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How the first ATACMS attack happened-The video allows controls and sound playback
MS DAILY BRIEF – November 20 th, 2024
Daily appearance Monday-Saturday 10 AM (GMT +2)
Some information is presented when possible from several sources
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Update from Ukraine | Great! Ukraine hit large Russian munitions depot with ATACMS missiles 1
Trump loyalist Kash Patel vying to be named FBI director-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 00.14 CET 5
Bayraktar TB3 makes historic debut on Anadolu aircraft carrier – Bulgarian Military – 18.11.2024 21
Norway makes top-down selection for new frigates – Naval News – 11/19/2024. 24
U.S. Navy destroyer demonstrates VLS rearmament at French naval base – Naval News – 11/19/2024 25
Philippine Navy takes delivery of US-funded USVs for SCS operations – Naval News – 11/19/2024 26
Navantia begins to embark AIP equipment on S-83 submarine – Naval News – 11/19/2024. 28
Gray Eagle STOL STOL performs historic first flight from ship to land – Euro S&D – 19.11.2024 29
CSS from the Netherlands to undergo sea trials in Romania – Naval Technology – 19.11.2024. 30
BREAKING: Hezbollah has unofficially LOST the war with Israel; Total capitulation coming | TBN Israel
Update from Ukraine | Great! Ukraine hit large Russian munitions depot with ATACMS missiles
Russia-Ukraine war live: Biden to supply anti-personnel mines to Ukraine – reports-The Guardian,5m ago07.16 Aug07.16 CET
US embassy in Kiev closes due to anticipated air strike
The US Embassy in Kiev received “specific information” of a potential significant air strike on Wednesday and will be closed, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced in a post on X.
It advised US citizens to be prepared to shelter immediately in case an air alert is announced.
now 10m07.11.11 CET
Biden endorses landmines for Ukraine – reports
US President Joe Biden has authorized the supply of anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine, according to reports, in a step that will bolster Kiev’s defenses against advancing Russian troops but also draw criticism from arms control groups.
Ukraine has pledged not to use mines in densely populated areas, an unnamed official told the Washington Post, which first reported the development.
It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin – already enraged that the Biden administration allowed Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles to strike targets deeper inside Russian territory – formally lowered the threshold for Moscow’s use of its nuclear weapons. The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a hotline set up after the 1962 Cuban missile crisis to defuse the crisis between the Kremlin and the White House was not being used, amid the highest tensions between Russia and the West in decades. Putin has tweaked Russia’s so-called “nuclear doctrine” several times since the invasion of Ukraine, without ever putting nuclear threats into practice.
North Korean troops have taken part in some battles as part of Russia’s airborne and marine units, while Pyongyang has shipped additional weapons, including mechanized howitzers and rocket launchers, to Russia, a South Korean lawmaker said, citing his country’s spy agency. The agency is still trying to determine the exact number of casualties among North Korean troops, Park Sun-won said.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News that his country “will lose” the war against Russia if the US cuts military funding to Kiev. “If they cut, we will – I think we will lose,” the Ukrainian president said. “We will fight. We have our production, but it’s not enough to win. And I think it’s not enough to survive.” US President-elect Donald Trump is a vocal skeptic of the billions the Biden administration has given Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in 2022. Trump’s supporters have vehemently criticized Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles for strikes inside Russia, accusing him of a dangerous escalation.
With Russia gaining ground and increasing talk of negotiations, Ukraine fears being at a disadvantage when it comes to finding a peace deal. Zelenskyy told Fox that unity between Ukraine and the US is “the most important.” Trump, he said, could influence Vladimir Putin to end the war “because he is much more powerful” than the Russian president.
In other developments:
The US called on Russia “to stop this bellicose and irresponsible rhetoric” but said it saw no reason to adjust its nuclear posture. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said he was “not surprised” by the Kremlin’s comments on the revised nuclear doctrine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also accused Russia of “irresponsible rhetoric”. In a direct message addressed to the Russian President, Starmer added: “On the 1,000th day of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, I say again: ‘End the war. Get out of Ukraine'”.
Ukraine launched US-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time since the Biden administration lifted restrictions on their use. The target appeared to be an ammunition depot. Ukraine’s General Staff said it had struck a military arsenal at the 1046 logistics center outside Karachev, without confirming the use of the missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched six U.S.-made Atacms missiles overnight targeting the southwestern Bryansk region. He claimed that five of the missiles were shot down and another was damaged. He said debris from the missiles caused a fire at an unnamed military facility.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not directly confirm the missile attack that targeted Bryansk, but said, “Now we have Atacms, Ukrainian long-range Ukrainian capabilities, and we will use them.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov appeared to suggest that Russia might respond with nuclear weapons if Ukraine used Western-supplied missiles to strike targets inside Russia. The Kremlin said the aim of its updated nuclear doctrine was to make potential enemies understand the inevitability of retaliation in the event of an attack on Russia or its allies. Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine declares that a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is backed by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on its country. The doctrine also states that an attack using conventional missiles, drones or other aircraft could be considered justification for a nuclear response.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, right, during a visit to a factory of armed drones in Kiev. Photo: Ukrainian Presidency/Ukrainian Pre/Planet Pix/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Ukrainian attack was a clear signal that the West wanted to escalate the conflict. “Without Americans, it is impossible to use these high-tech missiles, as Putin has repeatedly said,” Lavrov said in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit.
Ukraine’s Western allies criticized the final G20 communique as inadequate for failing to outline Russia’s invasion of the neighboring country in 2022 as the conflict entered its 1,000th day. The communique was significantly weaker than last year’s, emphasizing only the humanitarian suffering in Ukraine and the importance of territorial integrity.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, marked the “grim” 1,000th day since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, saying it was “1,000 more days of meaningless pain and suffering”. A statement by Türk’s spokesman said on Tuesday that OHCHR has verified that at least 12,162 civilians have been killed since February 24, 2022, including 659 children. At least 26,919 other civilians have been wounded, he said.
Denmark is making a new donation of about 130 million euros for the development of Ukraine’s arms industry, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced. “And make no mistake, our support is long-term.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Denmark have created a “special model” for bringing in investment from other countries.
… https://www. theguardian.com/world/live/2024/nov/20/russia-ukraine-war-live-biden-us-weapons-missiles-putin-nuclear?filterKeyEvents=true#filter-toggle-desktop
US and Europe fear escalation of Russian hybrid war amid Ukraine missile attacks-The Guardian,Tue 19 Nov 2024 21.59 CET
Officials are “incredibly worried” as Moscow promises a response to Kiev’s use of US-made missiles on targets inside Russia
Atacms: which missiles did Ukraine launch into Russia for the first time?
Andrew Roth in Washington, Shaun Walker and Pjotr Sauer
The US State Department has said it is “incredibly” concerned about Russia’s campaign of hybrid warfare against the West amid fears it will intensify following Ukraine’s first use of US-made long-range missiles on targets inside Russia after the Biden administration lifted restrictions on their use.
Russia has promised an “appropriate” response to the new policy and has engaged in nuclear sabotage by changing its nuclear doctrine in recent days. However, Western officials believe that Russia’s response may not take place on the battlefield in Ukraine, but in other parts of the world.
Potential hybrid strikes could encompass a broad menu of options, including expanding its campaign of sabotage and assassinations in Europe or further arming American adversaries in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific regions, according to people briefed on the discussions about a potential Russian response.
European ministers discussed Russia’s asymmetric warfare during a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, where the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom accused Russia in a joint statement of “systematically attacking the European security architecture.”
Speaking in Washington, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, “Overall, we are incredibly concerned about Russia’s hybrid warfare both in Europe and around the world, and we have been in close coordination with our European allies and other allies and partners around the world.” Referring to the recent sabotage of two undersea fiber-optic communications cables in the Baltic Sea, Miller added that Russia will be “held accountable” for further such actions.
Russia may choose to delay further escalation ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump, who has threatened to cut aid to Ukraine and negotiate a peace deal that is expected to favor Russia.
The first Ukrainian attack with Atacms hit an ammunition depot in the Bryansk region, the New York Times reported, citing US and Ukrainian officials. The region lies northwest of the Kursk region, where a Ukrainian incursion has been ongoing since early August.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy did not directly confirm the attack on Bryansk, but said, “We now have Atacms, Ukrainian long-range Ukrainian capabilities, and we will use them.”
The Russian Defense Ministry said five of the missiles were shot down and another was damaged. The ministry added that debris from the missiles caused a fire at an unnamed military facility. A U.S. official told The Associated Press that only two of the missiles were intercepted.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has vowed an “appropriate” response to the first use of US-made missiles, which Vladimir Putin has previously said would amount to Washington and its NATO allies entering into direct conflict with Russia.
The reports came hours after Vladimir Putin signed a revised nuclear doctrine that lowers the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. A spokesman for the US National Security Council downplayed the decision, saying the revision had been planned for weeks and that “noting no change in Russia’s nuclear posture, we saw no reason to adjust our own nuclear posture or doctrine in response to Russia’s statements today.”
Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, said he would not be deterred by the new doctrine from supporting Ukraine. “There is irresponsible rhetoric from Russia and that will not deter us from supporting Ukraine,” he told reporters at the G20 summit in Brazil.
Behind the scenes, US and European officials also discussed Russia’s potential to escalate a growing campaign of attacks on US and European infrastructure, which has intensified significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In the joint statement, the UK and EU ministers said Russia’s hybrid attacks were “escalating” and “unprecedented in their variety and scale, creating significant security risks”.
“NATO and the [EU] must do much more to protect this critical infrastructure,” Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen told Politico. “We know that Russia has the [capability] and the will to sabotage in Europe.”
Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Russia is waging an “increasingly intense campaign of hybrid attacks” that shows that “the frontline in this war is no longer just in Ukraine. Increasingly, the frontline is moving across the borders, into the Baltic region, into western Europe and even into the far north.”
We assume the damage to the Baltic cables was sabotage, says German minister
Intelligence agencies are currently investigating the recent damage to cables in the Baltic Sea that were severed in quick succession earlier this week.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday that the damage is believed to have been the result of sabotage. “No one believes the cables were damaged accidentally. I also don’t want to believe that the ships’ anchors accidentally caused the damage,” he said.
If this conclusion is confirmed, it should have been prepared some time before the US authorized the use of Atacms missiles inside Russian borders.
Europe could see an increase in state-sponsored attacks, including attempted sabotage and arson, assassinations and attacks on military bases, transportation and telecommunications infrastructure, a person briefed on the discussion said.
A former senior European defense official described the EU as “totally unprepared” to deal with Moscow’s escalating hybrid warfare.
The former official, who recently left his post, said Europe does not have the resources to counter Russia’s sabotage attacks, which he said will intensify following Biden’s decision to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles.
A senior European security official described the recent wave of attacks as “closer to terrorism, aimed at intimidating the population and influencing decision-making and undermining support for Ukraine”.
Earlier this year, US and German intelligence services reportedly foiled a Russian plot to assassinate a number of defense industry executives in Europe, including a plan to kill Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger.
Russia could also increase support for Iran and its proxy allies in the region, including Yemen’s Houthis or Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
The US, which supplies Ukraine with weapons and targeting intelligence, has indicated that the decision to allow the Atacms strikes was centered in response to the introduction of more than 10,000 North Korean troops into combat and would target their capabilities.
In October, the US envoy to the UN, Robert Wood, bluntly warned that Pyongyang’s forces entering Ukraine “will surely return in body bags”.
Neither the US nor Ukraine has confirmed the use of the missiles, but in a statement, the Ukrainian General Staff confirmed on Tuesday that it hit a military arsenal of the 1046 logistics center outside Karachev.
“The destruction of ammunition depots will continue for the Russian occupiers’ army to stop the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine”, it said.
Independent Russian media reported that residents of Karachev heard explosions during the night. Several videos circulating online, purportedly from the Karachev district, showed the sound of detonations and visible flashes.
“This is, of course, a sign that they want to escalate,” Lavrov told reporters in remarks at the G20 summit, adding that this would be seen by Russia as a “new phase of war by the West”.
Britain is also expected to supply its own Storm Shadow missiles for use by Ukraine on targets inside Russia, after US approval.
While Moscow has promised retaliation, some analysts have suggested its options on the battlefield are limited, with the country unlikely to resort to the nuclear option.
“The most predictable and obvious will be an increase in attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure facilities in anticipation of the winter cold,” said political analyst Anton Barbashin.
He added that the use of Western-supplied long-range weapons is unlikely to serve as a definitive red line for Moscow.
“Strikes with long-range Atacms missiles on Russian territory … are more likely to enter the list of red lines that will be crossed and cease to be red lines,” Barbashin said.
… https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/us-russia-ukraine-missile-attacks
Trump loyalist Kash Patel vying to be named FBI director-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 00.14 CET
Interviews for the key role were held at Mar-a-Lago on Monday night, as Trump appeared intent on firing Christopher Wray
Hugo Lowell in Washington
Donald Trump is keeping his controversial adviser Kash Patel in the running to be the next FBI director, according to two people familiar with the matter, as the transition team conducted interviews for the role Monday night at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago club.
The existence of the interviews, made public in a since-deleted post by Vice President-elect JD Vance, underscored the intention to fire current FBI Director Christopher Wray several years before his current term expires.
Vance revealed that he and Trump had interviewed finalists for FBI director in a post responding to criticism that he missed a Senate vote last night to confirm one of Joe Biden’s nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
“When this vote for the 11th Circuit was taking place, I was meeting with President Trump to interview for several positions for our government, including FBI Director,” Vance wrote.
Trump has a special interest in the FBI, having fired James Comey as director in 2017 over his refusal to close the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and then complained about Wray’s perceived lack of loyalty.
The fact that Patel continues to be one of the leading candidates for the job clearly shows Trump’s determination to install loyalists in key national security and law enforcement posts, as well as the support Patel has amassed among Trump’s key allies.
