Category: Military

Space Force General: Chinese Satellites ‘Dogfighting’ in Orbit.

The vice chief of the U.S. Space Force said Chinese satellites have been observed rehearsing “dogfighting” maneuvers in low Earth orbit, a display of the communist nation’s ability to perform complex maneuvers in orbit.

The maneuvers, referred to as rendezvous and proximity operations, involve not only navigating around other objects but also inspecting them, the Air Force Times reported Tuesday.

“With our commercial assets, we have observed five different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control,” Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein said Tuesday at the McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington, D.C.

A Space Force spokesperson told the Air Force Times the observation occurred in 2024 and involved three Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two other Chinese experimental spacecraft, the Shijian-605 A and B. The Shijian-6 systems were believed to be on a signals intelligence mission, which could be used to determine the geolocation of a signal’s origin, which helps in identifying the location and movements of adversaries, according to the American Military Institute.

Guetlein’s comments came as the Space Force intensifies efforts to establish dominance in space, both by defending its satellites from enemy attacks and through offensive measures of its own, according to the Air Force Times.

“The purpose of the Space Force is to guarantee space superiority for the joint force — not space for space’s sake,” Guetlein said. “Space [operations] guarantee that, just like all the other domains, we can fight as a joint force, and we can depend on those capabilities.”

Guetlein used the satellite dogfighting demonstration among other concerning activities from “near-peer” U.S. adversaries. That included Russia’s 2019 demonstration of a “nesting doll,” during which a satellite released a smaller spacecraft that then performed several stalking maneuvers near a U.S. satellite.

Such operations indicate the space capability gap between the U.S. military and its closest adversaries is shrinking, a concern Space Force leaders have been raising for years, the Air Force Times reported.

“That capability gap used to be massive,” Guetlein said. “We’ve got to change the way we look at space or that capability gap may reverse and not be in our favor anymore.”

Actually I think the other nations that want to use the Suez canal and Red Sea for commerce should be upping their patrolling too

Head of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been killed, Iraqi prime minister says

BAGHDAD (AP) — The head of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been killed in Iraq in an operation by members of the Iraqi national intelligence service along with U.S.-led coalition forces, the Iraqi prime minister announced Friday.

“The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism,” Prime Minister Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, or “Abu Khadija,” was “deputy caliph” of the militant group and as “one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world,” the statement said.

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On March 11, 1963, US Defense Secretary Robert MacNamara ordered the adoption of the M16 rifle by the US military. Designed by Eugene Stoner, it was a scaled down and improved version of his 7.62 NATO chambered AR-10

They’re spies.
Put them in front of a firing squad and broadcast it live on TikTok
That way they can’t be traded next time the demoncraps are in power.
If they got these, there must be others. Shoot them too.
There’s a war going on, and we’re not fighting it.

The Fall of the USS Gettysburg.

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”

At around 0300, on Sunday, 22 December, the Aegis cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) shot down an F/A-18F preparing to land on USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) while operating in the Red Sea.  The Carrier Strike Group to which each of these units was assigned was an element of the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, assigned to protect Red Sea merchant traffic from Yemen-based Houthi attacks.

First, we all need to understand that there is only one man who knows what happened on that day, and that is the commanding officer of Gettysburg.  Apart from the F/A-18F crew, which possesses a very small but critical piece of the puzzle, everyone else is just an observer, a post-exercise armchair quarterback.  Having said that, while Gettysburg’s captain knows what happened in terms of the detailed, incredibly complex sequence of events, unless the failure was the result of discrete, identifiable human error, he may not, in the immediate aftermath, understand why certain things did happen. For example, if systems or off-ship persons failed to operate as advertised, he wouldn’t know exactly why those systems or persons failed. That level of detail may only be revealed in the post-mortem.

Slowly, those pieces are being put together, and each day more is understood as to what happened. That is a good thing, because this was a combat-level laboratory, in which strengths and weaknesses were on real-world display.  This was a night which should be closely studied, and learned from, against future nights in which the missiles are flying.

