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DEFENSE-WIDE ISSUES
US/RDS: U.S., Allies Give Houthis Ultimatum: Stop Ship Attacks or Face Consequences
Wall Street Journal Online | Michael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold and Nancy A. Youssef
The U.S., Britain and key allies issued what officials described as a final warning to the Houthi Yemeni rebel group Wednesday to cease its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea or bear the consequences. The U.S. military has prepared options to strike the Iran-backed rebel group, U.S. officials say. Should the U.S., Britain and other nations use force, potential targets could include launchers for antiship missiles and drones, targeting infrastructure such as coastal radar installations, and storage facilities for munitions. Among the challenges to striking Houthi targets is that many of their weapons systems are mobile, the officials said.
US/UKR: U.S. Aid Funds Have Run Out
TheDrive.com (The War Zone) | Howard Altman
There is no more money to provide military assistance to Ukraine, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday. The last tranche of aid, the 54th Presidential Drawdown Authority package, was announced on Dec. 27 and valued at up to $250 million. It included, among other things, additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missiles Systems, or NASAMS as well as more Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) for U.S. supplied M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
UKR: Ukrainian pilots complete UK F-16 training – Netherlands commits aircraft
Airforce Technology | Harry McNeil
In a strategic move to fortify Ukraine’s air capabilities, the United Kingdom has successfully concluded basic training for Ukrainian combat air pilots, enabling them to embark on F-16 fighter jet proficiency in Denmark. The Royal Air Force (RAF) initiated the training programme in August, encompassing flying and English language training for six seasoned Ukrainian pilots. This initiative is part of the international Air Force Capability Coalition, where allies collaborate to enhance Ukraine’s air defences. As the first cohort advances to F-16 training in Denmark, ten Ukrainian trainee pilots remain in the UK for further practical flight training, including aviation medicine and centrifuge training.
IRN/LBN/YEM/US: Attacks Heighten Fears of a Wider War for the Middle East and U.S.
New York Times Online | Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes, Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger
American, Israeli and Lebanese officials insist that few parties want Israel’s war in Gaza to become a wider conflict that engulfs the Middle East. So far, the United States has held back from retaliating against Houthi bases in Yemen, in large part because it does not want to undermine a fragile truce in Yemen’s civil war. But now Biden officials are signaling that their patience is running out. “Let our message now be clear: We call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” White House officials said in a statement issued on Wednesday, a day after the shipping giant Maersk announced it would pause operations in the Red Sea.
US/UKR: U.S. and BAE to Bring Back Popular Howitzer After Success in Ukraine
Wall Street Journal Online | Alistair MacDonald
The U.S. Army is resurrecting production for the M777 howitzer after its heavy use by Ukraine brought new demand for a big gun whose most recent order was five years ago. The M777's production comeback highlights how the war in Ukraine is helping to reshape the global armaments industry, with battlefield use of artillery and missile-defense systems, in particular, leading to a surge in demand.
PEOPLE
AR: Arkansas Air Guard wing commander resigns over abortion policy, Governor says
Task and Purpose | Jeff Schogol
The commander of the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Air Wing resigned late last month for what the state’s Governor said is a protest of the Pentagon policy that pays for reproductive medical expenses, which includes out-of-state travel for abortions. According to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office, Colonel Dillon Patterson resigned on December 18 as commander of the 188th Air Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base just, just outside the town of Fort Smith on the Oklahoma border. This story was updated with information from Army Maj. Cibeles Ramirez-Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas National Guard.
US/DC: Former Guard Official Says Army Retaliated for His Account of Jan. 6 Delay
The New York Times | Luke Broadwater and Maggie Haberman
A former top lawyer for the D.C. National Guard has accused Army officials of retaliating against him for asserting to Congress that two top Army officers lied about why deployment of the Guard was delayed during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to a complaint filed with the Defense Department and obtained by The New York Times. A copy of the 37-page whistle-blower reprisal complaint was filed with the Pentagon’s inspector general in October. At the center of this particular dispute is a still-simmering feud inside the military over who is to blame for the more than four-hour delay in deploying the National Guard.
US: Our Military Kids Eligibility Criteria Expands to Launch 20th Anniversary Year
PR Newswire | Staff report
Our Military Kids® (OMK), a national nonprofit providing activity scholarships to military children and teens, has expanded its program eligibility criteria this week to include 1-and 2-year-olds in both the Deployed and Combat Injured Programs. According to OMK's 2023 Annual Survey of beneficiary families, 91% of Deployed Program families and 79% of Combat Injured Program families with children ages one and two would have applied for OMK enrichment activity scholarships if their children had been eligible. Now entering its 20th year of support for military families, Our Military Kids has awarded more than 88,000 enrichment activity scholarships to children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and post-9/11 Veterans in treatment for combat-related wounds, illnesses, or injuries.
READINESS
IA/KOS: 20 more Iowa National Guard soldiers to depart for Kosovo peacekeeping mission Jan. 7
Des Moines Register | Kyle Werner and Biong M. Biong
The latest Iowa National Guard contingent of 20 soldiers will depart from Johnston this weekend to serve in a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo that now has lasted 20 years. The Iowa soldiers from the 186th Military Police Company will leave this Sunday, Jan. 7, for a nine-month stay in Kosovo in southeastern Europe, according to a release from the Iowa National Guard. Another contingent consisting of 33 Iowa National Guard soldiers deployed to Kosovo from Waterloo on Friday, Dec. 26, 2023.
NV: Nevada National Guard safeguards 'America’s Party'
KNSS 98.7/1330 | Contributor, NV NG
The Nevada National Guard completed its 24th year supporting first responders during Las Vegas’ annual New Year’s Eve celebration, “America's Party,” which attracted over 300,000 people. Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau and Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, the adjutant general of the Nevada National Guard, visited local law enforcement and the 92nd Civil Support Team in Las Vegas, Dec. 30, 2023. The Nevada Army National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry, played a crucial role. The 92nd Civil Support Team provided atmospheric monitoring and on-site analytical analysis of suspicious substances. The Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Medical Group supported two hospitals.
AR: National Guard report: Sulfur dioxide detected after air quality test near Tontitown's Eco-Vista Landfill
5NewsOnline.com | Delaney Van Wilpe
The Arkansas Army's National Guard's 61st Civil Support Team (CST) reportedly detected "elevated readings of sulfur dioxide" near Waste Management's Eco-Vista Landfill in Tontitown and recommended the state monitor the area for five days for further testing. Rex Thomen, the commander of the CST, recommended the state monitor the area for 5 days and 24 hours each day while there is no rain present. In response to the outcome of CST's recommendation, the Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (E&E) Shane Khoury requested on Jan. 2 that the CST conduct further testing of Tontitown on behalf of the state. The additional testing is to determine whether sulfur dioxide levels reach the Environmental Protection Agency's Acute Exposure Guidelines (AEGL).
US: Guard Supports Defense Strategy, Domestic Missions in 2023
NGAUS | Contributor, Master Sgt. Erich Smith, NGB
The National Guard finished a dynamic year in December, leaving an indelible mark supporting the warfighter and protecting communities. From fortifying a world-leading State Partnership Program to pioneering advancements in cyber and space operations, the nation’s oldest military organization shined as a trailblazer in 2023. The Air National Guard’s role in Air Defender 2023 was one example. Led by Germany, the multi-national exercise showcased NATO’s defensive capabilities and marked the largest air force redeployment exercise since the military alliance's inception.
MODERNIZATION
US: Cyber risks to defense industrial supply chains are 'substantially worse' than other concerns
Federal News Network | Anastasia Obis
There is an outright conflict between cybersecurity and supply chain risk management (SCRM), and simply adding those together can lead to an increase in cyberattacks, a new report finds. “In conventional SCRM…you would think, ‘Alright, I’m going to make my supply chain less risky by adding more potential suppliers, bringing more businesses and expanding my rolodex,’” Victoria Greenfield, a senior economist at RAND, told Federal News Network. “What does that do from a cyber perspective? You have potentially increased the points of attack, you’ve opened up new backdoors, because you’ve brought more members into the community who will have vulnerabilities and potentially, importantly, potentially shared vulnerabilities. And so, you may, from a cyber perspective, be making things riskier.”
