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21 Nov 24. Austin Meets With Southeast Asian Counterparts, Charts Vision for Enhanced Regional Cooperation.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III laid out a new Defense Department vision for ensuring a prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific through enhanced collaboration among Southeast Asian nations as he met with key defense leaders today in Vientiane, Laos.
The release of the Defense Vision Statement for a Prosperous and Secure Southeast Asia caps Austin’s two-day series of engagements with regional counterparts as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Minsters’ Meeting-Plus.
The blueprint calls for investments aimed at securing domain awareness across air, maritime and cyber and information domains as a first step to enabling defense and building capacity to respond to illegal intrusions and coercion in the region.
In the air domain, the U.S. will continue its ongoing efforts to improve regional partners’ ability to detect and identify activity within their sovereign airspace and incorporate that information across their government information systems.
The U.S. will also enhance its engagement with the ADMM Cybersecurity Information Centre of Excellence through tabletop exercises designed to identify gaps in regional responses to cyber threats.
Additionally, the U.S. will amplify efforts to use commercially available technology and identify areas for cooperation among partners to expand maritime domain awareness throughout the region.
The vision statement also proposes expanded cooperation between the U.S. and Southeast Asian allies and partners through multilateral exercises.
Yesterday, Austin announced that ASEAN member states approved a second iteration of a U.S.-led maritime exercise with ASEAN countries, which was first held in 2019.
This exercise adds to a comprehensive series of exercises alongside Southeast Asian partners throughout the Indo-Pacific including Exercise Balikatan, an annual bilateral exercise between the U.S. and the Philippines, Exercise Cobra Gold, a multinational exercise co-hosted by the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the U.S., and Exercise Super Garuda Shield, a longstanding bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Indonesia that has grown to include partners throughout the region.
Additionally, the vision statement lays out continued efforts to offer educational and training opportunities for ASEAN partners, including through the Emerging Defense Leadership Program, which the U.S. began hosting last year.
As part of the program, ASEAN countries nominate representatives who, once selected, attend trainings in person in Hawaii and virtually.
Other lines of effort identified as part of the vision statement include defense industrial and institutional capacity building among ASEAN countries and defense mitigation of climate impacts to the region.
The road map underscores Austin’s continued commitment to strengthening cooperation with ASEAN member states and partners across the Indo-Pacific throughout his tenure.
“It’s great to be back at the ADMM-Plus for my fourth time as secretary,” Austin told reporters yesterday after holding his first day of talks at the forum.
“Being here is a priority and a sign of strong support for ASEAN’s central role in regional security,” he said. “Engagement with ASEAN is focused on practical cooperation and mutual respect, and that includes training the next generation of leaders and tackling emerging challenges and deepening maritime cooperation.”
Austin’s visit to Laos marks the second-to-last stop on his 12th trip to the Indo-Pacific since taking office as he continues to build upon the strong partnerships forged under his tenure throughout the United States’ priority theater of operations.
Austin’s final stop is in Fiji, marking the first visit to the country by a U.S. defense secretary.
While there, Austin will meet with Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa.
The secretary is expected to announce that the U.S. and Fiji will begin negotiations on a Status of Forces Agreement that will empower the two countries to work more closely together. (Source: U.S. DoD)
21 Nov 24. SAAF and Navy ‘hardly operational’ as SANDF performance declines. The South African Navy and Air Force have, due to a lack of maintenance and funding, seen key assets become less productive, resulting in a decline in time at sea and hours flown. This has resulted in a Navy and Air Force that are hardly operational, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has said.
SCOPA’s comments come after receiving a briefing on 19 November from the Auditor General (AG) on the 2023/24 financial year audit outcomes of the Department of Defence (DoD) and the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) as well as Denel.
On the decline in hours flown by the SA Air Force (SAAF) and hours spent at sea by the SA Navy, the AG presentation to SCOPA has it this impacted on training and development with the loss of aircrew currency in the Air Force. Not achieving these – and other – targets points to deteriorating capabilities.
“The SA Navy and SA Air Force have seen a decline in the number of hours their key assets have been productive, with vessels spending 2 641.47 hours at sea in 2023-24 from a high of 11 081.7 in 2013-14 and aircraft flying a total of 711.9 hours for force employment in 2023-24 from a high of 11 696.71 in 2012-13,” the Auditor General noted.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the Air Force only flew 6 904 hours instead of the target of 12 000 per year and the Navy spent 2 641 hours at sea instead of the 8 000 targeted hours, as set out in its annual performance plan. The decline in the available budget to make repairs and maintenance on the existing vessels and aircraft is one of the root causes for failure to meet the targets, which has resulted in a Navy and Air Force that is hardly operational, SCOPA said in a statement following the Auditor General briefing.
“The decline in available capabilities has had an impact on training and development, with several aircrew staff losing their currencies. The decline can be attributable to the reduction in Armscor Dockyard’s capacity as well as the challenges at Denel, which have led to a significant increase in their backlog,” the Auditor General found.
Missing targets mean the DoD, through the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), “might not meet its obligations to SADC [Southern African Development Community] and the maritime borders of the Republic might not be secure, resulting in increased illicit activities in the country’s sea border.”
At year-end, 62.5% of SANDF commitments were unfunded. This includes the deployment of SANDF personnel to the SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo through Operation Thiba, the AG pointed out.
Reserve force utilisation (3.2m achieved in 2023/24 vs 1.9m planned) exceeded the planned reserve force man-days due to an increase in capacity to support current military operations and protection.
“The lack of funding and the deteriorating state of the department’s capabilities was evidenced in the non-achievement of planned targets on the number of flying hours and the number of sea hours. Procurement delays for prime mission equipment, such as drones and troop packs, that can be used as a force multiplier for border safeguarding continue to negatively impact the effective service delivery of border controls. Given the decline in available air capabilities, the department has had to charter private aircraft to meet some of its day-to-day activities,” the AG presentation said.
After these and other concerning findings, SCOPA said it will call Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga to respond.
(Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
21 Nov 24. U.S. Department of Defense Vision Statement for a Prosperous and Secure Southeast Asia. The United States aims to support a Southeast Asian region free of coercion where safety, security, sovereignty, self-determination, and prosperity are shepherded by ASEAN centrality. U.S. defense cooperation with Southeast Asian allies and partners, centered on ASEAN and its member states, seeks to empower the region through practical cooperation on building capabilities, exchanging expertise, ensuring free trade, and bolstering sovereignty, all underscored with collaboration and mutual respect.
The United States has worked closely with ASEAN on defense and security in the Indo-Pacific region since former Defense Secretary Robert Gates attended the inaugural ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in 2010. And at every ADMM-Plus since, a U.S. Secretary of Defense has attended and supported ASEAN. As we mark the fifteenth anniversary of the ADMM-Plus in 2025, we reflect on the ties of friendship and cooperation among our countries and those who defend us. The United States welcomes a strong ASEAN that speaks with a powerful voice on key issues and plays a leading role in upholding shared principles and international law. These aspirations, as articulated in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, envision ASEAN playing a central role in ensuring peace, security, stability, and prosperity for the peoples across the Indo-Pacific. The principles on which the Outlook is based are complimentary with those in the United States’ Indo-Pacific Strategy, which seeks to promote sovereignty, transparency, good governance, and a rules-based international order in conjunction with our allies and partners.
The United States’ vision for defense capacity building reflects the history of U.S. investment in the Indo-Pacific’s regional security architecture, which has supported the sovereignty, self-determination, and defense capabilities of Southeast Asian countries. Since 2005, the United States has:
• Elevated the U.S.-ASEAN relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023, under the leadership of President Biden.
• Delivered more than $17bn in foreign military sales to ASEAN Member States, providing world-class capabilities to address our partners’ security needs.
• Conducted 40 bilateral and multilateral exercises with Southeast Asian nations on an annual basis, representing a commitment of 30,000 forces to support our partners’ readiness and interoperability.
• Provided world-class professional military education to more than 76,000 students from Southeast Asia since 2005, advancing people-to-people ties and partner capabilities.
• Provided a maritime common operating picture and enhanced the maritime operational capabilities of seven ASEAN Member States through more than $475 m via the Maritime Security Initiative since 2016.
• Trained together with regional allies and partners to respond to natural disasters and operated together in real-world relief efforts in their wake.
