DOD VS. FCC OVER GPS: The Defense Department is the biggest of nearly a dozen federal agencies that are warning that a pending Federal Communications Commission decision could have dire consequences for national security.
At issue is a preliminary FCC vote last week that would allow Ligado Networks to access a portion of L-band electromagnetic spectrum for a nationwide low-power 5G network, which the Pentagon fears will interfere with Global Positioning Satellite signals.
“The Department continues to support domestic 5G options, but not at the risk of crippling our GPS networks,” tweeted Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday.
REQUEST FOR DENIAL: Late Friday, the Pentagon and the Department of Transportation issued a joint statement “strongly opposing” the FCC decision and requested a denial when it comes up for a final vote by the full commission.
“Americans rely on our Global Positioning System each day for many things: to locate citizens in need of emergency assistance through our E-911 system, to secure our financial system, to order and receive shipments, to travel by car for work and leisure, to facilitate commercial trucking and construction work, and even to make a simple cellphone call,” the statement said. “Our Departments rely on GPS each day for all those reasons as well to coordinate tactical national security operations, launch spacecraft, track threats, and facilitate travel by air and sea. The proposed Ligado decision by the Federal Communications Commission will put all these uses of GPS at risk.”
LAWMAKERS MOBILIZE: The Pentagon’s objections have strong bipartisan backing from leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees.
“While 5G will also be critical to our economic and national security, no other country is using this portion of spectrum for 5G. This could make the United States a leader without followers and Ligado’s plans dubious from the outset,” said Texas Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry, ranking member of the House panel. “We must advance 5G development, but this is not the way to do it. The FCC cannot be allowed to overrule the unanimous opinion of America’s national security leaders. If they do, Congress should immediately revisit and revise their authority.”
“The @FCC should not approve Ligado’s request for bandwidth,” tweeted Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe. “It’s a bad deal for our national and economic security and could cost taxpayers billions. With my Armed Services colleagues @SenJackReed & @MacTXPress, I am asking @realDonaldTrump to intervene.”
BIGGER THREAT THAN CHINA: “China’s aggressive, global promotion of its 5G companies presents a considerable security challenge that must be addressed,” said Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “Ligado’s proposal, which seeks a portion of spectrum adjacent to that used for Global Positioning Systems, poses an even larger security risk,” Smith said in a letter to Esper and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
FCC DIGS IN: In circulating a draft order that would approve Ligado’s application, Pai said the decision would both promote “more efficient and effective use of our nation’s spectrum resources” and ensure that the GPS system is “protected from harmful interference.”
“Although I appreciate the concerns that have been raised by certain Executive Branch agencies, it is the Commission’s duty to make an independent determination based on sound engineering, Pai said in a statement. “And based on the painstaking technical analysis done by our expert staff, I am convinced that the conditions outlined in this draft order would permit Ligado to move forward without causing harmful interference.”
Good Monday morning, and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by David Sivak and Tyler Van Dyke. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Ellen Lord, the Pentagon undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, is scheduled to provide a COVID-19 update to reporters at 10:00 a.m., which will be livestreamed on Defense.gov.
MORE SWABS: Wielding a Q-tip and medical swab, President Trump said last night he will be using the Defense Production Act to increase the manufacturing of swabs used to test for the coronavirus. Comparing the two, Trump noted the longer medical swab was different. “It’s very sophisticated actually, but it’s a little bit like [the Q-tip]. So this is the swab, and we’ve ordered a lot of them.”
Trump has been reluctant to use the powers of the DPA to force companies to ramp up production of vital supplies but said, “We’ve had a little difficulty with one, so we’re going to call … in the Defense Production Act.”
Without naming the company, Trump said it would soon be producing over 20 million additional swabs per month, in addition to a second partnership through which a U.S. manufacturer would convert its existing plant to produce over 10 million additional swabs per month.
MILITARY TRAVEL BAN EXTENDED: As promised, Esper has extended his “stop movement” order, which restricts travel by U.S. military personnel and their families through the end of June.
Reporters were briefed on the updated policy Saturday by Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Matthew Donovan.
OVERPRICED WALL? Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, ranking member of the Armed Service Committee, believes taxpayers are being gouged in a $569 million no-bid contract to build 17 miles of border wall in two separate locations in California, and he is demanding that the Government Accountability Office investigate.
Reed alleges the above-market-rate contract has been awarded to an “apparently politically connected private contractor,” citing news reports that the $33.1 million cost per mile of the proposed wall is 65% higher than the already high $20 million-per-mile average that the Trump administration is paying other contractors.
“The contracting process should be merit-based and free from political influence and corruption,” Reed said in a statement. “Equally important is the fact that at a time when the Trump administration should be mobilizing resources, including the Army Corps of Engineers, to help effectively combat coronavirus and save lives, the Trump administration is instead directing half a billion dollars to a no-bid contract to build an ineffective wall.”