The advocacy for Patel – who has frequently railed against the “deep state” – has come from some of Trump’s most senior advisers, particularly those close to former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, a faction that has gotten Trump’s personal lawyers elected to top positions in the Justice Department.
That faction has also suggested to Trump in recent days that if Patel is rejected for the director’s job, he should get the job of FBI deputy director, one of the people said – a powerful position that helps run the bureau day to day and is crucially not subject to Senate confirmation.
Patel has made strides in his relationship with Trump by repeatedly demonstrating his loyalty over several years and articulating plans to restructure the FBI, including dismantling the firewall between the White House and the bureau.
During the criminal investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents, for example, Patel refused to testify against Trump before a federal grand jury in Washington and invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
In the end, Patel testified only after he was forced to do so, when then-U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell allowed the Justice Department to grant him limited immunity from prosecution to override his Fifth Amendment claim.
But Patel also has several detractors among other Trump advisers who came from the presidential campaign and have huge influence. The group is said to favor former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, who left Congress in 2015.
Rogers is generally seen as a more stable choice who has experience dealing with intelligence agencies, one ally said. But Trump has also suggested to advisers that he is less interested in Rogers than Patel, the person said.
Still, Trump has paid less and less attention to whether a nominee is likely to be confirmed by the Senate, evidenced by his decision to pick Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, despite both being dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct.
Patel rose to prominence in 2018 when he worked as an aide to Devin Nunes, who was the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, and became involved in the White House’s attempts to discredit the Russia investigation.
Then, in 2019, he worked for the Trump administration on the national security council before becoming chief of staff to the secretary of defense in the final months of the presidency.
In 2020, when Trump was considering firing Gina Haspel, then director of the CIA, he floated Patel as a potential replacement. Patel was also briefly considered briefly to become deputy director of the FBI in the final months of the presidency, but was persuaded to drop the appointment.
.. https://www. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/trump-kash-patel-fbi-director
Who is Mehmet Oz, Trump’s pick to run Medicare and Medicaid?-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 04.21 04.21 CET
Dr. Oz, best known for his daytime talk show, leaned heavily on Trumpism during his failed 2022 bid for the US Senate
Abené Clayton
Donald Trump picked Mehmet Oz, best known for his eponymous daytime talk show for more than a decade and for leaning heavily on Trumpism during his failed 2022 bid for a Pennsylvania Senate seat, to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The cardiothoracic surgeon, who faced a huge backlash from the medical and scientific communities for disseminating misinformation at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, will oversee the agency that operates with a $2.6 billion annual budget and provides health care for more than 100 million people.
“I am honored to be nominated by [Donald Trump] to lead CMS,” Oz posted Tuesday on X. “I look forward to serving my country to make America healthy again under the leadership of HHS Secretary [Robert F Kennedy Jr]”.
In the announcement of Oz’s selection, Trump said Oz would “make America healthy again” and described him as “an eminent physician, heart surgeon, inventor and world-class communicator who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades”.
Oz has been on US television screens for nearly 20 years, first appearing on Oprah Winfrey’s show in 2004. During that time, he has spoken to his audiences about weight loss with fad diets and what it takes to have healthy poops, and towards the end of his tenure, promoted hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure for Covid-19.
Here’s what you need to know about the New York University professor and surgeon turned TV talk show host and now Trump appointee.
Who is Mehmet Oz.
Oz, 64, is a Turkish-American native of Ohio of Turkish descent, best known for The Dr. Oz Show, which aired from 2009 to 2022. His father was a surgeon in Turkey, and after Oz graduated from high school in Delaware, he was admitted to Harvard. He also served in the Turkish military to maintain dual citizenship, the Associated Press reports.
Before entering US homes via daytime television, Oz had more than 20 years of experience as a cardiothoracic surgeon at Presbyterian-Columbia Medical Center in New York. He was also a professor at Columbia University Medical School.
His work at prestigious institutions quickly earned him credibility with viewers, and his popularity earned him nine Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Host.
Although his show ended in 2022, Oz maintains a YouTube channel filled with old episodes of his shows in which he interviews guests such as Penn Jillette about his weight loss and Robert F Kennedy Jr about his 2014 book on mercury in vaccines. He also has an Instagram account that boasts over a million followers, where Oz shares photos of his family and sells products from iHerb, an online health and wellness brand for which he is a global advisor.
Oz’s questionable medical advice and stint in politics
Throughout his TV tenure, Oz revelled in the hallmarks of weight-loss culture, such as detoxing, cleansing and diets that promised rapid weight loss. He also faced questioning from senators in 2014 over claims he made and alleged false advertising of supplements he promoted on his show. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Oz regurgitated misinformation that came from the fringes of the medical and right-wing communities.
Those comments continued when he entered the race to represent Pennsylvania in the US Senate in 2022 against John Fetterman. At the time, The Guardian wrote:
“Oz was dogged by questions about his real connection to the state during the campaign. Oz lived in New Jersey for decades before moving to Pennsylvania in October 2020, to a home owned by his wife’s family. He announced his candidacy for state senator just months later.”
In the wake of Fetterman’s stroke, during which Fetterman said he “almost died,” the Oz campaign launched disgusting attacks against him, with one Oz aide, Rachel Tripp, claiming that Fetterman might not have had a stroke if he “had ever eaten a vegetable in his life.”
In the end, Oz lost to Fetterman, who got 51% of the vote to 46% for Oz.
What will Oz run?
Oz will succeed Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the current CMS administrator, to lead programs that include Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and people with disabilities, and Medicaid, the state-based health insurance program for low-income people, which is jointly funded by the states and the federal government. The two programs provide health insurance for more than 140 million Americans.
Also in CMS’ sights are the Children’s Health Insurance Program (Chip) and the Health Insurance Marketplace, which was created by the Affordable Care Act under Barack Obama in 2010.
Trump’s economic advisers and congressional Republicans are currently discussing possible cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and other government welfare programs to cover the costs of the president-elect’s 2017 extension of the trillion-dollar tax cut.
… https://www. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/mehmet-oz-trump-administration-medicare-medicaid
Trump picks former WWE executive Linda McMahon for education secretary-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 02.59 02.59 CET
The billionaire and former Senate candidate served in the president-elect’s cabinet in his first administration
Guardian staff and agencies
Linda McMahon, the co-chair of Donald Trump’s transition team, has been nominated by the president-elect for education secretary in his incoming administration.
In a statement, Trump praised the “incredible” work that McMahon, the billionaire co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has done as co-chair of the transition team and said, “As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand Choice in every state in America and empower parents to make the best education decisions for their families. … We will send education back to the states, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”
McMahon was named chair of the transition team in August after donating $814,600 to Trump’s 2024 campaign through July. She served in Trump’s cabinet in his first administration as administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017 through 2019. McMahon chaired America First Action, a super PAC that backed Trump’s re-election campaign, where she raised $83 million in 2020. She gave $6 million to help Trump’s candidacy after he clinched the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, according to the Associated Press.
McMahon is the former CEO of WWE, which she co-founded with her husband, Vince McMahon.
In October, McMahon was named in a new lawsuit involving the WWE. The lawsuit alleges that she and other company executives enabled the sexual abuse of boys by a ring announcer, former WWE ringmaster Melvin Phillips Jr. The complaint specifically alleges that the McMahons knew about the abuse and failed to stop it.
An attorney for the McMahons told USA Today Sports that the allegations are “false allegations” stemming from reports that the couple believes are “absurd, defamatory and completely baseless.”
McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO to enter politics. She ran twice for a US Senate seat in Connecticut, but lost in 2010 to Richard Blumenthal and in 2012 to Chris Murphy.
Since 2021, McMahon has served as board chair of the Washington, DC-based thinktank America First Policy Institute and president of the Center for the American Worker.
McMahon is regarded as a relative unknown in education circles, though she has expressed support for charter schools and school choice.
She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year, starting in 2009. She told lawmakers at the time that she had a lifelong interest in education and once planned to become a teacher, a goal that fell by the wayside after marriage. She also served for years on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
Trump has promised to close the Education Department and return much of its powers to the states. He has not explained how he will shut down the agency, which was created by Congress in 1979 and whose dismantling would likely require congressional action.
Howard Lutnick, McMahon’s co-chairman on the transition team and the billionaire founder of the financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald, has been nominated by Trump for commerce secretary.
… https://www. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/trump-nominates-linda-mcmahon-education-secretary
Ukraine war briefing: North Korean soldiers ‘fighting in elite Russian units’-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 02.14 02.14 CET
South Korean MP on intelligence committee says North delivered more weapons to Russia; US and UK criticize Russia’s ‘irresponsible’ nuclear rhetoric. What we know on day 1.001
Warren Murray with Guardian editors and agencies
Some of the 10,900 North Korean soldiers sent to Kursk fought in elite Russian airborne and marine units against Ukraine, according to a member of the South Korean parliament’s intelligence committee. Park Sun-won, citing the South’s spy agency, said North Korea had also sent additional weapons for the war in Ukraine, including self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers.
Park added that North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow this month was unusual in terms of protocol and probably went beyond the exchange of greetings to address more important matters, including a possible visit to Russia by Kim Jong-un. The spy agency is still trying to determine the exact number of casualties of North Korean troops and whether any of them have surrendered amid conflicting information, Park said.
The US called on Russia to stop its “bellicose” and “irresponsible” rhetoric after Russian President Vladimir Putin formally lowered the threshold for Russia’s use of nuclear weapons. This followed Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets on Russian territory with US-supplied long-range weapons. Washington officials said the US saw no reason to adjust its nuclear posture. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said he was “not surprised” by the Kremlin’s comments on the new revised nuclear doctrine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “There is irresponsible rhetoric from Russia and this will not deter our support for Ukraine.” Delivering a direct message to the Russian president at the G20 summit in Brazil, Starmer added: “On the 1,000th day of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, I say again: ‘End the war. Get out of Ukraine'”.
Ukraine’s Western allies criticized the final G20 communique as inadequate for failing to outline Russia’s invasion of its neighbor in 2022 as the conflict entered its 1,000th day, writeJessica Elgot and Leyland Cecco. The communique was significantly weaker than the previous year’s, emphasizing only the humanitarian suffering in Ukraine and the importance of territorial integrity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the G20 of failing to form a “strong strategy”: “Today the G20 countries are in Brazil. Have they said anything? Nothing.” Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor – recently criticized for phoning Vladimir Putin – said, “It is too little when the G20 can’t find the words to say clearly that Russia is responsible.”
Ukraine has fired US-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time since the Biden administration lifted restrictions on their use, writes Pjotr Sauer. The target appeared to be an ammunition depot. Ukraine’s General Staff said it had struck a military arsenal of the 1046 logistics center outside Karachev, without confirming the use of the missiles. The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine launched six U.S.-made Atacms missiles that targeted the southwestern Bryansk region. Zelenskyy did not directly confirm the missile attack targeting the city of Bryansk, but said, “We now have Atacms, Ukrainian long-range Ukrainian capabilities, and we will use them.”
Joe Biden has approved the supply of anti-personnel mines to Ukraine, a US official told Reuters on Tuesday. The US expects Ukraine to use the mines on its own territory, although it has pledged not to use them in areas populated with its own civilians, the official said. The Washington Post first reported the development. U.S. mines differ from Russian mines in that they are “non-persistent” and become inert after a predetermined period, the official said. They require a battery to detonate and will not explode once the battery runs out.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, marked the “grim” 1,000th anniversary of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, saying it was “1,000 more days of meaningless pain and suffering”. A statement by Türk’s spokesman said on Tuesday that the OHCHR has verified that at least 12,162 civilians have been killed since February 24, 2022, including 659 children. At least 26,919 other civilians have been wounded, he said.
Zelenskyy said it is time for Germany to support Ukraine’s longer-range strike capabilities against Russia. “I think that after the statements on nuclear weapons, it is time for Germany to support the corresponding decisions, too,” the Ukrainian leader said during a briefing in Kiev with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who had an hour-long talk with Putin last week, has been reluctant to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles, fueling Kiev’s frustration.
Russia said its air defense units on Tuesday night destroyed 42 Ukrainian drones in at least eight southern and central regions, including 32 in the border region of Bryansk and two in Moscow regions. In the Belgorod region, opposite northeastern Ukraine, the region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said an industrial plant, infrastructure points and power lines were damaged in the town of Alekseyevka. Video footage posted on Russian and Ukrainian military blogs showed explosions and a fire breaking out in Alekseyevka. A Ukrainian website posted video footage of the explosions in the Voronezh region. Russian officials routinely make unconfirmed claims that most or all of the drones were shot down and that any damage was caused by falling debris.
Denmark is making a new donation of about €130 million to develop Ukraine’s arms industry, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced. “And make no mistake, our support is long-term.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Denmark have created a “special model” for bringing in investment from other countries. “All Nordic nations have already joined, more than a billion dollars have been invested by partners in our industries,” he said, adding that the program extends to the production of drones, missiles and artillery. Denmark is one of the biggest contributors of military aid to Ukraine, relative to the size of its economy.
The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of $100 million worth of military equipment and services to Ukraine, the Pentagon announced Tuesday in a statement. Kiev wants equipment and services for vehicle refurbishing, technical assistance, training, publications and related logistics and program support, it said.
… https://www. theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/20/ukraine-war-briefing-us-and-uk-slam-russias-irresponsible-nuclear-rhetoric
Latest Russian air strikes on Ukraine threaten ‘catastrophic blackout’-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 06.00 CET
Targeting substations connected to three operating nuclear plants risks nuclear catastrophe in Europe, says Greenpeace
Dan Sabbagh in Kiev
Ukraine’s electricity grid is at “heightened risk of catastrophic failure” after Russia’s missile and drone attack on Sunday, Greenpeace has warned, heightening fears about the safety of the country’s three operational nuclear power plants.