Key Lines of Effort
Building on this robust base of defense cooperation, the United States seeks to advance the collective capacity of ASEAN and individual Southeast Asian nations by investing in the following areas:
• Domain Awareness and Defense: Securing domain awareness, whether in the air, maritime, cyber space, or information environment — is a foundational aspect of supporting Southeast Asian allies and partners’ sovereignty. It is the first step to enabling domain defense, including the capacity to respond to illegal intrusions and coercion. The United States will advance Southeast Asian nations’ capacity building in domain awareness through the following programs:
o Air: The United States will continue ongoing efforts to improve the capability of Southeast Asian partners to detect and identify activity within their sovereign airspace, including their Economic Exclusion Zones and Air Defense Identification Zones; fuse that information within their government information systems; and exercise their sovereign authorities, commitments to international agreements, and their ability to share the information regionally.
o Cyber: The United States will enhance engagement with the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) in Singapore through programs including table-top exercises to identify capacity gaps in regional response to cyber threats and training courses for cyber security professionals.
o Maritime: The United States will enhance maritime capacity building programs with a focus on using commercially available technologies to expand maritime domain awareness, continuous presence, and scientific research through unmanned systems complemented by artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to maximize awareness. Experts on maritime domain awareness will identify opportunities to support regional cooperation and synergies in this area, enabling Southeast Asian partners to protect their maritime territories more effectively under international law.
• Exercises: In addition to the annual comprehensive calendar of bilateral and multilateral exercises undertaken alongside Southeast Asian allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including BALIKATAN, COBRA GOLD, and SUPER GARUDA SHIELD, the United States will convene a second ASEAN-U.S. maritime exercise in 2025. We will also work to develop targeted capabilities through U.S. participation in the ADMM-Plus Expert Working Groups and related training exercises. Finally, we will work to expand the cooperation of Southeast Asian allies and partners through multilateral exercises and activities, building interoperability and relationships that promote resilience and peace.
• Education and Training: The United States will continue to offer a broad range of training and educational opportunities to ASEAN partners, with the Emerging Defense Leaders’ Program — which supports the professional development of young Southeast Asian defense officials — as a core offering. These specialized courses exist in addition to longstanding International Military Education and Training (IMET) courses for Southeast Asian ally and partner military officers and defense civilians. Furthermore, the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program — executed through the National Guard Bureau — has created lasting partnerships between the United States and six Southeast Asian nations.
• Defense Industrial Capacity Building: In addition to security assistance, the United States will work to promote the defense industrial capacity of our Southeast Asian partners by leveraging government, academic, and industry engagements to deepen collaboration and promote mutually beneficial investments toward a more robust and integrated defense industrial base. These activities may include components such as science and technology demonstrations, academic exchanges and workshops, and industry prize challenges.
• Defense Institutional Capacity Building: The United States supports the development of ASEAN’s institutional capacity through robust participation in ADMM-Plus Expert Working Groups (EWGs). Between 2011-2013, the United States served successively as a co-chair for the Counterterrorism, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, and Maritime Security EWGs, upholding international rules and norms focused on practical cooperation with ASEAN partners. In 2024, the United States became co-chair of the Military Medicine EWG with Indonesia, increasing medical expertise and incorporating the application of Women, Peace, and Security principles in partners’ defense planning and operations. Additionally, our Ministry of Defense Advisors will continue to support professional development within partner ministries of ASEAN member states on a bilateral basis.
• Defense Mitigation of Climate Impacts: With input from ASEAN Member States, the United States will develop a series of workshops, technical demonstrations, and tabletop exercises to address climate resilience shortfalls and provide a platform for member states to share expertise in addressing climate change impacts to their respective defense organizations, readiness, and operational capacities.
Timor Leste Accession: The United States supports ASEAN’s decision-in-principle to admit Timor Leste as the eleventh member of ASEAN. We envision including Timor Leste in all lines of effort listed above as appropriate and in accordance with the Road Map for Accession. The United States is prepared to offer Timor Leste capacity building assistance in the defense sector to help it meet accession milestones.
(Source: U.S. DoD)
20 Nov 24. Nuclear safeguards: AUKUS statement to the IAEA Board of Governors. Statement on behalf of Australia, the UK and the US to the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors on IAEA safeguards and AUKUS
20 November 2024 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)
Thank you, Chair.
I have the honour of speaking on behalf of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Chair,
We thank the Director General for his latest report on Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion program. We fully support the Director General’s commitment to continue to report to this Board on such programs and to place them on the Board’s agenda, as he judges appropriate. We value the objective nature of the report, and welcome the opportunity it provides for constructive discussion of Australia’s acquisition, from the early 2030s, of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
As outlined in the Director General’s report, bilateral negotiations between Australia and the IAEA on a safeguards and verification approach for Australia’s program, having commenced in May 2023, are ongoing. These include negotiations relating to the development of an arrangement under Article 14 of Australia’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA).
As stated in the report, Australia and the IAEA continue to engage on a range of topics relating to the structure and the content of Australia’s Article 14 arrangement, including provisions for advance notification, reporting and verification prior to the entry of nuclear material into an Article 14 arrangement, and the circumstances under which the arrangement would apply. Other matters under active consideration include ways to facilitate verification and monitoring activities, as well as implementation of voluntary transparency measures, and discussions of Safeguards by Design best practice.
Chair,
Australia is working with the IAEA to develop a safeguards and verification approach for its program that sets the highest non-proliferation standard, within the framework of its CSA and Additional Protocol (AP). This will not involve a template or a prescriptive ‘one size fits all’ approach. Such an approach would not be effective given state specific variations between naval nuclear propulsion programs. Rather, as indicated in the Director General’s report, the goal is to ensure that the Agency can continue to meet its technical safeguards objectives at all times, while protecting classified information.
Australia’s Article 14 arrangement will ensure that the IAEA will maintain oversight of the nuclear material. We are committed to ensuring that at all stages of Australia’s program, the Agency will continue to be able to verify and conclude that there has been no diversion of nuclear material, no misuse of nuclear facilities, and no undeclared nuclear material or activities in Australia. As a non-nuclear weapon state under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Australia does not have and will not seek to acquire nuclear weapons.
The bilateral negotiations between Australia and the Agency on an Article 14 arrangement will take time. As these discussions continue, the Director General has indicated that he will keep the Board informed and report to it, as appropriate. He also reconfirms in his report that Australia’s Article 14 arrangement, once developed, will be referred to this Board for appropriate action – which we fully support. When that occurs, we expect the arrangement to be judged on its non-proliferation and safeguards merits. We expect it to be judged on whether it enables the Agency to continue to meet its objectives. This is an important part of our commitment to setting the highest non-proliferation standard, and any suggestion that this Board will be bypassed is clearly false.
We also reiterate the important point that, under the AUKUS Agreement for Cooperation on Naval Nuclear Propulsion signed by our three countries, the United States and United Kingdom cannot transfer any nuclear material to Australia for use in conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines prior to Australia having an Article 14 arrangement in place with the IAEA.
Chair,
Since the Director General’s last report in June 2023, AUKUS partners have continued to regularly update the Board on relevant developments concerning our three countries’ cooperation on naval nuclear propulsion, as Australia builds its capability to safely and securely operate and maintain its future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, in full compliance with AUKUS partners’ non-proliferation obligations and commitments.
As the Director General’s report confirms, we have kept the Secretariat informed of all relevant developments. Australia has continued to fulfil all reporting requirements under its CSA, AP and Subsidiary Arrangements. The Agency has also continued to conduct verification activities in relation to Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion program, within the framework of Australia’s safeguards agreements.
Since the last meeting of the Board of Governors, the Australian Government announced it would establish a naval shipbuilding and sustainment precinct at Henderson in Western Australia. In due course, this will be the home of depot-level maintenance and contingency docking of Australia’s future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, which will of course be established in accordance with Australia’s non-proliferation obligations and commitments. Australia engaged with the Agency at the time of this announcement and has provided formal notification to the IAEA pursuant to Australia’s safeguards agreements.
Chair,
Bilateral and in-confidence engagement between the Agency and Member States on the implementation of their safeguards agreements is fundamental to the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and safeguards system. The Director General has made it clear that the IAEA has the technical capacity to develop safeguards approaches for naval nuclear propulsion. All Member States rely on the Secretariat to develop and implement Board-approved safeguards agreements. We trust the Secretariat to draw conclusions regarding Member States’ compliance with their safeguards obligations, in accordance with the Agency’s statutory mandate and the established legal framework. The Agency’s technical independence is something that all Member States should strive to protect and respect, without interference.
During Australia’s ongoing engagement with the Agency on its naval nuclear propulsion program, we will continue to support constructive discussions in the Board on the basis of the Director General’s reports, under agenda items put forward by him. We remain committed to transparency and continue to welcome opportunities to keep the Board informed and address genuine questions, at this Board and in other fora.