Here’s the problem: By the time that the Navy, writ large, understands all the errors and failures that contributed to this particular chain of events, a standard strategy may well have been enacted, i.e., “Nothing to see here, folks.  Move along.”  You see, the Navy doesn’t like to discuss “family business” with taxpayers, who may ask awkward, and potentially embarrassing, questions. It is much easier to pin the tail on one specific, commanding officer donkey.

During the first decade of this century, the commanding officer a ship was referred to, by the staff of Commander Naval Surface Forces, as “the sacrificial captain,” and for good reason.  Holding one person up to the public, as the single point of failure in any specific disaster, forestalls further, probing questions that often don’t have easy answers.

In the end, this may mean that larger systemic issues remain unresolved. Rather, blame is often placed at the door of the ship in question, and everyone else who might have been, in one way or another, complicit, simply moves out of the blast pattern until it’s safe to go back to exactly what they were doing before.

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On this day in 1991, U.S. and Allied warplanes attack Saddam Hussein’s defeated, but not surrendering army as it retreats from Kuwait.
The road becomes known as the “Highway of Death.”

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CENTCOM Forces Kill an Al Qaeda Affiliate, Hurras al-Din, Leader in Northwest Syria

On Feb. 21, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, killing Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, a senior leadership facilitator of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

The airstrike is part of CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond.

“We will relentlessly pursue and destroy terrorist threats, no matter their location, in order to protect our homeland and our allies and partners,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command.⁩

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So, how many times has there actually been NO ONE WHO HAS THE CONSTITUTIONAL POWER to pass orders to the military as part of the NATIONAL COMMAND AUTHORITY, on the job?

I just read an extremely disturbing IG report. Last December, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized and failed to follow the law by notifying the White House or Congress. Similarly, his deputy, Secretary Kathleen Hicks, also refused to follow protocol and report the transfer of authority.

Now, the Inspector General’s report just released reveals that this doesn’t just happen once. Secretary Austin did the same thing again five months later, last June, and he hid it from everyone. Now look, I get it.

People get sick. It happens to all of us, and I sincerely hope Secretary Austin is healthy. But it is dangerous and deeply concerning that our Secretary of Defense left the United States vulnerable when he was completely out of commission.

Not once, but twice, and he didn’t feel the need to tell his boss either time. So, thanks to Joe Biden, we have wars all over the world. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am deeply, deeply disturbed to learn that we have had two significant lapses in the chain of command that have left our country wide open for attack.

Just as you’d expect, there will be zero accountability from the Biden administration. So, thankfully, change is on the way. In five days, President Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as our 47th president, and the Senate will swiftly confirm Pete Hegseth as our next Secretary of Defense.

We will have accountability, accountability and strength in the Pentagon once again, and it can’t come soon enough. God bless.

HONORING A HERO

Supporting the Family of
Sergeant Major Anders T. Johansson

Sergeant Major Anders Johansson proudly served his country for over two decades, enlisting as an infantryman in 2003. His unwavering dedication to duty saw him rise through the ranks within 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group as a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant and then within the United States Army Special Operations Command, where he held numerous leadership positions.

His bravery and commitment were recognized with numerous awards and badges, including a Silver Star, a Purple Heart, eight Bronze Stars, and was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit. Sergeant Major Johansson bravely deployed on multiple occasions in support of combat operations during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation NEW DAWN, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.

Beyond his military service, Sergeant Major Johansson was married to his loving wife, Sarah.  Together, they built a beautiful life filled with laughter and love. They were blessed with four children: Anders, Gunnar, Arete and Eowyn who will forever cherish their father’s memory.

Sergeant Major Johansson will be remembered for his strength, courage, and unwavering devotion to his family and country. His legacy of service and sacrifice will continue to inspire generations to come.

