United States Defense Thread

[John Fedup]

Yes, the logistics capacity of the US in 1944 was phenomenal but air and sea superiority made this possible. By 1944 the USN dwarfed the Japanese Imperial Navy and by the the end of the war, the three largest navies were the USN, the RN, and the RCN. The ability to produce high tech weaponry in sufficient quantities is a big question mark. How many times could the the USN reload all their MK 41s before missile inventories become exhausted?

 

[ngatimozart]

The import word in that sentence is WAS, they couldn't do today what they did then, not without many years of build up.

Most definitely. They don't have the merchant fleet size any more and most certainly the ship building capacity to knock out ships like they did with the Liberty Ships.

 

[John Fedup]

A modern Liberty ship concept may be a solution, something that is inexpensive and that can be built quickly to replace the inevitable losses.

 

[John Fedup]

Here's an interesting paper on defending against salvo missile attacks. Various emerging technologies for disabling or destroying missiles are discussed. High power microwave (HPM) along with solid state lasers look promising. The latter would be enhanced by placing them in UAVs as to minimize laser beam degradation at lower altitudes.

https://csbaonline.org/uploads/documents/CSBA_Crossroads_Base_Defense_Report_web.pdf

 

[John Fedup]

When this report is released it will be interesting. I posted earlier on inquires on Chinese content on the RCN thread with regards to our AOPS program. As many here are aware this is the tip of the iceberg, think cyber security and Huawei.

Here It Comes: Industrial Base Report Released Tonight

Mods, perhaps this should be in the cyber forum but it is a US pending announcement?

 

[ngatimozart]

When this report is released it will be interesting. I posted earlier on inquires on Chinese content on the RCN thread with regards to our AOPS program. As many here are aware this is the tip of the iceberg, think cyber security and Huawei.

Here It Comes: Industrial Base Report Released Tonight

Mods, perhaps this should be in the cyber forum but it is a US pending announcement?

Actually John it covers both. You could post the link to the report there with a link back to your original post here.

 

[John Fedup]

Trump just announced a $33 billion cut to DoD's budget. A 5% cut won't bring much blowback given the never ending annual federal deficits approaching a trillion dollars. A democratic House win could mean more cuts but not to the deficit as Demos will push for new social spending.

BREAKING: Trump Orders DoD To Take Surprise, $33B Budget Cut

 

[ngatimozart]

An interesting take on Pentagon modernisation program effectiveness.

This Is Why The Pentagon Could Never Build A Death Star

 

[ngatimozart]

Trump just announced a $33 billion cut to DoD's budget. A 5% cut won't bring much blowback given the never ending annual federal deficits approaching a trillion dollars. A democratic House win could mean more cuts but not to the deficit as Demos will push for new social spending.

BREAKING: Trump Orders DoD To Take Surprise, $33B Budget Cut

I saw that and I have read elsewhere that according to the Pentagon Comptroller, 2019 is the high water for US defence spending.

 

[John Fedup]

An interesting take on Pentagon modernisation program effectiveness.

This Is Why The Pentagon Could Never Build A Death Star

Well he trashed the army and navy but hardly a mention on the Air Force. But he is correct, Darth Vader running the Pentagon would be a huge motivation improvement. “Make it on time, on budget, and it has to work” or die!

 

[John Fedup]

This brief article mentions how Western industry needs to do a rethink wrt its relationship with China. IMHO, it is somewhat late to finally figuring out that transferring valuable IP for easy access to the Chinese market wasn't such a great deal long term. Worse, many companies ignored outright theft and copyright violations for fear of losing market access. Aerospace is just about the last major high tech industry where the West still enjoys supremacy. It will interesting to see which one of duopoly companies China wants to take out of their market first, Boeing or Airbus.



OPINION: Western industry must rethink relationship with China

 

[ngatimozart]

Gen Mattis had resigned as SECDEF. His last day is 28/2/2019. Apparently Trumps unilateral decision to withdraw from Syria was the last straw. Whilst the rumour mill has stated that Gen Mattis was on the way out anyway, at least this way he's going on his own terms.

Trump's Defence Secretary quits, after clash over Syria withdrawal

 

[John Fedup]

Totally agree and he had no choice. We can expect a real brown noser to replace him, no experience or intelligence required. Sad day for America’s armed forces.

 

[ngatimozart]

The US DIA has released its 2019 China Military Power Report. Haven't read it yet.

Military Power Publications

 

[Ranger25]

US Sec State Pompeo said this am the US will pull out of the INF if Russia doesn’t comply within 6 months.

And NATO seems to be behind the move

“
On Friday, NATO’s political decision-making body released an eight-paragraph statement outlining Russia’s violations of the treaty, adding that allies “fully support” the U.S. suspension.

“Unless Russia honours its INF Treaty obligations through the verifiable destruction of all of its 9M729 systems, thereby returning to full and verifiable compliance before the U.S. withdrawal takes effect in six months, Russia will bear sole responsibility for the end of the treaty,” the North Atlantic Council statement said.”
More here


US pulling out of Cold War-era arms control treaty with Russia, Pompeo says

 

[Feanor]

US Sec State Pompeo said this am the US will pull out of the INF if Russia doesn’t comply within 6 months.

And NATO seems to be behind the move

“
On Friday, NATO’s political decision-making body released an eight-paragraph statement outlining Russia’s violations of the treaty, adding that allies “fully support” the U.S. suspension.

“Unless Russia honours its INF Treaty obligations through the verifiable destruction of all of its 9M729 systems, thereby returning to full and verifiable compliance before the U.S. withdrawal takes effect in six months, Russia will bear sole responsibility for the end of the treaty,” the North Atlantic Council statement said.”
More here


US pulling out of Cold War-era arms control treaty with Russia, Pompeo says

The whole thing smells fishy. I suspect the truth is that in light of developing missile inventories in non-INF countries, neither Russia nor the US are willing to make a significant effort to preserve the INF in its present form.

 

[ngatimozart]

The whole thing smells fishy. I suspect the truth is that in light of developing missile inventories in non-INF countries, neither Russia nor the US are willing to make a significant effort to preserve the INF in its present form.

I get the impression that it suits both parties for the INF Treaty to be declared null and void, but they both want a face saving way out.

 

[MrConservative]

The whole thing smells fishy. I suspect the truth is that in light of developing missile inventories in non-INF countries, neither Russia nor the US are willing to make a significant effort to preserve the INF in its present form.

Here is the fish or should that be Yu?

Time to Address China's Expanding Nuclear Weapons Program | Arms Control Association

 

[barney41]

The whole thing smells fishy. I suspect the truth is that in light of developing missile inventories in non-INF countries, neither Russia nor the US are willing to make a significant effort to preserve the INF in its present form.

The US says it's willing to sit down and negotiate. I can just see Trump and Putin meeting in private to work out a nuke deal. No doubting who will get the better terms. Maybe that is the intent of the Russian pullout, as an excuse for Russia to engage the US in another round of nuke talks where they can basically get what they want.

 

[John Fedup]

Agree, the INF treaty is a constraint that neither Russia or the US want due to the increasing missile capabilities of ROW nations, especially China.