A landing craft, air cushion, attached to Assault Craft Unit 4, disembarks the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), during a Marine Expeditionary Unit off-load in support of a bilateral training event in Tromsø, Norway, April 12, 2022. U.S. Navy / Chief Mass Communication Specialist Oliver Cole
The Naval Brief: Shipbuilding option; F-35 program setbacks; CH-53K milestone; and more...
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
One plan stands out. Of the three options laid out in the new 30-year shipbuilding plan from the Navy, the one with the higher ship count and larger funding request gets the Navy closest to where it wants the fleet, a Navy official told senators. However, it’s unclear whether the plan is fiscally realistic, especially further into the future.
F-35 hiccups. A Government Accountability Office report says more than a quarter of F-35s in the last five years were delivered late. The report also criticized the Pentagon’s ordering of hundreds of the aircraft despite the technology not being ready, Defense One reports. Now the military faces costly system updates that will not be available for several years.
Flying stallion. The CH-53K King Stallion helicopter reached initial operational capability on April 22, a major step for the heavy lift helicopter that replaces the CH-53E Super Stallion. The helicopter has more range and lift capability than its predecessor and is an important part of Marine Corps aviation, the Marines said. The first helicopter unit is expected to be deployed in 2024.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On May 1, 2004, the First Battle of Fallujah in Iraq ended. Marines withdrew from the city as an Iraqi-led force took over responsibility for going after insurgents.
From Defense One
How Much Can US Howitzers Help Ukraine? // Caitlin M. Kenney and Kevin Baron
Everybody's talking about the fabled long-range guns. Here's why.
It Will Be Years Before Raytheon Can Build New Stinger Missiles // Marcus Weisgerber
The U.S. has been sending its Stingers to Ukrainian forces battling Russia.
What Does Musk's Purchase of Twitter Mean for Disinformation? // Patrick Tucker
His free-speech values could undermine the site's efforts to stem foreign influence operations.
US Looks to Shift Ukraine from Soviet to NATO Weapons // Tara Copp
"It would just be easier if we were using similar systems," said one expert, as U.S. officials mull long–term efforts to resupply Ukraine's arsenal.