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The Drone Coalition urges additional funding to further its goals and invites new allies and partners to join its efforts.

The group has announced plans to supply a wide range of drones to Ukraine to support its military success.

“We, the nations of the Drone Coalition, recognize the importance of supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression,” stated the joint announcement.

The coalition aims to provide Ukraine with drones and components produced by the industries of UDCG countries and seeks ways to support Ukrainian manufacturers. This will ensure the Ukrainian Defence Forces have the most effective capabilities.

Coalition members have already delivered significant drone support to Ukraine. Latvia is offering a drone testing training range for industry and military use to continuously improve drone technology. Additionally, the coalition has launched an industry competition for first-person view (FPV) drones, with 265 bids received and evaluations underway. The first contracts are expected to be signed in August.

It’s an ill wind

A bone chilling westerly blew from the snowcapped Brindabella Ranges, enveloping Australia’s national capital in its icy grip.

On Canberra’s southern outskirts on the property established by pioneer merchant Robert Campbell, Cyprus pine trees, bent from centuries of such winds, bowed before it’s relentless blast.

Campbell’s vision for the place named after his family seat, Duntroon, included a grand huis, wi’ a wee maze wi’ hidden pathways where later generations discovered otherwise horizontal entertainments could be pursued vertically, though safe from public scrutiny.

Tennis courts and a rotunda added to Duntroon’s pleasures.

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It’s an ill wind | Australian Defence History, Policy and Veterans Issues (targetsdown.blogspot.com)

First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for the wonderful wishes. Julie read every single one to me. On Thursday, I had a delicate eye operation that saved the sight in my right eye. We were quite worried, but I was referred to an amazing surgeon who expedited my surgery and performed it early Thursday morning. Yesterday afternoon, I had a post-op examination, and I’m thrilled to report excellent results. My sight has been completely restored, though I still have some healing to do, which should take a couple of weeks. During this healing period, I need to be cautious and follow the surgeon’s instructions. He knows about my work with Frontline and has advised me to limit my computer time to about an hour until at least next Tuesday. So please bear with me as I follow his instructions.

On July 15, former President Donald Trump announced that Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) was his vice-presidential pick, ending months of speculation. “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance,” former President Trump said in a Truth Social post. Based on Mr. Vance’s published works and interviews, here are 39 things to know about the Ohio Republican who is set to share a ticket with the former president.

1. He’s 39 Years Old Mr. Vance was born on Aug. 2, 1984. Turning 40 in August, he’s the first millennial on a major party ticket and one of the youngest vice-presidential candidates in history.
2. He’s a Catholic Mr. Vance was raised Protestant, but later converted to Catholicism, officially becoming Catholic in August 2019.
3. He’s Married to Usha Chilukuri Vance Mr. Vance is married to Usha Chilukuri Vance, whom he met at Yale Law School. They married in 2014. Ms. Vance currently works as a corporate litigator. She has clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John. Roberts and then-appellate Judge Brett Kavanaugh. She would be the first Hindu spouse of a vice president and the first person of colour to be second lady.
4. The Couple Has 3 Children Mr. Vance has three children: Ewan, 7, Vivek, 4, and Mirabel, 2.
5. He’s Considered a Populist Conservative Mr. Vance is commonly considered to be a populist conservative. His political ideology is often placed alongside the ranks of former President Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and pro-Trump swaths of the House Freedom Caucus. In a December 2023 interview, he described his hope to “push the Republican Party in a more pro-worker direction” and capitalize on the working-class gains made by the likes of former President Trump.
6. He Grew Up in a Lower-Class Family Mr. Vance famously grew up in a lower-class family in Middletown, Ohio, and often experienced financial and familial hardships growing up.
7. He’s a Best-Selling Author. “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance. (Harper) Mr. Vance first became well-known for his best-selling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” published in 2016, which details his time growing up in poverty-stricken areas of the Rust Belt. The book traces the drug abuse issues and financial hardships experienced by many in the white working class and was seen by many as a primer on the population that propelled former President Trump to victory in 2016.There’s a Movie Adaptation of His Book Mr. Vance’s book was adapted into a namesake Netflix film in 2020.

