[RYAN ROBERTSON]
HELLO AND WELCOME TO WEAPONS AND WARFARE. FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M YOUR HOST, RYAN ROBERTSON. JUST AHEAD ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE…
FROM RIFLES TO TILT-ROTORS, THE ARMY GOES ON A DESIGNATION SPREE. WE’VE GOT THE DETAILS.
PLUS, THE MORTAR GETS A GLOW-UP. WE CHECK OUT THE SCORPION LIGHT MOBILE MORTAR SYSTEM IN OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK.
AND, FAIRBANKS MORSE DEFENSE IS BRINGING THE PIT STOP TO THE FLEET.
IN OUR COMMS CHECK, SEE HOW THIS INNOVATIVE IDEA IS KEEPING AMERICAN SHIPS ON THE JOB AND OUT OF THE DOCKS.
BUT WE START WITH OUR MAIN STORY, PREPARING FOR CONFLICT IN THE PACIFIC.
IT’S A SUBJECT WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE. AS CHINA CONTINUES TO GROW ITS MILITARY STRENGTH AND MAKE BOLD MOVES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS WORKING TO KEEP CHINA’S INFLUENCE IN CHECK AND ENSURE EVERYONE CAN OPERATE FREELY IN THE WATERS OF THE PACIFIC.
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE’VE TRAVELED TO AURORA, COLORADO, WASHINGTON D.C., SEVERAL TIMES, AND TAMPA, FLORIDA. EACH TIME HEARING FROM DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF THE MILITARY ABOUT THE ISSUES THEY’RE FACING. WHILE MANY OF THOSE ISSUES ARE UNIQUE TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL SERVICES, SOME, LIKE CHINA, ARE UNIVERSAL. THERE’S A RECOGNITION AMONG SENIOR LEADERSHIP, LIKE LIEUTENANT GENERAL STEPHEN SKLENKA, THAT THEIR TROOPS WILL LIKELY BE TESTED IN A WAY THEY HAVEN’T BEEN BEFORE.
[STEPHEN SKLENKA]
NONE OF US WEARING A UNIFORM TODAY HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED A TIME WHEN YOU’VE HAD TO OPERATE, WHERE YOU WERE CHALLENGED IN THE STRATEGIC DOMAINS AND IN THE OPERATIONAL DOMAINS. WE’VE ALWAYS HAD UNFETTERED ACCESS IN THE GLOBAL COMMONS. THAT’S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC, AND THAT’S A SIGNIFICANT PIECE. THAT’S WHAT REALLY DRAWS JUST A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE’RE HAVING, NOT JUST IN THE MARINE CORPS, BUT I THINK WITHIN THE JOINT FORCE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THE THREAT PRESENTED BY CHINA IN THE PACIFIC IS MORE THAN A TALKING POINT FOR AMERICAN MILITARY LEADERSHIP. IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD, CHINA’S PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY HAS GROWN IN SIZE AND STATURE. WHILE EXACT NUMBERS ARE HARD TO PIN DOWN, CHINA’S NAVY IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE A FLEET OF APPROXIMATELY 370 SURFACE SHIPS AND SUBMARINES, WITH A TOTAL PERSONNEL STRENGTH OF 384,000. FOR THE DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE U.S. PACIFIC FLEET, VICE ADMIRAL BLAKE CONVERSE, THOSE NUMBERS ALIGN WITH WHAT HE’S SEEING IN THE PACIFIC THEATER.
[BLAKE CONVERSE]
WHEN I WAS A YOUNG OFFICER DRIVING SUBMARINES ACROSS THE PACIFIC, ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO, YOU COULD DRIVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC THROUGH THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, THROUGH THE ANDAMAN SEA AND INTO THE INDIAN OCEAN, AND IT WAS VERY UNLIKELY THAT YOU WOULD SEE A CHINESE WARSHIP, CHINESE AIRCRAFT OR CHINESE SUBMARINE DURING THE ENTIRE TRANSIT. TODAY, ON ANY GIVEN DAY, ON OUR COMMON OPERATING PICTURE, THERE WILL BE OVER 100 CHINESE WARSHIPS, SUBMARINES AND AUXILIARIES OPERATING IN THE INDO-PACIFIC WATERS.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE PACIFIC THEATER PRESENTS SUCH A UNIQUE CHALLENGE IS THE SIZE OF IT ALL. SOMETHING VICE ADMIRAL ANDREW TIONGSON ACKNOWLEDGED AT SEA, AIR, SPACE 2025.
