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Category: Military Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM statement on defence spending: 25 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    PM statement on defence spending: 25 February 2025

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s press statement on increasing defence spending.

    Good evening. 

    I was a young man when the Berlin Wall came down

    I remember it vividly. 

    It felt as if we were casting off the shackles of history

    A continent united by freedom and democracy. 

    If you had told me then, that in my lifetime

    We would see Russian tanks rolling into European cities again

    I would not have believed you. 

    Yet here we are

    In a world where everything has changed

    Because three years ago, in Ukraine

    That is exactly what happened. 

    Just reflect on that for a second – I think it’s worth it. 

    Just imagine you are walking to work

    Taking your kids to school. 

    Just another February morning, like any other. 

    Then suddenly – missiles. 

    Sirens. 

    Explosions. 

    Not in the distance

    Not on TV

    In your town. 

    Hitting your community. 

    Killing your friends. 

    An invading army, in your country. 

    The people of Ukraine have woken up to this nightmare

    For three years now

    Their courage is inspiring. 

    And Britain can be proud of its response. 

    British families have opened their doors to fleeing Ukrainians

    The ‘yellow and light blue’ flag flies on town halls and churches, the length and breadth of this country

    And I will also put on record again – 

    That I respect the robust response taken by the previous government

    I supported it in opposition

    And we have built on it in government

    Taking our support for Ukraine – to record levels. 

    But, as the nature of that conflict changes

    As it has done in recent weeks

    It also brings our response into sharper focus.

    And I believe we must now change our approach to national security

    So we are ready to meet the challenges of our volatile world. 

    The reason for this is straightforward

    Putin’s aggression does not stop in Ukraine. 

    Russian spy ships menace our waters. 

    Russian planes enter our airspace. 

    Russian cyber-attacks hit our NHS 

    And just seven years ago – there was a Russian chemical weapons attack, in broad daylight

    On the streets of Salisbury. 

    We can’t hide from this. 

    I know people have felt the impact of this conflict through rising bills and prices. 

    But unless Ukraine is properly protected from Putin

    Then Europe will only become more unstable – and that will hurt us even more. 

    Furthermore, the great lesson of our history

    Is that tyrants like Putin only respond to strength. 

    So today I have announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. 

    We will keep our manifesto commitment to spend 2.5% of our GDP on defence.

    But in light of the grave threats we face

    We will bring that target forward so we meet it in 2027. 

    That is an increase of £13.4bn year on year compared to where we are today. 

    And we will go further. 

    I have long argued that in the face of ongoing and generational challenges

    European countries must do more for their own defence. 

    That is incontrovertible. 

    A completely reasonable point. 

    It’s a generational challenge – of course it is.  

    But one we must now take on. 

    So, subject to economic and fiscal conditions

    We will also set a clear ambition for Defence spending to rise to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament.  

    Clearly this is first and foremost a security imperative. 

    But I also believe that it’s a tremendous opportunity

    We can use this investment to rebuild Britain’s industrial base. 

    The first test of defence policy is always whether it keeps our country safe. 

    But the second should be whether it improves the condition of the British people

    Does it help provide the economic security that working people need? 

    Because ultimately that is fundamental to national security as well. 

    So mark my words

    We will make sure this investment maximises British jobs, British growth, British skills and British innovation. 

    And we should be optimistic about the change that it will deliver. 

    Nonetheless, in the short-term

    This investment can only be funded through hard choices. 

    And so today I have decided that we will fund the initial increase in defence spending

    By cutting our spending on overseas development

    Moving from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3%. 

    I want to be clear – that this is not an announcement I am happy to make. 

    I am proud of Britain’s pioneering record on overseas development

    And we will continue to play a key humanitarian role

    In war-torn countries like Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza

    In tackling climate change

    And supporting international efforts on global health challenges like vaccination.  

    And we will do everything to move towards a world where we can rebuild our development capacity. 

    However, the realities of our dangerous new era

    Mean that the defence and national security of our country must always come first. 

    That is what I campaigned on in the general election

    It is what we are delivering today. 

    A new approach to defence

    A revival of our industrial base

    A deepening of our alliances

    The instruments of our national power – brought together

    Creating opportunity.

    Assuring our allies.

    Delivering security for our country. 

    At moments like this in our past

    Britain has stood up to be counted. 

    It has come together. 

    And it has demonstrated strength.  

    That is what the security of this country needs now

    And it is what this Government will deliver. 

    I will now take questions.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Crisis in the DRC: What is it about?

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    This backgrounder was written by Lesley Myers, Editor for UN peacekeeping’s Strategic Communications team. Lesley is a political analyst and strategic planner with over 15 years’ experience in data-driven politics, development, and peacekeeping.

     

     

     

    There’s a crisis happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that has led to immense human suffering, displacement, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. It has also sparked fears of a broader, regional war.  

    What’s happening?  

    In January, the M23 armed group rapidly advanced into North Kivu province in DRC’s east, reinforced with troops and equipment from Rwanda’s armed forces, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). The M23 has taken control of Goma, a trade hub with a population of over two million people, and the capital of DRC’s North Kivu province. In its latest push, the M23 has now moved into South Kivu province, capturing its capital city, Bukavu, and reports of heavy fighting continue. 

    The ongoing fighting has left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands displaced,  deepening the country’s already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Civilians are facing shortages of food and water, overwhelmed hospitals, and a growing use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war. They are impeding the movement of UN personnel and obstructing humanitarian corridors as civilian casualties continue to rise.  

    The human rights situation has also deteriorated significantly, with documented cases of forced recruitment, looting of displacement sites, and searches of hospitals and homes by M23 in search of both soldiers and civilians who they perceived to be opposed to their group. 

     

    Who are the M23? 

    The M23 are an armed group that  emerged in 2012 amidst tensions between countries in the region, supported by the RDF. They have been accused of war crimes and human rights violations, and have been sanctioned by the UN for committing serious violations of international law involving the targeting of women and children in situations of armed conflict in the DRC including killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, and forced displacement.  

    At the time, the group violently seized territory in eastern DRC but were successfully repelled by the DRC’s national army, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, as well as international pressure on Rwanda.  

    However, in 2021, regional tensions reached new heights, triggering a re-emergence of the M23. The group has been progressively taking control of territories in eastern DRC, establishing a parallel administration and levying “taxes” on local populations, while mass killings and rape continue to be reported.  

    The M23’s resurgence has also contributed to the militarization of mining sites in eastern DRC, which is exceptionally rich in natural resources critical to making electronics like cell phones and electric cars.  

     

    What is UN Peacekeeping doing?  

    MONUSCO has been protecting vulnerable populations and unarmed Congolese defense forces who have sought refuge in its premises. The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office receives daily requests for individual protection from social actors who face threats of reprisals from the M23. 

    MONUSCO is also supporting demining efforts, and working to protect human rights defenders, journalists, and members of civil society organizations.  However, the M23 is severely restricting MONUSCO’s freedom of movement, hampering MONUSCO’s ability to fulfill these critical tasks. 

    Other UN organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO), the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), and  UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), are also working to provide life-saving assistance to communities in need. 

     

    What’s next?  

    Long-term peace requires a political solution at the regional level. MONUSCO’s leadership is engaging in diplomatic efforts to push for peace. The UN and the Security Council have called on Rwanda to end its support for the M23 and withdraw its forces from the DRC. The UN Secretary-General has called on both countries to remain engaged in peace talks to bring an end to the violence. 

     

    Why have UN peacekeepers been in DR Congo for 65 years? Learn more here. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green parliamentarians write to Defence Secretary over defence spending principles

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    • Green MPs and peers call for defence spending decisions to be based on “core principles”
    • Ellie Chowns MP calls foreign aid cut announcement “cruel and unncecessary” 
    • Green letter highlights growing security threats relating to climate breakdown, food security and cyber security

    The six Green Party parliamentarians have written to the Defence Secretary John Healey setting out a series of “core principles” they say any decisions about defence spending should be based on [1]. 

    The letter comes as Keir Starmer announced that a rise in the defence budget will be funded by cuts to foreign aid. 

    In the letter, the MPs and peers call on Healey to ensure that all decisions on defence spending “tackle the biggest threats to long term human security, including climate chaos, food insecurity, and cyber-attacks on democracy”. 

    They also urge an increase in spending on diplomacy, peace-building and overseas aid in order to improve our security. 

    Responding to Starmer’s announcement today, Ellie Chowns MP said: 

    “It’s horrifying to see Keir Starmer follow Trump’s lead, gutting our international aid budget to increase defence spending. This is naive populism playing with life-and-death decisions. 

    “How many people will fall ill or die because they cannot access health services; how many more will go hungry? And how many children will be denied an education as a result of this decision? Cutting aid risks making the world more volatile and more dangerous, not safer. Real security means tackling hunger, poverty, and climate chaos. 

    “Taking money from the poorest in the name of defence is both cruel and unnecessary – we could and should instead be taxing the wealthiest who can afford to contribute more. 

    “The idea that the only way to strengthen our defences is by taking from those with the least is immoral. It’s a choice and it’s the wrong one.”

    Notes: 

    1. The full text of the letter reads: 

    Dear John,

    We are writing to set out the importance of any decisions about future defence spending being underpinned by core principles. In an ever more insecure world, made more unstable by the comments and actions of the US President, and with the ongoing need to stand up to Putin, it is vital that genuine long-term stability, safety and security is a priority. Alongside addressing the threats posed by the international political situation, the government must also address the significant and growing security threats relating to climate breakdown, food security and cyber security. 

     As such, we call on you to uphold the following principles:

    • Tackle the biggest threats to long term human security, including climate chaos, food insecurity, and cyber-attacks on democracy
    • Increase spending on diplomacy, peace-building and overseas aid, as key to security and defence policy
    • Don’t cut spending from other departmental budgets to increase defence spending
    • Strengthen our ties with Europe
    • Uphold international law, the rule of law and the right to self-determination
    • Recognise that a global prohibition on nuclear weapons will make everyone safer
    • Address the underlying causes of conflict and insecurity such as poverty, human rights abuses and resource scarcity
    • Restore UK sovereignty by decoupling from reliance on the US
    • Use economic levers such as sanctions on companies still operating in the UK and complicit in Russian fossil fuel exports

     We look forward to your response and to working constructively with the government towards enduring safety and security.