REFORM
FL: Lawmakers file measure requesting federal increase to the Florida National Guard
Florida’s Voice | Michael Costeines
Rep. Dan Daley, D-Coral Springs, filed a house memorial Wednesday requesting Congress ask the U.S. National Guard Bureau to supplement the size of the Florida National Guard during its assessment of its force. Florida’s National Guard is composed of 12,000 guardsmen, or “citizen soldiers.” Despite having a state population of just over 21 million, third most in the nation, Florida’s National Guard ratio of one per 1,833 residents is 53rd out of 54 states and territories of the United States, the memorial said. The memorial explained, as part of its reasoning for an increase, the state’s activity level during the coronavirus pandemic and other natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. Over that period, the guard logged the same amount of workdays in 18 months as it did the previous 20 years.
FULL STORIES
US/RDS: U.S., Allies Give Houthis Ultimatum: Stop Ship Attacks or Face Consequences
American military readies options to strike Iran-backed rebel group
Wall Street Journal Online | Michael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold and Nancy A. Youssef
The U.S., Britain and key allies issued what officials described as a final warning to the Houthi Yemeni rebel group Wednesday to cease its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea or bear the consequences.
“Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing,” says the statement issued by more than a dozen nations. “The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”
The U.S. military has prepared options to strike the Iran-backed rebel group, U.S. officials say.
Should the U.S., Britain and other nations use force, potential targets could include launchers for antiship missiles and drones, targeting infrastructure such as coastal radar installations, and storage facilities for munitions. Among the challenges to striking Houthi targets is that many of their weapons systems are mobile, the officials said.
The Biden administration has been cautious about using force, seeking to protect the prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the Yemen conflict and avoid becoming entangled in a tit-for-tat confrontation with Houthis, whom some American officials view as an unpredictable wild card.
Houthi fighters overthrew the Yemeni government in 2014, which led Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations to mount a military campaign against the rebels. Months of talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have produced a road map that the U.S. hopes could lead to resolution of the conflict.
But the conflict between Hamas and Israel has spurred the Houthis to launch missiles and drones at Israel and shipping traffic in the Red Sea.
“The president has made clear the U.S. does not seek conflict with any nation or actor in the Middle East,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, who recited a list of U.S. naval and air military forces in the region. “But neither will we shrink from the task of defending ourselves, our interests, our partners or the free flow of international commerce.”
As of Tuesday, the Houthis have carried out 24 attacks on commercial ships since mid-November, according to the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Tensions escalated further last week when Houthi fighters on four small boats fired at U.S. helicopters that came to the rescue of a Singapore-flagged vessel in the Red Sea. The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the Houthi boats.
The Houthi attacks have had an effect on the global economy. Most oil tankers and containerships are still avoiding that route and going around Africa. On Tuesday, the Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said it would avoid the Red Sea route.
“Nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8% of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil and 8% of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade,” the joint statement read.
The U.S. and Britain led the effort to issue a fresh multinational warning to the Houthis. For days, diplomats discussed the text as they sought to broaden the list of the number of nations that were prepared to join it.
A senior administration official said Wednesday that the idea of issuing the ultimatum—from major shipping countries—was discussed by President Biden and his national security team on New Year’s Day when they met to consider options to deter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
“I would not anticipate another warning,” the administration official said.
The list of signatories included the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.
The USS Eisenhower aircraft-carrier battle group is in the region along with other American naval assets, British ships and ships from other nations.
The Houthis have said their attacks are a response to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and were quick to join the fighting. On Oct. 19, the Houthis launched land-attack cruise missiles and drones at Israel, according to U.S. officials. Those weapons systems were designed by Iran, according to American intelligence.
The USS Carney guided-missile destroyer, which was sailing in the northern Red Sea, shot down several of the cruise missiles, while one was intercepted by Saudi Arabia, according to people familiar with the episode.
The Houthis soon turned their sights to commercial ships, including by using the same kind of ballistic missiles that Iran has provided to the group, U.S. intelligence says. Houthi officials have said they are aiming only at ships linked to Israel, but the Pentagon has tracked attacks on vessels flagged or owned in other countries.
Houthi attacks against international shipping have been carried out by drones, small boats and missiles, “including the first use of anti-ship ballistic missiles against such vessels,” the joint statement noted.
“We must not overlook the root of the problem: Iran has long enabled these attacks by the Houthis,” said Christopher Lu, a U.S. representative at the United Nations. “Iran has a choice here: It can continue its current course, or it can withhold its support, without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”
About 18 shipping companies have decided to reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa rather than transit the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, said Arsenio Dominguez, the secretary-general of the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization.
On Tuesday evening, the Houthis launched two missiles that landed in the Red Sea, without causing any damage, U.S. Central Command said. On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed they had targeted a Malta-flagged containership they said was bound for an Israeli port. The group attacked the ship after its crew “refused to respond to calls from the Yemeni naval forces, including fiery warning messages,” a spokesman for the group said. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the U.S. and Houthi reports referred to the same incident.
“The Houthis appeared to be striking maritime targets given that they have failed to strike Israel on land,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank that has highlighted the threat it says Iran poses to the U.S. and its allies. “Iran is using the Houthis to generate economic costs that it hopes will pressure Washington to wind down Jerusalem’s war against Hamas.”
--William Mauldin contributed to this article
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US/UKR: U.S. Aid Funds Have Run Out
The White House on Wednesday said there is no more money to ship military support to Ukraine until Congress passes Biden’s spending plan
TheDrive.com (The War Zone) | Howard Altman
There is no more money to provide military assistance to Ukraine, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday.
"We have given now Ukraine the last security assistance package that we have funds to support right before New Year's, right after Christmas," said Kirby. "And we've got to get support from Congress so we can continue to do that."
The last tranche of aid, the 54th Presidential Drawdown Authority package, was announced on Dec. 27 and valued at up to $250 million. It included, among other things, additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missiles Systems, or NASAMS as well as more Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) for U.S. supplied M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden requested a $106 billion supplemental spending package to be split between Ukraine and Israel, but also including funds to boost competition with China in the Indo-Pacific, as well as security along the U.S. border with Mexico. Congress has not passed it.
Asked if weapons shipments to Ukraine will stop should there be no congressional action, Kirby said "they would have to...The President signed out the last security assistance package for which we had replenishment authority funds. That's it. We need the supplemental passed so that we can provide additional security assistance to Ukraine."
"Absent supplemental funding, there's no other magical pot to dip into to try to get support for Ukraine," he added.
Last month, however, the Pentagon's top spokesman said there was about $4.4 billion left in replenishment funds. To spend that on Ukraine, however, is a "tough choice," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
"And so clearly as we get close to the remaining replenishment funds, questions are do we exceed that and certainly we do retain the option to spend the full [$4.4 billion], but these are tough choices because ultimately at the end of the day we start to have to make decisions about our own readiness and about our ability to continue to support Ukraine in the way they need to be supported on the battlefield," Ryder said.
Cutting off aid would be disastrous for Ukraine and the U.S., ISW argued late last month.
"Allowing Russia to win its war in Ukraine would be a self-imposed strategic defeat for the U.S." ISW posited. "The U.S. would face the risk of a larger and costlier war in Europe. The U.S. would face the worst threat from Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union."
"Most dangerous of all, however, U.S. adversaries would learn that they can break America’s will to act in support of its strategic interests. If Russia wins in Ukraine because of the collapse of Western aid, it will be because Russia has managed to shape American’s understanding of reality such that the U.S. willingly chooses to act against its interests and values without realizing that it is doing so."
Congress returns from its holiday recess next week. Though there is bipartisan consensus to send Ukraine and Israel the funding Biden requested, Republican leaders have indicated that they want his administration to agree to permanent immigration policy changes in exchange for their votes.
Whether this logjam breaks remains to be seen.
Before diving into more developments from the conflict in Ukraine, The War Zone readers can review our previous coverage here.
The Latest
Little has changed on the battlefield, with Russia continuing to make small advances in Donetsk Oblast.
Here are some key takeaways from the latest Institute for the Study of War assessment:
• Russian forces made confirmed advances near Avdiivka and Donetsk City as positional engagements continued along the entire line of contact.
• The Donetsk People’s Republic’s (DNR) “Vostok” Battalion stated on January 3 that the unit will continue to operate subordinated to Rosgvardia and will not be impacted by the Russian military’s reported dissolution of the “Kaskad” operational combat tactical formation of the DNR’s Internal Affairs Ministry (MVD).
• Russian authorities continue efforts to integrate occupied Ukraine into Russia using infrastructure projects and social outreach programs.