[ANDREW TIONGSON]
I THINK YOU TALKED ABOUT THE AOR THAT I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS VAST. IT’S ABOUT 74 MILLION SQUARE MILES. IT’S GOT OVER 70 NATIONS THAT ARE IN IT. I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IT, FROM POLAR BEARS TO PENGUINS, FROM HOLLYWOOD TO BOLLYWOOD, AND A LITTLE BIT MORE, TO THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA. SO IT’S PRETTY WIDE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY, ONE PLACE WHERE THE JOINT FORCES ARE LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IS THE MIDDLE EAST, WHERE THE U.S. IS FENDING OFF THREATS BY THE IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHIS WITH TROOPS STATIONED AT SEA AND ON LAND. SOMETHING GENERAL KEVIN SCHNEIDER, COMMANDER PACIFIC AIR FORCES, SPOKE ABOUT AT THIS YEAR’S WARFARE SYMPOSIUM.
[KEVIN SCHNEIDER]
WE’RE CONTINUING TO FIND WAYS, YOU KNOW, TAKING THOSE LESSONS FROM BASE DEFENSE TO BE ABLE TO GO, ALL RIGHT, WHAT DO EACH OF THE COMPONENTS BRING TO THE FIGHT? AND RECOGNIZE, AT LEAST IN THE INDO-PACIFIC, THE AIR FORCE AND THE ARMY ARE PROBABLY GOING TO POWER PROJECT FROM LAND. SO ARE THERE CAPABILITIES THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR FORMATIONS? ARE THERE CAPABILITIES WE HAVE IN OUR FORMATIONS THAT WE CAN BUILD ON THIS? AND THAT’S, YOU KNOW, INCUMBENT UPON HAVING A COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS SYSTEMS AND CAPABILITIES TO PLUG INTO THAT QUICKLY.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THAT INTER-SERVICE CAPABILITY IS SOMETHING NOW RETIRED ARMY GENERAL, AND FORMER COMMANDER OF THE U.S. ARMY PACIFIC, CHARLES FLYNN TALKED ABOUT LAST OCTOBER AT AUSA.
[CHARLES FLYNN]
WE CONCEDE NO DOMAIN IN THE PACIFIC. WE CAN’T LOSE IN ANY ONE OF THEM. SO THE STRENGTH THAT WE HAVE TO APPLY, NOT JUST IN THE AIR DOMAIN, NOT JUST IN THE MARITIME DOMAIN, NOT JUST THE SPACE AND CYBER DOMAIN, THERE IS ALSO STRENGTH THAT’S REQUIRED IN THE LAND DOMAIN TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THESE THINGS AND THE INTERDEPENDENCIES OF THE JOINT FORCE. THEY’RE RELIANT UPON LAND FORCES BRINGING THESE THINGS TOGETHER.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
WHILE THE NUMBER DOES VARY, ACCORDING TO RECENT ESTIMATES, THE U.S. MILITARY HAS APPROXIMATELY 350,000 PERSONNEL STATIONED IN THE PACIFIC REGION. WITH THE LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF TROOPS IN JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA, WITH SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS ALSO STATIONED IN GUAM AND HAWAII. AND THE ONE THING THEY ALL DEPEND ON TO STAY MISSION-READY IS SPACE. A FACTOR NOT LOST ON BRIGADIER GENERAL ANTHONY MASTALIR, COMMANDER OF U.S. SPACE FORCES INDO-PACIFIC.