     Yours sincerely, all Green parliamentarians

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 91st Missile Wing ushers in a new era of MMIII transporters

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.  –  

    MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. – For the past 37 years the Transporter Erector (TE) has been a fundamental piece of equipment for operational readiness of the Minuteman III (MMIII) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system. These vital pieces of equipment are responsible for transporting MMIII across vast distances, utilizing public roads to reach strategic locations, and ensuring precise emplacement or removal at launch facilities. Due to maintenance requirements becoming harder to meet with the older model, these units will be replaced with newer, modernized equipment. The 91st Missile Wing is the last unit using the old TE systems, as the Roughriders are regularly relied upon to sunset programs being modernized.

    “The retirement of these ‘legacy’ TE’s marks the end of a proud and extraordinary 37 years of service and life across thousands of personnel,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ethan Bowman, missile handling section team chief assigned to the 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron.

     The retirement of the old TE systems also ushers in an opportunity to transition to more efficient and modernized equipment to support the MMIII weapon system more effectively. The TE’s being retired were made to the highest standard when they were designed in the late 1980s. The systems have served nearly four decades, reliably facilitating transportation, erection, and removal operations at critical ICBM launch facilities across the country.

    “Milestones such as this demonstrate the commitment of the 91st Missile Wing Roughrider men and women to strategic deterrence,” said U.S. Col. Jimmy Schlabach, commander of the 91st Missile Wing. “Proud Airmen have operated the legacy TE systems, serving the most powerful weapon system in the world, the Minuteman III, admirably for decades.”

    The decision to phase out the Legacy TE units is not just a practical choice but a strategic necessity. Replacing these aging units with modernized transporters ensures the MMIII can remain a credible component of the United States’ nuclear deterrence strategy. New units will incorporate advancements in materials, engineering, and technology to enhance reliability and reduce maintenance burdens. This modernization will enable smoother operations and better support for hoisting, transportation, and emplacement activities at operational wings and storage facilities.

    “These replacements ensure that the 91st Missile Wing will continue to provide always-ready lethal combat capability, without rest, to enable strategic deterrence so critical to our national defense for decades to come,” said Schlabach. “President Theodore Roosevelt famously said, ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.’ The Roughriders have used the TE systems to carry the nation’s biggest stick, and will use the new units to continue that legacy.”

    The retirement of the Legacy TEs is a moment of reflection, honoring the remarkable engineering and unwavering commitment of the individuals who kept these systems operational for over three decades. Their contributions ensured the continuous support of one of the nation’s most critical defense assets, allowing the MMIII to remain a cornerstone of deterrence strategy.

    As the Legacy TEs make way for their modern replacements, the Air Force is embracing the opportunity to improve mission effectiveness and long-term sustainability. This transition represents not only the end of an era, but also the beginning of a more robust and capable logistics infrastructure to support the MMIII weapon system until its eventual retirement. By investing in modernization, the United States ensures its strategic forces remain ready and reliable, reinforcing the principles of deterrence for decades to come.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Minuteman III test launch showcases readiness of U.S. nuclear force’s safe, effective deterrent

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La.  –  

    A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a single telemetered joint test assembly re-entry vehicle Feb. 19 at 1 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

    The Western Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base serves as the primary testing ground for the Air Force Global Strike Command’s ICBM deterrent architecture. This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities designed to demonstrate that the United States’ nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, reliable, and effective in deterring 21st-century threats and reassuring our allies. With over 300 similar tests conducted in the past, this particular test is part of the Nation’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a credible deterrent and is not a response to current world events.

    “Today’s Minuteman III test launch is just one of the ways the Department of the Air Force demonstrates the readiness, precision, and professionalism of U.S. nuclear forces,” said Acting Secretary of the Air Force Gary Ashworth. “It also provides confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission.”

    AFGSC Commander Gen. Thomas Bussiere added, “The nuclear triad is the cornerstone of the national security of our country and allies around the globe.”

    “This test launch is demonstrative of our nation’s ICBM readiness and reliability,” he said. “Because of the skill sets and expertise of our maintenance personnel and our missile crews, our freedoms and the homeland remain secure.”

    Vandenberg’s 377th Test and Evaluation Group, located at Vandenberg SFB, oversaw the test launch. It is the nation’s only dedicated ICBM test organization professionally executing tests that accurately measure the current and future capability of the ICBM force.

    “During this test, we collected and analyzed performance and other key data points to evaluate current missile system competencies,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, 377th TEG commander. “This allows our team to analyze and report accuracy and reliability for the current system while validating projected missile system improvements. The data we collect and analyze is crucial for maintaining Minuteman III while we pave the way for Sentinel.”

    The ICBM’s reentry vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located within Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Kwajalein Atoll. Reagan Test Site sensors, including high-fidelity metric and signature radars, as well as optical sensors and telemetry, support the research, development, test and evaluation of America’s defense and space programs. For these tests, RTS team members collect radar, optical and telemetry data in the terminal phase of flight to evaluate system performance.

    “The Reagan Test Site serves as the supporting range for all Glory Trip missions,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Casey Rumfelt, RTS range director. “It’s a vital national asset used to support operational and developmental tests of our nation’s offensive and defensive systems. RTS provides a unique suite of instrumentation and an ideal geographic location to meet many of the U.S. testing needs that cannot be accomplished anywhere else in the world.”

    The test launch is a culmination of months of preparation that involve multiple government partners.

    Airmen from all three missile wings were selected for the task force to support the test launch, while maintainers from the 90th Missile Wing Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Force Base, Wyoming, supported maintenance requirements. The missile bases within Air Fore Global Strike Command have crew members standing alert 24 hours a day, year-round, overseeing the nation’s ICBM alert forces. 

    The ICBM community, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and U.S. Strategic Command, uses data collected from test launches for continuing force development evaluation. The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational capability of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States’ ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of U.S. national security and the security of U.S. allies and partners.

    The Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MH-139 completes first IOT&E flight, advancing nuclear security operations

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo.  –  

    The 582nd Helicopter Group achieved a major milestone in its modernization efforts as the MH-139 Grey Wolf completed its first Initial Operational Test and Evaluation flight in support of nuclear security operations on January 28, 2025.

    The flight, conducted by the 550th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, tested the aircraft’s ability to support intercontinental ballistic missile convoy operations, a crucial mission for securing the nation’s strategic deterrence forces.

    “This marks a significant step forward in ensuring the MH-139 is ready for full operational capability,” said Lt. Col. Douglas Lincoln, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center IOT&E test director. “This was the first of 37 planned flight events, and our objective was to integrate the MH-139 into convoy security operations while testing communication networks between air and ground forces.”

    The MH-139 Grey Wolf brings enhanced speed, payload capacity and endurance, far surpassing the UH-1N Huey, which has been in service since the Vietnam era. As Twentieth Air Force transitions to the MH-139, the increased capabilities will streamline nuclear security operations and improve response times for Tactical Response Force teams.

    “The MH-139 Grey Wolf fundamentally changes how we support nuclear security,” said Col. Philip Bryant, 582nd HG commander. “It can carry twice as many security forces, fly 1.5 times as fast and has a considerably longer loiter time than the UH-1N, which greatly strengthens our mission to protect the missile fields.”

    During this first test event, the aircraft flew alongside a 341st Missile Wing convoy, validating mission effectiveness and operational suitability. The aircrew assessed the MH-139’s ability to insert and extract tactical response teams while maintaining seamless communication with ground forces.

    IOT&E is scheduled to continue through June 2025.  The 550 HS will be performing tests at all three Missile Wings and at multiple ranges to fully analyze the MH-139’s performance for all its operational missions.

    “Our Airmen are adapting quickly to this new platform,” said Bryant. “The MH-139 provides a game-changing advantage for our nuclear security forces, and we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition from the UH-1N to the MH-139 Grey Wolf.”

    As testing progresses, 20 AF remains focused on delivering a modernized, effective nuclear security force, ensuring the protection of America’s ICBM fleet against evolving threats.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guardians of the North, 28th Maintenance Group mobilizes entire B-1 Fleet

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D.  –  

    Raider maintainers from the 34th & 37th Bomber Generation Squadrons recently mobilized Ellsworth’s entire fleet of B-1B Lancers; while most will temporarily relocate to Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., some made their way to Anderson AFB, Guam for a Bomber Task Force deployment.

    The temporary relocation is necessary to complete a runway construction project tied to the future bed down of the B-21 Raider and as the last B-1 departed January 25, 2025, it marked the first time in 30 years the Ellsworth flightline was empty of Lancers.

    Generating aircraft sorties, especially B-1B Lancer sorties, requires an exceptional team of aircraft maintainers. “The mighty B-1 has been around for over 40 years and the foundational mission remains the same: win today, dominate tomorrow” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrew Feigen, 37th Bomber Generation Squadron commander. “From production to the technicians to the lowest level, elevating the lethality of the B-1 maintainer in partnership with Grand Forks will cause pause in our enemies.”

    Before the wheels of a B-1 lift off the ground, maintainers are tasked to ensure aircraft are serviceable, safe and combat ready. They conduct detailed inspections, apply necessary repairs, and log every maintenance action for accountability.

    “It’s a very high paced mission from where I stand. You’re always going from one job to the next. The game plan is always changing, quite literally by the minute on the flight line,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lane Benefield, 37th Bomber Generation Squadron B-1 crew chief. “This gave [our team] the opportunity to step up into different roles, showing great flexibility from enduring the cold and being away from family and loved ones,”

    B-1 Maintainers work around the clock in all types of weather and conditions. Grand Forks is known for challenging winters, but the Raider maintainer’s work ethic remains, and the team ensures there are always combat-ready B-1s available. The Airmen of Grand Forks are also steadfast in their commitment to ensuring the B-1 mission continues.

    “It’s been a long effort in coordination with our partners here at Grand Forks and our supporting agencies back home,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Mount, 28th Maintenance Squadron commander. “This is a once in a career moment for the B-1 community to relocate our fleet completely. It’s not every day that runway repair is done at wholescale. There’s a pride that follows in knowing all of our teams are succeeding in their mission and continue to present a credible threat to our adversaries through power projection.”