The White House and Pentagon on Wednesday declined to talk about the status of Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missiles possibly destined for destruction. According to a recent Newsweek story, hundreds of the munitions have exceeded their lifecycle and will be destroyed instead of being sent to Ukraine.
The ATACMS are "excellent lethal, precision-guided cluster weapons" scheduled for destruction at "significant" expense to American taxpayers, Daniel Rice, a former special adviser to Ukraine's lead commander, General Valery Zaluzhny, told the publication.
They could be shipped off to Ukraine and used "very effectively" against Moscow's forces, he told Newsweek, adding that there are no concerns about these weapons aging out of being useful.
"They work," he added. "All weapons are eventually replaced by better, more lethal, more cost-effective weapons," he said, but they could make all the difference for Ukraine's war effort.
As we previously reported, Ukraine has used its limited ATACMS strikes to great effect, including on two Russian-occupied airfields in eastern Ukraine. Those strikes destroyed a large number of helicopters and other materiel. In doing so, they largely rolled-back the rotary-wing threat.
The U.S. so far has provided about two dozen ATACMS to Ukraine, all with cluster munition warheads that can reach about 100 miles. You can read more about ATACMS could offer Ukraine in our previous reporting here.
We cannot verify Newsweek's report on the disposition of the missiles in question, and, in particular, if some are bound to be destroyed and if those are even able to be used safely in their current state.
Norway will send two F-16 fighters to Denmark to contribute to the training of Ukrainian pilots on the jets, Norway's defense minister said Wednesday.
F-16s have been on Ukraine's wish list as the country seeks to boost its air force in the war with Russia, and Norway last year said it would join Denmark, the Netherlands and others in donating aircraft.
Norway has already sent 10 instructors to Denmark to aid the education of Ukrainian pilots, Defense Minister Bjoern Arild Gram said in a statement.
The twice-attacked Kerch Bridge, Vladimir Putin's prized $4 billion span linking Russia and the Crimean Peninsula it has occupied since 2014, is as good as gone, Vasyl Malyuk, head of Ukraine's security service (SBU) has proclaimed.
"There will be many surprises to come. And not only the Crimean bridge. The bridge is doomed," Malyuk emphasized in a 30-minute video.
Malyuk's statement echoes something Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defense Intelligence Directorate, told us during an exclusive interview in his hotel when he visited Washington D.C. last September.
From our interview:
KB: "It's not a question of will we strike or won’t we strike. We're doing that regularly so we will finish it. It’s just an issue of time," he told us.
TWZ: And what will Putin do?
KB: He'll get upset once again. What can he do?
Speaking of Budanov, he personally greeted returning Ukrainian prisoners of war who came home during the largest such exchange since Russia launched its full-on invasion. About 230 Ukrainians were part of that exchange.
While much has been made of advanced air defense systems being given to Ukraine like Patriots, old Soviet-era equipment like the twin-barrel 23mm ZU-23-2 autocannon and small arms are still being used, as you can see in this video below. The video shows a 'drone hunter' team in action.
Stanislav Silchenkov, who was 18 when he died on Nov. 17 at Synkivka in the Kharkiv region, is claimed to be the youngest Russian to die in Ukraine since the full-on invasion began. According to his mother he had signed a contract to join the Russian forces only 10 weeks before.
And finally, reminiscent of the pink-hued submarine USS Sea Tiger in the movie Operation Petticoat, video of a U.S.-provided Humvee painted in a shade of red rumbling through Ukraine has appeared on social media.
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UKR: Ukrainian pilots complete UK F-16 training – Netherlands commits aircraft
Airforce Technology | Harry McNeil
In a strategic move to fortify Ukraine’s air capabilities, the United Kingdom has successfully concluded basic training for Ukrainian combat air pilots, enabling them to embark on F-16 fighter jet proficiency in Denmark.
Simultaneously, the Netherlands has pledged 18 F-16 fighter aircraft, solidifying international support against Russian aggression.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) initiated the training programme in August, encompassing flying and English language training for six seasoned Ukrainian pilots. This initiative is part of the international Air Force Capability Coalition, where allies collaborate to enhance Ukraine’s air defences.
As the first cohort advances to F-16 training in Denmark, ten Ukrainian trainee pilots remain in the UK for further practical flight training, including aviation medicine and centrifuge training.
The defence secretary highlighted the UK’s commitment to ensuring Ukraine possesses a modern air force. “Together, we’re now going further by ensuring Ukraine has a modern air force in the future, formed around the highly capable fourth-generation F-16 fighter jet. Combined with training from the world-leading RAF, this is a significant step forward from Ukraine’s current Soviet-era capabilities.”
The UK has been providing military aid to Ukraine, from deliveries of M270 MLRS and Nlaw anti-tank weapons to training Ukrainian troops in the UK, according to GlobalData’s intelligence on “The UK Defence Market 2023-2028” report.
The defence minister of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, commended the rapid and effective program, emphasizing its significance in preparing Ukrainian pilots for F-16 operations, “Ukraine highly values the pilot training that the UK and other partners are providing, to help us prepare for operating F-16s in Ukraine.”
Once the RAF training concludes, the pilots will undergo advanced flying training overseen by Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States.
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence recently announced the commitment of 18 F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine, marking a step in strengthening Ukraine’s defence against Russian attacks.
In November last year, The Netherlands strategically deployed five F-16 fighter jets to the European F-16 Training Centre (EFTC) in Romania, signalling a collaborative effort to reinforce Ukraine’s air defence capabilities. Under Dutch ownership, these training aircraft facilitated a refresher course for instructors and prepared Ukrainian and Romanian pilots for missions.
Ukraine is set to receive F-16 aircraft from NATO allies as early as Spring 2024, according to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
Before the F-16s are transferred, stringent criteria must be met, including licensing and infrastructure readiness in Ukraine. The aircraft will undergo inspections and modifications, focusing on preventing undesirable end-use. The commitment underscores the collective effort to equip Ukraine with defence capabilities amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.
The UK’s dedication to training Ukrainian recruits extends beyond air forces, with plans to train an additional 10,000 in the first half of 2024 as part of Operation Interflex. The collaborative support aims to empower Ukraine to resist Russian forces, further manifested in the £4.6bn ($5.8bn) worth of military aid, including long-range missiles, main battle tanks, and logistical support.
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IRN/LBN/YEM/US: Attacks Heighten Fears of a Wider War for the Middle East and U.S.
The killing of a top Hamas leader in Lebanon and mysterious twin explosions in Iran heighten fears of a regional war that could draw in the United States
New York Times Online | Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes, Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger
American, Israeli and Lebanese officials insist that few parties want Israel’s war in Gaza to become a wider conflict that engulfs the Middle East.
But the assassination of a top leader of Hamas in Lebanon on Tuesday, and the deaths of scores of people in mysterious twin explosions in Iran on Wednesday, threatened to bring the Middle East — and the United States — closer to the brink of a regional war, which the Biden administration has tried to stave off since Hamas’s deadly attacks against Israel on Oct. 7.
Just hours after the bombs went off in Iran, the United States and 12 of its allies issued a written warning to another militia group in the region, the Houthis of Yemen, who have been mounting near-daily missile, drone and seaborne attacks on commercial vessels.
So far, the United States has held back from retaliating against Houthi bases in Yemen, in large part because it does not want to undermine a fragile truce in Yemen’s civil war.
But now Biden officials are signaling that their patience is running out.
“Let our message now be clear: We call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” White House officials said in a statement issued on Wednesday, a day after the shipping giant Maersk announced it would pause operations in the Red Sea.
“The Houthis,” the statement continued, “will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”
The warning — also signed by Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore and the Netherlands — stopped short of threatening military strikes. Over the weekend, the U.S. Navy sank three Houthi boats, killing all the crew members, when they fired on American helicopters coming to aid a Maersk cargo ship.
On Monday, Iran’s navy announced the deployment of a flotilla of warships to the waterway. On the same day, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran expressed “gratitude and appreciation” to a Houthi official visiting Tehran for the group’s support for Hamas, the government-run IRNA news agency reported.
A senior Iranian official said dispatching the warships, which join an Iranian spy ship already in the region, was meant to signal that Iran is supporting the Houthis and to raise the stakes. But the official said Iran has no plans for the warships to engage in a confrontation with U.S. naval vessels in the waterway.
President Biden has said he wants to avoid direct military attacks on the Houthis to avoid escalating a Middle East conflict.
“We remain incredibly concerned, as we have been from the outset of this conflict, about the risk of the conflict spreading into other fronts,” Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday.
Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group, has pledged that Tuesday’s killing of Saleh al-Arouri, the Hamas leader, in a Beirut suburb, would not pass without a response. A key ally to Hamas, Hezbollah exercises de facto control over Beirut’s southern suburbs where the explosion occurred and has been engaged in escalating clashes with Israeli forces for months.
The circumstances surrounding the blasts at a memorial for Iran’s former general, Qassim Suleimani, in Kerman, Iran, were murkier. While Iran was quick to blame Israel, European and American officials said they doubted that the Israelis conducted the strike: Most of their actions against Iran have been highly targeted, from taking out the chief architect of Iran’s nuclear program to blowing up specific nuclear and missile facilities.
Three senior American officials and one senior European official said on Wednesday that the Islamic State or another terrorist group was a possible perpetrator. While there is some intelligence that points to Islamic State involvement in the attack, the officials cautioned the assessment is preliminary and no final conclusions have been drawn.
“It is entirely possible that one of the Israeli proxy groups let an attack get out of hand,” Ray Takeyh, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who writes often about Iran, said on Wednesday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, issued a statement on Wednesday blaming the attack on the nation’s “malicious and criminal enemies,” but stopped short of naming any group or country. Mr. Khamenei vowed that Iran’s enemies should know that “this tragedy will have a strong response.”
Two people familiar with Iran’s internal discussions said that the ayatollah had instructed Iranian military commanders to pursue “strategic patience” and avoid getting Iran into a direct military confrontation with the United States.
Several American officials said it was too soon to predict whether any kind of wider war would erupt. Israel, the officials said, would not have struck Mr. al-Arouri without some belief that they could do so without escalating the conflict on the Lebanon border. But with the explosions, whatever the cause, coming so quickly after the assassination, there was little doubt that the risk of a spreading conflict was once more front of mind in the United States and Europe.
Israeli officials would not comment on whether their forces had targeted Mr. al-Arouri, but Lebanese and American officials ascribed the attack to Israel.
In the wake of the strike, Biden administration officials made plans to step up diplomatic efforts with officials in Lebanon as part of an effort to pressure Hezbollah not to escalate the conflict. In coming days, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is expected to travel to the Middle East, where containing potential escalation will be one of his foremost goals.
“The chances of a regional war in the Middle East go up from 15 percent to as high as 30 percent,” said retired Adm. James Stavridis, the former NATO commander. “Still relatively low, but higher than before, and certainly uncomfortably high.”
But Biden administration officials and Middle East analysts noted that while Hezbollah and Iran have engaged in skirmishes and proxy attacks against Israel, they are not necessarily eager to widen the conflict.
“Throughout the devastation in Gaza, Hezbollah has maintained that they will engage in a limited way” to tie up some of Israel’s forces near Lebanon, Paul Salem, the president of the Middle East Institute, said in an interview. “It’s been crystal clear that they are not joining the fight directly.”
He and other analysts said that while Iran has helped plan and orchestrate some of the attacks taking place in the Middle East — including the Houthi’s missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea — it has not taken on the United States or Israel directly.
Mr. Biden and his top aides have sought since the Oct. 7 attacks to contain the conflict between Israel and Hamas to the Gaza Strip. The Pentagon dispatched two aircraft carriers and doubled the number of American warplanes to the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq from widening the war. Now that strategy is fraying. One of those carrier groups, led by the Gerald R. Ford, is leaving the area, the Pentagon said this week.
Iran-backed militias have attacked U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Syria for counterterrorism duties 118 times since the Oct. 7 attacks, most recently on Monday. Several U.S. service members have been injured in the strikes, at least one critically, prompting the Pentagon to retaliate five times with airstrikes against the groups.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration declassified intelligence indicating that Iranian paramilitary groups were coordinating the Houthi attacks, providing targeting information about commercial shipping passing through the waterway and the Suez Canal. Israel is heavily dependent on Red Sea shipping traffic.
In response to the attacks, the United States has created a multinational naval task force to protect commercial ships in both the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Pentagon officials have worked up detailed plans for striking missile and drone bases in Yemen, and some of the facilities where fast boats of the kind used to attack the Maersk container ship appear to be tied up. But there is concern that such strikes would play into Iran’s strategy to bog down Israel and its allies on multiple fronts.
But the most serious threat to containing the Gaza conflict burst onto the scene Tuesday with the assassination of Mr. al-Arouri.
“The loss of someone so intimately involved in both tactical operations and strategic diplomacy is a serious setback for Hamas,” Hanin Ghaddar and Matthew Levitt wrote in an analysis for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “What remains to be seen is how the group’s allies, especially Hezbollah, react to the attack.”
Western leaders sought to tamp down the fast-rising tensions. President Emmanuel Macron of France said shortly after the strike that it was “essential to avoid any escalatory attitude, particularly in Lebanon.”
In a phone call with Benny Gantz, an opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel who has joined the country’s wartime unity government, Mr. Macron said that “France would continue to pass on these messages to all players directly or indirectly involved in the area,” according to a summary of the call from the French presidency.
--Farnaz Fassihi contributed reporting from New York, and Michael Crowley from Washington
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US/UKR: U.S. and BAE to Bring Back Popular Howitzer After Success in Ukraine
British company to resume production of M777 parts as war drives defense-industry changes
Wall Street Journal Online | Alistair MacDonald
The U.S. Army is resurrecting production for the M777 howitzer after its heavy use by Ukraine brought new demand for a big gun whose most recent order was five years ago.
The M777's production comeback highlights how the war in Ukraine is helping to reshape the global armaments industry, with battlefield use of artillery and missile-defense systems, in particular, leading to a surge in demand.
For now, the effort is focused on producing new parts to refurbish old guns in Ukraine. But it shows how the nearly two-year Ukraine war is taking a toll on Kyiv's Western-donated equipment, some of which is no longer produced. That leads to future problems in acquiring spare parts needed to keep guns operational.
British defense company BAE Systems said Thursday that it will restart production of M777 parts for the U.S. Army.
The newly manufactured parts will be used to refurbish M777s deployed in Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. BAE said that with M777 production running again it expects contracts for whole guns. More than eight countries have made inquiries about buying the M777 since the start of the Ukraine war, the company said.
While Western militaries sent Kyiv more nimble self-propelled howitzers, the M777, which has to be towed into position, won favor for being less prone to breakdowns and easy to use and repair.
"Weapons that get visibility and credibility during a conflict often generate foreign sales," said Mark Cancian, an adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank and a former artillery officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Cancian said that restarting weapon production lines after they shut down is rare.
The U.S. Army, which runs the M777 program and must approve all foreign sales, didn't immediately reply to requests for comment.
The British Starstreak air-defense missile is also being brought back into production after its deployment in Ukraine. Rheinmetall of Germany is looking at resurrecting a facility connected to ammunition manufacturing after a surge in demand for shells from Ukraine.
Ukraine has become similar to a giant arms fair for defense companies, with some weapons winning particular attention. Air-defense systems have been pivotal for Ukraine, allowing it to stymie the Russian air force and protect its cities and infrastructure from missiles and drones.
The howitzer, a class of long-barreled, battlefield gun, has taken on a more prominent role in this war than in other recent conflicts, such as the one in Afghanistan or the second war in Iraq. Ukraine has more M777 howitzers than any other Western-supplied artillery. At least 170 have been donated from the U.S., Australia and Canada.
But about 77 of those have been damaged or even destroyed, according to Oryx, an independent team of analysts that has tracked open-source intelligence on equipment losses throughout the war.
Towed howitzers such as the M777 are slower to move after firing than self-propelled artillery, making them more vulnerable to enemy counterfire. Crews in most self-propelled howitzers also have the protection of their vehicle, unlike those with towed pieces.
Moreover, the M777's lightweight titanium parts also make it more susceptible to damage from shrapnel, operators say.
Still, the M777's Ukrainian artillerymen say they find the howitzer very accurate and that those lightweight parts make it easier to move across muddy fields. The gun is also easier to operate and repair than other Western howitzers used in Ukraine, which is essential given that Ukrainian crews didn't have long to learn how to operate them.
The ease of fixing the M777 means that the mainly British-made gun is in action more than other foreign howitzers, Col. Serhiy Baranov, chief of the main directorate of missile troops and artillery and unmanned systems of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said in September.
On average, less than 70% of Ukraine's foreign howitzers are operating at any one time, he said. The M777 is in action roughly 85% of the time.
