering, which shouldnt be as much of a change,” he said. Earlier this year, Boeing announced plans to buy GKN Aerospace’s St. Louis-area facility and absorb its workforce. The plant, which was once part of McDonnell Douglas before that company was acquired by Boeing, is the sole source of about 100 parts used on the F/A-18 and F-15. “Weve always had kind of a shared destiny with that site, and now that its part of The Boeing Company again, the merger of that back into the organization has gone well,” Sears said. “The performance has not degraded and probably improved, and the collaboration between us and the site has gone really well.”

[Category: Air Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Boeing, Business & Industry, f-15, F-15EX, f/a-18E/F, Super Hornet] [Link to media]

— Sweden moves to ramp up defense spending by $1.3 billion in 2025

 

at 9/17/24 1:25pm

A US Air Force MC-130J Commando II conducts surface ship rendezvous with a Swedish Visby-class corvette and the USS Ross as the ships exercise anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare (US Army) BELFAST — Sweden plans on increasing defense spending by 13 billion SEK ($1.3 billion) next year by adding a proposal for the new funds to its 2025 state budget. The uplift will take the Nordic nations annual military spending in 2025 to 138 billion SEK, equivalent to 2.4 percent GDP, which is above NATOs minimum defense spending target. Additionally, Stockholm is proposing a long term ramp up in spending, amounting to more than 170 SEK billion in extra funding between 2025-2030. The new pledge also includes a forecast of reaching 2.6 percent GDP spending on defense in 2028. The latest commitments are in line with recommendations made in a Swedish Defence Commission report earlier this year, which advocated for increased ambition militarily, in light of Russias war in Ukraine and Stockholms entry to NATO. In a statement today, the Swedish government was clear about the need for the spending plan. The security situation demands a stronger defence, it said. Russia’s war against Ukraine is a defining factor for security in Sweden’s neighbourhood. As the Budget Bill makes clear, the Government proposes significant resource increases to strengthen Sweden’s defence capabilities and enable extensive growth of the country’s total defence. Stockholm also added that as part of proposals for a total defense bill it plans on proposing significant resource increases for the countrys armed forces between 2025-2035, in accordance with the Defence Commission’s report on strengthening national defense capabilities. Today we announce that the ??government will increase the Swedish military budget next year by 13 billion SEK (+10%), bringing the total amount to 138 billion SEK. Sweden’s military budget will therefore reach 2,4% of GDP in 2025. (1/7) pic.twitter.com/anrreLNljM — Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) September 17, 2024 Swedens new statement did not single out any acquisitions that will receive new investment or service level modernization, but as Stockholm is set to honor the Commissions guidance, changes on the way are likely to include the Swedish Army moving to three mechanized brigades and one infantry brigade by 2030; upscaling air defense capabilities to counter drones; and additional orders of air-to-air and cruise missiles. In a series of posts related to the spending plan on X (formerly Twitter), Pål Jonson, Swedens defense minister, urged NATO-affiliated European allies to assume a larger responsibility for Europe’s security. Sweden has already started contributing to the alliance, and subject to parliamentary approval, noted todays statement, will also play a role in future alliance air surveillance missions and add to standing maritime forces. Improvements to funding for Ukraine will also see a new framework established for 2024-2026, with total military aid for Kyiv pushed to  25 billion SEK per year. Meanwhile, Jonson said that the Swedish government is adding funds to the Swedish Defence Research Agency so the organization can look further into disruptive technologies. He further stated that the total defense bill will be presented to parliament next month. Bloomberg reported Monday that Sweden had agreed to lead a new NATO base for forward land forces in Finland in partnership with its Nordic neighbor. The location of the base was not disclosed by Stockholm or Helsinki.

