Military

Multi-Domain Operations: A 'Next Step' in U.S. Military Combat Strategy

Imagine that a forward-operating, satellite-networked Air Force drone comes across a small, moving group of enemy surface ships. Further, imagine that the drone’s instant data is sent to both Navy ships commanders and land-based Army weapons operators in real-time, enabling a coordinated attack using ship-launched Tomahawk missiles, land-based attack rockets and fighter jets armed with air-to-surface weapons.

This possible scenario, wherein air, land and sea platforms share information in real time across vast, otherwise dispersed areas to optimize attack is precisely what the Pentagon now intends with its new doctrinal approach to future war.

“Our new concept is MDO, for Multi-Domain Operations, intended as a next step in combat strategy to include new domains such as space and EW,” General Joseph Martin, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, said at an event at a think tank called the “Foundation for Defense of Democracies.”

The concept, now in development for the last several years, is fast making technological advances to surge well beyond what may have been previously envisioned. Martin explained MDO as a new version of the well-known Cold War-era AirLand battle concept which sought to counter the former Soviet Union through integrated air and ground combat on the European continent.

Military

The Real Problem With 'Politicizing the Military'

Most of us have come to accept civilian control and the normative antipode of politicization — political neutrality — as both necessary and desirable in democracy if it is to survive and thrive. Neither of these fundamental precepts is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution – or for that matter in statute. Rather, they have come to be embraced and accepted as matters of practice over time.

Civilian control can exist in any form of government, but democracy can’t operate as it should without duly elected and appointed civilian authorities — executive and legislative — calling the military shots, issuing direction, providing oversight, and exercising final decision-making authority. But civilian control is a minimalist condition, the floor of relations among the military, its civilian masters, and society. Its intrinsic value lies in giving authority and legitimacy to what the military does (presumably on behalf of the country) and in restraining and justifying military action.

The ceiling of the civil-military relationship — the ideal — is what might best be referred to as civilian supremacy, where there are layers of public oversight of legislative oversight of executive oversight of a willingly accountable, self-policing military. But civilian supremacy is an illusory ideal, considering our persistent public apathy and congressional inertia, thereby leaving civilian control in the hands of the commander in chief and his minions.

Military

United States Special Operations equipment

ARK VIII SEAL DELIVERY VEHICLE Members of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two (SDVT-2) prepare to launch one of the team's SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) from the back of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Philadelphia (SSN 690) on a training exercise. The SDVs are used to carry Navy SEALs from a submerged submarine to enemy targets while staying underwater and undetected. SDVT-2 is stationed at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., and conducts operations throughout the Atlantic and Southern, and European command geographic areas of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Andrew McKaskle.

Military

Military data reveals dangerous reality for black service members and veterans

Top US military officials are seeking to reassure the nation's roughly two million active duty and reserve personnel that they are committed to addressing issues of racial inequality across the branches following George Floyd's death and protests across the country.

But the challenges they face are huge.

A CNN review of data provided by the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs reveals the stark reality that black service members are less likely to become officers and, as a result, are more likely to be seriously injured serving their country than their white colleagues.

Those issues are very much intertwined, according to David Shulkin, who previously served asPresident Donald Trump's Veterans Affairs Secretary.

"While there's been some increase in relative numbers in minority officers, it's not been proportional to the increase that we're serving, so therefore you do have more minority members serving in the front line jobs and therefore getting higher numbers of these injuries," he told CNN in an interview Friday.

Military

Donald Trump orders 9,500 US troops to leave Germany

Donald Trump has ordered the US military to remove nearly 9,500 troops from Germany in a move likely to raise concerns in Europe about the US commitment to the region.

The move would reduce US troop numbers in Germany to 25,000, compared with the 34,500 currently there, a senior US official said.

'Regrettable': Germany reacts to Trump plan to withdraw US troops

 

Read more

The official said the move was the result of months of work by America’s top military officer, General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and had nothing to do with tensions between Trump and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who thwarted Trump’s plan to host a G7 meeting this month.

A second senior administration official said the 9,500 troops would be sent elsewhere: some to Poland, some to other allied countries, and the rest would return home. The official said there was less need for the large contingent in Germany because of overall increased defence spending by the US-led Nato military alliance.

Military

HOW IS THE RUSSIAN MILITARY RESPONDING TO COVID-19?

