TAIWAN’S PERILOUS POSITION: The leak of classified documents, which reflect the view of U.S. intelligence analysts that Taiwan’s current defenses would be inadequate in a war with China, has sparked renewed concern that the U.S. is failing to adequately arm the self-governed island.
Documents from the so-called Discord leak, reviewed by the Washington Post, cite deficiencies in Taiwan’s air defenses, fighter jet fleet, and overall military training. “The assessments state that Taiwan officials doubt their air defenses can ‘accurately detect missile launches,’” the newspaper reported. “Pentagon analysts note, Taiwan’s missile warning drills are highly scripted and inadequate for steeling civil authorities and the public for ‘a real-world event.’”
The classified documents also suggest that, unlike in Ukraine, where Russian jets are constrained by Ukrainian air defenses, China’s air force would likely have an easier time establishing air dominance over Taiwan.
Against that backdrop, the House Armed Services Committee will hear this morning from the top commander for the Indo-Pacific, Adm. John Aquilino, the top U.S.-Korea commander Gen. Paul LaCamera, and Jedidiah Royal, the Pentagon’s principal deputy assistant secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs.
PUTIN BOASTS OF ‘JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES’ IN MEETING WITH CHINESE DEFENSE CHIEF
CHINA’S RAPID BUILDUP INCLUDES BIO-WEAPONS: In testimony prepared for delivery to the committee, Royal said China’s military is conducting “more dangerous and aggressive activities in the region” and that China’s leadership increasingly looks to the People’s Liberation Army “as a tool for coercion in support of its global aims.”
“In just the past twelve months, PLA aircraft and maritime vessels have continued to conduct inherently risky intercepts against U.S. ally, and partner assets in the air and at sea, increasing the unacceptable danger of an accident,” said Royal in an advance copy of his testimony released by the Pentagon. “The PLA continues to conduct coercive military activities in the Taiwan Strait, the South and East China Seas, and beyond.”
The testimony also cited China’s “significant and fast-paced expansion, modernization, and diversification of its nuclear forces,” which it said could provide new options “to leverage nuclear weapons for coercive purposes, including military provocations against U.S. allies and partners in the region.”
“The PRC [People’s Republic of China] is also embracing rapid technological change to accomplish military goals,” Royal warned. “Of particular concern is PRC interest in biotechnology and other areas that may have peaceful purposes but that also enable weapons development, including advanced biological and chemical weapons.”
PENTAGON: CHINA REFUSES TO TALK DURING CRISES IN BID TO SPOOK US INTO FLEEING
THE PORCUPINE DEFENSE: Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the Pentagon has been well aware for years that, on paper, Taiwan is no match for China’s military. “This is not a new thing. It doesn’t help that it came out in these leaked documents,” Esper said on CNN.
“The Taiwanese cannot defeat the Chinese, at least in a conventional fight. I mean, the Chinese air force is multiple times larger than the Taiwanese, which is why I and others had been arguing that the Taiwanese need to adopt what’s called a porcupine strategy, where they harden up, and they defend themselves, and they don’t try to go toe-to-toe with China,” Esper said.
“They need to buy the right equipment to fight that type of fight with long-range anti-ship missiles, things like that, and not necessarily fighter aircraft,” he said. “That is where we, the United States, have been pushing the Taiwanese to go for some time now, because if they do so, it can be quite a deterrent and actually prevent a war in the Taiwan Strait.”
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is just back from a visit to Taiwan and said the recent Chinese exercises, in which the Chinese navy and airforce encircled the island, was a rehearsal for an invasion or blockade.
“The island was surrounded by 10 battleships, and aircraft carrier of Chinese and 70 Chinese fighter jets,” McCaul said on CNN. “This was a live fire exercise drill done to determine both China’s capabilities but more importantly, Taiwan’s vulnerabilities.”
McCaul said the leak of Pentagon assessments on Taiwan’s vulnerabilities, allegedly by a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman, has caused “grave damage” to both the U.S. and Taiwan’s national security.
“This is not a game to be played in some chat room. He put American lives at risk,” McCaul said. “I’m not going to confirm this document. I have participated in red team exercises. We come home to see how prepared Taiwan would be and what our response would be to an invasion.”