ANOTHER SHOWBOATING INTERCEPT: In what has become a pattern in recent weeks, a Russian fighter jet intercepted a U.S. P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft over the weekend, according to U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.
“Another unsafe #Russian intercept of @USNavy P-8 in international airspace above #Mediterranean Sea!” the U.S. military wrote, tweeting a video of the encounter. “The Russian aircraft got within 25 feet of the P-8, putting both crews in harm’s way. We expect nothing less than professional & safe interactions!”
‘I DON’T SEE IT’: On Saturday, Trump was asked about recent incidents in which Russia and other adversaries appeared to be “toying with U.S. military forces,” including harassment of U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf by Iranian patrol boats.
“I don’t see it. No, I don’t see it. We had a very good relationship with Russia. We worked on the oil deal together,” Trump said. “No, I think we’re doing fine.”
MYSTERY NOTE: Trump also said he was not concerned about recent North Korean missile tests either and said his relations with Kim Jong Un were “fine” as well.
“I see they’re testing short-range missiles and, you know, been doing it a long time,” he said. Then, referring to Kim, he added, “I received a nice note from him recently. It was a nice note. I think we’re doing fine.”
That statement prompted a denial from Pyongyang. “There was no letter addressed recently to the U.S. president by the supreme leadership,” the ministry said in a statement Sunday. “He could have referred to the personal letters that had been exchanged in the past. We are not sure.”
“We are about to look into the matter to see if the U.S. leadership seeks anything in feeding the ungrounded story into the media,” it added, warning that Kim’s relationship with Trump should not “be misused for meeting selfish purposes.”
HISTORIC GRADUATION: Saturday’s graduation ceremonies at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs featured a flyover from the Thunderbirds’ F-16s, an in-person address from Vice President Mike Pence, a remote hookup for Esper and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley to provide remarks from the Pentagon, as well as comments from the new Chief of Space Operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond.
“While we don’t quite look like the usual graduation at the Air Force Academy, let me tell you, this is an awesome sight,” Pence said, adding he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
What the festivities lacked was any friends and families of the graduates, who were barred from the event due to social distancing guidelines for the coronavirus pandemic. A video of the ceremony tweeted out by Esper showed the newly commissioned second lieutenants standing eight feet apart as F-16s passed overhead.
Nearly 90 of the graduates will be heading to the new Space Force. “You are our future, and I need you to be bold. You will build this service from the ground up,” Raymond said.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Army Corps of Engineers hospital build-outs slow as coronavirus infection curve elongates
Washington Examiner: Seeing ‘plots’ against it, Beijing plans struggle for ‘survival’ with US: Chinese oil baron
Washington Examiner: FBI warns of ‘persistent’ threat from domestic extremists ahead of 25th anniversary of Oklahoma City bombing
USNI News: More Than 1,000 Sailors Test Positive for COVID-19; Service Has Highest Share of Active Duty Infections
San Diego Union-Tribune: Navy, CDC To Launch Theodore Roosevelt Coronavirus Outbreak Study
New York Times: How An Invisible Foe Slipped Aboard A French Navy Ship
BBC: Iran Warns U.S. Navy Over Gulf Incident
Business Insider: After Coronavirus, The U.S. Needs To Worry About A ‘7th Domain’ Of Warfare, Top Navy Commander In Europe Says
AP: Naval Buildup In Caribbean Not Aimed At Ousting Maduro, Says Head Of U.S. Southern Command
Task & Purpose: The Marine Corps Is Done Explaining Why It’s Still Requiring Haircuts During The COVID-19 Pandemic
AP: Positive tests at Afghan presidential palace
AP: North Korean defectors, experts question zero virus claim
Bloomberg: U.S. Space Force Is Arming to Jam Russian and Chinese Satellites
Air Force Magazine: A-10 Will Remain in Fleet Through 2040s Despite Planned Cuts
The Drive: The Air Force Abruptly Ends Its Continuous Bomber Presence On Guam After 16 Years
Seapower Magazine: HII Begins Fabrication of Amphibious Transport Dock Harrisburg
WVEC-TV: Without The Usual Fanfare, A New Submarine Enters The U.S. Navy’s Fleet
Calendar
NOTE: Many events in Washington have been canceled or moved online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Pentagon has been conducting almost-daily pop-up briefings, which are often only announced at the last minute. Check https://www.defense.gov for updates to the Pentagon’s schedule.