[Category: Global, Land Warfare, Army, NATO, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine] [Link to media]

— More than a ‘paperwork exercise’: Air Force reoptimization plan moving forward

 

at 9/17/24 1:05pm

AETC head Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson in a file photo (DVIDS) AFA 2024 —  The Air Force’s overall plan to reorganize under the heading of “reoptimization” for great power competition is inching forward, with officials using this week’s Air and Space Forces Association to make the case for why stark organizational changes are needed. The reoptimization should, as Air Education and Training Command (AETC) chief Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson put it, emphasize “mission over function,” breaking down longstanding stovepipes that separate warfighters — and the associated training, wargaming and experimentation — with acquisition. At a panel today, Robinson told a story about a visit by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to AETC in November 2022. At one point during the visit, Kendall “looked over at me in the conversation, [and asked] ‘How are we going to train on the CCAs? And my answer back was, Mr. Secretary, what is a CCA? The visit would have taken place before the Collaborative Combat Aircraft concept came to dominate public discussion as the future of American airpower, but Robinson acknowledged the nervous laughs from the crowd as the right reaction. At the time, Robinson said, CCA was more of an acquisition issue and not yet something for which airmen seemed to need to be trained — the kind of assumption the reoptimization hopes to dispel. “Weve got to be holistically integrated in that way, thinking about the entire mission setting,” Robinson said, adding that the CCA program has now done a much better job of integration across the service. One key effort under the Air Force’s reoptimization drive is the creation of a new Integrated Capabilities Command (ICC), which officials have said will assume the role of crafting the service’s requirements. A related Integrated Capabilities Office, opened by the Air Force in July, will largely advise senior leaders on acquisitions with a specific focus on Kendall’s operational imperatives. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin intended to stand the office up this year, and made a step toward that goal during the conference here. The service has now opened a “provisional” ICC with a staff of about 100 people working from their current locations, Allvin said Monday, and aims to eventually bring on about 800. The provisional command will be led by Maj. Gen. Mark Mitchum, though the full ICC is expected to be led by a three-star general. “We have to have the full manning documents understood. Have do the full strategic basing process, full congressional notification, full nomination of the leadership, which is, if its going to be a three star, has to be nominated, confirmed. So all of that will happen,” Allvin told reporters. “I would like to have it done, the full one, within calendar year 2025.” Lt. Gens. David Harris and Dale White, who have key roles in standing up ICC, both emphasized a sense of “urgency” to stand the office up and get work underway. Industry, operators and acquisition form a “trinity” that will be needed to keep the Air Force up to speed to counter potential threats in the future, Harris said, with the new organization mixing experimentation, acquisitions and warfighting. “I think those that believe this is just a paperwork exercise or org chart exercise, I think youre going to see something very different. Warfighter integration means something” real, added White. Any great power conflict, said White, is “going to be a technologically based war. And capability development is clearly a warfighting function. We have to embrace that. We have to operate that way, and we have to organize that way.” Michael Marrow contributed to this report.

[Category: Air Warfare, Pentagon, AETC, AFA 2024, Air Force, Gen. David Allvin] [Link to media]

— The ways troops are using new technologies to train for today’s threats

 

at 9/17/24 12:41pm

  Training and simulation for readiness are key enablers of multi-domain and joint operations. In this brief video, we discuss the following: how training has maintained pace with both changing threats and technology advancements, the significant concerns for defense training, and the advancing requirements for training and mission readiness. Watch now.

[Category: Air Warfare, Networks & Digital Warfare, Sponsored Post, AFA 2024 Perspective CAE, Air Force, cyber security, networks, Perspectives, simulation, sponsored content, technology, training, video] [Link to media]

— Honeywell to demo new kinetic, soft-kill C-UAS for Air Force

 

at 9/17/24 12:32pm

The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and the Threat Systems Management Office operate a swarm of 40 drones to test the rotational units capabilities during the battle of Razish, National Training Center on May 8, 2019. (US Army/Pvt. James Newsome) AFA 2024 — Early next year, the US Air Force will see a demo of a new Honeywell system that combines kinetic interceptors, directed energy and electronic warfare capabilities to protect high-value targets from swarms of inbound drones. The company used this year’s Air & Space Forces Association conference outside of Washington, DC, to announce its Stationary and Mobile Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Reveal and Intercept capability that cobbles together host technologies from other vendors. “Modern warfare is rapidly changing, and the threat swarm drones pose to high-value assets can have a devastating effect on military operations,” Matt Milas, Honeywell Aerospace defense and space president, said in a press release. The scalable configuration, he added, is designed to be integrated onto vehicles, as well as fixed-based platforms to protect sensitive targets from incoming drones. Although Honeywell did not disclose the technologies on the new system, key pieces of equipment are coming from Blue Halo, Leonardo DRS, Pierce Aerospace, Silent Sentinel, Walaris, Rocky Research and Versatol. In a subsequent statement to Breaking Defense, a Honeywell spokesperson said the system marries up radar, electro-optical/infrared, and artificial intelligence detectors, and then knocks the drones down by either launching a kinetic interceptor, using a directed energy weapon or severing the radio contact back to the controller. “This system’s multi-layered defensive capabilities set it apart in the industry and enable it to not only track and detect, but also defeat multiple threats,” Milas said in the press release. The Air Force Global Strike team has now tasked Honeywell with demonstrating the system in January 2025, at which time the C-UAS system will be used to first detect an unspecified number of drones moving at a high speed before disabling them. The growing role of drones on the battlefield inside Ukraine and in the Middle East has not only pushed the US military to ramp up its hunt for new capabilities, but also systems to defeat them. Part of that focus has revolved around existing kinetic options like Stinger missiles, while also testing out new directed energy ones like high-energy laser and high-powered microwaves that may one day drive provide a cheaper per unit kill option.

