#the U.S. Navy implemented

[usafphantom2]

Finland acquires JDAM and SDB I weapon systems for its F-35 fighters

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/01/2024 - 13:00 in Military

The Patria and the Finnish Defense Forces signed a service agreement to develop the capabilities of Finland's F-35 program, specifically purchases of JDAM and SDB I ammunition.

Major General Jari Mikkonen, Head of the Logistics Command of the Finnish Defense Forces (FDFLOGCOM) signed the contract for the acquisition of JDAM and SDB I ammunition for the F-35 multifunctional fighters on February 29, 2024. The Finnish Minister of Defense authorized the Logistics of the Defence Forces Command to conduct the acquisition.

The object of the acquisition is the JDAM and SDB I systems with related equipment and services in the years 2024–2030. The acquisition is referred to as the Total Package Approach (TPA), which means that, in addition to the JDAM and SDB I pumps, the acquisition includes transport sets of BRU-61 ammunition, training material, manuals, spare parts, accessories, transport services and manufacturer instructions, as well as training services and supplier support. Contains spare parts and support services for manufacturers and suppliers by 2030.

The acquisition contract is in dollars and its indexed maximum price is US$ 96.1 million. Purchase payments will take place during the years 2024-2030.

The acquisition will be carried out in accordance with the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure between the authorities of the USA and Finland, in which the Defense Forces Logistics Command will conclude the acquisition contract with the United States administration.

The JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) is a modular guidance kit for 500, 1,000 or 2,000 pound bombs of the Mark 80 series. In addition to a guidance kit, a fuse or sensor is installed in the pump, depending on the intended use. A bomb equipped with JDAM can perform precision attacks on fixed or mobile targets at short range.

The SDB I (Small Diameter Bomb I) is a glider pump capable of accurately hitting medium-range targets. Thanks to the relatively small size of the pump, a fighter is able to carry a larger number of SDB I bombs at a time.

Guided bombs and glider bombs are part of the weapons acquisition package that allows the Finnish Air Force to have the ability to support other Forces in combat activities. The weapons of the F-35 fighters from Finland will be acquired in stages until the year 2035. The phased implementation of the acquisition of weapons will make it possible to optimize the composition of weapons as the Finnish F-35 program progresses.

"Some of the types of weapons to be purchased can also be used with our current fleet of F/A-18 Hornet. Therefore, when we make the transition to the F-35, we will be able to profit from the skills and experience in systems acquired so far," said the Director of the F-35 Program, Colonel (retired), Henrik Elo.

Tags: Military AviationF-35 Lightning IIIlmavoimat/Finnland Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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O

[mariacallous]

The world has failed to halt a downward spiral in humanitarian conditions for civilians in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-Hamas war began last October. The airdropping of humanitarian aid and the U.S. plan to construct a temporary port off the coast of northern Gaza to deliver assistance, both in coordination with Israel, will not adequately relieve the crisis or eliminate its root cause. In addition to being financially unfeasible, neither approach can be sustained amid continued armed conflict and Israel’s blocking of aid entering the strip via land borders.

The only feasible and sustainable way to relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is through an emergency mechanism that removes Israel’s total control over the security inspection and entry of aid via land borders into the besieged territory. This proposed plan, limited to the duration of the war and the resulting humanitarian crisis, should include an international security task force with the limited mandate of overseeing and implementing an independent inspection and transport process for aid through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

This emergency mechanism is not far-fetched and could be immediately applied if world powers were willing to utilize all means necessary to rescue Palestinians in Gaza from famine, a devastated health system, and harrowing levels of deprivation. Such an intervention would boost efforts to stop the mounting threat of a regional conflict as well as bring progress toward negotiations to reach a cease-fire. Now is the time to do so.

In the Sinai Peninsula, just across the border from Gaza, tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian aid are waiting for Israel’s permission to enter the strip. Images show hundreds of flatbed trucks loaded with aid and blocked by Israel’s security inspection system at the Kerem Shalom border crossing, including some parked for weeks. In wartime, it is imperative that aid shipments undergo strict security checks, but such a system must not be manipulated by any warring parties for military gain—in this case, either Israel or Hamas.

Instead, a joint task force, comprising security personnel from different governments and an international security body, could oversee the system. Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and France, in partnership with the United Nations, are the top parties—but not the only ones—capable of operating this limited-mandate force. All have consistently engaged both Hamas and Israel, along with local authorities and humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, on hostages, aid and rescue, policies to protect civilians, and negotiations toward a cease-fire.

Egypt is a fitting and capable host: It not only maintains the sole land border and entry point into Gaza that is not under Israeli military control, the Rafah border crossing, but it also has become the destination of most humanitarian aid dispatched for Gaza. Since the beginning of the war, shipments have continuously landed in El-Arish Airport in North Sinai, some 31 miles from the Rafah crossing—which is just south of the town of Rafah in Gaza, where an estimated 1.5 million people are sheltered.

In the last decade, the Egyptian military and security forces have turned this part of North Sinai into the country’s most militarized zone. It is so secure that it has received heads of government, top U.N. officials, members of parliament, and other officials since the war in Gaza began. At El-Arish, French and Italian navy hospital ships have docked for weeks to provide medical aid to Palestinians, while other vessels have unloaded aid shipments.

Egypt could immediately designate a site to host a security inspection effort and the joint task force needed to implement it. In fact, Cairo has already said it is building a logistics hub to host aid efforts near the Rafah crossing terminal.

Since the war began, senior U.S. officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA Director Bill Burns have conducted multiple visits and engaged in talks with regional governments involved with efforts to contain the conflict. After the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden appointed David Satterfield as special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues. Satterfield is no stranger to the region’s volatile security; he served as director-general of the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula from 2009 to 2017.

Qatar and France are as active as Egypt and the United States in all levels of engagement with the warring parties. Qatar’s capital, Doha, hosts the Hamas leadership outside of Gaza. Qatari efforts have led to the release of Israeli civilians held hostage by Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack. Qatar and France also secured a deal to allow delivery of lifesaving medicines to Gaza’s hospitals as well as to Hamas-held hostages. Qatar also constructed and operates a field hospital inside the strip and has dispatched aid to North Sinai since the start of the war.

Finally, the United Nations has powerful reach and ability, especially through on-the-ground humanitarian operations in Gaza. Its various bodies, including the Secretariat, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, are in constant communication and coordination with all parties involved. Despite the level of destruction in Gaza, they operate a broad network of employees and facilities dedicated to humanitarian aid.

With a force as small as 100 well-equipped security personnel and a site secured and serviced by Egypt’s military and local authorities at the Sinai-Gaza border, the joint security task force could theoretically inspect up to 50 trucks per hour, delivering the required minimum of 500 trucks per day within 10 hours. Cargo planes could not airdrop a fraction of that aid over Gaza every day for an extended period. And according to the United States, its port plan will take around two months, as many as 1,000 troops, and millions of dollars to provide just 2 million meals per day.

The emergency mechanism’s mandate would stop at the delivery of aid across Egypt’s Rafah terminal into Gaza. It would not encroach on the jurisdiction of local authorities and organizations or replace them. Within this strictly limited mandate, the aid mechanism and its task force wouldn’t pose a threat to any warring parties or provide political or military gain. It would operate impartially for the protection and rescue of civilians, most of whom are women and children.

An alternative mechanism to deliver humanitarian aid would not only save civilian lives, but it would also create a path toward a lasting solution that averts further crisis. Delivering the minimum required aid to Gaza could satisfy the basic needs of the 1.5 million people sheltering in Rafah within days. It would help reinforce Gaza’s devastated health care system and mitigate the risk of infectious diseases and chronic illnesses caused by malnutrition and medical shortages.

With an emergency mechanism in place that guarantees delivery without manipulation, donor countries and organizations would increase their efforts to send humanitarian aid to Gaza to satisfy the unprecedented level of need. Such guarantees could also contain panic across Gaza, creating a safer environment for organizations to transport and distribute aid throughout the strip. A continued flow of aid would gradually end the overwhelming of convoys by desperate civilians and undercut war profiteers and organized gangs seeking to commandeer shipments.

