Category: war

Mattis: ‘STORM CLOUDS’ are gathering over KOREA

(National Sentinel) War Drums: For the second time in as many days, a top U.S. defense official has warned of the potential for a major war in the near future.

On Friday, Defense Secretary James Mattis warned that “storm clouds are gathering” over the Korean peninsula, as tensions between the U.S. and North Korea continue to mount over the latter’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

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Without actually forecasting a future conflict, Mattis nonetheless told American military forces they must always be ready for war.

“My fine young soldiers, the only way our diplomats can speak with authority and be believed is if you’re ready to go,” Mattis told dozens of U.S. Army soldiers and airmen at the 82nd Airborne Division’s Hall of Heroes, on his last stop during a two-day pre-holiday tour of bases to greet troops.

His comments came as the UN Security Council unanimously voted to support tight new sanctions against North Korea. Those include dramatically reducing sales of oil to the regime, and a return of all North Korea expatriate workers within two years, who are seen as a key source of revenue for Kim Jong-un’s government.

While at Fort Bragg, Mattis recommended the troops read T.R. Fehrenbach’s military classic “This Kind of War: A Study in Unpreparedness,” first published in 1963, a decade after the Korean War ended.

“Knowing what went wrong the last time around is as important as knowing your own testing, so that you’re forewarned – you know what I’m driving at here,” he said as soldiers listened in silence. “So you gotta be ready.”

Mattis was asked about earlier reports that the families of U.S. service members would be evacuated from South Korea, Mattis said he was still relying on diplomacy to resolve the North Korean crisis.

“I don’t think it’s at that point yet,” he said, adding that an evacuation of American civilians would hurt the South Korean economy.

He added that there is a contingency plan that would get U.S. service members’ families out “on very short notice.”

Mattis’ warning follows that of Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller, who told personnel in Norway on Thursday “there’s a war coming.”

Neller said Marines should be ready for combat at any time, predicting a “big-ass fight” on the horizon.

“I hope I’m wrong, but there’s a war coming,” Neller said. ” … You’re in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence.”

He added that he expects the Pacific region — a veiled reference to North Korea and possibly China — as well as Russia would be the U.S. military’s and the Marine Corps’ primary focus in the coming years.

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Top Marine general: ‘There’s a WAR coming’

(National Sentinel) WW3: The top Marine commander told about 300 personnel in Norway on Thursday that “there’s a war coming,” so their presence in eastern Europe is vital.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green, on their annual Christmas tour, visited a Marine contingent at Vaernes Garrison in the Nordic nation and described the strategic role that the small unit is fulfilling.

They also pointed out that a peacetime mission can suddenly change into a combat mission in an instant if circumstances change.

Neller said Marines should be ready for combat at any time, predicting a “big-ass fight” on the horizon.

“I hope I’m wrong, but there’s a war coming,” Neller said. ” … You’re in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence.”

He added that he expects the Pacific region — a veiled reference to North Korea and possibly China — as well as Russia would be the U.S. military’s and the Marine Corps’ primary focus in the coming years.

Green was equally stark.

“Just remember why you’re here,” he said. “They’re watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We’ve got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar.”

Most Norwegians generally support the U.S. presence, but Russia has voiced its opposition frequently, Military.com reported.

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U.S., South Korean war games off peninsula ‘clear WARNING’ to North Korea

(National Sentinel) War Drums: U.S. and South Korean naval and air forces launched a four-day military exercise off the Korean peninsula in what analysts and foreign policy experts say is a “clear warning” to the North.

The exercises, launched on Saturday, involve three aircraft carrier battle groups — the USS Ronald Reagan, Nimitz and Theodore Roosevelt, and come as President Donald J. Trump continues his Asia tour.

Many of Trump’s discussions with regional leaders included how to solve the North Korean nuclear threat.

In addition to the carriers, 11 U.S. Navy ballistic missile defense warships equipped with the Aegis system will join seven South Korean navy vessels, including two equipped with the same system.

Aegis technology refers to missile tracking and guidance, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.