We again thank the Director General and his team for his report – GOV/INF/2024/12 – and in the interest of openness and transparency, we request that it be made public. Thank you, Chair. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
20 Nov 24. Indo-Pacific Commander Gives Unvarnished View of Situation in Region. Any discussion of the Indo-Pacific region must start with China as a rising global power, and Navy Adm. Samuel Paparo gave a snapshot of what military competition with China would look like for the United States.
Paparo, the commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, spoke to Michael O’Hanlon and Lynn Kuok at the Brookings Institution, yesterday. The admiral also answered questions about North Korea and India during the wide-ranging discussion at the Washington think tank.
China is demonstrating and working on improving its power. This past summer, China held exercises that covered a large geographical area and one that demonstrated joint capabilities, and the admiral followed them closely. “It was the ‘jointest’ operations for air, missile, maritime power that I’d seen over an entire career of being an observer,” Paparo said.
On one day, he noted, the Chinese had 152 vessels at sea, including three quarters of their amphibious force. He said the People’s Republic of China exercised 43 amphibious brigades to include rehearsal in breaching obstacles and military operations in urban terrain. “We saw also two demonstrations of military power in response to the Taiwan inauguration on May 20, and then, once again, on 1010 — Taiwan National Day, as it’s so called,” he said.
“This was the largest rehearsal we’ve seen,” he said. It demonstrated the upward trajectory of PLA modernization.
The Chinese military also exercised with Russian air and maritime forces this summer in the Bering Sea. That exercise included ships and long-range aviation, he said.
China is not the only competitor in the region, and Paparo specifically talked about the threat North Korea poses to the region and beyond. He pointed to the recent test of its largest ballistic missile this past week. That missile “reached an apogee of over 7,000 kilometers, portending a capability that will have the ability to range the entire continental United States,” he said.
He added that the North Koreans have not demonstrated the capability of weaponizing the missile “but we just see continued testing towards that.”
But China is the main competitor in the region and Paparo was grilled on Chinese capabilities and intentions. He was specifically asked about the Chinese initiative to build a military that can challenge the United States by the centennial of the Chinese Communist Party in 2027. “The closer we get to 2027 the less relevant the date becomes,” he said. He does not see that as the date the Chinese would invade Taiwan.
“I think it is a worthy benchmark to say, we had better pay close attention to this,” the admiral said. Paparo has the responsibility under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to be ready for any change to the status quo. “I am responsible for being ready every single day,” he said.
The United States has worldwide commitments and there are competing requirements for resources and systems. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Hamas attack on Israel are depleting stocks the Indo-Pacific might need, Paparo said. He said that until this year the effect on his command by the delivery of systems to Ukraine and Israel was negligible. “But now, with some of the Patriots that have been employed, some of the air-to-air missiles that have been employed, it is now eating into stocks, … and to say otherwise would be dishonest,” he said.
These high-end stocks are crucial in the Indo-Pacific, he said. “It imposes costs on the readiness of America to respond in the Indo-Pacific region, which is the most stressing theater for the quantity and quality of munitions, because is the most capable potential adversary in the world,” Paparo said.
Paparo also addressed the growing U.S. military partnership with India. The two countries are cooperating across a range of areas including undersea domain awareness, joint production and more. “We see this security partnership growing year by year,” he said. “India cherishes its history in the non-aligned movement. So those who aspire to an alliance with India, I think, don’t hold your breath. We’re not holding our breath either.”
But that does not temper U.S. moves to a deeper partnership and deeper friendship with India. China also competes with India. “There have been flash points of tension at sea and along its border, and those are opportunities for our cooperation as well,” the admiral said.
India has ties with Russia, who supplied much of the weapons systems India used since the 1960s. “I believe that those partnerships will likely fade over time as the partnership between the United States and India grows, but we cannot be complacent about it,” he said. “But we have many, many mutual interests, and we’ve got to — both of us — keep our foot on the accelerator.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
20 Nov 24. Iran: West’s censure of Iran will likely undermine diplomatic efforts to curtail nuclear proliferation. Late on 19 November, several Western countries formally submitted a resolution to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to censure Iran in response to its continued enrichment of uranium to 60% purity. Iran’s limited last-minute efforts to avoid censure by implementing measures to slow enrichment have prompted limited engagement, underscoring diplomatic tensions between Iran and the West and signalling a further reduction in international co-operation and transparency. Iran will likely continue its uranium enrichment, possibly at undeclared sites to evade scrutiny, elevating regional security risks. There is a realistic possibility Iran will prohibit IAEA enrichment experts from entering the country or only re-allow IAEA monitoring of activities such as centrifuge production, undermining oversight over its nuclear program and driving nuclear safety risks. Western pressure, coupled with the prospect of a hostile US presidency under President-elect Donald Trump, will likely further undermine efforts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). We assess that this will drive risks of accelerated nuclear proliferation and further sanctions on Iran, increasing compliance challenges. (Source: Sibylline)
20 Nov 24. Pakistan-China: Joint drills will pave way for greater counter-terrorism co-operation. On 19 November, China’s Ministry of Defence announced it would send troops to Pakistan for joint counterterrorism drills (named ‘Warrior-8’). Members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Western Theatre Command will participate in the drills. This marks the eighth joint counterterrorism drill between the two countries and the first since 2019. The exercises are scheduled to take place between late November and mid-December. The announcement follows a rise in attacks from separatist militants targeting Chinese citizens and increased Chinese investment in Pakistan in recent months. In October, an IED attack near Jinnah International Airport (KHI) in Karachi (Sindh province) killed two Chinese workers. The announcement also coincides with Beijing’s increasing demands for improved security measures to protect its assets and personnel in Pakistan. We assess that the joint drills underscore China’s growing security concerns and will likely facilitate further counterterrorism co-operation if attacks continue in the coming months. (Source: Sibylline)
19 Nov 24. Austin Caps Two-Day Visit to Philippines With Showcase of Growing Defense Cooperation.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the United States’ enduring commitment to the U.S.-Philippine mutual defense treaty today as he surveyed the growing defense cooperation between the two nations as part of his fourth visit to the Philippines since taking office.
The secretary traveled to Palawan, an archipelagic province on the Philippines’ western edge, alongside Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro, where the two leaders visited Antonio Bautista Air base, one of nine sites established under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two nations.
Austin and Teodoro also visited the Headquarters Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command, which is charged with leading efforts in the South China Sea and observed a demonstration showcasing T-12 unmanned surface vessels, a key capability used by Philippine forces and operate throughout its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
The unmanned vessels are one of several unmanned platforms provided to the Philippine navy through Foreign Military Financing aimed at bolstering the Philippine forces intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and maritime domain awareness capabilities.
“We expect to see many more platforms like this delivered from the $500 m in Foreign Military Financing that I announced during my visit to the Philippines in July,” the secretary said in a press conference during his visit to Palawan. “This will help ensure the Philippines has the capabilities it needs to defend its rights and its sovereignty throughout its exclusive economic zone.”
Austin further underscored that the U.S. is “profoundly committed to the defense of the Philippines,” and that the United States’ commitment to its mutual defense treaty with the Philippines remains “ironclad.”
“And let me say again that the mutual defense treaty applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, aircraft or public vessels, including our coast guards, anywhere in the South China Sea,” he said.
The visit to Palawan capped Austin’s second day in the Philippines as part of his fourth visit to the country aimed at building on the momentum built under his tenure in strengthening the longstanding U.S.-Philippine alliance.
The secretary’s leadership has been critical to advancing the U.S.-Philippine relationship to where it is today.
During Austin’s tenure, the U.S. and the Philippines added four new rotational sites, for a total of nine, as part of an expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement first signed in 2014. The sites are designed to strengthen combined training, exercises and interoperability between the two countries.
Yesterday, Austin and Teodoro convened an official signing ceremony for the newly established General Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA, that provides a legal framework enabling enhanced and expanded sharing of information and defense technology between the two countries.
The agreement serves as a foundation for further enhancing interoperability between U.S. and Philippine forces and paves the way for additional security agreements in the future.
Austin and Teodoro also broke ground on a new combined coordination center at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila to further enable information sharing between U.S. and Philippine forces.
Austin also met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. at Malacanang Palace in Manila where the secretary further underscored the strong ties between the two countries.
The two-day stop in the Philippines is part of Austin’s 12th trip to the Indo-Pacific, where he is engaging with senior leaders throughout the region as he continues to build upon the strong partnerships forged under his tenure throughout the United States’ priority theater of operations.