Moscow’s strikes targeted electrical substations “critical to the operation of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants” and there is a possibility that the reactors could lose power and become unsafe, according to a briefing note prepared for the Guardian.
Shaun Burnie, nuclear expert at Greenpeace Ukraine, said, “It is clear that Russia is using the threat of nuclear disaster as a major military lever to defeat Ukraine. But with these attacks, Russia risks a nuclear catastrophe in Europe comparable to Fukushima in 2011, Chornobyl in 1986 or worse.”
The pressure group called on Russia to immediately cease attacks on Ukraine’s power grid and for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to deploy permanent monitors in key substations of the country’s nuclear power plants. The IAEA carried out an inspection in late October but has not committed to return.
Although Greenpeace is an independent organization, it liaises with the Ukrainian government. Ukrainian official sources contacted by The Guardian acknowledged Greenpeace’s technical analysis of the crisis.
In 1986, Ukraine was the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, when a faulty design led to the explosion and destruction of a reactor at Chornobyl. Thirty people died within a month and radioactive material spread to Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and, to a lesser extent, Scandinavia and Europe.
On Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday morning, Russia launched a barrage of more than 210 missiles and drones that targeted power generation and transportation targets across the country. Hours later, Ukrenergo, the country’s main electricity provider, announced nationwide rationing to help restore the system.
Explosions were heard in the cities of Kiev, Odessa and Mykolaiv in the south, Kryvyi Rih, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia in central Ukraine and Rivne and Ivano-Frankivsk in the west. The explosions were also heard near Ukraine’s border with Moldova, where the Ukrainian network is connected to its neighbor and the rest of Europe.
While the attacks are not believed to have directly targeted Ukraine’s three remaining operational nuclear power plants at Rivne and Khmelnytskyi in the west and the plant in southern Ukraine, Greenpeace claims that Russia deliberately sought to increase the stress on them by targeting the substations to which they are linked.
On Sunday, the IAEA reported that main power lines from four substations to three nuclear power plants had been disrupted and that at the Khmelnytsky plant, monitors on the ground “heard a loud explosion”. Two power lines to Rivne became unavailable and output was reduced at six of the nine operational nuclear reactors at the three sites.
The three sites provide about two-thirds of Ukraine’s electricity, as previous Russian attacks have destroyed most of the country’s coal and oil-fired power plants, while some of the country’s hydroelectric facilities have also been damaged.
Greenpeace said of particular concern is that “the severe damage to Ukraine’s electricity system, including substations, is causing major instability”, which could mean the prolonged loss of external power to reactors. Cooling the reactor and spent fuel requires electricity, the stable supply of which is at risk, the environmental group added.
In the event of a loss of power, Ukraine’s reactors have on-site diesel generators and batteries to provide essential electricity with enough fuel for seven to 10 days, but if the fuel cannot be maintained or power cannot be restored, the consequences could lead to a nuclear disaster, Greenpeace said.
“Loss of the cooling function at one or more reactors would inevitably lead to nuclear fuel meltdowns and large-scale radiological releases,” Greenpeace said in its memo. “Those most at risk are the people and environment in Ukraine, but there is the potential for much of Europe and beyond to be severely affected,” it added, depending on the wind direction at the time.
Before Sunday’s bombing, Britain had already accused Russia of nuclear blackmail at an OSCE meeting two weeks ago. Russia is among the OSCE’s 57 members, so it is one of the few international forums where Western countries can engage with Moscow.
“We have also heard Russia threatening Ukraine in this room that it could shut off 75% of the remaining electricity by meeting just five targets,” the UK said in a statement presented to a meeting in Vienna on Nov. 7.
“This can only be a reference to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. Such threats are unacceptable. As is the risk that Ukraine’s nuclear power plants will not be able to be reliably supplied with power because of Russia’s sustained attacks against the Ukrainian grid.”
British sources indicated that Ukraine’s power output in the spring had been reduced to about a third of its pre-war capacity, although repairs over the summer had improved that figure to 50%.
The impact of the latest bombings on output remains unclear, although Ukraine’s energy ministry said on Tuesday that 9 GW of power had been lost by 2024, equivalent to “the peak consumption of countries such as the Netherlands or Finland”.
At the start of the war, Russian forces captured Ukraine’s fourth nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia facility, which houses six reactors. The site, located on the front line on the Dnieper river, remains occupied, although the reactors are shut down cold.
…. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/20/latest-russian-airstrikes-on-ukraine-threaten-catastrophic-power-failure
What is hybrid warfare, which some fear Russia will use after Ukraine attack?-The Guardian,Wed 20 Nov 2024 00.30 CET
Leyland Cecco
The US-made missile strike has sparked fears of Russian retaliation that would widen the scope of a frontline
A Ukrainian strike with US-made missiles to hit targets inside Russia using American-made weaponry has sparked fresh fears of retaliation through “hybrid warfare” – a chaotic tool of conflict that blurs borders and widens the scope of a frontline.
In recent years, European nations have witnessed a series of incidents – cyber-attacks, arson, incendiary devices, sabotage and even criminal plots. Security officials believe the aim of these episodes is to sow chaos, exacerbate social tensions among Ukraine’s allies and disrupt military supplies to Kiev.
Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary general, warned that Russia’s “intensifying campaign of hybrid attacks” highlights how Moscow is rapidly moving the frontline in Ukraine “to the Baltic region, to western Europe and even to the far north”.
Such efforts to spread chaos have taken many forms: even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow was linked to extensive disinformation campaigns during the 2016 US elections and the Brexit referendum, aimed at sowing discord and confusion among the electorate via social media.
But the strategy can also be narrowed down to a more specific target: Estonia rebuffed a Russian hacking campaign in 2022, the same year that Norwegian police arrested several Russian nationals equipped with drones and cameras who were near oil and gas infrastructure.
“What is new about the attacks observed in recent years is their speed, scale and intensity, facilitated by rapid technological change and global interconnectivity,” NATO said in June. “Anti-hybrid support teams” will provide assistance, but it is primarily up to individual countries to protect themselves.
On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington is “incredibly concerned” about the threat of hybrid warfare and that US diplomats are in close contact with European allies.
Recent incidents have included several plots that apparently could have led to murder or even mass casualties. Over the summer, US and German intelligence services reportedly foiled a Russian plot to assassinate European defense industry executives, including the CEO of Rheinmetall, Germany’s leading arms manufacturer.
Last month, British anti-terror police revealed that they were investigating an alleged Russian sabotage plot involving incendiary devices hidden on a UK-bound airplane, which may also have been a rehearsal for a similar attack on the US and Canada.
But some of the plots appear to have been crude and amateurish: French intelligence believes that a group of Moldovans were recruited to run a low-budget anti-Semitic graffiti campaign using Star of David stencils in Paris in an attempt to amplify social divisions amid the Israel-Gaza war.
The challenge in fighting hybrid attacks lies in the vast range of possible targets – which could include military bases, transportation and telecommunications infrastructure – and the plausible deniability of the attacks.
In January, a group called Russia’s Cyber Army Reborn infiltrated a water tower in Texas, releasing tens of thousands of gallons of water before state officials stopped the attack.
“Disabling cyberattacks are hitting water and wastewater systems across the United States,” wrote Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, and Michael Regan, the EPA administrator, in a letter to state governors earlier this year. “These attacks have the potential to disrupt the critical lifeline of clean and safe drinking water and impose significant costs on affected communities.”
In many cases, the most vulnerable infrastructure is also poorly protected. A recent cyberattack on a Canadian facility that treats wastewater for 1.2 million people averted catastrophe because the hackers managed to penetrate only “a limited component of digital systems.” But the incident exposed deep weaknesses in water treatment plants across the country.
Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warned in October that Russian GRU military intelligence services were engaged in a campaign to “generate chaos on British and European streets” using proxies that “further reduce the professionalism of their operations”.
… https://www. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/19/hybrid-warfare-russia-ukraine
Two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea have been cut. “It’s an act of sabotage,” says German defense minister-date published: 19.11.2024 21:43
The damage to two undersea fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cables in the Baltic Sea must be considered the result of sabotage, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday.
Photo source: NATO
A total of 1,200 kilometers of cable linking Helsinki and Rostock stopped working at around 2 a.m. on Monday. This was announced by Finnish telecommunications and cybersecurity company Cinia, reports The Guardian.
The first of the two incidents, suspected to be acts of sabotage, occurred on Sunday at around 08:00 GMT on a 218-kilometer internet connection between Lithuania and the island of Gotland in Sweden, telecommunications company Telia Lietuva said. Internet service was interrupted.
The second act of sabotage was on the 1,200-kilometer cable between Helsinki and the German port of Rostock, which ceased functioning around 2:00 GMT on Monday, according to Finnish cybersecurity and telecommunications company Cinia. According to Reuters, C-Lion1 is the only direct cable between Finland and Central Europe.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that “nobody believes these cables were cut accidentally”.
“I also don’t want to believe the versions that these cables were accidentally damaged with ships’ anchors. Therefore we have to say, without knowing who exactly is responsible, that this is hybrid warfare. And we also have to assume, without knowing yet, that it is sabotage,” Pistorius said ahead of a meeting of European Union defense ministers in Brussels.
The Finnish and German foreign ministers issued a joint statement on Monday expressing “deep concern” about the severed submarine cable between Finland and Germany and said a “thorough investigation” was under way.
The cables recall other similar incidents. Last year, cables and a gas pipeline were damaged in the Baltic Sea, to which a Hong Kong-flagged vessel later admitted but claimed it was an accident. A year earlier, the Nord Stream pipeline was blown up. German authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diving instructor in connection with the investigation into the incident.
In a separate statement, Baerbock said Germany also faces such problems, including cyber attacks, surveillance of critical infrastructure and, referring to an incendiary device plot that caused fires at two DHL locations in Birmingham and Leipzig in July, “parcels suddenly exploded when transported on airplanes”. She added: “These cannot just be coincidences”.
… https://m. defenseromania.ro/doua-cabluri-subacvatice-din-marea-baltica-au-fost-taiate-e-un-act-de-sabotaj-spune-ministrul-german-al-apararii_631229.html
Today Poland is buying Apache, but Romania missed the chance to produce attack helicopters 20 years ago. The Americans put us only one condition-Update date: 19.11.2024 19:10
Publication date: 19.11.2024 18:47
This summer, the United States approved an agreement to sell 96 Apache attack helicopters to Poland. A huge contract, worth 12 billion dollars,which will improve Poland’s ability to deal with threats at the border.
EXCLUSIVE
AH-64E Apache, photo: U.S. Army
The time for helicopters is not over, as the 2023 counteroffensive in the south of the country has unfortunately for the Ukrainians demonized it.
Leopard 2 tanks and Western armor, received several months before, tried to break through the Zaporozhe front. The combat actions were stopped by the Russians, including with the help of anti-tank weapons launched from Ka-52 “Alligator” helicopters operating mainly at about 10-15 km, at the limit of the Ukrainian systems and sensors.
As DefenseRomania pointed out , the Poles are sticking to the armament plan called “Army 2035” and are acquiring 96 Apache attack helicopters, as some voices say that we have already entered the age of drones.
The relevance of attack helicopters was also emphasized by Lieutenant General (r.) Cătălin Tomescu, the first commander of the Multinational Corps Southeast.
He explained that the role of this type of aircraft is essential in anti-tank combat.
“Now drones have also appeared, but as a tank man, I know that the most important anti-tank means that I would be afraid of, immediately after the tank, is the attack helicopter.
Romania could have had helicopters produced by Bell and a factory here
Romania does not have dedicated attack-only helicopters like the AH-64 Apache. Unlike Romania’s neighbors who have more modern attack helicopters, such as the Mi-24 in Hungary or the AH-1 Cobra in Turkey, Romania has relied on local adaptations of the Puma to fill these roles.
As General Tomescu also points out, Romania opted for a more particular solution – to modify helicopters that were originally intended for a different purpose.
In particular, this concerns the IAR 330 Puma SOCAT helicopter, a modernized version of the IAR 330. The Puma SOCAT is equipped with anti-tank guided missiles, a side-mounted 20 mm caliber automatic cannon and unguided missiles.
General Tomescu also spoke about an opportunity Romania missed in 1996.
At that time, Bell Helicopters, one of the world’s most renowned helicopter manufacturers, came with a proposal to build a production facility in Romania.
“Bell Helicopter came to us in 1996 and we gave them the flit. They had a single demand: that we would buy the first 112 helicopters, and then they would help us with sales and the rest,” General Tomescu said in the Obiectiv EuroAtlantic podcast, aired by DefenseRomania.
I know for sure it happened because I participated with a big boss in a discussion with Bell at the time. They were attack helicopters, I don’t remember the model. It never materialized. The discussion was then held at a high political level. I was never in that room. But I was at the military discussion where I heard about the offer”, concluded General Tomescu.
Romania has the right (under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe – CFE, signed in 1990 and entered into force in 1992) to 112 attack helicopters.
Poland negotiated an extended Apache package
As a reminder, the agreement for the purchase of Apache helicopters was negotiated by Poland, so in addition to the purchase of the helicopters, the agreement includes a logistics component, which provides for the supply of maintenance equipment, technical support, training, ammunition and spare parts. The contract also has an offset component for the maintenance and servicing of AH-64 Apache AH-64 helicopters in Poland.
The contract for attack helicopters produced by Boeing is just one of many other huge equipment contracts. This year Poland has allocated 4% of its GDP, or almost €33 billion, to defense, while Romania has about €8.1 billion.
