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11 Oct 19. DOD Statement on Deployment of Additional U.S. Forces and Equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Attributed to Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman: At the request of U.S. Central Command, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper authorized the deployment of additional U.S. forces and the following equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
- Two Fighter Squadrons
- One Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW)
- Two Patriot Batteries
- One Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD)
Secretary Esper informed Saudi Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Muhammad bin Salman this morning of the additional troop deployment to assure and enhance the defense of Saudi Arabia.
Taken together with other deployments this constitutes an additional 3,000 forces that have been extended or authorized within the last month.
Since May, the Department of Defense has increased the number of forces by approximately 14,000 to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as an investment into regional security.
As we have stated, the United States does not seek conflict with the Iranian regime, but we will retain a robust military capability in the region that is ready to respond to any crisis and will defend U.S. forces and interest in the region. (Source: US DoD)
11 Oct 19. Esper Condemns Turkey’s Syria Incursion, Says U.S. Stands With Syrian Democratic Forces. Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper condemned Turkey’s unilateral military incursion into Northern Syria, saying the move endangers civilians, will encourage instability and may cause the resurrection of ISIS. Esper and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed Pentagon reporters today on the situation in the Middle East.
“This [Turkish] operation puts our [Syrian Democratic Forces] partners in harm’s way,” the secretary said. “It risks the security of ISIS prison camps and will further destabilize the region. From the president on down, we have communicated with the Turks on this issue.”
Since taking office, Esper has spoken many times with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, and Milley has spoken with Turkish Army Gen. Yasir Guler, the country’s chief of defense. Both men reiterated to their Turkish allies the damage the incursion is doing to the U.S.-Turkish relationship and Turkey’s relationships with other NATO countries.
Both U.S. defense leaders emphasized that if Turkey continues with its operation, it must protect civilians and ensure that all ISIS combatants now held remain in confinement.
“When Turkey notified us of an imminent military operation, we relocated a small contingent or less than 50 special operations soldiers out of the immediate zone of the attack,” Esper said. “This decision was made to ensure American troops were not caught up in the fighting between Turkish and Kurdish forces. The safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority.”
The United States is also repositioning forces in the region to improve force protection.
Esper stressed that the U.S. military is not abandoning Kurdish partner forces, noting that American forces remain with SDF formations in other parts of Syria. “We are still collocated with the SDF, with the exception of two small outposts we were forced from in a force protection mode,” Milley said. “The entire frontage of the Turkish-Syrian border is about 440 kilometers; the area of the Turkish incursion is about 120 kilometers. Elsewhere in Syria, [U.S. troops] are still collocated with them.”
The Turks have conducted air and artillery strikes inside Syria, with some direct fire from tanks, but that is coming from across the border. So far, the number of Turkish troops in Syria is in the hundreds, Milley said.
“The impulsive action of [Turkish] President [Recep] Erdogan to invade northern Syria has put the United States in a tough situation, given our relationship with our NATO ally, Turkey, who has fought alongside the United States in the past; the Syrian Democratic Forces, which has destroyed the physical caliphate of ISIS; and the safety of U.S. military personnel,” he said. “Rather than get pulled into this conflict, we put the welfare of our soldiers first while urging Turkey to forgo its operation.” (Source: US DoD)
11 Oct 19. Statement by Department of Defense Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Rath Hoffman. Statement by Department of Defense Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan R. Hoffman:
Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar spoke by phone where they discussed the situation in northeast Syria. Secretary Esper made it clear that the United States opposes Turkey’s uncoordinated actions as they place at risk the progress made by the Defeat-ISIS Coalition.
While the Secretary reaffirmed we value our strategic bilateral relationship, this incursion risks serious consequences for Turkey. The Secretary also reiterated his strong concern that, despite U.S. force protection measures, Turkey’s actions could harm U.S. personnel in Syria.
As part of the call, Secretary Esper strongly encouraged Turkey to discontinue actions in northeastern Syria in order to increase the possibility that the United States, Turkey and our partners could find a common way to deescalate the situation before it becomes irreparable. (Source: US DoD)
08 Oct 19. An Analysis of the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2020 Shipbuilding Plan. CBO estimates that the total shipbuilding budget would average $31bn per year, one-third more than the Navy estimates. The plan would require an increase of more than 50 percent compared with recent shipbuilding budgets.
Summary
- The Navy Plans to Expand the Fleet to 355 Battle Force Ships
- New Ships in the Navy’s Plan Would Cost an Average of $28.8bn per Year
- Shipbuilding Costs Over the Next 30 Years Would Be Twice As Much As Appropriations Over the Past 30 Years
- A Larger Fleet Would Cost More to Operate
The Department of Defense (DoD) submitted the Navy’s 2020 shipbuilding plan to the Congress in March 2019. The average annual cost of carrying out that plan, which covers fiscal years 2020 to 2049, would be $31.0bn in 2019 dollars, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. The Navy’s 2020 plan differs very little from its 2019 plan in its goal for the total inventory of battle force ships, the number and types of ships that the Navy would purchase, and the funding proposed to implement the plan. If fully carried out, the shipbuilding plan would represent the largest naval buildup since the 1980s.
The Navy Plans to Expand the Fleet to 355 Battle Force Ships
In September 2019, the Navy’s fleet numbered 290 battle force ships—aircraft carriers, submarines, surface combatants, amphibious ships, combat logistics ships, and some support ships. The Navy’s 2020 shipbuilding plan reflects its 2016 force structure assessment and sets a goal of building and maintaining a fleet of 355 battle force ships. Toward that goal, the Navy would buy 304 ships over the 2020–2049 period: 247 combat ships and 57 combat logistics and support ships. If the Navy adhered to the schedule for retiring ships outlined in the 2020 plan, it would meet the goal of 355 ships in 2034 and maintain that number through at least 2049. (Source: Congressional Budget Office)
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About Lincad
Lincad is a leading expert in the design and manufacture of batteries, chargers and associated products for a range of applications across a number of different sectors. With a heritage spanning more than three decades in the defence and security sectors, Lincad has particular expertise in the development of reliable, ruggedised products with high environmental, thermal and electromagnetic performance. With a dedicated team of engineers and production staff, all product is designed and manufactured in-house at Lincad’s facility in Ash Vale, Surrey. Lincad is ISO 9001 and TickITplus accredited and works closely with its customers to satisfy their power management requirements.
Lincad is also a member of the Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR), the accreditation system for the aerospace, defence and security sectors, and is certified with Cyber Essentials, the government-backed, industry supported scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber attacks. The majority of Lincad’s products contain high energy density lithium-ion technology, but the most suitable technology for each customer requirement is employed, based on Lincad’s extensive knowledge of available electrochemistries. Lincad offers full life cycle product support services that include repairs and upgrades from point of introduction into service, through to disposal at the end of a product’s life. From product inception, through to delivery and in-service product support, Lincad offers the high quality service that customers expect from a recognised British supplier.
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