TUESDAY PDB – Army aims to make 1 million artillery shells a year, starting in fiscal 2025. New manufacturing techniques helping U.S. ramp up production of critical munition need. The goal is to begin producing 85,000 155mm artillery shells per month, starting in fiscal 2025.
The push is meant to help Ukraine keep up the pace of its counteroffensive and to replenish depleted U.S. stockpiles and even help other countries build up their own supplies after the Ukraine war highlighted the importance of the munition in large-scale conflict.
“Between supporting Ukraine, replenishing ourselves and supporting other countries, allies, we expect to use that capacity. That’s the overall reason we’re doing it,” Assistant Army Secretary Doug Bush said.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:
PENTAGON WOKE WATCH
The Pentagon’s electric vehicle push doesn’t work for taxpayers — or the climate. Biden’s DoD is embracing the radical move to acquire a fleet of non-tactical electric vehicles to achieve “carbon neutrality.” This, in accordance with Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” requiring that climate considerations be an essential element of U.S. national security policy.
BUT HAS THERE BEEN A REAL ISSUE SINCE? – Recruiters skipped steps to screen out extremist enlistees, IG says. Military recruiters sometimes skipped steps to screen out enlistees affiliated with criminal gangs or political extremist groups, increasing the likelihood of disciplinary problems and security risks.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Machines won’t make decisions on their own, says Pentagon AI chief. The U.S. Defense Department Chief Digital & AI Officer Craig Martell explains how it’s integrating artificial intelligence, and why there will always be human oversight.
How US microchips are fueling Russia’s military — despite sanctions. Western microchips used to power smartphones and laptops are continuing to enter Russia and fuel its military arsenal.
GOP contenders feed voter distrust in courts, schools and military. As Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on the justice system and the “deep state,” his competitors for the Republican nomination have followed his lead.
HOMELAND DEFENSE
US Navy ships shadowed Russian-Chinese flotilla off Alaskan islands. The Navy shadowed a fleet of Russian and Chinese vessels off Alaska last week, according to U.S. Northern Command.
CHINA THREAT
BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE ARE SQUIRMING OVER IT – Why a US Navy admiral says China won’t pick up the military hotline. “This is a very dangerous trend in terms of our ability as major powers to truly work out our issues,” Rear Adm. Michael Studeman said of the lack of communications.
China hacked Japan’s sensitive defense networks, officials say. Tokyo has strengthened its defenses after a major cybersecurity breach, but gaps remain that could slow information-sharing with the Pentagon.
PODCAST: Tensions boil in South China Sea between Philippines, China. Over the weekend, Beijing’s coast guard used a water cannon to prevent a supply shipment to a contested area in the South China Sea.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
A look at the amount of US spending powering Ukraine’s defense. The U.S. is the biggest financial supporter of Kyiv’s fight against Russia.
Why dozens of Russian enterprises are bankrupt or heading that way. Russia’s economy has not shrunk to the point some Western governments and experts predicted following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has combat kayaks now. The latest Ukrainian weapons system puts an automatic grenade launcher on a two-person kayak for river attacks.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 531. Two Russian missiles killed five people and injured 31 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. One woman was also killed in Kherson, while two others were killed in the border areas of the Kharkiv region due to Russian shelling.
It’s not a sprint, Ukraine’s marines insist. ‘It’s a marathon.’ Journalists spent two weeks with troops trained and supplied by NATO to get their take on how, and where, the counteroffensive is going.
NORTH KOREA THREAT
IDIOT – Soldier who crossed into North Korea not yet considered a prisoner of war. Pvt. Travis King is currently listed as AWOL.
BUT, OF COURSE – Family of Pvt. Travis King eases back on claims of being ignored by the Army.
IRAN THREAT
ESCALATE TO DE-ESCALATE – More Marines, sailors operating in Red Sea amid tensions with Iran. The increased presence of sailors and Marines aims to de-escalate tensions caused by Iran’s harassment and seizures of merchant vessels.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Sudden surge in cyberattacks on government: report. Blackberry’s quarterly threat report said attacks on government agencies and the public sector rose 40% since last year.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Niger coup leaders refuse to let senior US diplomat meet with nation’s president. The senior U.S. diplomat described the West African country’s democratically elected president as under “virtual house arrest.”
Expeditionary air base teams to begin deploying in October. The U.S. Air Force will begin dispatching new groups known as “expeditionary air base teams” to replace air expeditionary wings overseas.
From petroleum pipes to pest problems, what a US Army 2-star learned from Talisman Sabre 23. After the exercise, the Army plans to leave logistic support equipment, like tanker trucks, inside Australia instead of loading it back onto the Army Prepositioned Stock 3 ships.
Marines fly food to remote areas of Philippines after deadly typhoon. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 wound up delivering 64,000 pounds of food and water.
South American militaries take aim at narco-trafficking with new radars, exercises. Several nations are buying or installing new radars or sending new planes in the air in hopes of better tracking drug transshipments.
Italy Air Force hauls an F-35 contingent to Japan for first-ever drill. As Italy gets down to work with Japan on the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) with the aim of building a new sixth-generation fighter by 2035, it has boosted defense ties with Tokyo by dispatching F-35s for a first-ever training exercise in Japan.
Poland to make hundreds of Israeli-designed Spike antitank missiles. It is buying the missiles through Rafael’s long standing industry partner, Mesko, which will carry out local production of missile parts and final assembly of the weapon.
Belarus begins military drills near border with Poland and Lithuania. This, amid tension already heightened with the two NATO members over Russia-linked Wagner mercenaries moving to Belarus after their short-lived mutiny in Russia.
India bars makers of military drones from using Chinese parts. India in recent months has barred domestic manufacturers of military drones from using components made in China over concerns about security vulnerabilities.
US MILITARY
BECAUSE SEALS ARE ALL ABOUT ‘COMFORT’ – Mini SEAL sub reaches initial operating capability. The so-called “dry combat submersible” will make underwater rides more comfortable for Navy special operators.
Joint Chiefs to get taste of Marine modernization with new senior enlisted advisor. As the new senior advisor to the chairman, Sgt. Maj. Troy Black will bring four years’ experience with Force Design 2030.
END of PDB
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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2025 too late – more important, however, 155 mm shells useless in next war.
Even worse, starting in 2025. So we are vulnerable until at least 2026.
So we are planning on this battle to still be going in 2025!! So much of Ukraine’s infrastructure has already been destroyed … do you seriously think they can put up with at least another year and a half of this battle??
The US needs to seriously gear-up if we are going to be the global police