AUKUS Forum on LinkedIn: #cyber (2024)

Unleash AUKUS with High Speed Rail.Integrating AUKUS, Manufacturing, and National Security: A Vision for Australia's Future.Australia is on the brink of a transformative journey that promises to redefine its economic landscape and bolster national security. A visionary initiative known as "Tracks to Trade" integrates high-speed freight rail with manufacturing hubs and affordable housing, setting the stage for sustained growth and resilience across the nation. This initiative is more than AUKUS, more than manufacturing and value-adding and builds on Australia’s strengths in agriculture and critical minerals wealth—it is an ambition for a stronger Australia.South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas highlighted the complexity and scale of this undertaking, stating, “AUKUS is not just a big project. It is exceptionally complicated. It will require not just raw intelligence but acute skills. For our interests to be realized, we need the whole nation to be putting into the effort; otherwise, we will compromise our ability to meet the very aggressive timelines we have in front of us. There is no more complex undertaking on the planet than building a nuclear submarine. And I don’t think the rest of the country is necessarily attuned to the scope of this task. We need to change our thinking about AUKUS and what it means for Australia. We need to think of AUKUS as placing a demand on virtually every agency you can think of—housing, education, logistics, transport, engineering, training, and skills. It’s a cross-government effort, an all-in effort.”Central to this transformation is the integration of a high-speed rail link connecting these regions to Darwin for freight and national security. This connection will facilitate the efficient movement of materials and components essential for submarine construction and other defence projects. By incorporating defence supply chains with "Tracks to Trade," the power of #AUKUS can be fully unleashed. By Michael Sharpe, CEO at the AUKUS Forum 🇦🇺 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 Read more https://lnkd.in/gx65bDRK

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America’s ‘Air Wing Of The Future’ Takes Shape In The PacificMaking its Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) debut, the USS Carl Vinson's CVW-2 Advanced Air Wing is bringing unmatched capabilities to the front lines of U.S. Naval Aviation in a way not seen since the Cold War.The U.S. Navy is pushing hard to deliver Advanced Air Wing capabilities to the entire fleet, and the USS Carl Vinson is the carrier to set an example for years to come as dozens of new capabilities are added. Between non-kinetic capabilities in the F-35’s Tech Refresh 3 (TR-3) and EA-18G AN/ALQ-249 NGJ-MB, and kinetic capabilities like the AGM-88G AARGM-ER and AIM-174B ALC, the Carl Vinson is pushing the envelope in advanced capabilities that are being fielded in the Pacific, completing another keystone of the United States in its pivot to the Indo-Pacific.“Our carrier air wing and carrier strike group is a constantly evolving capability. We are bringing the air wing of the future this time to RIMPAC. That allows us to focus on those new capabilities and integrating them with our allies and partners. It allows us to go out and test interoperability. operate together, and see how all those capabilities fit into that overall mix.”Rear Admiral Micheal S. Wosje, Commander, Carrier Strike Group ONE.See https://lnkd.in/eaSqCC3u

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US Air Power Reaches New Point in First Island Chain Around ChinaU.S. Air Force F-22s and C-130s will stopover in Brunei Darussalam from August 6-8, 2024. The visit will focus on subject matter expert exchange through tours of the aircraft with pilots and maintenance teams, including an introduction to the unique capabilities of the F-22 as a fifth-generation fighter jet. This follows the first F-35s earlier this year.American fifth-generation stealth fighters touched down in a new location in Southeast Asia this month, marking another milestone in the U.S.' increased defense engagement with nations along the first island chain.A pair of F-35 Lightning II jets, assigned to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, operated from Brunei's Rimba air base on March 1-2 during a visit by a Pentagon official, the U.S. Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan said this week."This was the first time a U.S. fighter aircraft landed in Brunei and represents a new model of international cooperation," the U.S. Pacific Air Forces said of the history-making trip.Brunei—Southeast Asia's third-largest oil producer—is located on Borneo, an island shared with Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south, at the base of the first island chain, a series of islands that stretch from the Japanese archipelago in Northeast Asia through Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo, and down to the Malay Peninsula.The decades-old strategic concept is meant to serve as the first line of defense for the U.S. and its allies against Chinese military expansion into the Western Pacific, primarily by establishing choke points along key maritime routes leading to East Asia.See https://lnkd.in/gSsTg4ec

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The U.S. will establish a new military command in #Japan to bolster security ties as Washington moves to strengthen its Asia allies in the face of China’s military buildup, top American and Japanese officials saidThe new American command, which will initially be led by a three-star general, will coordinate military operations with the Japanese side, plan joint exercises and participate in the defense of the country if hostilities erupt.In so doing, it will put America’s warfighting capabilities under the command of a headquarters on Japanese territory for the first time and dispense with the need for U.S. forces in the country to wait for instructions from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which is located in Hawaii 3,500 miles away.The push to establish the command is also part of a broader effort to buttress military relations between the two allies and will include Japanese efforts to shore up the West’s industrial base, including expanding production of Patriot antimissile systems in Japan and providing some to the U.S. See https://lnkd.in/gETR5izH

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Space Force reshapes for a new era of competition.The U.S. Space Force is making organizational moves that the industry should closely monitor. These changes, spearheaded by Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, aim to amplify the voices of satellite operators and personnel on the front lines of space operations and create new mechanisms to stay abreast of cutting-edge developments.Key initiatives include establishing Integrated Mission Deltas (IMDs) and creating a Space Futures Command.While these may sound like typical military jargon, they signal important shifts in the Space Force’s operations and innovation plans.The Space Force IMDs combine units that handle specific mission areas — such as space electromagnetic warfare and positioning, navigation and timing — with program offices responsible for testing, maintenance and acquisition activities. Officials said this integration breaks down traditional silos and allows for a more streamlined command structure where one leader oversees all aspects of mission readiness.Saltzman has advocated for this approach in order to accelerate modernization and posture the Space Force to compete more effectively with rival powers that are challenging the U.S. in the space domain.Beijing’s accelerating pursuit of space capabilities, from anti-satellite weapons to advanced surveillance systems, has necessitated these changes, Saltzman has said.See https://lnkd.in/gq_kaGRQAUKUS Guardians 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸

