US Army, NATO. Powerful M1A2 Abrams tanks on Parade in Lithuania.

NATO Secretary General with the 🇺🇸 US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken 28 NOV 2023

St Andrew's Day Parade

Pacific Perspective:US,Philippines and Australia Initiate Joint Patrols

On 21 November 2023,the US Navy,the Philippines Navy and Philippines Air Force began joint patrols of the South China Sea both by air and sea.The joint patrols lasted through 23 November and,separately,the Australian Defence Force and the Philippines Navy and Air Force conducted joint patrols a few days later.The US State Department has ascertained in a report that China's claims to most of the South China Sea are not in accord with international law.Hence the patrols were undertaken to assert a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.The US-Philippines patrols began at Movalis Island,the Philippines' northernmost point,100 km/62 mi from Taiwan.They ended in the West Philippine Sea,part of the South China Sea within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).*The Philippine Air Force sent two FA-50 light combat fighter jets and an A29B Super Tucano light attack plane on patrol,while the Philippine Navy sent three unspecified warships.The US Navy sent a Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft,armed with torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles for anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions,respectively;and a littoral combat ship.The littoral combat ships,after being criticised for being lightly armed,are now heavily armed with a number of deck guns,air-to-air and air to surface missiles,including US Army Hellfire missiles and Naval Strike Missiles.Indeed,some LCS's are now also armed with Lockheed Martin laser weapons.*Said Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos,Jr.:Unfortunately,I cannot report that the situation (in the South China Sea) is improved.The situation has become more dire than it was before.Through collaborative efforts,we aim to enhance regional security and foster a seamless partnership with the United States in safeguarding our shared interests.*In February 2023,President Marcos added four new US bases to the five extant ones,bringing them into the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.*The Philippines Navy and Air Force later staged patrols with the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force from 25-27 November 2023.Said Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos,Jr.:We endeavor to have bilateral interoperability in maritime security and domain awareness;test doctrines,existing protocols;and enhance efficiency;and foster closer cooperation between our countries' armed forces.This inaugural Maritime Cooperative Activity and those that follow are a practical manifestation of the growing and deepening strategic and defense partnership between our countries.*The Phiippine Navy sent two warships on patrol.BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) is a former US Coast Guard Hamilton-class offshore cutter,currently armed with various deck cannons,including one by BAE Systems.The Devao del Sur (LD-6) is a Dock Landing-class amphibious warfare ship for Philippine Marines based on an Indonesian model.It is currently armed with eight heavy machine guns and carries two helicopters with hangar space for a third.The Philippine Air Force sent five surveillance aircraft.*The Royal Australian Navy sent the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFH-156).Its armament features a 5" deck gun;Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles;Harpoon anti-ship missiles;two triple torpedo tubes;and two heavy machine guns for extreme close-in defence.The Royal Australian Air Force sent a Boeing P-8A Poseidon on patrol.*For its part,China's Foreign Ministry said:Since November 21,the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command Navy Ship Yuenchung has conducted routine patrols in the South China Sea.During this period,the Philippines enlisted foreign forces to patrol the South China Sea,stir up trouble,and hype up regional peace and security,violating the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.* BAE Systems Plc (LSE:BA),Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

US Marines aboard the French ship BPC Mistral during a Joint Exercise.

NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia 🇲🇰 Dimitar Kovacevski 21 NOV 2023