After departing the Philippines, the secretary continued on to Laos where he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus.
U.S. defense secretaries have participated in the forum since 2010 when it was established by the 10-member block of Southeast Asian nations.
Austin will meet with a range of regional allies and partners informally during the meeting and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to regional security. During this visit, he will announce the first-ever Defense Department vision statement for a prosperous and secure Southeast Asia.
Austin’s final stop is in Fiji, marking the first visit to the country by a U.S. defense secretary.
While there, Austin will meet with Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa.
The secretary is expected to announce that the U.S. and Fiji will begin negotiations on a Status of Forces Agreement that will empower the two countries to work more closely together. (Source: U.S. DoD)
19 Nov 24. SANDF fleet at ‘all-time low’ as the military ‘sits helpless.’
“Whether on ground, in the air or at sea, the SANDF sits helpless,” is National Council of Provinces (NCOP) member of the Select Committee on Security and Justice (SCSJ) Nicholas Gotsell’s summary of the current state of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).
He notes in a statement that the Department of Defence (DoD), home to the SANDF, spends over 68% of its R51 bn budget on salaries and wages “yet sits with aged and unskilled personnel”.
According to him the SA Air Force (SAAF) cannot defend South Africa’s skies as only two of 26 Gripens are operational and none of its C-130BZ Hercules are airworthy. (Six Gripens were, however, operational at the September Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition.) In the wake of last week’s oversight visit to Simons Town “our maritime defence capacity is also shocking”. The SA Navy, he maintains, has one frigate and a lone MMIPV (multi-mission inshore patrol vessel) operational with none of the three Heroine Class Type 209 submarines functional. (Two MMIPVs have been accepted by the Navy, and a third is due for handover this year.)
More appallingly, according to Gotsell, while the SANDF commenced a military review in 2015, the Auditor General (AG) report on the DoD for 2023/24 shows that zero of the Department’s target to evaluate the SA Defence Review 2015 has been achieved, the Gotsell statement, released today (19 November) reads further.
“The President, as early as January 2024, instructed then Minister of Defence, Thandi Modise, and the Department to develop an ‘Interim Force Concept, Revised Military Strategy and Revised Force Design and Force Structure’ for consideration by Cabinet and Parliament. Its recommendation was to double Defence’s budget, from approximately 0.7% of GDP to 1.5%. DoD’s current budget is already has been subject to immense wastage, and we have written to the Minister for clarity on the whether Cabinet has considered this.”
This emerged in a report by the Minister of Defence in response to the DA during an oral question and answer session in the NCOP on the state of the SANDF.
“The report also revealed that South Africa has reached an inflection point, where the Republic must decide on the kind of defence force it wants and can afford. It states that national security choices must be foremost made on domestic concerns.”
Gotsell maintains this cannot happen because of “incessant maladministration” in the DoD. The AG 2023/24 report highlighted what he called “rampant unauthorised expenditure” to the sum of R3.4bn; irregular expenditure of R338m and fruitless and wasteful expenditure which drastically increased from R2.569m in 2022/23 to R51m in 2023/24. (The irregular expenditure is mainly due to overspending on the compensation of employees budget.)
“The SANDF needs to urgently focus on getting the basics right by cleaning up maleficence and investing in technology as well as the capabilities it desperately needs to fulfil its constitutional mandate,” is his advice to Minister Motshekga and her brains trust at the Defence Ministry, Defence Secretariat and the SANDF.
In closing he has it the allocation of an additional R2.1 bn to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) is wasteful because the three-nation regional bloc mission cannot fulfil its mandate. SAMIDRC has been in the eastern DRC since December last year and its current mandate is set to expire in mid-December. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
19 Nov 24. Joint Press Release on the Visit of U.S. Secretary Of Defense Austin To the Philippines. Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. received United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III during his fourth visit to the Philippines on November 18, 2024. They celebrated the remarkable strides the United States and the Philippines have made to expand and modernize the alliance and reinforced their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Secretary Austin announced the U.S. commitment to support the Philippines’ response to Super Typhoon Pepito, including through $1m in additional humanitarian assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
During their discussions, the leaders discussed defense cooperative activities, as well as regional security concerns. Specifically, they highlighted the need for deeper coordination to address challenges in the South China Sea, where lawful operations by the Philippines have encountered repeated harassment by the People’s Republic of China. Secretary Austin underscored continued U.S. support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction. He reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to bolstering the Philippines’ defense capabilities and capacity to resist coercion.
During his stop at Camp Aguinaldo, Secretary Austin and Secretary Teodoro signed a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), a critical step to enhance information sharing and deepen interoperability. The Secretaries also co-led the groundbreaking ceremony for a new bilateral Combined Coordination Center (CCC). These bilateral undertakings will improve joint efforts to plan bilateral exercises, operations, and humanitarian response efforts in order to address common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
As part of his visit to the Philippines, Secretary Austin traveled to Palawan on November 19, 2024, where he and Secretary Teodoro visited Antonio Bautista Airbase, one of nine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, as well as the Philippines Western Command, or WESCOM, which leads Philippine efforts in the South China Sea. The leaders discussed efforts to advance operational planning and deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with like-minded partners in the South China Sea. Secretary Austin reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. commitment to the Philippines and reiterated that the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which extends to both countries’ armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft—including those of its Coast Guard—anywhere in the South China Sea.
The leaders also visited a bilateral C2 Fusion Center—one of several built by USINDOPACOM in the Philippines to enhance information sharing. They observed a demonstration of a T-12 Unmanned Surface Vessel, one of several unmanned capabilities that the United States has provided to the Philippine Navy through Foreign Military Financing, which are instrumental to advance the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP’s) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and maritime domain awareness (MDA) capabilities. They discussed how the AFP can further leverage innovative technologies to protect and defend Philippine sovereignty in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The engagements of both the Philippine and U.S. Defense Secretaries further reaffirm the strength of the alliance and underscore both nations’ commitment to peace, security, and shared values in the Indo-Pacific region. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Nov 24. DOD Launches Industry-Government Maritime Security (MARSEC) Consortium to Advance Maritime Security Across Southeast Asia.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen provided the following statement:
Today the Department of Defense’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs (IPSA) announced the Maritime Security (MARSEC) Consortium, a new public-private initiative focused on transforming maritime security in Southeast Asia.
The MARSEC Consortium brings together defense industry investors, companies, U.S. government policy and innovation officials, and Southeast Asian government decision-makers committed to identifying low-cost, commercially available solutions to meet interested Southeast Asian partners’ most pressing maritime security challenges. IPSA is launching the MARSEC Consortium in collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The MARSEC Consortium will convene decision-makers, operators, and solution providers. Together, they will match policy objectives and operational challenges with commercially available solutions, demonstrate those capabilities, and expedite delivery. Ensuring Southeast Asian allies and partners have impactful, cost-effective means to monitor, manage, and enforce maritime security interests will increase regional and global peace, security, and prosperity.
In the coming months, the MARSEC Consortium will pursue these goals through the following lines of effort:
• Advance upwards of $95m annually toward low-cost, commercially available solutions to strengthen maritime domain awareness, logistics and sustainment, and maritime defense in Southeast Asia;
• Regularly convene stakeholders across the DoD enterprise and industry to mitigate barriers to delivering commercially available solutions;
• Work with likeminded partners to align security cooperation activities along MARSEC Consortium objectives;
• Expand technology demonstrations for allies and partners in multilateral exercises such as BALIKATAN.
The United States envisions a Southeast Asian region free of coercion where safety, security, sovereignty, self-determination, and prosperity are shepherded by ASEAN centrality. With more than 60 percent of global maritime trade transiting Southeast Asia by ship, the maritime domain is central to security and prosperity in Southeast Asia. The United States is committed to ensuring these trading lanes remain free and open for all. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Nov 24. AUKUS Partners Sign Landmark Hypersonics Agreement. Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen provided the following statement:
The United States (U.S.) Department of Defense (DoD), along with the Australian Department of Defence and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD), today announced the signing of an agreement to enhance testing of hypersonic vehicles and accelerate implementation of related technologies. Under AUKUS Pillar II, the three nations have entered the Hypersonic Flight Test and Experimentation (HyFliTE) Project Arrangement (PA) to use each other’s testing facilities and share technical information to develop, test, and evaluate hypersonic systems.