The goal of the exercises is to improve combined operations and aerial strike capabilities while displaying “strong will and firm military readiness to defeat any provocation by North Korea with dominant force in the event of crisis,” the South Korean military said in a statement.

The drills are the first time since 2007 three U.S. carriers participated together in the same exercise. The last time that happened was 2007 in waters near Guam.

The U.S. carriers will also participate in separate exercises with three Japanese destroyers on Sunday, according to Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Daily Mail.

The U.S. has begun sending more strategic assets including long-range bombers and F-35A fighters in patrols and shows of force near the Korean peninsula in recent months, as rhetoric between Trump and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, has become more bellicose.

 

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Increased patrols have also come as North Korea hastens its development of nuclear weapons, which Trump has said the U.S. would not allow.

Daily Mail:

Trump continued his tough talk against Pyongyang on Friday in a speech to business leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam, saying that the region’s future “must not be held hostage to a dictator’s twisted fantasies of violent conquest and nuclear blackmail,” referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump also delivered a sharp warning to Pyongyang in a speech at South Korea’s parliament last week, telling the country: “Do not underestimate us. And do not try us.”

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Pentagon says a ground invasion of North Korea only way to secure nuclear weapons

(National Sentinel) The Defense Department says the only way to secure North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is via a ground invasion, something that is likely not very popular among Pentagon planners and members of Congress.

“The only way to ‘locate and destroy – with complete certainty – all components of North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs’ is through a ground invasion,” wrote Rear Admiral Michael Dumont on behalf of the Pentagon Chiefs of Staff, in response to a question from Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) about the escalating conflict.

He added that a ground invasion would also invite a nuclear counter-attack as forces searched for Pyongyang’s “deeply buried, underground facilities,” adding: “A classified briefing is the best venue for a detailed discussion.”

A group of former military veterans-turned-congressmen, most of them Democrats save for Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., expressed deep concerns about that assessment, fearing a conflict that “could result in hundreds of thousands or even millions of deaths in just the first few days of fighting.

“Their assessment underscores what we’ve known all along: there are no good military options for North Korea,” the joint statement said. “The President needs to stop making provocative statements that hinder diplomatic options and put American troops further at risk.

“It is our intent to have a full public accounting of the potential cost of war, so the American people understand the commitment we would be making as a nation if we were to pursue military action,” it continued.

Breitbart News reported that a poll in September found that more than half of Americans favored military action against North Korea should it be necessary to end Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

In a speech in Japan on Saturday, Trump warned the region’s “tyrants and dictators” of overall American strength.

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“History has proven over and over that the road of the tyrant is a steady march towards poverty, suffering, and servitude,” Trump said. “But the path of strong nations and free peoples, certain of their values and confident in their futures, is a proven path to prosperity and peace.”

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Saudis intercept Yemeni ballistic missile over capital

(National Sentinel) Missile Defense: The Saudi Arabian military intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen that targeted an airport in the capital city of Riyadh on Saturday, the first such intercept by a Saudi missile defense system.

read-here-first-FO-160x600According to a report by the government-backed Al-Arabiya television, Yemen’s Defense Ministry said the missile attack “shook the Saudi capital” and the operation was successful. The Yemenis also said the long-range, domestically produced missile was a Burqan 2H.

However, the Saudi government denied that, with officials at King Khalid Airport tweeting that all was well following the attack.

“Travelers across King Khalid international airport in Riyadh, we assure you that the movement is going on as normal and usual, and trips going according to time,” the airport said.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab coalition against Iran-backed Houthi rebels after they toppled the Yemeni government in 2015.

“The missile launch on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was the first time the heart of the Saudi capital has been attacked and represents a major escalation of the ongoing war in the region,” CNN reported.

The missile defense system was a Patriot PAC-3, which was manufactured and supplied by the United States.

The downing of the Yemen-fired missile won praise from President Donald J. Trump.

“We make the best military equipment in the world,” he said. “… You saw the missile that went out? And our system knocked the missile out of the air. That’s how good we are. Nobody makes what we make, and now we’re selling it all over the world,” Trump told reporters Sunday aboard Air Force One en route to Japan.