    Whether from North Dakota, South Dakota or from a forward operating base Raider maintainers have the capability and capacity to enable long range strike, anytime, anywhere.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Proud to Confirm Driscoll as Army Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the confirmation of Dan Driscoll as United States Secretary of the Army:
    “Dan Driscoll steps into the role of Army Secretary at a pivotal moment. Today, we face an axis of aggressors in Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, and we owe it to our servicemembers and the American people to plan accordingly. The Secretary must take on the essential task of building up and maintaining the backbone of American hard power, work on which I intend to partner closely from the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. He must support our men and women in uniform and strengthen our Amy installations, such as the three premier installations in Kentucky. And importantly, Secretary Driscoll must bring a sea change to the way we plan for the future – preserving our peace not through one-time injections and half-measures, but by getting serious about strengthening our hand and sustaining America’s military edge long term.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Framingham Town Hall, Warren Lays Out Plan to Fight Back Against Trump Policies That Hurt Massachusetts Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    February 22, 2025
    “[U]ltimately, the power is not actually in the White House. The power is not actually in the Congress. The power lies with the people, and that’s what I’m counting on.”
    “[Billionaires like Elon Musk] believe that the rich can get even more squeezed out of this country and they can do it on the backs of everyone else in this nation, and they hope you won’t see that, and they are wrong. We see it, and we will stop it.” 
    “This is not just Republican versus Democrat. Not anymore. This is a whole lot bigger than that.”
    Video of Remarks (YouTube)
    Boston, MA – At a town hall in Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) shared her thoughts on President Trump and Elon Musk’s work to “bring down our government from the inside,” and laid out her plan to fight back against the Trump administration’s policies that hurt Massachusetts families. 
    February 22, 2025 As Delivered
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Hello Framingham! Hello Massachusetts! Oh, sit down, sit down. Damn, it is good to be here with you all. Not that it’s not fun to be in Washington. But thank you all for being here. 
    This is such an extraordinary moment. I know there’s a lot you could be out doing, but you’re in here because you care. And I’m so glad we have this chance to be together, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s a hard time out there. 
    It is a hard time when our federal government is firing the people who are trying to do cancer research. It is a hard time when our federal government, under co-presidents Elon Musk and Donald Trump, is laying off the people who keep our nuclear materials safe. It is a hard time when our co-presidents are firing veterans. It is a hard time when they are trying to bring down our government from the inside. It is a hard time when President Elon Musk is out there mowing through every federal database that has all your personal financial information, and in some cases, medical information, all of the ways that you can be identified. It is a hard time when that little consumer agency—can we hear it for the CFPB? Yeah. When the cop on the beat that has discovered more than 20 billion dollars of scams over the last dozen years shut them down and made the scammers give the money back to the people they cheated, and now co-president Musk wants to shut that down—not on my watch. You bet. Yeah. Yeah. Not here. And it is a hard time when co-president Trump thinks that he’s going to rule by bullying people, whether those people are immigrants, whether those people identify differently he does, whether or not those people are the governor of Maine. It’s not going to work. 
    Here’s the deal. Yes, it is a hard time. I acknowledge that, and we came together to talk about it. We don’t have all the tools we want. I get it. Boy, can I count to exactly 47 Democrats in the United States Senate and 53 Republicans. I can do that math. I understand that. But the fact that we don’t have as many tools as we want does not mean that we have no tools at all. We are in this fight. You bet. So, I want to do something today. I want to tell you, just as our topper, we’re going to ask some questions in a minute, but I want to tell you what I’m working on and what we’re all trying to do right now. 
    So part one: what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing in large parts of government is flatly illegal. It’s just illegal. It’s not like, “Well on the one hand, on the other.’ A big part of what they’re doing is illegal, and we are in the courts. We are in the courts, and we’re going to fight this out in the courts. That’s part one. 
    Part two: right in the United States Senate, we are the ones who are supposed to do advice and consent. Now, like I said, we’re in a 47-53. These nominees are horrible. It’s a term of art here. Right. They are terrible. We now have someone who’s going to be in charge of our Health and Human Services. Yep. Yep. Yep. Someone who’s in charge of the Department of Defense. The Director of National Intelligence. So, I see you’ve been reading, right? You’re staying up, you get who these people are. 
    The Republicans are going forward in the Senate with these people, Donald Trump has nominated them, going forward. Here’s the deal. We’re not giving it away for free. They can name horrible people, and maybe we don’t have the votes to stop them, but we are not giving it away for free. When RFK gets nominated—you bet—I tried to make clear with my questions: not only does he traffic in antiscience, traffic in antivaxx, but he’s making millions of dollars to do it, and that’s not right. When our Secretary of Defense is credibly accused of sexual assault, I managed to pry out the information: he paid $50,000 to hush that woman up. When he’s falling down drunk at work events and when he drove not one, but two nonprofits straight into the ground financially. We couldn’t stop him, but we didn’t give it away for free. 
    Here’s how I look at it, with all of these nominees. We’re putting a stink on them, and making sure the American people see it, and that every damn Republican who voted for him is going to feel a part of that stink now, and into the future. So, that’s part two. And part three is to try to raise a movement. To do it all across this country. Yep. If you’ve seen me on TV, if you’ve seen me on podcasts, if you’ve seen me out in the streets or sidewalks, you understand that’s what I’m trying to do and it’s what others are trying to do. Because ultimately, the power is not actually in the White House. The power is not actually in the Congress. The power lies with the people, and that’s what I’m counting on. 
    So, with that in mind, I know what we need. We’ve got people in this room. I don’t have to tell you not to give up. You don’t give up. You’re in this room because you were ready for this fight. So, I wanted to be here today to ask for three things. You know I always come with an ask. I mean everybody, anybody wants to meet me, “Oh, Elizabeth, what do you want now?” because that’s my job. So ask number one; tell the stories of what this means. Ask number one, that’s it. 
    Tell the stories of what it means if cancer research is halted. 
    Tell the stories about what it means if we’re going to shut down our national parks. 
    Tell the stories of what it’s going to mean if someone who has dedicated 22 years working in public service just gets laid off. 
    Tell the stories of what it means if you’re going to terrorize an immigrant community so that little business owners have to close their doors because people are afraid to be out on the sidewalks. 
    Tell the story about what it means when children are afraid to go to school. 
    Tell those stories. 
    And the reason for that is: we are at the moment of developing the national narrative for what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing. It is bad, and we need to tell that story, and I need you to tell it. So that’s part one, and by the way, when I say tell it, tell it everywhere. Tell it online, do it on your Facebook, do it on Insta, do it texting, but also the group you went to school with, your group that you work on, anybody, anywhere around the country. Go on these chats and tell the stories, because this is how, as a nation, we make the voice of people heard. So that’s part one. Part two: do not underestimate the value of organizing. Indivisible. God bless them. Some of you, we have some Indivisible members. And other organizations. I’m all in. One voice is powerful. Two voices is more than twice as powerful. Organizing and getting energy behind it—we keep each other going. So please, organize, get in a group that’s organized. Work with others, build your own, bring in your neighbors, but come. 
    And then, part three, you’ve got to take care. These are hard times, and remember how they say on the airplane, ‘Adjust your own mask before helping the person sitting next to you.’ You actually do have to take a deep breath. This is a time when Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to undermine our confidence and our ability to be with each other, to make our voices heard, to make this government work. And we have to take care of ourselves. 
    And that’s going to be a lot of different things for different people. I have my own. We can talk about that. But with your friends, with yourself, you got to take care, because we’re not in this just until tonight. We’re not in this just until the end of this month. We are in this for the long haul to save our country. 
    I know it’s hard right now. It’s hard to maintain focus. There’s so much going on. I sometimes think of this as feeling like you’re in a sandstorm, right, and it’s just buffeting, and things are coming from every direction. Understand that is intentional. They are doing this because they don’t want people to be able to get focused and respond. Why is that? Why all this noise? Why are they doing all these pieces at once? Because they want you to not see the driving force behind it. There is a driving force here, and the driving force is that billionaires like Elon Musk and a handful of the other cronies, they want giant tax cuts so that they can be even richer and so they can run this country. And they want regular folks, people who depend on a little help from the federal government, to be able to stay in a nursing home. People who need, a little kid down the street from you who has a severe disability and he needs an aide to be able to be in a public school. They believe that the rich can get even more squeezed out of this country and they can do it on the backs of everyone else in this nation, and they hope you won’t see that, and they are wrong. We see it, and we will stop it. You bet. Yup. I think of this as what we fight for. 
    This is not just Republican versus Democrat. Not anymore. This is a whole lot bigger than that. This is truly what we think our government is for. Why we organize and get out there, why we vote, why we show up. The Republicans right now have completely caved in. It’s Elon Musk and whatever he wants to do, and Donald Trump wants to name himself King. That’s where they’re headed. 
    We are the people who actually believe that we can build an America that doesn’t just work for a handful at the top. We believe in an America where everybody gets a fighting chance, and what that ultimately means is that we make those investments so people can get them. We make the investment, damn it, in public education—can we hear it for our teachers? You bet. We make those investments in healthcare because healthcare is a basic human right. And we’re in the fight to make those investments in housing so everyone has an opportunity to buy a home and build some security. 
    I’m here because I’m an optimist. And yeah, this is, this is, this tests me. I get it. But I’m still an optimist. I’m an optimist because I truly see up close and personal what happens when we work together. I see the things we build, and I see the people right now here in Framingham, here in Massachusetts, who show up to say investing in our government is worth it. So we’re going to stay in this fight. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Statement on Confirmation of Dan Driscoll to be U.S. Secretary of the Army

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    February 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), issued the following statement after voting to confirm Dan Driscoll as U.S. Secretary of the Army:
    “Dan Driscoll understands we must streamline the Army’s processes to increase munitions production and ensure our warfighters have what they need. He will drive innovation and modernization. I also appreciate his service in Iraq as a Cavalry Scout Platoon Leader.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: IRC report represents another step into the moral bankruptcy

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Responding to the latest Independent Reporting Commission report Jim Allister said:

    “As it par for the course when it comes to this body, the most telling thing about the IRC report is what it does not say. While it does manage to mention the IRA it only does so in a context of noting the 30th anniversary of the ceasefires. No comment on the status of the IRA Army Council or the weapons or departments it retains. Such is to be expected from a body which is nothing more than a creature of the process.

    “The report does, however, make some dangerous recommendations. The most significant of these is when the IRC revisits its suggestion that illegal terrorist groups should go through a deproscription process which would see groups like the IRA, UVF and UDA become legal. This suggestion is no less offensive today than it was when it was first floated by the IRC. What a gross insult to the victims of terrorists if membership of the organisations which caused so much death and destruction was to become legal with all the open glorification of terror which would come with that!

    “An important step along that road which has clearly been flagged up before the launch of the report is on pages 4 and 5 where the ICR propose the appointment of an “Independent Person who would scope out and prepare the ground with various

    stakeholders for what a possible formal process of engagement and Group Transition might look like. We regard this as a vital step in the journey towards ending

    paramilitarism in Northern Ireland.”