Judicial Watch Sues for Details of Army Labeling Right to Life Groups as Terrorists

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense for details of U.S. Army training materials that designate pro-life organizations or individuals as “terrorists” (Judicial Watch Inc. v U.S. Department of Defense (No 1:24-cv-02895).

Judicial Watch filed suit in the District Court for the District of Columbia after the Department of the Army failed to respond to an August 13, 2024, FOIA request for:

  • All emails of Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, Under Secretary Gabe Camarillo, Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, and/or Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus regarding the designation of pro-life groups or individuals as “terrorists.”

Judicial Watch made a subsequent FOIA request to Special Command Operations, U.S. Army Reserve, Fort Liberty, NC, a component of the Army, for:

  • Records related to the designation of the National Right to Life Committee or any other pro-life organization as “terrorists” in anti-terrorism training materials used by Fort Liberty.
  • All emails of Garrison Commander Col. John Wilcox regarding the designation of pro-life groups as “terrorists” in Army training material.

A photo reportedly circulating on social media shows one slide from a presentation used to train soldiers. The slide, titled “Terrorist Groups,” lists several groups, including National Right to Life and Operation Rescue, and “opponents of Roe v. Wade.” The Army responded to the news report, saying the material had not been vetted correctly. 

“Let’s be blunt – the radical leftist Biden-Harris administration is trying to set our military against conservative American citizens,” Judicial Watch Tom Fitton said. “And that we have had to sue after being denied basic records about the Army’s targeting of pro-life Christians makes the scandal worse.”

In his new book Rights and Freedoms in Peril, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton details a long chain of abuses officials and politicians have made against the American people and calls readers to battle for “the soul and survival of America.” The book details how the progressive movement threatens America’s most venerable institutions, undermining the core principles that make this country a beacon of hope to the world.

 Earlier this month Judicial Watch sued the U.S. Department of Defense for records regarding the U.S. Air Force Academy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plans.

 In June 2024, Judicial Watch sued the Defense Department for records regarding the deletion of the words “Duty, Honor, Country” from the United States Military Academy at West Point’s mission statement.

 In March 2023, records obtained by Judicial Watch from the Department of Defense showed the Air Force Academy has made race and gender instruction a top priority in the training of cadets.

In July 2023, Judicial Watch exposed records from the United States Air Force Academy, a component of the United States Department of Defense, which included instructional materials and emails that address topics such as Critical Race Theory, “white privilege,” and Black Lives Matter. 

In July 2022, Judicial Watch sued the Department of Defense for  records related to the United States Naval Academy (USNA) implementing Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the training of naval recruits.

 In June, Judicial Watch received records revealing Critical Race Theory instruction at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point One training slide contains a graphic titled “MODERN-DAY SLAVERY IN THE USA.” [Emphasis in original]. 

The Lessons of Pearl Harbor, 83 Years Later

Eighty-three years ago today, on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor and other military installations around Oahu. I have a family connection to this event; my father’s uncle was at Hickam Field that day, and later told of standing on the tarmac shooting at Japanese airplanes with a Springfield rifle. He disappeared from the family’s view not long after Pearl Harbor, and came back home in 1946 with a different name and the claim that he couldn’t discuss where he’d been or what he’d been doing, but that’s a story for another day.

A December 7th piece in the Daily Wire recalls the events leading up to the attack, events that should have been a warning:

Several key events foreshadowed the attack in the early morning hours:

  • 6:10 a.m. — The USS Condor, a minesweeper, spots a periscope.
  • 6:45 a.m. — The USS Ward fires on a Japanese submarine, marking the first shot fired by American forces in World War II.
  • 6:53 a.m. — Ward radios Navy HQ, but decoding processes slow down its reception.
  • 7:02 a.m. — Radar station on Oahu spots an unidentified aircraft, but reports are ignored because a B-17 from California was expected to arrive.

We must remember those who served at Pearl Harbor on that day, most especially those who fell.

But while we must remember Pearl Harbor, we must also remember the lesson of Pearl Harbor. We were caught unalert and unprepared, even though there were signs that trouble was brewing in the Pacific. Today, there are also signs of trouble in the Pacific.