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Iran threatens to launch ballistic missile strike against U.S. forces

(National Sentinel) War Drums: A top Iranian commander has threatened to launch ballistic missiles in the direction of U.S. forces in the region as part of a public relations effort by Tehran to display its advanced missile capabilities, U.S. officials and regional reports noted.

read-here-first-FO-160x600As reported by the Free Beacon, Iranian leaders have openly discussed new advanced ballistic missile technology that is now sophisticated enough to attack U.S. forces up to 1,300 miles away, which can reach every American base in the region.

The head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, announced on Tuesday that Iranian missiles can already “cover all U.S. bases in the region” and that Tehran has the capability to increase its missile power even further, the Free Beacon noted.

“Based on the policies specified by the Leader [Ayatollah Khamenei], the range of our missiles is limited to 2,000km, but we have the capability to increase the range,” IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari said following an announcement by the country’s supreme leader that Iranian ballistic missile technology would be capped at this distance for the short term.

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While pro-Iran activists cheered the announcement as a sign of moderation on Iran’s part, U.S officials and experts told the Washington Free Beacon that the distance cap on these missiles is effectively meaningless since the country’s current military technology is capable of striking U.S. forces, a position emphasized by Iranian military leaders.

“At present it [this distance] is sufficient because the Americans are in a 2,000 km radius from our country and their attacks will be responded,” Jafari was quoted as saying in Iran’s state-controlled press outlets.

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Trump hits back at Gold Star widow who accused him of forgetting her husband’s name

(National Sentinel) False Narratives: President Donald J. Trump disputed a Gold Star widow’s account earlier today that he forgot her husband’s name when he called to console her after his death.

Myeshia Johnson, whose husband La David Johnson, along with three other soldiers, was killed in an Oct. 4 ambush in Niger carried out by fighters affiliated with the Islamic State group, accused the commander-in-chief of stumbling over his name during the phone call.

“I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!” Trump wrote on Twitter Monday, defending himself.

“The Fake News is going crazy with wacky Congresswoman Wilson (D), who was SECRETLY on a very personal call, and gave a total lie on content!” he also tweeted.

Johnson told host George Stephanopoulos earlier today she had not found Trump’s call comforting, saying that it left her in tears instead.

“The president said that he knew what he signed up for but it hurts anyway. It made me cry because I was very angry at the tone of his voice and how he said it. He couldn’t remember my husband’s name,” she said.

“The only way he remembered my husband’s name is because he told me he had my husband’s report in front of him and that’s when he actually said ‘La David.’”

That is completely different from the account of a Trump consolation call given by another Gold Star widow, Natasha De Alencar, widow of Army Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar. She shared a video of the call with the Washington Post, in which she can be heard thanking the president profusely.

Frankly, it seems extremely unlikely that the president would not know who he was talking to and who had been killed in action before he made his phone calls. As Bill O’Reilly has said, this entire ordeal smacks of a politically motivated set-up meant to, once again, make the president look bad.

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Air Force set to put nuclear bomb-carrying B-52s on 24-hour alert

(National Sentinel) Cold War II: In a tactic that has not been utilized since the end of the first Cold War, the Pentagon is set to place nuclear weapons-carrying B-52 bombers on 24/7/365 alert, as tensions with North Korea and Russia ramp up.

Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff, discussed preparations for the new order during his six-day tour of the Air Force bases that support the nuclear mission last week.

“This is yet one more step in ensuring that we’re prepared,” Goldfein told Defense One. “I look at it more as not planning for any specific event, but more for the reality of the global situation we find ourselves in and how we ensure we’re prepared going forward.”

No order has been given yet but the Air Force seems to be expecting it.

“The world is a dangerous place and we’ve got folks that are talking openly about the use of nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that as nuclear weapons have spread to other countries, that has substantially changed the global security landscape.

“It’s no longer a bipolar world where it’s just us and the Soviet Union. We’ve got other players out there who have nuclear capability,” he said. “It’s never been more important to make sure that we get this mission right.”

