1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,807 Okay , good afternoon everybody . Just 2 00:00:02,807 --> 00:00:04,751 a couple of things at the top here 3 00:00:05,340 --> 00:00:07,560 today was the last day of exercise . 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,160 Noble Fusion , a joint and combined 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,327 naval expeditionary exercise combining 6 00:00:12,327 --> 00:00:14,480 multiple elements of the US Navy , 7 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,536 Marine Corps and Air Force alongside 8 00:00:16,536 --> 00:00:18,940 the Japan Maritime Self Defense force 9 00:00:19,070 --> 00:00:21,560 in the Philippine sea . This was the 10 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,560 first time since 2018 that to marine 11 00:00:24,570 --> 00:00:26,980 expeditionary unit amphibious ready 12 00:00:26,980 --> 00:00:30,180 group teams were operating together in 13 00:00:30,180 --> 00:00:32,460 the Indo Pacific . The exercise was 14 00:00:32,460 --> 00:00:34,516 conducted from the first until seven 15 00:00:34,516 --> 00:00:36,738 February in the vicinity of Okinawa and 16 00:00:36,738 --> 00:00:39,240 Miyako and Luzon Straits . And it 17 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,462 demonstrates that Navy and Marine Corps 18 00:00:41,462 --> 00:00:43,310 forward deployed stand in naval 19 00:00:43,310 --> 00:00:45,143 expeditionary forces can rapidly 20 00:00:45,143 --> 00:00:48,420 aggregate multiple mu and our teams at 21 00:00:48,420 --> 00:00:50,730 sea with other joint and allied forces 22 00:00:50,740 --> 00:00:52,830 to conduct lethal . See denial 23 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,660 operations , seize key terrain , 24 00:00:55,730 --> 00:00:58,200 guarantee , freedom of movement and 25 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,330 create advantage for US partner and 26 00:01:00,330 --> 00:01:02,960 allied forces now on the personnel 27 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,071 front today , the department welcomed 28 00:01:05,071 --> 00:01:06,960 Mr Andrew Hunter as the Air Force 29 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:08,960 Assistant Secretary for acquisition 30 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:11,470 technology and logistics . However , as 31 00:01:11,470 --> 00:01:13,470 directed by the deputy secretary of 32 00:01:13,470 --> 00:01:15,580 defense Dr Hicks Andrew will be 33 00:01:15,580 --> 00:01:17,191 performing the duties of the 34 00:01:17,191 --> 00:01:18,858 undersecretary of Defense for 35 00:01:18,858 --> 00:01:20,858 acquisition and sustainment in this 36 00:01:20,858 --> 00:01:22,969 role . Andrew will be responsible for 37 00:01:22,969 --> 00:01:25,191 all matters pertaining to acquisition , 38 00:01:25,191 --> 00:01:27,302 contract , administration , logistics 39 00:01:27,302 --> 00:01:29,469 and material readiness , installations 40 00:01:29,469 --> 00:01:31,650 and environment , operational energy , 41 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:33,549 chemical , biological and nuclear 42 00:01:33,549 --> 00:01:35,771 weapons , the acquisition workforce and 43 00:01:35,771 --> 00:01:37,938 the defense industrial base . You will 44 00:01:37,938 --> 00:01:40,790 have a fairly big inbox and we also 45 00:01:40,790 --> 00:01:42,957 want to thank Mr Gregg cow's owner for 46 00:01:42,957 --> 00:01:45,234 his willingness to step into the U . S . 47 00:01:45,234 --> 00:01:47,750 D . For A . And S . Role which he has 48 00:01:47,750 --> 00:01:50,860 been serving in since august 2021 we 49 00:01:50,860 --> 00:01:52,971 all welcome Mr Hunter to the team and 50 00:01:52,971 --> 00:01:55,400 glad he's been confirmed and and ready 51 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:57,260 to go . And with that we'll take 52 00:01:57,260 --> 00:01:59,427 questions . I think lita we got you on 53 00:01:59,427 --> 00:02:02,920 the phone . Yes john thank you . Um 54 00:02:02,930 --> 00:02:05,730 can you give us a better more detailed 55 00:02:05,730 --> 00:02:08,520 sense of what the troops , the U . S . 