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Morning Recon
Good Friday morning and welcome to MORNING RECON. On this day in 1979, in an attempt to stabilize the turbulent political situation in Afghanistan, the Soviet Union sends 75,000 troops to enforce the installation of Babrak Karmal as the new leader of the nation. The new government and the imposing Soviet presence, however, had little success in putting down antigovernment rebels. Thus began nearly 10 years of an agonizing, destructive, and ultimately fruitless Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan.
RealClearDefense Exclusives: Biden Is Wrong To Double Down on Syriaby Alexander Langlois Israel Is Justified in Its Syrian Mission by Mike Coté The Days After in Syria by Philip Wasielewski Today's Top Stories
NATIONAL Report to Congress on Navy Medium Landing Ship
From Congressional Research Service: “The LSM program poses a number of potential oversight matters for Congress.”
Risks of Military Confrontation in Arctic Increasing
By John Grady, USNI News: “The Arctic is “where the confrontation of the world’s leading states is unfolding,” the head of the Russian Navy said at a recent forum in St. Petersburg where regional cooperation had traditionally dominated the agenda.”
DARPA and U.S. Navy Achieve Milestone in Autonomous Naval Refueling
From Army Recognition: “According to information published by the US DoD on December 19, 2024, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has completed a groundbreaking automated fueling-at-sea (FAS) test under its No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program.” U.S. Navy Takes Delivery of USS Iowa Virginia-Class Attack Submarine
From Naval Technology: “The latest Virginia-class attack submarine, SSN 797, has been officially handed over to the US Navy, representing the 12th battle force ship delivered this year.” Space Industrial Base Racing To Meet Growing Demand for Military Satellites
By Mikayla Easley, DefenseScoop: “After supply chain woes delayed the launch of the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 satellites, SDA and the space industrial base are working to mitigate risks in future tranches.”
Air Force Looks for More Recruits by Expanding Waiver List
By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes: “The U.S. Air Force has added several medical conditions to its waiver program, a move that is expected to open career opportunities to hundreds of new recruits each year, the service said this week.”
Government Watchdog Greenlights Army’s New Spy Plane Contract
By Ashley Roque, Breaking Defense: “The Government Accountability Office issued its decision on December 23, noting that the protest is covered by a "protective order," and a report on the rationale behind the denial will be publicly released once it's redacted.”
Special Forces Soldier Dies in Non-Combat Incident at Eglin Range
By Nicholas Slayton, Task & Purpose: “A soldier with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) died on Sunday, Dec. 22 at Eglin Air Force Base after being shot in a hunting accident.” Read more at RealClearDefense INTERNATIONAL RUSSIA:
Russia’s Air Defense Fire Likely Caused Azerbaijan Plane Crash
By Jon Gambrell & Aida Sultanova, AP: “Aviation experts said Thursday that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured.” CHINA:
Dorito in the Sky: Unpacking China’s Radical New Stealth Fighter
By Kyle Mizokami, 1945: “China has unveiled a new, highly advanced fighter jet, showcasing its growing military prowess. Images of the triangular, stealth-focused aircraft, likely developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, emerged on social media, sparking speculation about its capabilities.”
Read more at RealClearDefense including: Finland Seizes Ship Carrying Russian Oil After Undersea Cable Cut COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
Biden Is Wrong To Double Down on Syria
By Alexander Langlois, RealClearDefense: “On December 19, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that there are roughly 2,000 troops stationed in Syria – 1,100 more than previously shared with the public."
Israel Is Justified in Its Syrian Mission
By Mike Coté, RealCearDefense: “Israel’s future security depends on destroying the military machine of the former Assad regime, before it falls into the wrong hands.”
The Days After in Syria
By Philip Wasielewski, Small Wars Journal: “Damascus under the Assads was the keeper of the anti-Israel flame long after that flame went out in almost every other Arab capital. Can this dynamic change or will it remain under a different guise?”
Preparing for Great Power War With China
By Daniel R. Green, National Defense Magazine: “As much as the Biden administration’s strategy of “integrated deterrence” attempted to dissuade China from its more aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region, the crucial question is, what happens if deterrence fails?”
‘Churchill’s Citadel’ Review: If Winston’s Walls Could Talk
By Larry P. Arnn, The Wall Street Journal: “At his country estate in Chartwell, Churchill gathered the voices who were beginning to warn the world about the rise of Hitler and the coming conflagration.”
Read more at RealClearDefense The Nippon Steel Deal Is Key To U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy View this email in your browser. | Not a subscriber? Sign up here. | 