The order could be issued either by Gen. John Hyten, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the military’s nuclear forces, or Gen. Lori Robinson, head of U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for defending North America.

But ultimately, the decision would first be made by the commander-in-chief, President Donald J. Trump.

Meantime, Goldfein has tasked the Air Force with devising new and improved ways to use nuclear-tipped ICBMs, bombers and nuclear cruise missiles in war, CNN reported.

“How do we think about it?” Goldfein asked. “How do we think about deterrence in that environment?”

Then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney issued a directive in September 1991 ordering the 40-odd nuclear-armed B-52s on 24-hour-alert to stand down and have their nuclear weapons removed and stored as the Cold War ended and the Soviet Union was breaking up.

Bombers were on alert at 11 Air Force bases: Barksdale in Louisiana, Griffiss in New York, Wurtsmith in Michigan, Carswell in Texas, Fairchild in Washington, K. I. Sawyer in Michigan, Minot in North Dakota, Dyess in Texas, Ellsworth in South Dakota, Grand Forks in North Dakota and McConnell in Kansas.

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Netanyahu tells Russian defense minister Israel cannot allow Iranian bases in Syria

(National Sentinel) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that his country could never permit the Iranian military to have a permanent presence in Syria, and that surely “Tehran knows this.”

In comments to the Russian press regarding the meeting, Netanyahu said it was focused on, “above all, Iran’s attempts to establish military bases in Syria.”

Earlier, he said that the Jewish state “will act to prevent Iran from establishing permanent military bases in Syria for its air, sea and ground forces.”

As the Syrian civil war is winding down, Iran and Iranian proxies like Hezbollah have been working to establish a permanent presence in the war-torn country, both as a strategic move against Israel and to influence the direction of the Syrian government.

Analyst comment: As we have stated in recent Strategic Intelligence Summaries, the most likely next war in the Middle East will involve Israeli and Iranian forces, the latter either directly or via proxies. This confirms our earlier analysis. Stay current on this and other potential conflicts by subscribing today.

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Congress warned: North Korean EMP blast could kill ’90 percent of Americans’

(National Sentinel) War Drums: Experts warned Congress on Thursday that North Korea is capable of attacking the United States today with a nuclear device that, when exploded at altitude, would create an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) large enough to wipe out the nation’s power grid.

The end result, these experts warn, is that within several months 90 percent of Americans would die, the Washington Examiner reported.

The experts called on Congress and President Donald J. Trump to address the issue of protecting the nation’s power grid quickly, adding that a high-altitude explosion of a nuclear device delivered via a satellite or ICBM “could be to shut down the U.S. electric power grid for an indefinite period, leading to the death within a year of up to 90 percent of all Americans.”

“With the development of small nuclear arsenals and long-range missiles by new, radical U.S. adversaries, beginning with North Korea, the threat of a nuclear EMP attack against the U.S. becomes one of the few ways that such a country could inflict devastating damage to the United States. It is critical, therefore, that the U.S. national leadership address the EMP threat as a critical and existential issue, and give a high priority to assuring the leadership is engaged and the necessary steps are taken to protect the country from EMP,” the experts told a House Homeland Security subcommittee.

William R. Graham, chairman of the former EMP commission and its former chief of staff, Peter Vincent Pry, said that the U.S. has ignored the warning signs for years and that North Korea’s military moves this year must be seen as a wake-up call, the Washington Examiner reported, adding:

  • Just six months ago, most experts thought North Korea’s nuclear arsenal was primitive, some academics claiming it had as few as 6 A-Bombs. Now the intelligence community reportedly estimates North Korea has 60 nuclear weapons.
  • Just six months ago, most experts thought North Korea’s ICBMs were fake, or if real could not strike the U.S. mainland. Now the intelligence community reportedly estimates North Korea’s ICBMs can strike Denver and Chicago, and perhaps the entire United States.
  • Just six months ago, most experts thought North Korea was many years away from an H-Bomb. Now it appears North Korea has H-Bombs comparable to sophisticated U.S. two-stage thermonuclear weapons.
  • Just six months ago, most experts claimed North Korean ICBMs could not miniaturize an A-Bomb or design a reentry vehicle for missile delivery. Now the intelligence community reportedly assesses North Korea has miniaturized nuclear weapons and has developed reentry vehicles for missile delivery, including by ICBMs that can strike the U.S.
  • After massive intelligence failures grossly underestimating North Korea’s long-range missile capabilities, the number of nuclear weapons, warhead miniaturization, and proximity to an H-Bomb, the biggest North Korean threat to the U.S. remains unacknowledged—nuclear EMP attack.

