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Paul McLeary on March 08, 2021 at 3:33 PM
Multinational navy ships and a submarine steam in formation during a group sail off the coast of Hawaii during RIMPAC 2020
WASHINGTON: Over the weekend, the White House announced the promotion of two Navy admirals to lead military operations in the Pacific, a swap of commanders that comes as the Biden administration looks for ways to put its own imprint on the intensifying competition with China in the Pacific region.
The nominations of Adm. John Aquilino to lead the Indo-Pacific command, and Vice Adm. Samuel Paparo to run Pacific Fleet, had been expected for some time. But the two will assume command as the Pentagon looks to reframe and remake its mix of forces and deterrent initiatives, while potentially pumping billions into new weapons systems and training ranges spread across the region.
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Paul McLeary on March 04, 2021 at 3:05 PM
Navy test of a Trident Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)
WASHINGTON: President Biden’s nominee to run the Pentagon policy office received a rough ride from Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee today over old anti-Trump tweets, the Iran deal, and nuclear modernization.
Several Republicans sought assurance that the Biden administration planned to fund the modernization of the nuclear triad’s air, land and sea-based nuclear missiles, particularly the aging Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), the replacement for the decades-old Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.
Kahl said he supported the effort to modernize the entire triad, though he said he would have to read the classified assessments of the GBSD program should he be confirmed before he could give a complete answer.
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Paul McLeary on March 01, 2021 at 9:50 PM
Commander Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Phil Davidson meets with Japan’s Minister of Defense Tarō Kōno
WASHINGTON: As the Biden administration weighs how to manage China, Indo-Pacific Command has crafted a $27.3 billion plan to buy new missile defense systems, place radar and missile defense systems on the ground, launch satellites and build state-of-the-art training ranges across the region.
The report, delivered today to Capitol Hill, sketches out the budget for the 2022 budget and in the years out to 2027, envisioning a long-range plan that Indo-Pacom head Adm. Phil Davidson first introduced last year. A copy of the Executive Summary was obtained by Breaking Defense.
The full budget, set to be released on May 3, should spark heated debate in Congress between an emboldened progressive wing of the Democratic party looking to cut defense budgets, and Republicans and conservative Democrats who say spending must increase to stay ahead of the Chinese military buildup.
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Paul McLeary on February 23, 2021 at 11:07 AM
The Navy is in a good place, CNO Adm. Mike Gilday says, as we present that analysis to senior decision makers, and we really re-litigate, if you will, the ‘22 budget submit which was very heavily in the Navy’s favor with respect to shipbuilding.”
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Paul McLeary on February 09, 2021 at 4:51 PM