56 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,130 Troops in Poland and Romania are 57 00:02:11,140 --> 00:02:13,290 actually doing right now . Are they 58 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,160 training or are they just kind of 59 00:02:17,540 --> 00:02:20,980 sit and then are you 60 00:02:20,980 --> 00:02:24,890 seeing any build up of Russian or 61 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,360 Russian troops or any other threat 62 00:02:27,740 --> 00:02:31,090 along the borders with Poland , Latvia 63 00:02:31,090 --> 00:02:34,960 and Lithuania . Um No 64 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,270 specific or additional threats in terms 65 00:02:38,270 --> 00:02:41,430 of directly from Russia to NATO's 66 00:02:41,430 --> 00:02:44,710 eastern flank leader . We do however , 67 00:02:44,710 --> 00:02:48,230 continue to see uh sizable forces can 68 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,580 continue to be ad added to the forces 69 00:02:51,580 --> 00:02:54,160 that Mr Putin has arrayed in in the 70 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,420 south in Crimea and alongside Ukraine's 71 00:02:57,420 --> 00:02:59,364 borders including in Belarus , but 72 00:02:59,364 --> 00:03:03,290 nothing directly posed at or aimed at 73 00:03:03,550 --> 00:03:06,070 NATO's eastern flank As for what 74 00:03:06,070 --> 00:03:09,450 they're doing . Um the uh they're only 75 00:03:09,450 --> 00:03:11,561 just now arriving on station leader . 76 00:03:11,561 --> 00:03:14,050 So I don't have a menu of activities 77 00:03:14,050 --> 00:03:16,110 that they've conducted in the last , 78 00:03:16,110 --> 00:03:18,780 you know , 24-48 hours . I mean largely 79 00:03:18,780 --> 00:03:20,613 this has been about movement and 80 00:03:20,613 --> 00:03:22,724 arrival uh and getting in and getting 81 00:03:22,724 --> 00:03:25,650 set up . I would expect you to see them 82 00:03:26,340 --> 00:03:29,040 uh Once they get settled in to to begin 83 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:31,530 to conduct some exercises with their uh 84 00:03:31,540 --> 00:03:34,710 with their partners in Romania and in 85 00:03:34,710 --> 00:03:37,090 Poland uh and as well as just you know , 86 00:03:37,100 --> 00:03:39,560 making sure that the they have all the 87 00:03:40,140 --> 00:03:42,140 Logistics and sustainment that they 88 00:03:42,140 --> 00:03:44,362 need for the time that they'll be there 89 00:03:44,362 --> 00:03:46,473 when there's when we're talking about 90 00:03:46,473 --> 00:03:48,730 the 82nd and Poland only leading 91 00:03:48,730 --> 00:03:50,841 elements have arrived . So you know , 92 00:03:50,841 --> 00:03:53,990 we said there was gonna be 1700 all 93 00:03:53,990 --> 00:03:57,050 told and only a few 100 have arrived 94 00:03:57,050 --> 00:03:59,050 actually . I think it's more like a 95 00:03:59,050 --> 00:04:01,106 couple of 100 right now . So there's 96 00:04:01,106 --> 00:04:01,100 more to there's more to flow in and 97 00:04:01,100 --> 00:04:03,044 that that will happen over the the 98 00:04:03,044 --> 00:04:05,840 coming days . Okay . Yeah . 99 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,190 Thanks for doing this . Who are you 100 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:15,260 who who who are you Pete from 101 00:04:15,260 --> 00:04:18,790 Bloomberg Alright . Oh I didn't think , 102 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,551 I assumed he was a reporter . He just 103 00:04:21,551 --> 00:04:23,829 hadn't had a chance to see you in here . 104 00:04:25,140 --> 00:04:29,100 That's right . Anyway . Island 105 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:31,260 any additional details . 106 00:04:37,350 --> 00:04:39,628 And do you have any updated assessment ? 