    “This is clearly a fancy way of advocating direct dialogue with illegal terrorist groups which retain weapons and still instil fear in local communities about how they might become legal. Such a development would represent yet another step into the moral bankruptcy which has characterised the process.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 6th Marines Support Joint Task Force Southern Guard

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    NAVAL STATION GUANTÁNAMO BAY, CUBA  –  

    To increase safety and security, the Marines have set up tents, conducted combined Illegal alien reception and processing rehearsals with interservice and interagency partners, and continually trained on non-lethal defense methods.

    Additionally, Marines of 6th Marine Regiment have been tasked and trained to support dining facility operations, assisting NSGB personnel with feeding members of JTF-SG and other logistical challenges identified as more servicemembers are deployed to support IAHO at the base.

    “The Marines and Sailors of Task Force Belleau Wood, over the past week, have been the ‘fire brigade’ for Joint Task Force – Southern Guard. We have worked to establish illegal alien holding areas, non-lethal techniques, crowd dispersion tactics, and perimeter security operations.” said U.S. Marine Col. Neil Berry, the Commanding Officer of 6th Regiment. “The Marines and Sailors of the ‘Follow Me!’ Division, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, remain ready to receive illegal aliens; fulfilling our assigned mission and leaving our communities back home safer.”

    6th Marines and 1/6 will continue to support JTF-SG with any future tasking.

    “We’re Marines, the answer is yes,” said Berry. “What’s the question?”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 821st Contingency Response Element boosts airfield capacity for Operation Southern Guard

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba  –  

    When the success of a mission hinges on the seamless flow of supplies and personnel, the Contingency Response Element (CRE) becomes the linchpin of logistical operations.

    For Operation Southern Guard, the CRE from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., has proven indispensable in transforming airfield capabilities to support Joint Task Force Southern Guard’s (JTF-SG) critical mission of expanding illegal alien holding operations.

    “The backbone of logistics is distribution. Being surrounded by water became a constraint for sustainment, but the CRE, with their assets and determination, came through to bridge that gap by improving the airfield capabilities to enhance the flow of cargo in and out of the island,” said Army Sergeant Maj. Johanny Ortega, the JTF-SG J4 sergeant major.

    Since initiating operations on Feb. 2, the CRE has facilitated the delivery of over 400 tons of essential cargo, including construction equipment, materiel handling equipment, power generation equipment, fuel and food.

    These supplies are pivotal for the rapid establishment and enhancement of facilities necessary for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ongoing migrant operations.

    Leading the charge on the ground is Air Force Lt. Col. Adam McDade, commander of the 821st Contingency Response Squadron, better known as “Hellhounds.”

    “We specialize in establishing and augmenting airfield operations in diverse environments, from austere dirt landing strips to fully operational international airports,” McDade explained. “Here at Guantanamo Bay, while an established airfield exists, it wasn’t equipped to handle the volume of aircraft necessary to support the deployment of forces.”

    The CRE’s deployment has significantly increased the airfield’s capacity, expanding operations from accommodating a single aircraft at a time to managing up to three aircraft simultaneously, operating around the clock.

    “We’re currently averaging between three to five aircraft per day, and we anticipate this number will rise as more forces are deployed,” McDade noted.

    The rapid deployment of the CRE showcases their readiness and precision.

    “I received about 24 hours’ notice before deploying my initial assessment team of 11 personnel,” said McDade. “Following our assessment, the rest of our team began arriving within 48 hours. Our unit maintains a constant state of alert for missions like this, so we were well-prepared to mobilize quickly.”

    The CRE’s contributions are a vital component of JTF-SG’s broader mission, which includes providing security, logistical coordination, intelligence support, and facility management for DHS-led operations at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

    “Without the CRE’s expertise and rapid deployment capabilities, our operational tempo and efficiency would be significantly hindered,” Ortega concluded, emphasizing the indispensable role of the CRE in the success of Operation Southern Guard.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS St. Louis (LCS 19) Completes Maiden Deployment to Fourth Fleet

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    MAYPORT, FLORIDA  –  

    USS St. Louis (LCS 19), a Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), returned to Naval Station Mayport this week, concluding its maiden deployment to the U.S. Fourth Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR).

    The eight-month deployment, which lasted from June 15, 2024 to February 24, 2025, marked a series of groundbreaking achievements that underscore the capabilities of the LCS platform and its growing contributions to naval operations.

    While assigned to TASK FORCE 45/Destroyer Squadron 40, operating primarily in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, St. Louis, embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50 Detachment 4, and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDET) 105 and 407, disrupted and confiscated over $100 million worth of illicit contraband in five different operations, significantly hampering the activities of transnational criminal organizations.

    “From our first week in theater, the crew demonstrated its tactical acumen in locating and intercepting illicit traffickers. Most of these interdictions were conducted at night, requiring long days and late hours but the crew stayed immensely resilient. I am very proud of what the team accomplished,” said Cmdr. T.J. Orth, USS St. Louis’ Commanding Officer.

    In August, St. Louis transited the Panama Canal and operated in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, making history as the first FRE-variant LCS to travel as far south as Valparaíso, Chile when she participated in the 65th iteration of UNITAS, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise. Alongside naval forces from 44 countries, the ship showcased its capabilities in maritime interoperability, enhancing ties with partner nations and furthering regional stability.

    After returning through the Panama Canal, St. Louis received new tasking to support U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force-Bravo as that command responded to the deteriorating security situation in Haiti. St. Louis served as a fueling station and Search and Rescue force for 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment (AVN REGT) UH-60 Blackhawks conducting evacuations out of Haiti. To prepare, St. Louis and 1-228th AVN REGT conducted more than 50 deck landings. This successful integration expanded the ship’s operational versatility, paved the way for future joint missions, and underscored the potential for cross-branch collaboration in dynamic environments.

    To wrap up USS St. Louis’ maiden deployment, St. Louis Sailors showed their flexibility and capacity to rapidly deploy in support of Joint Task Force Operation Southern Guard onboard U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Sailors supported the expansion of the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) in preparing the MOC to receive up to 2,000 illegal aliens, erecting 50 tents and setting up several hundred cots in several days. Operation Southern Guard is highlighting effective interagency collaboration, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees the operation.

    “We saw a lot of ‘firsts’ on this ship’s first deployment and it was amazing to see what this ship and crew was capable of. Looking back, this deployment demonstrated the growing potential for Freedom class LCS and the support they can provide not just in the Caribbean, but in the entire Fourth Fleet AOR,” said Cmdr. Lee Shewmake, USS St. Louis’ executive officer. “There were many lessons learned that the crew took to heart and put in practice as deployment went on, and I believe that is what enabled our success over the past seven months.”

    “St. Louis demonstrated the great potential of the LCS Freedom class, not only in executing its assigned missions but also in breaking new ground for the community. The professionalism and dedication of this crew have laid a strong foundation for the future of LCS operations,” said Master Chief Roderick Bolton, St. Louis’ Command Master Chief. “USS St. Louis returns home with its crew proud of their achievements and eager to share lessons learned from this historic deployment. As the U.S. Navy continues to evolve, St. Louis has proven itself a capable and innovative platform, ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

    USS St. Louis’ maiden deployment to Fourth Fleet was a resounding success, marked by numerous milestones and contributions to naval strategy. The ship’s accomplishments highlight the flexibility and utility of the Littoral Combat Ship platform in tackling modern challenges.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Introduces Legislation to Protect the People of Wyoming from CCP Buying American Lands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) led three of her Senate colleagues in introducing the No American Land for Communist China Act to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing farmland adjacent to federal lands. This legislation will protect Wyoming and other western states from the threat of the CCP buying up property next to federal lands that could harm critical mineral and energy production taking place on those lands. It will also protect our critical U.S. military and infrastructure sites from CCP surveillance.

    “Putting America First means preventing the Chinese Communist Party from buying up western land and putting our military bases, critical energy, and mineral production at risk,” said Lummis. “The people of Wyoming know that allowing the CCP to buy up our land compromises both our national and economic security.”

    “Allowing the CCP to purchase western lands poses a plethora of risks including threats to our national security and encroachment on America’s natural resources.  We must protect Idaho and our western neighbors from threats seen and unseen,” said Crapo.

    “Wyoming is the center of critical energy and mineral production for our nation. We are also home to F.E. Warren Air Force Base – a key part of our nation’s nuclear deterrence,” said Barrasso. “Opening the door to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) puts our national security and domestic energy production at risk. The people of Wyoming and across the West work hard to protect and manage our lands productively and efficiently. We cannot allow our adversaries to buy up our land and threaten our national, economic, and energy security.”

    This legislation prohibits any agent or business affiliated with the CCP from purchasing land adjacent to federal land in the United States. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cosponsored this legislation.

    Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.  

    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council urges Rwanda to stop supporting M23 in eastern DR Congo

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday that strongly condemned the ongoing offensive by M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

     The Council demanded that the M23 immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from all areas that it controls, “and fully reverse the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations in the DRC territory.”

    The 15 members called on the Rwanda Defence Forces to stop supporting the armed group and immediately withdraw from Congolese territory “without preconditions.”

    They reiterated their urgent appeal for all parties to conclude an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as called for by leaders from East and Southern Africa.

    They strongly urged the DRC and Rwanda “to return without preconditions to diplomatic talks as a matter of urgency to achieve a lasting and peaceful resolution of the protracted conflict in the region.”

    The resolution also condemns support provided by DRC military forces to specific armed groups, particularly the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). It calls for “the urgent implementation of commitments to neutralize the group.”

    ‘A clear message’

    The resolution was submitted by France whose Ambassador, Nicolas de Rivière, said it “delivers a clear message.”

    “There is no military solution to the conflict in the east of the DRC,” he said.  “The offensive carried out by the M23 supported by Rwanda must be put to an end.”

    The situation in the mineral-rich region has deteriorated since January as M23 fighters advance across North and South Kivu provinces, with the crisis spreading to Ituri.

    They have captured the main cities of Goma and Bukavu. Thousands of people have been killed and even more displaced, including to neighbouring countries such as Burundi.

    Allow aid access

    The resolution strongly condemned all attacks directed against civilians and infrastructure, including UN, humanitarian and medical personnel.

    It also condemned summary executions and maiming, sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking and the recruitment and use of children.

    The Council demanded all parties to allow and facilitate safe, immediate and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need, as well as the restoration of basic services such as healthcare, water, electricity and communications.

    Ambassadors also reaffirmed full support to the UN mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, and stressed that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS St. Louis (LCS 19) Completes Maiden Deployment to Fourth Fleet

    Source: United States Navy

    The eight-month deployment, which lasted from June 15, 2024 to February 24, 2025, marked a series of groundbreaking achievements that underscore the capabilities of the LCS platform and its growing contributions to naval operations.

