‘IT’S THE LAW’: In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that had more than its share of confrontational exchanges, no moment was more heated than when Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) blew his top over the failure of the Navy’s shipbuilding plan to meet the goals mandated by a provision of the NDAA law that passed the committee unanimously.
In particular, Sullivan grilled Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro about the failure of the Biden budget plan to include funding for a 31st amphibious assault ship, a requirement that Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger testified is absolutely vital to maintaining a forward presence in the Pacific to deter China.
“I just don’t think what’s happening right now is remotely appropriate,” fumed Sullivan. “It’s the law. Let me read the law: ‘The naval combat forces of the Navy shall include not less than 11 operational aircraft carriers and not less than 31 operational amphibious warfare ships, of which not less than 10 shall be amphibious assault ships.’ That’s the law. We passed that.”
“It wasn’t a suggestion; it was a mandate,” Sullivan pressed. “So, Mr. Secretary, I’d like to just ask you right off the bat, why are you violating the law? And why does your shipbuilding plan have no remote interest for the next 30 years, as far as I can tell, of hitting the statutory mandate that we told you to hit?”
“Senator, as a member of the executive, it is my responsibility to follow the law,” Del Toro replied. “It’s also my responsibility to ensure that we just don’t waste taxpayer money on vessels, for example, that will never see the light of day.”
Del Toro said the delay in acquiring the 31st amphibious ship was part of an effort to settle on a design that could bring the cost down. However, that answer just infuriated Sullivan. “We did the study. We told you what to do, and you need to do it,” said Sullivan. “You’re ignoring us. Worse, you’re ignoring the law.”
THE SHRINKING FLEET: The furor over the single ship is part of a larger debate over the Navy’s plan to get smaller to save money to get bigger, a concept known as “divest to invest.”
“The Navy submitted its statutorily required 30-year shipbuilding plan, which seems to embrace complacency,” said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the top Republican on the committee. “Even in the most aggressive alternative plan, the Navy would not reach the statutory 355 ship requirement until fiscal year 2042.”
“This strategy, divest to invest, does not work. In fact, that failed doctrine is a contributing reason we are in this predicament,” Wicker said. “China has launched 75 new warships since 2018, compared to our 35 — 75 to our 35.”
“I understand the Navy made the difficult choice to retire some of these ships now to free up more resources in the future, but it seems that this plan would take us in the opposite direction,” said Committee Chairman Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI).
‘A WASTE OF THE TAXPAYERS’ MONEY’: While the Navy is requesting money for nine new ships, including new submarines, destroyers, frigates, and logistics vessels, at the same time, it is seeking permission to retire a number of ships before the end of their service lives, including several older littoral combat ships which have failed to live up to expectations.
“Our divestment request includes three amphibious ships and at least two cruisers in poor material condition that offer very limited war-fighting capability. Further investment in these platforms just simply doesn’t make sense, it’s a waste of the taxpayers’ money,” Del Toro argued. “We owe it to the American people to be responsible stewards to taxpayer dollars. Investing in platforms with limited capability conflicts with that responsibility.”
In his opening statement, Wicker indicated he believed the bipartisan concern about the shipbuilding plan would result in Congress overruling the Navy.
“The Navy’s FY24 budget request is anemic. Under the president’s proposal, the size of the fleet would shrink further. Let me be clear, this budget request has failed yet again, to build a U.S. Navy fleet that is capable of meeting even basic tasks, to say nothing of growing strong enough to deter near-term threats,” Wicker said. “Thankfully, there is bipartisan agreement that we must substantially increase the shipbuilding budget.”
NATO: CHINA TO TRIPLE ITS NUCLEAR ARSENAL ‘WITHIN A FEW YEARS’
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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is in Stockholm meeting with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson. The two defense ministers have a joint news conference set for 7:15 a.m. EDT, which will be livestreamed on the Pentagon’s website.
WHY A SINGLE SHIP IS A BIG DEAL: The debate over the requirement for the U.S. Navy to maintain a fleet of 31 amphibious assault ships is rooted in the Marine Corps’s revamped strategy of deterring China’s military from moving on Taiwan and defeating Chinese forces if they do.
And the dramatic scene that played out in yesterday’s Senate hearing is a result of Congress requiring U.S. commanders to submit a list of things they believe they need and would ask for if money were no object.
In this year’s unfunded requirements submission, outgoing Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger put $1.7 billion for another landing platform dock (LPD) ship at the top of his list.
“So, 31 is both the operational requirement and now the statutory law minimum. That’s where the minimum came from,” Berger testified. “In the shipbuilding plan and the budget submitted, there’s no plan to get to that number. And that’s why I put it at the top of the unfunded list … I know it to be the operational requirement and the law and I saw no plan to get there.”
Berger said the Marine Corps needs an absolute minimum of 31 ships to keep a force on constant alert in the waters near Taiwan. “If we don’t have the vessels, if we’re not forward, and we’re in the United States, and we’re fighting our way to get in, that’s a bad place to be,” Berger testified. “I think if you still believe that three ships, amphibious ships loaded up with 2,300 Marines, if they have a deterrent value, and I think they do, then you want them right in the adversaries’ grill, right? Right in their face where they can see them all the time.”