By hosting such an effort, Egypt would avoid its looming nightmare: a sudden influx of refugees crossing its borders in pursuit of safety and sustenance that would possibly deal a blow to the Camp David Accords, which maintains peace between Egypt and Israel. On a domestic level, the joint aid effort would address popular anger with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for failing to open the Rafah border crossing and unilaterally deliver aid to Gaza—with practical measures rather than ineffective statements and oppression of Egypt’s political opposition.

An alternative aid mechanism would also have far-reaching effects on growing regional conflict in the Middle East. While international powers and mediators are scrambling to contain hostilities between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel and the Houthi threat in the Red Sea, a practical approach to enforce a solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza could advance potential negotiations. Both Hezbollah and the Houthis have repeatedly pointed to the siege on Gaza’s people in official statements; although both have other calculations behind their attacks against Israel and its interests, containing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza would serve as a step toward reaching a settlement on both fronts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government will most certainly oppose any such efforts. But it is in the immediate power of the international community, and especially the Biden administration, to confront Israel and enforce solutions that will save lives. In this case, any Israeli opposition to the mechanism, whether by attempting to block its inception or by targeting aid after it enters Gaza, would be directed at a consortium of international and regional powers.

It would also contravene the provisional measures laid out by the International Court of Justice: that Israel “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

As Israel’s top provider of arms and aid, and in light of the potential threat that Biden’s policies toward the war in Gaza pose to his electoral prospects in November, it is in the administration’s interest to use its leverage to compel Israel not to block such an extraordinary measure. Failing to endorse and partner in such an effort would deepen the growing gap between the United States and the Middle East, leaving a vacuum that will inevitably be filled by other world powers.

Six months into the Israel-Hamas war, it would be naive to assume that any progress could be accomplished without an immediate and collaborative intervention by regional and international powers to remedy the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Only then will hindered talks toward a cease-fire agreement and a settlement of the war stand a chance.

[mylittlesecrethaven]

I Read Project 2025, So Here's A Rundown I Guess: Part 3.3

Idk if this counts as political, but I'm just reading the stupid book online and putting down what it basically says and some other stuff i Guess. (it could get political I guess? Idk. Just kinda wanted to make these posts since I'm reading the book and I kept getting annoyed with people just saying what the book says instead of writing down exactly what it says and what page to find it on)

(That's not saying I won't do the same thing, but for some things I'll rewrite what it says unless it just needs to be summarized. I will have page numbers though)

(also, if this stuff does go into effect, I will be fearing for my life and the lives of many others for the effects this could have on people. for lgbtq, minorities in religion, race, and ethnicity, and those who are poor. this will effect everyone and a lot of people should be afraid of it. that is not be getting political, that is me saying that this is a scary plan meant to give powerful people even more power)

(also, if you want a faster rundown than waiting for me to give shitty interpretations of this, go to the wiki here. it sums it up pretty well, but it doesn't state everything.)

Department of Defense Reforms -

U.S. Army:

Increase army's budgets to remain the world's most powerful land power, accelerate development of army weapon modernization to replace outdated combat systems, increase funding to improve army training, increase army force structure by 50,000 to handle two major regional issues simultaneously, reform recruiting efforts to recruit more people (Pages 108-109)

Increase production and keeping of critical ammunition and repair parts fir weapons, prioritize adding expeditionary planning in all weapon designs to better the chance of having an advantage, increase the level of joint force training with other branches, prepare to remove soldiers from U.S. based transportation buildings that have been compromised by opposing forces (Page 109)

"Stop using the Army as a test bed for social evolution," demand accountability in senior leaders to help increase public support for military service, reestablish bases to help gain experience for high-ranking officers for the planning and leadership of army formations in large scale operations, examine logic of up-and-coming army concepts about using long range weapons and their effects without considering how to gain an advantage by closing in and defeating an enemy on land, realize that high intensity land combat operations cannot be sustained through unit rotations during said combat, change national guard deployment structure during extended operations to prevent destabilization and preserve military volunteerism in communities, change army school curriculum to concentrate on preparing for large land operations that focus on defeating the threat, address the underlying causes that are increasing army suicide rates (Pages 109-110)

U.S. Navy:

Build a fleet of more than 355 ships, develop and implement unmanned systems to help manned forces, require that range and lethality be key factors in making and sustaining ships, aircraft, and munitions (Page 111)

Reestablish the general guard to better than it is now (an advisory position that helps make decisions on strategies and basic ship decisions) (Page 111)

"Harness innovation and willingness to tolerate risk so that 'good enough' systems can be fielded rapidly," use the space development agency as a model (an agency that delivers space-based capabilities to war fighters faster and cheaper by using commercial development), establish an oversight board of directors (Page 111)

Produce key ammunitions at the maximum rate with significant capacity, employ the widest range of techniques to enhance ammunition supply chains and workforce (Page 112)

Mandate qualifications that show a core competent in war fighting, make the Headquarters Staff focused on Warfighter Development to develop such requirements, require war games to be used as experience gaining learning environments, make sure it is known that navy forces can and must maintain the ability to defend sovereign territories like out allies and partners, "train to balance the effects from kinetic to no kinetic and from lethal to nonlethal through effective command and control" (whatever that means) (Page 112)

U.S. Air Force:

Adopt a two-war force defense strategy to help attain resources the Air Force requires quicker, eliminate pass-through funding (funding that is sent to a state agency or institution and is then sent where it is needed from there), increase the Air Force budget by 5 percent annually (Pages 113-114)

Increase F-35A attainment to 60-80 per year, increase build capacity for B-21 to produce 15-18 per year, increase Air Force aerial fueling capacity, develop and buy larger quantities of advanced mid-range weapons that are sized to maximum targets per attack, accelerate the development and production of the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, increase the number of EC-37B electronic warfare aircrafts from 10-30 (Page 114)

Attain an optimized advanced battle management system, produce the next generation of air dominance systems for aircrafts, improve moving target engagement capability and capacity against sea, sea surface, and ground mobile targets, build more resilient communications and sustainment for survival in a "contested environment," establish a vigorous and sufficiently funded electromagnetic spectrum operations recovery plan (a plan to better recover troops with electromagnetic systems) (Pages 114-115)

[beardedmrbean]

U.S. officials confirm to ABC News that two missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward a commercial tanker vessel in the Red Sea Wednesday, with the projectiles missing the ship.

The tanker had just entered the Red Sea on its way toward the Suez Canal, an official said. During the incident, a U.S. warship shot down a drone launched from Yemen, the officials said.

The drone was heading in the direction of the USS Mason, which is the warship that shot down the unmanned aircraft, three U.S. officials told ABC News.

"The drone was heading directly at it," one of the officials said.

The Navy has not yet been able to assess whether the USS Mason was the drone's target, according to U.S. officials.

When such a ship detects an incoming drone or projectile heading its way, the commander will generally order it to be shot down in self defense, as happened in this case, an official said.

The Mason shot the drone down while responding to reports the Houthis were attacking the Motor Vessel Ardmore Encounter, using skiffs and then firing the two missile that missed, according to the official, who said this occurred at approximately 8 a.m. local time.

On Monday night an anti-ship cruise missile fired from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen struck another commercial vessel in the Red Sea, the MT STRINDA, casing a fire, but no casualties, according to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

During an on-camera briefing Tuesday, Ryder remarked on the threat posed by Houthi attacks in the region, and efforts to stand up an international maritime task force to address the problem.

"We're continuing to take the situation in the Red Sea extremely seriously, there should be no doubt about that," Ryder said. "The actions that we've seen from these Houthi forces are destabilizing, they're dangerous, and clearly a flagrant violation of international law. And so this is an international problem that requires an international solution. We do continue to consult closely with our international allies and partners on implementing a maritime task force."