Restarting weapons production takes time. The new M777s will be delivered in 2025, said BAE, which had to look for a new supplier of titanium.
In general, "the longer the line is shut down, the harder and more costly the restart is," said Cynthia R. Cook, who also works for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Workforces need to be trained on the system, the supplier base needs to be re-engaged and new tooling is sometimes necessary, she said.
U.S. arms maker RTX had to redesign some parts of its Stinger missile after receiving its first orders for the weapon in almost two decades in 2021. Parts used in earlier versions of the portable antiaircraft system were no longer produced.
Some of the Western equipment used in Ukraine is no longer made. That includes the British AS-90 self-propelled howitzer, Germany's Gepard air-defense gun and early versions of the Leopard tank.
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AR: Arkansas Air Guard wing commander resigns over abortion policy, Governor says
Col. Dillon Patterson, a career drone pilot, commanded the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Air Wing. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said he resigned over abortion travel policies.
Task and Purpose | Jeff Schogol
The commander of the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Air Wing resigned late last month for what the state’s Governor said is a protest of the Pentagon policy that pays for reproductive medical expenses, which includes out-of-state travel for abortions.
According to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office, Colonel Dillon Patterson resigned on December 18 as commander of the 188th Air Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base just, just outside the town of Fort Smith on the Oklahoma border.
Sanders announced Patterson’s resignation in a letter sent to President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“Col. Patterson was forced to personally choose between either continuing his command or adhering to his sincerely held religious beliefs against abortion,” Sanders wrote in a letter first reported by the conservative outlet the Daily Caller. “Because he adhered first to his faith instead of overtly political mandates, he voluntarily resigned his command. I admire Col. Patterson for having the confidence of his convictions, but regret that our nation’s military will suffer the loss of a dedicated airman, leader, and guardsman as a commander.”
The letter did not lay out the timing behind Patterson’s resignation. Patterson took command of the 188th Wing last June, about five months after the policy was put in place.
Controversial policy
The policy — which the Pentagon calls “Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health Care” — provides reimbursement to service members who must travel for reproductive care, including abortions, that is outlawed or otherwise unavailable from civilian providers near their home base (federal law prohibits nearly all abortions on military bases). The policy is viewed as aimed at service members stationed at bases in states where abortion is restricted or banned.
Arkansas was one of the first states to enforce a ban on abortion in nearly all stages of pregnancy when a so-called ‘trigger law’ went into effect in June 2022 after the overturning of Roe vs Wade.
In her letter, Sanders said the policy undermines both state governments and the religious beliefs of commanders through whom requests for leave and reimbursement would ultimately pass.
“The U.S. Department of Defense … would subvert the actions of states like Arkansas by using taxpayer dollars to fund the travel, meals, and lodging associated with out-of-state servicemember travel for procurement of an abortion procedure,” Sanders wrote. “Maybe equally as egregious, the DoD now requires that commanding officers–regardless of any sincere and deeply held religious convictions to the contrary — are forced to approve such abortion leave.”
However, Pentagon Spokesperson Sabrina Singh told Task & Purpose that commanders are not required to approve such requests directly. “The Department has a travel policy, which is in place to ensure that all of our service members – regardless of where they are stationed – have equal access to reproductive health care. Should a Commander be uncomfortable approving requests for non-covered reproductive health care, they may consult with their chain of command as to whether such requests may be referred to a higher echelon of command for approval,” Singh said.
The same Pentagon policy was at the heart of a 9-month hold by Senator Tommy Tuberville of all promotions for generals and admirals, which he lifted in December.
Colonel was an early drone pilot.
According to his service biography on the 188th Wing’s webpage, Patterson was one of the first Air Force pilots to spend most of their career as a pilot of drones. Patterson joined the Air Force in 2001 after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona. After initial pilot training and two years flying the B-1B bomber, he switched to flying the MQ-1B Predator in 2006 just as remotely piloted aircraft were playing an ever-widening role in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Along with the Predator, Patterson eventually flew the secretive RQ-170 Sentinel reconnaissance drone and spent most of the last six years of his career flying and commanding squadrons of MQ-9A Reaper drones.
The 188th Wing’s primary mission is to fly the MQ-9A drone. The base is also the host of programs that bring foreign pilots to the US to train on F-16s and F-35s.
Army Maj. Cibeles Ramirez-Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas National Guard, told Task Purpose that Patterson had resigned his position as wing commander due to “faith-based personal reasons.” Ramirez-Rodriguez did not elaborate on what those personal reasons were.
Patterson submitted his resignation on Dec. 18, after which Air Force Brig. Gen. Wes Nichols, the Arkansas Air National Guard chief of staff, took command of the wing until a permanent replacement can be found, Ramirez-Rodriguez said on Wednesday.
“Col. Patterson will remain an active member of the Arkansas Air National Guard,” Ramirez-Rodriguez said. “He has been assigned to the Arkansas Air National Guard Staff Element at Camp J. T. Robinson.”
UPDATE: 01/03/2024; this story was updated with information from Army Maj. Cibeles Ramirez-Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas National Guard.
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US/DC: Former Guard Official Says Army Retaliated for His Account of Jan. 6 Delay
Col. Earl Matthews, the top lawyer for the D.C. National Guard during the assault on the Capitol, said in a whistle-blower complaint that he was punished for contradicting the testimony of two top generals. There was a more than four-hour delay in deploying the National Guard to the Capitol as rioters battled their way into the building on Jan. 6, 2021.
The New York Times | Luke Broadwater and Maggie Haberman
A former top lawyer for the D.C. National Guard has accused Army officials of retaliating against him for asserting to Congress that two top Army officers lied about why deployment of the Guard was delayed during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to a complaint filed with the Defense Department and obtained by The New York Times.
Col. Earl Matthews, who previously served in the Trump administration and was the top lawyer for the D.C. Guard during the Jan. 6 assault, said in the complaint that he was retaliated against after he accused two generals in a report to Congress of making false statements about the delayed deployment, an issue that has produced multiple and often conflicting accounts.
Photo caption: A wide view of a mob holding various flags as it stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.
“It’s textbook whistle-blower retaliation. I wrote that memo because I saw real wrongdoing,” Colonel Matthews said in his first interview since the incident. “I love the United States Army. To me, this is about Army values.”
A copy of the 37-page whistle-blower reprisal complaint was filed with the Pentagon’s inspector general in October, two months before the third anniversary of the attack on Congress by a pro-Trump mob seeking to halt certification of President Biden’s 2020 election victory.
It underscores how many questions remain about aspects of the government and law enforcement response to the deadly attack on the Capitol.
At the center of this particular dispute is a still-simmering feud inside the military over who is to blame for the more than four-hour delay in deploying the National Guard as the rioters battled their way into the Capitol, assaulting dozens of police officers along the way and endangering members of Congress, their staffs and others working in the building.
Colonel Matthews, who was involved in key meetings about the Guard deployment, said he initially gave his account of what happened to Congress in 2021 after he saw top Army officials try to downplay their role in the delay.
Takeaways From Trump’s Indictment in the 2020 Election Inquiry
Four charges for the former president. Former President Donald Trump was charged with four counts in connection with his widespread efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The indictment was filed by the special counsel Jack Smith in Federal District Court in Washington. Here are some key takeaways:
The indictment portrayed an attack on American democracy. Smith framed his case against Trump as one that cuts to a key function of democracy: the peaceful transfer of power. By underscoring this theme, Smith cast his effort as an effort not just to hold Trump accountable but also to defend the very core of democracy.
Trump was placed at the center of the conspiracy charges. Smith put Trump at the heart of three conspiracies that culminated on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to obstruct Congress’s role in ratifying the Electoral College outcome. The special counsel argued that Trump knew that his claims about a stolen election were false, a point that, if proved, could be important to convincing a jury to convict him.
Trump didn’t do it alone. The indictment lists six co-conspirators without naming or indicting them. Based on the descriptions provided, they match the profiles of Trump lawyers and advisers who were willing to argue increasingly outlandish conspiracy and legal theories to keep him in power. It’s unclear whether these co-conspirators will be indicted.
Trump’s political power remains strong. Trump may be on trial in 2024 in three or four separate criminal cases, but so far, the indictments appear not to have affected his standing with Republican voters. By a large margin, he remains his party’s front-runner in the presidential primaries.