Until recently, the Russian government argued that its armed forces were officially COVID-19 free. State media reported that thousands of tests have been conducted since mid-March and no one in the entire military has contracted the virus.

The reality of COVID-19 in Russia, of course, is almost certainly much different than official accounts. The first cases are finally being reported, and announcements of forced quarantine in the army shed light on potential viral clusters. The authorities can now only hope to hide the increasing number of cases in the army as it scrambles to limit infections and save lives.

It is still too early to assess the real impact of the pandemic on the Russian armed forces. The global crisis is likely in its early stages, and the Russian military — like militaries around the world — will have its hands full in keeping servicemembers safe while at the same time performing its normal national security functions. In Russia, the need for a robust response is particularly acute, as a new batch of conscripts are preparing to join ranks before summer.

Military

The 5 most powerful armies in the world

Battlefields are constantly evolving, leading countries around the world to pump hundreds of billions of dollars each year into their armed forces in a race to develop the most advanced training, technology and weaponry.

As of 2020, Global Firepower, a website that tracks military strength, says the following five armies are the most powerful, based on a rank given to them after looking at how they compare in categories “ranging from military might and financials to logistical capability and geography”:

5) Japan

With an estimated active military personnel of 247,160, this Asian country only has a fraction of the headcount that volatile neighbor North Korea has, but makes up for it with its updated weaponry.

Japan has 152 special mission aircraft – more than any country in the world other than the U.S., according to Global Firepower’s statistics – and a formidable Navy fleet that contains 40 destroyers...

Military

US special operations forces are special — but they're not 'elite'

America's special operations forces (SOF) are in high demand and their global presence is growing. In 2019, SOF operated in 141 countries, up from only 60 just over a decade ago. Rightfully, SOF have earned a reputation for their tremendous successes, like killing Osama bin Laden in 2011.

As the pace increases, so have concerns over their behavior. But the nation's reverence for its SOF may itself be part of the problem — for too long, media has labeled SOF as more "elite" than the rest of the military. But the term "elite" implies better, and this raises the question, better for what?

Throughout history, SOF have evolved in myriad ways, most memorably with the creation of US Army Special Forces, whose Green Berets were officially recognized by President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

Today, all military personnel assigned under United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), are known by the umbrella term "special operations forces" (SOF).

Military

Army surges ahead with weapons development, says its still 'ready for war'

The Army acquisition community has set up a dedicated COVID-19 Task Force to address emerging challenges related to the widespread impact of the virus -- intended to both safeguard the workforce, track the impact upon major defense suppliers and sustain necessary weapons development.

The intent is naturally to ensure that the Army remains “ready for war” in the event that threats and challenges emerge during the outbreak, by conducting a series of industrial base reviews to assess weapons and technology development with major defense contractors and their subcontractors. The Army wants to ensure that, despite some anticipated short-term setbacks, its current and future weapons systems are ultimately not compromised in any substantial way.

“The Army has been looking at the industrial base and our ability to maintain programs for continued readiness,” Dr. Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, told reporters. “We are running a day to day work assessment to make adjustments according to a running estimate, to make sure we are ahead of this.”

Military

Who Makes the World's Finest Tank Ammo Anyway?

Tank ammunition is not easy to manufacture. Modern tanks require ammo that is made to withstand immense pressure while also maintaining very high accuracy. This presents challenges for all types of rounds, although modern Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ammunition is the hardest to manufacture due to the very hard materials necessary to craft them.

This piece was originally featured in November 2018 and is being republished due to reader's interest.

Which countries have mastered making these advanced rounds? Here are five countries that could be considered the best at making tank ammunition, in no particular order.

1. United States of America

Since the US proclaimed itself to be the “arsenal of democracy” during WWII, the US has been at the forefront of the development of advanced tank guns and ammunition. Fierce competition with the Soviet Union to develop more and more powerful cannons resulted in the US developing a powerful line of 105mm APFSDS ammunition for the British L7 (adopted as M68) cannons...

Military

Pentagon orders 60-day troop freeze

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has ordered a stop to all troop movement overseas for 60 days to attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the military, the Pentagon announced Wednesday. 

The stop movement order will apply to all U.S. forces, civilian personnel and families — including those scheduled to return stateside and those scheduled to deploy — with some exceptions, Esper first told Reuters on Wednesday. 