MONDAY | APRIL 20
9:30 a.m. — Asia Society Policy Institute webcast from New York City on the impact of the coronavirus in Iraq and on U.S.-Iran tensions, with Iraqi President Barham Salih; and Puneet Talwar, senior fellow at ASPI. https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/events
10 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace webcast: “Are Trump and Putin Cooking Up a New Reset?” with Eugene Rumer, director of CEIP’s Russia and Eurasia Program; Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center; and Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at CEIP. https://tinyurl.com/y7t8b9sy
TUESDAY | APRIL 21
8 a.m. — Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab webinar: “Italy, Spain, France: Foreign influence operations amidst the COVID-19 crisis,” with Italian Chamber of Deputies Member Lia Quartapelle; Nicolas De Pedro, senior fellow at the Institute for Statecraft in London; Antoine Bondaz, research fellow at the Foundation for Strategic Research; and Anna Pellegatta, associate director of the Atlantic Council DFRLab. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event
9 a.m. — Hudson Institute webcast: “Missile Defense and Stability,” Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy Robert Soofer; former Defense Undersecretary for Policy Jim Miller, senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab; and Rebeccah Heinrichs, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. https://www.hudson.org/events
4 p.m. — New America webcast: “How Will COVID-19 Alter our Relationship with China?” with former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton, visiting lecturer in law at Yale Law School; and Samm Sacks, China digital economy fellow at New America. https://www.newamerica.org/future-tense/events
WEDNESDAY | APRIL 22
8 a.m. — George Washington University’s Project for Media and National Security “Defense Writers Group” breakfast with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. https://nationalsecuritymedia.gwu.edu/
10 a.m. — Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s Center for Data Innovation webinar “How to Deepen Transatlantic Ties In Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity,” with Jan Havranek, policy adviser in the NATO Office of the Secretary General’s Policy Planning Unit; Jose-Marie Griffiths, commissioner of the U.S. National Security Council on Artificial Intelligence; Cameron Kerry, visiting fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution; Florian Pennings, cybersecurity policy manager for European Union government affairs at Microsoft; and Eline Chivot, senior policy analyst at the ITIF Center for Data Innovation. https://itif.org/events/2020
3:30 p.m. — New America webcast: “COVID and Climate Change in the Pacific.” with former Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy Rear. Adm. David Titley; former Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs Anne Witkowsky; Erin Hughey, director of disaster services at the Pacific Disaster Center; Joseph Green, acting director of applied science at the Pacific Disaster Center; Francis Gassert, fellow for resource security at New America; and Sharon Burke, director of resource security at New America. https://www.newamerica.org/resource-security/events
4 p.m. — Politico webcast on global action needed to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, with former Secretary of State John Kerry. https://www.politico.com/live-events
4:30 p.m. — Intelligence National Security Alliance “Wednesday Wisdom” webcast with Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Ellen McCarthy and Benjamin Brake, director of the State Department’s Office of Cyber Affairs. https://www.insaonline.org/events
THURSDAY | APRIL 23
8:15 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification symposium via webcast, with Katie Arrington, chief information security officer in the Office of the Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition and Sustainment; Dwight Deneal, director of the Defense Logistics Agency’s Office of Small Business Programs; Coast Guard Rear Adm. Michael Johnston, assistant commandant for acquisition and chief acquisition officer at the U.S. Coast Guard. https://www.afcea.org/event/CMMCWelcome
11 a.m. — Atlantic Council webcast on a new report, “Moving Out: A Comprehensive Assessment of European Military Mobility,” with Army Europe Commander Gen. Christopher Cavoli and former Supreme Allied Commander Europe retired Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti. https://atlanticcouncil.org/event
1 p.m. — Heritage Foundation webinar: “Nuclear Stability or Russian Advantage: Will Extending New START Serve the U.S.?” with Tim Morrison, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute; Frank Rose, senior fellow for security and strategy at the Brookings Institution; Patty-Jane Geller, policy analyst for nuclear deterrence and missile defense at Heritage; and Michaela Dodge, research scholar at the National Institute for Public Policy. https://www.heritage.org/arms-control/event
2 p.m. — Hoover Institution webcast: “COVID-19: Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Implications,” with former national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. https://www.hoover.org/events/hr-mcmaster
2 p.m. — The Korea Economic Institute of America webinar: “Diplomacy or Readiness? U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises and Denuclearizing North Korea,” with Terence Roehrig, director of the Naval War College Asia-Pacific Studies Group; and Kyle Ferrier, director of academic affairs at KEI. http://www.keia.org/event/diplomacy-or-readiness
3 p.m. — SETA Foundation webinar: “U.S. Global Leadership in the Age of Coronavirus,” with Patrick Cronin, chair for Asia-Pacific security at the Hudson Institute; Charles Kupchan, professor of international affairs at Georgetown University; and Kilic Kanat, research director at SETA. https://tinyurl.com/y8n96kwr
WEDNESDAY | APRIL 29
8 a.m. — Northrop Grumman Corporation webcasts its first quarter 2020 conference call, with Kathy Warden, chairman, chief executive officer, and president; and Dave Keffer, chief financial officer. http://investor.northropgrumman.com
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“They’ve got cabin fever. They want to get back. They want their life back. Their life was taken away from them.”
President Trump, expressing support for peaceful demonstrations pushing back against some of the restrictions imposed by state governors to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
