Boatswain’s mate 2nd Class Thomas Schnell, right, from Omaha, Neb., and Culinary Specialist Seaman Daniel Francois, from Cap Haitian, Haiti, guide an MV-22B Osprey attached to Marine Medium Tilt-Rotor Squadron 165 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, during flight operations aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor, Sept 6, 2021. U.S. Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sang Kim
The Naval Brief: Nuclear subs for Australia; Drone refuels F-35C; Countering disinfo; and more...
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Aussie submarines. Australia, with the help of the United States and the United Kingdom, will get its first nuclear-powered submarines to improve security in the Indo-Pacific, Defense One reports. The new trilateral relationship also includes more cooperation and integration in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the industrial base.
F-35C refueled by drone. Boeing’s MQ-25 T1 Stingray completed its first aerial refueling flight with a Navy F-35C Lightning II aircraft, Naval Air Systems Command announced Tuesday. The MQ-25 is intended to increase the Navy’s refueling capabilities by freeing up aircraft, and also assist with some intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tasks, Defense One previously reported.The next phase for the drone is to be modified for a future shipboard demonstration this winter, according to NAVAIR.
Countering Disinformation. The Marines are taking a page out of the Air Force’s book on countering online disinformation and its culture of “convergence,” Defense One reports. The Air Force has seen success bringing together all their capabilities, including intelligence, under a single effort to counter malign influence.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On this day in 1854, then-Cmdr. David Farragut became the commander of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California, the first permanent naval installation on the West Coast.
From Defense One
The U.S. Should Get Serious About Submarine Cable Security // Justin Sherman: Three trends are accelerating risks to underwater cables’ security and resilience.
Milley’s China Calls During Trump Defeat Were ‘Lawful,’ Conveyed Reassurance, Pentagon Says // Tara Copp and Jacqueline Feldscher: Some Republicans are seeking his ouster, but the Joint Chiefs chairman is the first to serve a guaranteed four years.
Congress’ Afghanistan Oversight Marred By Politics // Jacqueline Feldscher: Lawmakers overwhelmingly postured instead of asking America’s top diplomat real questions.