8. He Experienced the Decline of the Rust Belt In both his memoir and the movie adaptation, Mr. Vance explains his experience of the decline of the Rust Belt, and the impacts it had on those living there. Speaking about his native Middletown, Mr. Vance wrote in Hillbilly Elegy, “There is a lack of agency here- a feeling that you have little control over your life and a willingness to blame everyone but yourself.” He’s made clear that this experience has continued to shape his political life and decisions.
9. He Grew Up in Ohio but Considered Rural Kentucky ‘Home’ Despite growing up in Ohio, Mr. Vance has said he considered his great-grandmother’s house in rural Kentucky as “home.” “I always distinguished ‘my address’ from ‘my home,'” Mr. Vance wrote in Hillbilly Elegy. “My address was where I spent most of my time with my mother and sister, wherever that might be. But my home never changed: my great-grandmother’s house, in the holler, in Jackson, Kentucky.”
10. His Parents Divorced When He was a Toddler Mr. Vance’s parents, Donald Bowman and Bev Vance, divorced when he was very young, leaving Mr. Vance to be raised by his mother. In “Hillbilly Elegy,” Mr. Bowman is described as having been largely absent from Mr. Vance’s life, though the two reconnected later in life. Mr. Vance says both of his parents struggled to maintain stability in their employment, both largely worked a series of odd jobs over the years.
11. His Original Surname Was Bowman At birth, Mr. Vance was named James Donald Bowman. Later, Mr. Vance temporarily took on his stepfather’s surname, Hamel. Eventually, he settled on Vance, which belonged to his mother and grandparents.
12. His Mother Suffered from Substance Abuse Issues Mr. Vance in his book recounts in detail his mother’s struggles with opioid addiction, including heroin. Mr. Vance notes that this is a familiar tale in Appalachia and the Rust Belt more broadly, with widespread pervasive hopelessness having become the norm for many. His mother’s struggles with addiction shaped his childhood, contributing to an often-fractious home life.
13. He Lived with His Grandmother

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The struggles of home life, compounded by his mother’s struggles with drug addiction, eventually led to Mr. Vance living with his grandmother. His grandparents, James “Papaw” Vance and Bonnie “Mamaw” Vance, moved to Kentucky, unmarried and with child, in the 1940s, but ultimately divorced. They remained on good terms. In his memoir, Mr. Vance credits his time living with his grandmother while he was in high school with helping him to commit to his studies and, ultimately, escape the poverty he grew up in.