In particular, Colonel Matthews said he was infuriated by a report he said was overseen by Lt. Gen. Walter E. Piatt of the Army that he described as a “misleading, factually flawed and revisionist recitation of events” that he viewed as shifting the blame for the delay onto D.C. National Guard leadership. He was also angered by what he viewed as a faulty report from the Defense Department’s inspector general that relied on some of the same material.
Colonel Matthews drafted a 36-page memo that he submitted to the House Jan. 6 committee, accusing General Piatt and Gen. Charles Flynn of being “absolute and unmitigated liars” in their testimony before Congress.
In fall of 2022, the Biden White House denied General Piatt a promotion after Colonel Matthews raised concerns about his testimony.
Not long after, Colonel Matthews said, he faced retaliation.
In February 2023, Colonel Matthews, who at that point was assigned to the Army War College as part of the Army Reserve, said he was falsely accused of unprofessional behavior. He said he was also listed as a person of concern who might try to disrupt a military conference in Virginia being attended by General Piatt and was escorted out of a hotel hosting the seminar by security personnel.
Colonel Matthews said he was also denied consideration for promotion, despite having been selected by a promotion board for brigadier general.
In the interview, Colonel Matthews said he did not believe General Piatt ordered or knew about the retaliation and blamed lower-ranking officials at the Army War College. One of those officials acknowledged that Colonel Matthews’s “widely publicized attacks on Army senior leaders in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection” factored into his belief that Colonel Matthews should be removed from his position, according to the complaint.
The complaint was filed with the Pentagon’s inspector general by the lawyers Andrew Bakaj and Mark Zaid through the organization Whistleblower Aid. It said that in addition to costing Colonel Matthews money in the form of forgone salary and pension, the alleged retaliation imposed “grievous reputational harm, significant personal embarrassment and public humiliation.”
Colonel Matthews is asking that the inspector general recommend he be slated for assignment to brigadier general and that those who retaliated against him be reprimanded and punished.
He also wants any false or misleading testimony about the National Guard delay to be corrected in the congressional record.
As the riot unfolded on Jan. 6, General Flynn, who commanded the U.S. Army Pacific, and General Piatt, the director of the Army staff, were involved in a phone call with police leaders in which Army officials worried aloud about the “optics” of sending in the Guard, according to congressional testimony by the commander of the D.C. National Guard.
General Flynn is the brother of Michael T. Flynn, a former Army general who was President Donald J. Trump’s first, short-lived national security adviser. Michael Flynn later took an active role in trying to overturn the 2020 election and urged Mr. Trump to use the apparatus of government to seize voting machines.
A Guide to the Various Trump Investigations
Confused about the inquiries and legal cases involving former President Donald Trump? We’re here to help.
Key Cases and Inquiries: The former president faces several investigations at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers. Here is a close look at each.
Case Tracker: Trump is at the center of four criminal investigations. Keep track of the developments in each here.
What if Trump Is Convicted?: Will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign? Can a convicted felon even run for office? Here is what we know, and what we don’t know.
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Charles Flynn told Congress he had not participated in the call but merely overheard portions of it when he entered the room. He said he had not heard any discussion of political considerations with regard to sending in the Guard.
“I did not use the word ‘optics,’ nor did I hear the word used during the call on Jan. 6, 2021,” he said.
But Colonel Matthews called those comments by General Flynn “outright perjury” and said he “unmistakably heard him say that optics of a National Guard presence on Capitol Hill was an issue for him.”
Colonel Matthews listed a series of other discrepancies with the testimony by General Piatt and General Flynn.
Colonel Matthews pointed out that General Flynn gave contradictory testimony in different venues. That included claiming to the House Oversight Committee that a team under his direction “immediately worked” to begin to deploy the Guard to the Capitol, even though he later told the Jan. 6 Committee such actions were not in his purview.
An Army spokesman has defended the men, calling them “open, honest and thorough in their sworn testimony with Congress and D.O.D. investigators” and saying the military stands by “all testimony and facts provided to date.”
The Pentagon’s inspector general declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the Army said she could not comment on a pending matter.
In the interview, Colonel Matthews also faulted the now-defunct House Jan. 6 committee for not holding a hearing on security failures during its 2022 inquiry because of a decision to focus on the actions of Mr. Trump.
“They were focused on the president, and I understand that,” he said, “but the security failures need to be looked at because we don’t want that to happen again. And I don’t think that was done.”
Colonel Matthews’s experience on Jan. 6 is largely consistent with the accounts of other District of Columbia and law enforcement officials involved in the response that day, including one provided by the former Capitol Police chief, Steven A. Sund, who said the Pentagon was more concerned about “optics” than quickly deploying the National Guard.
“I got on a call with the Pentagon and pleaded for the National Guard,” he said in an interview about his book, “Courage Under Fire.” “There was delay after delay after delay.”
Luke Broadwater covers Congress with a focus on congressional investigations. More about Luke Broadwater
Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman
A version of this article appears in print on Jan. 4, 2024, Section A, Page 12 of the New York edition with the headline: Colonel Says Army Punished Him for Claiming Generals Lied About Jan. 6. Order Reprints
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US: Our Military Kids Eligibility Criteria Expands to Launch 20th Anniversary Year
Survey results show the need for enrichment activity scholarships for 1-and-2-year-olds of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and combat-injured Veterans.
PR Newswire | Staff report
Our Military Kids® (OMK), a national nonprofit providing activity scholarships to military children and teens, has expanded its program eligibility criteria this week to include 1-and 2-year-olds in both the Deployed and Combat Injured Programs.
Photo caption: Now entering its 20th year of support for military families, Our Military Kids has awarded more than 88,000 enrichment activity scholarships to children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and post-9/11 Veterans in treatment for combat-related wounds, illnesses, or injuries. Broadening eligibility criteria to include 1-and 2-year-olds extends this life-changing support, ensuring even more military children can stay active, relieve stress, and connect to their communities.
According to OMK's 2023 Annual Survey of beneficiary families, 91% of Deployed Program families and 79% of Combat Injured Program families with children ages one and two would have applied for OMK enrichment activity scholarships if their children had been eligible.
"OMK has troves of data we routinely use to drive program expansion and improve service delivery. Our Board of Directors seized this opportunity to do to both for our youngest military children," said Kara Dallman, OMK Executive Director and retired Navy Veteran. "Whether they tumble, swim, or express themselves in music class, their sense of confidence and belonging will soar."
In an expansion pilot, 2-year-old Clara from Florida took swimming lessons and learned critical life skills during her father's U.S. Air Force Reserve deployment.
"Since my daughter received this grant, she has developed a passion for swimming," said an OMK beneficiary parent. "She used to be scared of water, but her swimming has improved, and the fear is gone. She would like to participate on a swim team one day which would never have been possible without this grant."
Now entering its 20th year of support for military families, Our Military Kids has awarded more than 88,000 enrichment activity scholarships to children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, and post-9/11 Veterans in treatment for combat-related wounds, illnesses, or injuries. Broadening eligibility criteria to include 1-and 2-year-olds extends this life-changing support, ensuring even more military children have the chance to stay active, relieve stress, and connect to their communities.
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IA/KOS: 20 more Iowa National Guard soldiers to depart for Kosovo peacekeeping mission Jan. 7
Des Moines Register | Kyle Werner and Biong M. Biong
The latest Iowa National Guard contingent of 20 soldiers will depart from Johnston this weekend to serve in a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo that now has lasted 20 years.
The Iowa soldiers from the 186th Military Police Company will leave this Sunday, Jan. 7, for a nine-month stay in Kosovo in southeastern Europe, according to a release from the Iowa National Guard.
Another contingent consisting of 33 Iowa National Guard soldiers deployed to Kosovo from Waterloo on Friday, Dec. 26, 2023.
"The primary mission of the 186th MP Co. will be to provide law and order support to US and NATO forces during the ongoing international peacekeeping operation and promoting local and regional stability," the release said.
Photo caption: The Iowa flag flies with the flag of the Republic of Kosovo and the flag of the Kosovo Security Force at the Ministry of Defense in Pristina, Kosovo, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018
A community send-off ceremony is planned for 8a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7 at Building S-60 on the Camp Dodge Joint Maneuver Training Center, 7105 N.W. 70th Ave. in Johnston. It will be open to the public.
Following the ceremony, the 20 soldiers will head to Fort Cavazos, Texas, to complete their pre-mobilization training.
What is the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo?