[Category: Air Warfare, Land Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Army, Blue Halo, C-UAS, directed energy, Drones, Honeywell, Leonardo DRS] [Link to media]

— Russia ‘should know better’ than to put an anti-satellite nuke in space, Space Command chief says

 

at 9/17/24 11:37am

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during his visit at the Vostochny cosmodrome, some 180 km north of Blagoveschensk, Amur region on April 12, 2022. (Photo by YEVGENY BIYATOV/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) CORRECTED at 5:50pm ET to properly attribute comments to Gen. Stephen Whiting that had been misattributed to fellow panelist Gen. Gregory Guillot. AFA 2024 — A senior US military official said today that its highly concerning that Russia is apparently considering putting an anti-satellite nuclear weapon in space — a threat that, if realized, would affect virtually every man, woman and child on Earth. Russia is the OG [original gangster] space power. They put up Sputnik, the first man, the first woman in space. They know better; they should know better, commander of US Space Comman Gen. Stephen Whiting said, saying the weapon would be a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Secondly, its indiscriminate. Its not just going to potentially affect US satellites. It will affect Russian satellites, Chinese satellites, Indian satellites, European satellites, Japanese satellites. Those kind of impacts will have real repercussions for those of us here on planet Earth. So, the world can’t and shouldnt accept that somebody would place a nuclear weapon in orbit, he told an audience at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in Washington. This spring the Biden administration, citing credible information, accused Russia of using a satellite in orbit to conduct tests that could presage the placement of a nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon. “The United States has been aware of Russia’s pursuit of this sort of capability dating back years, but only recently have we been able to make a more precise assessment of their progress,” Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability, told the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in May. Stewart noted that Russia claimed the satellite already in orbit was only there for scientific purposes, but the US government suspected otherwise based in part on the satellites unusual altitude. In earlier testimony before Congress, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said a Russian space-based nuclear capability could pose a threat to all satellites operated by countries and companies around the globe, as well as to the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial, and national security services we all depend upon. Russia has dismissed the accusation as fake news, but the denial does not appear to have changed the conclusions of US space officials. On Tuesday Lt. Gen. Douglas, the commander of US Space Forces — Space, listed various threats that have emerged to US assets in orbit since the founding of the Space Force in 2019. Among them, he said, we have a possible threat from Russia on maybe a nuclear capability in space.

[Category: Space, AFA 2024, ASAT, NORAD, Russia, space, Space Force] [Link to media]

— Ursa Major wins, matches $12.5M investment from DoD to improve solid rocket motor production

 