    While assigned to TASK FORCE 45/Destroyer Squadron 40, operating primarily in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, St. Louis, embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50 Detachment 4, and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDET) 105 and 407, disrupted and confiscated over $100 million worth of illicit contraband in five different operations, significantly hampering the activities of transnational criminal organizations.

    “From our first week in theater, the crew demonstrated its tactical acumen in locating and intercepting illicit traffickers. Most of these interdictions were conducted at night, requiring long days and late hours but the crew stayed immensely resilient. I am very proud of what the team accomplished,” said Cmdr. T.J. Orth, USS St. Louis’ Commanding Officer.

    In August, St. Louis transited the Panama Canal and operated in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, making history as the first FRE-variant LCS to travel as far south as Valparaíso, Chile when she participated in the 65th iteration of UNITAS, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise. Alongside naval forces from 44 countries, the ship showcased its capabilities in maritime interoperability, enhancing ties with partner nations and furthering regional stability.

    After returning through the Panama Canal, St. Louis received new tasking to support U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force-Bravo as that command responded to the deteriorating security situation in Haiti. St. Louis served as a fueling station and Search and Rescue force for 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment (AVN REGT) UH-60 Blackhawks conducting evacuations out of Haiti. To prepare, St. Louis and 1-228th AVN REGT conducted more than 50 deck landings. This successful integration expanded the ship’s operational versatility, paved the way for future joint missions, and underscored the potential for cross-branch collaboration in dynamic environments.

    To wrap up USS St. Louis’ maiden deployment, St. Louis Sailors showed their flexibility and capacity to rapidly deploy in support of Joint Task Force Operation Southern Guard onboard U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Sailors supported the expansion of the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) in preparing the MOC to receive up to 2,000 illegal aliens, erecting 50 tents and setting up several hundred cots in several days. Operation Southern Guard is highlighting effective interagency collaboration, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees the operation.

    “We saw a lot of ‘firsts’ on this ship’s first deployment and it was amazing to see what this ship and crew was capable of. Looking back, this deployment demonstrated the growing potential for Freedom class LCS and the support they can provide not just in the Caribbean, but in the entire Fourth Fleet AOR,” said Cmdr. Lee Shewmake, USS St. Louis’ executive officer. “There were many lessons learned that the crew took to heart and put in practice as deployment went on, and I believe that is what enabled our success over the past seven months.”

    “St. Louis demonstrated the great potential of the LCS Freedom class, not only in executing its assigned missions but also in breaking new ground for the community. The professionalism and dedication of this crew have laid a strong foundation for the future of LCS operations,” said Master Chief Roderick Bolton, St. Louis’ Command Master Chief. “USS St. Louis returns home with its crew proud of their achievements and eager to share lessons learned from this historic deployment. As the U.S. Navy continues to evolve, St. Louis has proven itself a capable and innovative platform, ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

    USS St. Louis’ maiden deployment to Fourth Fleet was a resounding success, marked by numerous milestones and contributions to naval strategy. The ship’s accomplishments highlight the flexibility and utility of the Littoral Combat Ship platform in tackling modern challenges.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USCENTCOM Hosts Component Commanders Conference at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    February 25, 2025
    Release Number 20250225-01
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    TAMPA, Fla. – On February 22-23, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) hosted the CENTCOM Component Commanders’ Conference at al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

    Commanders, leaders and staff from CENTCOM component and subordinate commands (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Special Operations, Space, Cyber, and Combined Joint Task Force-operation Inherent Resolve) gathered in theater for the quarterly conference and discussed the current state of operations and security in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, the operational environment, opportunities to strengthen security cooperation, efforts to counter violent extremist organizations (VEOs), such as ISIS and Iranian-backed Houthis, and the current strategic opportunities in the region.

    While in Qatar, Gen. Kurilla also met with Qatar’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Jassim Al Mannai, and Qatar’s Air Force and Air Defense Commanders. The leaders discussed strengthening the U.S.-Qatar military-to-military partnership and continued opportunities to increase interoperability.

    Gen. Kurilla and Lt. Gen. Al Mannai reiterated their commitment to enhancing the important military-to-military relationship between the U.S. and Qatar, which dates back more than five decades.

    -30-

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Readout of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Christopher W. Grady’s Phone Call with France’s Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Thierry Burkhard

    Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

    Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Public Affairs

    February 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

    Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Christopher W. Grady spoke with France’s Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Thierry Burkhard yesterday by phone.

    Adm. Grady and Gen. Burkhard shared perspectives on the latest developments in Syria, as well as the Gaza and Lebanon ceasefire agreements. Additionally, the military leaders discussed ongoing deliberations regarding Ukraine.

    The long-standing military alliance between the U.S. and France is essential to peace and stability around the world.

    For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
    Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
    Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
    LinkedIn and Flickr.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Readout of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Christopher W. Grady’s Meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyadh Al Ruwaili

    Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

    Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Public Affairs

    February 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

    Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Christopher W. Grady met with Saudi Arabia’s Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyadh Al Ruwaili yesterday at the Pentagon.

    Adm. Grady and Gen. Al Ruwaili discussed the continued Houthi threat in the Middle East, the latest developments with the transition in Syria, the current progress with the ceasefire agreements in Lebanon and Gaza, and opportunities for further defense cooperation.  Additionally, Adm. Grady reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the security of Saudi Arabia.

    The U.S. and Saudi Arabia share a longstanding partnership and are committed to peace and security in the Middle East region.

    For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
    Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
    Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
    LinkedIn and Flickr.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Colorado is tackling air pollution in vulnerable neighborhoods by regulating 5 air toxics

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jenni Shearston, Assistant Professor of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder

    The Suncor Refinery in Commerce City, Colo., is a known air polluter. RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via Getty Images

    The Globeville, Elyria-Swansea and Commerce City communities in metro Denver are choked by air pollution from nearby highways, an oil refinery and a Superfund site.

    While these neighborhoods have long suffered from air pollution, they’re not the only ones in Colorado.

    Now, Colorado is taking a major step to protect people from air pollutants that cause cancer or other major health problems, called “air toxics.” For the first time, the state is developing its own state-level air toxic health standards.

    In north Denver, the 80216 ZIP code has been named one of the most polluted in the country. Rocky Mountain PBS created a two-part documentary about the history of this area and the impact the pollution has on current residents.

    In January 2025 Colorado identified five air toxics as “priority” chemicals: benzene, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hexavalent chromium compounds and hydrogen sulfide.

    The state is in the process of setting health-based standards that will limit the amount of each chemical allowed in the air. Importantly, the standards will be designed to protect people exposed to the chemicals long term, such as those living near emission sources. Exposure to even low amounts of some chemicals, such as benzene, may lead to cancer.

    As a researcher studying chemical exposure and health, I measure and evaluate the impact of air pollution on people’s well-being.

    Colorado’s new regulations will draw on expert knowledge and community input to protect people’s health.

    Communities know what needs regulation

    In your own community, is there a highway that runs near your house or a factory with a bad odor? Maybe a gas station right around the corner? You likely already know many of the places that release air pollution near you.

    When state or local regulators work with community members to find out what air pollution sources communities are worried about, the partnership can lead to a system that better serves the public and reduces injustice.

    For example, partnerships between community advocates, scientists and regulators in heavily polluted and marginalized neighborhoods in New York and Boston have had big benefits. These partnerships resulted in both better scientific knowledge about how air pollution is connected to asthma and the placement of air monitors in neighborhoods impacted the most.

    In Colorado, the process to choose the five priority air toxics included consulting with multiple stakeholders. A technical working group provided input on which five chemicals should be prioritized from the larger list of 477 toxic air contaminants.

    The working group includes academics, members of nongovernmental organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund – local government and regulated industries, such as the American Petroleum Institute.

    Community members often know which air toxics they want regulated.
    Hyoung Chang/Denver Post via GettyImages

    There were also opportunities for community participation during public meetings.

    At public hearings, community groups like GreenLatinos argued that formaldehyde, instead of acrolein, should be one of the prioritized air toxics because it can cause cancer.

    Additionally, formaldehyde is emitted in some Colorado communities that are predominantly people of color, according to advocates for those communities. These communities are already disproportionately impacted by high rates of respiratory disease and cancer.

    Other members of the community also weighed in.

    “One of my patients is a 16-year-old boy who tried to get a summer job working outside, but had to quit because air pollution made his asthma so bad that he could barely breathe,” wrote Logan Harper, a Denver-area family physician and advocate for Healthy Air and Water Colorado.

    How is air quality protected?

    At the national level, the Clean Air Act requires that six common air pollutants, such as ozone and carbon monoxide, are kept below specific levels. The act also regulates 188 hazardous air pollutants.

    Individual states are free to develop their own regulations, and several, including California and Minnesota, already have. States can set standards that are more health-protective than those in place nationally.

    Four of the five chemicals prioritized by Colorado are regulated federally. The fifth chemical, hydrogen sulfide, is not included on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s hazardous air pollutant list, but Colorado has decided to regulate it as an air toxic.

    State-level regulation is important because states can focus on air toxics specific to their state to make sure that the communities most exposed to air pollution are protected. One way to do this is to place air pollution monitors in the communities experiencing the worst air pollution.

    For example, Colorado is placing six new air quality monitors in locations around the state to measure concentrations of the five priority air toxics. It will also use an existing monitor in Grand Junction to measure air toxics. Two of the new monitors, located in Commerce City and La Salle, began operating in January 2024. The remainder will start monitoring the air by July 2025.

    When Colorado chose the sites, it prioritized communities that are overly impacted by social and environmental hazards. To do this, officials used indexes like the Colorado EnviroScreen, which combines information about pollution, health and economic factors to identify communities that are overly burdened by hazards.

    The Commerce City monitor is located in Adams City, a neighborhood that has some of the worst pollution in the state. The site has air toxics emissions that are worse than 95% of communities in Colorado.

    Air toxics and health

    The five air toxics that Colorado selected all have negative impacts on health. Four are known to cause cancer.

    Benzene, perhaps the most well known because of its ability to cause blood cancer, is one. But it also has a number of other health impacts, including dampening the ability of the immune system and impacting the reproductive system by decreasing sperm count. Benzene is in combustion-powered vehicle exhaust and is emitted during oil and gas production and refinement.

    Ethylene oxide can cause cancer and irritates the nervous and respiratory systems. Symptoms of long-term exposure can include headaches, sore throat, shortness of breath and others. Ethylene oxide is used to sterilize medical equipment, and as of 2024, it was used by four facilities in Colorado.

    Formaldehyde is also a cancer-causing agent, and exposure is associated with asthma in children. This air toxic is used in the manufacture of a number of products like household cleaners and building materials. It is also emitted by oil and gas sources, including during fracking.