“We are increasing our collective ability to develop and deliver offensive and defensive hypersonic technologies through a robust series of trilateral tests and experiments that will accelerate the development of hypersonic concepts and critical enabling technologies,” said Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
Existing national efforts will be woven together through the PA, which includes up to six trilateral flight test campaigns to occur by 2028 with a total funding pool of US$252 m. These campaigns seek to increase the pace of testing and take advantage of combined partner resources, test facilities, and substantial experience conducting similar campaigns.
“Collaborative efforts are accelerating the development of underpinning enabling technologies, such as high temperature materials, advanced propulsion systems, and guidance and control,” said Shyu. “Each of these technologies is integral to the performance of hypersonic weapon systems and provides enhanced operational capability.”
HyFliTE will enable the three nations to benefit from the collective expertise of the partners. HyFliTE also supports integrated deterrence, a centerpiece of the trilateral agreement, as well as trilateral requirements for the development and delivery of hypersonic weapon systems.
“The U.S. DoD is committed to working closely with the Australian Department of Defence and the UK MOD to further the pursuit of common and consistent objectives for affordable and responsive flight testing of hypersonic technologies and concepts,” added Shyu. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Nov 24. UK sanctions Iran for aiding Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, as Foreign Secretary chairs UN Security Council.
The UK has announced further measures against Iran in response to its transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, aiding its war in Ukraine. This follows the initial UK response and commitments outlined by the E3 (UK, France and Germany).
Iran’s national airline, Iran Air, is today subject to an asset freeze which will further restrict its direct, scheduled commercial air services to and from the UK, following financial sanctions imposed by the UK government.
As a state-owned airline, Iran Air, is sanctioned in response to the Government of Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, following commitments outlined by the E3 in September.
The UK is also announcing sanctions against the state-owned national shipping carrier of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), and the Russian cargo ship, PORT OLYA-3 (IMO 9481910). These measures include an asset freeze and shipping sanctions respectively, taken against both entities for their role in supporting the Iranian defence sector or transporting weapons to Russia for use on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Today’s announcement comes as the Prime Minister prepares to mark 1,000 days since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine at the G20 tomorrow, and as the Foreign Secretary visits New York to chair the UN Security Council (UNSC).
The Foreign Secretary will address the UNSC and reiterate the UK’s ironclad commitment to Ukraine, and to securing a lasting peace in the Middle East.
In his meeting at the UN Security Council, Foreign Secretary David Lammy will say:
Iran’s attempts to undermine global security are dangerous and unacceptable.
Alongside our international partners, we were clear that any transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia would face a significant response.
That’s why today we are sanctioning Iran Air and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, in response to Iran’s deliveries of ballistic missiles to Russia.
We reiterate our call on Iran to cease its support for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine which continues to bring devastation to the Ukrainian people. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
These measures follow initial steps taken by the UK government on 10 September in response to Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, which included the cancellation of the UK’s bilateral air services arrangements with Iran.
The UK also amended the Iran sanctions regime to strengthen trade sanctions on Iran, targeting items that are used in the production of ballistic missiles, UAVs and other weaponry.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “This government stands firmly with the people of Ukraine and we have been clear that any support for Russia’s illegal war will not be tolerated. We will continue to use every lever at our disposal to put pressure on Iran to end the transfer of ballistic missiles and bring an end to this needless destruction. Today’s sanctions follow action taken previously, alongside international partners, whereby the UK sanctioned key Iranian and Russian individuals and organisations for their role in facilitating Iran’s military support to Russia, including Russian cargo ships that transporting military supplies from Iran to Russia.”
To date, the UK has sanctioned more than 450 Iranian individuals and entities, including those that seek to use malign influence regionally and internationally. The UK has also sanctioned 2,100 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime, with over 1,900 designated since the start of Putin’s full-scale invasion.
The UK is clear that Iran must stop supporting Putin’s unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state, and that we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
18 Nov 24. India: Risk of violence will persist in Manipur state despite renewed curfew, internet restrictions. On 16 November, the security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to enter the residence of Manipur’s chief minister in Imphal (Manipur state). This followed the discovery of the bodies of six people, reportedly from the ethnic-Metei community, who had been missing in the aftermath of a shoot-out between the security forces and ethnic-Kuki militants. In response to the unrest, the authorities imposed a complete curfew in the Imphal Valley region and suspended internet services in seven districts until further notice. Clashes between ethnic-Metei and -Kuki tribes, which spiked in May 2023 over government benefits and quotas (which has led to more than 200 deaths), have escalated in the past month. Given the heightened communal tensions, there is a realistic possibility of further clashes and unrest in the coming days, with continued restrictions on movement as well as internet and mobile services. Additionally, we assess that the authorities’ security posture will likely remain heightened across Manipur, particularly in Imphal Valley, leading to localised disruption. (Source: Sibylline)
18 Nov 24. North Korean Troops Enter Kursk Where Ukrainians Are Fighting. It is likely that about 11,000 North Korean troops have moved into Russia’s Kursk region, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, who spoke to the media today.
The Pentagon has not confirmed that these troops have engaged in combat with Ukrainian troops who are inside a portion of the Kursk region, she said, adding, “They’re moving into Kursk for a reason. We have every expectation that they would be engaged in combat operations.”
There is no evidence that more North Korean troops are entering Russia, but that could change, Singh said.
The U.S. views North Korea as cobelligerents with Russia, she said. North Korean troops began entering Russia last month.
Over the course of presidential drawdown authorities, the United States has been supplying Ukraine with weapons, including Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS.
These systems are costly and in limited supply, so the U.S. will not deplete its reserve as it has to consider its own readiness, Singh said.
The Russians have moved their airfields out of range of ATACMS, she said.
The maximum range of ATACMS is about 190 miles.
“The Ukrainians have very effectively demonstrated the ability to use indigenous capabilities like the UAVs to target … weapons storage facilities outside of the ATACMS range,” she said, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles.
Russian casualties are now averaging about 1,200 per day, she noted. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Nov 24. Austin Marks Deepening U.S.-Philippine Ties During Visit to Manila. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III arrived in the Philippines today where he continues to build on the momentum built under his tenure in strengthening the long-time U.S.-Philippine alliance.
Throughout the two-day stop during his 12th trip to the Indo-Pacific, the secretary will engage with senior leaders to reaffirm the United States’ ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippine mutual defense treaty and continue to build upon the foundation of defense cooperation and interoperability between the two nations.
Today, Austin met with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro for a bilateral exchange before attending an official signing ceremony for the newly established General Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA, that provides a legal framework enabling enhanced and expanded sharing of information and defense technology between the two countries.
The agreement, which was reached after two years of highly detailed negotiations, marks a “huge breakthrough in our ability to continue to deepen the detailed cooperation that we have with the Philippines,” a defense official said following today’s signing ceremony.
The agreement serves as a foundation for further enhancing interoperability between U.S. and Philippine forces and paves the way for additional security agreements in the future.
Austin and Teodoro also broke ground on a new combined coordination center at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila to further enable information sharing between U.S. and Philippine forces.
The new center will boost interoperability “for many years to come,” Austin said during the groundbreaking.
“It will be a place where our forces can work side by side to respond to regional challenges,” he said. “You’ve heard me say so many times as secretary that we are more than allies. We are family.”
Later, Austin met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. at Malacanang Palace in Manila where the secretary further underscored the strong ties between the two countries.
Austin also offered his condolences for all those impacted by the six recent storms that have battered the region in quick succession, including Super Typhoon Pepito that made landfall ahead of his visit.
In response to the devastation, the secretary announced that he has authorized U.S. troops to assist Philippine forces in providing lifesaving aid to the people of the Philippines.
The U.S. has also secured urgent humanitarian aid in addition to the nearly 100,000 pounds of supplies delivered by the U.S. following Typhoon Julian earlier this year.
Before departing the Philippines tomorrow, Austin is scheduled to observe a Philippine Navy tech demonstration showcasing T-12 unmanned surface vessels provided by the U.S. through foreign military financing. The T-12 is a key capability used by Philippine forces to protect its sovereignty and operate throughout its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
Austin’s stop in the Philippines marks his fourth visit to the country since taking office, the most visits ever by a U.S. secretary of defense.
The secretary’s leadership has been critical to advancing the U.S.-Philippine relationship to where it is today.
During Austin’s tenure, the U.S. and the Philippines added four new rotational sites, for a total of nine, as part of an expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement first signed in 2014. The sites are designed to strengthen combined training, exercises and interoperability between the two countries.
Earlier this year, the U.S. announced $500 m in new military assistance for the Philippines aimed at bolstering its defense and further underscoring the strengthening ties between the two nations.