Battle Management:USAF,NATO Select Boeing E-7A Wedgetail

The US Air Force and NATO have selected as a nextgen Command and Control aircraft the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail.NATO has ordered six of the aircraft,with Initial Operational Capability (IOC) expected by 2031.A consortium of NATO Allies approved of the massive project this month.Said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg:By pooling resources,Allies can buy and operate major assets collectively that would be too expensive for individual countries to purchase.This investment in state-of-the-art technology shows the strength of transatlantic defence cooperation as we continue to adapt to a more unstable world.*The E-7A is an advanced Early Warning and Control aircraft that provides both situational awareness and control functions.Its powerful radar can detect hostile aircraft,missiles and ships at great distances and can direct NATO fighter jets to their targets.Australia,The Republic of Korea,Turkiye,the US and the UK either are flying the Wedgetail now or are planning to operate it.The Wedgetail is based on a militarised Boeing 737 airliner.Each country has a different name for the Wedgetail,so this blog is using the Australian designation for convenience.*The Wedgetail was originally developed for the Royal Australian Air Force.*The NATO E-7A is to have its main base at Geilenkirchen Air Base,Germany.It can also operate from several forward locations across Europe.The E-7A uses the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA).This radar is located in a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage,or "top hat".It can simultaneously search air and sea,while also conducting fighter control.The array has a maximum range of 600 km/372.8 mi in look-up mode.It also doubles as an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) array,with a maximum range of 850 km/528.1 mi at 9,000 m/30,000 ft altitude.Radar signal processing and central computer are installed directly beneath the antenna array.Defensive countermeasures are mounted on the nose,wingtips and tail.The cabin has eight operator consoles with space for four more.*On 21 April 2022,the US Air Force announced the E-7A would replace the E-3 Sentry AWACS,saying it was the only platform capable of meeting the Department of Defense requirements for tactical battle management,Command and Control,and moving target indicator capabilties within the time frame needed.Two new US-specific variants of the E-7A are planned,with a final production decision for a total fleet of 26 aircraft planned for 2025.The first USAF E-7A is to enter service in 2027.The E-7A has a cruise speed of 853 kmh/530 mph;a range of 6500 km/4,000 mi/3500 nmi;and a service ceiling of 12,500 m/41,000 ft.* Boeing (BA),Northrop Grumman (NOC)

US Army, NATO. Powerful M270 MLRS Missile Systems during Combat Exercises in Germany

Northrop completes first flight of Australia's Triton maritime surveillance drone, ahead of 2024 delivery - Avionics International

Northrop completes first flight of Australia's Triton maritime surveillance drone, ahead of 2024 delivery - Avionics International: Northrop Grumman recently completed the first flight of Australia’s multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance maritime surveillance aircraft. The aircraft took off just before noon on Nov. 9, at Northrop’s Palmdale, […] Northrop Grumman (NOC)

US Army, NATO. Tanks and self-propelled howitzers during combat exercises in Eastern Europe

X-37B to be Launched on Seventh Mission

On 2 November 2023,it was announced by the Air Force News Service that the Boeing X-37B space plane would be launched on a Space X Falcon Heavy rocket on 7 December 2023 from the NASA Kennedy Space Center.It is the first time the space plane will be launched on a Falcon Heavy,indicating the unprecedented weight of the cargo.The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office is partnering with the US Space Force on the mission,which has a wide range test and experimentation objectives.These tests include operating the reuseable space plane in new orbital regimes;experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies;and investigating the radiation effects on materials provided by NASA.* Said X37-B Program Director Lt.Col. Joseph Fitscher:We are excited to expand the envelope of the reuseable X-37B's capabilities,using the flight-tested service module and Falcon Heavy rocket to fly multiple cutting-edge experiments for the Department of the Air Force and its partners.*X-37B Mission 7,aka Orbital Test Vehicle-7,will expand the United States Space Force's knowledge of the space environment by experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies.These tests are integral to ensuring safe,stable,and secure operations in space for all users of the domain,AFNS said.For his part,Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzmann said:The X-37B continues to equip the United States with the knowledge to enhance current and future space operations.X-37B Mission 7 demonstrates the USSF's commitment to innovation and defining the art of the possible in the space domain.*NASA's experiment will expose plant seeds to the harsh radiation environment of long-duration spaceflight.The Seeds-2 experiment will build upon prior experiment successes to pave the way for future crewed missions to deep space destinations.The previous X-37B Mission 6 introduced a service module that expanded the spacecraft's capabilities and allowed it to host more experiments than any other previous mission.*Director of the DAF RCO,William B. Bradley,said that:The X-37B and Boeing teams have worked together to produce a more responsive,flexible,and adaptive experimentation platform.The work they've done to streamline processes and adapt evolving technologies will help our nation learn a tremendous amount about operating in and returning from a space environment.*So it may be inferred that the OTV-7 will continue to develop space surveillance capabilties.* On 20 October 2023,the Space Operations Command (SpOC) unveiled its first official painting,"High Ground Intercept" during a ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base,Colorado.SpOC provides orbital warfare and intelligence capabilities to the USSF.The painting depicts a delta-shaped space plane called a "future intercept vehicle" opening its payload bay doors as it moves into position to engage an adversary satellite that is targeting a friendly spacecraft.Artist Rich Hunter was commissioned to create the painting without access to classified materials.It would be fair to assume that OTV-7 will also enhance USSF's orbital warfare capabilities along with space domain awareness.Indeed,the painting,which this blog has studied,depicts a space plane that is a fair approximation of the X-37B itself.* Boeing (BA)