[ANTHONY MASTALIR]
WE NEED TO ESTABLISH SPACE SUPERIORITY FIRST. AND THE REASON WHY THAT’S A CHALLENGE FOR US IN THE INDO-PACIFIC IS EXACTLY BECAUSE CHINA IS RACING TOWARD PARITY IN THOSE OTHER DOMAINS. SO THE OTHER COMPONENTS—THE AIR DOMAIN, THE MARITIME DOMAIN, THE LAND DOMAIN—DEPEND ON THE SPACE FORCE MORE THAN EVER TO PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING THE JOINT FORCE FROM SPACE-ENABLED ATTACK.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
AS CHINA CONTINUES BUILDING UP ITS NAVY, ITS IMPACT ON STABILITY IN THE PACIFIC REGION IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT. IT’S ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WHY AMERICAN MILITARY LEADERSHIP SAYS IT’S CRUCIAL FOR THE U.S. AND ALLIED NATIONS TO COME TOGETHER AND RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN THE PACIFIC.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
TIME NOW FOR SOME HEADLINES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED.
THE U.S. ARMY HAS GONE ON A NAMING SPREE, ANNOUNCING THE FUTURE LONG-RANGE ASSAULT AIRCRAFT WILL BE CALLED THE M-V-75, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE V-280 VALOR. THE “M” INDICATES IT’S DESIGNATED FOR MULTI-MISSION USE, ESPECIALLY FOR SPECIAL FORCES AND ATTACK OPERATIONS. THE FIRST MV-75s WILL BE FIELDED BY THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION, WITH DELIVERIES EXPECTED IN 2028.
AND THE ARMY HAS REMOVED THE “X” FROM THE WEAPONS DESIGNATED FOR THEIR CLOSE COMBAT TROOPS. OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZING THEIR NEWEST RIFLE AND AUTOMATIC RIFLE AS THE M7 AND M250.
BOTH WEAPONS HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED, CONFIRMING THEY MEET THE ARMY’S STANDARDS FOR PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY. SIG SAUER, THE MANUFACTURER, DISPUTED CLAIMS THAT THE M7 IS “UNFIT FOR USE,” EMPHASIZING THEIR THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE RIFLE.
THE NUCLEAR TRIAD IS IN NEED OF MODERNIZATION. THAT’S THE WORD FROM AIR FORCE GENERAL THOMAS BUSSIERE, COMMANDER OF THE AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND. TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF AN ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE, BUSSIERE POINTED TO CHINA AND RUSSIA, WHO POSSESS MODERN AND DIVERSE ARSENALS, ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL OF A NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN, AS REASONS TO PUSH TOWARDS MODERNIZATION.
[THOMAS BUSSIERE]
THERE IS NO OPERATIONAL MARGIN REMAINING AND OUR RESOURCES CONTINUE TO BE STRETCHED, IMPACTING THE READINESS AND WELL-BEING OF OUR DEDICATED AIRMEN. TODAY, I REQUEST YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS WE CONFRONT THESE PRESSING CHALLENGES WHILE UPHOLDING OUR NATION’S SECURITY.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
GENERAL BUSSIERE ALSO DETAILED THE NEED FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF INITIATIVES LIKE UPGRADES TO INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES, THE B-21 RAIDER, THE B-52 STRATOFORTRESS BOMBERS, AND THE NUCLEAR COMMAND, CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.
NORTH KOREA SAYS IT’S LAUNCHING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FAILED LAUNCH OF ITS SECOND NAVAL DESTROYER, WHICH KIM JONG UN BLAMED ON CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.
THE 5,000-TON WARSHIP WAS DAMAGED WHEN A TRANSPORT CRADLE DETACHED, LEAVING IT MOSTLY SUBMERGED. STATE MEDIA REPORTED THE DAMAGE IS REPAIRABLE, NOTING SCRATCHES AND SOME SEAWATER IN THE STERN, BUT DENIED CLAIMS OF HULL HOLES.
THE DAMAGED SHIP IS BELIEVED TO BE IN THE SAME CLASS AS NORTH KOREA’S FIRST DESTROYER, RECENTLY UNVEILED AND CLAIMED TO CARRY NUCLEAR WEAPONS. ANALYSTS CONSIDER IT THE NORTH’S LARGEST AND MOST ADVANCED WARSHIP, LIKELY BUILT WITH RUSSIAN ASSISTANCE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
FOR MORE THAN 500 YEARS, THE MORTAR HAS BEEN PART OF ANY MILITARY’S OFFENSIVE ASSAULT PLANS.
WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN TECHNOLOGICAL LEAPS AND IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE DECADES, THE BASIC FUNCTION HAS REMAINED LARGELY THE SAME. DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE MORTAR, THE NUMBER OF TROOPS NEEDED TO OPERATE VARIES BETWEEN THREE AND SEVEN. BUT AS YOU’LL SEE IN OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, THAT’S CHANGING.
MEET THE SCORPION MOBILE MORTAR SYSTEM.
BUILT BY GLOBAL ORDINANCE. THEY CALL IT THE WORLD’S FASTEST AUTOMATED AND FULLY DIGITAL MORTAR SYSTEM. THIS IS AN 81 MILLIMETER MORTAR MOUNTED ONTO A POLARIS SIX BY SIX M-RAZOR. IT’S PART OF A FAMILY OF SYSTEMS BUILT TO BRING AN IMPROVED SHOOT-AND-SCOOT CAPABILITY TO AMERICAN TROOPS.
[JAMES KNIGHT]
THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW HAS 48 ROUNDS ON IT, AND IT CAN EMPLACE AND DISPLACE IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE SYSTEM CAN BE SET OFF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, STOPPED THE MORTAR, SET ON THE GROUND, ABLE TO FIRE IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS IN PLACE, BACK ONTO THE VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, AND MOVE OUT WITHOUT THE ENEMY EVEN KNOWING THAT YOU WERE THERE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
AS JAMES KNIGHT, GLOBAL ORDINANCE’S SENIOR MANAGER FOR DEFENSE SYSTEMS AND ENERGETICS, TELLS US, THEY SEE IT AS AN EVOLUTIONARY LEAP THAT CAN KEEP PACE WITH THE NEEDS OF TODAY’S WARFIGHTERS.
[JAMES KNIGHT]
TRADITIONAL MORTARS HAVE A SPADED BASE PLATE, WHICH ACTUALLY DIGS INTO THE GROUND. THOSE SPADES ARE THERE TO STABILIZE THE SYSTEM AND TAKE THE SHOCK RECOIL PROFILE AND PUSH IT INTO THE GROUND. THIS SYSTEM HAS A REVOLUTIONARY STYLE BASE PLATE, WHICH IS A NON-SEEDING BASE PLATE, SO IT’S ABLE TO FIRE FROM CONCRETE AND ALL DIFFERENT SURFACES AND TERRAINS. THERE’S NO OTHER BASE PLATE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD, AND WE FEEL LIKE IT HELPS THE SYSTEM BE ABLE TO EMPLOY IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THE SCORPION ALSO REQUIRES JUST A TWO-MAN CREW, SO TROOPS ARE LITERALLY DOING MORE WITH LESS. WHAT’S MORE, IT’S FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP OPERATORS OUT OF HARM’S WAY OF COUNTERBATTERY FIRE.
[JAMES KNIGHT]
SO COUNTERBATTERY FIRE JUST MEANS ONCE YOU SHOOT THE SYSTEM AND THE ROUNDS ARE UP IN THE AIR, THEY CAN DETECT WHERE YOU’RE AT BEFORE YOU CAN LEAVE. SO WHAT THIS DOES? IT ALLOWS THEM TO EMPLACE THE SYSTEM IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, SHOOT MORE THAN TWO ROUNDS—REALLY, EIGHT ROUNDS IN TWO MINUTES—AND BE GONE IN LESS THAN THREE MINUTES OFF OF THAT FIRING POINT. BEFORE THOSE ROUNDS EVEN LAND, THEY’LL BE MOVING ON INTO A SAFE POSITION BEFORE ANY COUNTER FIRE CAN ENGAGE THEM.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THE REAL SECRET SAUCE TO MAKING THE SCORPION A WEAPON THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS SITTING IN THE DASHBOARD. IT’S EQUIPPED WITH A MODERN FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT ENABLES AUTO-AIMING, RE-AIMING, AND SEQUENCED IN-ZONE TARGETING.
