For review:
1. Israel Alert for Iranian Weapon Transfers to Hezbollah.
The IDF on Monday said it would ensure Iran does not smuggle weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon as the Islamic Republic sends reinforcements to its ally Syrian President Bashar Assad to counter an ongoing rebel assault.
2. NATO Sec General Talks Ukraine Negotiations.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte: "The front is not moving eastwards. It is slowly moving westwards,” Rutte said. “So we have to make sure that Ukraine gets into a position of strength, and then it should be for the Ukrainian government to decide on the next steps, in terms of opening peace talks and how to conduct them.”
3. French-German defense form KNDS to get new CEO.
Formed in 2015, KNDS is a joint venture between France’s Nexter and Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMV), two of Europe’s largest land system manufacturers. The company makes the Leopard 2 main battle tank, Puma infantry fighting vehicle, and PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer (155mm).
4. US Army Autonomous Precision Strike Missile Variant.
The US Army is developing a fifth Precision Strike Missile (variant), that it could potentially launch from an autonomous launcher to hit targets beyond 1,000 km.
5. USMC 3d Marine Littoral Regiment (Hawaii) receives over an unspecified amount of Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction Systems (NMESIS).
In 2021, the Marine Corps identified the procurement of 14 NMESIS batteries, composed of 18 launchers each. These unmanned launchers are equipped with two low-observable Naval Strike Missiles capable of reaching targets 185 kilometers away.
6. GAO Reports Poor Condition of US Navy Amphibious Fleet.
Half of the Navy ships the Marine Corps would use to make amphibious assaults are in “poor condition,” and some of the vessels have been unavailable for operational or training use for years at a time, according to a pointed new watchdog report.
7. Indo-PACOM Combatant Commander (US Navy Admiral Samuel Paparo) concerned of strategic, long-range weapon transfers outside of US arsenal.
“Inherently, it imposes costs on the readiness of America to respond in the Indo-Pacific region, which is the most stressing theater … because [China] is the most capable potential adversary in the world,” he stated.