The experts also hit Congress over its failure to extend the life of the EMP Commission, noting that the issue needed deeper study.

Also, the experts warned ominously: “Our current vulnerability invites attack.”

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Cryptic Trump message after meeting with military chiefs: ‘Calm before the storm’

(National Sentinel) War Drums: President Donald J. Trump gave reporters a cryptic message during a press gaggle following a meeting with his military chiefs, saying that it could have represented the “calm before the storm.”

Survival gearAs reported by The Daily Caller:

White House reporters were called to the State Dining Room and asked to document a formal dinner Trump spontaneously decided to host for his military advisers. Trump referred to the impromptu dinner and photo shoot as “the calm before the storm,” before praising the military and reiterating his array of military options with respect to North Korea.

“You guys know what this represents?” Trump asked. “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”

One reporter replied asking Trump to explain what he specifically he was referring to, offering the Islamic State, North Korea and Iran as potential answers. 

Trump replied simply, “you’ll find out.”

Trump also praised his commanders, describing them as “the world’s great military people.”

Reports claimed that Trump and his military staff discussed options for dealing with North Korea’s nuclear threat and whether or not the president should re-certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration.

But then the president issued another stark warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“We cannot allow this dictatorship to threaten our nation or allies with unimaginable loss of life,” he said, vowing to “do what we must do to prevent that from happening and it will be done, if necessary. Believe me.”

Earlier, General John E. Hyten, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, told RealClearDefense that the Pentagon has to assume that North Korea has nuclear weapons.

“…[A]s the commander of strategic command, I have to assume that they have the bomb, that they will have the capability to deploy it on an ICBM,” he said.

What’s more, in September the Asia Times reported that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee that earlier this year, he informed the Chinese that the Pentagon had drawn up military options for North Korea and presented them to Trump.

“We’re at the phase now where implementation of the sanctions is going to determine whether or not we have a peaceful solution to denuclearization on the peninsula,” he told the panel.

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Would China invade North Korea if war broke out on the peninsula?

(National Sentinel) War: There is a distinct probability that, should war break out between the U.S. and North Korea, depending on who initiated the conflict, China may be forced to intervene militarily — not necessarily on the side of its problematic ally, but in defense of the country nevertheless.

China fears three things from a North Korean collapse: 1) A flood of refugees from North Korea into its industrial northeast who do not speak Chinese and whose presence would overwhelm local resources; 2) A unified peninsula under a democratic government allied with a global competitor, the U.S.; and 3) Loss of faith in the Chinese communist governing system among the Chinese people, which would likely happen if North Korea were attacked by the U.S. first and Beijing did nothing to respond.

Another issue that concerns Beijing is who would take control of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and facilities — an issue that is vexing to U.S. military planners and another reason why war on the peninsula is a risky endeavor. For one, it’s tough to know where all of Pyongyang’s nuclear facilities are located. The same goes for the North’s missiles; many are mobile and are parked in caves dug into the side of mountains and therefore out of view of reconnaissance satellites. Of the known nuclear sites, most are located near China’s border; if U.S. and South Korean troops were to approach them, that would mean they would have to cross the 38th parallel, which could also trigger a Chinese invasion.

There are many other issues concerning to China as well regarding a unified Korean peninsula under a democratic, U.S.-allied government. While the South Korean government has been planning for reunification for years, so, too, have the Chinese, but with far different objectives. Seoul envisions absorbing North Korea much like West Germany absorbed communist East Germany at the end of the Cold War, but that is not in Beijing’s interests at all.