….https://m.defenseromania.ro/polonezii-stiu-de-ce-cumpara-apache-romania-putea-sa-aiba-de-acum-20-de-ani-elicoptere-de-atac-gen-tomescu-ale-noastre-sunt-mari-cat-un-autobuz_631226.html
Ukrainian forces struck with ATACMS deep inside Russian territory On the same day, Putin approved Russia’s new nuclear doctrine-Update date: 19.11.2024 15:44
Publication date: 19.11.2024 14:57
On the night of Tuesday, November 19, the Ukrainian Defense Forces for the first time struck a military object on the territory of Russia, using ATACMS ballistic missiles.
Sarmat missile
The Ukrainian publication Censor reports that for the first time in the history of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, ATACMS missiles have struck the territory of Russia, after the permission of the administration of US President Joe Biden.
The Washington Post writes that at least 6 ATACMS were launched against military facilities in Russia. Presumably, it is an attack on the arsenal of the 1046 logistics center in the Karachev area of the city of Karachev, Bryansk region of the Russian Federation.
According to Russian officials, 5 missiles were shot down and one was damaged by air defenses. The information differs substantially from that presented by Ukraine.
Earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that Ukrainian forces attacked the Russian munitions depot in the Bryansk region. According to the Ukrainian military, at 02:30, 12 explosions and secondary detonations were recorded in the area of the arsenal.
The Russians were storing artillery ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft rockets there, says Andriy Kovalenko, head of the NSDC’s counter-disinformation center.
According to the cited publication, the start of long-range strikes on the Russian Federation will not lead to a quick turning point in the war, but will cause significant losses to the Russian army’s rear-front facilities, complicate the Russian army’s maneuvers and logistics. in border areas and will force the Russians to further expand their air defense assets.
Putin has approved the Russian Federation’s new nuclear doctrine
According to the documents, deterring “a potential adversary from aggression against Russia and its allies” is among the state’s top priorities.
The updated doctrine states that “aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by any non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state”, as well as a massive air attack by non-nuclear means, especially drones, could be a reason for Russia to launch a nuclear strike.
It also points out that “aggression by any state in the military coalition against Russia or its allies is considered aggression by this entire coalition”.
According to the NV’s analysis , the Russian Federation’s new nuclear doctrine contains five key conditions for the use of nuclear weapons:
“receipt of reliable information about the launch of ballistic missiles attacking the territory of the Russian Federation and (or) its allies”;
“the use of nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction against the territories of the Russian Federation and (or) its allies, as well as against military formations and (or) targets of the Russian Federation located outside its territory” (including the territory of Ukraine – editor’s note);
“enemy influence over critical state or military facilities of the Russian Federation, the deactivation of which will lead to the disruption of the appropriate actions of nuclear forces”;
“aggression against the Russian Federation and ( or) the Republic of Belarus as members of the State Union with the use of conventional weapons, which poses a critical threat to their sovereignty and ( or) territorial integrity”;
“receiving reliable information about the mass launch (take-off) of air and space attack vehicles (strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, unmanned, hypersonic and other aerial vehicles) and their crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation”.
The Doctrine also describes the definition of the adversary against which nuclear deterrence is aimed. It states that making territory and resources available for “aggression against the Russian Federation” is the basis for “nuclear deterrence” of such a state.
… https://m. defenseromania.ro/fortele-ucrainene-au-lovit-in-adancimea-teritoriului-rusiei-folosind-munitie-occidentala-rachete-balistice-atacms-au-vizat-facilitati-militare-din-regiunea-briansk_631222.html
LNG tankers are redirecting to Europe from Asia after Russia halted gas supplies to OMV from Austria – Marine Insight – 11/19/2024
More LNG tankers are being redirected from Asia to Europe due to a sudden spike in gas prices after Russia’s abrupt decision to halt gas supplies to OMV, an Austrian oil and gas company, according to new data from analyst firm Kpler.
Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy giant, halted deliveries to OMV on November 16 after the Austrian energy company threatened to seize Russian gas as compensation for a favorable arbitration ruling in a contract dispute.
Gas prices rose at the Dutch hub TTF, one of Europe’s main gas markets, after Gazprom informed OMV of its decision to cut off supplies on November 15, 2024.
Gas prices in Europe rose to 46 euros per megawatt-hour ($14.49 per MMBtu) on Nov. 18, the highest level since November 2023.
According to LSEG data, the Japan Korea Marker (JKM), the Asian benchmark, had a price of around $14/MMBtu at the same time.
According to Laura Page, Manager of Gas and LNG Insight at Kpler, one of the main reasons for the vessel diversion was the change in the market price differential.
Page said traders changed course and shipped LNG to Europe, where prices are higher after the JKM-TTF spread went into negative territory last week due to concerns about Russian gas supplies and cold weather forecasts.
LNG tankers changed course and headed for European ports after a surge in prices in Europe. The Liberian-registered tanker Vivert City was originally destined for Bangladesh and is now en route to the South Hook terminal in the UK after loading its cargo in Equatorial Guinea.
Another tanker, the Bermuda-registered Gaslog Windsor Windsor, was carrying US LNG from Sabine Pass to China and was re-routed on Friday. The vessel is now en route to the Isle of Grain terminal in the UK.
The Singapore-registered tanker BW Lesmes, on the other hand, originally bound for China to deliver its Nigerian LNG to China, has also changed course for the Isle of Grain terminal.
The Singapore-registered tanker Diamond Gas Crystal Crystal, originally bound for South Korea, is now bound for the Dutch Gate terminal.
In addition, the Marshall Islands-registered tanker Flex Vigilant, originally due to unload in China, is awaiting new orders in European waters.
Alex Froley, a senior LNG analyst at ICIS, says one of the reasons for the re-routing of cargoes to the UK is the availability of unloading slots.
While several major terminals in mainland Europe are operating at full capacity, the UK facility, particularly the South Hook and Isle of Grain terminals, has provided more space for these redirected LNG tankers.
At a time when markets were changing, slot availability made the UK a convenient alternative for traders.
Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine remain uninterrupted, despite the redirection of LNG cargoes. Gazprom has reported that gas transit through Ukraine, which is still the main pipeline route for Russian gas entering the EU, is stable.
Ukraine has already said it will not extend its gas transit agreement with Russia once the current five-year deal expires at the end of this year.
Europe is increasingly relying on LNG imports to fill the gap left by disrupted Russian gas flows.
Source: https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/lng-tankers-re-route-to-europe-from-asia-after-russia-stops-gas-supply-to-austrias-omv/
The only communication cable linking Finland and Germany was damaged at the bottom of the Baltic Sea under unknown circumstances – X – 11/18/2024
Cinia Oy’s state-owned C-Lion1 submarine communication cable, the only link between Finland and central Europe, suddenly stopped transmitting data Monday morning. The 1,173-kilometer cable connects Helsinki and Rostock in Germany – carrying telecommunications data. The site of the break was discovered four hours later – it’s halfway along the cable in the Baltic Sea, east of the island of Eland in Sweden’s special economic zone. Cinia Oy has not yet been able to ascertain whether the break is the result of sabotage. Possible causes of the incident could be bottom trawling while fishing or the emergency dropping of the anchor.
Sursa: https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1858568568658641364?t=-igLW1NraTzhsfGMZuQiyA&s=08
Statement Nikolai Patrushev – X -18.11.2024
“The US and the UK are preparing to blow up underwater fiber-optic cables that provide the whole world with internet access,” says Nikolai Patrushev, a close Putin aide. Patrushev is a Russian politician and special services officer with the rank of general. He served in the KGB and later became director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, or FSB, which he headed for nearly 10 years. He is considered one of the so-called siloviki and a man close to Vladimir Putin. Is this another invention of Russian propaganda, just like the Americans’ desire to extinguish the sun over Russia? Or perhaps preparations for your own such operation? Russia often likes to blame others for its own actions. Can you imagine a world without contacts and networks?
Sursa: https://x.com/piotrkaszuwara/status/1856200331874476158
Germany says damage to undersea cables in Baltic Sea should be presumed sabotage -Reuters – 11/19/2024
Damage to two undersea telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea should be considered sabotage, Germany said on Tuesday, as Lithuania’s armed forces stepped up surveillance of its waters in response.
“No one believes these cables were cut accidentally. I also don’t want to believe in the versions that these were ship anchors that accidentally caused the damage,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said ahead of a meeting with EU colleagues in Brussels.
Two fiber-optic cables – one linking Finland and Germany, the other linking Sweden and Lithuania – stopped working between Sunday and Monday, recalling previous security incidents in the waterway affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“We have to say, without knowing specifically who it comes from, that this is a ‘hybrid’ action. And we must also assume, without knowing yet, that it is sabotage,” Pistorius told journalists.
NATO regional members are jointly assessing what happened, a spokesman for the Lithuanian armed forces said, adding that naval forces have stepped up patrols.
Lithuania’s prosecutor general’s office has been gathering information to determine whether a formal investigation should be launched, a spokesman said.
The Swedish Post and Telecommunications Authority said it was in contact with other authorities to compile information. It declined to comment further.
The companies that own the two cables said it was not yet clear what caused the outages.
“It’s not partial damage, it’s complete damage,” said a spokesman for Arelion, the owner and operator of the cable linking Lithuania to Sweden. Cinia, the owner of the cable linking Finland to Germany, said it was not possible to say what might have caused the breach until repairs had begun. The company said repairs of this nature typically take 5-15 days.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said he had no specific information on who was to blame, but said, “We are seeing increasing Russian activity on our seas, aimed at espionage and possibly even sabotage of our vital infrastructure.”
In the most prominent case of Baltic Sea sabotage, the Nord Stream gas pipeline was destroyed in 2022, hastening Europe’s switch to other energy suppliers following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
No one has taken responsibility for those explosions. While some Western officials initially blamed Moscow – an interpretation dismissed as “idiotic” by Russian President Vladimir Putin – American and German media reported that pro-Ukrainian actors may have played a role.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas from Vilnius, Johan Ahlander from Stockholm, Essi Lehto from Helsinki and Bart Meijer from AmsterdamWritten by Stine Jacobsen and Tassilo HummelEdited by Peter Graff)
Source: https://gcaptain.com/germany-says-damage-to-baltic-underwater-cables-should-be-presumed-sabotage/
Bayraktar TB3 makes historic debut on Anadolu aircraft carrier – Bulgarian Military – 18.11.2024
Turkey’s naval aviation has reached a significant milestone in the modernization of its fleet with the successful completion of historic take-off and landing tests for the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle [UCAV] on the deck of TCG Anadolu – the future drone carrier. This demonstration marks a crucial moment in expanding the Turkish Navy’s capabilities for regional and global operations.
On November 19, the Bayraktar TB3 PT2, which has already passed sea trials, successfully launched from the 12-degree inclined ramp of TCG Anadolu. The test flight, carried out in the strategically critical area where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean Sea, lasted 46 minutes and ended with a precise landing on the same short runway. Remarkably, the system required no landing support equipment, highlighting the TB3’s innovative design and adaptability. This success not only establishes the Bayraktar TB3 as a key player in unmanned aviation, but also opens a new chapter in the history of naval aviation.
The first ramp tests with the Bayraktar TB3 began on June 1, 2024, as part of a program conducted in Tekirdağ Çorlu Çorlu and the Baykar Flight Test and Training Center in Keșan, Edirne. The Keșan runway was purpose-built to replicate the conditions of the TCG Anadolu TCG deck, including the same 12-degree sloping ramp. With the successful execution of the test program, the Bayraktar TB3 has demonstrated its readiness to play a key role in the integration of unmanned systems into the modern Turkish fleet.
This development enhances the Turkish Navy’s ability to project power over long distances, conduct air support operations at sea and carry out reconnaissance in no-go areas. It provides a strategic advantage for a nation located at the crossroads of three critical regions – the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Seas – and underlines Turkey’s ambition to strengthen its leadership in unmanned systems both on land and at sea.
The Bayraktar TB3 is specifically designed for short take-offs and landings from space-constrained vessels, such as the upcoming TCG Anadolu drone carrier. This advanced UCAV is an evolution of the Bayraktar TB2, with numerous improvements that make it highly adaptable for maritime operations. Featuring an extended wingspan and a strengthened structure, the TB3 is optimized for longer endurance and seamless integration with complex shipboard systems.
With a length of approximately 8.35 meters and a wing span of 14 meters, the Bayraktar TB3 is designed to operate in a variety of climatic conditions, including harsh maritime environments. Its maximum take-off weight is up to 1,450 kilograms, allowing it to carry a diverse arsenal of weapons and systems. It is powered by a TEI-manufactured engine, most commonly the PD170 model, providing optimum performance for extended missions with low fuel consumption. The engine supports a cruising speed of 130-150 km/h and a top speed of over 200 km/h, while ensuring high fuel efficiency.
The Bayraktar TB3 is equipped with advanced avionics and sensor technologies. Its main surveillance system includes a high-resolution electro-optical/infrared [EO/IR] sensor, a laser rangefinder and a designator. Among the most commonly used modules is the Aselsan CATS system, which ensures accurate target identification over long distances, even in unfavorable conditions. The TB3 also has signals intelligence and electronic warfare [SIGINT/ELINT] capabilities, allowing it to intercept and analyze communications and radar signals in its operational area.
TB3’s payload capacity reaches up to 280 kilograms, accommodating the integration of precision-guided munitions such as the MAM-L and MAM-C, developed by Roketsan. These laser-guided munitions, proven in real combat scenarios, are highly effective against armored and fortified targets. The TB3 can also deploy longer-range munitions, including new designs such as the Kuzgun and miniature cruise missiles, extending its operational range and attack capabilities.
One of the outstanding features of the Bayraktar TB3 is its network-centric warfare capability. With encrypted communication modules and SATCOM integration, the drone can operate beyond line of sight [BLOS], enabling coordination with other drones, ships and command centers. In addition, TB3 is designed for semi-autonomous and fully autonomous modes, reducing the need for active human intervention and improving operational efficiency.