at 9/16/24 10:01pm

Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) conducted a successful test of the Second Stage Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) on August 25th in Promontory, Utah as part of the development of the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) offensive hypersonic strike capability and the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW). (US Navy photo) WASHINGTON — Ursa Major, a Colorado-based privately funded defense contractor, announced today it will match a $12.5 million investment from the Pentagon to begin work on maturing its solid rocket motor manufacturing process. The initial Defense Department investment stems from the Office of Strategic Capital, a Pentagon office focused on strengthening critical supply chain technologies, and the work will be done in conjunction with the US Navy’s Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems. Breaking Defense sought a comment from the Navy, which deferred to the Office of Strategic Capital. A spokesperson for OSC did not respond to a request for comment by press time. “We are proud to work with OSC on their mandate for expanding the defense industrial base by bringing new innovations into the DoD ecosystem,” Dan Jablonsky, Ursa Major CEO, said in a company statement. “Ursa Major is revolutionizing manufacturing approaches used in propulsion development in the United States, building flexibility of production and scalability into manufacturing for our defense customers.” The work, which was initially awarded in July, will focus on propellant manufacturing, additive manufacturing and composite case winding, the statement added. Separately, Ursa Major announced in April it was working with the Navy to apply its manufacturing process for the Mk104 Dual Thrust Rocket Motor, which is used on the service’s SM-2, SM-3 and SM-6 missiles. The announcement comes as numerous defense tech companies are all eyeing the solid rocket motor industry. Breaking Defense previously reported that Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics struck a deal to partner on the technology, Anduril made acquisitions to enter the space, and Northrop Grumman launched an innovation campaign around SRMs. It’s also among the first big public pushes by the Office of Strategic Capital, a relatively new office introduced by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the 2022 Reagan National Defense Forum and aimed specifically at infusing private capital into defense tech startups. “Our partners in the private sector have flagged a consistent problem,” Austin said at the time. “Even when they can see a way to deliver a promising technology to a military customer, securing the necessary capital to scale is hard — and sometimes impossible. So we’ve listened, and we’ve acted.”

[Category: Air Warfare, Naval Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Dan Jablonsky, Navy, Office of Strategic Capital, PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, Ursa Major] [Link to media]

— Del Toro warns appropriators of widespread delays for Navy if 6-month CR passes

 

at 9/16/24 4:13pm

The Virginia-class attack submarine Minnesota (SSN 783) is under construction at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Newport News Shipbuilding/Released) WASHINGTON — Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro warned congressional appropriators that numerous high-profile shipbuilding efforts — Columbia and Virginia-class submarines as well as certain aircraft carriers — would suffer programmatic setbacks if lawmakers pass a six-month continuing resolution. This lengthy delay in new funding would force the Department of the Navy to operate at last years funding levels with the negative consequences lasting far beyond the time frame of the CR, impeding our ability to field the force needed to defend our nation while imposing unnecessary stress on our sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families, he wrote in a letter dated Sept. 12 and made public by Del Toros office today. Under a six-month CR, according to Del Toro, both the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs would face schedule delays or postponed construction cycles. A six-month CR risks delaying critical investments in the submarine industrial base and the Australia, United Kingdom, and United States (AUKUS) partnership, he wrote. The half-year CR would also further delay the John C. Stennis (CVN-74), an aircraft carrier that is currently undergoing a mid-life overhaul. The secretary further wrote there would be delays to the ongoing and planning Nuclear Command, Control and Communications engineering activities being done in conjunction with US Strategic Command as well as development and procurement of conventional munitions. In total, Del Toro said 20 construction projects, five research and development efforts, up to 58 ship maintenance availabilities, as well as procurement of five ships and various aircraft and munitions programs would also be set back under the six-month CR. The Department of the Navy stands ready to assist Congress in any way possible to ensure it has the information and resources to pass this essential legislation he wrote. Corrected 9/17/2024 at 10:20 am ET: The original version of this story incorrectly stated how long the John C. Stennis (CVN-74) has been undergoing a mid-life overhaul. That number has been updated to reflect the correct figure.

[Category: Congress, Naval Warfare, aircraft carriers, AUKUS, Columbia-class submarines, continuing resolution, Navy, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, Virginia-class submarines] [Link to media]

— Lockheed announces new ‘extreme range’ version of JASSM cruise missile

 