Furthermore, off-the-record interviews with U.S. researchers and high-level Chinese military and government officials give the indication that China would have no choice but to intervene on some level should war break out. Beijing’s objective, most likely, would be to simply absorb North Korea itself and thus maintain its buffer with South Korea while framing its invasion as a humanitarian and stabilization mission. If North Korea started the war, China would signal to the U.S. its forces won’t engage American or South Korean troops but will enter North Korea to secure China’s border.

Beyond that, any U.S.-initiated action will bring China in on Pyongyang’s side, however reluctantly. That concern is most likely one major reason why the Trump administration is currently leaning more on diplomacy than military action. But should Washington, Seoul, and Beijing work out an agreement ahead of time about what to do with North Korea should the regime fall, then it’s game-on.

Why it’s on our radar: Information in this article helps satisfy Priority Intelligence Requirement 2 and 3: What are the latest indicators of a U.S.-China conflict and what are the latest indicators of a U.S.-North Korea war?  Each week in our Strategic Intelligence Summary, we gauge the likelihood and scope of conflict with Russia, China, North Korea, and in the Middle East, and track the latest developments in each region.  Subscribe here to receive our premium intelligence products prepared by Intelligence and special operations veterans.

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North Korea threatens shoot-down of U.S. warplanes; says Trump has ‘declared war’

(National Sentinel) War Drums: Within 48 hours of the United States sending a sortie of B-1B bombers and F-15C fighters in international airspace to the farthest point north of the border between North and South Korea last weekend, North Korea’s foreign ministry issued a statement accusing President Trump of declaring war on Pyongyang — a political action that is reserved to Congress, not presidents.

In addition, North Korea’s top foreign diplomat claimed the right to shoot down any American aircraft Pyongyang claimed was threatening the country, even in international airspace.

“The whole world should clearly remember it was the U.S. who first declared war on our country,” said Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho. “Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country,” he added.

U.S. officials, of course, quickly denied such allegations, even calling the assumption that a declaration of war had been made “absurd.”

The North Koreans were reacting to a tweet that Trump sent on Sept. 23, which said, “Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!” Little Rocket Man is Trump’s derogatory nickname for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. That, Ri said, amounted to a declaration of war.

Obviously, this represents a serious escalation in the war of words, at least, between the Trump administration and that of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

However, if American planes are targeted, that will be all the legal justification Trump needs to launch a devastating attack against Pyongyang that would not only target all known nuclear, chemical, and conventions weapons but likely involved a “decapitation” operation aimed at taking out Kim and senior North Korean leaders.

What would China do? Would Beijing intervene militarily in support of their erstwhile ally? Experts believe the Chinese would only do so if the U.S. fired first, not if North Korea fired first.

Most experts believe the Chinese would only do so if the U.S. struck first, not if North Korea fired first. That said, Beijing isn’t likely to look the other way if U.S. and South Korean troops get too close to the country’s Yalu River border with North Korea.

As for the U.S. bomber/fighter flight, Beijing is well aware it took place in international airspace. It is also well aware as to why the mission took place: As a show of force aimed at reminding Kim of the power arrayed against him, should he miscalculate — as it sounds he may be about to do.

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Robot wars coming soon to a battlefield near you

(National Sentinel) Future of War: Automated, or robot, warfare is coming to the battlefield and sooner than many people would like, but where the technology leads from there is anyone’s guess.

As reported by the UK’s Daily Mail, BAE Systems — a British defense, security, and aerospace firm — has published several images featuring its new driverless mini-tanks that it hopes will revolutionize the way men and women fight.

Codenamed “Ironclad,” the concept envisions machines working alongside other machines like unmanned aerial and ground vehicles in support of human forces. What’s more, the Ironclads are versatile; they can be outfitted with several attachments so they can be adapted for use under a variety of conditions and circumstances including bomb disposal, reconnaissance, and evacuating troops from the field.

The Daily Mail noted further:

BAE Systems aims to make them completely autonomous in future, meaning they operate without a human controller.

