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Exclusive: CNO Announces the Return of Vertical Launch System At-Sea Reloading
“In our analysis, we expect surface combatants to quickly expend their VLS magazines even in a small confrontation and need to leave the conflict area to reload.”
One of Russia’s Most Deadly Bombers Now Has a Scary New Capability
“This is an important advance for the Russians, and will increase their operational flexibility/ability to respond to changing conditions in the battlespace and pop-up target opportunities,” Mark Gunzinger, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Analyses airpower analyst and former B-52 pilot, told The National Interest. “That said, I don't think it's as significant as having the ability to retarget weapons once they are in flight. Yes, I'm sure they will develop this capability. Moreover, while both functionalities are a step forward, I think future weapons that have the capability to collaborate with each other in flight could be game changers.”
Cold War Allies U.K., U.S. and Norway Team Up for a New Generation of Russian Sub Hunts
“This planned agreement reflects the increased need for regular maritime patrols to monitor Russian submarine operations and deployments past the G-I-U.K. [Greenland-Iceland-U.K.] gap and coming out of the Baltic Sea,” said Bryan Clark, a naval analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
“With Norway and the UK both buying P-8As, the agreement should enable the three countries to share airfields, maintenance facilities, and equipment in the UK, Norway, and Iceland (which is a U.S.-leased facility). This is important to ensure NATO P-8As can cover the whole set of chokepoints from Greenland to Denmark that Russian submarines would need to pass through.”
Navy struggles with approach to fix crippled destroyer Fitzgerald, as investigation continues
The most likely scenario for the repair is that the Navy will have to send Fitz home on a heavy-lift vessel, said Bryan Clark, a retired submariner and analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. "There is no way they can get it repaired overseas,” Clark said. “What they are doing now is trying to determine whether it can be repaired enough to make it home on its own power or if they should put it on a heavy-lift ship. From there it’s going to go into a long repair period at one of the private yards.” Clark said General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego would be a logical place to do the repair.
The Pros and Cons of Trump Giving the Defense Department More Power
Trump is handling the military as a businessman would, said Peter Haynes, a senior fellow focusing on defense strategy and warfare at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
Groups urge Congress to authorize BRAC
One thing the Trump and Obama administrations agree on, regarding the military, is the need for another round of Base Realignment and Closure. A window appeared to open recently that would have allowed for BRAC, but that window may be closing. CDI Straus Military Reform Project director Mandy Smithberger and CSBA research fellow Katherine Blakeley discussed the issue with Government Matters.