The peacekeeping mission in Kosovo under NATO auspices began after a brutal war with Serbia in 1998 and 1999 that led to Kosovo's independence. The Iowa National Guard deployments there began in 2003, and in 2011, Iowa and the Kosovo Security Force joined the State Partnership Program. Developed during the Cold War, the program established diplomatic ties between National Guard units and foreign militaries.
Kosovo Security Force soldiers have visited Camp Dodge in Johnston, headquarters of the Iowa National Guard, and Kosovo maintains a consulate in Des Moines. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani visited Camp Dodge during a trip to Iowa in October.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at
kwerner@dmreg.com
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NV: Nevada National Guard safeguards 'America’s Party'
KNSS 98.7/1330 | Contributor, NV NG
The Nevada National Guard completed its 24th year supporting first responders during Las Vegas’ annual New Year’s Eve celebration, “America's Party,” which attracted over 300,000 people.
Approximately 200 Nevada Guard soldiers and airmen were on duty during the activation, ensuring safety, aiding in crowd control and providing medical support. Most of the guardsmen collaborated with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on the Strip and downtown for the New Year's Eve celebration.
The commitment of National Guard soldiers and airmen to ensuring a secure New Year's Eve in Las Vegas spans over two decades, starting with their first activation during the Y2K scare in 2000. This mission has persisted following the events of 9/11, showcasing their enduring dedication to the safety of the annual celebration.
Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, attended the mission planning and implementation during the New Year’s celebration.
Photo caption: Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau and Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, the adjutant general of the Nevada National Guard, visited local law enforcement and the 92nd Civil Support Team in Las Vegas, Dec. 30, 2023. Photo credit Nevada National Guard
“This is just one example of how the National Guard integrates seamlessly with federal, state and local agencies, whether law enforcement or medical first responders, as is the case here in Las Vegas every year,” said Hokanson, the 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau. “The National Guard is always ready, always there in defense of our nation, states and territories.”
The Nevada Army National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry, played a crucial role as the primary unit overseeing operations and personnel on the Strip New Year’s Eve. Additionally, the 92nd Civil Support Team provided atmospheric monitoring and on-site analytical analysis of suspicious substances.
The Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Medical Group supported two hospitals with approximately 35 personnel for triage assistance in case they were needed.
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AR: National Guard report: Sulfur dioxide detected after air quality test near Tontitown's Eco-Vista Landfill
"Elevated readings of sulfur dioxide" were detected near Waste Management's Eco-Vista Landfill in Tontitown.
5NewsOnline.com | Delaney Van Wilpe
Sulfur dioxide, which can be harmful in large amounts, was detected after a team with the Arkansas Army's National Guard conducted an air quality test at a landfill in Tontitown, according to a Dec. 22 report.
The Arkansas Army's National Guard's 61st Civil Support Team (CST) reportedly detected "elevated readings of sulfur dioxide" near Waste Management's Eco-Vista Landfill in Tontitown and recommended the state monitor the area for five days for further testing.
On Dec. 13, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) said it received complaints from residents and would send an inspector. According to the CST report, ADEQ sent several inspectors within the span of two weeks in December and were "unable to verify the citizens' complaints."
According to the CST report, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) requested the National Guard's support. ADEM then authorized the support of CST to "provide perimeter air monitoring to analyze the air quality in Tontitown in the vicinity of the Tontitown landfill."
When the CST first arrived in Northwest Arkansas on Dec. 21, they conducted clean air checks at the Johnson Mill exit on I-49. They then moved to the area of Waste Management's Eco-Vista Landfill near Arbor Acres in Tontitown, and placed AreaRaes in the following areas:
--The intersection of Arbor Acres Avenue and S. Pianalto Road
--1497 Arbor Acres Avenue
--18702 Clear Water Road
--1969 Dowel Street, which later moved to the intersection of Dowel and Arbor Acres
Starting at 2 p.m. on Dec. 21, they monitored the four areas overnight and returned to gather the equipment at 8 a.m. the following morning.
From the data collected, the report said CST "observed elevated readings of sulfur dioxide."
Parts-per-million (ppm), which is used to measure concentrations of contaminants in the air, was the measurement they used in the air quality test of Tonitown. Near Clear Water Road and Pianalto Road, the equipment picked up 0.1 ppm of sulfur dioxide, and up to 0.2 ppm of sulfur dioxide was recorded near 1497 Arbor Acres Avenue, according to the report.
Rex Thomen, the commander of the CST, recommended the state monitor the area for 5 days and 24 hours each day while there is no rain present.
In response to the outcome of CST's recommendation, the Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (E&E) Shane Khoury requested on Jan. 2 that the CST conduct further testing of Tontitown on behalf of the state.
The additional testing is to determine whether sulfur dioxide levels reach the Environmental Protection Agency's Acute Exposure Guidelines (AEGL).
AEGL levels represent exposure limits of acutely toxic chemicals for the general public. There are three: AEGL 1, AEGL 2, and AEGL 3.
Based on the data the CST recorded in Tontitown in December, the area near 1497 Arbor Acres Avenue is at an AEGL 1.
According to the EPA, AGEL 1 concentration "is predicted that the general population, including susceptible individuals, could experience notable discomfort, irritation, or certain asymptomatic, non-sensory effects. However, the effects are not disabling and are transient and reversible upon cessation of exposure."
When claims were reported of potentially harmful fumes coming from the landfill, Tontitown Mayor Angela Russell alleged the fumes from Eco-Vista sent her to the hospital.
"I was nauseous, very nauseous. Headache. I felt like I couldn't breathe. And burning eyes, my eyes were burning so bad," Russell said to 5NEWS on Dec. 13 during an interview.
A representative for Waste Management provided the following statement on Jan. 3:
WM has preliminarily reviewed the Arkansas Air National Guard’s initial data from its overnight sampling event that concluded on the morning of December 22, 2023. The data shows the Guard tested for hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds, methane, and carbon monoxide, which are commonly found in landfill gas, but none of these compounds were detected outside of normal atmospheric conditions during the testing period. While some data from the Guard’s sampling indicated the presence of sulfur dioxide, according to the EPA, the largest source of sulfur dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other facilities. During the Guard’s recent sampling event, the Eco-Vista site was not combusting any landfill gas for electricity. WM’s Eco-Vista facility will continue to work with the Air National Guard and ADEE to conduct sampling those agencies deem necessary. The Eco-Vista facility continues to be operated in a manner that is protective of the health and safety of our employees, customers, and community.
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US: Guard Supports Defense Strategy, Domestic Missions in 2023
NGAUS | Contributor, Master Sgt. Erich Smith, NGB
The National Guard finished a dynamic year in December, leaving an indelible mark supporting the warfighter and protecting communities.
From fortifying a world-leading State Partnership Program to pioneering advancements in cyber and space operations, the nation’s oldest military organization shined as a trailblazer in 2023.
The Air National Guard’s role in Air Defender 2023 was one example. Led by Germany, the multi-national exercise showcased NATO’s defensive capabilities and marked the largest air force redeployment exercise since the military alliance's inception.
"Moving 100 aircraft over the ocean in a matter of four flying days is a monumental feat," said Air Force Maj. Brandyn Dietman of the Wisconsin Air Guard’s 128th Air Refueling Wing, one of several units providing an "air bridge" to Germany, where the exercise primarily occurred.
The efforts of the more than 25,000 Guard members who deployed in 2023 reflect what Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, cites as a testament to the Guard’s inherent value as a member of the Joint Force and an integral part of U.S. military might.
"As a combat reserve of the Army and the Air Force, our soldiers and airmen are built to fight our nation’s wars," said Hokanson, who is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It’s our primary mission – our reason for existing."
He added the Guard is equally adept at responding to natural disasters and emergencies nationwide, citing the nearly 400 domestic operation responses last year.
One of those communities was Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, where the Guard conducted aerial water drops, search and recovery efforts and assisted local law enforcement during destructive wildfires.
Spc. Kaimana McBrayer, a Hawaii Army Guardsman, emphasized the personal connection from being embedded in the affected community.
"It’s unreal, especially as a Hawaiian, because we have a special connection to the land and the people – so this hits close to home," said McBrayer, whose unit had just completed a warfare exercise before being mobilized to respond to the disaster.
The Guard also responded to wildfires in Rhode Island, Louisiana and Wisconsin last year.
Guardsmen additionally played a crucial role in responding to Hurricane Idalia on Florida’s Gulf Coast, activating about 6,500 personnel.