“This measure is taken to aid in further prevention of the spread of [COVID-19], to protect U.S. personnel and preserve the operational readiness of our global force,” according to the DOD statement.

The new order will not impact “the continued drawdown of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, which is scheduled to be complete within 135 days following the signed agreement.” 

There are 227 service members, 81 civilian employees, 67 dependents and 40 contractors who have tested positive for the illness COVID-19.

Military

Defence Chief tells military to prepare for six-month operation whilst warning of threats from 'those who wish to undermine our way of life'

The Chief of the Defence Staff has told the armed forces to plan for a six-month Coronavirus operation and warned of threats from “those who wish to undermine our way of life”.

In a letter issued to senior officers, General Sir Nick Carter has said the armed forces should treat the military response to the Coronavirus as a six-month operational tour.

He also warned against complacency, saying the focus on the military aid to civil authorities should not detract from the threat posed to the country from hostile states and terrorist groups.

General Carter said in the note: “the indications are that this disease will spike around late May and early June.

“We are to be prepared for our collective posture to be on an operational footing by mid-April, recognising that this could endure for six months or so.”...

Military

Major military exercise in Europe canceled over coronavirus concerns

The remainder of one major military exercise between the US and several European nations will be canceled as a "precautionary measure," and US involvement will be reduced in another exercise amid the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, US European Command announced Wednesday.

It is just the latest major military exercise to be discontinued, curtailed or postponed due to growing concerns about the pandemic.

The movement of US military personnel in Europe, Asia and the Middle East have also been placed under some increased restrictions to help prevent the spread of the virus, and more restrictions are expected.

The decision to cancel the remainder of "Exercise Cold Response 20" was made by the chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters in cooperation with the leadership of the Norwegian Armed Forces.

Military

Researchers Find a Flaw in Modern Military Helmets

In a new paper, researchers compare 100-year-old military helmet technology to what soldiers use today, and the results may surprise you. These researchers wanted to study how helmets endure primary blast neurotrauma, which is a little-considered aspect to what helmets can do to protect soldiers.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) hosts a 1986 paper that defines the levels of blast injury:
“Injury from explosion may be due to the direct cussive effect of the blast wave (primary), being struck by material propelled by the blast (secondary), to whole-body displacement and impact (tertiary), or to miscellaneous effects from burns, toxic acids, and so on. Severe primary blast injury is most likely to be seen in military operations but can occur in civilian industrial accidents or terrorist actions.”

Essentially, primary blast is the force of the explosion itself doing things like banging your brain against the sides of your skull. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says primary blast force most directly affects a surprising kind of body structure: “Gas filled structures are most susceptible—lungs, GI tract, and middle ear.” A condition called blast lung is the most harmful primary blast injury, the CDC says, but concussive brain injury is still a big deal.

Military

Putin announces plans to equip Russian military with advanced hardware

The Russian army and navy will be equipped with cutting-edge weapons, including laser and hypersonic systems, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

"We will be doing our utmost so that our army and navy can become more and more advanced, which means strengthening capabilities of the strategic forces, channeling cutting-edge hardware to all types of forces, including laser, hypersonic systems and high-precision systems," Putin said at the State Kremlin Palace at a gala concert marking Defender of the Motherland Day.

The president pointed out that most Russian weapons have no equivalents in the world.

"Along with this, as for promising models which are actually the weapons of the future, we have already gone from the stage of trials up to [the stage] of putting them on constant combat duty," Putin said.

According to the president, "it means that Russia’s defense and security are faultlessly safeguarded for the distant future."

Military

Bell ‘blows up Russian newest Armata tanks’ in new video

Bell, part of American conglomerate Textron, has released a 1:01 minute video animation of its new helicopter that develops for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition.

The animation shows that the new Bell 360 Invictus helicopter offers exceptional speed and agility to perform in the highly contested battlespace.

Showcasing the Invictus’ combat capabilities, the video goes on to show animated footage of the helicopter attacking enemy targets, including the newest Russian-made T-14 main battle tanks and T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle based on the Armata heavy tracked standardized platform.

The new Russian T-14 tank was shown to the public for the first time at Red Square’s Victory Day parade on May 9, 2015. The new combat vehicle features fully digitized equipment, an unmanned turret and an isolated armored capsule for the crew.