“First and foremost, as I’ve talked about, 22 weapons systems that I’ve signed off on in the past three years ago, have yet to go into Taiwan. And it’s absolutely paramount that we get those weapons in as soon as possible to provide that deterrence.”
CONGRESSIONAL PENTAGON BUDGET DEBATE SHOWS DIVIDE ON PREPARING FOR WAR WITH CHINA
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HAPPENING TODAY: The State Department hosts the three-day NATO Conference on Arms Control, Disarmament and Weapons of Mass Destruction Non-Proliferation. It’s the 18th year for the annual event, which largely takes place behind closed doors, but the opening session with remarks by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will be livestreamed at 9:30 a.m. on both the NATO and State Department websites.
ALSO TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin departs for Europe, where later this week, he’ll preside over another meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Germany. But his first stop is Stockholm, Sweden.
Austin met yesterday with his British counterpart, Ben Wallace, at the Pentagon, where he said their discussions would focus both on Ukraine and the new Australia-U.K.-U.S. partnership known as AUKUS.
“It is an historic opportunity that shows how strong we can become when we work together, it shows our deep commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and it’s a testament to our shared values and to the long-term investments that we’re making in our forces,” Austin said. “I’m confident that AUKUS will break down barriers and usher in a new era of U.S.-U.K. defense cooperation.”
Austin said his stop in Sweden is a chance for him to personally express his support for Sweden to join NATO. “We’re also meeting at an historic time for NATO. Finland recently became the 31st member of NATO, and we look forward to Sweden soon becoming the 32nd.”
LEAK INVESTIGATION WILL NOT FOCUS ON EXTREMISTS: Austin has ordered a 45-day review of the Pentagon’s policies and procedures for protecting and securing classified materials in response to the leak of hundreds of highly-classified documents on the chatting platform Discord.
But while background checks for security clearances include a review of social media sites, the Pentagon review will be limited to how current policies designed to prevent leaks are working, not on an individual’s political beliefs.
“DOD does not spy on its own U.S. citizens and we conduct ourselves in adherence with the law,” said Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, at yesterday’s briefing. “This effort is solely about looking at how … classified information is accessed and who has access to that information.”
PENTAGON REVIEW OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION HANDLING WILL BE ‘A LONG-TERM EFFORT’
THE ‘DONBASS DEVUSHKA’ CONNECTION: One of the questions surrounding the massive leak of top secret documents is how they got from a small, private, invitation-only chat room on Discord to much wider distribution on Russian propaganda channels.
The Wall Street Journal reported a purported Russian blogger who goes by Donbass Devushka, which translates as “Donbas Girl,” reposted the files. The paper identified the primary person behind the pro-Kremlin account as Sarah Bils, a former U.S. Navy aviation electronics technician.
Bils left the Navy last year, but according to the newspaper, has been posting on the site for several years.
“There is no evidence that Ms. Bils, who had a security clearance during her Navy service, has used that access to steal any classified information herself,” said the Wall Street Journal, which interviewed Bils Saturday at her home in Oak Harbor, Washington. “I obviously know the gravity of top-secret classified materials. We didn’t leak them,” she told the newspaper.
“On April 5, the Donbass Devushka Telegram account posted four of the allegedly leaked classified documents to its 65,000 followers, according to a screenshot seen by The Wall Street Journal. That led several large Russian social-media accounts to pick up on the documents, after which the Pentagon launched an investigation,” the report said
Bils told the Wall Street Journal another administrator posted the four files and that she was the one who later deleted them. “I don’t even know the authenticity of the documents or what they say. I am not very well versed in reading documents like that,” she said.
The Pentagon referred all questions about Bils and her connection to documents to the Justice Department.
“It’s disappointing. It’s troubling. I don’t understand why a veteran of the United States military would be pushing, frankly, Kremlin propaganda and talking about this in these chat rooms,” said former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. “This is going to be another part of the investigation that the FBI and others need to pursue and find out what is the extent of this.”