15. His Grandparents Were Democrats Like many in the Rust Belt of the late 20th century, Mr. Vance’s grandparents were pro-union Democrats. Mr. Vance describes their attitude toward politics in “Hillbilly Elegy,” writing, “All politicians might be crooks, but if there were any exceptions, they were undoubtedly members of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal coalition.” Mr. Vance said the exception was 1984, when his grandfather voted for President Ronald Reagan.
16. He’s a Marine Corps Iraq Combat vet Mr. Vance served in Iraq as a Marine combat correspondent during the mid-2000s.
17. He Has a Dual Undergrad Degree from Ohio State University Mr. Vance has a dual undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy from Ohio State University. He graduated summa cum laude in 2009.
18. He Earned a J.D. From Yale Law School Mr. Vance earned a juris doctorate from Yale Law School in 2013. While there, he met law professor Amy Chua, who persuaded him to write his memoir. Ms. Chua is known for her own best-selling memoir “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.”
19. He Was an Editor of the Yale Law Journal While studying law, Mr. Vance served on the editorial staff of the Yale Law Journal.
20. He’s Close with Peter Thiel After graduating from Yale Law School, Mr. Vance worked at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP before joining billionaire Peter Thiel’s Mithril Capital in San Francisco. Mr. Thiel later spent more than $10 million in support of Mr. Vance during his 2022 Senate run.
21. He Was a Venture Capitalist Mr. Vance started Narya, based in Ohio, an “early-stage venture capital firm focused on using technology and science to solve for the future,” according to its website.
22. He’s Sponsored Programs to Combat Drug Addiction In 2016, Mr. Vance left California and returned to Ohio, where he helped launch an effort to combat opioid abuse in the state. Called “Our Ohio Renewal,” the project was short-lived, and the online domain for the website is no longer accessible.
23. He Was a CNN Contributor Mr. Vance was a contributor for CNN back in 2017. “This will be the first ever CNN commentator ever put on a presidential ticket,” CNN anchor Jake Tapper said on the air following the announcement of the pick.
24. He Wasn’t Always Pro-Trump Years before being a staunch ally of former President Trump, Mr. Vance wrote an op-ed in the New York Times in which he called the former president “unfit for our nation’s highest office.”
25. His Views Evolved After Trump Took Office Since 2016, Mr. Vance said his views on the former president have changed, and he’s recanted his statements from 2016. The reason for this, he said, was seeing how former President Trump handled the job. In a May interview with CNN, he told anchor Dana Bash, “I didn’t think he was going to be a good president, Dana, and I was very, very proud to be proven wrong. It’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to get him elected.”
26. He Voted for Trump in 2020 Given how his views had changed in the four years since 2016, Mr. Vance voted for President Trump in 2020.
27. He Won a Tough Primary in a Crowded Field Mr. Vance won the 2022 GOP Senate primary amid a crowded field in Ohio to succeed retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). Boosted by former President Trump’s endorsement, he defeated former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and Ohio state Sen. Matt Dolan.
28. He Was Donald Trump Jr.’s Pick

Donald Trump Jr. Mr. Vance developed a relationship with former President Trump’s oldest son during his 2022 Senate campaign, when the younger Trump campaigned for him. Since then, Mr. Trump has signalled that he favoured Mr. Vance in the “veepstakes.” In a recent podcast episode, Mr. Trump said, “everyone knows, I’ve sort of been for J.D. Vance.”

29 He’s Been in the Senate Since January 2023 Mr. Vance has been in politics just over a year and a half, joining the Senate-his first political office-in January 2023.

