The Defense Department has released its annual Department of Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) on Jan. 29. The report catalogues major U.S. weapons systems and presents an assessment of the all the service’s acquisitions that can tend to be highly critical.
The service’s often contest the findings of DOT&E as dated criticisms or a reiteration of known ongoing problems with weapon’s programs. Read More
A Feb. 01, 2007 test of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) in Alaska. The program was cancelled in 2011. US Marine Corps Photo
The following is from the Jan. 15, 2014 report: Marine Corps Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) and Marine Personnel Carrier (MPC): Background and Issues for Congress.
On January 6, 2011, after spending approximately $3 billion in developmental funding, the Marine Corps cancelled the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program due to poor reliability demonstrated during operational testing and excessive cost growth. Read More
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) in 2013. US Navy Photo
The following is a letter from members of the House Armed Services Committee to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in support of an 11 carrier U.S. Navy. The U.S. is obligated to maintain an 11 carrier fleet under law. Read More
U.S. Marine Pfc. John Evans assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 4 (CLB 4) distributes water on Nov. 23, 2013 to Palo residents affected by Typhoon Haiyan. US Navy Photo
The following is the Jan. 03, 2014 revision to the U.S. Military’s Foreign Humanitarian Assistance doctrine.
This publication has been prepared under the direction of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). It sets forth joint doctrine to govern the activities and performance of the Armed Forces of the United States in joint operations and provides the doctrinal basis for interagency coordination and for US military involvement in multinational operations. Read More
Sailors man a hose during a general quarters drill in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) on Jan. 14, 2014. US Navy Photo
The following is a detailed outline of U.S. Fleet Forces new Optimized Fleet Response Plan (O-FRP). Beginning with the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), the navy will schedule maintenance and deployments in a new scheme centred around the carrier strike group. Read More
The following is the Jan. 16, 2014 address from Adm. James Stavridis, USN retired at the Surface Navy Association 2014 symposium in Crystal City, Va. Stavridis is the U.S. Naval Institute’s Chair of the Board of Directors. Read More
A map of the Syrian conflict and the displaced refugees. US State Department Graphic
The following is from the Jan. 14, 2014 Congressional Research Service report: Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response.
Fighting continues across Syria, pitting government forces and their foreign allies against a range of anti-government insurgents, some of whom also are fighting amongst themselves. Since March 2011, the conflict has driven more than 2.3 million Syrians into neighboring countries as refugees (out of a total population of more than 22 million). Read More
An illustration of China’s contested Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) from state run media. Xinhua Photo
On November 23, 2013, China established an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over a significant portion of the East China Sea (ECS). The ADIZ includes the airspace over disputed areas, including the Senkaku Islands contested by China and Japan. Read More
US Naval Academy
From the Pentagon report: Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies Academic Program Year 2012-2013, released on Jan. 10. 2014.
At each of the three academies there is evidence that some cadets and midshipmen disregarded academy policies and practices in these areas and engaged in gender-related misbehavior and misconduct, targeting fellow cadets and midshipmen as the focus of crude and offensive language and sexist comments. Read More
The following is from the Jan. 3, 2014 Congressional Research Service report: Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons.
The FY2013 Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310, Section 1037) indicates that it is the sense of Congress that “the United States should pursue negotiations with the Russian Federation aimed at the reduction of Russian deployed and nondeployed nonstrategic nuclear forces.” The United States and Russia have not included limits on these weapons in past arms control agreements. Nevertheless, some analysts and Members of Congress have argued that disparities in the numbers of nonstrategic nuclear weapons may become more important as the United States and Russia reduce their numbers of deployed long-range, strategic nuclear weapons. Read More