107 00:04:41,940 --> 00:04:44,360 Um So here's what I would say , 108 00:04:46,140 --> 00:04:48,480 even in just just over the course of 109 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,420 the weekend we saw Mr Putin add to his 110 00:04:52,780 --> 00:04:55,850 force capability along that border with 111 00:04:55,850 --> 00:04:58,590 Ukraine and Belarus and without getting 112 00:04:58,590 --> 00:05:00,970 into specific numbers , I mean he is 113 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,210 Uh he's well north of 100,000 and it 114 00:05:05,210 --> 00:05:08,810 continues to grow . Uh But what's 115 00:05:08,820 --> 00:05:12,110 important is not just the numbers , 116 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,870 it's the capabilities and what we 117 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,780 see is that he is really putting in 118 00:05:18,780 --> 00:05:20,710 place robust what we would call 119 00:05:20,710 --> 00:05:24,010 combined arms capabilities uh in 120 00:05:24,010 --> 00:05:25,954 Belarus and along that border with 121 00:05:25,954 --> 00:05:29,530 Ukraine in in Russia , that means not 122 00:05:29,530 --> 00:05:32,350 just infantry or tracked vehicles , but , 123 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,630 but uh , but artillery and long range 124 00:05:35,630 --> 00:05:39,450 fires and um air and missile defense 125 00:05:39,460 --> 00:05:41,950 as well as special operations . I mean , 126 00:05:41,950 --> 00:05:44,320 he has a full suite available to him , 127 00:05:44,330 --> 00:05:47,310 uh , and it continues to grow every day , 128 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,850 including just over the last two days . 129 00:05:50,310 --> 00:05:53,720 As for indications of of an 130 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,790 invasion , we don't have anything 131 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,550 specific that we can point to as an Aha 132 00:05:58,550 --> 00:06:00,990 moment and say , well , that's it now . 133 00:06:00,990 --> 00:06:03,101 We know that he's definitely going in 134 00:06:03,101 --> 00:06:05,157 and he's definitely going in on such 135 00:06:05,157 --> 00:06:07,268 and such a date . But again , I would 136 00:06:07,268 --> 00:06:09,434 go back to what we continue to see him 137 00:06:09,434 --> 00:06:11,323 build there and it's not just the 138 00:06:11,323 --> 00:06:13,434 combined arms capabilities , it's the 139 00:06:13,434 --> 00:06:15,730 ability to sustain these troops in the 140 00:06:15,730 --> 00:06:18,170 field for a period of time . So even as 141 00:06:18,170 --> 00:06:20,392 he has added combat capability , he has 142 00:06:20,392 --> 00:06:22,690 also added logistics and sustainment 143 00:06:22,690 --> 00:06:25,560 capability . In other words , the uh , 144 00:06:25,940 --> 00:06:27,884 the ability to to keep them in the 145 00:06:27,884 --> 00:06:30,600 field for longer and longer periods of 146 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,160 time . So it's a it's a , 147 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,096 a whole panoply of things that we're 148 00:06:37,096 --> 00:06:39,500 looking at and and watching . Um , we 149 00:06:39,510 --> 00:06:43,110 we could not say with specificity now A 150 00:06:43,110 --> 00:06:45,332 that he's made a final decision one way 151 00:06:45,332 --> 00:06:47,590 or another or b if he does what it's 152 00:06:47,590 --> 00:06:50,450 going to be , but with each passing day , 153 00:06:50,460 --> 00:06:53,080 he gives he gives himself a lot more 154 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,302 options from a military perspective and 155 00:06:55,302 --> 00:06:57,524 I would just add if I might incite your 156 00:06:57,524 --> 00:06:59,970 question , but there is still time and 157 00:06:59,980 --> 00:07:02,147 space for diplomacy . We still believe 158 00:07:02,147 --> 00:07:04,313 there's a diplomatic path forward that 159 00:07:04,313 --> 00:07:06,870 should and can be pursued . Um And Mr 160 00:07:06,870 --> 00:07:09,510 Putin can easily deescalate de escalate 161 00:07:09,510 --> 00:07:11,950 the tensions by just taking some of 162 00:07:11,950 --> 00:07:14,230 that force presence away which is 163 00:07:14,230 --> 00:07:16,452 certainly within his power to do that . 