30. He Has a Conservative Voting Record Since joining the Senate, Mr. Vance has regularly voted with the most conservative wing of the Senate Republican conference on an array of key issues, from foreign aid to government finance. The political arm of the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation rates Mr. Vance as voting with conservative positions 93 percent of the time.
31. He Has Worked Across the Aisle on Legislation Mr. Vance has shown a willingness to work with Democrats on some major pieces of legislation. He and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) co-sponsored a rail safety bill following the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. He also worked with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on a bill to claw-back executive pay from large failed banks. Neither of the bills has advanced to a vote on the Senate floor.
32. He Serves on 3 Senate Panels In the Senate he serves on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee; the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; and the Special Committee on Aging.
33. He Has a Hold on All DOJ Appointments In June 2023, Mr. Vance announced that he would use his power as a senator to place holds on all future nominees to the Department of Justice. He cited the department’s prosecutions against the former president as the reason for the hold.
34. He Wants Abortion Left to the States Mr. Vance has indicated he supports leaving abortion to the states. He said that former President Trump’s “leave it to the states approach” is “pragmatic,” and endorsed the Supreme Court decision allowing mifepristone to continue being shipped. In 2022, Mr. Vance expressed support for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) 15-week abortion ban. In an interview that same year, Mr. Vance said, “I’d like it to be primarily a state issue.”
35. He Spoke in Support of the 2023 United Auto Workers Strike Mr. Vance has spoken supportively of the 2023 United Auto Workers strike. Elsewhere, he’s said he supports collective bargaining “as an abstract matter.”
36. He’s Critical of the Iraq War Though he served in the Iraq War, Mr. Vance has since been critical of the conflict, saying he made a “mistake” in initially supporting it. “I served my country honourably, and I saw when I went to Iraq that I had been lied to, that the promises of the foreign policy establishment of this country were a complete joke,” he said on the Senate floor in April.
37. Critical of Ukraine Aid Mr. Vance has been critical of continued U.S. support for the war in Ukraine. Since taking office, he’s voted against every Ukraine aid package that’s come to the floor. He’s called for Europe to bear the brunt of financing the war. Mr. Vance wrote in an April op-ed for The New York Times that the current trajectory of the war is unsustainable for either the U.S. or Ukraine. He said that the notion that Ukraine will reclaim all its land lost to Russia is “fantastical.”
38. Supports Israel Aid Mr. Vance supports aid to Israel. In a May 2024 speech at the Quincy Institute, Mr. Vance gave a contrast between supporting Israel and Ukraine. With Ukraine, he said, there’s “no strategic end in sight” and that the Europeans are not doing their fair share. But Israel, he said, is “doing the most important work to give us missile-defence parity.” He also opposed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and applauded President Trump for withdrawing from it in 2018.
39. He Says, US Focus Should Be on China Mr. Vance has also taken a tough stance on China, encouraging the United States to focus its efforts there. Between war in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, Mr. Vance said, America has “to pick and choose” where it invests its resources. “We should be focused on our own problems, and that’s mostly China,” Mr. Vance said in April. “My argument is the Chinese are focused on real power. They’re not focused on how tough people talk on TV or how strong our alleged resolve is. They’re focused on how strong we actually are, and to be strong enough to push back against the Chinese, we’ve got to focus there, and right now, we’re stretched too thin.”

HI Frontline members,

I will be offline for a few days as I need to have eye surgery tomorrow … I have had a bleed behind eye and a tear in my retina that has caused hassles. The surgeon has assured me that he can fix the tear once the blood has been drained. I will have a patch over my eye for 10 to 14 days and no driving.

Hopefully, all going well I’ll be back online on Saturday or Sunday.

Back soon

Ray

Vietnam Veteran Peter Hegarty really enjoyed his time in the Australian Army. He speaks with a full heart of friendships made and fond memories. Peter also explains just how difficult it was to be away from his family during the Vietnam War and how overjoyed he was when he found a job after the war that allowed him to travel back to his family.

Chinese and Belarusian troops have commenced joint military exercises close to the Polish border, citing a response to the “West’s aggressive foreign policy.”

The Drills

The military exercises, dubbed Eagle Assault, are set to last for 11 days and encompass a variety of operations, including:

• Night landing operations
• Overcoming water obstacles
• Conducting urban operations

Motivations

Belarusian authorities assert that these drills are a reaction to:

• NATO’s increasing presence along its border
• Provocations from Ukraine

Broader Context

The timing of these drills is notable, occurring just before the upcoming NATO summit in Washington. Key topics at the summit are expected to include:

• Border protection discussions involving Poland and Lithuania
• Strategies for aiding Ukraine and enhancing defence

Belarus’ Strategic Position

Belarus remains a staunch ally of Russia, having provided logistical support since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Furthermore, Belarus recently joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, strengthening its alignment with China and Russia.

Vietnam Veteran Eric Law speaks about Cherbourg, being on country and what it meant to serve Australia during the 1970s. Eric has a strong connection to his heritage and shared with us what it was liked to be displaced 1/2 a world away from home.

Contemporary fighter aircraft, designed for air superiority and dominance, have evolved significantly from their timber and canvas predecessors. Today’s integrated fifth-generation aircraft, such as the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, Sukhoi Su-57 Felon, J-20 Mighty Dragon, and FC-31 Gyrfalcon, represent the pinnacle of modern fighter design, drawing on a century of advancements in aircraft technology and air combat.