FORMER NAVY SAILOR OUTED AS BEHIND PRO-RUSSIAN ‘DONBASS DEVUSHKA’ ACCOUNTS
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Pentagon review of classified information handling will be ‘a long-term effort’
Washington Examiner: Former Navy sailor outed as behind pro-Russian ‘Donbass Devushka’ accounts
Washington Examiner: Putin visits Russian troops in occupied southern Ukraine
Washington Examiner: Putin boasts of ‘joint military exercises’ in meeting with Chinese defense chief
Washington Examiner: US ambassador to Russia meets with detained journalist after delays
Washington Examiner: Russian opposition figure sentenced to 25 years in prison for war criticism
Washington Examiner: Pentagon: China refuses to talk during crises in bid to spook US into fleeing
Washington Examiner: Two arrested after allegedly operating illegal Chinese ‘police station’ in New York
Washington Examiner: Pentagon issues warning about offshore wind projects, threatening Biden goals
Washington Examiner: Five US schools accused of collaborating with sanctioned Iranian entities: Watchdog
Washington Examiner: FBI ordered to release documents about bureau’s response to NSBA letter
Washington Post: Egypt nearly supplied rockets to Russia, agreed to arm Ukraine instead, leak shows
Washington Post: U.S. eavesdropped on U.N. secretary general, leaks reveal
Bloomberg: Pentagon Culls Classified Document Distribution List After Intelligence Leak
Bloomberg: Taiwan To Buy 400 US Anti-Ship Missiles Intended To Repel A China Invasion
Fox News: China To Conduct ‘Major Military Activity’ In Yellow Sea Amid Heightened Tensions In Region
Politico: Joint Chiefs Shuffle: Biden’s Top Contenders to Replace Trump’s Military Leaders
AP: Russian court to hear jailed US reporter’s appeal
AP: Ukraine official: We will launch counteroffensive when ready
New York Times: NATO Turns Proactive After Russian Atrocities
19fortyfive.com: Putin’s Ukraine Nightmare: The Battle for Bakhmut Gets Even Bloodier
Military.com: Pay Troops At Least $15 Per Hour? A GOP Lawmaker Wants to Raise the Military’s Minimum Wage
Soldier of Fortune: National Guard hazardous response team called in as overdoses sweep through Washington jail
CNN: Tennessee Air National Guardsman applied to be a hitman online, the FBI says. It was a spoof website and now he’s facing charges
Defense One: A ‘ChatGPT’ For Satellite Photos Already Exists
Defense Scoop: Allies’ Plans for New AUKUS ‘Innovation Initiatives’ Unveiled in DOD’s 2024 Budget Request
Air & Space Forces Magazine: USAF Seeks to Almost Double Foreign Infrastructure Investment in ’24
Air & Space Forces Magazine: US, South Korea Begin New Round of Air Exercises
Breaking Defense: South Korea and Japan Resume Intel Sharing Agreement, But Not All Problems Are Solved
19fortyfive.com: Tempest: A New 6th Generation Stealth Fighter Is Coming
USNI News: Marines Stand Back Up ‘Tomcats’ As A F-35C Lighting II Squadron
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Photos: Airmen and Aircraft Take Part in a Unique, Massive Elephant Walk at Sheppard
Calendar
TUESDAY | APRIL 18
9:30 a.m 2201 C St. NW — Opening session of State Department’s “18th annual NATO Conference on Arms Control, Disarmament and Weapons of Mass Destruction Non-Proliferation,” with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman; and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Livestreamed at https://www.state.gov/
9 a.m. 428-A Russell — Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) holds a Georgia Military Housing Oversight session on the mistreatment of military families living in privatized housing at Fort Gordon, Georgia, with testimony from Assistant Army Secretary for Installations, Energy, and Environment Rachel Jacobson; and Deputy Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen https://www.facebook.com/SenOssoff
9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Wilson Center Asia Program and the Korean Association of International Studies 2023 U.S.-ROK Policy Forum: “70 Years of the US-ROK Alliance: The Past and the Future,” with Edgard Kagan, National Security Council senior director for East Asia and Oceania https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/70-years-us-rok-alliance
9:30 a.m 2201 C St. NW — Opening session of State Department’s “18th annual NATO Conference on Arms Control, Disarmament and Weapons of Mass Destruction Non-Proliferation,” with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman; and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Livestreamed at https://www.state.gov/
9:30 a.m. 106 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The Posture of the Department of the Navy in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2024 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday; and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
9:30 a.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Accountability Select Coronavirus Pandemic Subcommittee hearing: “Investigating the Origins of COVID-19, Part 2: China and the Available Intelligence,” with testimony from John Ratcliffe, former director of national intelligence; and David Feith, former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs https://oversight.house.gov/hearing/investigating-the-origins-of-covid-19
10 a.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY2024 Budget Request for the Air Force and Space Force,” with testimony from Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown, Jr.; and Air Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. EDT Colorado Springs, Colorado — Space Foundation annual Space Symposium through Thursday, April 20. Full agenda at https://spacesymposium.org/agenda. Register: https://web.cvent.com/event
