Swedish granatkastarpansarbandvagn 90 (GRKPBV 90) mortar pic.twitter.com/HThnuNw4s3— Caesar (@Ninja998998) March 17, 2019
Members of I Marine Expeditionary Force taking part in Pacific Blitz 2019 may find themselves helping the Navy attack enemy ships with long-range precision fires from shore positions.Story here.
About 5,000 Marines from I MEF joined approximately 5,000 sailors operating on four ships from the Navy's 3rd Fleet on March 12 for the large-scale, joint exercise off the coast of Southern California. It runs until March 26.
For the Marines, some of the focus of the exercise will be on "how are we doing naval integration in such a way that we can contribute to the sea control fight that the Navy would be prosecuting" against a near-peer adversary such as China or Russia, Lt. Gen. Joseph Osterman, commander of I MEF, told defense reporters Friday.
"Some of [what] we are looking at is ... by putting a landing force ashore, for example, how would that landing force project fires, both kinetic and non-kinetic, to help achieve sea control?" he said.
This could be made possible using developmental missile technology designed to be retrofitted onto the high mobility artillery rocket system, or HIMARS, Osterman said.
"We would be able to ... project things like that ashore to be able to conduct anti-surface fires from the shore," he said.
Marines might also act as forward observers from shore, using high-tech sensors on unmanned aerial systems to target enemy ships for naval fires.
"Maybe the force that's ashore is actually doing the target acquisition and target identification through electronic means or visual means. Or let's say a UAS operating from the shore then cues a naval shooter that is over the horizon," Osterman said. "This would allow, from a sea control perspective, for the ground forces to actually be woven in … That we could help contribute to."
It has been about two years since I MEF participated in such a large-scale exercise, but the Marine Corps is trying to get back to having a MEF-level exercise every year, he said.
The Five Star and Lega parties, part of the current government, have opposed a F-35 deal with the US aviation giant. The defence ministry has studied the 20-year old agreement over the last few months. The assessment has been finished, and the issue is reportedly expected to be discussed at the summit level, an Italian news agency reports.Story here.
According to the news agency, Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta will authorise a 389-million-euro ($440 million) payment for F-35 jets under the 1998 deal with the US aircraft maker Lockheed Martin.
The outlet cites a government source as saying that after the payment is completed, they will carry out a revision of the programme, as was earlier announced. The source pointed at "some doubts” remaining about the agreement. According to the publication, there are questions about the agreements signed by the previous government. There had reportedly been a delay due to a "technical assessment" about purchasing US F-35 fighter jets, which has now been completed, ANSA says. The results are to be referred to the prime minister and the matter will be discussed by the country’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and US President Donald Trump, the news agency revealed.
German and U.S. military officials had planned, then canceled, a demonstration this week of the Bundeswehr’s Puma infantry fighting vehicle, as the U.S. Army surveys candidates for its Next-Generation Combat Vehicle program.Story here.
A German Army spokesman confirmed that an event had been scheduled at the Munster tank-training area for Jeffrey White, a deputy to U.S. Army acquisition chief Bruce Jette. White ended up canceling because of a scheduling conflict, the spokesman told Defense News.
Officials on both sides of the Atlantic were tight-lipped about the details of the planned visit and whether another date is being explored. It is also unclear which country initiated the contact, though the government interested in another’s hardware would typically lodge the request for a demonstration.
The apparent curiosity by the U.S. Army in the Puma evokes memories from 2010 and 2011, when the German vehicle, still largely in the development stage at the time, was a contender for the now-defunct Ground Combat Vehicle program. Boeing and SAIC, along with the German manufacturing consortium of Rheinmetall Defence and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, had pitched a modified version of the vehicle for the U.S. Army.
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The U.S. State Department has cleared Spain to purchase 11 assault amphibious vehicles, built by BAE systems, in a deal that could be worth $107 million.Story here.
The possible foreign military sale notification was posted on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Friday. Sale notifications are not guarantees of sale, and quantities and dollar figures can often change during final negotiations.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally which is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the notification reads. “It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Spain in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.”