While Berger’s testimony conflicted with the Biden administration’s proposed defense budget for fiscal 2024, when senior military leaders are confirmed, they pledge to give Congress the best military advice, even if it’s not in step with their civilian bosses.
HOUSE CHINA COMMITTEE TO ENGAGE IN TABLETOP WAR GAME EXERCISE
HOW MUCH TIME? While there continues to be debate about whether China’s Xi Jinping is willing to risk war with the United States to force Taiwan’s unification with the mainland, the Pentagon believes it can’t bet against it.
“In a series of speeches last month — in one of them, he challenged his generals to be ready for war now. And so we take those kinds of assertions very seriously,” testified Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday. “Pushing everything we can forward, that’s where we need to be, and the Navy and the Marine Corps needs to be forward. And it’s not just likely that it’ll be the Navy and the Marine Corps; it’s definitely that’ll be the Navy and the Marine Corps is the away team and the first on the scene.”
“You’ve got to be ready to fight tonight, to put doubt in Xi’s mind that today is not the day.”
“Taiwan’s in the crosshairs. There’s no doubt about it,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO). “The shot clock’s probably started. It’s between now and four years, right? I mean, this is coming, and I just don’t know how much time they really have to get the support that they need to deter a Chinese offensive.”
Schmitt cited Pentagon estimates of China’s rapidly increasing military capability, in particular its naval fleet. “Pentagon reports suggest China may have 420 ships by 2025 and 460 ships by 2030. What’s worse, Beijing is devoting significant amounts of its maritime training on island-capture scenarios,” he said. “In 2021, the People’s Liberation Army, quote, ‘conducted more than 20 naval exercises with an island-capture element, greatly exceeding the 13 observed in 2020,’ according to a Pentagon 2022 report on Chinese military developments.”
US COMMANDER DISMISSES 2027 ESTIMATE FOR CHINESE INVASION OF TAIWAN: ‘EVERYBODY’S GUESSING’
TUBERVILLE’S LATEST CRUSADE: While most of yesterday’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was consumed by the China threat and acquisition issues, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who identifies himself as “Coach” on his official Senate website, used his five minutes to berate the Navy for naming too many ships after “politicians and activists” rather than “great Navy battles and heroes of our past.”
“We have a USS Carl Vinson but no USS Enterprise. We have the USS John P. Murtha, but where is the Yorktown?” Tuberville demanded to know, complaining about ships named for two Democratic senators, a trend he suggested was hurting “team building and recruiting.”
“In your capacity to name ships, I hope in the future that we get back to naming ships after heroes, people that’s actually done something,” Tuberville told Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro. “Our history is told through our battleships and the things that we put names on. Our sailors need to hear and see all these stories instead of divide us; sometimes they do divide us.”
Tuberville didn’t mention which “activists” he was objecting to, but the new John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers have been named for the late senator and civil rights leader, as well as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California; former slave and abolitionist Sojourner Truth; suffragist and abolitionist Lucy Stone; and Supreme Court Justices Earl Warren, Thurgood Marshall, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
As a footnote, the USS Enterprise will return as the third Ford-class aircraft carrier to be built for the Navy and will be the ninth Navy ship to bear the name and the third aircraft carrier.
TUBERVILLE: ‘WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER BUD LIGHT MOMENT: Tuberville also expressed his displeasure with a video of a sailor, Lt. j.g. Audrey Knutson, that has been mocked by some on the internet as an example of “wokeness” run amok, because she read a poem she wrote for an “LGBTQ spoken word night” event.
“I have a lot of problems with this video. This nonbinary officer said the highlight of her deployment on the USS Gerald Ford was reading a poem to the entire ship,” said Tuberville. “I hope we train our officers to prioritize their sailors, not themselves. Did it surprise you that a junior officer says the highlight of her deployment, her first and the ship’s first was about herself and her own achievement?”
That evoked a passionate defense from CNO Gilday. “I’ll tell you why I’m particularly proud of this sailor. So, her grandfather served during World War II, and he was gay, and he was ostracized in the very institution that she not only joined and is proud to be a part of. She volunteered to deploy on Ford, and she’ll likely deploy again next month when Ford goes back to sea.”
“Sir, we ask people from all over the country, from all walks of life, from all different backgrounds to join us, and then it’s the job of a commanding officer to build a cohesive warfighting team that is going to follow the law, and the law requires that we be able to conduct prompt sustained operations at sea,” Gilday continued. “[The] level of trust that a commanding officer develops across that unit has to be grounded on dignity and respect. And so, if that officer can lawfully join the United States Navy and is willing to serve, and willing to take the same oath that you and I took to put their life on the line, then I’m proud to serve alongside them.”
“The problem that I’m having is the obsession with race, gender, sex. It’s focused on self, it’s not focused on team,” Tuberville said in response. “This is not the military we used to have. And we’ve got to get out of that rut of saying, ‘we are individuals.’ We’re not individuals.”
“Our recruiting is suffering,” he said. “We don’t need to have a Bud Light moment in the Navy. I mean, we have to build a killing and fighting machine.”