USERS CAN SELECT UP TO 1,000 PRE-MISSION TARGETS OR ADD NEW ONES ON THE FLY USING AN INTERACTIVE MAP THAT SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES DATA FROM FORWARD OBSERVERS, HEADQUARTERS, OR DRONES. AND OH YEAH, IT’S HIGHLY ADAPTABLE.
[JAMES KNIGHT]
IT CAN GO ON ANY PLATFORM. SO BEHIND ME RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ONE ON THE ISB, WHICH IS A GM DEFENSE VEHICLE, THE POLARIS SIX BY SIX, AND ALSO OVER HERE ON THE HUMVEE. SO IF IT CAN CARRY THE SYSTEM ITSELF, IT CAN GO ON IT. WELL, TOYOTA HILUX, IT CAN GO ON A SMALL VEHICLE, A LARGE VEHICLE, ANYTHING. WE WILL TAILOR THE SOLUTION TO THAT.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
WHILE THE D-O-D HASN’T YET INKED A DEAL FOR THE SCORPION SYSTEM, SEVERAL ENTITIES HAVE—INCLUDING SAUDI ARABIA, WHICH HAS TAKEN DELIVERY OF 100 ALAKRAN UNITS, A VARIANT OF THE SCORPION, MOUNTED ON TOYOTA LAND CRUISERS. AND UKRAINE OPERATES EIGHT OF THE MORTAR SYSTEMS INTEGRATED INTO THE REAR OF BARS-8 4X4 APCs.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
IT’S A PROBLEM WE’VE COVERED AT LENGTH HERE AT WEAPONS AND WARFARE.
THE U.S. NAVY IS REALLY UP AGAINST SOME TOUGH CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING ITS FLEET IN TOP SHAPE. BUT A LONG-TIME INDUSTRY PARTNER HAS SOMETHING THEY THINK COULD BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER, AND THAT’S THE SUBJECT OF THIS WEEK’S COMMS CHECK.
IT’S NO SECRET THE NAVY IS DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE OF SPARE PARTS, NOT ENOUGH STAFF, AND SOME OLDER SYSTEMS THAT JUST AREN’T CUTTING IT ANYMORE. ADDED TOGETHER AND ALL OF THESE ISSUES MAKE IT HARD TO CARRY OUT REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.
ENTER FAIRBANKS MORSE DEFENSE AND “THE PIT STOP.” UNLIKE A PIT STOP IN MOTORSPORTS, WHERE THE DRIVER AND CAR COME IN FOR WORK, F-M-D IS TAKING THE SHOP TO THE SHIP.
[KEITH HASSL]
WE, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS AT NAVSEA, DEVELOPED A CONCEPT THAT COULD BRING THAT WORK—THE DIESEL MAINTENANCE WORK—INTO A C-MAP, INTO A VERY SHORT WINDOW OF TIME. WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THAT IS ALL THE PARTS, ALL OF THE TOOLS, ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND ALL THE PROCESSES TO COME TOGETHER IN A VERY ORGANIZED FASHION, SO THAT YOU HAVE A GAME PLAN ON DAY ONE. SO YOU’RE NOT DOING TRADITIONAL, OPEN AND INSPECT AND INCREMENTAL DISCOVERY. YOU’RE COMING IN, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO, AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THE IDEA IS TO TREAT MAINTENANCE LIKE A PIT STOP IN A RACE, WHERE EFFICIENCY IS KEY TO GETTING BACK IN ACTION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
[KEITH HASSL]
WE BRING ALL THE MANDATORY REPLACEMENT PARTS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE ACTIVITIES WE PLAN. WE’RE ALSO BRINGING CONTINGENCY PARTS ALONG FOR THE THINGS THAT MIGHT BITE YOU WHEN YOU GET INTO THE PROCESS. AND HOW WE DO THAT THEN, IS, INSTEAD OF SENDING A REPORT UP AND WAITING FOR A RESPONSE EVERY DAY, WE MEET WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS AND WE TALK ABOUT THOSE AND WE CAN APPROVE IT THAT FAST, AND WE CAN MOVE THAT FAST SO EVERYTHING’S ADJUDICATED IN REAL TIME, AND IT ALLOWS US TO KEEP MOVING.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE NAVY IS THIS ISN’T THEORETICAL—IT’S ALREADY TAKING PLACE.
