The Naval Brief: More ships in omnibus; Suicide investigation; Missiles for Ukraine; and more…

Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.

NOTE: The Naval Brief will return Jan. 5 after a holiday break. 

Buying and retaining ships. The massive omnibus bill being considered in Congress includes funding for 12 warships and saves several more from being decommissioned, Defense One reports. The bill, if passed, would provide $31.9 billion for shipbuilding, up from $27.9 billion requested by President Joe Biden’s administration in March. 

Sailor suicides not connected. The suicide deaths of three sailors who were assigned to the USS George Washington were not related, according to an investigation, but the ship has issues with mental health access and leader involvement, Navy Times reports. The investigation found that the ship’s two mental health professionals were overwhelmed, additional counselors were located far from the ship, and the crew did not understand all the available resources.

Patriot for Ukraine. After 300 days of war, Ukraine will receive a Patriot missile battery from the United States, and U.S. troops will train Ukrainians on the system, which is intended for the country’s defense, Defense One reports. The country is fighting against barrages of Russian rocket and drone attacks. The U.S. is also sending more precision munitions to Ukraine, and the 2023 omnibus bill includes $40 billion in Ukraine aid.

Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On this day in 2010, President Barack Obama signed the law that repealed the Defense Department’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that had silenced gay troops and threatened their careers for over a decade.

From Defense One

The 2023 Omnibus' Cyber, Tech, and Space Provisions // Edward Graham and Kirsten Errick

The $1.7 trillion bill introduced on Tuesday aims to spur investment in cyber defense, space, and other cutting-edge tech.

Musk Has Reduced Twitter's Ability to Spot Foreign Disinformation, a Former Data Scientist Says // Patrick Tucker

Staff layoffs are just one way the new CEO has undermined the platform's three-legged approach to the problem.

Omnibus Spending Bill Would Ban TikTok on Government Devices // Natalie Alms

Congress may need to do more to ward off the national-security threat of the Chinese-made video app, one senator says.