10:30 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing on “U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Indo-Pacific Region,” with testimony from Navy Adm. John Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of the United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea; and Jedidiah Royal, principal deputy assistant defense secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
10:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security Program virtual report launch: “Seven Critical Technologies for Winning the Next War,” with Geof Kahn, senior counselor at Palantir Technologies; Schuyler Moore, chief technology officer at U.S. Central Command; and Emily Harding, deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program https://www.csis.org/events/report-launch
11 a.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion: “Investing in American economic competitiveness,” with Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA); and Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology https://www.youtube.com/c/WashingtonPostLive
1 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group virtual discussion: “Empowering Defense through 5G Smart Warehousing: A Dispatch from Sea Air Space,” with Dan Elzie, deputy commander of Marine Force Storage Command; Joseph Damour, director of KPMG; and Michael Flaherty, director of emerging technologies at KPMG https://events.govexec.com/empowering-defense-through-5g
1:30 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Pausing Proliferation: Facing China’s Military Engine Development,” with Cynthia Cook, director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group; retired Air Force Brig. Gen. David Stilwell, former assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs; and Jeremiah “J.J.” Gertler, senior associate (non-resident), Aerospace Security Project https://www.csis.org/events/pausing-proliferation
2 p.m. 2200 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific hearing: “Surrounding the Ocean: PRC Influence in the Indian Ocean,” with testimony from Darshana Baruah, fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Jeffrey Payne, research fellow, National Defense University; and Nilanthi Samaranayake, research program director, Center for Naval Analyses https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing/surrounding-the-ocean
2 p.m. 2362-B Rayburn — House Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on “FY2024 Request for Navy and Marine Corps Military Construction and Family Housing,” with testimony from Meredith Berger, assistant Navy secretary for energy, installations, and environment; Vice Adm. Ricky Williamson, deputy chief of naval operations for fleet readiness and logistics; and Lt. Gen. Edward Banta, deputy Marine Corps commandant for installations and logistics http://appropriations.house.gov
2:30 p.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY2024 Funding Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and for the National Science Foundation,” with testimony from Bill Nelson, NASA administrator; and Sethuraman Panchanathan, National Science Foundation director http://appropriations.senate.gov
2:30 p.m. 232A Russell — Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee hearing: “Army Modernization in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2024 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Douglas Bush, assistant Army secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology; Gen. James Rainey, commanding Gen. of the Army Futures Command; and Maj. Gen. Michelle Schmidt, director of force development, G-8, at the Army https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
2:30 p.m. HVC-210, U.S. Capitol — House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee hearing: “Great Power Competition Implications in Africa: The Chinese Communist Party,” with testimony from Rick Waters, China coordinator and deputy assistant secretary of state for China and Taiwan; Amy Holman, deputy assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of African Affairs; and Janean Davis, deputy assistant administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Africa http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
3 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing: “FY24 Budget Request for Missile Defense and Missile Defeat Programs,” with testimony from John Hill, deputy assistant secretary of defense for space and missile defense; Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director, Missile Defense Agency; Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command; and Maj. Gen. David Miller, director of operations, training, and force development, U.S. Space Command https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
3:30 2212 Rayburn — House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee hearing: “Air Force Projection Forces Aviation Programs and Capabilities Related to the President’s 2024 Budget Request,” with testimony from Andrew Hunter, assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics; and Lt. Gen. Richard Moore, deputy Air Force chief of staff for plans and programs https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings/spf-hearing-air-force
4:45 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing: “The Department of Energy’s Atomic Energy Defense Activities and Department of Defense Nuclear Weapons Programs in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2024 and Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Jill Hruby, National Nuclear Security Administration administrator; William White, senior adviser for environmental management at the Energy Department; Navy Adm. James Caldwell, Jr., deputy administrator for naval reactors at the National Nuclear Security Administration; Marvin Adams, deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration; Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command; and Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, director of Navy Strategic Systems Programs https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
