The Naval Brief: Hypersonic woes; Marines and vaccines; Afghanistan threats; and more...

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

Hypersonics testing. The latest launches of the Navy and Army’s joint work to develop hypersonic technologies had three successful tests, and a day later, one that failed to get off the ground, following a recent report of a Chinese hypersonic test, Defense One reports. 

Orbital China hypersonics. A U.S. official confirmed to Defense One that the recent launch of a hypersonic missile by China did in fact “circle the globe.” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said in an interview Wednesday that the launch “has all of our attention.”

Bump in the sea. The Navy does not know what an attack submarine traveling in the South China Sea hit that damaged its forward section, U.S. Naval Institute News reported. The USS Connecticut is now undergoing repair assessments in Guam. 

Marine vaccine refusal procedures. Following the Navy’s guidance on the consequences of refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the Marine Corps has issued its own that is similar, but with some distinctions. One is that Marines who are unvaccinated but receive an exemption will be non-deployable and put in other jobs that account for their health risks. 

Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On this day in 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended after Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove 42 intermediate-range nuclear missiles from the island nation and the United States promised not to invade. President John F. Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba after the missile sites were discovered.

From Defense One

Raytheon: Vaccine Mandate Will Likely Add to Supply Chain Disruptions // Marcus Weisgerber: But CEO Greg Hayes says his business will boom if everyone would just get the shot.

Terror Groups in Afghanistan Could Attack US Next Year, Pentagon Policy Chief Says // Jacqueline Feldscher and Patrick Tucker: Kahl says ISIS-K might be able to strike in less than 12 months; AQ in one to two years.

Defense Officials Will Not Attend Global Climate Conference // Jacqueline Feldscher: Former defense officials called it a “missed opportunity.”