Ironically, Japan is now a parliamentary democracy, although they retain their Emperor. Japan is also America’s best ally in the North Pacific. I’ve written often of my travels to Japan and my fondness for that island nation. Even so, we need to remember what a much more militaristic Empire of Japan did to us in 1941 and note that if it can be done to us once, it can be done to us again.

And, like in 1941, we are unalert and unprepared. Our armed forces are not what they were even a few, short years ago. In 1991, we conducted the largest deployment of troops and equipment since World War 2, and did it in a matter of weeks; we then went through what was, then, the largest army in the Middle East like a dose of salts. We were warfighters then, just coming out of the Cold War and the Reagan defense buildup. Now, the military’s senior ranks were purged by Barack Obama, and the military has become a jobs program for the neurotic. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) is the order of the day, not warfighting. If that doesn’t change, we will have set ourselves up again for a surprise attack.

With modern weapons, the Pacific Ocean, while it still makes up nearly a fifth of the planet’s surface, isn’t the protective barrier it was in 1941. China is building up its navy; they were our allies in World War 2, but things have changed a lot since then.

We may very well be subjected to a surprise attack in the Pacific. And again we will not have learned. That’s the lesson of Pearl Harbor. We ignore it at our peril.

He’s back!

At 104, a respected Pearl Harbor veteran returns to Hawaii for a somber anniversary

Ira 'Ike' Schab Jr. is one of the few remaining Pearl Harbor survivors.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A 104-year-old respected war veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor is back in Hawaii.

Ira “Ike” Schab Jr. of Portland touched down in Honolulu Tuesday ahead of the 83rd commemoration the attack on Pearl Harbor. He’s one of the few remaining survivors of that day, and the only one left from the USS Dobbin.

His flight was met with a water cannon salute, and at the gate, sounds of the Navy’s U.S. Pacific Fleet Band filled the air.

“What do you remember from that day?” he was asked.

“Oh, being scared, more than anything else,” he replied. “Wondering about my brothers. Where they were.”

As a musician in the Navy band, Schab was starting a seemingly quiet day when the attack in 1941 began. He quickly sprung into action, feeding ammunition to the gunners.

All these years later, he’s back in the islands to commemorate the solemn anniversary, and the lives of those lost.

“I’m one of the very few left — and they deserve to be recognized and honored,” he added.

For many years, Ike’s family said he didn’t want to return to the islands because the memories of the attack were just too painful.

“It was an embarrassment for a long time,” Ike said about the attack. His son Karl Schab added, “In the time, it was kind of a shock the United States that we were attacked and so the embarrassment was real. And then when I was stationed here, I said, ‘Hey dad, come out and visit.’ He said, ‘No I really don’t have any desire to relive that.’”

However, several years ago during the 75th anniversary, he changed his mind after seeing how few survivors remained.

”He said, ‘As long as I’m able to make the trip, I want to make the trip for the people that can’t make the trip,’” Karl said.

He’s since returned to Pearl Harbor annually. Joining him from Portland this year are 14 of his family members and caregivers.

“It’s a real chicken-skin moment. It’s tearful, it’s so special and meaningful to be a part of that,” John Kim, president of Hawaiian Airlines’ Veterans Employee Network, said.

“It’s important for us as Americans to recognize service men and women like Ike because they helped to shape the foundation of our country and allows us to be free,” Kim added.

The cost to get him to the islands and ensure care is available around the clock is steep, and family members have set up a GoFundMe to help pay for various expenses. It has already raised more than $4,300.

As Ike reflects on the past, his service is celebrated, and the memory of his fellow sailors lives on.

“What do you want your legacy to be remembered by?” he was asked. “That I remembered them. This is a second home,” he said.

Tom Cotton slams ‘partisans and obstructionists’ in DOD reportedly plotting to block Trump plans

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blasted anyone within the Defense Department working to safeguard certain norms or policies that they expect the incoming Trump administration to target.