[girlactionfigure]

*ISRAEL REALTIME* - "Connecting the World to Israel in Realtime"

▪️IDF ATTACKS SYRIA… (enemy reports) IDF attacked air defense systems that were deployed to several outposts in recent days and also attacked weapons depots of the pro-Iranian militias that included air defense missiles and drones.

▪️SHIPPING AND THE HOUTHIS… report of another ship attack this morning off the coast of Yemen / Red Sea.  Egypt has so far lost $100 million in revenue generated by the Suez Canal as a result of the Houthi activity.  The U.S. has moved up the Eisenhower aircraft carrier battle group.  20 million barrels of oil PER DAY pass the Yemen coast on the way to Europe.  The Houthis have upped their threats, threatening the U.S., the aircraft carrier, and Israel with “weapons you have never seen” and “deep attacks”.

▪️IDF TAKES OUT HEZBOLLAH “LARGE ROCKET” DEPOT…  IDF attacked the "Burkan" rocket depot in ​​the village of Yaron in southern Lebanon yesterday. Smoke mushrooms rising from the ground as a result of the explosion of dozens of heavy rockets. The "Burkan" rockets carry a 250 kg warhead (3x normal rockets), have been fired into Israeli territory during the war.

▪️IDF EMPHASIZING DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION FOR LEBANON… we are not sure why the IDF Chief of Staff is emphasizing the diplomatic solution and not being intimidating… “Until there is an effective solution in place that ensures the security of our people” and “Until and unless a diplomatic solution is found and implemented: We will continue making the necessary preparations to remove the threat from our border.”  

▪️4 HERO SOLDIERS FELL.

▪️HAMAS TERRORIST KILLED WEARING TZITZIT… on an army-green beged.  ???

▪️ATTACK PLANS CAPTURED, INVASION PLAN FROM 2015… (Ch. 13) The fighters in Gaza captured Hamas documents in Khan Yunis, which prove that the terrorist organization had been preparing for the murderous attack for at least 8 years. Among the classified papers, which originated in 2015, swere found photos of the then Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, and current Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

▪️ISRAEL POLITICS… (1) Boogie Ya’alon ordered by the court to pay NIS 88,000 to Netanyahu’s former attorney after falsely accusing him as part of a group receiving bribes as part of the ‘submarine affair’.  In a related point, the submarines and navy ships that were part of that accusation are now the ones protecting Israel in the Red Sea and from marine attacks from Gaza and Lebanon.

(2) The police leaked that they transferred to the prosecutor's office the “Younet Credit case” in which, among other things, the former finance minister Moshe Kahalon is suspected of fraud, breach of trust and reporting offenses.  This leak comes a week after his name was mentioned as an option to bring into the National Unity party as a senior leader for next elections. 

▪️CAPTURED HAMAS LEADER’S HOME INCLUDES NIS 5 MILLION… in cash.  The IDF appreciates the contribution.

▪️CYBER OFFENSE…  Iran suffers a cyber attack shutting down gas stations nationwide.

[alphaman99]

Black Wax Cafe one smart cookie

Hedy Lamarr, Movie Star and Inventor!

On This Day In History 1942 - American actress Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil received a patent for an electronic device that minimized the jamming of radio signals; it later became a component of satellite and cellular phone technology.

Lamarr shared her concept for using “frequency hopping” with the U.S. Navy and codeveloped a patent with Antheil 1941. Today, her innovation helped make possible a wide range of wireless communications technologies, including Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.

Although Lamarr had no formal training and was primarily self-taught, she tinkered in her spare time on various hobbies and ideas, which included an improved traffic stoplight and a tablet that would dissolve in water to create a flavored carbonated drink.

During World War II, Lamarr read that radio-controlled torpedoes had been proposed. However, an enemy might be able to jam such a torpedo's guidance system and set it off course. When discussing this with her friend the composer and pianist George Antheil, the idea was raised that a frequency-hopping signal might prevent the torpedo's radio guidance system from being tracked or jammed. Antheil succeeded by synchronizing a miniaturized player piano mechanism with radio signals. Antheil sketched out the idea for the frequency-hopping system, which was to use a perforated paper tape which actuated pneumatic controls (as was already used in player pianos).

Antheil was introduced to Samuel Stuart Mackeown, a professor of radio-electrical engineering at Caltech, whom Lamarr then employed for a year to actually implement the idea. Lamarr hired the Los Angeles legal firm of Lyon & Lyon to search for prior knowledge, and to craft the application for the patent which was granted as U.S. Patent 2,292,387 on August 11, 1942, under her married name Hedy Kiesler Markey.

[stephenjaymorrisblog]

Marianne Williamson

(Madam President)

Stephen jay Morris

12/15/2023

©Scientific Morality.

All my life, I’ve been told that I exaggerate. Little did I know that this gave me the talent to work for the American news media! You should have seen the headlines of my local newspaper, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. For example, there was “The Biggest Rainfall Coming to L.A.! Many Will Drown!” And (my favorite): “Communists Rob a Grocery Store!” As it turned out, some Russian tourist had taken a red apple without paying for it. At the neighborhood food market, you could buy The National Enquirer. My favorite headline of theirs was, “I Had Gay Sex With John Wayne!” Of course, this was all designed to get you to buy the tabloid.

Well, nothing has changed since then. On cable T.V., they want you to watch their commercials, so they try to captivate you with sensationalism. “Oh! My! Bob!” or “Donald Trump wants to be dictator!” The fat fuck must have somebody tie his shoes for him, for Christ’s sake! Yeah! That’s right! Then there are the mouth pieces of the Right: Nick Fuentes, the Gilbert Gottfried of the gentile race! I am terrified of him. Matt Walsh, the Catholic mental case with a Fidel Castro beard. Dennis Prager, the covert narcissist who thinks God worships him. He would do anything for attention. If he was guaranteed survival after committing suicide, he’d do it. “Look at me everybody! I’m special!” Indeed, you are, Dennis; indeed you are!

Like the Navy versus the Army in football, the two-party system is going to last forever. Both parties are controlled by the 1%--the Conservative elites and the Liberal elites.

With all of these apocalyptic predictions and end-of-the-world scenarios, why even bother to vote? They want you to stay home.

Want to upset a conservative? Tell them that Trump is no different than Biden. Or tell a Liberal Democrat that Biden is like Trump! Watch the steam come out of their ears—like Herman Munster. They are both senile, old farts.

We’ve got the presidential primaries coming up, however, that’s all heading south. The Democratic Party’s Central Committee wants to cancel the primaries. The Democratic Party has already done so in Florida, but three other Democratic candidates are fighting the decision. Good luck on that score!

One candidate who’s caught my eye is Independent, Marianne Williamson. She is from the New Age Left. Though I despised the New Age movement in the 70’s, some new agers I’ve met are very Anti-Authoritarian Left. They and I are from the same generation of late Baby Boomers. We are both the romantic idealists of the counterculture. I can’t vote for Abbie Hoffman, he’s dead! So, I’ll vote for the Hippie candidate.  Williamson’s policies are like those of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR never survived to implement his “Economic Bill of Rights,” so maybe she can continue FDR’s reform of America.

She is not Christian. So, what! I don’t give a poop if she channels Elinore Roosevelt! If she can help put America back in order, my vote is for her.

And now, what’s this shit about Trump wanting to make America fascist? With what army? The orange puke can’t even navigate a ramp! To accomplish it, he’d need the support of the 1%, the U.S. Military, the CIA, FBI, Wall Street, mainstream Protestant denominations, and other establishment entities. Do you really think that Trump has the support of the CIA? Me neither.

With all the hysteria going on, I say, bring it on! Hail, Trump!

Just kidding.

Marianne Williamson for president! I’m not kidding.

[ausetkmt]

Get Ready for Fort Liberty: The Pentagon Begins Changing Confederate Base Names | Military.com

The Pentagon has started the process of renaming Fort Bragg and other bases, as well as ships and hundreds of signs and roads, as it plans to scrub ties to the Confederacy from all installations by the start of 2024.

William LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, directed all Department of Defense organizations to implement this week the recommendations handed down by the Naming Commission, an independent panel created by Congress and charged with reviewing and replacing the names, according to a press release.

It's a heavy undertaking that includes new names for nine Army bases -- Bragg will become Fort Liberty -- two Navy ships and upward of 1,000 other items located on America's military installations. But Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary, told reporters Wednesday he was optimistic it could all be done within the year.

Read Next: States Must Recognize Military Spouses' Job Licenses After Moves Under New Law

"I think we are confident, you know, each of the services has clear instructions in terms of what it is that they need to focus on, and where the secretary is confident that the services are and will continue to take that seriously," he said.

Ryder did not have an updated figure on what it would cost to take on all of the recommendations from the Naming Commission. The latest estimate from the group, released this past September, was a total of $62.5 million.

Katherine Kuzminski, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security think tank who researches military culture, told Military.com on Friday that the DoD has dealt with renaming operations in the past.

In 2018, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced that the U.S. Pacific Command would become the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a shift that required changes ranging from signs to stationery.

Kuzminski said that was accomplished in a relatively short period of time. She added that senior leaders in the military can also start referring to those Army bases by their new names right now to help make them commonplace.

"You do have to think about all of the details such as who owns what signage or when exits on interstates will be changed," Kuzminski said. "But we can start referring to these installations like Fort Liberty by these new names and it can get at what the Naming Commission was doing, which was changing the culture."

Kuzminski said it's possible cost estimates could go up as the Pentagon starts to unravel how involved the renaming and replacing process is.

Department of Defense officials began to reckon with the military's long history of honoring namesakes tied to the rebel army that fought in the Civil War following George Floyd's murder at the hands of police, which subsequently sparked nationwide anti-racism protests.

The Naming Commission was established in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act and began submitting its first report cataloging those Confederate-linked names on military bases in May 2022. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin accepted the commission's recommendations this last September.

The group identified nine Army bases, including Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Benning, Georgia, which are both named for Confederate officers.

They recommended Benning be renamed Fort Moore, after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, who led men during the Vietnam War, and his wife Julia. The cost of renaming all of those bases will come to around $21 million, by the Naming Commission's estimates.

Additionally, the Navy identified the USS Chancellorsville, named after a Civil War battle with a Confederate victory, and the USNS Maury, named after Matthew Fontaine Maury, who left the Navy to sail for the Confederacy, according to the Pentagon. The commission did not provide new name recommendations for those vessels.

The commission also identified Confederate officers recognized on campus at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy, which will cost an estimated $450,000 to replace.

The largest amount of assets would be various roads, signs, buildings and street names throughout the Pentagon's portfolio, which would account for nearly $41 million of the cost.

Editor’s note: The Pentagon said in a Jan. 5 press release that The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery was being disassembled. A spokesman for Arlington National Cemetery contacted Military.com after publication to say that the information provided by the Department of Defense was incorrect. A paragraph reporting that detail has been removed from the story. A plan for the removal of the monument is still being developed, the spokesman said.

[asdadasdsblog]

Top journalists find out: U.S. bombing of Nord Stream is the first step in the "European destruction plan”

On September 26, 2022, four underwater "shocks" occurred in the Baltic Sea, followed by the discovery of three leaks in Nord Stream I and Nord Stream II, two Russian gas pipelines that carry energy directly to Germany, causing a large amount of gas to leak from the pipelines into the nearby sea. The incident is considered to be a deliberate sabotage because explosive residues were detected in the waters of the "leak" points.

 Pictures of the sea area at the Nord Stream spill site

At first, people speculated that it was Russia, because by September, the Russian-Ukrainian war had been going on for more than half a year, and the two sides still had no winner. But if you think about it a little, you will know that it can't be done by Russia, because this is a pipeline to transport natural gas to Europe. Russia gives gas and receives money. The war in Russia is tight, and the military expenditure is huge. How can it be possible to cut off the financial path at this key node?

Is that Ukraine? Ukraine, which is overwhelmed by war, should not have this time and energy. The European Union? Most likely, because the EU has publicly condemned Russia for many times and adopted a series of sanctions, and some countries have even publicly severed diplomatic relations with Russia. America? The most suspect is that he used NATO to provoke the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and secretly sent war funds and weapons to Ukraine. The war between Russia and Ukraine was deadlocked, which cut off Russia's grain and completely defeated Russia in the world situation. American hegemony won, which is very in line with the interests of the United States.

The truth surfaced.

On February 8, 2023, independent investigative journalist Seymour Hersh released an article entitled "How American Took Out the Nord Stream Pipeline" to the world. The article is an exhaustive account of how the U.S. National Security Service planned, President Joe Biden personally ordered, the U.S. Navy implemented, and the Norwegian military cooperated to secretly blow up the Nord Stream gas pipeline over a period of nine months.

As Seymour Hersh mentioned in his article, Biden and his foreign policy team, National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan, Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Deputy Secretary of State for Policy Victoria Newland have long viewed the Nord Stream pipeline as a "thorn in the side," and Nord Stream One has been supplying cheap Russian gas to Germany and much of Western Europe for more than a decade, with Russian gas accounting for more than 50 percent of Germany's annual gas imports alone, and the European region's reliance on Russian gas has been seen by the United States and its anti-Russian NATO partners as a threat to Western dominance.

Thus, in December 2021, after more than nine months of secret discussions with his national security team, Biden decided to sabotage the Nord Stream pipeline, with deep-sea divers from the U.S. Navy's Diving and Salvage Center carrying out the plan to secretly plant the bomb. Under the cover of the NATO maritime exercise "BALTOPS 22" in June 2022, the U.S. deep-sea divers planted eight C-4 explosives on the pipeline that could be remotely detonated, and in September of the same year, in time for the onset of winter in Europe, a Norwegian naval aircraft dropped a sonar buoy to detonate the explosives and destroy "Nord Stream".

Who is Seymour Hersh?

Seymour Hersh is an American investigative journalist and political writer, one of the country's leading investigative reporters. In the American press, Hersh is a person who is not afraid of powerful people and even keen to fight against them.

In 1969, he was recognized for exposing the My Lai massacre and its cover-up during the Vietnam War, for which he won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting. in the 1970s, Hersh made a splash when he reported on the Watergate scandal, a political scandal in the United States, in The New York Times. Most famously, he was the first to expose the inner workings of the CIA's secret surveillance of civil society organizations. In addition, he reported on U.S. political scandals such as the secret U.S. bombing of Cambodia, the U.S. military prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq, and the exposure of U.S. use of biological and chemical weapons.

In the American press, Hersh is a big No. 1, with numerous sources in the White House, and has never let up on the disclosure of American political scandals. Although his anonymous sources have been criticized by his peers, his articles have all been confirmed at a later stage. This coverage of the Nord Stream story should be no exception.

There are early signs that the United States bombed Nord Stream.

 Biden had told German Chancellor to shut down Nord Stream II

As early as Feb. 7 of last year, Biden bullyingly declared that "if Russia initiates military action, Nord Stream 2 will cease to exist and we will terminate it. Secretary of State John Blinken and Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Newland have both publicly threatened to destroy the Nord Stream pipeline, and Newland even testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 26, 2023 that "I think the administration is very pleased to know that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is now a pile of scrap metal lying on the ocean floor."

 ITAR-TASS: Newland's words prove that Washington approved the terrorist attack in Nord Stream.

The collective silence of the U.S. media on the Nord Stream incident is further confirmation of the Russian allegations. In the early days of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, none of the U.S. mainstream media had studied in depth whether Biden's earlier threats against the pipeline had been fulfilled. It is easy to see that the mainstream media in the U.S., which has always claimed "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press," has been infiltrated by capital and controlled by politics, and none of the U.S. media dared to speak out on issues that really touch the core interests of the U.S.