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Ukraine said it had sunk a Russian submarine off the coast of occupied Crimea in a missile strike that would be a signature blow against Moscow’s embattled fleet there.The apparent sinking of the Rostov-on-Don diesel-electric submarine in the port of Sevastopol on Friday night would be the first time one of four such vessels in the Black Sea Fleet had been sunk. Russian officials didn’t immediately comment.Ukrainian officials said that missile strikes Friday night also damaged four launchers of an S-400 air-defense system in Crimea, one of Russia’s most advanced. They also said a long-range drone strike on an air base in a Russian region neighboring Ukraine had destroyed an ammunition depot that stored glide bombs that are causing severe damage to Ukraine’s forces.The U.S. earlier this year permitted the limited use of weapons it provides against Russian territory in response to attacks from across the border. Ukrainian officials say restrictions still leave Ukraine handicapped in its efforts to combat Russian attacks.In a video address Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the strikes and said they showed the value of hitting Russian military assets on the ground.“Russian combat aviation must be destroyed wherever it is, using any effective means,” Zelensky said.In the video, Zelensky again called on the West to permit the use of all weapons it provides on Russian territory, particularly against airfields where planes that launch the glide bombs are based. He said Russia had launched 600 of the bombs in the last week.“This is the only way to ensure protection for our people,” he said.See https://lnkd.in/gyEcp4dM

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The U.S. has agreed to arm dozens of F-16 jet fighters being sent to Ukraine with American-made missiles and other advanced weapons, addressing a longstanding question about the Western aircraft.Denmark and the Netherlands are preparing to send the first American-made F-16s to Ukraine this summer, and more will come later from Belgium and Norway. But until now the source of critical weapons for the planes has been unresolved.Though the Pentagon has limited inventory and production capability, it will supply the F-16s with air-to-ground munitions, precision-guidance kits for bombs and advanced air-to-air missiles in sufficient quantities to meet Ukraine’s most urgent needs, a senior U.S. official said.“We are confident that we will be able to supply all of those [weapons], at least the critical volumes that they need,” the U.S. official said.The weapons for the F-16 that the U.S. is sending include AGM-88 HARM air-to-ground missiles; the extended-range versions of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, which convert unguided bombs to smart weapons; and so-called small diameter bombs that explode with a tight blast radius. In addition, the U.S. will send advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, known as AMRAAM, and AIM-9X short-range air-to-air missiles for the jets.See https://lnkd.in/g8qD3Kbx

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The U.S. Navy is a ship without a rudder. The longer the service is allowed to decay, the more precarious America’s strategic situation will become. Turning things around won’t be easy. The best solution would be to retain every combat ship in the current fleet and encourage allies to pitch in with their own industrial bases. This expansion will require substantial funding, particularly in the workforce.The number of ships in the Navy has shrunk since its Trump administration high of 296 and, as per construction and procurement funding, won’t reach more than 300 ships until 2032. Maintenance and repair delays have piled up rapidly. Only 60% of the attack submarine fleet is deployable at any given time. The rest is tied up in maintenance. Two supercarriers are out for an additional year-plus due to unspecified turbine damage. The U.S. is retiring surface warships faster than it can build them. Its new ships, most notably the Constellation class frigates, carry half the firepower of an Arleigh Burke class destroyer at around two-thirds of the price. The Navy has also struggled in vain for nearly two decades to retain talent. America’s response to worrying global developments should be a revitalization of American shipbuilding, aided by cooperation with allies. South Korea has several high-quality naval yards that produce top-line small and medium-size warships, along with submarines. Though U.S. Navy requirements differ from those of other countries, there is much to gain from contracting with yards that can deliver warships on time and at or under budget. Read https://lnkd.in/gDbvD8WV

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“There is potential for near-term war and a potential that we might lose such a conflict,” Eric Edelman, vice chairman of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy, told senators.“Where this goes, it seems to me, is terrifying. That is, again, why we need to leverage all elements of national power to make sure we deter these countries from acting against us,” Jane Harman, chairwoman of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy, saidThe threats the United States faces are the most serious and most challenging the nation has encountered since 1945 and include the potential for near-term major war. The United States last fought a global conflict during World War II, which ended nearly 80 years ago. The nation was last prepared for such a fight during the Cold War, which ended 35 years ago. It is not prepared today.China and Russia are major powers that seek to undermine U.S. influence. The 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) recognizes these nations as the top threats to the United States and declares China to be the “pacing challenge,” based on the strength of its military and economy and its intent to exert dominance regionally and globally.The Commission finds that, in many ways, China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment. Without significant change by the United States, the balance of power will continue to shift in China’s favor. China’s overall annual spending on defense is estimated at as much as $711 billion, and the Chinese government in March 2024 announced an increase in annual defense spending of 7.2 percent.Russia will devote 29 percent of its federal budget this year on national defense as it continues to reconstitute its military and economy after its failed initial invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Russia possesses considerable strategic, space, and cyber capabilities and under Vladimir Putin seeks a return to its global leadership role of the Cold War.Read the report - https://lnkd.in/gMTA8SJj

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