    Hexavalent chromium compounds can cause several types of cancer, as well as skin and lung diseases such as asthma and rhinitis. A major source of hexavalent chromium is coal-fired power plants, of which Colorado currently has six in operation, though these plants are scheduled to close in the next five years. Other sources of hexavalent chromium include chemical and other manufacturing.

    Finally, long-term exposure to hydrogen sulfide can cause low blood pressure, headaches and a range of other symptoms, and has been associated with neurological impacts such as psychological disorders. Some sources of hydrogen sulfide include oil refineries and wastewater treatment plants.

    Read more of our stories about Colorado.

    Jenni Shearston has received funding from the United States National Institutes of Health.

    – ref. Colorado is tackling air pollution in vulnerable neighborhoods by regulating 5 air toxics – https://theconversation.com/colorado-is-tackling-air-pollution-in-vulnerable-neighborhoods-by-regulating-5-air-toxics-248520

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Tactical Tuesday – CIWS

    Source: US Navy (video statements)

    On this #TacticalTuesday, we’re highlighting CIWS!
    The MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System is a high-speed, radar-guided, 20mm Gatling gun that autonomously defends U.S. Navy ships from anti-ship missiles, aircraft, and asymmetric threats.
    #Phalanx #CIWS #NavalDefense #Lethality #USNavy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf0ImkwByFM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: FRCE team saves millions for Marine Corps

    Source: United States Navy

    A small team of skilled technicians working at the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) detachment at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, is making a big difference for the Marine Corps in terms of cost savings and flight line readiness.

    FRCE’s Beyond Capable Maintenance Interdiction (BCMI) team at Beaufort provides dedicated service to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA-224), Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312) and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 (MALS-31), supporting the F/A-18 C/D Hornet platform and assisting with component repairs the squadrons are neither resourced nor staffed to complete. Comprising three artisans, the Beaufort detachment’s BCMI team is a small program that adds up to huge savings: In 2024 alone, the team supported a cost avoidance for MALS-31 totaling more than $59 million. 

    “The BCMI team does a phenomenal job, and the cost savings they support give you an idea of what they’re capable of,” said Bryan Holland, FRCE’s F-18 branch manager at Beaufort. “They’re working radar components and circuit cards and pneudraulics – there are some high-cost items they’re repairing, and they’re able to save them and put them back into service. I don’t think we saw any part last year that they weren’t able to fix.”

    Having the BCMI team on-site saves the Marines both time and money because it prevents the squadrons from having to turn in the nonfunctional components and procure new ones through the supply chain. The process helps speed replacement of specific components needed by the fighter squadron – which performs maintenance at the organizational level, or O-level – that cannot get replaced or repaired through the MALS, which provides maintenance at the intermediate level, or I-level. FRCE’s Beaufort detachment, including the BCMI team, performs maintenance at the depot level, or D-level – the most advanced level in the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program structure. 

    “Flight line availability of aircraft is the priority, and if it weren’t for our BCMI team working with the MALS, those parts would have to leave Beaufort and go into depot maintenance at either our FRC East location at Cherry Point, another Fleet Readiness Center location in Florida or California, or even back to the original equipment manufacturer,” Holland explained. “If our guys weren’t there, the squadron might have to wait two-three weeks or longer to get the parts they need, if there’s not one available on the shelf – we can usually do the job much faster.”

    Ted Light, the FRCE site supervisor, agreed that the BCMI process saves valuable maintenance turnaround time.

    “Think about it: The component is in your hands, and if it’s able to be repaired, that’s generally going to be a lot faster than the Marines having to go out and order a new one,” Light added. “If a complete rework of the component isn’t necessary, but maybe just one or two parts in it require repair that is beyond the capability of the I-level Marines, it just makes sense to give it to our BCMI team. They can usually turn around and give it back to the Marines within a day or two, depending on what needs to be fixed.”

    The BCMI team works hand-in-hand with Marines, even sharing some spaces with the MALS-31. In addition to supporting faster turnaround, this close proximity allows BCMI team to share their advanced knowledge of components repair with the Marines, Light said.

    “Our BCMI team can teach the Marines what to look for in order to identify an issue with a component, or show them what we do to correct that issue,” he said. “It can give the Marines a higher-level understanding of the inner workings of these components, and what needs to be done to fix them. The team is not training the Marines to perform work the Marines aren’t qualified for, of course, but knowledge is power – always has been.”

    Being essentially collocated with the squadrons also allows the BCMI team – along with all of FRCE’s Beaufort workforce – to see exactly where their end products go. This reinforces the sense of responsibility and determination to get a quality product out the door and back in the hands of the fighter squadron, Holland noted.

    “Our number one priority is to make sure the squadrons have the aircraft they need to go out and train their pilots,” he said. “We have a sense of urgency to get the components and airplanes back up and running for the warfighter, so they can do their job.

    “I’ll say it 100 times: Readiness of the warfighter is always the priority. At the big depots, most people see the product come in, they do their work on it, and then see it go right back out the door, with a general sense that they’re supporting our nation’s warfighters,” Holland continued. “At Beaufort, it’s different because we can see who that warfighter is. We see the Marines who pilot and crew the aircraft we’re working on, every day.”

    FRCE is North Carolina’s largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The Beaufort detachment employs 32 workers in support of maintenance for the F/A-18 C-D Hornet, an all-weather, twin-engine, multi-mission tactical aircraft. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister’s Oral Statement to the House of Commons: 25 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Prime Minister’s Oral Statement to the House of Commons: 25 February 2025

    The Prime Minister’s Oral Statement to the House of Commons.

    Mr. Speaker, three years since Russia launched its vile assault on Ukraine, I would like to address the international situation and the implications for Britain’s national security. 

    Mr. Speaker, in my first week as Prime Minister, I travelled to the NATO summit in Washington with a simple message. 

    That NATO and our allies could trust this Government would fulfil Britain and indeed the Labour Party’s historic role to put our collective security first. 

    I spoke of my great pride, Mr Speaker, to lead the party that was a founding member of NATO, the inheritor of the legacy of Clement Attlee and Ernest Bevin – who not only stood behind Winston Churchill in wartime but ‘won the peace’ by establishing the great post-war order here and abroad. 

    Mr. Speaker, it is a proud legacy but in a world like ours it is also a heavy one. Because the historical load we must carry to fulfil our duty is not as light as it once was. 

    We must bend our backs across this House because these times demand a united Britain, and we must deploy all of our resources to achieve security. 

    Mr. Speaker, as a young man, I vividly remember the Berlin Wall coming down. It felt as if we were casting off the shackles of history, continent united by freedom and democracy. If you had told me then, that in my lifetime we would see Russian tanks rolling into European cities again I would not have believed you. 

    Yet here we are, in a world where everything has changed. Because three years ago that is exactly what happened. 

    Britain can be proud of our response. British families opened their doors to fleeing Ukrainian citizens, the ‘yellow and light blue’ fluttering on town halls and churches, the length and breadth of this country.

    And the party opposite, in Government was robust in our response. I supported that in opposition; I applaud them for it now.

    And we have built on that, bringing our support for Ukraine to a record level this year. 

    Mr. Speaker, we should not pretend that any of this has been easy. 

    Working people have already felt the cost of Russian actions through rising prices and bills.  

    Nonetheless, one of the great lessons of our history is that instability in Europe will always wash up on our shores, and that tyrants like Putin only respond to strength. 

    Russia is a menace in our waters, in our airspace and on our streets. They have launched cyber-attacks on our NHS – only seven years ago, a chemical weapons attack on the streets of Salisbury. 

    We must stand by Ukraine – because if we do not achieve a lasting peace, then the economic instability, the threats to our security, they will only grow. 

    And so, as the nature of that conflict changes, as it has in recent weeks, it brings our response into sharper focus. 

    A new era that we must meet, as we have so often in the past, together – and with strength. 

    Mr. Speaker, the fundamentals of British strategy are unchanged. 

    I know that the current moment is volatile, but there is still no good reason why they cannot endure.  

    So let me spell out to the House exactly how we will renew them for these times. 

    First, NATO is the bedrock of our security – and will remain so. 

    It has brought peace for 75 years. It is as important today as the day on which it was founded.  

    Putin thought he would weaken NATO; he has achieved the exact opposite. 

    And it remains the organisation which receives the vast bulk of our defence effort, in every domain, and that must continue.  

    Second, we must reject any false choice between our allies, between one side of the Atlantic or the other. That is against our history – country and party – because it is against our fundamental national interest. 

    The US is our most important bilateral alliance. It straddles everything from nuclear technology, to NATO, to Five Eyes, AUKUS and beyond.

    It has survived countless external challenges in the past. We’ve fought wars together; we’re the closest partners in trade, growth and security.

    So this week when I meet President Trump I will be clear. I want this relationship to go from strength to strength. 

    But Mr. Speaker, strength in this world also depends on a new alliance with Europe. 

    As I said in Paris last week, our commitment to European defence and security is unwavering. But now is the time to deepen it. 

    So we will find new ways to work together on our collective interests and threats, protecting our borders, bringing our companies together, seeking out new opportunities for growth. 

    Third, Mr Speaker, we seek peace not conflict, and we believe in the power of diplomacy to deliver that end. 

    That, of course, is most pressing in Ukraine. Nobody in this House or this country wants the bloodshed to continue – nobody.

    And Mr. Speaker, I have seen the devastation in Ukraine first-hand. 

    What you see in places like Bucha – that never leaves you. 

    But for peace to endure in Ukraine and beyond, we need deterrence.  

    I know that this House will endorse the principle of winning peace through strength. 

    So we will continue to stand behind the people of Ukraine. We must ensure they negotiate their future and we will continue to put them in the strongest position for a lasting peace. 

    Fourth, Mr. Speaker, we must change our national security posture. 

    Because a generational challenge requires a generational response. 

    That will demand some extremely difficult and painful choices. 

    And through those choices, as hard as they are, we must also seek unity.

    A whole society effort that will reach into the lives, the industries and the homes of the British people. 

    I started this statement by recalling the era of Attlee and Bevin, and, of course, this year we will mark many anniversaries of that greatest generation. 

    We must find courage in our history. Courage in who we are as a nation because courage is what our own era now demands of us. 

    So, starting today, I can announce this Government will begin the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. 

    We will deliver our commitment to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence but we will bring it forward so that we reach that level in 2027. 

    And we will maintain that for the rest of this Parliament.

    Let me spell that out, Mr Speaker. That means spending £13.4 billion more on defence every year from 2027. 

