‘THE CHARACTER OF WAR IS CHANGING’: If there is one glaring lesson from the war in Ukraine, it’s that the outcome of future wars may hinge on drone warfare, and the Pentagon is in a race to develop a massive drone fleet, and just as importantly, more effective defenses against the cheap, disposable, and lethal drone that adversaries may unleash against U.S. forces in some future conflict.
To that end, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, as one of his last acts as defense secretary, signed off on a classified strategy for countering unmanned systems, commonly known as drones, which are changing how wars are fought.
“In recent years, adversary unmanned systems have evolved rapidly. These cheap systems are increasingly changing the battlefield, threatening U.S. installations, and wounding or killing our troops,” Austin said in a statement. “To get after this threat, I directed the swift development of a classified, comprehensive, department-wide strategy. It lays out a roadmap for countering the threat of adversary unmanned systems — today and far into the future.”
“Drones and other unmanned systems will increasingly transform the security environment. Tackling these threats will not be easy. But the United States military is unrivaled in our ability to adapt to new challenges,” Austin said. “The character of war is changing, and we will change with it.”
AI MAKING DRONES ‘AN URGENT AND ENDURING THREAT’: An unclassified fact sheet released by the Pentagon notes that innovation in the commercial sector has made sophisticated technology — including artificial intelligence, autonomy, and networking capabilities — available to militaries of all sizes, as well as non-state actors.
“Technological advances in the mid-to-long-term will likely render unmanned systems increasingly capable, affordable, autonomous, and networked – able to loiter for longer timespans, to communicate better with other systems, move and act as swarms, and to carry larger payloads,” the fact sheet states. “These dynamics risk eroding deterrence and creating new and uncertain escalation dynamics.”
“At the strategic level, unmanned systems provide aggressors with the ability to reduce the initial human, financial, and reputational costs of conflict. The relatively low-cost, widely available nature of these systems has, in effect, democratized precision strike.”
“What we’re seeing is the way that drones are being applied, the impact of how they’re being used is something that we can’t just deal with ad hoc,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said on Thursday. “We need to do this in a comprehensive, cohesive manner. And so, that’s really what this strategy does, is it essentially enables the department to look across the entire department and our interagency partners how we can best work together to address this.”
DRONES VS F-35: Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk and fellow DOGE efficiency crusader Vivek Ramaswamy were on Capitol Hill yesterday, meeting with members of Congress to share their ideas about slashing government spending and ditching federal rules and regulations they say stifle innovation.
We don’t know exactly what they proposed, but notably, Musk recently seemed to have the F-35 fighter jet in his crosshairs, mocking America’s premier combat aircraft as obsolete, posting a video on his X platform swarm of Chinese drones with the comment “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.”
In a later post, Musk continued his attack on the F-35, the Pentagon’s most expensive weapons program ever, with an estimated lifetime cost of over $1 trillion. “The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people,” Musk said. “This made it an expensive and complex jack of all trades, master of none. Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed.”
READ MORE: WILL MUSK KILL THE F-35 IN THE NAME OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY?
Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie (@chriswtremo). Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is traveling to Simi Valley, California, where he’s scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum tomorrow at 9 a.m. Washington time. Along with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Austin will be honored with the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.
From there, Austin heads to Tokyo, Japan, for a multiday visit, which the Pentagon noted is his 13th visit to the Indo-Pacific as secretary of defense.
SEOUL NOT ON THE ITINERARY: Notably, Austin is not visiting South Korea on his Asian trip, where the longtime U.S. ally has been plunged into political chaos by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived effort to place the country under martial law. Yoon faces an impeachment vote as early as tomorrow, and much of the country’s diplomatic and government functions are suspended.
Austin planned to visit South Korea, which U.S. officials almost always do when visiting Japan, but the plan was scrapped. The U.S.-South Korea Nuclear Consultative Group, scheduled for this week in Washington, was also canceled as the Pentagon waits to see how events play out.
“Given the events in ROK, it was deemed a prudent measure, and we’ll keep you updated in terms of a new date when that’s rescheduled,” said spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
AUSTIN LAUDS WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINES: In his speech to West Point cadets Wednesday, Austin, a retired four-star Army general, interjected an anecdote that seemed aimed squarely at Trump defense secretary Pete Hegseth’s opposition to allowing women to serve in combat units.
Austin related that as an assistant division commander in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he called his staff together, which included “several extraordinary women,” and offered them the option of not deploying to the front with him.
“The women and men of that incredible team looked at me. And finally, one of the women popped up and said, ‘Sir, what are you talking about?’” Austin recalled. “Those women didn’t flinch. They were facing the same dangers as the men. In fact, they were facing more. And in no uncertain terms, they were telling me to stop talking and get to the fight.”
“And that is who the women of the United States military are. And everywhere I’ve gone on a battlefield, I’ve seen women fighting for America. And they are incredibly capable, incredibly accomplished, and incredibly brave. So look, if I get a little fired up about this, it’s just because this isn’t 1950. It isn’t 1948. It is 2024,” he said. “And we need each and every qualified citizen who steps up to wear the cloth of our nation. And any military that turns away tough, talented patriots — women or men — is just making itself weaker and smaller.”