164 00:07:16,452 --> 00:07:18,619 Did that answer your question ? Yeah , 165 00:07:18,619 --> 00:07:20,786 sorry that I didn't recognize you With 166 00:07:20,786 --> 00:07:22,841 your mask on john are you seeing any 167 00:07:22,841 --> 00:07:25,008 evidence that Putin is planning to use 168 00:07:25,008 --> 00:07:28,690 or deploy hypersonic weapons ? Ah I 169 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:30,700 don't see any indication of that at 170 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:32,700 this time , but we're watching this 171 00:07:32,700 --> 00:07:35,010 very closely . I'm not gonna rule 172 00:07:35,010 --> 00:07:37,140 anything in or out for Mr Putin . He 173 00:07:37,150 --> 00:07:40,640 again uh continues to add to his 174 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,140 capabilities . Uh it's not it would it 175 00:07:44,140 --> 00:07:46,940 wouldn't be exactly clear if the intent 176 00:07:46,940 --> 00:07:50,740 is to invade Ukraine . Uh why one would 177 00:07:50,740 --> 00:07:52,851 need a hypersonic weapon to do that . 178 00:07:52,851 --> 00:07:54,907 Uh those weapons , as you know , are 179 00:07:54,907 --> 00:07:57,520 meant to be used at extremely long 180 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,870 intercontinental range is uh into 181 00:07:59,870 --> 00:08:03,660 approach with stealth and speed . Um It 182 00:08:04,540 --> 00:08:06,873 again , I don't know what's in his head , 183 00:08:06,873 --> 00:08:09,040 but one would not think that one would 184 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,040 need that sort of weapon if one was 185 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:12,984 going to invade Ukraine from right 186 00:08:12,984 --> 00:08:16,420 across the border . Again , I won't get 187 00:08:16,420 --> 00:08:20,150 inside his head . We haven't seen any 188 00:08:20,150 --> 00:08:22,261 indications of that . With respect to 189 00:08:22,261 --> 00:08:24,330 what's going on in Ukraine . 190 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:29,940 The Russians officer class , the 191 00:08:29,950 --> 00:08:32,650 general the generals who surround who 192 00:08:33,340 --> 00:08:36,330 is there any sense they might be 193 00:08:36,330 --> 00:08:38,386 telling them that this is not such a 194 00:08:38,386 --> 00:08:40,497 great idea . You have seen some press 195 00:08:40,497 --> 00:08:42,386 reporting on that today . I can't 196 00:08:42,386 --> 00:08:44,160 confirm those reports . Um uh 197 00:08:47,610 --> 00:08:49,160 I would just say that 198 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,720 major military decisions don't get made 199 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,800 in that country without Mr Putin being 200 00:08:56,810 --> 00:09:00,650 directly involved . And and so 201 00:09:01,740 --> 00:09:05,120 what we're basing our judgments on is 202 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:07,930 what they're actually doing . I 203 00:09:07,930 --> 00:09:09,819 shouldn't say our judgments , our 204 00:09:09,819 --> 00:09:11,763 expectations based on what they're 205 00:09:11,763 --> 00:09:13,986 actually doing , what we're seeing them 206 00:09:13,986 --> 00:09:16,097 do and they continue whether there is 207 00:09:16,097 --> 00:09:18,208 dissension in the ranks or not , they 208 00:09:18,208 --> 00:09:20,319 continue to add to their capabilities 209 00:09:20,319 --> 00:09:22,097 if they want to conduct another 210 00:09:22,097 --> 00:09:25,890 invasion of Ukraine . Yeah . Or two 211 00:09:25,890 --> 00:09:29,880 questions what we're doing . 212 00:09:29,890 --> 00:09:32,001 We're doing great on the sound here , 213 00:09:32,001 --> 00:09:34,870 aren't we ? You better make them really 214 00:09:34,870 --> 00:09:37,640 short questions given the number of 215 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:39,751 forces he has right there in Russia , 216 00:09:39,751 --> 00:09:41,862 Ukraine , he simply made the decision 217 00:09:41,862 --> 00:09:43,862 to leave other parts of the country 218 00:09:43,862 --> 00:09:46,029 relatively undefended . And the second 219 00:09:46,029 --> 00:09:48,140 question , you mean , you mean Russia 220 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,296 and the second question , any update 221 00:09:51,296 --> 00:09:53,018 you can give on discussions or 222 00:09:53,018 --> 00:09:55,129 decisions unilaterally send troops to 223 00:09:55,129 --> 00:09:57,184 other to support others and no other 224 00:09:57,184 --> 00:09:59,296 announcements to make with respect to 225 00:09:59,296 --> 00:10:01,296 potential other moves either inside 226 00:10:01,296 --> 00:10:03,690 europe or outside europe from the 227 00:10:03,690 --> 00:10:05,912 United