at 9/16/24 2:44pm

A model of Lockheed Martins AGM-158 XR. (Valerie Insinna/Breaking Defense) WASHINGTON — A new extreme range prototype of Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile could be ready for flight testing in one or two years, a company official said today. The Pentagon has not committed to buying the new weapon, known as AGM-158 XR, said Michael Rothstein, Lockheed’s vice president of air weapons and sensors. However, Lockheed is putting its own funds toward early development work on the missile, which he said could “significantly” expand the missile’s reach past the JASSM and the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) variants currently being produced for the Air Force and Navy. “I cant give you any numbers at this point from a classification perspective” on the range of the weapon, Rothstein said. “Its not minor. Its not on the edge.” Lockheed envisions the XR variant as the natural follow-up to the JASSM-D and LRASM-C3 currently in development for the Air Force and Navy. The most visible difference between AGM-158 XR and previous variants is its stretched design, but Rothstein noted that there are other “smart” modifications internal to the missile to increase modularity. The most obvious benefit of the AGM-158 XR’s longer range is that it keeps the pilot further away from a threat. And because operators won’t have to drive in close to a target in order to strike it, it also cuts down the distance it takes for a combat aircraft to refuel and rearm — saving fuel and allowing it to conduct additional strikes over a given time period, Rothstein said. The larger, heavier size of AGM-158 XR means that it cannot be carried by the F-16 and that other aircraft like the F-35 or F-15 that could use it will not be able to fly as far, Rothstein said. But in the latter case, that impact is negated by the longer range of the weapon itself. The AGM-158 XR is still “several years out” from being ready for fielding, Rothstein said, adding that the timing would also depend on the services’ own budget priorities. Looking at “the operational benefits, I think the war fighters go, It makes perfect sense. And then leveraging, rather than a new weapon, leveraging a hot production line [and] mature supply chain, all that makes sense, too,” Rothstein said. “So the initial feedback we think is positive.”

[Category: Air Warfare, Pentagon, AFA 2024, Air Force, JASSM, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile JASSM AGM-158, Lockheed Martin, LRASM] [Link to media]

— ‘Partnership of convenience’: PACAF chief sees ‘potential limits’ in Chinese, Russian military ties

 

at 9/16/24 11:22am

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by Wang Ye/Xinhua via Getty Images) AFA 2024 — Despite China and Russias pledges of a “no limits” partnership and a “new era” of cooperation, the top US air commander in the Indo-Pacific isnt quite buying it, saying there do, in fact, appear to be limits and that its more akin to a partnership of convenience. “In terms of the exercises between [China] and Russia, I do see that there are potential limits to that cooperation,” Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Kevin Schneider said in a roundtable with reporters at the Air and Space Forces Association Air, Space and Cyber conference today. “Politically, it is unclear to me their long-term goals and objectives other than to counter what the United States and allies and partners are doing. He said he “would describe [their cooperation] a little bit more as a partnership of convenience, vice a deep-seated connection the way that we have a connection of values with our allies and partners.” In the time since declaring their partnership just prior to Russias invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Beijing and Moscow have sought to deepen military ties, with the West accusing China of being a “decisive enabler” in Russia’s ongoing war against Kyiv. Russia and China have since launched a joint, world-spanning military exercise that includes air and naval drills, which Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly said was underway “in the context of growing geopolitical tensions.” Schneider said today it’s too soon to offer assessments of the exercises and that full intelligence readouts would be available later. Beijings Aggression Holds Opportunities For US Outside the Moscow connection, one key US ally in the region, the Philippines, has also had to grapple with escalating tensions with China, most recently culminating in events like when Chinese vessels rammed Philippine ships. Echoing comments from Gen. Romeo Brawner, chief of staff of the Philippines armed forces, Schneider slammed Beijing’s alleged “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive” activity that he said is conversely driving more countries to cooperate with the US. “Allies and partners around the region are seeing with incredibly clear eyes how these challenges, how these impingements on sovereignty, how these these attacks in the diplomatic and information space are affecting them,” he said. “More and more doors are being opened across the region and the world, as like-minded allies and partners continue to find opportunities to do more together.” Washington and Beijing recently wrapped the latest meeting of a regular security summit, where US officials have said they directly raise concerns on Chinese activity in the South China Sea, among other topics. Besides a run-in with the Philippines, which the US is treaty-bound to defend, officials have said they are concerned that China may attempt to invade Taiwan in the coming years, in turn inviting a US response.  Officials say open lines of communication like these talks offer a critical venue to lower the risk of conflict, though the Air Force’s top civilian warned today that the risk of war between the US and China only rises as Beijing’s military prowess grows.  “I am not saying war in the Pacific is imminent or inevitable. It is not.” said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. “But I am saying that the likelihood is increasing, and will continue to do so.”