    But Mr. Speaker, we also face enemies that are sophisticated in cyber-attacks, sabotage, even assassination.

    And so our intelligence and security services are an increasingly vital part of protecting both us and our allies. 

    So on top of the funding of 2.5% that I have just announced, going forward, we will recognise the incredible contribution of our intelligence and security services to the defence of the nation, which means, taken together, we will be spending 2.6% on defence by 2027.

    But Mr. Speaker, we must go further still. 

    I have long argued that in the face of ongoing, generational challenges, all European allies must step up and do more for our own defence. 

    So, subject to economic and fiscal conditions, and aligned with our strategic and operational needs, we will also set a clear ambition for Defence spending to rise to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament. 

    Mr Speaker, I want to be very clear, the nature of warfare has changed – significantly. That is clear from the battlefield in Ukraine, and so we must modernise and reform our capabilities as we invest. 

    I equally want to be very clear that like any other investment we make we must seek value for money.

    And that’s why we’re putting in place a new Defence Reform and Efficiency Plan, jointly led by my Right Honourable Friends the Chancellor and the Defence Secretary.

    This investment means that the UK will strengthen its position, as a leader in NATO and in the collective defence of our continent, and we should welcome that role. 

    It is good for our national security. It is also good for the defining mission of this government to restore growth to our economy.  And we should be optimistic of what it can deliver in those terms. 

    But Mr. Speaker, in the short-term, it can only be funded through hard choices. 

    And in this case, that means we will cut our spending on development assistance, moving from 0.5% of GNI today to 0.3% in 2027 fully funding our increased investment in Defence.  

    I want to be clear to the House, that is not an announcement I am happy to make.  

    I am proud of our pioneering record on overseas development, and we will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Sudan, in Ukraine and in Gaza, tackling climate change, supporting multinational efforts on global health and challenges like vaccination.  

    In recent years the development budget was redirected towards asylum backlogs, paying for hotels. So, as we are clearing that backlog at a record pace there are efficiencies that will reduce the need to cut spending on our overseas programmes. 

    But nonetheless, it remains a cut – and I will not pretend otherwise.

    We will do everything we can to return to a world where that is not the case and rebuild our capacity on development.

    But at times like this, the defence and security of the British people must always come first. That is the number one priority of this Government.  

    But Mr. Speaker, it is not just about spending. Our whole approach to national security must now change. 

    We will have to ask British industry, British universities, British businesses, and the British people to play a bigger part; use this to renew the social contract of our nation, the rights and responsibilities that we owe one another.  

    The first test of our defence policy is, of course, whether it keeps our country safe. But the second should be whether it improves the conditions of the British people, does it help provide the economic security that working people need.

    Because ultimately, as Attlee and Bevin knew, that is fundamental to national security as well. 

    We will use this investment as an opportunity.

    We will translate defence spending into British growth, British jobs, British skills, British innovation; we will use the full powers of the Procurement Act to rebuild our industrial base. 

    And, Mr. Speaker, as the Strategic Defence Review is well underway and across Government we are conducting a number of other reviews relevant to national security, it is obvious that these reviews must pull together. 

    So before the NATO summit in June, we will publish a single National Security Strategy and we will bring it to this House. 

    Because Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, that is how we must meet the threats of our age – together and with strength.  

    A new approach to defence. A revival of our industrial base. A deepening of our alliances. 

    The instruments of our national power brought together, creating opportunity, assuring our allies, delivering security for our country. 

    Mr. Speaker, at moments like these in our past, Britain has stood up to be counted. It has come together, and it has demonstrated strength.  

    That is what the security of our country needs now, and it is what this Government will deliver. 

    And I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Enterprises wasted $104M on underused tech in 2024 while 75% of workers struggle to harness AI efficiencies, new WalkMe research finds

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WalkMe, the leader of the Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) category for effectively navigating technology change, today released its annual report, The State of Digital Adoption 2025, Special AI Edition. This year’s report focuses on AI adoption in the enterprise and highlights an alarming disconnect – while 79% of executives express confidence in meeting their AI transformation goals, only 28% of employees feel adequately trained and only 25% report being able to use AI to work more efficiently.

    The report uncovers the staggering cost of digital inefficiencies, with enterprises losing over $104 million in 2024 alone due to underutilized technology and poor productivity practices. With AI spending expected to increase 64% in 2025 from $14M to $23M at large enterprises, companies must take proactive steps to ensure maximum ROI. According to the report, enterprises that implement even a single digital adoption best practice can nearly triple their digital transformation ROI from 22% to 64%. This gap reveals that without effective digital adoption, AI investments often fail.

    These insights are drawn from a survey of 3,700 senior executives and employees, as well as proprietary data from a subset of WalkMe’s user base, 1.5 million users across 2,400 enterprise applications. The full report provides actionable strategies for business leaders to close the AI adoption gap, optimize IT investments, and enhance workforce productivity in 2025 and beyond.

    “As we release the fourth annual State of Digital Adoption report, it’s clear that while AI is transforming enterprise ambitions, its success hinges on people,” said Dan Adika, Co-Founder & CEO of WalkMe. “Over a decade of innovation in digital adoption has shown us one truth: technology alone doesn’t deliver results – people do. This year’s findings outline actionable steps leaders can take to close the readiness gap and turn their AI investments into impact.”

    The report also revealed an alarming visibility gap in how employees are using software in their roles. Executives believe an average of 37 applications are in use at their organizations, but WalkMe’s data shows the average number is actually 625, a 17x discrepancy. This gap is hindering organizations’ ability to manage their software investments and properly support digital transformation.

    “WalkMe’s research highlights a clear need for organizations to bridge the AI adoption gap, and digital adoption platforms play a vital role in enabling organizations to maximize their AI transformation efforts,” said Andrea Lippin, Managing Director, Talent & Organization at Accenture. “The report showed that AI has sparked 93% of enterprises to reevaluate key parts of their digital organization, including IT infrastructure, software applications, and talent to unlock the benefits of AI. We are entering a new chapter of business innovation that will have lasting implications across industries. And that is why we recommend a WalkMe first approach—ensuring that AI adoption is not only strategic but also seamless, intuitive, and scalable.”

    “The success of AI in the enterprise is all about execution and, as this research shows, much of that is in the hands of employees,” said Alexa Cordell, Sr. Learning Technology Manager, EDF Renewables. “It’s about ensuring employees can seamlessly adopt and integrate it into their workflows to drive both individual and organizational success.”

    Additional highlights from the research include:

    • Employees still deal with technology frustrations, wasting an average of 36 working days a year.
    • Average digital adoption investment rose from $2.8 million in 2023 to $5.1 million in 2025.
      • Digital adoption teams have grown: 73% of large organizations have six or more people responsible for driving software adoption, compared to 63% in 2024.

    Download The State of Digital Adoption 2025 complete report here.

    Register now to join WalkMe and speakers from Accenture, State Farm, and EDF Renewables for an interactive webinar, Bridging the AI Divide: Insights from the State of Digital Adoption 2025 February 25th at 11:00 AM ET.

    About WalkMe:
    WalkMe, an SAP company, pioneered the world’s leading Digital Adoption Platform, enabling organizations to navigate the change brought on by technology. Leveraging over a decade of experience, WalkMe’s platform integrates generative AI to deliver proactive, accessible, and actionable insights. Our context-aware solutions guide users through any workflow, identifying and resolving digital friction to ensure seamless execution of critical processes across all departments. Trusted by global leaders like IBM, Nestlé, ThermoFisher Scientific, and the U.S. Department of Defense, WalkMe empowers organizations to maximize software ROI and drive people-centric digital transformation. Visit www.walkme.com.

    Media Contact:
    Melanie Pasch
    press@walkme.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister sets out biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, protecting British people in new era for national security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Prime Minister sets out biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, protecting British people in new era for national security

    The Prime Minister has today (Tuesday 25 February) set out his commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.

    • Defence spending to increase to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament.
    • Reinvigorated approach to defence industry will drive economic growth and create jobs across the UK, while bolstering national security and protecting borders. 
    • Commitment will see the biggest investment in defence spending since the Cold War as the UK enters era of intensifying geopolitical competition and conflict.

    As the UK faces a period of profound change, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home, the Prime Minister has today (Tuesday 25 February) set out that his commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.  

    He has also set an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament, as economic and fiscal conditions allow, in order to keep the British people safe and secure for generations to come.

    As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the government. In recent years, the world has been reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine, increasing threats from malign actors, rapid technological change, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. 

    The Prime Minister has today set out how the UK will be stepping up to meet this generational challenge with a generational response.

    The announcement comes the day after the third anniversary of Russia’s barbaric illegal war in Ukraine and shows that the UK will step up and meet this pivotal moment of global instability head-on, with a commitment that will see the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. 

    The Prime Minister knows that the working people of Britain have paid the cost of malign actors abroad, whether through increased energy bills, or threats to British interests and values. He is committed to making the country safer, more secure, and increasingly resilient against these interconnected threats. 

    Today’s announcement demonstrates the UK’s global leadership in this space. In calls with foreign leaders over the weekend, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to securing a just and enduring peace in Ukraine and the need for Europe to step up for the good of collective European security.

    The investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats at home but will also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth. 

    The increased spending will sustain our globally competitive industry, supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. In 2023-24, defence spending by the UK Government supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60. 

    68% of defence spending goes to businesses outside London and the South East, bolstering regional economies from Scotland to the North West.

    Through the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, this substantial investment will drive R&D and innovation across the UK, including developing technologies such as AI, quantum and space capabilities. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    It is my first duty as Prime Minister to keep our country safe. In an ever more dangerous world, increasing the resilience of our country so we can protect the British people, resist future shocks and bolster British interests, is vital.

    In my Plan for Change, I pledged to improve the lives of people in every corner of the UK, by growing the economy. By spending more on defence, we will deliver the stability that underpins economic growth, and will unlock prosperity through new jobs, skills and opportunity across the country.

    As we enter this new era for national security, Britain will once again lead the way.

    In addition to our plan to reach 2.5%, the Prime Minister also announced that the definition of defence spending will be updated to recognise what our security and intelligence agencies do to boost our security, as well as our military. This change means that the UK will now spend 2.6% of GDP on defence in 2027.

    This shift recognises that the activities of our intelligence increasingly overlap and complement that of our Armed Forces, emphasising the need for total deterrence against the modern hybrid threats we face, from cyber-attacks to sabotage. 

    The increase in defence spending will be funded by reducing Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI and reinvesting it into defence. 

