Quartermaster 2nd Class Steven Pettit, from Ionia, Mich., hoists the ensign on the mast aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Jan. 3, 2022. U.S. Navy / Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Michael J. Cintron
The Naval Brief: Testing ship tech; Religious exemptions approved; Russian agents in Ukraine; and more...
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Testing before building. The Navy should look at continuing to buy Arleigh Burke-Class destroyers while it works to experiment and validate the new technology intended for the upcoming DDG(X), the Navy Secretary has suggested, Defense One reports. The problems with the gun system on the Zumwalt-class destroyers was one recent example of putting promising new technology on a ship only to see it struggle to live up to expectations.
Vaccines and religion. Two Marines are the first service members to have their religious accommodation requests approved, exempting them from having to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Defense One reports. About 18,500 service members have requested the exemption, including 3,350 Marines.
False flag operation in Ukraine? U.S. officials have warned that Russian agents are on the ground in eastern Ukraine to conduct a false flag operation to create a pretext for another invasion into the neighboring country, Defense One reports. The Pentagon said the Russian group was a blend of military, intelligence, and security services personnel.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. Tomorrow, Cmdr. Billie Farrell will become the first woman to serve as the USS Constitution’s commanding officer. The ship is the world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat, first setting sail in 1797.
From Defense One
Biden Promises More Troops In Poland, Romania If Russia Invades Ukraine // Jacqueline Feldscher: The president said he is unwilling to consider troop cuts in potential negotiations with Putin.
Air Force Must Harden Pacific Bases Against Missiles, Secretary Says // Marcus Weisgerber: Today’s unhardened, undispersed hangars are easy targets for a new generation of Chinese weapons, Frank Kendall said.
‘War Is Coming’: Mysterious TikTok Videos Are Scaring Sweden’s Children // Elisabeth Braw: The campaign offers an early test for the country’s new anti-disinformation agency.