[Category: Air Warfare, Global, Naval Warfare, AFA 2024, Air Force, Asia, China, Frank Kendall, Kevin Schneider, Navy, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Pacific Air Forces commander, philippines, Russia, south china sea, Taiwan] [Link to media]

— Return to Key West? Solving the DoD spacepower roles and missions debate

 

at 9/16/24 8:05am

U.S. Army and U.S. Space Force Spur holders and candidates pose for a photo after a Spur Ride at Fort Bliss, Texas, April 30, 2024. Spur Rides are a time-honored tradition in cavalry units throughout the U.S. Army and typically involve cavalry soldiers, though cavalry Soldiers welcome fellow U.S. servicemembers to the challenge when possible. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Paczkowski) In recent weeks, several editorials and online comments have been traded regarding whether the Army should have its own space forces or whether all space forces should reside within the US Space Force. Emotions run high when military services fight over roles and missions, but it’s important to remember that these fights are part of a longstanding clash between services over capabilities. The good news is that there is a historical solution we can draw from in order to resolve the question which service should control what spacepower functions and capabilities: A new Key West agreement. In the late 1940s, then-Secretary of Defense James Forrestal directed that the Joint Chiefs meet in Key West, Florida, to work out the issues between the Navy, Army, and Air Force, or else, as he warned, “I shall have to make my own decisions.” This conference was necessary because the National Security Act of 1947, which had recently become law, created a separate Air Force pulled from the Army — but did not fully sort out whether the Navy’s air arm should be moved over as well. The Key West conference decided on keeping a naval air arm for fleet-related matters and maritime campaigns, and that the Air Force would lead most every other major airpower function, such as airlift and strategic bombardment. This arrangement, as imperfect as some may find it, has remained for the last seven decades. When the Space Force was established in 2019, circumstances were somewhat different than 1947. The guidance in law was very broad, the direction from the White House was not much clearer, and the budget and personnel numbers were and still are largely insufficient to organize, train and equip a Space Force as it was conceptualized by the president and a bipartisan group of members of Congress. Due in part to the compromise position that placed the new service within the Department of the Air Force, rather than in its own separate department, many of those in the Army and Navy who were open to transferring personnel and space systems to the new service changed that stance to one of opposition and protectionism. They perceived that additional funding for the Air Force and its increased influence in the Joint Chiefs meetings and in requirements forums was an existential threat. Thus, the Army, as one example, began to push for more resources and personnel while transitioning some capabilities to the new service. Now, the Army sees the need to do more with space to ensure it has the spaceborne effects needed for supporting land warfare. On the other hand, the Space Force’s strongest supporters argue that the Army should not be allowed to have any space forces of their own. To resolve this argument requires a Key West-type conference. And to ensure focus for the discussion, several foundational actions must be accomplished: First, identify the problems to be solved. Are they doctrinal, legal, policy, or technical? Should the Space Force be responsible for all in-space and from-space warfighting functions such as anti-satellite warfighting, while the Army or other terrestrial services control ground-based counterspace systems? These questions can be subjective to the services and even in sub-groups within the services. Second, what are the core space capabilities or space-derived effects that the Army, Navy, and Air Force believe are absolutely vital for them to control? The Space Force and its combatant command cousin US Space Command were created to address the threats in the space area of responsibility. As each service wants to have control over everything that touches their operating domain (air, land, sea), would a mixed approach be better than an “all in one basket” approach? Consensus on this question has critical implications for the organizing, training, and equipping functions as well as requirements for the combatant command itself. Third, what is the political landscape surrounding these topics, especially given that a new administration is coming in. One administration might believe that supporting the other military services should be the sole purpose of the Space Force, while others might believe that achieving space superiority is as vital to the nation as are air superiority and sea control. Knowing the views of the political masters is vital to the service chiefs knowing their boundaries in policy as they address this issue. Once these questions have been answered, preferably by policy guidance and direction from the White House (and preferably in partnership with Congress), then an agenda can be set to maximize the chances of an organizational construct for space that all of the military services can support. This issue needs to be resolved soon, and it needs to be hashed out at the highest level of military leadership so that the questions are sorted once and for all.  Adversaries are deploying weapon systems that target our critical space infrastructure. We cannot afford to be duplicative or otherwise distracted by inter-service squabbling. We instead must be unified to deter attack in space and to protect our vital critical space infrastructure. Christopher Stone is senior fellow for space deterrence at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies in Washington DC. He is the former Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy (2018-2019). The thoughts and opinions are those of the author and do not reflect the positions of the Department of Defense.

[Category: Pentagon, Space, AFA 2024, National Security Act, Op-Ed Commentary, Space Force] [Link to media]

As of 9/18/24 7:38pm. Last new 9/18/24 4:52pm.