“We think that over time through close consultations with the Ukrainians, at both the professional and the political level, we’ll come to a good understanding about how many of these HIMARS we end up giving,” Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, told CNAS.
By Theresa HitchensNext year will see the Precision Strike Missile tested at its maximum range of over 300 miles. The base model enters service in 2023, with range and targeting upgrades to follow.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Senior Pentagon and service officials observed the last day of the ground-breaking ABMS exercise and the Air Force engaged Northern Command to create and manage the scenario.
By Theresa Hitchens“We have to get rid of legacy things, … to go on a diet,” says Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger.
By Theresa HitchensThat’s $6 billion more than previously announced — but it all comes at the cost of almost 200 cut, cancelled, or slowed-down programs, each with backers in Congress.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.While we can’t confirm that Israel used ground-to-ground missiles against Syria, a few months ago the IDF established a new unit — on the orders of Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman — to operate Israeli-developed ground- ground missiles.
By Arie EgoziThe Army is modernizing three artillery systems: 155 cannon, the cheapest option, for the close fight against the enemy’s frontline forces; guided rockets for the deep fight against enemy reinforcements and supply lines; and missiles, the most expensive munitions, for very deep or even strategic strikes against targets in the enemy rear and homeland.
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.ARLINGTON: Against terrorists in Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq, US forces are firing smart weapons like Hellfire missiles as fast as industry can build them — or faster. Against a well-armed adversary like Russia or China, we might run out. That’s why the military is making a major multi-year investment in precision weapons, one that the…
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.CAPITOL HILL: The Marine Corps’ top pilot sketched a vision of fast-paced and networked air operations, spearheaded by F-35 fighters, V-22 tiltrotors, and the future MUX drones, all linked to each other and the rest of the force by Link-16 and MADL. Marine F-35s have already practiced spotting targets for Marine artillery rockets and Navy…
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.QUANTICO: A hovercraft that shoots salvoes of rockets. A speedboat that turns into a submarine. A mobile 3D printing factory. A big wooden box with wings (yes, really). And, of course, more drones than you can shake a stick at (because they swarm). These are just a few of the roughly 100 technologies the Marine…
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.The military’s top generals have called Russia the number one threat. The incoming administration doesn’t seem convinced that Russia is a threat at all, with Trump himself speaking warmly of Vladimir Putin and dimly of NATO allies. But whatever Putin’s intentions for the future, Russia has proved what its capabilities are in Estonia in 2007,…
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.Bob Scales has run a lot of war games. I covered him doing them back in the late 1990s. Plus he’s held a lot of the most important jobs in the Army, including at the Army’s home of artillery, Fort Sill. He was around when the battle was on to ban landmines, which bear many similarities…
By Bob Scales