HAMAS’S surprise ambush was an intelligence, political and military disaster for Israel, which declared it “national tragedy.

Israel’s disproportionate response may also ultimately prove too difficult to justify despite the best efforts of its international propaganda arm and unquestioning supporters.

Inevitably in Middle Eastern affairs it will escalate into an international tragedy.

The UN estimates total casualties at 4200, including too many children, women and other non-military personal on both sides who have become “collateral damage”.

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Australian Defence History, Policy and Veterans Issues (targetsdown.blogspot.com)

If you live in Queensland this petition may be of interest to you.

Click this link to open the E-Petition: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=3974

This E-Petition closes on 28/1/2024.

The Ukrainian military has recently acquired its initial batch of M39 missiles from the 1990s era. In a bold move, they launched three of these missiles at a Russian helicopter facility in Berdyansk, located in southern Ukraine. This night raid dispersed numerous grenade-sized submunitions over the airbase, leading to the destruction of an estimated nine helicopters.

Now, envision these steel-and-tungsten submunitions targeting an air-defence unit comprising delicate radars, accompanying vehicles, launch pads, and missiles. As U.S. Army Major Carter Rogers highlighted in his 1991 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College thesis, the ATACMS (of which the M39 is a type) can effectively neutralize or diminish various targets, notably air defence systems and radars.

Weighing two tons and spanning 13 feet, the M39 is a ballistic missile powered by a solid rocket motor. Its warhead houses 950 submunitions. Deployed from either tracked or wheeled launch systems, the missile can reach destinations up to 100 miles away using its inertial guidance.

The M39’s intended purpose for neutralizing enemy air defences is evident in its design. A missile designed for targets like bunkers would usually carry a singular, large warhead instead of numerous submunitions. Notably, during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the U.S. Army’s maiden combat use of an M39 targeted an Iraqi S-75 air-defence unit, posing a threat to coalition aircraft. As Major Rogers observed, the ATACMS strike was effective, demonstrating the system’s precision and lethality, despite its relatively new and unproven doctrine.

Currently, Ukrainian forces deploy a diverse range of weapons for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) mission. These include the 40-mile range M30/31 rockets launched by M270 tracked systems and wheeled High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which also launch the longer-range M39 missiles. In their arsenal are also explosive-laden drones with first-person views and Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 jets that deploy American AGM-88 radar-seeking missiles. For deeper SEAD operations targeting advanced S-400 systems in Crimea, Ukraine has employed modified Neptune anti-ship missiles.

The M39, in a SEAD role, bridges the gap between smaller drones and the potent anti-ship missiles. While a drone attack is considered opportunistic and causes limited damage, a Neptune missile strike is more strategic, planned, and devastating. The M39, when launched from 100 miles away, can target segments of the Russian air defence infrastructure located significantly behind frontline areas without necessitating a large-scale, specialized operation for its suppression.

In many respects, the M39’s capabilities might parallel the air-launched AGM-88. However, one key distinction is the relative safety of deploying an ATACMS missile compared to an aerial SEAD mission. While Russian forces have downed many of Ukraine’s pre-war fleet of Su-27s and MiG-29s, none of Ukraine’s army-operated M270s and HIMARS launchers have been destroyed thus far.

Veterans have unearthed potential evidence suggesting possible mismanagement and “systematic abuse” of the Australian honours and awards system, which might have led to the incorrect bestowing of “distinguished service” medals upon senior officers for several years. This list includes the present Defence Force Chief, General Angus Campbell.

These revelations came after some veterans, already upset about the potential stripping of Afghanistan war medals due to alleged misdeeds, decided to delve deep into the legitimacy of the awards conferred upon their top-ranking officers.

Newly accessed documents and communications suggest that since 1996, the Defence Department had been aware of Distinguished Service Crosses (DSCs) being possibly wrongfully awarded to senior officers who weren’t actively serving “in action.”

The veterans are specifically concerned about the DSCs and other accolades given to the leaders of Joint Task Force 663 (CJTF), the central command for Australia’s Middle East operations during the Afghanistan conflict.

A former Special Forces operative, referred to as “Marty” for anonymity purposes related to his current job, remarked on the gravity of their findings. “This issue requires immediate attention,” he expressed. He emphasized that they’re not against recognitions but want the criteria to be appropriate and not just serve as mere attendance badges.

The concerned group reached out to Defence Minister Richard Marles this year, urging him to instruct the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal (DHAAT) to investigate the matter surrounding the DSC and related awards.

The group’s letter in May highlighted the crucial role CJTFs played in guiding Australian troops in Afghanistan. “Considering the DSC’s stature as a distinguished military award, it’s pivotal to ensure the process for its conferral remains transparent and unimpeachable,” the letter noted.