Several air assets were sent to the Sunshine State from Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee Guard units. Some Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina Guardsmen were also on duty, focusing on search and rescue, clearing roads of debris and assessing damage caused by the storm.
Last February, the Ohio Guard and the West Virginia Guard swiftly responded to a hazardous materials train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, highlighting the Guard’s unique capability in responding to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies.
In late May, Typhoon Mawar wreaked havoc on Guam, a 210-square-mile American territory with a population of nearly 180,000 people. The island also serves as a strategic focal point for the nation's Indo-Pacific Command.
Guardsmen quickly took action, setting up traffic control points, establishing collection points for debris and distributing emergency commodities to assist the affected community.
As Mawar made landfall, Guam faced an additional challenge once its telecommunication system was targeted by cyber code originating from China. Two months later, the Guam Guard convened a conference attended by several U.S. agencies, emphasizing the critical need for building and maintaining a robust cybersecurity program.
In Estonia, the Maryland Air Guard collaborated with the Baltic nation’s armed forces to build an information-sharing platform, enhancing its defense against cyber threats.
This effort was part of the Defense Department's SPP, an initiative where Guard elements partner with nations worldwide for military-to-military applications and homeland security training.
In July, the Guard celebrated the SPP's 30th anniversary by adding four countries, bringing the program's total to 100 partner nations and 88 state partnerships in 2023.
In October, Hokanson visited Sweden to discuss its prospects for joining the SPP after its NATO bid. Hokanson also emphasized the importance of the United States and Sweden learning from each other, especially in the cyber and space domains.
Meanwhile, the Guard continued its critical role in space operations. In August, the Ohio Guard’s 178th Wing hosted the Vulcan Guard exercise, incorporating diverse space weapons systems in realistic scenarios.
Defense officials credit the Guard with supplying 60% of all space electromagnetic warfare capability to the Space Force’s Space Operations Command.
Given the high demand for unfettered access to space for combatant commanders, space-based units like the Florida Air Guard’s 114th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron conducted Exercise ThunderMoose in Maine last summer.
The exercise showcased the Guard's ability to airlift a new electromagnetic warfare system while establishing a base location, all made possible by the expertise of satellite communications, radio frequency, intelligence, security and aerospace ground equipment specialists.
While visiting the New York Air Guard’s 222nd Command and Control Squadron last year, Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward Vaughan, the NGB's director of space operations, highlighted how high-tech civilian jobs seamlessly translate into Guard roles.
"More than half of the squadron members hold civilian employment in the intelligence community or with private sector space contractors," said Vaughn. "This provides high-quality expertise and readiness to deter or fight in the next war."
Army Guard soldiers also demonstrated their exceptional skills in tactical competitions, securing victories in prominent events such as the 2023 International Sniper Competition and the U.S. Army "All Army" Small Arms Championships.
On the Air side, airmen from New England achieved remarkable success in the William Tell 2023 Competition, dominating nearly half of the event's categories.
Comprising 20% of the Joint Force and continuing its service across nearly every zip code in America, Hokanson added the Guard's success would continue being defined by its people in 2024 – the 430,000 Guardsmen who stand "Always Ready, Always There."
"We are the nexus of our nation’s defense strategy," he said. "We need to tell our story."
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US: Cyber risks to defense industrial supply chains are 'substantially worse' than other concerns
Federal News Network | Anastasia Obis
There is an outright conflict between cybersecurity and supply chain risk management (SCRM), and simply adding those together can lead to an increase in cyberattacks, a new report finds.
Researchers found that cybersecurity and supply chain risk management are in many instances at odds with each other. There are trade-offs, and understanding what those trade-offs look like will allow the Defense Department to better secure its defense industrial products supply, according to the authors of the new RAND Corp. report.
Against the backdrop of high-profile cyber-attacks on the supply chains, the Air Force Research Laboratory asked the federally-funded think tank to help them understand how cyber risks compare to other risks in the defense-industrial supply chains and provide recommendations on how to have a comprehensive approach when addressing their needs together.
“In conventional SCRM…you would think, ‘Alright, I’m going to make my supply chain less risky by adding more potential suppliers, bringing more businesses and expanding my rolodex,’” Victoria Greenfield, a senior economist at RAND, told Federal News Network. “What does that do from a cyber perspective? You have potentially increased the points of attack, you’ve opened up new backdoors, because you’ve brought more members into the community who will have vulnerabilities and potentially, importantly, potentially shared vulnerabilities. And so, you may, from a cyber perspective, be making things riskier.”
“There might be a lack of understanding of the extent of the risk of the cyber as compared to the more conventional risks. This is not to say that the SCRM community doesn’t think about these things. I want to be very clear about that. They absolutely do. But when we look at policy, we often see policy written things, either focusing on the SCRM or focusing on the cyber but isn’t necessarily thinking about it as holistically as it might need to.”
Additionally, researchers kept finding evidence that the private sector may not invest in cybersecurity sufficiently to meet national security needs. Given the differences in incentive structure, how attackers and defenders relate to each other in a business environment and the extent to which cyber insurance can fill some of the national security needs, researchers say the private sector may not be able to meet the Defense Department’s needs for supply chain functionality.
The new report came out around the same time the Defense Department released its long-awaited proposed regulations for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). The CMMC program is designed to help the Defense Department assess whether contractors and subcontractors in its industrial base meet cybersecurity requirements when sharing sensitive unclassified information on their networks.
“There were a lot of different issues that kind of pushed in this general direction. But the idea of underinvestment seemed to come up over and over again, from each of the different economic and non-economic approaches that we took to thinking about this, that it seemed potentially a problem,” Greenfield said.
“And the lack of coordination among businesses could also lead to some challenges if they had shared vulnerabilities. So that is kind of an interesting opening in relation to the CMMC, which we did not go into beyond footnotes in our report, because it was barely existing when we started. But that is something that, in some ways, could externally lead to a result that looks a little bit more like a coordinated result than just leaving industry alone,” she continued.
What are the consequences?
Since one of the most important findings of the research is the need for a comprehensive approach in how cyber and supply chain risk management engage with each other, researchers want the defense industrial base to be less focused on trying to stop things from happening, but rather think about the consequences of cyber-attacks.
Once priorities are established, plans and strategies can be developed to address cyber and supply chain risk concerns in a more holistic way.
“I think that that’s a slightly different way to look at it. Oftentimes, we get bogged down in trying to stop things from happening, and not necessarily thinking about what the highest priority consequence is and how do we either stop it from happening if we can, or if we can’t mitigate the fallout,” Greenfield said.
“So, taking that more comprehensive approach, thinking about consequences and thinking about consequences, not just for information, but its consequences for supply chain functionality … Can you get it when you need it? Is this the thing you wanted in the first place? And is it still something you can afford to have? And so, thinking about the functionality of your supply chain, whether or not you’re able to get what you need when you need it. Not just about the security of the information itself,” she added.
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FL: Lawmakers file measure requesting federal increase to the Florida National Guard
Florida’s Voice | Michael Costeines
Rep. Dan Daley, D-Coral Springs, filed a house memorial Wednesday requesting Congress ask the U.S. National Guard Bureau to supplement the size of the Florida National Guard during its assessment of its force.
An identical proposal, Senate Memorial 226, was filed by Sen. Tom Wright, R-Port Orange, in October.
According to House Memorial 1145, Florida’s National Guard is composed of 12,000 guardsmen, or “citizen soldiers.”
Despite having a state population of just over 21 million, third most in the nation, Florida’s National Guard ratio of one per 1,833 residents is 53rd out of 54 states and territories of the United States, the memorial said.
A soldier in the Florida National Guard, Sept. 1, 2019. (Photo/The National Guard, Facebook)
The memorial also cited a United States National Guard Bureau report from April 2021 on population trends on the National guard in its argument.
“The National Guard may need to evaluate re-allocating mission sets to other geographic areas to keep
with changing demographics across the country,” the report said.
The memorial explained, as part of its reasoning for an increase, the state’s activity level during the coronavirus pandemic and other natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. Over that period, the guard logged the same amount of workdays in 18 months as it did the previous 20 years.
While maintaining its mission, the guard has been plagued by “stress and fatigue” due to overlaps in deployment, according to the memorial. It also listed recruitment, retention, and readiness as mitigating factors.
Currently, a national guard’s “force structure” is determined by the United States National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.
If passed, the resolution would be sent to the president and other federal leaders.
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(Alabama National Guard News Compilation by Sgt. Adena Belle McCluskey)