The TB3 structure uses composite materials, ensuring high durability and low weight. Its folding wings facilitate storage on the decks of ships such as the TCG Anadolu. Its flight control systems are built to withstand turbulence and sudden weather changes, essential for maritime operations. Enhanced with electronic countermeasure capabilities, TB3 features an advanced self-protection system, including automatic signal redirection and data encryption.
Source: https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2024/11/19/turkeys-bayraktar-tb3-makes-historic-debut-from-anadolu-carrier/
US training systems will enhance combat skills of RAF fighter jets Bulgarian Military – 19.11.2024
The RAF will acquire the 46 Tactical Combat Training System Increment II [TCTS II] developed by Collins Aerospace. The acquisition is valued by DSCA at approximately and not more than 70 million dollars. The TCTS II is the only security-certified air combat training system that supports the security requirements of coalition and 5th and 4th generation fighter aircraft, enabling them to train together in real-world threat environments and operate at a high system level.
The Royal Air Force has a mix of 5th and 4th generation fighter jets, providing a versatile and capable air combat fleet. Leading the onslaught is the F-35B Lightning II, acquired in 2018 as part of the UK’s ambitious Joint Strike Fighter program. These stealth multirole fighters are adapted for operations from both land bases and the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, with a total of 48 delivered so far and plans to expand the fleet to 74 by the mid-2030s.
Complementing them is the Eurofighter Typhoon, a rugged fourth-generation workhorse that entered service in 2003 and has since undergone continuous upgrades, including AESA radars and advanced weapons systems such as the Meteor missile. With more than 130 Typhoon aircraft in service, they remain the backbone of the RAF’s multi-role and rapid reaction alert and early warning operations.
Future acquisitions, including the potential additional F-35Bs and the development of the sixth-generation Tempest program, signal the RAF’s commitment to maintaining a combat edge in a rapidly evolving air warfare landscape.
The Tactical Combat Training System Increment II [TCTS II] represents a transformational leap forward in air combat training technology, bringing state-of-the-art capabilities to simulate, monitor and analyze modern air warfare with unparalleled realism. Developed by Collins Aerospace in partnership with the U.S. Navy, TCTS II replaces legacy systems with an open architecture framework designed to integrate seamlessly with fifth- and fourth-generation platforms.
This modular system enables live, virtual, and constructive [LVC] training scenarios, allowing pilots to engage in high-fidelity combat simulations that include real-world assets, simulated threats, and even geographically remote participants. The encrypted, block-resistant data link ensures secure communication, while real-time data collection improves the accuracy of debriefing by providing pilots with granular information about their performance.
A key advantage of the TCTS II is its cross-platform compatibility, which supports advanced fighter jets such as the F-35, F-22 and fourth-generation workhorses such as Typhoons or F/A-18s. Pilots can train against peer-level threats, including stealth aircraft and integrated air defense systems, in a simulated environment that mirrors the complexity of modern battlefields. The system’s high-definition visual and sensor fidelity replicates the challenges of radar-avoiding targets and electronic warfare scenarios.
In addition, TCTS II’s ability to incorporate artificial intelligence-based adversaries and large-scale, multi-domain engagements ensures that training scenarios remain at the pinnacle of operational requirements. For militaries such as the Royal Air Force, TCTS II integration means promoting pilot survivability and tactical dominance against the most advanced threats on today’s battlefield.
In today’s increasingly volatile geopolitical environment, the need for highly trained Royal Air Force [RAF] pilots has never been more pressing. With the resurgence of great power competition, particularly from adversaries such as Russia and China, air dominance remains a cornerstone of national and allied security. The RAF is not just a guardian of British airspace, but a key player in NATO’s collective defense architecture.
As the first line of response in scenarios ranging from Russian bomber incursions over the North Sea to ensuring freedom of navigation in contested regions, RAF pilots must be equipped with the skills and technologies required to operate in a contested and multi-domain battlespace. Training systems such as Tactical Combat Training System Increment II [TCTS II] ensure they remain sharp, capable of dealing with the complexities of modern warfare, including electronic warfare, stealth adversaries and integrated air defense systems.
The RAF’s strategic significance extends far beyond British shores. As one of NATO’s most advanced air forces, its rapid deployment capability and operational readiness are vital to European security. From protecting Baltic airspace as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission to conducting multinational air exercises, the RAF emphasizes the importance of interoperability and deterrence.
Amid rising tensions, such as those involving Ukraine and the Arctic, the RAF’s ability to project power and respond decisively acts as a deterrent to potential aggression. Moreover, its integration with the US Air Force and other allied partners enhances its role in providing a coherent defense strategy for Europe.
For the UK, maintaining a well-trained air force is not just about national security, but about reinforcing its role as a global military power and a trusted ally in an era of uncertainty.
Source: https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2024/11/19/u-s-training-systems-will-boost-raf-fighter-combat-skills/
Norway makes top-down selection for new frigates – Naval News – 11/19/2024
On November 19, 2024, Norway announced plans to invite France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to discussions on a strategic partnership to develop new frigates for the Royal Norwegian Navy, with the Norwegian government aiming to finalize the decision on a strategic partner by 2025.
The Norwegian Ministry of Defense today announced its intention to invite the governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to begin discussions on a potential strategic partnership for the delivery of new frigates to replace the Royal Norwegian Navy’s current Fridtjof Nansen class.
“The new frigates represent the largest planned acquisition for the Norwegian armed forces in the coming years. Norway is an important maritime nation in NATO, and through this and other maritime investments we will strengthen both national and allied security,” said Norwegian Minister of Defense Bjørn Arild Gram.
In June 2024, the Norwegian Parliament adopted the new Long-Term Plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces, which foresees the acquisition of at least five, optionally six new anti-submarine frigates with embarked anti-submarine helicopters.
The plan emphasizes that the new frigates will not be procured as stand-alone vessels, but through a long-term and mutually beneficial strategic partnership with a close ally with strategic interests closely aligned with Norway’s. This strategic partnership will include the joint acquisition, operation, maintenance, ongoing development and modernization of the new frigates throughout their lifetime. To limit the need for modernization of the Fridtjof Nansen class, Norway is also looking to accelerate procurement by joining an existing production line for such vessels.
“Robust and predictable cooperation in both security and defense policy will be at the heart of the strategic partnership we envision, which will encompass everything from force generation to operations and joint development of new capabilities. It is therefore essential that we and our partners have the same long-term interests.” – Mr. Bjørn Arlid Gram, Norwegian Minister of Defence
The Norwegian Government intends to make the final decision on a future strategic partner during 2025. In the upcoming selection process, the defense minister emphasizes the importance of identifying potential industrial opportunities.
“It is the Norwegian Government’s aim that our planned maritime investments contribute to generating jobs and opportunities throughout the country. A key aspect will therefore be the ability of Norwegian technology and industry to contribute to the development and support of both our future frigates and those of our chosen strategic partner,” said Norwegian Minister of Defense Bjørn Arild Gram.
Source: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/11/norway-makes-downselection-for-new-frigates/
U.S. Navy destroyer demonstrates VLS rearmament at French naval base – Naval News – 11/19/2024
The Navy destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) last week demonstrated the rearming of its vertical launch system (VLS) at the French naval base at Brest in Brittany, western France. The event marked a first.
Photographs released by CECLANT, the French Navy’s Atlantic Command, show the Norfolk-based Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Arleigh Burke anchored at the Brest naval base jetty as a crane barge lifts a canister of missiles to be loaded into the ship’s VLS.
In a message on social media X, CECLANT said: ‘The Brest naval base is delighted to welcome the American destroyer USS Stout for a few days. This is an opportunity to test our capabilities for different types of supply operations in support of our NATO allies.”
Contacted by Naval News, a U.S. 6th Fleet spokesman explained, “The U.S. 6th Fleet and our French allies demonstrated the rearmament of the USS Stout (DDG 55) munitions rearmament in Brest, France, Nov. 12, 2024. The purpose of the operation was to demonstrate the ability to unload and reload munitions from allied nations’ warships at a port facility in France.”
This was a training development to rehearse the capability to load and unload VLS munitions in partnership with France. Contacted by Naval News, a spokesman for CECLANT confirmed that French Navy personnel at the naval base in Brest took part in the operation (which the French confirmed was “operational training”).
While the canister of missiles was brought on board the USS Stout for the operation, the French Navy confirmed that “the naval base is nevertheless prepared to provide this type of supply in an operational context”.
The US munitions, which differ from the French Navy, could easily be supplied to the Brest naval base by supply ships or cargo planes (at the nearby Brest airport or at the Lanvéoc-Poulmic naval air base over the Bay of Brest).
This was the first U.S. 6th Fleet VLS replenishment conducted in Brest, France. The U.S. 6th Fleet has conducted previous reloads at other locations in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, most recently in October in Skagen, Denmark, during Neptun Strike 24-2.
The purpose of the operation was to demonstrate the ability to unload and reload munitions from allied nations’ warships at a port facility in France. The US 6th Fleet added: “The US remains firmly committed to France and NATO while expanding interoperability throughout the Alliance,” while the French Navy commented that “this activity was primarily a training exercise to help ensure interoperability among allies within NATO.”
Franco-American strategic framework for interoperability
Finally, the US 6th Fleet confirmed that this operation is part of the Strategic Interoperability Framework adopted by the US Navy and the French Marine Nationale in December 2021, with the aim of improving next-generation combat interoperability.
“France is America’s oldest ally, dating back to 1781, when France supported the U.S. during the Revolutionary War. In the ensuing years, the strong bond between the two allies has matured, continuing a long-standing tradition of exceptional military partnership to ensure peace prosperity in the region.” – US 6th Fleet
The importance of “operational logistics”
As Naval News previously reported Naval News, operational logistics is becoming an area of interest for both navies. The French Navy has recently experimented and demonstrated new capabilities with its new class of logistics supply ships, such as replenishing VLSs (including while underway) and transferring supplies to submarines. The US Navy recently conducted the first sea trials of a new replenishment mechanism that will allow warships to rearm while underway. These capabilities are becoming increasingly important in the global context of heightened tensions and as demonstrated in the Red Sea, where ammunition can be used up quite quickly (and where most allied navies have had to sail from the Red Sea to reload their ammunition).
The guided-missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55), assigned to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Strike Group (HSTCSG), departed Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, for a regular deployment to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.
Source: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/11/u-s-navy-destroyer-demonstrates-vls-rearming-at-french-naval-base/
Philippine Navy takes delivery of US-funded USVs for SCS operations – Naval News – 11/19/2024
The Philippines has received MARTAC MANTAS T-12 MARTAC MANTAS T-12 unmanned surface vehicles from the US over the past year to strengthen its maritime security capabilities in the South China Sea.
The US has provided the Philippine Navy with a number of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) through foreign military financing to help defend Manila’s exclusive economic zone and sovereignty in the South China Sea.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro unveiled the transfer today during a press conference in Palawan, where they witnessed the demonstration of the new US-supplied capability. According to Austin and the Pentagon, the drones are the MANTAS T-12 USVs from Maritime Tactical Systems (MARTAC). “The T-12 is a key capability used by the Philippine Forces to protect its sovereignty and operate in its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea,” the Pentagon said.
The MANTAS T-12 is 3.6 meters long and can carry payloads of up to 64 kilograms. Listed missions also include surveillance, swarm operations and electronic warfare, according to a company infographic about the system. One feature of the USV highlighted by MARTAC that customers can purchase is “alligator mode,” a semi-submersible capability that would flood the MANTAS T-12 for stealth missions. While the exact specifications of the Philippine Navy variants are unclear, an image of the drone at the service’s recent Asymmetric Warfare Symposium reveals what appears to be a mounted EO/IR system and Starlink terminal.
Austin claimed that the drones arrived in the Philippines this year through a security assistance scheme and that the US expects to fund more USVs through the $500 million foreign military funding previously promised to Manila in July. “These developments ensure that the Philippines has the capabilities it needs to defend its rights and sovereignty throughout its exclusive economic zone,” Austin said.
Naval News previously reported on the existence of the Philippine Navy’s new USV USV unit in an interview with former Philippine Navy Commander Toribio Adaci, during the Asian Defense and Security Expo in September. Adaci argued that the service needs the USVs to enhance the country’s maritime domain awareness in its exclusive economic zone, which has been consistently thwarted by Chinese forces in an ongoing dispute between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea.
The USVs are the first in the Philippine Navy’s history, amid the use of these cheap asymmetric systems by the Ukrainian Navy in the Black Sea, as well as the Houthis against global shipping and an international coalition in the Red Sea. Collin Koh, a senior research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, explained to Naval News that the introduction of these systems on the “front line” in an area like Palawan, a province facing the South China Sea, is a first for the region.
Koh emphasized the small size of the system, which is considerably smaller than the USVs currently used by Ukrainian and Houthi forces, noting that it could perform limited combat and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. He also noted their potential as a resupply asset for Manila’s outpost in the South China Sea, particularly for the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57).
“Of course, the USV can still carry a limited payload for resupply, therefore it could be an alternative asset for those RORE missions, for which larger manned ships might be more suited to carry such payloads. But the potential is certainly there: if there is a sufficient mass of such USVs, the AFP can adjust its RORE strategy; not just use them as alternatives, but even as primary platforms of choice, especially given Chinese interdiction activities around Second Thomas Shoal,” Koh said.
Questions remain about the susceptibility of USVs to electronic warfare and other countermeasures that could be used by the People’s Liberation Army to counter these new systems, with Koh noting that Chinese forces are “carefully watching and drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine.”
Despite these potential shortcomings, Koh emphasized that the drone transfer went beyond traditional US defense transfers and signified “Washington’s willingness to step up its game in such capacity-building efforts.”