    This difficult choice reflects the evolving nature of the threat and the strategic shift required to meet it whilst maintaining economic stability, a core foundation of the Plan for Change. Meeting the fiscal rules is non-negotiable, and the government will take the tough but necessary decisions to ensure they are met. 

    The UK remains fully committed to making the world a safer and more prosperous place. In the current geopolitical environment, the Prime Minister is clear that the best way to do that is by deterring and preventing conflict and targeting our aid more effectively. For example, we have delivered an increase of £113m in humanitarian funding for people in Sudan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries, which will help to reduce migration flows to the UK and help address one of the major humanitarian crises of our era. 

    The government remains committed to reverting spending on overseas aid to 0.7% of Gross National Income, when the fiscal conditions allow.

    This comes alongside an ongoing review into ODA spend which will ensure that every pound of development assistance is spent in the most impactful way. 

    This increase in defence investment will help us build a modern and resilient Armed Forces. It will accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge capabilities that are vital to retain a decisive edge as threats rapidly evolve. Targeted investment will reverse the hollowing out of recent decades and rebuild stockpiles, munitions, and enablers depleted after a period focused on international terrorism and global crises. 

    This modernisation will be supported through improved productivity, efficiency, and financial discipline across defence.

    The Prime Minister has also committed to publishing a single new national security strategy, bringing together all reviews into one document and reflecting the decisions on resource set out today. This will be published following the Spring Statement next month and ahead of the NATO Summit in June. 

    The new commitment on spending comes ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Washington DC this week, where he will tell President Trump that he wants to see the UK-USA bilateral relationship strengthened and deepened even further, to secure the prosperity and security of both nations for decades to come. 

    The government has already significantly increased investment in its national security capabilities, increasing spending on defence by nearly £3 billion in this year alone at the Budget. In addition to growing the defence budget, spending on the Single Intelligence Account was increased by around £340 million between 2023-24 and 2025-26, ensuring that our world-leading intelligence agencies maintain their cutting-edge capabilities. 

    Notes to editors

    Defence spending benefits every nation and region of the country – 68% of defence spend with UK businesses goes outside of London and the South East. In 2023-2024, the MOD spent the following across the UK:

    • £7.1bn in the South East
    • £6.9bn in the South West
    • £3.8bn in the North West
    • £2.1bn in Scotland
    • £2.1bn in London
    • £1.6bn in the West Midlands
    • £1.5bn in the East of England
    • £1.4bn in the East Midlands
    • £910m in Wales
    • £630m in Yorkshire and the Humber
    • £380m in the North East
    • £240m in Northern Ireland

    This spending supported a breadth of industry specialisms across the country. Early work on the Defence Industrial Strategy suggests that the following UK sub-sectors have the highest growth potential: AI, autonomous systems, combat air, cyber, missiles, nuclear submarines, quantum, shipbuilding design and space.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: New KnowBe4 Report Reveals the Hidden Power of Information Sharing in Shaping an Organization’s Security Culture

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAMPA BAY, FL, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KnowBe4, the world-renowned cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today announced the release of research report “Cybersecurity Information Sharing as an Element of Sustainable Security Culture”, authored by by Dr. Marin J. Kraemer, Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4, and Dr. William Seymour, Lecturer in Cybersecurity at King’s College London. The report examines how people consume and share cybersecurity information, revealing the role that workplace training plays in fostering information sharing among colleagues.

    Many employees already engage with cyber-related information in their personal lives, and when they proactively share it, it reflects a mature security mindset. A well-established security culture encourages good habits, mutual support, and a clear awareness of risks. By examining how cybersecurity news spreads, organizations can gain valuable insights to strengthen defenses and minimize human risk.

    The report found that, on average, 57% of people surveyed received cybersecurity-related training, with 73% in the UK, 60% in the U.S., 55% in Germany and only 38% in France. Workplace training influenced information sharing, as 24% of those trained went on to share insights with colleagues and were more likely to remember phishing-related content.

    Other key findings:

    • 95% of people have read or watched cybersecurity content at least once.
    • 77% have had cybersecurity information shared with them and 25% have actively shared cybersecurity information with others.
    • 22% of employees find cybersecurity information from websites and 21% find it from employers.
    • Generally, employers were an important source of cybersecurity information across all age groups, whereas social media was an important channel for the 18-29 year age group.

    “Employees care about cybersecurity—and organizations should, too,” said Kraemer. “Successful security awareness programs recognize that engaged employees are more likely to share important insights with their colleagues, strengthening the workplace security culture. By delivering high-quality, relevant content and making it easy to share, organizations can empower their workforce to make informed decisions, reduce risks, and create a security-first mindset that extends beyond the office.”

    Ultimately, ‘the more you care, the more you (want to) share’. When employees are properly engaged with cyber risks, the more likely they are to openly communicate with others about this topic and create a stronger security culture in the workplace. Understanding how employees consume and share cybersecurity news is essential for building a stronger security culture.

    The full report, “Cybersecurity Information Sharing as an Element of Sustainable Security Culture”, is available to download here.

    About KnowBe4

    KnowBe4 empowers workforces to make smarter security decisions every day. Trusted by over 70,000 organizations worldwide, KnowBe4 helps to strengthen security culture and manage human risk. KnowBe4 offers a comprehensive AI-driven ‘best-of-suite’ platform for Human Risk Management, creating an adaptive defense layer that fortifies user behavior against the latest cybersecurity threats. The HRM+ platform includes modules for awareness & compliance training, cloud email security, real-time coaching, crowdsourced anti-phishing, AI Defense Agents, and more. As the only global security platform of its kind, KnowBe4 utilizes personalized and relevant cybersecurity protection content, tools and techniques to mobilize workforces to transform from the largest attack surface to an organization’s biggest asset.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: $40k BONUS! HOW? | U.S. Army

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    : AEMO

    About the U.S. Army:
    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L
    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
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    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #40kBonus

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yat4uq-k5co

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Filling the gap: New DASA Market Exploration seeks novel Non-Compressible Haemorrhage technologies

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Filling the gap: New DASA Market Exploration seeks novel Non-Compressible Haemorrhage technologies

    New and innovative technologies for controlling Non-Compressible Haemorrhages are being sought by Research and Clinical Innovation (RCI) Research, Surgeon General’s Department

    • DASA has launched a new Market Exploration called ‘Non-Compressible Haemorrhage – Novel Technologies’
    • This Market Exploration is being run on behalf of Research and Clinical Innovation (RCI) Research, Surgeon General’s Department
    • The deadline for submissions is midday (BST) on 15 April 2025

    The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration around Non-Compressible Haemorrhage (NCH) to understand who is doing work in this area and to uncover novel solutions for treating NCH at a combat casualty scene. Run on behalf of Research and Clinical Innovation (RCI) Research, Surgeon General’s Department, this Market Exploration is seeking to identify existing technologies from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 and above. This will allow a better understanding of the current market capability to inform future medical research, treatment and development.

    Non-Compressible Haemorrhage refers to bleeding from anatomical structures that cannot be controlled, or only partially controlled, with application of external pressure, undertaken through an overlying tourniquet or direct manual pressure. Such bleeding is the chief cause of otherwise preventable battlefield death. NCH is highly lethal with a mortality rate of 85%

    Do you work in this area? Could your innovation be used in a novel way? Read the full Market Exploration document and submit a proposal.

    What technologies is this Market Exploration seeking?

    The RCI Research, Surgeon General’s Department is seeking options of treating NCH at the emergency scene that can be used by non-medical professionals in austere settings close to point of injury.

    In particular, the exploration should focus on medical device technologies that can target or triage the source of haemorrhage in the pre-hospital environment, from bodily cavity through to exact organ or vessel. Refinements of current medical devices, transfusion of blood or other infusion fluids, and pharmacologic means of haemostasis or haemorrhage control will be out-of-scope for this exploration.  

    Ideally, the proposed solution should be portable, simple to use and go well beyond the current limits of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA), Abdominal Tourniquet, or expanding foam. For instance, it could be applicable to haemorrhage within the thoracic cavity or the retroperitoneal areas of the abdomen. However, it should not compromise other aspects of care and follow-on surgery or require excessive resource to control, apply or remove.

    Submit a proposal

    Do you have an innovation that matches the requirements? Read the full Market Exploration document to learn more and submit a proposal.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Statement on response to the situation in Eastern DRC

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK Statement on response to the situation in Eastern DRC

    The UK has issued a statement in response to the situation in Eastern DRC.

    A UK Government spokesperson said:

    “The UK is deeply concerned by the situation in eastern DRC. The Foreign Secretary met with President Tshisekedi in Kinshasa and President Kagame in Kigali on 21 and 22 February.

    “In his meetings, he was clear that there can be no military solution to the conflict. There must be an immediate cessation of hostilities. The recent offensives by M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), including the capture of Goma and Bukavu, are an unacceptable violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of the UN Charter.

    “The Foreign Secretary urged both leaders to engage meaningfully and in good faith with African led peace processes to find a lasting political solution. They must honour all commitments made at the Joint EAC-SADC Summit on 8 February. The UK will continue to discuss with African and other partners what more it can do to support these efforts.

    “The humanitarian situation in eastern DRC is critical. Close to a million people have been recently displaced in eastern DRC and hundreds of thousands are in desperate need of lifesaving support. There is a responsibility on all parties to protect the people of eastern DRC who have suffered so much in this conflict.

    “The Foreign Secretary has been clear that there would be a strong response from the international community in response to the escalating conflict. In recent weeks, the UK has coordinated closely with international partners, including those from the G7 and the International Contact Group on the Great Lakes, on that response. We have also used every appropriate opportunity at the United Nations Security Council and the Human Rights Council to call for a resolution to the conflict in Eastern DRC.

    “During the Foreign Secretary’s visit, he announced an additional package of £14.6 million of humanitarian support to help those in Eastern DRC who are suffering most.

    “The UK calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, respect for international humanitarian law, meaningful engagement with African-led peace processes, and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory.

    “Until significant progress is made, the UK will take the following measures:

    1. Cease high-level attendance at events hosted by the Government of Rwanda.

    2. Limit trade promotion activity with Rwanda.

    3. Pause direct bilateral financial aid to the Government of Rwanda, excluding support to the poorest and most vulnerable.

    4. Coordinate with partners on potential new sanctions designations.

    5. Suspend future defence training assistance to Rwanda.

    6. Review export licences for the Rwanda Defence Force.

    “Rwanda may have security concerns but it is unacceptable to resolve these militarily. There can only be a political solution to this conflict. We encourage DRC to engage with M23 as part of an inclusive dialogue.

    “We will continue to keep our policy under review.”

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –