AUKUS Forum

Earlier this month, the aviation world was rocked with the revelation that the SM-6 air defense missile, previously used to arm warships, had made its way to arm Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters. The result was suddenly the world’s longest-range air-to-air missile, outdistancing its Russian and Chinese counterparts by a wide margin. The missile’s success will likely lead to other pairings that take advantage of America’s deep arsenal of high-tech weapons. The SM-6, developed for Navy warships, has a range of about 275 miles. That’s three times greater than the publicly stated range of AMRAAM, the U.S. Military’s current long range missile. China’s longest range air-to-air missile, the PL-15 (“Thunderbolt-15”) has a range of about 186 miles. https://lnkd.in/gHCQXab5

In a surprise move, the former White House security adviser will join the “formidable team” announced Tuesday to lead Britain’s Strategic Defense Review. Her appointment is the latest indication that the newly elected Labour government is keen to make inroads with Republicans ahead of the increasingly likely prospect of a Trump victory in the U.S. election in November. A British-born Russia expert, Hill served as a national security adviser to the former president for two years until 2019. The daughter of a coal miner from the northeast of England, Hill moved to the U.S. to study her post-graduate degree in Russian at Harvard and later worked as an intelligence analyst under both the Bush and Obama administrations before being hired to work for Trump. Since leaving the White House, she has continued to be an influential voice on Vladimir Putin's Russia, last year telling POLITICO that the war in Ukraine is a "proxy war against the United States." https://lnkd.in/gATbsQnF

Defense Innovation Board calls on DOD to reorganize. Based on a recent study, the US Defense Innovation Board has recommended the establishment of an Undersecretary of Defense for International Industrial Cooperation. Facing confusion from industry, allies and partners about how they can best engage with military components and understand contractual and decision-making structures, the Defense Innovation Board is calling on Pentagon leadership to launch an internal reorganization and establish a new undersecretariat focused on international industrial cooperation. During their open meeting on Wednesday, members of the panel agreed upon those and other recommendations, based on a study they were tasked with delivering, called Optimizing Innovation Cooperation with Allies and Partners. “Today, the DoD does not have a central standing mechanism for interfacing with allies, partners, and international organizations, resulting in a state of considerable fragmentation, duplication, and lack of coordination across workstreams. Moreover, we observed that DoD senior leaders are stretched thin by the many duties pressed upon them, and that international defense industrial cooperation is often relegated in the face of competing priorities. The Department’s principals responsible for international cooperation accordingly struggle to devote an adequate level of attention, care, and focus to addressing the barriers and risks facing the international industrial base,” the report stated. See https://lnkd.in/e9WYnWsD

In its annual defense white paper released on Friday, Japan’s Ministry of Defense warned that the possibility of a situation similar to Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine occurring in the Indo-Pacific. Japan also again singling out China, North Korea and Russia as threats to Japan and the region. In the “Defense of Japan 2024” white paper, the MOD said the international community was facing its greatest trial since World War II, as states do not share universal values or political and economic systems. The MOD also said that risks in cyberspace and other domains are becoming more serious and other security-related global issues such as information warfare and climate change are emerging while gray-zone situations involving territorial disputes are constantly occurring. The white paper said that China was increasing its military cooperation with Russia and that the recurring joint bomber flights and joint naval sails around Japan “are clearly intended for demonstration of force against Japan.” North Korea’s ongoing efforts to increase and improve its nuclear and missile capabilities were highlighted in the report. “North Korea is focusing on qualitatively improving its nuclear and missile capabilities, such as diversifying its equipment systems and acquiring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) means that complement its nuclear and missile operational capabilities.” https://lnkd.in/gRznperS

The future of the British-led multi-billion dollar Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), aimed at building the country's sixth-generation fighter jet, could be uncertain. The Tempest is a sixth-generation fighter jet under development to fulfill the future needs of the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) and replace the aging Eurofighter Typhoon jets. This marks the first instance of the UK developing a new fast aircraft incorporating 21st-century technology. According to the report, the GCAP project, developed in collaboration with Italy and Japan, could be at risk if the Strategic Defence Review concludes that allocating limited funds to a project that will only produce new aircraft in the mid-2030s is not the most effective way to address the more immediate threat of war with Russia. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said "The GCAP program is a really important program for us. We need cutting-edge capabilities. We need to make sure that when we are procuring systems, high-end systems…that we do it in the most cost-effective way, and that is by working with our partners." However, the minister added that it was not suitable for him to prejudge what might happen in the defense review. The minister's remarks came a day after a senior research fellow at the UK security think tank, the Royal United Services Institute, Justin Bronk, said that a direct war with Russia could emerge as soon as 2028. https://lnkd.in/g3hpHRU6