“The USV capability transfers would be something new – not only signaling the US commitment to strengthening maritime security and naval defense in Southeast Asia, but also reflecting a recognition of how such capacity-building assistance must keep pace with the evolution of modern naval warfare. The example of Ukraine would be illustrative here in highlighting the growing importance of unmanned naval warfare.”
The Pentagon also unveiled its new public-private Maritime Security Consortium public-private initiative on the same day as Austin’s unveiling of the Philippines’ new MANTAS T-12 USV MANTAS USVs, signaling Washington’s intentions to provide more capabilities across the region to support states that are affected by Chinese maritime claims in the South China Sea. According to the Pentagon, $95 million worth of maritime security capabilities will be delivered to Southeast Asian countries over the next few months, with key demonstrations planned during Balikatan 2025 in the Philippines.
Source: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/11/philippine-navy-receives-u-s-funded-usvs-for-scs-operations/
Navantia begins to embark AIP equipment on S-83 submarine – Naval News – 11/19/2024
On October 31, 2024, Spanish shipbuilder Navantia announced that it is starting to fit the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system on its third S-80 class submarine, the Cosme Garcia (S-83) Cosme Garcia (S-83).
Navantia’s shipyard in Cartagena has begun fitting the S-83 with the equipment that makes up the innovative Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, a technology that makes the S-80 class one of the most advanced conventional submarine models on the market.
This system, unique in the world, generates hydrogen from sustainably produced alcohol (bioethanol) stored on board the submarine. This process is carried out by the bioethanol processing system. This hydrogen, combined with oxygen also stored on board, generates electricity through a fuel cell capable of charging the submarine’s batteries and keeping it submerged for two to three times longer than any conventional submarine.
This AIP system is capable of operating at any depth and in all operational conditions, allowing it to adapt to any Navy mission and making it the most advanced AIP system on the market.
The S80-class submarines are the only 3,000-ton submarines in the world equipped with this system. This system, combined with a design and production system aimed at creating a virtually undetectable submarine, opens the door to export opportunities, strengthening the company’s international positioning and its entire ecosystem of collaborators.
Source: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/11/navantia-begins-to-embark-aip-equipment-on-the-s-83-submarine/
NATO submarine rescue system (NSRS) mobilized for Dynamic Monarch exercise – Naval News – 19.11.2024
JFD, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, is participating in the Dynamic Monarch 24 mobilization of the NATO Submarine Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) as part of a multinational exercise to test and refine underwater intervention and rescue capabilities in some of the most challenging environments.
Completed on September 19 off the coast of Norway, Dynamic Monarch 24 was the first in cold water since 2014, providing an important opportunity for participating navies to demonstrate the latest underwater rescue technology and operational procedures in a complex and challenging scenario.
Having managed the NSRS In Service Support (ISS) contract since 2015 on behalf of the NSRS participating nations, the UK, France and Norway, JFD is responsible for maintaining the system in a rescue-ready state so that it can be called to respond to a disabled submarine (DISSUB) as quickly as possible.
“We proudly support NSRS with a full readiness contract, having recently moved from our second to third ISS contract after award in 2022 for a further nine years, maintaining our support for the UK and partner nations. Throughout the duration of the ISS contracts, JFD has developed a unique relationship with the NSRS system, which is reinforced through a regular exercise program, essential to ensure both personnel and equipment are fully prepared for the complexities of a real-life rescue operation. This has been an excellent period of training for the NSRS, the team has admirably demonstrated its capability at sea to a wide audience of military observers and the UK Ministry of Defense.” Richard Devlin, JFD Defense Director
Participating forces from the US, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Turkey and other allied navies joined NSRS participating nations to practice interoperability and improve combined submarine rescue combined operations and to share best practices in different scenarios where response time and specialized equipment are critical.
The JFD mobilized the NSRS rescue system and associated assets from Edinburgh in Scotland, UK, to the exercise location off the southeast coast of Norway. The system, considered to be one of the most capable in the world, successfully operated the Subsea Rescue Vehicle (SRV), rated at 610 msw, in difficult environmental conditions. During the operational phase of the exercise, the SRV complemented a series of mates with a Swedish GOTLAND-class submarine and a Norwegian ULA-class submarine, performing the dry transfer of personnel from the submarine to the SRV.
Concurrently, the NSRS, mobilized on the French Navy vessel BSAM Rhone, from Portsmouth, UK. The intervention system carried out a series of series in which the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was deployed.
During the ten-day exercise, other successful rescue scenarios were performed alongside the ‘URF’ rescue system and HSwMS BELOS from Sweden and TCG ALEMDAR from Turkey.
“Participating in Dynamic Monarch not only gives us the opportunity to demonstrate JFD’s proficiency, but is also essential to continually improving our expertise and capabilities, ensuring we remain at the forefront of rapidly evolving global submarine rescue operations. There is a continued focus on safety, rapid response and international cooperation as submarine operating ranges and coverage areas expand. We remain committed to improving safety for those working under the sea, the practical experience and knowledge gained from these exercises is invaluable to the continued development of our capability.” Richard Devlin, JFD Director of Defense.
Supporting the mobilization and operation of a submarine rescue system is a significant endeavor with a number of logistical challenges. JFD has over 40 years of operational experience and has long-term service contracts with some of the world’s most notable systems, including Australia, India and Singapore.
Dynamic Monarch follows the Southern Sun exercise, conducted in the south of France in May, which achieved a significant first with the NSRS system pairing with the French Navy’s newest SSN and mobilizing the entire system to the BSAD Jason.
Source: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/11/nato-submarine-rescue-system-nsrs-mobilized-for-dynamic-monarch-exercise/
Gray Eagle STOL STOL performs historic first flight from ship to land – Euro S&D – 19.11.2024
A General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) Gray Eagle STOL unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) took off from a South Korean warship and landed at a land base in the first such mission for a UAV of its kind, GA-ASI announced on November 13, 2024.
The mission took place on November 12, 2024, when the Gray Eagle STOL (GE STOL: GA-ASI’s name for the production variant of its Mojave UAV demonstrator) was launched from the Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) amphibious landing ship Dokdo, which was off the coast of Pohang, and flew to the Pohang Navy airfield, landing there.
The mission was carried out in collaboration with ROKN and GA-ASI’s national partner, Hanwha Aerospace.
Gray Eagle STOL (which stands for short take-off and landing) is the only UAV of its kind with the capability to operate from high-deck warships such as amphibious ships and aircraft carriers, as well as from short and unimproved land-based short-landing grounds. The Gray Eagle STOL is very similar to GA-ASI’s classic Gray Eagle UAV, but has a different engine, wings, control surfaces and landing gear.
“We applaud the South Korean Navy for its foresight in examining GE STOL’s unique capability for its fleet. This demonstration illustrates GE STOL’s ability to safely operate on many types of aircraft-capable ships, which opens up countless new ways in which our allies can utilize this UAS to support multi-domain naval operations,” GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue was quoted in the company’s press release.
“The demonstration is a crucial step in verifying how GE STOL can contribute to defense capabilities, and I am honored to witness this alongside the Republic of Korea Navy, to whom I extend my deepest gratitude for conducting the test,” added Hanwha Aerospace CEO and President Jae-il Son. “Hanwha is fully committed to making bold investments, fostering collaboration and providing ongoing support in the UAV business.”
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense is initially evaluating the Gray Eagle STOL STOL for its ability to meet its emerging military requirements, with the South Korean Navy, Army and other officials being asked to support the test.
“The demonstration showcased the STOL’s versatility aboard a warship, in Dokdo, designed not for fixed-wing aircraft but only for helicopters. The Gray Eagle DOLL’s flight proves that navies can add significant new capabilities without major costly modifications to their existing warships,” said ROKN Chief of Naval Operations Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo Yang Yong-mo.
In November 2023, GA-ASI conducted a carrier-borne take-off and landing demonstration with its Mojave UAV operating from the UK Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales, which is 284m long and 73m wide. The Dokdo class is considerably smaller than the Prince of Wales, at just 199m long (199m) and 31m wide.
Source: https://euro-sd.com/2024/11/major-news/41545/ge-stol-flight-ship-to-land/
CSS from the Netherlands to undergo sea trials in Romania – Naval Technology – 19.11.2024
The combat support ship will conduct sea trials on its journey to the Netherlands via the Danube, Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
HNLMS Den Helder, the Royal Netherlands Navy’s latest combat support ship (CSS), newly built in Romania, started its journey to the Netherlands for the first time on November 16.
It will conduct sea trials through NATO territorial waters in the Black Sea, along the Danube and in the Mediterranean Sea.
It was a “conscious decision” to build the ship at the Damen Schelde factory in Galati, in eastern Romania near the Danube Delta, the defense ministry said. This is due to lower (wage) costs and the availability of skilled personnel missing at home.
Although the final outfitting will take place in the flagship’s namesake town, Den Helder. There, the ship will be equipped with sensors and weapon systems.
In an era of heightened military demand, the Dutch government has issued a sectoral agenda for its maritime manufacturing industry, detailing plans and a desire to modernize its domestic maritime sector by the end of 2023.
This is especially necessary as the Netherlands has embarked on an ambitious shipbuilding program to transform its ageing fleet over the next 15 years – a goal worth several billion euros.
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In June 2024, it was reported that the Royal Dutch Navy anticipated that the CSS would be delivered within a few months. In 2023, Damen announced via social media that it had moved the ship from a dry dock into the water for the first time since the installation of the ship’s main mast.
The delivery is scheduled for Q2 2024, with HNLMS Den Helder expected to become operational in Q2 2025. In total, the CSS project is estimated at €375 million ($396.5 million).
Den Helder will measure approximately 180 meters long and have a displacement of 22,400 tons. It will mainly supply fuel, ammunition and supplies to other naval vessels at sea.
The ship will have the capacity to accommodate a total of 150 people, with 75 crew members and 75 additional people on board. It will also provide space to accommodate two helicopters and up to 25 containers on the upper deck.
The ship will be equipped with a Scout Mk3 surveillance radar and a friend or foe identification system.
Source: https://www.naval-technology.com/news/netherlands-css-to-undergo-sea-trials-from-romania-facility/?cf-view
AeroVironment acquires BlueHalo to ‘redefine the next era’ of defense technology – Breaking Defense – 11/19/2024
“The structure of the global defense sector is changing, and this transaction underscores that transformation,” analyst Byron Callan said of the merger.
Unmanned systems maker AeroVironment is buying technology firm BlueHalo, the companies announced today, setting up a merger that could result in a major player in the unmanned systems market.
The deal is an all-stock transaction valued at about $4.1 billion, according to an AeroVironment announcement. The combined company is “expected to generate revenues in excess of $1.7 billion.” BlueHalo has “revenues of more than $900 million by 2024,” according to the statement.
“For more than 50 years, AV has pioneered innovative solutions on the battlefield, and today we are poised to usher in the next era of defense technology through our combination with BlueHalo,” said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment’s president and chief executive officer.
On paper, the two companies have little overlap, although some back-office jobs inevitably end up being cut when companies merge. BlueHalo has focused on technologies in space, counter-UAS, directed energy and electronic warfare, while AeroVironment has made its bones on unmanned systems, including strafing munitions. The company has had particular success with its Switchblade family of munitions, which has won contracts with the military and has been featured as part of the Replicator initiative.
It’s not hard to imagine taking BlueHalo technologies and integrating them into AV systems. Or, as the announcement says, “the companies’ shared culture of agile innovation and mission expertise will enable the combined entity to develop and deliver next-generation technologies that will have significant military value and redefine the next era of defense technology.”
In a note to investors, Byron Callan, an analyst at Capital Alpha Partners, said the deal fits into a broader trend in the defense space.
“The structure of the global defense sector is changing, and this transaction underscores that transformation. Mid-tier suppliers largely disappeared in the 1990s during the consolidation of the sector. There was another wave of mergers and acquisitions in the mid-2010s, when force protection companies that thrived during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were bought.
“The years 2010-2020 saw a surge of new entrants into defense technology, with capital provided by venture capital and private equity. BlueHalo is an example of this shift,” Callan continued. “We expect this emerging mid-tier to take share from larger contractors.”
Source: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/11/aerovironment-purchases-bluehalo-to-redefine-the-next-era-of-defense-technology/
To counter China, Trump administration should rely on Biden AI memo – Breaking Defense – 11/18/2024
In this op-ed, Mohammed Soliman of the Middle East Institute argues that the Trump administration should rely on President Joe Biden’s AI memo rather than dismantle it.
In both the Biden and Trump administrations, the US has consistently viewed China as the main global rival, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. President Biden’s administration recently underscored this position with the first National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI, which laid a solid foundation for addressing the AI challenge posed by Beijing.
The memorandum could prove to be a defining moment in the US strategy to maintain global technological dominance, linking AI to national security and broader competition with China’s geopolitical and technological ambitions. NSM is directing the US government to implement concrete and impactful measures to ensure US leadership in the development of secure and trusted artificial intelligence. While there are some differences between Biden’s and Trump’s approaches to AI development, the overarching theme of AI as a national security imperative in the geopolitical competition with China remains a common and continuing point.
Instead of revealing this framework, the Trump administration, upon its return, should consider building on these elements. The continuity of this strategy would not only strengthen America’s position vis-à-vis China’s AI-driven ambitions, but would also demonstrate a coherent and consistent approach to technological competition on the global stage.
The memo is part of a broader effort to shape the global conversation about AI, with the goal of establishing rules and regulations that counter Beijing and temper Brussels. For example, the United Nations earlier this year adopted a US-led resolution on AI, marking a key step in the global effort to set standards for the technology. And the document builds on a number of previous directives, including the Executive Order on Safe, Secure and Trusted AI, the Voluntary Commitments on AI , the AI Bill of Rights and the CHIPS Act .
For the US, this standard-setting effort is crucial – not only to protect its position as a global leader in AI, but also to prevent restrictive policies that could hinder US tech companies’ competitive advantage in the sector. NSM’s focus on global competition with China reflects broader concerns about the balance of power in the current “decisive decade”. China’s AI investments are linked to itsDigital Silk Road initiative, which aims to establish control over global technology infrastructure, including artificial intelligence-based systems and digital communications networks. The NSM emphasizes US goals on the material side of technological competition: diversifying chip supply chains and reducing dependence on traditional hubs such as Taiwan, building partnerships with countries such as India, Indonesia, Mexico and Vietnam.
A second priority is protecting American intellectual property from state-sponsored espionage. These goals have shaped Washington’s approach, as evidenced by the CHIPS and Science Act, which has bolstered US semiconductor industries and spurred major advances. At the same time, concluding agreements such as the G42-Microsoft agreement with the United Arab Emirates will help protect US intellectual property and encourage technology collaboration with key allies.
Recognizing that technological developments will largely come from outside government, NSM designates the AI Safety Institute as the US government’s primary point of contact for industry. The Institute will work with national safety agencies and promote international cooperation on AI safety standards. It will also evaluate AI systems for national security and public safety implications and guide developers.
However, the NSM has intentionally overlooked the importance of export and capital controls, which are central to Washington’s strategy to limit China’s technological rise and buy time. The Biden administration’s gamble is that by creating a coherent regulatory framework, it can give itself and its allies a critical head start in technological innovation and the widespread deployment of artificial intelligence in the military and commercial domains. Key to this effort has been the alignment of export controls with allies such as Japan and the Netherlands, which are nations that command critical technologies in advanced chip production. Moreover, in addition to CFIUS restrictions on investment in sensitive U.S. technology, a “reverse CFIUS ” mechanism targets investment in semiconductors, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence by restricting certain technology investments by U.S. citizens in China.
Any new administration tries to differentiate itself from its predecessors, and early signs indicate that this is especially true of Trump’s incoming team. But there is actually quite a lot of alignment between this NSM and the goals of the Trump administration, given the agreement that China is the biggest threat to the United States.
Essentially, the NSM on AI mirrors the Trump administration’s own Indo-Pacific strategy, which seeks to create a sustainable, bipartisan approach to managing technology competition with China. With China promoting AI to expand its geopolitical influence, the United States cannot afford fragmentation. Instead, the new Trump administration should build on NSM as an essential plan, one worth continuing. Embracing this continuity will ensure that America, along with its allies, maintains its edge in the race for technological supremacy in this defining field.
The AI vision laid out in the NSM reflects Washington’s belief that sustained and coordinated efforts are essential to maintain a competitive advantage in the evolving technology landscape and to secure U.S. leadership in AI, tilting the technology competition with China in favor of the United States. Instead of viewing it as a relic of a previous administration, the new White House should seek to build on this framework.
“The structure of the global defense sector is changing, and this transaction underscores that transformation,” analyst Byron Callan said of the merger.
Mohammed Soliman is director of the Strategic Technologies and Cybersecurity Program at the Middle East Institute, a McLarty Associates Fellow and a visiting scholar at Third Way.
Source: http://breakingdefense.com/2024/11/to-counter-china-trumps-administration-should-build-on-biden-ai-memo/
Iran Rejects European and British Sanctions on Its Shipping Lines as ‘Unjustified’ – Reuters – 11/19/2024
New EU and British sanctions are based on false allegations about missile shipments to Russia and are “unjustified,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday.
Brussels on Monday added the Islamic Republic of Iran Islamic Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its director to its list of sanctions against Iran, which it said were a consequence of Tehran’s support for Russia in its war with Ukraine.
On the same day, Britain imposed sanctions against Iran’s national airline and shipping, measures that were taken in response to the transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia.
“Iran regards the imposition of new sanctions by the European Union and Britain against a number of Iranian individuals and legal entities based on the false allegation of sending ballistic missiles to Russia as an unjustified act that contradicts the norms of international law,” Baghaei said, according to the Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel.
He added that European parties violate international law, including freedom of navigation and maritime trade, through sanctions.
Moscow and Tehran have deepened their military and economic cooperation since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022.
Source: https://gcaptain.com/iran-rejects-european-and-british-sanctions-on-its-shipping-lines-as-unjustified/
Green shipping corridors face a ‘feasibility wall’ – gCaptain – 11/19/2024
The shipping industry’s ambitious push towards zero-emission shipping through green corridors is gaining momentum but faces critical challenges, according to the latest “Annual Progress Report on Green Maritime Corridors 2024”, published by the Getting to Zero Coalition and the Global Maritime Forum .
Green shipping corridors, defined as specific trade routes where zero-emission shipping is catalyzed by public and private action, have seen a remarkable 40% increase in initiatives globally, reaching a total of 62 in 2023. This expansion signifies a growing recognition of their potential to revolutionize the shipping industry’s environmental impact.
Despite this progress, the report warns of a looming “wall of feasibility” that could halt progress if governments fail to address the high costs associated with the transition to sustainable energy sources. The lack of national policies to cover fuel costs has emerged as the main stumbling block, threatening to impede the development of these crucial green corridors.
Jesse Fahnestock, director of decarbonization at the Global Maritime Forum, underlined the urgency of the situation: “Green shipping corridors have a critical role to play in accelerating zero-emission shipping. This year, a handful of advanced corridors have set the pace, but continued progress is not inevitable. If the industry and national governments make a concerted effort to share the costs and risks associated with new fuels, these corridors could together generate progress towards zero-emission shipping before 2030.”
The report emphasizes the critical role of green corridors in achieving the industry’s goal of making zero-emission fuels 5% of all fuels by 2030. This target is considered an essential threshold to enable exponential growth of sustainable shipping technologies and infrastructure. Failure to meet this target could jeopardize the net-zero ambitions of the entire maritime sector for 2050, with far-reaching implications for global trade and emission reductions across all sectors.
Interestingly, the development of green corridors presents a unique opportunity for governments to advance their hydrogen economies. The report shows that just six breakthrough initiatives could require more than two million tons of hydrogen fuel annually by 2030. This substantial demand could catalyze both domestic hydrogen production and decarbonization efforts by the maritime sector.
To overcome the challenges and ensure the continued success of the green corridors, the report outlines some key recommendations. These include government support to bridge the operational cost gap, innovative commercial arrangements for fuel procurement, flexible governance approaches, exploring policy and financing solutions for the Global South, and focused support for existing initiatives to meet the goals of the Clydebank Declaration.
As the shipping industry is at a crossroads, the success of green corridors could determine the fate of maritime decarbonization efforts.
With the right support and policies, these initiatives have the potential to chart a course towards a sustainable future for global shipping, demonstrating that environmental stewardship and economic progress can go hand in hand.
Source: https://gcaptain.com/green-shipping-corridors-face-feasibility-wall/
Summary D: ATACMS use in Russia; Submarine cable cut in the Baltic Sea; US-Philippines defense pact; Shipyard reform for US submarines; And a little more. – Defense One Brief – 19.11.2024
Ukrainian troops on Tuesday attacked a suspected weapons depot in Russia using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles, several news outlets (including Forbes Ukraine and RBC Ukraine) reported Tuesday, citing Russian and Ukrainian officials. A US official confirmed the development in remarks to the New York Times.
The targeted facility is located near the town of Karachev in Russia’s southwestern Bryansk region, which is more than 70 miles from Ukraine’s borders. “By 02:30 that night, 12 secondary explosions and detonations were recorded in the area of the target,” the Ukrainian military said on Telegram, without claiming that ATACMS was used in the attack. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down five of the six ATACMS missiles and said the debris started a fire, but no one was injured.
View a map showing the possible range of ATACMS, published Tuesday by RFE/RL, here.
The Russian military has been fortifying air bases in Russia since early October, a former Ukrainian soldier explained on social media on Monday, using satellite images. “Both new and existing roofs are reinforced with what appear to be concrete blocks for additional protection,” he wrote. “It’s not clear whether the Russians plan to add coverings or just focus on reinforcing the walls,” he added.
Also: “Satellite images show major expansions at five complexes where Russia made solid-fuel rocket engines, indicating that the Kremlin plans to significantly increase missile production as it continues its war in Ukraine,” Reuters reported on Monday, citing work by Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. “The sites are in Siberia’s Altai Republic, Rostov in southern Russia outside Moscow and St. Petersburg and in Perm in western Russia,” the news agency reported.
On Sunday morning, a key data cable was cut along the Baltic Sea between Germany and Finland. Berlin and Helsinki issued a joint statement in response to the findings, which they said “immediately raises suspicions of malicious damage [and] says a lot about the volatility of our times.”
“Our European security is not only threatened by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also by the hybrid war of malicious actors,” the two countries’ foreign ministries said. “Protecting our shared critical infrastructure is vital for our security and the resilience of our societies,” they added.
“The nearly 1,200-kilometer-long cable is the only direct link of its kind between Finland and Central Europe and runs alongside other important pieces of infrastructure, including gas pipelines and power cables,” reports LRT TV in Lithuania. AP has a bit more.
“NATO’s newest members [Finland and Sweden] are updating their civilian preparedness guides for the risk of war,” AP reported separately Monday.
COMING SOON: Germany will begin delivering “several hundred” unidirectional attack drones to Ukraine in December, German newspaper Bild recently reported. An estimated 4,000 of these drones are expected in total, Ukrainska Pravda reported Monday .
The drones have some degree of autonomy and, as a result, are supposedly less susceptible to electronic interference. They are also reportedly much cheaper than US-made Switchblade drones. Read more here.
Also in Germany: ‘The last American soldier to leave Afghanistan to command the U.S. Army in Europe,’ the Army Times reported Monday on Army Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, who, if confirmed by the Senate, will take over the garrison in Wiesbaden.
Welcome to this Tuesday’s edition of The D Brief, brought to you by Ben Watson with Audrey Decker. Share newsletter tips, reading recommendations or feedback here. And if you’re not already a subscriber, you can do that here. On this day in 1943, the Nazis killed at least 6,000 Jews after a failed uprising at the Janowska concentration camp in Lviv, Ukraine.
Around the Defense Department
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signed a new defense pact with the Philippines to share classified information during Austin’s fourth and likely last trip to the Pacific, reports Defense One’s Brad Peniston while traveling with the secretary. The agreement paves the way for a new coordination center at the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, giving US personnel the space to plan and operate with the Philippine military. The two countries have shared intelligence for decades, but the pact is meant to streamline the process and usher in greater cooperation. Read more here.
DEVELOPING: The US Indo-Pacific Command is building a single network to connect nearly two dozen countries, reports Defense One’s Lauren C. Williams. The command’s new mission network will replace several customized networks in a single platform to create a common operational picture essential for multilateral exercises. The streamlined network will be operational by the end of next year, officials say. Read more here
Navy should turn to private shipyards to build submarines faster, argues one MP. Hampered by supply-chain problems, labor challenges and lack of capacity, U.S. shipyards are behind on orders for the Navy’s Columbia- and Virginia-class submarines. And AUKUS, a pact to build submarines for Australia, is putting more pressure on shipyards. There’s “untapped potential” at some private ship maintenance yards that the Navy could use for new construction, said Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va, at a recent Defense One event. Wittman also said the Navy needs to create incentives for shipyards to complete work on time and penalties if they don’t. Read more, here.
New missile startup Dawn Aerospace has reached supersonic flight with a prototype aircraft, Defense One’s Patrick Tucker reported Monday. The company’s Mk-11 Aurora spacecraft completed a 66,000-foot ascent in 118.6 seconds during a November flight test. “The Aurora has become the highest climb rate aircraft ever built. The door is now wide open for Aurora to also become the world’s highest and fastest flying airplane,” company executives said. The test comes as the US military rushes to develop highly maneuverable weapons that can reach hypersonic speeds. Read more, here.
Trump signals (sort of) mass deportation strategy
In a one-word post on social media, President-elect Trump appeared to confirm that, once he takes office, he intends to declare a national emergency so that he can use American military “means” to carry out his plans to deport millions of people from the United States.
The apparent confirmation came in the form of a 4 a.m. response to a conservative activist on Trump’s social media platform Monday morning. “TRUE!!!” Trump wrote in response.
BACKGROUND: According to Trump’s advisers, there are several facets or possibilities in their overall plans that could involve the U.S. military in some form or fashion.
1. One includes using military construction funds to build “vast detention facilities that would function as training centers” for people Trump wants to deport to await processing, according to his immigration adviser Stephen Miller. That possibility, with a procedural precedent in Trump’s first term, seems most likely.
2. Another idea is to use active-duty troops to patrol the border and detain people, “invoking the Insurrection Act [circa 1807] to use troops as immigration agents,” as the New York Times explained in August. This would apparently be more difficult, as it would rely on congressional consent to a greater extent than redistributing military construction funds.
3. Related to this, both active-duty and National Guard troops already assist border patrol agents along the US-Mexico border; however, their work is mostly bureaucratic and logistical and does not involve active arrests. Trump’s team seems eager to change that. In the meantime, as Oklahoma Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said on Monday about possible changes in immigration enforcement under Trump, “if the National Guard is providing transportation, they’re already doing it a lot.”
4. Another idea from Trump himself is to use the Insurrection Act to get federal troops to “get crime out of our cities,” especially New York and Chicago. In a manner similar to Travis Bickle in the 1970s movie “Taxi Driver,” Trump said those cities are “crime dens,” and their Democratic governors are primarily responsible. “Look at what’s happening to our country – we can’t let it happen anymore,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Iowa. “Because you’re not supposed to be involved in this, you just have to be asked by the governor or the mayor to come; next time, I’m not waiting,” Trump said.
“As far as I know, there are no national emergency authorities that allow the U.S. military to carry out deportations”, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council. The National Emergencies Act is a specific law that blocks certain authorities from doing certain things – a president doesn’t declare a national emergency and then become king. And ‘use the military for deportations’ is not one of those specific things,” he said.