They will be equipped with ‘friend or foe’ tracking software to avoid friendly fire and keep soldiers out of harm’s way. 

Currently, concept models operate via wireless control within a range of up to 1 kilometer (0.6 miles).

The company showcased the new vehicles at an upcoming defense trade show, the Defense and Security International Conference, which took place last week. But so far, officials said there is no official deployment date for the Ironclad systems.

Robotics have been making their way to the battlefield for years. As far back as 2009, troops in Afghanistan deployed tracked robots that were used to locate, and then help dispose of, roadside bombs and other ordnance. In addition, hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have also been used by ground troops for a number of years.

read-here-first-FO-160x600As for BAE, the company says its Ironclad platforms are designed to take on “some of the most dangerous jobs that soldiers currently face,” said a statement cited by the Daily Mail.

While humans will remain “at the center of decision-making,” the company said, the need to quickly react to a threat may mean that some control of weapons systems will be handed off to artificial intelligence systems powering the mini-tanks.

The Ironclad systems have rubberized tracks but armored hulls that protect the mini-tanks from blasts and small-arms fire. And because they run off of a high-powered battery, they are very quiet. They are also rangy; they can travel 31 miles on a single charge, the company said.

The small tanks are also modular, in that they can be used in tandem — as in, joined together for evacuation of a wounded soldier.

BAE said that its vision of future warfare included full-size main battle tanks that are supported by “fleets of smaller autonomous air and ground vehicles,” which would help create a defensive perimeter. (Related: Is Russia Set To Build Highly Dangerous Combat Robots?)

“There will always be a human in the loop,” Craig Fennell, a future programs director at BAE Land Systems, told the paper, “but increasing use of autonomy and unmanned vehicles means they can focus on key decisions and have more options to avoid putting people in dangerous situations.”

He added: “Ironclad is a step towards the battlefield of the future.”

He’s not alone in his thinking. In an address to Russian primary school students recently, President Vladimir Putin said that whoever leads in AI will “rule the world.”

“Artificial intelligence is the future, not only for Russia but for all humankind. It comes with colossal opportunities, but also threats that are difficult to predict. Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world,” he said.

“No-one can be entirely sure what the future will look like, but we do know that it’s a relatively short step from the technology available today to having a fleet of autonomous vehicles sharing situational awareness and – where appropriate – making certain decisions independently,” said John Puddy, the technology lead at BAE Systems Land.

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Japan deploys missile interceptor along flight path near North Korea

(National Sentinel) War Clouds: Japan has deployed missile interceptors in waters along the anticipated flight path of missiles fired by North Korea, in response to Pyongyang’s recent launches of ICBM’s that have flown over Japanese territory.

As reported by The Associated Press, defense officials in Tokyo said a U.S.-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor unit has been deployed at the Hakodate base in the southern sector of Hokkaido island, which is Japan’s largest northernmost island.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the PAC-3 deployment was being taken “as a precaution,” as Tokyo makes preparations to better defend itself against potential North Korean aggression.

The AP noted further:

The relocation came after a North Korean missile was test-fired last week and flew over southern Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific off the island’s east coast – the second flyover in less than a month.

The PAC-3 was brought from another base in Yakumo town on Hokkaido, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Hakodate. The system has a range of about 20 kilometers (12 miles).

Japan has 34 PAC-3 missile defense units. Four more of the units, which are mostly deployed to protect the capital, were recently moved to southwestern Japan, after Pyongyang warned it would launch missiles at the U.S. territory of Guam, home to Andersen Air Force Base and a large contingent of U.S. forces.

The PAC-3’s are part of a two-tier missile defense system deployed by Japan. The first layer is based aboard Japanese Aegis-equipped destroyers, which protect the country from the sea. Should that layer fail, Tokyo would then rely on the PAC-3 systems.

North Korea continues to threaten the U.S. and its neighbors, most notably Japan and South Korea, with nuclear strikes. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has not ruled out the use of preemptive military force again North Korea if the threat rises to what the White House deems an unacceptable level.

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