In the "American democracy" on the manipulation of freedom of expression, Seymour Hersh in the U.S. press is considered one of noble and unsullied. His article accusing the U.S. of being behind the Nord Stream behind the scenes an immediate international sensation, with Russian and European media reprinting the story. However, the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal continued to remain silent, not reporting Hersh's article or even the White House's denial.

U.S. back-stabbing allies is the norm

Russia has been sanctioned by the European Union several times since the Russian-Ukrainian war began, and the EU has basically cut off its ties with Russia. "The Nord Stream pipeline is the only remaining trade link between the two sides, and the blowing up of the Nord Stream is considered a warning to Germany.

Germany, as the "leader" of the EU, ideologically places more emphasis on the autonomous will of Europe, and if it gets a constant supply of cheap natural gas from Russia, it will reduce its dependence on the United States and will not be able to keep pace with the United States in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, therefore, the United States must destroy the German energy "artery ", a warning to the autonomous forces represented by Germany.

In addition, the disruption of Nord Stream has further interrupted gas trade between Russia and Europe, and for three years, Europe will not be able to import gas directly from Russia. To solve the gas dilemma, it is not without solutions, importing liquefied gas from the United States at a cost of $ 270 million a LNG ship is one of the few options, which is in the interests of the United States.

Although the EU has been following the footsteps of the United States to sanction Russia and support Ukraine. However, the EU is actually the real "ingrate". As an ally of the United States, the European economy, an indirect participant in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is in a recessionary quagmire, during which it has encountered repeated back-stabbing by the United States. As a result of the continuous provision of military resources to Ukraine, which has led to the imminent depletion of its weapons stockpile, the energy crisis is being harvested by the United States, and the trade subsidies of the United States have taken away the factories of Europe, Europe is struggling with weak economic growth and has become the real victim of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Hersh's revelation is a blow that shows once and for all that "allies" are just "tools" for the U.S. to achieve its interests, with the ultimate goal of weakening and dividing the EU, whose economic woes today are part of the U.S. plan. In Biden's view, the Nord Stream gas pipeline is a tool for Russian President Vladimir Putin to weaponize natural gas to achieve his political ambitions. But in reality, it is the bombing of Nord Stream that is evidence of the U.S. manipulation of the world with hegemony.

Perhaps this winter Europeans are frozen to the bone, just the beginning. Maybe someday in the future, the economic lifeline of Europe is in the hands of the Americans, and it's no surprise.

U.S. hegemony repeatedly attacks other countries

In fact, the U.S. has been plundering and exploiting other countries in the world to satisfy its own interests through wars and sanctions, and seizing geopolitical interests through hegemonic means. All countries that do not provide "services" to the United States are subject to his retaliation. The United States has never stopped acting so that it can continue to have a hand in the international arena.

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the name of fighting al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and launched the nearly 20-year-long war in Afghanistan, which has brought a profound disaster to the Afghan people. After the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan, the U.S. still did not relax its plundering of Afghanistan, illegally freezing some $7 billion in foreign exchange assets of the Afghan central bank to this day.In February 2022, President Biden signed an executive order requesting that half of these assets be used to compensate the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. military frequently steals Syrian oil and plunders its wealth. The Syrian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources issued a statement in August 2022 saying that more than 80 percent of Syria's average daily oil production of 80,300 barrels in the first half of 2022, or about 66,000 barrels, had been plundered by "the U.S. military and the armed forces it supports. The U.S. raids and plunder of Syria's national resources have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis there.

The United States has deliberately sabotaged energy facilities in other countries for its own personal gain. In the late 1970s, the Sandinista National Liberation Front of Nicaragua overthrew the U.S.-backed Somoza regime and formed a new government in Nicaragua. As a result, the U.S. tried to cause social unrest in Nicaragua through various means. Encouraged by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Nicaragua's Contras targeted key economic resources, and from September to October 1983, they launched five attacks on Nicaragua's oil facilities, which lasted for seven weeks and led to a huge crisis in Nicaragua.

The U.S. has always "seized" under various banners and made a lot of money, and then always got back in one piece, which means that the so-called "order" and "rules" in the U.S. are just tools and pretexts to serve itself and satisfy its own interests. This means that the so-called "order" and "rules" of the United States are just tools and pretexts to serve themselves and satisfy their own interests.

Things are far from over

After the North Stream pipeline explosion, natural gas continued to leak from the pipeline.On September 30, 2022, the Norwegian Institute for Atmospheric Research said that a large methane cloud had formed over the area after the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion and was spreading, with at least 80,000 tons of methane gas spreading into the ocean and atmosphere.

The Norwegian government has foolishly helped the U.S. execute the detonation plan, becoming the perfect puppet of U.S. hegemony in Europe, and while it may have gained temporary benefits, it has caused long-term harm. The massive amount of greenhouse gases will have an irreversible negative impact on all European countries.

What does the United States have to say about this? Nothing. The U.S. handled the vinyl chloride chemical incident on its own turf with a mess, the lives of Ohioans were taken in vain, and the U.S. cares even less about environmental and climate issues in the EU region.

All the U.S. cares about is profit

The dollar has always been as the international reserve currency unshakeable primary position, and the biggest scourge of the dollar hegemony is the euro. If Russia provides Europe with a constant supply of cheap energy for a long time, and directly with the euro settlement, which for the dollar as the international reserve currency status, that is definitely a serious blow. Not only the European manufacturing industry has been extremely strong support, even the scenario of the use of the euro is also fully open.

The establishment of the eurozone, naturally set up the United States of America's thorn in the side, the thorn in the flesh. Therefore, the United States destroyed Nord Stream AG, even though it did not entirely "nip this threat in the bud", that at least said the euro caused a heavy blow, especially the Russian-Ukrainian war lasted 1 year also ended "out of reach" in the short term, the world has no other sovereign currency has the strength to impact the hegemony of the dollar.

From the point of view of political security and economy, it is the United States that benefits the most. By blowing up Nord Stream, the U.S. can: limit the growth of the euro and make Russia's "de-dollarization" impossible; sell natural gas to Europe at a price four times higher than Russia'; cut off European countries' dependence on Russian gas by blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline, making Europe more obedient and forcing Germany and other European countries to remain "honest" in the anti-Russian camp.

Taking control of the EU, the tentacles of American hegemony are longer and stronger. But have the European countries considered the real future of Europe? Or will it remain a "U.S. semi-colony" or a "defense state abroad"? The destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline has directly caused a major vicious impact on the global energy market and ecological environment, how can this silently "end without incident"? It is the only way to heal the hearts and minds of the people!

[usafphantom2]

A-10 jets arrive in the Middle East after Hamas attacks on Israel

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/13/2023 - 19:24 in Military, War Zones

A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets from the 354º Fighter Squadron of Davis-Monthan Air Base, Arizona, arrived in the Middle East, while the U.S. sent air power to the region after Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7.

Their exact location was not immediately clear.

The A-10 will join the Warthogs of the 75º Fighter Squadron, who are already in the region, according to U.S. authorities.

The decision to send U.S. military resources to the region was taken to discourage Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, and Iran from trying to escalate the conflict and to show support for Israel, which had more than 1,200 citizens killed and other hostages and brought to the Gaza region.

A senior defense official told reporters on October 12 that the message to any state or non-state actor who was thinking of increasing violence was simple: "Don't do this".

The new implementation takes place at the time when Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III heads to Israel on October 13, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon had already announced plans to send A-10, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-15E Strike Eagles to strengthen the presence of the U.S. Air Force in the region.

The military did not say if the F-15 and F-16 have already arrived. U.S. officials said that F-35 Lightning II poachers are also among the capabilities that can be sent.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has also moved to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It carries four F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter squadrons, as well as electronic warfare and command and control aircraft. The aircraft carrier is also accompanied by warships carrying cruise missiles.

“We expect to see more posture increases flowing next week,” said the senior defense official. “We will continue to respond to Israel's requests for air defense, artillery, ammunition and precision guided ammunition.”