Spain seeks three types of vehicles in the deal, which will join the 19 AAVs already in use by that country. Included in the proposal are eight personnel carriers, two command vehicles and one recovery vehicle. Also included are “Enhanced Armor Applique Kits (EAAK), spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, training and training material,” per the notice.
The Navy's 2020 budget has more ship-building funds than the service has seen in decades, but it also cuts money for the vessels that bring Marines to the fight.Story here.
Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said Wednesday that he'll talk to members of Congress about the lack of funding for the warships and the effect that could have on national security.
The National Defense Strategy makes it clear that Marines and sailors must be prepared to compete with China in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.
"It's a maritime theater and ... we have a Marine Corps that comes from the sea," Neller said. "But we can't come from the sea if I don't have a way to get underway."
The Navy budget scraps plans for a multiyear contract on the new LPD Flight II amphibious transport dock ships, set to replace the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships. Instead, the budget includes plans for one ship buy in 2021 and another in 2023.
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"I've always prided myself on being a member of the Joint Chiefs, but I'm also the commandant," Neller said. "... I've got to be able to make the case to move [up the timeline] or increase the number of amphibs -- that it's a better value for your dollar than buying something else."
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters this week the Navy will get to 36 amphibious ships, which is "pretty close to the requirement of 38."
The 3rd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles will be established as a Specialised Infantry Battalion and will begin recruiting in 2019.I find this fascinating.
The 3rd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles will join other members of the Specialist Infantry Group, to complete plans set out in the 2015 Defence Review to establish up to five Specialised Infantry Battalions. These specialised Infantry Battalions are designed to provide expert capacity building and training skills with a focus on niche capabilities or areas of the world.
For more than 200 years, Gurkhas have been an integral part of the British Armed Forces and have demonstrated exceptional military aptitude, with a 100% pass rate through basic training. Gurkha soldiers continue to make an exemplary contribution to the British Army through the unique skills they offer, including specialist language skills, which enable them to build longstanding relationships with the United Kingdom’s global partners.
Alongside this new role, the MOD will also be enhancing the support some Gurkha units already provide to the Army, for example the UK led NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, and establishing additional Gurkha Engineer and Signals Squadrons. These are crucial capabilities to enable the UK to meet its global defence commitments.
The new units will allow Gurkhas to access more career opportunities, including promotion and increased chances to serve a full 24-year Army career within the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster said: "The Gurkhas have built an outstanding reputation for their skill and bravery as soldiers through centuries of service and sacrifice.
"They bring unique expertise and perspective to the United Kingdom and British Army which makes them an ideal choice to form a third battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles as a Specialised Infantry Battalion.
Colonel of the Royal Gurkha Rifles Major General Gez Strickland said: "The Royal Gurkha Rifles is delighted to be able to support the Army by creating a third battalion. The specialised infantry role is exciting and challenging and we look forward to learning new skills and making new partnerships around the world as we begin the new task. We are enormously proud of the Army’s confidence in our ability to take this on."
The Pentagon’s decision to add new F-15EXs to its budget request for the Air Force, a move not requested by the service itself, was based on a lack of capability and capacity of the current fleet and the presumptive cheaper cost of the Eagles, the military’s top uniformed officer told lawmakers on Thursday.Story here.
The Pentagon’s fiscal 2020 budget request includes about $1 billion for eight F-15EX “advanced Eagles,” a decision that stemmed from former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee the “framework” of the decision came from a study of the future needs of the military’s tactical aircraft fleet, which showed the Air Force had a shortage in its number of aircraft and the amount of ordnance those aircraft could carry.
"Then they had the F-15C, which was aging out in the 2027-2028 period," he said "So, within the next five or 10 years the best solution was to go to the F-15, called the EX, platform to backfill the F-15. Eventually we’ll get to an all F-35 program, but from both a cost perspective and a capability perspective, this particular mix of aircraft for the near term was determined to be the right mix of aircraft.”
The F-15EX initially would only be “slightly” cheaper to buy than a new F-35, it will be more than 50 percent cheaper than the Joint Strike Fighter to operate over its life. Additionally, it has “twice as many hours” in terms of how long it lasts.