AUSTIN REBUKES HEGSETH’S STANCE AGAINST WOMEN IN COMBAT: ‘IT ISN’T 1948’
HEGSETH TOUTS HIS COMBAT EXPERIENCE: In a post on X, Hegseth, who is battling to save his nomination to succeed Austin, touted his time in combat sharing a photo of kneeling soldiers honoring a fallen comrade.
“Maybe it’s time for a @SecDef who has… Led in combat. Been on patrol for days. Pulled a trigger. Heard bullets whiz by. Called in close air support. Led medevacs. Dodged IEDs. And understands — to his core — the power of this photo … because he’s been on that knee before.”
The post was re-shared by Dan Lamothe, defense reporter for the Washington Post, who noted, “This basic description also applies to Lloyd Austin, Jim Mattis, and Chuck Hagel,” all defense secretaries who like Hegseth, were decorated combat veterans.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Hegseth’s fate could decide other Trump nominees’ future
Washington Examiner: Hegseth hurdles persist as Trump Defense nominee faces ‘more work to do’
Washington Examiner: Hegseth’s pledge not to drink while defense secretary comforts some senators
Washington Examiner: Austin rebukes Hegseth’s stance against women in combat: ‘It isn’t 1948’
Washington Examiner: Intelligence community insiders warn against Tulsi Gabbard as DNI: ‘Serious red flags’
Washington Examiner: Trump selects border commissioner and China ambassador in flurry of selections
Washington Examiner: Secret Service director grilled on reforms after Trump assassination attempts
Washington Examiner: GOP Texas lawmaker spars with Secret Service chief during Trump assassination attempt hearing
Washington Examiner: Syrian anti-Assad forces take crucial city of Hama
Washington Examiner: US adversaries not acting as ‘a block’ despite ‘increased cooperation,’ Haines says
Washington Examiner: Macron blames ‘coalition of the irresponsible’ for historic ousting of French government
New York Times: Ukraine Makes a Case to Trump’s Team as Its Officials Visit US
AP: NATO chief urges European allies to ramp up defense spending as Trump returns to White House
AP: Trump dispatched his incoming envoy to the Mideast for high-level talks on reaching Gaza ceasefire
NBC: We Are Now Living in ‘Third Nuclear Age’ of Expanding Threats and Arsenals, UK Military Chief Warns
The Hill: GOP Senators Push to Take Out Provision in Defense Bill to Draft Women in Military
Washington Post: Fox names Trump ‘Patriot of the Year,’ as stars cozy up to president-elect
Defense News: Pentagon Green-Lights Counter-Drone Strategy amid ‘Urgent’ Threat
Breaking Defense: NATO Eyes Solar-Powered High Altitude Platforms to Counter GPS Jamming
Task & Purpose: Americans Trust the Military a Bit More Now, but Much Less Than During War Years, Survey Finds
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Defers Decision on NGAD to New Trump Administration
The War Zone: Revised Fold-Away Rotor Aircraft Concepts Emerge from Special Operations X-Plane Program
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Global Strike Boss: CCAs May Escort Bombers After Concept Matures in Fighter Force
DefenseScoop: AARO Functioning at Full Operational Capability as Lawmakers Prep for Classified UAP Briefing
Air & Space Forces Magazine: DOD: Russian Weakness Fuels China’s Rise in the Arctic
Inside Defense: Air Mobility Command Slowly but Surely Taking on Connectivity, Starting with GTPaaS
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Lockheed’s Skunk Works Gets New Boss
SpaceNews: Muon Space Climate-Monitoring Satellites Eyed for Military Applications
19fortyfive.com: China’s New Aircraft Carriers Have 1 Massive Advantage over the U.S. Navy
19fortyfive.com: Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defense Dilemma
The Cipher Brief: In Syria Rebellion, Questions for Assad, the US and the Middle East
THE CALENDAR:
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 6
11:30 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution and the Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion: “Where Are US-China Relations Headed?” with House Intelligence ranking member Jim Himes (D-CN) https://www.brookings.edu/events/where-are-us-china-relations-headed
1:30 p.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “Commanding the Alliance: Perspectives from SACEURs,” with retired Gen. Christopher Cavoli; retired Gen. Philip Breedlove; retired Gen. Wesley Clark; retired Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti; and former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Colleen Bell https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/commanding-the-alliance
3:30 p.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “Airpower and the Indo-Pacific,” with Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces and air component commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/event/an-gen-kevin-b-schneider-24
SATURDAY | DECEMBER 7
4:45 a.m Simi Valley California — Reagan Institute 2024 Reagan National Defense Forum with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Gina Raimondo, secretary of commerce; Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. David W. Allvin, chief of staff, Air Force; several members of Congress, civilian and military leadership, DOD, former officials, and industry leaders. Full agenda at https://www.reaganfoundation.org Register at https://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan-institute/programs