Israel responded to Hamas attacks with punitive airstrikes in Gaza, and Israel seems willing to intervene with ground forces, mobilizing a large number of members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) near Israel's border with Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to "crush and destroy" Hamas and formed a wartime cabinet.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet, frontal, coupled to the "Ragin' Bulls" of the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37, and an F/A-18E Super Hornet, coupled to the "Blacklions" of the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA). ) 213, conducts flight operations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, October 11, 2023. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

Austin plans to meet with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gollant, and the war cabinet, the senior defense official said, for in-depth talks about “his operational planning and his goals for this conflict in response to the brutal ISIS-style Hamas attack.”

American citizens are among the dead and taken hostage, say U.S. authorities. The State Department announced plans to evacuate some American citizens from Israel.

Although U.S. forces are prepared to intervene if Hezbollah tries to open a northern front in Israel, such a measure may not be necessary. Austin said on October 12 that the U.S. had no evidence that Hezbollah was accumulating forces on Israel's northern border.

“We are also looking for additional things that could expand the conflict here and we hope not to see these things, but we haven't seen this so far,” Austin said.

Source: Air Force & Space Magazine

Tags: A-10 Thunderbolt IIMilitary AviationIsraelUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceWar Zones - Middle East

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[smoke-in-the-wind]

Warning: stupid world building/alt history ideas i came up with while high:

-Carthage wins Punic wars, establishes Mediterranean empire, and adopts (and spreads) a new radical religion based off Greek philosophy yet infused with Egyptian mythological subtext (devotees known as Philotanites, believe idea of Truth should be worshipped as represented by the idea of Zeus -> Athena = Isis -> Horus in a continuous Father, Daughter, Son, Mother relationship, scripture is claimed by the Hellens (now entirely diasporic) to be a poor translation of a now lost Athenian political comedy)

-Carthage focuses on building well established trans-Saharan trade roots over expanding into Europe beyond the south, earlier resulting development of unified sahelian kingdoms, Carthage moves capitals first to Memphis then to conquered Axum in order to be closer to eventual Persian rivals, due to this empire become Ethiopian over time (like Rome-> Byzantines in our history)

-Philotanite “Lovers” (eunuch monks) evangelize in Eire (Ireland), they establish colonies of converts, generations past and a man grown in such a colony begins having divine vision he records in haunting music and esoteric poetry, he claims (derived from his past faith) that Ultimate truth is an image of a Vulva, he establishes a theocracy across western and southern Europe, there is deep irony as the major religions of this earth give high theological importance to women yet they evolve to be equally patriarchal 

Norse are never brought into expanding Mediterranean trade and are threatened by the growing Irish-based religion, as a result they focus on further exploration into the arctic regions, Norse colonization across what is now to us Eastern Canada and the U.S. state of Maine begins in (our) 13th century, they eventually expanding into the St Lawrence and reach the Great Lakes yet remain a minority and are never able to fully implement settler colonialism (yet were an apartheid state for awhile), Norse commit human sacrifices which upsets everyone they come into contact with

-Ghana annexes imperial lands and becomes the most powerful state on the eastern Atlantic, hears about Norse finds and sends their own explorers across the Atlantic, come into contact with Taino lands and develop a similar apartheid colonialism eventually

-During all this China keeps failing to unify, the Mongols never unify, north is never annexed, south is never annexed, Song Dynasty never falls, yet Song dynasty never regains the north, instead focuses on navy and commerce, expand throughout Southeast Asia through loaned ports, the first truly global empire (similar to those of Western Europe in our world), emperor is overthrown in a violent liberal uprising by 16th century 

[darkmaga-returns]

The Last American Vagabond

The Last American Vagabond

Dec 16, 2024

Joining me today is Derrick Broze, here to discuss some of his recent articles and how they relate to some of the current stories dominating the headlines. We discuss the new contracts between SpaceX and the Biden administration for rolling out an all-encompassing satellite spy network around the world with the NRO and how this overlaps with the rapidly growing control grid that is being implemented. We also discuss the Israeli government dominated spyware field and how this is set to explode in the next Trump administration. We also consider how the current drone craze might fit into all of this.

Source Links:

Derrick Broze, Author at The Last American VagabondNew TabMeet the Spyware Companies Preparing to Unleash Their Tech During Trump's 2nd TermThe Biden Administration's Legacy of Migrant Children TraffickingTrump Confirms Plan To Declare National Emergency For "Mass Deportations" Using "Military Assets"(34) Robert Skvarla on X: "New docs obtained by journalist Jack Poulson confirm an Israeli spyware firm was marketing its software based on its ability to "target" the social accounts of everyone from BLM protesters to J6ers https://t.co/CVDgMjgJet" / XThe SAVE Act, REAL ID & ID2020 - Using The #TwoPartyIllusion & The Election To Usher In Digital IDsSuspected Terrorist At Texas Border Works For Mossad & "UNRWA Is Hamas" Exposed As Israeli OperationWhether Through Biden, Harris, or Trump - Digital ID's Are Coming to AmericaDigital ID: The Foundation for TechnocracyAmerica's Frontier Fund: The Venture Capital Firm with Ties to Peter Thiel and Eric SchmidtNew TabElection 2024: Zionist Technocrats vs Zionist Technocrats'You Can't Hide': Elon Musk & SpaceX Are Helping US Intelligence Build the World's Largest Spy Satellite NetworkElon Musk | Tesla Investor Relations(31) Evan on X: "SpaceX’s Starlink now has more than 5,000 satellites orbiting Earth 🌎 up from 0 operational satellites at the start of 2019 Here’s what that journey looks like 👀 https://t.co/ZPTXcXOhjg" / XSpaceX Wins First US Space Force Contract for Satellites - BloombergNew TabIsrael Connection To Drone Psyop & Netanyahu Government "Unanimously Approved" Plan To Settle SyriaNJ Drone 'Invasion' Just In Time For Congress To Reauthorize Orwellian Law | ZeroHedge(21) Palantir on X: "“For more than two decades, we have been providing warfighters with mission-critical software and production AI capabilities – including Project Maven,” says Aki Jain, Palantir’s CTO & President, US Government. “Deploying Palantir’s Visual Navigation atop Red Cat’s drones and… https://t.co/cvbhq6cfSm" / XNATO - News: Ukraine joins NATO counter-drone exercise for first time, 10-Sep.-2024The Drone Wars: You Are Not Prepared | The Corbett Report(34) Truth Seeker on X: "Palantir aired this commercial during the Army vs Navy game showing drones being released from a ship..... Further proof this is all a psyop... https://t.co/ORT4XyPeQA" / XPeter Thiel: Palantir, Israel Agree Strategic Partnership for Battle Tech - Bloomberg‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in GazaIsraeli Company Is Hawking Its Self-Launching Drone System to U.S. PoliceThe People's Reset - The People's Reset: Mexico 2025New TabWith Fluoride Back in the News, Americans Are Once Again Being Told to "Trust the Science"Fluoride Trial Archives - The Last American Vagabond

[jcmarchi]

Josh Ray, Founder and CEO of Blackwire Labs, – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/josh-ray-founder-and-ceo-of-blackwire-labs-interview-series/

Josh Ray, Founder and CEO of Blackwire Labs, – Interview Series

Josh Ray is the founder and CEO of Blackwire Labs, bringing over 24 years of experience in combating advanced cyber threats across commercial, private, public, and military sectors. As a U.S. Navy veteran and cybersecurity executive, Ray has consistently built and led high-performing teams to protect critical networks and organizations. His career includes key roles at Accenture Security, Verisign, Raytheon, and the Office of Naval Intelligence, where he drove innovation and built capabilities to defend some of the world’s largest organizations against a myriad of advanced cyber adversaries.

Josh’s blend of technical expertise and business acumen has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation in the cybersecurity industry. As CEO of Blackwire Labs, Ray leads the company’s mission to build trusted and expert AI cybersecurity solutions, leveraging his extensive experience to navigate the complex intersection of technology, security, and business.

Can you share what inspired you to start Blackwire Labs? What specific challenges in cybersecurity were you hoping to address with this venture? 

