The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins conducts routine operations in the Philippine Sea. U.S. Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Arthur Rosen
The Naval Brief: Bad recon; Arms for Ukraine; Shipboard hypersonics; and more...
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Struggling with recon. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger said the Ukrainians are “doing a fantastic job” of keeping Russian troops from getting a clear picture of their military forces, which may be one reason for the inept use of combined arms during the invasion, Defense One reports. “I think they're proving to be very disciplined, very well trained, very well led, and very inspired,” he said.
Weapons shipment. Ukraine will receive $800 million in military assistance from the United States, bringing the total assistance this week to $1 billion, Defense One reports. The aid includes 9,000 shoulder-mounted anti-armor missiles; 7,000 machine guns, shotguns, and grenade launchers; and 20 million rounds of ammunition.
Shipboard switch. The Zumwalt-class destroyers will have their two 155 mm Advanced Gun Systems removed to make way for long-range hypersonic weapons, USNI News reports. The Zumwalt itself, DDG-1000, will be the first to get the new weaponry in a maintenance period next year. The missiles themselves are to arrive by 2025, according to the Navy’s plans.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On this day in 1898, Irish engineer John Holland tested a 75-ton vessel off the coast of Staten Island that became the Navy’s first modern commissioned submarine.
From Defense One
The 'No-Fly Zone' Test // Peter W. Singer
Want to put U.S. or allied aircraft over Ukraine? Answer these questions first.
A Private Company Has Evacuated 6,500 People From Ukraine // Jacqueline Feldscher
Global Guardian is now evacuating Ukrainians who work for Western companies and their families.
Sullivan Vows 'Consequences' If China Helps Russia in Ukraine // Jacqueline Feldscher
The national security advisor expressed "deep concerns" about China's alignment with Russia, during a seven-hour meeting Monday.
Can Russia's War Revive the Anti-Nuke Movement? // Jacqueline Feldscher
Amid aging leaders and new politics, arms-control advocates are using Putin's invasion to renew attention to nuclear weapons.