During their engagement today, Teodoro presented Austin with the Outstanding Achievement Medal in recognition for his leadership in bolstering U.S.-Philippine defense ties and advancing regional peace and security throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Following his visit to the Philippines, Austin will proceed to Laos where he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus.
U.S. defense secretaries have participated in the forum since 2010 when it was established by the 10-member block of Southeast Asian nations.
Austin will meet with a range of regional allies and partners informally during the meeting and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to regional security. During this visit, he will announce the first-ever U.S. Defense Department vision statement for a prosperous and secure Southeast Asia.
Austin’s final stop is in Fiji, marking the first visit to the country by a U.S. defense secretary.
While there, Austin will meet with Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa.
The secretary is expected to announce that the U.S. and Fiji will begin negotiations on a Status of Forces Agreement that will empower the two countries to work more closely together. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Nov 24. US-China: Tensions will almost certainly rise with new US administration despite bilateral meeting. On 16 November, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met face-to-face at the APEC Summit in Peru, in the capital Lima. The leaders agreed to avoid giving artificial intelligence (AI) control of nuclear weapons systems and made progress toward the release of two US citizens imprisoned in China. Biden also pressured Xi to help moderate North Korea’s support of Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war. That said, Biden’s status as an outgoing president likely undermined these efforts. Overall, the meeting underscores attempts by both leaders to maintain stability in the US-China relationship by increasing dialogue and co-operation on selective issues. However, we assess that bilateral tensions with China will ultimately rise in the coming months. We assess that President-elect Donald Trump will shift away from Biden’s strategy of ‘managing competition’ and instead enact a more protectionist foreign policy and attempt total decoupling from China. Such a policy, likely to include sweeping tariffs, will almost certainly elicit retaliatory measures from Beijing, lessening the prospects of further co-operation on AI, environmental policy and nuclear weapons. (Source: Sibylline)
18 Nov 24. Iraq: New IS attack highlights persistent security, bystander risks in northern Iraq. Earlier on 18 November, an IED killed three Kurdish peshmerga members (including two commanders) and injured three Iraqi soldiers during a joint security patrol in Tuz Khurmatu city (Saladin governorate). The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack but no other details were disclosed. The attack highlights significant attack risks in the eastern regions of Saladin (particularly the Tooz district) where remnants of IS are still active in the desert areas. We assess that, in the coming days, joint Iraqi and Kurdish forces will highly likely increase the scope of security operations in eastern Saladin region and adjacent areas, including desert regions in North Diyala and South Kirkuk governorates. The operations will also likely include stop-and-search efforts in remote towns and the establishment of additional security checkpoints on highways connecting the three governorates. We assess that airstrikes targeting IS hideouts in desert regions remain a realistic possibility, further elevating security and bystander risks in the aforementioned areas this week. (Source: Sibylline)
18 Nov 24. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Orders Mass Production of Suicide Drones. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided a test of suicide drones and ordered a mass production of the aerial weapon, saying the introduction of such drones around the world requires an urgent update of military theory.
Kim had previously supervised the test of suicide drones, earlier in the year amid a rapidly developing military cooperation with Russia, raising questions as to whether he was receiving technical help from Moscow to develop them.
Also known as loitering munitions, such weapons have been widely used in the war in Ukraine as well as in the Middle East.
“(Kim) underscored the need to build a serial production system as early as possible and go into full-scale mass production,”
state news agency KCNA said.
Kim said the competition for using drones for military purposes is accelerating around the world, with military authorities likely recognizing their success in conflicts of various scale.
“Such objective change urgently calls for updating many parts of military theory, practice and education,”
KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
North Korea has sent drones across the border to the South flying for hours in key areas including the capital, Seoul, and over the no-fly zone surrounding the South Korean presidential office. That has prompted South Korea to deploy weapons to shoot down North Korean drones.
North Korea and Russia have recently ratified a comprehensive strategic partnership that their leaders signed in June, which includes a mutual defence pact.
North Korea has deployed its troops to Russia’s western frontlines in the war with Ukraine, and South Korean and U.S. officials have said North Korean soldiers have engaged in combat against Ukraine alongside Russian forces. (Source: UAS VISION/Reuters; UNITED24MEDIA )
16 Nov 24. Australia-Japan-United States Trilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting November 2024 Joint Statement. Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen, and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III convened the fourteenth Trilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting (TDMM) on 17 November 2024 in Darwin, Australia.
Through this fourteenth meeting, we affirm the longevity and enduring commitment of our partnership. Grounded in shared values, deep trust, and our unbreakable commitment to strengthening collective deterrence, our cooperation continues to evolve. We acknowledge significant progress made to implement activities and practical areas of cooperation set forth in our 2023 and May 2024 Joint Statements.
We are united in our steadfast commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, where the rule of law is upheld, sovereignty is respected, and nations can make decisions free from coercion or threats of force.
We reaffirm our consistent and unwavering support for ASEAN centrality and unity, ASEAN-led regional architecture, and look forward to a successful ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Lao PDR this week. We reinforce our commitment to work with partners, including Canada, France, Germany India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom to increase engagement with Southeast Asian partners and support the region’s security priorities.
We recognize the criticality of backing Pacific-led responses to Pacific-security challenges, consistent with the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. We commit to coordinate our defense engagement with Pacific counterparts, including capacity-building, Women, Peace and Security activities, and working through and with Pacific-led architecture such as the Joint Heads of Pacific Security and the South Pacific Defense Ministers’ Meeting, of which Australia is a member and Japan and the United States are observers.
We reiterate our serious concern about destabilizing actions in the East and South China Seas, including dangerous conduct by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against Philippines and other coastal state vessels. We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. It is important that all states are free to exercise rights and freedoms consistent with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea. We reaffirm the need for all states to pursue the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law and that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award is final and legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings.
We emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.
We strongly condemn North Korea’s destabilizing activities, including its series of reckless launches using ballistic missile technology, and its intercontinental ballistic missile test on 31 October 2024. These are
serious violations of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and pose a grave threat to international peace and stability. We reaffirm our continuing commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, consistent with UNSC resolutions. We express serious concern for Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security following reports of the transfer of ballistic missiles and other materiel to Russia from third countries to sustain its aggression against Ukraine, and the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. We urge Russia to immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. We concur in the importance of continuing to remind third countries, including the PRC, of their duty to uphold international law and in no way to validate, support, or condone Russia’s attempts to acquire territory by force, in violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. These developments have destabilising consequences for the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.
To support regional stability and collective deterrence, we commit to enhancing our defense cooperation under the following four pillars:
Expanding trilateral operational cooperation
• Recognizing the critical role the trilateral partnership plays to uphold regional stability, we commit to trilateral policy coordination and to consult each other on regional security issues and contingencies. We announce the establishment of the “Trilateral Defense Consultations” to support alignment of policy and operational objectives of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), the Australian Defense Force (ADF), and the United States forces from peacetime to contingency.
• We welcome Japan’s increased participation in Australia-United States force posture cooperation activities by increasing trilateral interoperability with the ADF and United States through:
o Annual trilateral amphibious training among the ADF, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, and United States Marine Rotational Force – Darwin in northern Australia and the Indo-Pacific region from 2025, beginning with TALISMAN SABRE 2025.
o Increasing Japan’s contribution to Exercise SOUTHERN JACKAROO and Exercise TALISMAN SABRE in Australia, including more complex scenarios in order to increase trilateral interoperability from 2025.
• We reaffirm our commitment to trilateralize key Japan-United States exercises in Japan such as Australia’s inaugural participation in Exercise ORIENT SHIELD from 2025, and enhance the ADF’s participation in exercises such as Exercise YAMA SAKURA, KEEN EDGE, and KEEN SWORD.
• We continue to grow trilateral intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region as a priority, including Australian personnel’s participation in the Japan-United States Bilateral Information Analysis Cell (BIAC). We work towards further commitment of Australian intelligence and capabilities for the BIAC.
• We intend to enhance trilateral air interoperability enabled by the Australia-Japan-United States Memorandum of Intent signed at Exercise PITCH BLACK 2024. We continue to explore future opportunities to increase trilateral cooperative activities, including reciprocal deployments of air assets such as fighter and transport aircraft, to all three countries from 2025, through Exercise COPE NORTH, Exercise BUSHIDO GUARDIAN, and Exercise PITCH BLACK.
Building advanced capabilities together
• We acknowledge progress and expanded cooperation under the trilateral Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Projects Arrangement, particularly collaboration on composite aerospace materials and autonomous systems.
• We commend steady progress of discussion in the area of collaborative combat aircraft and autonomy and commit to find cooperative opportunities in this area.