The three of us – myself, Chris Clark CTO, and Andrew Maloney CCO – came together because we saw organizations struggling with the same challenge: they need AI to execute against business objectives and defend against sophisticated threats.  However, the catch is they can’t trust or implement existing solutions effectively.  Collectively we have built security products and capabilities for some of the world’s largest enterprises, we saw firsthand how smaller organizations face the same advanced threats but lack access to the expertise they need. We kept thinking about all the organizations that couldn’t afford large security teams but still needed protection.  We truly want to help organizations of all sizes but we really want to build something meaningful that makes trusted expert-level cybersecurity capabilities accessible, not just the elite few.

Your career spans the military, public, and private sectors in cybersecurity. How did each of these experiences influence your vision for Blackwire? 

We have a responsibility to serve and protect those organizations that form the backbone of our society. Each sector really has taught me something vital about what we really need to build trust and enhance cyber resilience. At the Office of Naval Intelligence and supporting JTF-GNO, I learned firsthand the criticality of having the right set of expertise at the right time, especially when you’re defending networks that protect our warfighters and national security.

At Raytheon and later at iDefense, I saw how the private sector was grappling with increasingly sophisticated threats, many of the same types that I saw during my time in the DoD. What became clear was that having siloed deep expertise wasn’t enough – you needed to be able to scale that knowledge effectively across an organization. This really hit home when I was leading Accenture’s Global Cyber Defense Practice, where we were protecting some of the world’s most targeted networks and the explosion of third party risk and supply chain attacks.

But here’s what bothers me: While the largest organizations could afford to build robust security operations, countless others were left vulnerable and the funny thing is they sit in the supply chain of those large organizations. I saw small businesses, healthcare providers, and state agencies struggling with the same advanced threats but without access to the expertise they needed.  That’s really what drove us to start Blackwire Labs. We wanted to take everything we’d learned about building capabilities and defending organizations at the highest levels and make it accessible to organizations that need it most. By combining trusted AI with human expertise, we can help bridge that gap. It’s not just about building another security tool – it’s about delivering at scale the kind of expert-level cybersecurity capabilities that I’ve seen make the difference between a resilient security posture and a devastating breach.

Blackwire Labs combines expert-vetted AI insights with blockchain integrity through TrustWire. Could you walk us through how this fusion enhances the reliability of your cybersecurity insights?

We took a pragmatic and innovative approach.  We’ve built a chain of trust that starts with our Cybersecurity Community of Excellence (CCOE) – seasoned professionals who collaborate with us to validate and enhance our knowledge base. We use a rigorous three-tier source evaluation framework grounded in intelligence analytical tradecraft.  But based on Chris’s experience in the crypto space we’re able to take it to the next level.  That’s where TrustWire comes in – our blockchain-based system that creates an immutable, cryptographically verifiable record of all our sources and AI outputs. Using zero-knowledge proofs, we can prove the integrity of our insights while protecting sensitive data. Think of it as combining the best of human expertise with cryptographic certainty.  Another critical component of this approach is our Security Registry, which captures point-in-time snapshots of all cybersecurity analyses, including insights, sources, the user wants to save. Think of it like a system of record that provides a permanent, shareable record of your security decision-making process – something essential for explaining to your boss why you did something when it comes to audits, compliance reviews, and the incident response process.

Lexi, Blackwire’s AI, offers predictive prompting and customized guidance. How does this feature set help security teams anticipate threats more effectively? 

Like most things in life, knowing “what” the right question is and “how” to ask it is key.  Our predictive prompting isn’t just about suggesting next steps – it’s about enhancing human expertise. The system understands your role, your organization’s context, and your security objectives to guide you toward more effective analysis across a strategic, operational or tactical “choose your own adventure”, as Andrew calls it, set of prompts.  It allows you to get more detailed insights faster by being able to account for multiple points of view that will differ depending on the organizational role (Think CISO/CTO- Strategic, incident responder/risk manager Operational, security engineer/SOC analyst- Tactical). It’s like having a seasoned security expert that can wear multiple hats, looking over your shoulder, anticipating what you need to consider next. But without the black box decisions or sources that can change or lead to dead links.

Blackwire is described as being “secure by design.” Can you elaborate on the specific measures that make your platform enterprise-grade? 

Everything from our architecture to our AI approach is designed with enterprise-grade security and trust in mind. Our CTO Chris has been doing this his entire career and is adamant about this.  Let me break this down practically. At its core, our architecture ensures complete data isolation between organizations, with strict tenant separation and configurable retention policies. We’re adamant about data privacy – we never train on customer data or queries, and everything operates on a private-by-default basis. Think of it like running your own secure enclave within our platform.

For access control, we’ve implemented enterprise-grade authentication with granular RBAC and MFA support. Each API key can be scoped precisely to specific permissions, giving organizations complete control over how their teams interact with the platform. We’ve paired this with comprehensive audit logging and security monitoring, creating immutable records for compliance and security reviews.

What makes our approach unique is how we’ve constrained our AI models specifically to cybersecurity domains while maintaining complete transparency. When you ask Blackwire Labs about baking a cake it will say, “I can’t build a cake but building a SOC requires a layered approach, would you like to talk about that?” This is because we’ve implemented very purposeful constraints.  Every response must reference validated sources through our three-tier framework, and our Security Registry creates permanent, verifiable records of all analyses and decisions. This isn’t just about “checking a box” security features – it’s about building a platform that security practitioners can trust.

Blackwire Labs places a strong emphasis on being user-configurable. What specific customizations can clients leverage to fit their unique security needs? 

In addition to what I spoke about earlier with predictive prompting and contextcraft, we’re developing capabilities for organizations to securely leverage their proprietary data alongside our trusted cybersecurity insights. Where users can incorporate their specific business context – whether that’s internal policies, architecture documentation, or industry-specific requirements while maintaining data privacy and trust. This ensures their sensitive data never leaves their environment while still providing comprehensive, tailored answers.  Think about a healthcare provider needing to align security practices with HIPAA requirements, or a defense contractor working within CMMC frameworks. They can integrate their compliance documentation and internal policies while leveraging our broader cybersecurity expertise. The key is that all of this remains cryptographically verifiable through TrustWire, maintaining our commitment to transparency and trust.

How does Blackwire Labs’ “Service First” philosophy, rooted in your military background, shape your approach to customer relationships and cybersecurity solutions? 

Our “Service First” philosophy runs deeper than just customer relationships – it’s rooted in our faith-based ethos of servant leadership.  This means every decision we make starts with how we can best serve our community and protect organizations that need our help.

We’ve all grown up in this mission space, we understand the challenges security teams face because we’ve lived them. We’ve walked in our users’ shoes. We’re building solutions we would have wanted ourselves.  The security community is small – everyone’s about one degree separated from each other and reputation matters a lot. That’s why we took a practitioner-to-practitioner approach, bringing in design partners, advisors and beta users (which eventually turned into the CCOE) early to test our assumptions. We wanted lots of folks in the boat with us early and often.  “This product is built for you, help us make it really useful.”

We also know how security professionals are skeptical of vendors and in many cases rightfully so. That’s why we focus on solving real problems rather than marketing hype. When our users tell us something needs to change, we listen and act. This tight feedback loop with our community, combined with our commitment to service, helps us stay grounded and focused on what truly matters.

Cybersecurity is a fast-evolving field. What strategies does Blackwire Labs use to stay at the forefront of industry trends and threats?

Our approach draws from proven methodologies, particularly ones our CTO Chris Clark implemented at Palo Alto Networks in establishing their global threat R&D capability. Rather than trying to collect massive amounts of potentially unreliable data, we’ve developed a scalable, efficient system for knowledge management and threat intelligence.

We’ve implemented a sophisticated triage system where queries that don’t meet our criteria for being fully answered or sourced go through both automated and manual review processes. This creates a powerful network effect  where gaps are addressed and knowledge becomes available to all users. If our system can’t provide a satisfactory answer, it automatically triggers an internal review.