5:30 p.m. 1152 15th St. NW — Center for a New American Security discussion on “National Security in the Era of Climate Change,” with Alice Hill, senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations; Paul Angelo, director of the National Defense University’s William Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies; and Jocelyn Trainer, research assistant of the CNAS Energy, Economics, and Security Program https://www.cnas.org/events/make-room-study-session
WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19
7:15 a.m. EDT Stockholm — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tentative joint press conference with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events/
9 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: “China-EU Relations One Year into the Ukraine War,” with Chan Heng Chee, professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design; Liu Yawei, senior adviser on China at the Carter Center; Paul Haenle, visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore; and Dan Baer, director of CEIP’s Europe Program https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/04/19/china-eu-relations
9 a.m. — Peterson Institute for International Economics virtual discussion: “China, Russia, and transatlantic relations,” with Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis https://www.piie.com/events/lithuanias-foreign-minister
9 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “Italy’s defense posture in light of Russia’s continued war in Ukraine and systemic changes to the European security architecture,” with Italian Chief of Defense Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/a-conversation
9:30 a.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee hearing: “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications to Enable Cybersecurity,” with Mark Ryland, director of the Amazon Web Services Office of the Chief Information Security Officer; Josh Lospinoso, co-founder and CEO of Shift5; and Daniel Ragsdale, vice president of Department of Defense strategy at Two Six Technologies http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Army FY2024 Budget Request,” with testimony from Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville; Army Secretary Christine Wormuth https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
10 a.m. 2008 Rayburn — House Appropriations Committee Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing: “FY2024 Request for the U.S. Coast Guard,” with testimony from Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan http://appropriations.house.gov
10 a.m. EDT Colorado Springs, Colorado — Space Foundation annual Space Symposium through Thursday, April 20. Full agenda at https://spacesymposium.org/agenda. Register: https://web.cvent.com/event
10:30 a.m. 124 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY2024 Budget Request for Military Construction and Family Housing,” with Brendan Owens, assistant defense secretary for energy, installations, and environment; Vice Adm. Ricky Williamson, deputy chief of naval operations for fleet readiness and logistics; Lt. Gen. Edward Banta, deputy Marine Corps commandant for installations and logistics; Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen, deputy Army chief of staff; Lt. Gen. Tom Miller, deputy Air Force chief of staff for logistics, engineering, and force protection; and Bruce Hollywood, associate Space Force chief operations officer http://appropriations.senate.gov
10:30 a.m. 232-A Russell — Senate Armed Services Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee hearing: “The Mission, Activities, Oversight, and Budget of the All-Domain Anomaly (UFOs) Resolution Office,” with Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10:30 a.m. HVC-210 U.S. Capitol — House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: “Exposing Putin’s Crimes: Evidence of Russian War Crimes and Other Atrocities in Ukraine,” with testimony from Prosecutor Gen. of Ukraine Andriy Kostin http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
12:30 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “Unmanned aircraft systems: Lessons for Ukraine and NATO,” with Matthew Kroenig, vice president of the Atlantic Council’s Center for Strategy and Security; and Margarita Konaev, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Center for Strategy and Security https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/unmanned-aircraft-systems
1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual book discussion: Security Assistance in the Middle East: Challenges … and the Need for Change, with co-author Hicham Alaoui, founder and director of the Hicham Alaoui Foundation; and co-author Robert Springborg, research fellow at the Italian Institute of International Affairs https://www.csis.org/events/security-assistance-middle-east-conversation
2:30 p.m. 232-A Russell — Senate Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee hearing: “Military Construction, Energy, Installations, Environmental, and Base Closure Programs in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2024 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with Brendan Owens, assistant defense secretary for energy, installations, and environment; Rachel Jacobson, assistant Army secretary for installations, energy, and environment; Meredith Berger, assistant Navy secretary for energy, installations, and environment; Ravi Chaudhary, assistant Air Force secretary for energy, installations, and environment; and Elizabeth Field, director of defense capabilities and management at the Government Accountability Office https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