• Our countries intend to continue to work together to strengthen regional deterrence, including through cooperating on a networked air and missile defense architecture to counter the growing range of threats throughout the Indo-Pacific. We continue to make progress on our regional architecture through deepened information sharing to improve each country’s ability to respond to threats. We continue to cooperate through various activities including trilateral training, exercises, and exchanges. The inaugural trilateral regional air and missile defense live-fire event at Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2027 will be a key milestone.
• We welcome progress on Japan’s consultation with AUKUS partners under AUKUS Pillar II, with the initial focus to improve interoperability with Japan’s maritime autonomous systems.
• AUKUS partners welcome Japan’s October 2024 participation as an observer in Exercise AUTONOMOUS WARRIOR under the AUKUS Pillar II Maritime Big Play series, an important step in our practical collaboration. AUKUS partners look forward to continued consultations with Japan to determine projects for future cooperation under AUKUS Pillar II.
• In order to promote trilateral defense industrial cooperation, we concur in further collaboration, including within the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), a multilateral forum of allies and partners aimed at strengthening defense industrial resilience in the Indo-Pacific region, and welcome increased opportunities for interaction between Australian, Japanese, and United States defense industries such as holding the Australia-Japan-U.S. Unmanned Aerial Systems Defense Symposium in Tokyo this October.
Planning together
• We welcome bilateral initiatives that will improve trilateral operational coordination, planning and information sharing between respective command centres, such as
o Commencement of the first Japanese Joint Staff Liaison Officer in Australia’s Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) in November this year, while acknowledging the commitment to send an ADF liaison officer to JSDF Joint Operations Command (JJOC) once established in 2025.
o The United States-Japan Security Consultative Committee (‘2+2’) announcement to reconstitute U.S. Forces Japan as a Joint Force Headquarters, which will serve as an important JJOC counterpart.
Demonstrating our presence in the region
• We welcome greater defense cooperation between Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States in the South China Sea, including through regular Maritime Cooperative Activities to support regional maritime security and uphold international law.
• We welcome the success of our maritime patrol aircraft collaboration activity with India on the sidelines of Exercise KAKADU in September 2024.
• We commit to enhancing Australia-Japan-India-United States maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific from 2025, acknowledging India’s leadership role in conceptualizing the idea of closer collaboration in maritime surveillance.
We intend to deepen cooperation with Pacific island countries, including through Australia, Japan, and United States contribution to Exercise PUK PUK in Papua New Guinea in 2025 and future iterations of Operation RENDER SAFE. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Nov 24. India to spend $415.9bn on defense between 2025 and 2029, forecasts GlobalData. India is poised to further expand its defense budget over the next decade to sustain readiness for a potential two-front conflict with regional adversaries China and Pakistan, while enhancing its regional and global stature. Total defense spending, inclusive of pensions, is projected to reach $415.9bn from 2025 to 2029, marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.7%, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest report, “India Defense Market Size, Trends, Budget Allocation, Regulations, Acquisitions, Competitive Landscape and Forecast to 2029,” reveals that India’s expenditure on defense acquisition recorded cumulative spending of $93.6 bn over the period 2020-24.
Akash Pratim Debbarma, Aerospace & Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The increase in India’s acquisition budget is largely attributed to the procurement of both indigenous and imported military platforms such as Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines, Nilgiri-class frigates, Rafale multirole aircraft, Tejas Mark 1A multirole aircraft, Prachand Helicopters and Zorawar main battle tanks among many others. India’s strong economic growth over the last decade has also contributed in driving the country’s spending capacity in defense.”
India’s need to modernize its defense inventory while reducing dependence on imports has provided a significant impetus to its domestic defense industry and driven investments into R&D.
Debbarma adds: “Many domestic companies from the private sector have jumped in to cater to the growing demand from Indian Armed Forces. Prominent private companies that are presently serving the ongoing orders from Indian Armed Forces include Tata Advanced Systems, Bharat Forge, L&T Defense, and Adani Defence and Aerospace.”
GlobalData forecasts India to spend about $93.5 bn for the procurement of indigenous military platforms over the period 2024-29.
Considering the challenge posed by the expanding influence of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the Indian Ocean Region, India has also decided to enhance and expand its naval defense capabilities. Specific emphasis is being placed on developing the blue-water proficiencies of the Indian Navy.
India has recently allocated funds to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN), signaling its commitment to safeguard its territorial waters from undersea threats and protect its in-service fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSBN) to ensure sustenance of the country’s nuclear triad. These SSNs will also deter China’s forays into India’s area of influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Debbarma concludes: “Ahead of the 16th BRICS summit in October 2024, India and China reached an agreement on patrolling rights and initiated border disengagement, viewed as a constructive step toward normalizing relations between the two Asian powers. However, skepticism towards China especially after the deadly skirmishes of Galwan Valley in May 2020, will compel India to maintain the preparedness levels of its armed services, which in turn will drive the country’s defense budget over the next decade.”
15 Nov 24. Austin Builds Upon ‘New Convergence’ of Indo-Pacific Partnerships With 12th Visit to Region.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III departed today on his 12th trip to the Indo-Pacific since taking office as he continues to build upon the strong partnerships forged under his tenure throughout the United States’ priority theater of operations.
The secretary will meet with counterparts and senior officials throughout the region as he embarks on a series of engagements in Australia, the Philippines, Laos and Fiji.
The trip will showcase the United States’ unwavering commitment to the Indo-Pacific amid what Austin sees as a “new convergence” of like-minded partners throughout the region.
“We are doing more than ever alongside our allies and partners to take concrete steps toward a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Austin said ahead of his departure.
“During this trip, we will deliver results to advance cooperation, strengthen our relationships, and build an enduring network of allies and partners,” he said. “I am proud of the historic progress we’ve made over the last four years and the depth of continuing U.S. commitment to the region.”
The secretary’s first stop will be in Darwin, Australia, where Austin will participate in a trilateral defense ministerial meeting with his counterparts from Australia and Japan.
During the meeting, which follows the three leaders’ most recent engagement during the Group of Seven summit in Italy during the summer, Austin and his counterparts are expected to discuss recent progress the three nations have made with combined military training and interoperability.
Highlighting these advancements, the leaders are expected to announce that Japan will begin integrating its forces into Marine Rotational Force-Darwin rotations where they will train alongside U.S. and Australian forces beginning next year.
The three leaders will also discuss their three countries’ recent advances in combined air and missile defense and information sharing initiatives.
Austin and his counterparts will also tour Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, which serves as a critical staging point for annual Marine rotations and regional exercises.
In previewing the visit earlier this week, a senior defense official emphasized that the upcoming meeting in Darwin further underscores the deepening ties among the U.S., Australia and Japan and represents a “concrete demonstration of just how far this trilateral relationship has come in recent years.”
Following his visit to Darwin, Austin will proceed to the Philippines where he will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos and senior government officials.
During his discussions, the secretary “will reiterate our steadfast commitment to the mutual defense treaty and discuss ways that we can continue to support the Philippines security through the implementation of the $500m in foreign military financing that was announced during his last visit to the Philippines,” a senior official said.
The secretary will also visit multiple facilities the U.S. is funding to enhance information sharing and capability development, including a new command and control fusion center.
In addition, Austin will meet with U.S. and Philippine forces and U.S. Agency for International Development personnel who helped deliver nearly 100,000 pounds of aid in response to Typhoon Julian earlier this year.
Sites established as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines played a critical role in the humanitarian assistance operations in the wake of the storm, further demonstrating the benefits of the deepening alliance between the two countries, a senior defense official said.
The secretary will also observe a Philippine Navy tech demonstration showcasing T-12 unmanned surface vessels provided by the U.S. through foreign military financing. The T-12 is a key capability used by Philippine forces to protect its sovereignty and operate throughout its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
Austin’s stop in the Philippines marks his fourth visit to the country since taking office, the most visits ever by a U.S. secretary of defense.
The secretary’s next stop is in Laos where he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus.
U.S. defense secretaries have participated in the forum since 2010 when it was established by the 10-member block of Southeast Asian nations.
Austin will meet with a range of regional allies and partners on the sidelines of the meeting and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to regional security. During this visit, he will announce the first-ever U.S. Department of Defense vision statement for a prosperous and secure Southeast Asia.
The statement will outline the U.S. vision “for deepening our practical cooperation across Southeast Asia and is a symbol of our enduring commitment to the region,” a senior official said.
While in Laos, the secretary will enumerate several initiatives being taken by the U.S. alongside its ASEAN partners to deepen ties in the region, including an emerging defense leaders program.