“Last time, Trump invoked a specific emergency authority to unlock military construction funding and to direct more troops to provide logistical support at the border,” Reichlin-Melnick said. That’s most likely the Trump administration’s play in 2025 as well, he suggested; But no one really knows yet.
One big problem for the media covering such plans by Trump and his advisers: they almost always lack details, and most seem to prefer “to make grandiose statements aimed at triggering liberals and making headlines,” Reichlin-Melnick pointed out.
One last thing about national emergencies: the US is currently under more than three dozen of them, one of which dates back to 1979. See all past and present national emergencies via Wikipedia here.
Source: https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2024/11/the-d-brief-november-19-2024/401142/?oref=d1-category-lander-top-story
Russia is rushing to expand the production capacity of solid-fuel engines, offering more S-400, Iskander and ICBM rockets
The Russian military industry is actively modernizing facilities where an important component of anti-missile weapons is manufactured
Satellite imagery has revealed significant expansion and refurbishment efforts at several Russian defense enterprises involved in the production of solid-fuel engines for guided missile systems, a study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies ( IISS ) shows.
These efforts focus on such systems as the Uragan and Tornado-S multiple missile launch systems (MRLS), S-300 and S-400 air defense missiles, 9М723 ballistic missiles for Iskander short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) and various intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) equipped with nuclear warheads.
The IISS detailed these findings in a recent publication on its Military Balance blog. Defense analyst Fabian Hinz highlighted evidence of ongoing expansion in several key locations.
Among the most notable developments is the addition of new facilities at the Altai Research and Production Center in Biysk, Western Siberia. The Russians themselves acknowledge that this facility focuses on “various high-energy compounds for the defense industry.”
IISS data suggests that it was involved in the production of the submarine-launched ballistic missile R-30 Bulava and the RT-2PM Topol.
Other satellite evidence shows similar activity at Kombinat Kamensky in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Rostov region, which suffered an alleged Ukrainian UAV attack on September 23, 2024.
This facility “has been historically associated” with the Topol and RT-23 ICBM production programs and operates in coordination with NPO Splav, a manufacturer of Uragan, Smerch and Tornado-S missile systems.
In addition, the Federal Soyuz Dual Technologies Center , located in Dzerzhinsk, Moscow region, has expanded its facilities. Specializing in solid rocket and rocket motor fuel, this enterprise has been a vital player in the production of Topol-M, Yars and Bulava ICBMs. It has also contributed to the production of Iskander SRBM and Smerch MRLS systems.
In 2023, its director, Yuriy Milekhin, was awarded the title “Labor Hero of the Russian Federation” by Vladimir Putin.
Other noteworthy sites include NII Polimernykh Materialov in Perm, responsible for post-boost vehicle engines for Topol systems, and Morozovsky Zavod in Shlisselburg, Leningrad region, which produces engines for Topol-M and Iskander missiles.
However, the operational status of the Anozit plant in Novosibirsk, a producer of ammonium perchlorate (a critical oxidizer for rocket fuel), remains unclear.
This pattern of activity strongly suggests that Russia is increasing its missile production capacity, perhaps with the aim of reducing dependence on external suppliers such as North Korea.
Source: https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/russias_racing_to_expand_solid_fuel_engine_production_capacity_offering_more_s_400_iskander_and_icbm_missiles-12585.html
Australian Navy launches ‘biggest modernization campaign ever’; How the RAN can combat ‘sore spots’ in its warship and submarine programs – The EurAsian Times – 19.11.2024
Australia’s ambitious initiative to modernize the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and double its fleet marks a key shift in the nation’s defense strategy, which aims to address evolving threats in the Indo-Pacific region and enhance maritime security.
However, the ambitious plan faces numerous hurdles that could prevent its successful implementation.
This article, a sequel to the previous article ‘Australia’s Naval Renaissance’, explores the specific challenges facing Australia in its warship and submarine construction efforts, including financial constraints, project management issues, industrial capacity limitations, difficulties in recruiting and retaining personnel, strategic timing concerns, and political pressures.
A deeper examination of these pain points is essential to understanding the complexities involved in transforming Australia’s naval capabilities.
Financial challenges
A major obstacle to Australia’s naval expansion is the substantial financial commitment required. The Enhanced Lethality Surface Combat Fleet initiative requires an estimated AUD 54.2 billion (USD 35.6 billion) in funding over the next decade. Securing such a large and sustained investment is a challenge, particularly amid economic fluctuations and competing budget priorities.
Although the Integrated Investment Program (IIP) devotes 38% of defense investments to maritime capabilities, the scale of spending can strain government budgets. Economic downturns or unexpected fiscal pressures could jeopardize continuity of funding, potentially delaying or scaling back critical projects.
Australia’s naval projects have a history of cost overruns and budgetary mismanagement. Collins-class submarines, Hobart-class destroyers and Arafura offshore patrol vessels have suffered significant cost increases and delays.
These historical precedents raise concerns about the government’s ability to effectively manage the financial aspects of the current naval expansion. Ensuring fiscal discipline and implementing robust financial oversight mechanisms are essential to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Project management issues
Effective project management is crucial for the timely and cost-effective delivery of naval ships. However, Australia has faced persistent project management challenges in its defense procurement processes.
Based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 design, Hunter-class frigates have already faced delays, with initial delivery dates pushed back from 2027-2030 to no earlier than 2032. These delays increase costs and leave the RAN with an ageing fleet for a longer period, exacerbating capability problems.
Historical projects such as Collins-class submarines and Hobart-class destroyers have suffered from various production challenges, including technical difficulties and supply chain disruptions. These issues highlight the need for improved project management practices, better risk assessment and increased collaboration with international partners to ensure future projects stay on track.
Examples and case studies
1. Collins class submarines
Collins-class submarines have long been a source of contention due to high costs, extended development timescales and performance issues. These submarines serve as a cautionary tale for Australia’s current submarine procurement efforts, emphasizing the importance of robust project management and realistic budgeting.
1. Hobart-class destroyers
The Hobart-class destroyers have also suffered delays and cost overruns, with initial projections significantly exceeded. These challenges highlight the need for improved oversight and accountability in defense procurement processes to prevent similar problems in future projects.
1. Arafura Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV)
The Arafura OPV project has faced numerous delays and technical problems, further straining Australia’s defense budget and shipbuilding capacity. Lessons learned from this project emphasize the need for thorough planning, risk management and stakeholder collaboration to successfully deliver naval assets.
Industrial capacity and workforce limitations
Australia’s defense industrial base is another critical pain point. Although capable, the country’s shipbuilding sector faces capacity and skilled labor limitations, which could hinder ambitious naval expansion plans.
Australia’s shipbuilding workforce is relatively small, and expanding it to meet the demands of multiple large-scale projects simultaneously presents a significant challenge. The “Valley of Death” scenario, where fluctuating orders lead to loss of skilled labor and industry expertise, is a real threat. Maintaining a steady flow of shipbuilding projects is essential to preserve the workforce and industrial know-how.
Another concern is the ability of Australian shipyards to cope with the increased workload. Building 26 new warships and integrating advanced technologies requires substantial investment in infrastructure, machinery and training programs. Without addressing these capacity constraints, the quality and timeliness of shipbuilding could be compromised.
Recruitment and retention of personnel
Expansion of the RAN fleet requires an appropriate increase in naval personnel. Recruiting, training and retaining qualified personnel is a significant challenge, particularly given the rapid pace of technological advances in modern warships and submarines.
The introduction of optionally manned surface ships (LOSVs) and advanced submarines requires specialized skills in cyber warfare, advanced navigation, and weapons systems. Therefore, the RAN must implement comprehensive recruitment and training programs to build a capable and resilient workforce.
Retaining experienced personnel is equally important. The competitive labor market and demanding nature of the naval service can lead to high turnover rates, further exacerbating labor shortages. Strategies to improve job satisfaction, provide career development opportunities and offer competitive compensation are key to retaining skilled naval personnel.
Challenges in recruiting young Australians and immigrants
In addition to general recruitment and retention issues, Australia faces specific challenges in attracting young Australians and immigrants to join the RAN.
Declining interest among the young immigrant population and a lack of enthusiasm from other young Australians is contributing to a significant human resource (HR) shortage. Several factors contribute to this trend:
1. Cultural and social factors: Immigrants may prioritize integration into civilian roles or face cultural barriers that make military service less appealing. In addition, the perception of military service as a demanding and high-risk career may discourage young people from seeking stable and less challenging employment opportunities.
2. Economic considerations: Young Australians, including immigrants, may opt for careers in academia or fast-growing industries such as technology and finance, which often offer higher salaries and better work-life balance compared to military roles.
3. Awareness and outreach: Young immigrants and Australians need more effective recruitment campaigns. Lack of awareness of the benefits and career opportunities within the RAN can lead to lower application rates from these demographics. It is also sometimes felt that patriotic sentiment is in decline.
4. Educational Pathways: Limited pathways linking education and naval careers may also hinder recruitment. Strengthening partnerships with educational institutions to create clear career paths and provide relevant training can help attract more young people into the RAN.
Addressing these recruitment challenges requires specific strategies such as tailored outreach programs, enhanced benefits packages and initiatives to promote a more inclusive and attractive military environment for young Australians and migrants.
Demographic shifts raise the reasonable question of who will enlist for national service. In the future, these shortages could be filled by second generation immigrants, but human resources remain a huge concern for now.
Strategic timing and threat mitigation
The strategic timing of naval procurement is critical to ensure Australia can respond effectively to immediate and future threats. However, the current plan presents a timing gap between current security challenges and the full realization of the expanded fleet’s capabilities.
The Enhanced Lethality Surface Warfare Fleet plan recognizes a temporary reduction in the RAN’s warship capability before the fleet grows. This interim period poses a risk, especially given the rapid advances in regional naval capabilities, particularly those of the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China (PLAN). During this period, the RAN may be less able to deter potential aggressors and secure vital sea lanes.
The planned acquisition of Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines and future AUKUS SSN AUKUS variants will significantly enhance the RAN’s submarine warfare capabilities. However, these submarines are not expected to enter service until the early 2030s through the 2040s, leaving a considerable gap between current threats and future capabilities.
Bridging this gap requires interim measures, such as accelerated procurement of existing technologies and increased collaboration with allied navies for early warning and surveillance. Another short-term option could be the direct procurement of second-hand vessels.
Political pressure and public support
Maintaining political support and public confidence is vital to the successful implementation of Australia’s naval expansion plans. However, political pressures and changing public priorities can present significant challenges.
Defense projects of this scale require long-term political commitment, often spanning multiple election cycles. Changes in government or shifts in political priorities can disrupt the continuity of naval expansion plans, leading to delays or changes in project scopes.
Public support for large defense spending can be volatile, particularly during economic downturns or periods of fiscal austerity. In order to maintain public support and justify substantial financial investments, the government must effectively communicate the strategic necessity and long-term benefits of naval expansion.
Recent news of the AUKUS submarine base shift and the cancellation of missile systems contracts is not encouraging and does not instill confidence in the resolve to secure the seas.
Integration with submarine procurement plans
Synchronizing the procurement timelines for warships and submarines is essential to ensure a balanced and effective naval force. However, aligning these two significant procurement programs presents its own set of challenges.
The acquisition of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS treaty must be carefully coordinated with the warship acquisition program. Misaligned timelines can lead to gaps in operational capabilities and hamper the overall effectiveness of the RAN.
Integrating advanced submarines with an extended fleet of warships requires sophisticated technical and logistical planning. This includes ensuring interoperability between different classes of ships, standardizing communications and combat systems, and developing comprehensive maintenance and support frameworks.
So what needs to be done?
In brief, I’ll summarize them under four hard bullets.
1. Addressing historical challenges
The history of Australia’s naval procurement challenges highlights the need for systemic improvements in project management, financial oversight and industrial collaboration. By learning from past experiences, the current administration can implement strategies to mitigate risks and increase the chances of success for the Enhanced Lethality Surface Combat Fleet initiative.
1. Improved Project Management Practices
Adopting more rigorous project management frameworks, including clear milestones, regular progress reviews, and contingency planning, can help address delays and cost overruns. Increased collaboration with international partners and capitalizing on global best practices can also improve project outcomes.
1. Strengthening industrial partnerships
Fostering strong partnerships with international shipbuilders and technology providers can give Australia access to proven designs and advanced technologies, accelerating the delivery of warships and submarines. These partnerships can also facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building within Australia’s defense industrial base.
1. Investment in workforce development
Investing in workforce development and training programs is crucial to expanding Australia’s shipbuilding capacity and providing a skilled workforce. Initiatives such as apprenticeships, specialized training courses and partnerships with educational institutions can help build a robust and capable workforce to support ongoing and future shipbuilding projects.
Conclusion
Australia’s ambitious naval expansion plan is a strategic imperative to address evolving regional threats and enhance maritime security.
However, the plan has numerous challenges, including financial constraints, project management issues, industrial capacity limitations, difficulties in recruiting and retaining personnel, strategic time gaps and political pressures.
Addressing these pain points requires resilient leadership, robust financial oversight, improved project management practices, strengthened industry partnerships, and comprehensive workforce development strategies.
By learning from past procurement experiences and implementing systemic improvements, Australia can meet these challenges and achieve its goal of modernizing and expanding the Royal Australian Navy.
The successful execution of the Enhanced Lethal Surface Combatant Fleet initiative will strengthen Australia’s maritime capabilities and ensure that the nation remains a formidable force in the Indo-Pacific region, protecting its national interests and contributing to regional stability.
1. Rear Admiral Sanjay Roye AVSM VSM AVSM VSM (retd.), Indian Navy, is a former Captain of SSN INS Chakra Akula Class and Flag Officer commanding Gujarat Naval Area. He is an avid follower of Asian, Pacific and Oceania events.
Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/taming-the-dragon-how-can-australia/