The deliveries of the armor based on the Armata combat platform to the troops for operational evaluation will begin this 2020, according to CEO of the Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer Alexander Potapov.

Military

People Are Panicking About Military Draft, Stop-Loss and IRR Activation. Here's the Reality

The day after a U.S. airstrike took out a prominent Iranian general in Iraq, the Selective Service System's website crashed.

"World War III" was trending on Twitter. Young people on social media were wondering whether ignoring that fine print on their federal student loan applications was going to land them in boot camp.

"We fat guys are safe. For now," one person joked on Twitter.

Some apparently flooded the Selective Service's website to see if they'd registered for the draft.

"Due to the spread of misinformation, our website is experiencing high traffic volumes at this time. If you are attempting to register or verify registration, please check back later today as we are working to resolve this issue," the Selective Service tweeted Friday. "We appreciate your patience."

Military

As Another Bomber Crash Lands, Is Russia's Military Hardware Falling Apart?

A Russian bomber crew successfully landed their stricken aircraft in a field after the one of the airplane’s engines failed. The Tu-22M3 bomber was put down away from populated areas and Russia’s air force is now trying to figure out how to recover it for repairs. The incident is just the latest in a long line of disasters—big and small—plaguing the Russian military as it tries to wring as much use out of old, outdated equipment.

The incident, according to Russian state media outlet TASS, took place in southern Russia at the Chkalov State Flight Testing Center. The two-man crew, discovering that an engine had failed, guided the airplane away from populated areas and performed a belly landing. Neither of the crew members were injured but the aircraft itself reportedly sustained some damage.

The Tu-22M3 bomber, known as “Backfire” to NATO, is a long-range bomber originally designed to strike the continental U.S. with nuclear weapons. The aircraft were produced in the 1970s and 1980s and updated versions currently serve with the Russian Air Force. The bombers were recently used to strike targets in Syria.

The crash in Astrakan is also just the latest in a series of accidents and disasters involving Russian military equipment. Last week, the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov caught fire during a planned upgrade in port. In July a fire swept through the Russian spy submarine Losharik, killing fourteen sailors. In late 2018, Russia’s largest floating drydock, PD-50 sank, narrowly taking Admiral Kuznetsov with it, and two days ago another floating drydock, PD-16, also sank.

A common denominator among these accidents is aging equipment. Almost all of the equipment involved in these disasters was made (or in the case of PD-50 purchased) by the Soviet Union decades ago. Russia is stuck with the dilemma of trying to keep aging bombers flying and aircraft carriers sailing to prop up its military power, sometimes with tragic results for Russian military personnel.

Military

US Navy, Air Force team up on new ‘Manhattan Project’

 The U.S. Navy and Air Force are teaming up to rapidly develop a network that can link together Air Force and Navy assets during battle, an effort the Navy’s top officer compared to the 1940s program to develop an atomic bomb.

Adm. Michael Gilday, the new Chief of Naval Operations, told an audience Thursday that in order to take on China, the Navy will have to spread out and rely on networked weapons and sensors distributed over a wide area. But doing that would rely on a network architecture that doesn’t yet exist.

To be the most effective force, the Navy acknowledges it must be able to connect with Air Force bombers and aircraft, leading the two services to an agreement to join forces.

“I think the biggest challenge for us is to join all the main command and control,” Gilday said. “We’re building netted weapons, netted platforms, and netted [command-and-control] nodes, but we don’t have an adequate net, and that’s a critical piece.”

Military

UK force leaders want Prince Andrew stripped of military titles

Senior UK military leaders want Prince Andrew to be stripped of his honorary positions in the Royal Army and Navy because he has become such an embarrassment over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, a report said.

Andrew is a former naval helicopter pilot who flew in the Falklands War and holds several senior honorary military positions.

But his disastrous recent BBC interview in which he tried to defend his friendship with the late pedophile has made him a source of derision among the ranks, leading current and former navy and army members to call for him to be “quietly faded out,” the Times of London reported Thursday.

“It’s just not viable. It’s embarrassing to be represented by someone like that,” a source told the UK paper.

Others suggested Andrew’s apparent reluctance to cooperate with US authorities probing Epstein was against military values.

“A soldier would be expected to stand up for what he’s done,” one source reportedly said.