In 2012, Defence Chief General Angus Campbell was honoured with a DSC for his outstanding command during his tenure with Joint Task Force 633. Recent reports suggest he tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to return his DSC after facing pressure in a parliamentary session earlier this year.

Concerns about these awards are prevalent throughout the military, with both active and retired members voicing their apprehensions about medals seemingly being given out as mere tokens of attendance.

Neil James, Executive Director of the Australia Defence Association, calls for a comprehensive DHAAT review concerning the standards, criteria, and procedures of awarding honours. “It’s essential to differentiate between temporary and permanent units, ensuring that revoking any commendation remains precise, transparent, and is not misconstrued,” he commented.

On being questioned during a Japan visit, Defence Minister Marles chose to withhold his comments, mentioning that they’re currently addressing various issues related to decorations and awards.

Photo: CPL Sam Price

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has stationed six F/A-18F Super Hornets and one C-27J Spartan aircraft in north-west Malaysia as part of Exercise Bersama Lima. This deployment at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth brings together forces from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

F/A-18F Super Hornets are dual-seat, multi-purpose fighter jets capable of air combat, supporting ground forces, and targeting enemy supply chains, including naval vessels. Their arsenal includes AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AIM-9X Sidewinders, joint direct attack munitions, traditional and laser-guided explosives, AGM-154 standoff weapons, AGM-84 harpoon missiles, and a forward-mounted M61A2 20mm gun.

This fortnight-long drill includes over 400 personnel from the Australian Defence Force, the Hobart Class missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane, infantry from the Australian Army, and the RAAF’s aerial assets.

Flight Lieutenant Russel, a pilot of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, highlighted the comprehensive coordination among the participating countries. The collaboration ranged from mission planning with Malaysian controllers to flying in mixed groups with multiple rapid-firing jets. He elaborated, “We’ve coordinated defence activities in the skies from the Malaysian Peninsula to Singapore and worked intensively with the naval strengths of the five nations to simulate threat detection on maritime assets or land targets in Malaysia.”

Once potential threats are identified, the combined forces proceed to intercept and engage them. He added, “Such exercises offer a valuable training opportunity with our allies.”

He further praised the dedication of the technical crew, stating they ensure the aircraft are consistently mission-ready. The experience at RMAF Butterworth, with its robust RAAF association and the assistance of the 19 Squadron, has been invaluable. Russel emphasized the importance of acclimating to different operational environments, noting the benefit of learning local best practices for mission success in unfamiliar territories.

Moreover, the Super Hornet boasts advanced equipment, including mission computers, heads-up displays, advanced radar, infrared detection, and targeting tools, as well as electronic warfare and infrared defence mechanisms.

By: Robert Dougherty – Defence Connect.

Picture: An Australian Army Electric Protected Mobility Vehicle demonstrate the capability to provide power to enable a medical treatment team to deploy in the field at Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane. Photo: CPL Nicole Dorrett.

The Australian Defence Force has rolled out a Bushmaster electric protected mobility vehicle to support field training at Gallipoli Barracks earlier this month.

The Bushmaster vehicle prototype, which uses electric propulsion technology, was tasked with supporting members of the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment undertaking simulated medical treatment in Queensland.

During the training, the ePMV was able to demonstrate its power storage and supply capability, enabling medical staff to work forward a role-two emergency hospital in an area of operations.

It’s understood there could also be applications to use the electric propulsion technology for greater thermal and acoustic signature management, exportable electrical energy, robotic and autonomous systems connectivity and tactical agility.

The ePMV was previously unveiled during the Chief of Army Symposium 2022 before being trialled and tested in a variety of conditions and by different units to test technological limitations.

The battery-powered prototype has had its engine and gearbox replaced with a pair of lithium-ion batteries and an electric motor driving each axle. It’s the first Australian electrification of a military vehicle and is about two tonnes lighter than a regular Bushmaster.

There is also more space between the driver and crew commander, and a modernised dashboard while the vehicle itself is expected to require less maintenance and be more reliable with no engine or gearbox.

The centre of gravity has also moved rearwards and down, according to Colonel Robin Smith, director of Army’s Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office.

“That helps with stability, high-speed and cross-country manoeuvre, and safety under braking,” COL Smith said.

“It’s wickedly fast and we’ll be trialling speeds. But in theory it will do 0-60km/h in a little over three seconds. For a 12-tonne vehicle, that’s amazing. Up to 100km/h will take about 12 seconds where the normal Bushmaster takes 42 seconds.”

“The vehicle’s battery power could run the average Australian home for just over six days. It’s quieter and less warm, lowering the thermal signature, and it’s a software-driven vehicle so autonomy is easier.

“This (ePMV) one uses no fuel but if we do a hybrid, that will use a lot less fuel than a regular Bushmaster.”

COL Smith said his team wanted to “get this into the hands of soldiers and really test its real-world performance”.

The team is also interested in developing electrifying tracked vehicles, COL Smith said.