Just in:B-21 Raider & B-2 Spirit Takeoff - Better film of the B-21 Raider launch,plus a B-2 Spirit launch that occurred a few hours later. 1

The B-21 flew to Edwards Air Force Base nearby.It was escorted by an F-16D Fighting Falcon.The B-2 Spirit was perhaps at Plant 42 for an upgrade or maintenance which are also provided at US Air Force Plant 42.

Images of US Air Force's new B-21 Raider stealth bomber on its first flight on 10 November 2023

A brief film of the undisclosed first flight is followed by stills and earlier footage of the unveiling.The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider was escorted by a Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon.A Reuters journalist was monitoring the activity at the Palmdale,California Plant 42 facility in the Mojave Desert.Plant 42 is owned by the US Air Force and operated as a component of nearby Edwards Air Force Base.It is a Government-Owned,Contractor-Operated facility (GOCO).Besides developing classified aircraft,it also services existing aircraft such as the B-2 Spirit strategic bomber.Lockheed Martin (LMT),Northrop Grumman (NOC)

NATO Responds to Sabotage of Critical Undersea Infrastructure

On 23 October 2023,the Swedish government announced that an undersea telecommunications cable had been damaged through external force or tampering on 7 October.The cable connects to the Baltic State of Estonia.Two hours later on 7 October,the Balticonnector gas pipeline was sabotaged,and another undersea telecom cable as well.Two civilian vessels were present at all three incidents:Russian freighter Sevmorput and Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship Newnew Polar Bear.This is called grayzone aggression,a form of hybrid warfare that attacks undersea infrastructure.This form of hybrid warfare untilises proxy groups;private companies;civilian contractors;and other non-military actors.* For its part,NATO announced it was increasing patrols in the Baltic Sea Region on 19 October 2023.This consists of more surveillance flights by NATO E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft;new patrols by Maritime Patrol Aircraft and surveillance drones.Four NATO minesweepers are also being deployed.These can send Unmanned Undersea Vehicles to inspect for cable and pipeline damage.They also have sonar to detect undersea activity with,plus radar.* Said NATO acting spokesperson Dylan White:We continue to monitor the situation closely,and we remain in close contact with our Allies Estonia and Finland,and our partner Sweden.NATO will continue to adapt its maritime posture in the Baltic Sea and will take all necessary measures to keep its Allies safe.In September 2022,it was noted that the Nord Stream gas pipeline had been sabotaged.Since that time,NATO has enhanced patrols near critical undersea infrastructure and utilised technological innovation to better detect suspicious activity.NATO also created an undersea infrastructure coordination cell to deepen ties between government,military and industry actors.It also established the NATO Maritime Centre for the Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure within Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood,UK.* On 12 October 2023,NATO Defence Ministers and the Swedish Defence Ministry endorsed the Digital Ocean Vision,a new initiative to enhance NATO's maritime situational awareness from seabed to space.The DOV will transform Allied maritime domain awareness by enhancing coordination between Allied and national capabilities utilised for maritime surveillance.The programme includes a broad range of assets from satellites to autonomous systems below,on,or above the sea,the Alliance said.* Minesweepers have sonar,radar and minesweeping gear.The sonar detects and classifies targets and then the minesweepers deploy divers or Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs) to inspect and neutralise threats with explosive charges.For self-defence,they are armed with 20mm guns and machine guns.

US Army. Soldiers of the 11th Airborne Division during combat training in Alaska

The missions of the 11th Airborne Division (Arctic Angels) include airborne operations,protecting national defense infrastructure,mountain warfare,and,if ordered,decisively defeating an enemy in the high latitudes through large-scale combat operations.

U.S. Air Force, NATO. B-1B Lancer bombers fly combat missions from the UK.Posted 1 November 2023.

RAF base or bases were not disclosed.Combat mission:a mission to capture or defend something.