3 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee hearing on “FY2024 Rotary Wing Aviation Budget Request,” with testimony from Douglas Bush, assistant Army secretary for acquisition, logistics, and technology, Maj. Gen. Michael “Mac” McCurry, commanding general, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence; Frederick “Jay” Stefany; and acting assistant Army secretary for research, development, and acquisition; Rear Adm. Andrew Loiselle, director, Air Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; and Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, deputy Marine Corps commandant for aviation https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings/tal-hearing
3 p.m. — Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance Deterrence Center virtual forum: “Strategic Nuclear Threats from U.S. Adversaries,” with Anthony Cordesman, emeritus chair in strategy, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Adam Lowther, director, Strategic Deterrence Programs, National Strategic Research Institute; Evan Montgomery, senior fellow and director, research and studies, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments; and John Swegle, former senior advisory scientist, Savannah River National Laboratory https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strategic-nuclear-threats
3:30 p.m. 2212 Rayburn — House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee hearing: “Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request for Military Readiness,” with testimony from Gen. Randy George, vice chief of staff of the Army; Adm. Lisa Franchetti, vice chief of naval operations; Gen. Eric Smith, assistant Marine Corps commandant; Gen. David Allvin, Air Force vice chief of staff https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings/rdy-hearing
THURSDAY | APRIL 20
8:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “The Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis Continued? Assessing China’s April 2023 Military Exercises Against Taiwan,” with former Republic of China Chief of the Gen. Staff Adm. Hsi-Min Lee, senior research fellow at the Project 2049 Institute; John Culver, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub; and Bonny Lin, director of the CSIS China Power Project https://www.csis.org/events/fourth-taiwan-strait-crisis
9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “What to Expect from the Republic of Korea President State Visit to Washington,” with Scott Snyder, director of the Council on Foreign Relation’s Program on U.S.-Korea Policy; and Sue Mi Terry, director of the Wilson Center’s Asia Program https://www.csis.org/events/rok-president-state-visit
9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Posture of United States Indo-Pacific Command and United States Forces Korea,” with testimony from Adm. John Aquilino, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander, U.S. Forces Korea https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
10 a.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: “The War in Ukraine and the Future of Europe: A View from Capitol Hill,” with Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) https://www.hudson.org/events/war-ukraine-future
10 a.m. EDT Colorado Springs, Colorado — Space Foundation annual Space Symposium through Thursday, April 20. Full agenda at https://spacesymposium.org/agenda. Register: https://web.cvent.com/event
12 p.m. — Washington Institute for Near East Policy virtual discussion: of recent paper: “Striking Back: Iran and the Rise of Asymmetric Drone Warfare in the Middle East,” with author, retired Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, former commander, U.S. Central Command; Valerie Lincy, executive director, Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control; and Damien Spleeters, deputy director of operations at Conflict Armament Research https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/irans-military-drone-program
1:45 p.m. — New America virtual discussion: “Ukraine and the Future of NATO,” with Col. Juha Helle, defense, military, naval and air attache at the Embassy of Finland; Ingrid Ask, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Sweden; Marta Kepe, senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation; Angela Stent, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; and Rachel Rizzo, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council https://www.newamerica.org/future-frontlines/events
2 p.m. EDT — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “Does the U.S. Need a Cyber Force?” with Mark Montgomery, executive director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission 2.0; John Davis, vice president of public sector at Palo Alto Networks; and Emily Harding, deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program https://www.csis.org/events/does-us-need-cyber-force
2 p.m. EDT — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion on the upcoming elections in Taiwan and U.S.-Taiwan relations, with former Taipei, Taiwan, Mayor Ko Wen-je, chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party https://www.csis.org/events/fireside-chat-dr-ko-wen-je
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The PRC is also embracing rapid technological change to accomplish military goals. Of particular concern is PRC interest in biotechnology and other areas that may have peaceful purposes but that also enable weapons development, including advanced biological and chemical weapons.”
Jedidiah Royal, principal deputy assistant defense secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs, in testimony prepared for the House Armed Services Committee.