TUBERVILLE’S HOLD HURTING: Tuberville has yet to release his hold on some 80 three-star and four-star military promotions that he invoked in an effort to force the Pentagon to stop granting leave and paying travel expenses for military women seeking abortion services.
Armed Services Chairman Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) asked the Navy leaders what impact the “impasse in confirming general officers” was having.
“Within 90 days, we’re going to have significant impacts,” said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger. “Without confirmation, there are no moves, there are vacancies or delayed retirements or family plans that they don’t know when that will happen.”
“We’re not at that point yet but we will be soon,” said Gilday, ticking off a list of upcoming vacancies the Navy is not going to be able to fill. “Director of naval reactors responsible for more than 60 reactors … Four fleet commanders, including the fleet commander forward in the Western Pacific and the fleet commander in the Middle East … Three force commanders, surface, air and sub-surface, three star officers … the head of Naval Installations Command, the superintendent of the Naval Academies.”
“It’s close to 80 right now and growing, sir, but I would double that in terms of the amount of families that are affected this summer,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: US commander dismisses 2027 estimate for Chinese invasion of Taiwan: ‘Everybody’s guessing’
Washington Examiner: NATO: China to triple its nuclear arsenal ‘within a few years’
Washington Examiner: House China Committee to engage in tabletop war game exercise
Washington Examiner: Opinion: Xi hints at leveraging North Korea to pressure US
Washington Examiner: Opinion: China complains as the Netherlands warns of its endemic espionage
Washington Examiner: Russian court upholds US reporter Gershkovich’s detention
Washington Examiner: US citizens and Russian nationals accused of interfering with elections and being ‘illegal agents’
Washington Examiner: US diplomats caught in crossfire as Sudan’s generals turn on each other
Washington Post: China Readies Supersonic Spy Drone Unit, Leaked Document Says
AP: China’s military chief vows to bolster ties with Russia
Washington Times: U.S. Admiral: Risk Of War With China Is Growing
Bloomberg: Pentagon Cites China’s Military Threat As Beijing Spurns Calls To Talk
Reuters: China Ramps Up Construction On New Antarctic Station – Report
AP: Kim Says North Korea’s 1st Spy Satellite Is Ready For Launch
Reuters: Mexican President Accuses Pentagon Of Spying, Vows To Restrict Military Information
USNI News: CNO: ‘Very Important’ To Add 2nd Constellation-Class Shipyard, Build 4 Frigates A Year
Defense News: Navy Long-Range Plan Shows Minimal Growth In Many Warship Programs
USNI News: Navy To Decommission 2 Carriers In A Row, 2 LCS Set For Foreign Sales, Says Long Range Shipbuilding Plan
Breaking Defense: Navy Unveils Shipbuilding Plan: Virginias To Replace Subs Sold To Aussies, But Impacts Of AUKUS Unknown
Washington Post: Putin’s Rhetoric Of Proxy War Hits Chord
New York Times: How Russia Overcomes Tech Blockade
Wall Street Journal: Putin, Zelensky Make Dueling Troop Visits
DefenseScoop: SPACECOM to Reach Full Operational Capability by End of Year, Commander Says
Defense One: Allies Want Space Defenses Too, US Official Says
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Picks New Guard Locations for F-35, F-15EX Fighters
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Kendall Promises ‘Full-Court Press’ Security Review After Intel Leak
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Lockheed Will Miss Its Goal for F-35 Deliveries in 2023
C4ISRNET: Northrop Grumman Passes Key Review for New Transport Satellites
Air & Space Forces Magazine: China Shows ‘Concerning Lack of Interest’ in Talks, DOD Says
Military Times: Pentagon Taps Official to Oversee Civilian Protection in War Zones
The Cipher Brief: The Great Tech Race of Our Time
The Cipher Brief: The Enduring Consequences of Intelligence Leaks
The Cipher Brief: Key Reforms Needed to Safeguard the Nation’s Secrets
Calendar
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
FRIDAY | APRIL 21
4 a.m. EDT Germany — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin makes opening remarks at the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events
10:30 a.m. EDT Germany — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley news conference after a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events
WEDNESDAY | APRIL 26
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Navy FY2024 Budget Request,” with testimony from Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday; Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger http://www.armedservices.house.gov
THURSDAY | APRIL 27
12 p.m. — Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments report release webinar: “Air Power Metamorphosis: Rethinking Air Force Combat Force Modernization,” with author Chris Bowie, CSBA non-resident senior fellow; Thomas Mahnken, CSBA president and CEO; and moderated by air power analyst Jeremiah Gertler https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/
WEDNESDAY | MAY 3
10 a.m. 406 Dirksen — Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing: “The 2024 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget and implementation of Water Resources Development Act of 2022” http://epw.senate.gov
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“A friend of mine once said, ‘Everybody’s for progress, nobody’s for change.’ You’ve managed both progress and change in a remarkable way, I think, during your three years as commandant.”
Sen. Angus King (I-ME), complimenting soon-to-be-retired Gen. David Berger, who during his tenure radically restructured the Marine Corps to fight a war in the Pacific.