For the United States and its allies, the F-22 Raptor, conceived during the Cold War, stands as the world’s premier aerial predator. It combines stealth, super-manoeuvrability, and networked lethality, ensuring dominance in the skies. However, this pursuit of unparalleled air superiority came at a high cost, exacerbated by post-Cold War perceptions that such capabilities were no longer necessary.

The costs of replacing the aging F-15 Eagle fleet with 850 F-22 Raptors proved prohibitive, leading to a preference for the more affordable and mass-producible F-35 Lightning II. However, the rapid modernization of air forces by China and Russia, with their own fifth generation and advanced fourth-generation fighters, has prompted the US and its allies to develop next-generation aircraft, such as the US Air Force’s NGAD and the US Navy’s F/A-XX programs. These programs face significant cost challenges, with the NGAD’s estimated per-unit cost between $250-350 million.

In response, US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall has emphasized cost-efficiency, speed to capability, and trade-offs in the NGAD program. Kendall is exploring less expensive alternatives, balancing the need for advanced capabilities with affordability and scalability.

One potential solution is the development of an improved F-22 Raptor, leveraging advancements from the F-35. In 2018, Lockheed Martin proposed a hybrid F-22/F-35 to Japan, which would enhance the F-22’s range, simplify maintenance, and incorporate cutting-edge technologies from the F-35. This proposal marks a shift from the long-standing export ban on the Raptor.

Despite past resistance to reopening the Raptor production line, cost-effective collaboration between the US and allies like Australia, Japan, and the UK could yield significant benefits. A joint effort to develop and procure a “Raptor II” could provide a scalable, advanced air combat capability, bolstering global air superiority.

The Australian government, planning to extend the service life of its F/A-18 Super Hornets and Growlers into the 2040s alongside its F-35 fleet, should consider innovative approaches to maintain its air superiority. A collaborative Raptor II program could enhance Australia’s expeditionary air capability, ensuring it remains at the forefront of air combat technology and strategy.

The Australian government has announced the acquisition of new Switchblade 300 drones, enhancing the capabilities of the nation’s soldiers to address emerging threats. Known as “kamikaze” drones, these precision loitering munitions mark the first time the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will employ drone weaponry, as previous drones were primarily used for surveillance and intelligence.

Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy MP emphasized the government’s commitment to national security. “The prosperity and security of our nation will always be a top priority for the government,” he stated. “Providing our soldiers with critical capabilities to protect Australians and their interests is paramount.”

The Defence Strategic Review underscored the importance of integrating new technology and maintaining an asymmetric advantage. Mr. Conroy highlighted the urgency of keeping pace with advancing battle technology, noting the rapid introduction of these precision loitering munitions to the ADF’s arsenal. “The delivery of this proven precision loitering munition demonstrates the speed at which we are introducing capabilities to the ADF,” he said. “It shows the Australian government is committed to providing the ADF with state-of-the-art technologies needed to meet contemporary threats.”

What Does the Switchblade 300 Do?

Unlike traditional reconnaissance drones, the Switchblade 300 is designed to “loiter” over a target area before crashing into the target and exploding. These drones are portable, carried in a soldier’s backpack, and deployed by firing them into the air where their wings unfold—hence the name “switchblade.”

Loitering munitions have proven highly effective in modern warfare, as evidenced by their use by Ukrainian forces against Russian invaders. The Australian government believes these weapons will offer superior lethality and protection against potential adversaries.

The ADF already employs a variety of non-armed and armed-capable drones, some of which have been in service for over a decade. The first Switchblade drones are expected to be delivered to Australia later this year, with service introduction slated for 2025. Although specific costs were not disclosed, reports indicate that the U.S. government has paid up to $80,000 (AUD 118,885) per Switchblade 300 drone, and hundreds have already been supplied to Ukrainian forces.