In his remarks during the forum, the secretary is expected to address critical issues facing the region, including China’s aggression in the South China Sea and ways regional partners work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Austin’s final stop is in Fiji, marking the first visit to the country by a U.S. defense secretary.
While there, Austin will meet with Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa.
The secretary is expected to announce that the U.S. and Fiji will begin negotiations on a Status of Forces Agreement that will empower the two countries to work more closely together.
The two countries will sign an acquisition and cross servicing agreement that will facilitate U.S. logistical support to Fiji quickly in the case of an emergency.
Austin will emphasize the United States’ continued investments in the region, including through recently announced foreign military finance grants.
Defense officials said the trip underscores Austin’s continued engagement in the region as secretary builds upon a decade of progress by U.S. administration in bringing together like-minded nations behind a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Secretary Austin has a very unique ability to build coalitions, stich together allies and partners, and use what I think of as a brand of defense diplomacy to bring people to the table that then translates into results,” a senior defense official said. “These networks can do very heavy lifting and hard lifting together.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
15 Nov 24. Mozambique: EU counter-insurgency financing is unlikely to moderate concerns over insecurity. On 18 November, the EU will vote for a second disbursement of EUR 20 m to Rwanda to support its ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. An escalation in attacks by the IS-aligned Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa (ASWJ) since January, has driven greater reliance on Rwandan forces, with which Maputo has appealed for greater financial support. While the EU will likely approve the disbursement, the issue of Rwandan military involvement in the Congo (DRC) has driven resistance, underlining growing threats to the EU’s willingness to approve funds related to Rwanda’s security sector. Persistent Rwandan support will enable Mozambique to maintain control of Cabo Delgado’s larger urban areas, particularly around key natural gas developments on the Afungi Peninsula. However, we assess that ASWJ attacks will likely persist well into 2025. Such threats will remain particularly elevated around Macomia district (Cabo Delgado) driving threats to overland movement between the provincial capital Pemba and gas developments in the north of the province. (Source: Sibylline)
18 Nov 24. Philippines, United States sign military intelligence-sharing deal.
• Summary
• Pact allows secure sharing of classified military information
• U.S. reiterates ironclad commitment to the Philippines
• U.S. presence in Indo-Pacific essential, Manila’s defmin
The Philippines and the United States signed on Monday a military intelligence-sharing deal in a further deepening of defence ties between the two nations facing common security challenges in the region.
Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the agreement with his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, at Manila’s military headquarters where both officials also broke ground for a combined coordination center that will facilitate collaboration between their armed forces.
Called the General Security of Military Information Agreement or GSOMIA, the pact allows both countries to share classified military information securely.
“Not only will this allow the Philippines access to higher capabilities and big-ticket items from the United States, it will also open opportunities to pursue similar agreements with like-minded nations,” said Philippines’ defence ministry spokesperson Arsenio Andolong.
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Security engagements between the United States and the Philippines have deepened under President Joe Biden and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr, with both leaders keen to counter what they see as China’s aggressive policies in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea.
“I want to start by underscoring our ironclad commitment to the Philippines,” Austin said during the groundbreaking ceremony for the coordination center.
Austin said the coordination center should enable real-time information sharing between the two defence treaty allies and boost interoperability.
It will be a place where our forces can work side by side to respond to regional challenges,” Austin said. (Source: Reuters)
18 Nov 24. SA Navy briefing highlights budget and procurement woes.
Select Committee on Security and Justice members in Simon’s Town.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Select Committee on Security and Justice conducted an oversight visit to the South African Navy Base Simon’s Town on 13 November in what was the committee’s first oversight visit to the Navy since its election in the 7th Parliament.
Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, Lieutenant General Michael Ramantswana, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief of Staff, and Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, supported by senior Navy officers, were in attendance to brief the Select Committee.
Both Parliament and the SA Navy invited the media to accompany the Select Committee in order to “receive a comprehensive introduction to the work of the SA Navy and its programmes, staffing, challenges, infrastructure, maintenance of its assets and how the budgetary constraints impact on operations.”
Despite the public invitation to attend the open meeting, at the start of proceedings Committee Chairperson Jane Mananiso, upon request by Motshekga, invoked Rule 127 of the National Council of Provinces in order to close the proceedings as, in terms of the Rules, the matters to be discussed were “of such a nature that its confidential treatment is for any other reason reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society.”
This was because, Mananiso explained afterwards, the Select Committee “felt that issues that we’re dealing with are issues that are classified as high risk because if anyone could know about them they might put the country into jeopardy because where we are is not just a normal space.”
This comes after Lobese has noted publicly on numerous occasions that the SA Navy is in crisis, most recently at a media briefing ahead of the Navy Festival held last month when he said that years of budget cuts have left the Navy unable to meet its essential needs, leaving it neither “funded, equipped, resourced nor staffed” to effectively counter maritime threats.
Additionally, in a written reply to the NCOP in September, Motshekga stated: “The current severe crisis within the SA Navy is due to capacity challenges of the Armscor Dockyard that has led to annual Maintenance Upkeep Programme as well as the Hull Available Programme not being executed as is required.”
Despite being excluded from the briefing, defenceWeb was allowed to accompany the Select Committee aboard the replenishment vessel SAS Drakensburg and visit the Armscor Dockyard, including the synchro lift, dry dock and an engine workshop.
Speaking to defenceWeb after the oversight visit, Mananiso explained that the mandate of the NCOP is “about provincial interest” and that the Select Committee wished to familiarise itself with the workings of the Navy and to engage on its 2023/24 annual performance report and 2024/25 performance indicators.
She said that the visit highlighted budget constraints, procurement inefficiencies and underachievement in training programs, while also recognising areas of progress and the Navy’s commitment to addressing issues.
The Navy, Mananiso confirmed, has been struggling to meet its targets due to financial limitations. Training programmes, crucial to the Navy’s operational success, have been underachieved. Mananiso emphasised the need for increased investment in the maritime sector to unlock its potential.
“If you can invest more in the maritime space, we would create employment [and] deal with the issues of training,” she said, adding that a well-funded Navy could better address critical safety and defence concerns.
Delays in procurement processes have emerged as another significant hurdle. Mananiso highlighted that issues often arise from contractors unable to meet requirements, causing setbacks in critical projects. Other issues include a budgeting process ill equipped to meet the long lead times for critical spares. However, she noted that the introduction of a new Procurement Bill could help resolve these inefficiencies.
“We hope, with this Bill, there would be better ways of making sure that projects that are delayed are being responded to,” Mananiso stated.
The committee also called for comprehensive reports on irregularities in Supply Chain Management and accountability for any instances of corruption.
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities in South African waters remain a pressing issue. The Navy is collaborating with other government departments, such as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), to address these challenges. Mananiso commended these efforts and urged the Navy to provide detailed reports on such cases, including their classifications and resolutions.
The Select Committee also heard that the Navy did not achieve its target of 8 000 hours at sea for the 2023/2024 financial year due to prolonged maintenance and repairs to its vessels. A paltry 2 641 hours at sea was achieved, of which 1 680 were listed as force preparation hours and the balance of 961 being force employment time.
The low hours at sea were blamed on capacity constraints at the Armscor Dockyard, further compounded by procurement challenges. Mananiso said the Navy assured the Select Committee of its dedication to achieving its goals, including the projected 8 000 hours of sea time by 2025.
The Select Committee also discussed the need for improved relations between the Navy and Armscor, which has faced administrative challenges. Collaborative plans are being developed to strengthen their partnership and restore the Navy’s operational efficiency.
The Select Committee heard that the Navy is working hard to provide combat-ready vessels and platforms for the defence of the country and to satisfy its international commitments, but years of underfunding has resulted in the scheduled upkeep, maintenance and repairs of vessels falling behind. This has severely compromised the Navy’s ability to “fight and win” at sea.
Mananiso reiterated the importance of accountability and transparency in the Navy’s operations.
“Our work is accountability, our work is transparency, our work is honesty and to ensure that there’s good governance at the end of the day,” she remarked.
Mananiso acknowledged the challenges faced by the Navy, from budget limitations to operational shortfalls. However, she expressed optimism, noting the leadership’s commitment to addressing these issues and to eradicate all acts of maritime criminality within South Africa’s domain and surrounding waters.
“The Minister and the Chief are appreciating that there are limitations and challenges, but they are committed to ensuring they don’t compromise the safety of the country,” she said.
The NCOP Select Committee will continue to monitor the Navy’s progress and advocate for the necessary resources to ensure its success.
(Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
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