“It appears that partisans and obstructionists inside the Department of Defense are laying groundwork to defy or circumvent President Trump’s plans for both military and civil-service reform,” Cotton wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in reference to reports of such strategizing among DOD employees.

“These actions undermine civilian control of the military and our constitutional structure of government.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that there were “informal discussions” occurring among Pentagon officials on what the department would do if Trump ordered the military for a domestic purpose or if he fired a significant number of employees, per CNN.

One anonymous defense official was quoted in the report saying, “Troops are compelled by law to disobey unlawful orders.”

“But the question is what happens then – do we see resignations from senior military leaders? Or would they view that as abandoning their people?” they reportedly asked.

President-elect Trump promised during his campaign to shake up the federal government, whether it be through staffing changes or reorganization. Some reports have indicated specific people are being looked at for termination once he enters office again. An ally of Trump, former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, has been vocal about his belief that the federal government must be shrunk in size.

Ramaswamy has been tapped by Trump, along with billionaire business magnate Elon Musk, to lead his planned Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in his new administration. The proposed department has the goal of reducing the size of government, cutting spending and increasing efficiency.

Cotton criticized Lloyd in his letter for “promulgating false claims that the incoming administration plans to arbitrarily fire uniformed leaders.”

Further, he slammed the secretary for a message after the election that the military would specifically follow “lawful orders” from Trump. Cotton said this was “a thinly veiled and baseless insinuation that President Trump will issue unlawful orders.”

“I have to observe that these actions and reports only prove the need for reform and fundamental change at the Department of Defense. And, of course, while inappropriate and annoying, these tactics are also useless because no action by the outgoing administration can limit the incoming president’s constitutional authority as commander-in-chief,” the Arkansas Republican wrote.

Cotton was recently elected to serve as chairman of the Senate Republican conference in the new Congress. He is also expected to take Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s place as the head of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

The DOD did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital for purposes of this story.

Here’s Trump’s Plan to Purge the Pentagon of the Woke Brass

President-elect Donald J. Trump is sending signals to the military brass. They’re going back to protecting our country, killing our enemies, and enhancing our national security. The era of woke nonsense and sensitivity training is over. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Trump’s plans for the Pentagon, alluding to the “chilling” effect it could have on the officer corps, but the president-elect has a mandate and should use it.

The reported executive order would create a “warrior board” of retired generals and other senior personnel who would review the leadership qualities of the officers in question. There’s no re-election effort lingering overhead either, so don’t be shocked if this executive is issued. It’s time to clean house (via WSJ):

The Trump transition team is considering a draft executive order that establishes a “warrior board” of retired senior military personnel with the power to review three- and four-star officers and to recommend removals of any deemed unfit for leadership.

If Donald Trump approves the order, it could fast-track the removal of generals and admirals found to be “lacking in requisite leadership qualities,” according to a draft of the order reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. But it could also create a chilling effect on top military officers, given the president-elect’s past vow to fire “woke generals,” referring to officers seen as promoting diversity in the ranks at the expense of military readiness.

As commander in chief, Trump can fire any officer at will, but an outside board whose members he appoints would bypass the Pentagon’s regular promotion system, signaling across the military that he intends to purge a number of generals and admirals.

The draft order says it aims to establish a review that focuses “on leadership capability, strategic readiness, and commitment to military excellence.” The draft doesn’t specify what officers need to do or present to show if they meet those standards. The draft order originated with one of several outside policy groups collaborating with the transition team, and is one of numerous executive orders under review by Trump’s team, a transition official said.

The warrior board would be made up of retired generals and noncommissioned officers, who would send their recommendations to the president. Those identified for removal would be retired at their current rank within 30 days.

There’s likely to be a media overreaction, and officers who engaged in this DEI/woke nonsense are likely to retire instead of fighting this board. Whatever the reason, I like the blueprint. Let’s see if the administration follows through.