Tag Archive for: Base

AUKUS pact expanded to base hypersonic missiles in Australia

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On the eve of calling a federal election, Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week took another critical step to placing Australia on the frontline of US preparations for war against China.

Morrison heralded a major expansion of last September’s AUKUS military pact, an agreement that has bipartisan support from the opposition Labor Party, which is equally committed to the intensifying US military alliance.

In a joint statement, Morrison, US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that the AUKUS treaty between the three governments would be extended to include the development of ­“advanced hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities” and electronic warfare technologies.

The UK Carrier Strike Group 2021, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, departing the UK (credit: Royal Navy/Flickr)

Land-based hypersonic missiles, which would have a range of more than 2,000 kilometres, would be stationed in Australia, while air and sea versions could be deployed on the country’s jet fighters and warships.

This would make Australia an even more crucial base for the US, from which to launch a potential nuclear war against China, which is regarded by Washington as the chief threat to US global dominance.

Hypersonic missiles are capable of travelling at least five times the speed of sound, dramatically reducing the warning time. Coupled with their manoeuvrability, this makes them virtually impossible to intercept. They can carry nuclear warheads.

No price tag was mentioned. But these programs would require the spending of billions more dollars, on top of the near $600 billion already allocated for Australian military weaponry over the current decade.

Bloomberg reported last November, based on internal Pentagon estimates, that the missiles would cost more than $100 million each, adding about $30 billion to spending to develop some 300 missiles, starting this year.

CNN revealed on Wednesday morning that the American military had secretly tested hypersonic missiles last month.

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Security Alert in Coronado After Driver Runs Gate at Base – NBC 7 San Diego

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Officials at Naval Base Coronado said an investigation is underway after a man in a vehicle failed to stop for base security.

The incident occurred at about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, said Navy spokesman Kevin Dixon , who added that the base was locked down for short time while a search was conducted for the missing man.

The driver was located about 20-30 minutes after he passed through the gate and was taken into custody, according to Dixon.

It’s not yet known if the driver will face criminal charges, though Dixon said that, insofar at the preliminary investigation is concerned, nothing more serious than accessing the base was intended by the driver.

Normal operations at the base have resumed, Dixon said.

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97th cyber warriors perform first MDT exercise > Altus Air Force Base > News

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ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. —

The 97th Communications Squadron used its recently built cyber-training range for their Mission Defense Team to participate in its first cyber defense exercise on Sept. 30, 2021. This exercise was in partnership with the U.S. Air National Guard’s 229th Cyberspace Operation Squadron from Vermont. The 229th COS runs a Multi-Application Practical Learning Environment Range, which runs the server for the exercise.   

The objective of the exercise was to detect and block unauthorized or malicious network traffic, while maintaining legitimate traffic and services on the network. Simulated attackers from the 229th COS MAPLE range provided accurate, simulated cyber threats. This was all made possible by the local finished range, which is comprised of five high-performance computer stations capable of running multiple cyber defense scripts at once. The range was built after nine months of waiting for equipment and parts to assist the MDT by providing a centralized location for proper team communication and cyber defense execution.

“At some point, we might get (cyber defense) tasking’s from our headquarters. If we don’t have mission-ready personnel on the base, the base would never really be able to get those taskings,” said Christopher McMall, 97th CS MDT special missions flight director. “This exercise is important for items like the KC-46 (Pegasus) if they have some kind of cyber threat coming against it. This also allows us to integrate into an actual comm exercise a little bit easier.”

Throughout the scheduled range time, members of the 229th COS members monitored the range and provided support to the participants. This training environment helps cyber operators develop some of the hands-on skills they will need as members of MDT and Cyber Protection Teams.

“To give a little background information on the 229th COS, our primary mission since 2003 has been training members of the Total Force,” said Senior Master Sgt. Mark Huntington, 229th COS cyber warfare operations flight chief. “Since our inception, we have offered several informational and cyberspace operations courses, many of which have been pre-requisites for…

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Trump Vetoes Defense Policy Bill Over Base Names, Unrelated Internet Law

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President Trump on Wednesday followed through on his long public threats and vetoed the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, citing complaints with provisions to rename military bases named for Confederate generals and the lack of change to an unrelated law governing Internet companies.

The annual defense policy bill passed by overwhelming, veto-proof margins in both the House and Senate earlier this month. The bill also included several provisions improving federal workers’ paid leave benefits.

The bill includes a technical fix to the paid parental leave program adopted as part of last year’s Defense authorization act, to ensure all federal employees have access to up to 12 weeks of paid time off in connection with the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child.

It also increases the cap on the amount of annual leave federal workers can carry over at the end of this year by 25%. That provision came in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has made it more difficult for employees to use their leave. The waiver of the normal leave cap will not apply to lump sum payments made to employees for unused leave when they exit federal service.

Trump vetoed the bill because of a provision requiring the Pentagon to rename military bases named for Confederate military leaders, and the lack of a provision repealing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law that shields internet companies from liability for what users post online. Although lawmakers in both parties have dismissed this complaint as unrelated to national security, Trump has insisted the NDAA include changes to the law.

“The act fails even to make any meaningful changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, despite bipartisan calls for repealing that provision,” Trump wrote. “Section 230 facilitates the spread of foreign disinformation online, which is a serious threat to our national security and election security. It must be repealed.”

The House has already scheduled votes for next week to override the veto threat, although it is unclear whether Republicans will continue to support the bill’s passage. Earlier this month, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said that…

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