What makes this approach unique is our focus on quality over quantity. Our CCOE members, who represent various industries and roles from CISOs to vulnerability researchers, help validate our knowledge base and fill expertise gaps. By covering general areas comprehensively, we can focus on edge cases and emerging challenges that truly require specialized knowledge.

The key is transparency – as I mentioned before our system is designed to admit when it doesn’t have an answer, which then prompts our team to fill that knowledge gap. Often, it’s simply a matter of rephrasing the question (or using the Lexi smart prompting to automatically create a more nuanced prompt that the user might not have the ability to create), which we can quickly address. This approach allows us to scale while maintaining high standards for accuracy and reliability.

With the rise of Web3, quantum, and space technologies, how is Blackwire positioning itself to address cybersecurity in these emerging domains? 

We talk to and get advice from a lot of folks smarter than us. We are blessed to have advisors who are luminaries in the technology and security space like Matt Devost and Bob Gourley from OODA. They have shared insights and analysis with us on these topics and many others. We’re also fortunate to collaborate closely with folks like Rick Howard and his Cyber Cannon project – these are folks that many in the community look to in order to understand what’s next. These are folks who are members of our CCOE but also mentors to me. The fact that we’ve all been doing this for a long time and still have a very strong professional network, many who I consider close friends, are security executives that help us address both the here and now problems and what’s next. What makes this approach powerful is how it informs our platform’s evolution. While Web3, quantum, and space technologies are exciting frontiers, we’re focused on building a foundation of trust that can adapt to these emerging domains. Our TrustWire technology, for instance, already leverages blockchain and zero-knowledge proofs – core Web3 technologies – to ensure data integrity and privacy.

But more importantly, we’ve built our platform to be adaptable. We continuously integrate new insights and expertise as these technologies evolve. It’s not about chasing every new trend – it’s about having the right expertise and trusted framework to evaluate and respond to emerging threats across any domain and then help our clients operationalize the right solution.

What are your long-term goals for Blackwire Labs, and how do you envision its role in the future of AI-driven cybersecurity?

Our long-term vision goes beyond just building a successful company – we want to fundamentally change how organizations approach cybersecurity in the AI era.  We want to do good and champion truth. We’re working to democratize access to expert-level cybersecurity capabilities while ensuring that AI adoption doesn’t compromise security or trust. We believe the future of cybersecurity lies in combining human expertise with trustworthy AI, and we’re positioning Blackwire Labs to lead that transformation. But we’ll do it thoughtfully, staying true to our principles of transparency, humility, trust, and service to our customers.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Blackwire Labs.

[alexesguerra]

The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival Hardcover – February 28, 2023 by Ron DeSantis (Author) ---Brand New--- No American leader has accomplished more for his state than Governor Ron DeSantis. Now he reveals how he did it. He played baseball for Yale, graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, and served in Iraq and in the halls of Congress. But in all these places, Ron DeSantis learned the same lesson: He didn’t want to be part of the leftist elite. His heart was always for the people of Florida, one of the most diverse and culturally rich states in the union. Since becoming governor of the Sunshine State, he has fought—and won—battle after battle, defeating not just opposition from the political left, but a barrage of hostile media coverage proclaiming the end of the world. When he implemented COVID-19 policies based on evidence and focused on freedoms, the press launched a smear campaign against him, yet Florida’s economy thrived, its education system outperformed the nation, and Florida’s COVID mortality rate for seniors was lower than that in thirty-eight states. When he enacted policies to keep leftist political concepts like critical race theory and woke gender ideology out of Florida’s classrooms, the media demagogued his actions, but parents across Florida rallied to his cause. Dishonest attacks from the media don’t deter him. In fact, DeSantis keeps racking up wins for Floridians. In 2022, the governor delivered a historic, record-setting victory, winning by nearly 20 points and more than 1.5 million votes. A firsthand account from the blue-collar boy who grew up to take on Disney and Dr. Fauci, The Courage to Be Free delivers something rare from an elected leader: stories of victory. This book is a winning blueprint for patriots across the country. And it is a rallying cry for every American who wishes to preserve our liberties. About the Author Ron DeSantis is Florida’s forty-sixth governor and one of the few American statesmen to receive bipartisan praise for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. An honors graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and an adviser to a SEAL commander in Iraq, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star. In 2012 he was elected to Congress, where he served on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He is married to Emmy Award–winning anchor Casey DeSantis, and they live in Tallahassee with their three children, Madison, Mason, and Mamie. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Broadside Books (February 28, 2023) Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063276003 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9780063276000 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.42 pounds Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.97 x 9 inches

[ejesgistnews]

CSOs Advise Tinubu, NASS to Reject Nigerian Coast Guard Bill.   The Coalition in Support of National Security Advancement (CSNSA) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to reject the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard Bill. According to the coalition, the establishment of a Coast Guard would undermine national security and exacerbate Nigeria's financial challenges. Background of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill. The bill, titled “Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard,” has already passed its second reading in the Senate and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Marine Transport for further deliberation. It aims to establish an independent Nigerian Coast Guard responsible for safeguarding Nigeria’s vast maritime zones. However, the coalition, comprising various civil society organizations (CSOs) like the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET), the Nigerian Unemployed Youth Association, and the Centre for Human Rights and Advocacy in Africa Network (CHRAAN), expressed grave concerns over the bill during a press conference led by Okwa Dan (Convener) and Ilal Abdulahi (Coalition Secretary). Concerns Raised by CSOs The CSOs argue that establishing a new Coast Guard service would duplicate existing functions handled by the Nigerian Navy, thereby creating inefficiencies. The coalition stated: “The creation of a new Coast Guard could duplicate existing responsibilities, jeopardize national security, and place a significant financial burden on the country.” The coalition highlighted that setting up a Coast Guard would require significant financial resources. The CSOs cited the U.S. Coast Guard’s annual expenditure of over $13 billion as an example, arguing that such costs would be unsustainable for Nigeria given its current economic constraints. Recommendations from the CSOs Instead of implementing the Coast Guard Bill, the coalition proposed the following: Strengthening the Nigerian Navy: The CSOs recommended boosting the capacity of the Navy, which has already proven capable of handling diverse maritime security tasks such as anti-piracy, environmental protection, and anti-smuggling operations. Prioritizing Civilian Control for Non-Military Maritime Functions: The group suggested setting up a civilian-run organization for non-military duties like environmental protection, customs enforcement, and search-and-rescue missions. This would avoid duplication of Navy operations and align with international best practices. Avoiding Constitutional Conflicts: The coalition emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution recognizes only three branches of the armed forces: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Establishing a Coast Guard as a military service without constitutional amendments could lead to significant legal challenges and undermine the rule of law. How Police Authorities Tried To shield Officer Who Raped Minor, Quickly Punished Female Officer For Exposing Randy Officer (Video) Legal and Financial Implications The CSOs warned that establishing a new Coast Guard service could lead to constitutional ambiguities, especially since the proposed entity would fall under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. They noted: “Creating a new military branch without proper constitutional amendments could result in serious legal disputes and erode the rule of law in Nigeria.” Additionally, the coalition pointed out that integrating personnel from various backgrounds without adequate vetting could compromise national security, making it easier for individuals with malicious intent to infiltrate the organization. The group cited potential risks such as increased piracy, oil bunkering, and smuggling. Public Hearing and Legislative Process The Coast Guard Bill is set for a public hearing at the National Assembly, a crucial step in the legislative process. The CSOs have urged lawmakers to consider the nation’s current financial limitations and security needs before making a final decision.

If the bill passes all legislative hurdles, it will be forwarded to President Tinubu for approval. However, should the President decline to sign it, the bill will not become law. The coalition’s stance reflects concerns about the financial and legal implications of establishing a new Coast Guard in Nigeria. With limited resources and existing security challenges, the CSOs argue that enhancing the Navy’s capabilities would be a more sustainable and effective approach to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime zones. Stay tuned for further updates on the legislative process surrounding the Coast Guard Bill.