Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, a Coast Guardsman and an Army veteran salute the colors during a naturalization ceremony aboard USS Constitution. Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Raymond D. Diaz III
The Naval Brief: Another destroyer; Confirmation crunch time; AUMF debate; and more...
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Win some, lose some. The Navy wouldbe able to buy that second destroyer they wanted in 2022 under a draft funding bill from the House Appropriations committee. The draft also would end funding for the sea-launched cruise missile program a year ahead of acting Secretary Thomas Harker's suggestion for doing so in the 2023 budget.
Confirmation timeline. The Senate has a month to conduct a hearing for Navy secretary nominee Carlos Del Toro and vote before heading into a month-long recess starting in August. The hearing could happen July 13, but the budget markups may push that further down the road, Politico reports.
Carrier in the Middle East. The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier is in the 5th Fleet area to help protect U.S. troops during the Afghanistan drawdown. The last time a Japan-based U.S. carrier was sent to the Middle East was in 2003 for the invasion of Iraq, USNI News reports.
Sign up to get The Navy Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. Ahead of the July 4th celebrations this weekend, two sailors from the USS Constitution became U.S. citizens Wednesday in a ceremony conducted by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday.
From Defense One
Black Sea Incident Shows Russia's Determination to Claim Waters Illegally // Caitlin M. Kenney: The British warship was conducting a freedom-of-navigation exercise when it was harassed by Russian forces.
Air Strikes Renew Battle Over War Authorizations // Jacqueline Feldscher: Some lawmakers are using Sunday’s strikes in Iraq and Syria to push for keeping a two-decade-old statute, but law experts say their arguments don’t hold water.
The Marine Corps Is Redesigning Infantry Battalions for the Future // Caitlin M. Kenney: The British warship was conducting a freedom-of-navigation exercise when it was harassed by Russian forces.
Swiss Pick F-35 to Replace Old Fighter Jets // Marcus Weisgerber: The Lightning II beat out the Boeing Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, and Eurofighter Typhoon.
House Panel Proposes $1M to Start Renaming Bases That Honor Confederates // Caitlin M. Kenney: The renaming commission plans to finalize the list in fall 2022.