[KEITH HASSL]
WE DID OUR VERY FIRST ONE IN JANUARY OF 2024, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. WE’VE DONE EIGHT OF THEM NOW, ON SHIP SERVICE DIESEL GENERATORS AND MAIN PROPULSION DIESEL ENGINES ON LSDs. SO THEY UNDERSTAND IT. I THINK THE FLEET’S REALLY HAPPY WITH THE TURNAROUND TIME. I THINK THEY’RE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE READINESS. I KNOW NAVSEA IS HAPPY, AND I KNOW THAT WE’RE HAPPY BECAUSE WE’RE GETTING IN, WE’RE SOLVING A PROBLEM, AND WE’RE GETTING OFF AND THE SHIP GOES RIGHT BACK OUT TO SEA.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
FROM AN OBSERVER’S VIEWPOINT, FMD’S CONCEPT LEANS INTO THE PRINCIPLE OF PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE, WHERE THE FOCUS IS NOT JUST ON FIXING PROBLEMS AS THEY ARISE BUT ANTICIPATING AND PREVENTING THEM BEFORE THEY AFFECT OPERATIONAL READINESS.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALRIGHT FOLKS, THAT’S GOING TO JUST ABOUT DO IT FOR US THIS WEEK ON WEAPONS AND WARFARE. IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SAW AND WANT TO SEE MORE OF OUR REPORTING—PLEASE BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY, AND DON’T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS.
YOU CAN ALSO LEAVE US A COMMENT THERE, AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS…AND IT’S FROM THE COMMENT SECTION THAT I FOUND THIS WEEK’S WRAP TOPIC…THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND OUR SHOW IS CALLED WEAPONS AND WARFARE, SO THAT WILL NATURALLY LEAD TO SOME PEOPLE THINKING WE’RE SHILLS FOR THE SAME COMPLEX OF ORGANIZATIONS PRESIDENT EISENHOWER WARNED ABOUT IN HIS 1961 FAREWELL ADDRESS TO CONGRESS.
BUT—I WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THE TRUTH—THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX DOESN’T REALLY EXIST…AT LEAST NOT IN THE FORM OF THE BOOGEYMAN EISENHOWER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE…WHERE A SELECT GROUP OF RICH AND POWERFUL MILITARY-MINDED INDIVIDUALS CONTROL VIRTUALLY ALL ASPECTS OF A SOCIETY.
YES, U.S. DEFENSE CONTRACTORS AND HIGH-LEVEL MILITARY OFFICERS WIELD POWER AND INFLUENCE—BUT THEY AREN’T EXACTLY SHAPING GOVERNMENT POLICY IN THEIR FAVOR.
IF THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX WERE REAL—THE U.S. NAVY WOULDN’T HAVE A PROBLEM BUILDING SHIPS. THE AIR FORCE WOULDN’T NEED TO DECIDE BETWEEN UPGRADING ITS FIGHTERS OR ITS ICBMS. AND THERE CERTAINLY WOULDN’T BE WORKER SHORTAGES AT SO MANY KEY POINTS IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS.
YOU KNOW WHO DOES HAVE A MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX? RUSSIA, ABSOLUTELY. AND CHINA…TWO OF THE U.S.’ BIGGEST ADVERSARIES. RUSSIA’S ECONOMY IS SO DEPENDENT ON WAR RIGHT NOW, PUTIN CAN’T AFFORD TO STOP THE FIGHTING…THAT’S WHY PRESIDENT TRUMP ACCUSED THE DESPOT OF PLAYING WITH FIRE. AND CHINA’S MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IS SO PERVASIVE—EVEN COMPANIES LIKE TIKTOK ARE ULTIMATELY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE NATION’S MILITARY LEADERS.
THE POINT IS—JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE M-I-C IN THE U.S.A. DOESN’T MEAN IT’S REAL. AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, THE TRUTH IS MORE LAYERED AND NUANCED.
FOR SENIOR PRODUCER BRETT BAKER, VIDEO EDITOR BRIAN SPENCER AND GRAPHICS ARTIST DAKOTA PITEO, I’M RYAN ROBERTSON WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS SIGNING OFF.