Navy Test Ship Shortage Slows Development Of Autonomous Weapons. U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel Paparo, the new leader of the sprawling U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, revealed a drone-centric strategy to destroy massed fleets of Chinese vessels. In an interview with the Washington Post, the Admiral’s new “Hellscape” strategy is based on deploying “thousands of unmanned submarines, unmanned surface ships and aerial drones” to rebuff a Chinese assault. But, as with any grand plan, the devil is in the details. On the surface, things sound great. Paparo, in his discussion with the erstwhile Washington Post scribe Josh Rogin, has “a number of classified capabilities” on hand to rebuff an attack. That is true. Last week’s low-key roll-out of the ultra-long range SM-6 Air Launched Configuration AIM-174 air-to-air missile is just one of many interesting and secretive tools at Paparo’s fingertips. In the autonomous space, the Defense Department is backing Paparo up with the “Replicator” program, a multi-million-dollar effort to build drone swarms. And, in the field, Ukraine is offering real-time operational lessons in drone-focused combat. At sea, America’s approach to drones has long been a halting, secretive thing, and, as interest heats up, there’s just not enough infrastructure available in the U.S. maritime to really test things out. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has certainly gotten the Pentagon moving, but, in the U.S.—-for things that the military may not want other countries to take the lead on in development and testing-–there’s simply too few ready platforms available to test and trial the blizzard of new gear innovators are generating. See https://lnkd.in/gjdixAiX #AUKUS 🇦🇺🇬🇧🇺🇸

The UK Ministry of Defence requires a supplier of components to support its prime contractor, Babcock Land Defence, with repairing various littoral vehicles for the Royal Marines. Under the framework agreement lasting three years, with an option for two more, the service contract value is anticipated to cost £4.5m ($5.82m). Work is due to begin on 6 January 2025 and end on 5 January 2027. The successful supplier will provide Babcock with resources to remanufacture the amphibious service’s Beach Recovery Vehicles (BRV), Bandvagn 206 (BV206) carriers and Viking units. This range of fast, armoured and amphibious all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) enable the Royal Marines to operate in some of the harshest environments on the planet, from desert regions to the Arctic. Known as the “Hippo,” the BRV is based on the German Leopard 1A5 tank, but with modficiations. The turret is replaced by a superstructure and a nose block has been added to push landing craft off beaches. https://lnkd.in/gNxw6Fv8

Canada has announced it will acquire 12 conventionally-powered submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy. Submarine manufacturers that have publicly expressed interest in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project include Hanwha Ocean, Navantia, Saab and ThyssenKrupp Marine. The announcement does not come as a surprise, as the government formally established the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project office in 2022 with the remit to investigate options for a follow-on submarine capability to replace the existing Victoria-class diesel-electric submarines, of which Canada operates four. These boats are former Upholder-class submarines of the U.K. Royal Navy. Canada purchased them in 1998, with the first arriving in 2000. The Victoria-class boats have experienced significant support and sustainability issues since their induction into service with the RCN and these problems have severely limited the fleet’s operational availability. Of the four boats, only one is typically available at a high readiness rate. Nonetheless, Canada has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to keep its submarine capability alive, thus enabling the service to maintain a cadre of submariners. Canada’s future submarine capability was a highlight of the recent Defence Policy Update titled “Our North, Strong and Free,” which the Canadian government released in April. The policy focuses primarily on the North and Arctic regions of Canada. https://lnkd.in/g2Jzs3ee

China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy Shandong Carrier Strike Group conducted 240 fighter aircraft launches and recoveries and 140 helicopter take-offs and landings over the course of a week operating in the Philippine Sea, according to a Tuesday news release from Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO). Tuesday’s release includes the day of the initial sighting of the Shandong CSG on July 9. Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighter aircraft scrambled in response to the carrier’s fighter launches. https://lnkd.in/e8icDKQG

Known as the Immortals and distinguished by a phoenix on its badge, the squadron, 809 traces its history back to 1941 in various incarnations – mostly in World War 2. The phoenix has risen. For the first time an F-35B Lightning stealth fighter belonging to 809 Naval Air Squadron, flown by an 809 pilot, maintained, dispatched and recovered solely by 809 personnel, has conducted an operational sortie. The squadron stood-up after a four-decade-long absence at the end of last year, joining the RAF’s legendary 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron as one of two front-line formations delivering fifth-generation fighter punch via the nation’s most advanced aircraft… and the sword of the UK’s two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. https://lnkd.in/gUrEvRXb