States , there have nothing more 228 00:10:05,912 --> 00:10:09,360 to uh announce on that today , I would 229 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,693 remind and I know I've said this before , 230 00:10:11,693 --> 00:10:13,860 but it bears repeating , you know , we 231 00:10:13,860 --> 00:10:15,971 have upwards of 80,000 troops already 232 00:10:15,971 --> 00:10:18,138 on the European continent . So there's 233 00:10:18,138 --> 00:10:20,249 a lot of capability that just already 234 00:10:20,249 --> 00:10:22,360 exists . Um , it may not have to move 235 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,980 anywhere . Um , on your other question 236 00:10:24,980 --> 00:10:28,040 about whether he's creating 237 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:29,929 vulnerabilities by moving so many 238 00:10:29,929 --> 00:10:32,096 forces to the , to the west . I mean , 239 00:10:32,096 --> 00:10:34,262 those are , you know , those are trade 240 00:10:34,262 --> 00:10:36,096 off decisions that any uh senior 241 00:10:36,096 --> 00:10:38,210 political leader has to make with 242 00:10:38,210 --> 00:10:41,520 respect to military forces because uh , 243 00:10:41,940 --> 00:10:44,273 even in the military is capable of ours . 244 00:10:44,273 --> 00:10:46,496 I mean , it's , you know , you , if you 245 00:10:46,496 --> 00:10:48,384 add capability somewhere , you're 246 00:10:48,384 --> 00:10:50,273 obviously taking away , there are 247 00:10:50,273 --> 00:10:52,329 finite amounts of troops and systems 248 00:10:52,329 --> 00:10:54,607 and weapons that any country possesses . 249 00:10:54,607 --> 00:10:58,480 Um , so I would , I 250 00:10:58,490 --> 00:11:00,657 would , well , I wouldn't , I wouldn't 251 00:11:00,657 --> 00:11:03,340 assume anything , but normally any 252 00:11:03,350 --> 00:11:05,630 leader making these decisions would 253 00:11:05,630 --> 00:11:08,030 have to factor in whatever risks and 254 00:11:08,030 --> 00:11:10,110 vulnerabilities , such a massive 255 00:11:10,110 --> 00:11:12,110 movement over such a long period of 256 00:11:12,110 --> 00:11:14,388 time would have in other areas . Again , 257 00:11:14,388 --> 00:11:16,610 we're really focused on what he's doing 258 00:11:16,610 --> 00:11:18,777 right there in the western part of his 259 00:11:18,777 --> 00:11:21,570 country . Yeah . Two things can you do , 260 00:11:21,570 --> 00:11:25,390 you have it handy right now ? What 261 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,190 all has moved in as part of this ? So 262 00:11:28,190 --> 00:11:30,800 you said early elements of the 82nd , 263 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,050 300 have gone in Germany . Is there 264 00:11:34,060 --> 00:11:36,282 anything else you can say that ? Like , 265 00:11:36,282 --> 00:11:38,338 you just give us a rundown ? I think 266 00:11:38,338 --> 00:11:40,504 you almost did it right there . Yeah , 267 00:11:40,504 --> 00:11:42,616 I mean , it's a it's a couple 100 out 268 00:11:42,616 --> 00:11:42,410 of the 82nd . I've already been , there 269 00:11:42,420 --> 00:11:44,890 will eventually get to 1700 over the 270 00:11:44,890 --> 00:11:47,780 coming days . The headquarters element 271 00:11:47,780 --> 00:11:49,891 for the 18th Airborne Corps is pretty 272 00:11:49,891 --> 00:11:52,870 much all in place . Um uh There'll be 273 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:54,936 some puts and takes , I think , over 274 00:11:54,936 --> 00:11:57,047 the coming days , but that was a very 275 00:11:57,047 --> 00:11:59,030 small 300 person or so . Um JTF 276 00:11:59,030 --> 00:12:03,030 headquarters , the 1000 striker troops 277 00:12:03,030 --> 00:12:05,252 from Germany to Romania . I think there 278 00:12:05,252 --> 00:12:08,190 there now there's nothing else that I'm 279 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,450 tracking that's going to be moving . No 280 00:12:10,450 --> 00:12:12,617 other additional forces put on P . T . 281 00:12:12,617 --> 00:12:14,710 D . O . From last week . So I think 282 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,887 we're kind of where we are right now . 283 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:18,873 And then , Are you are there any 284 00:12:18,873 --> 00:12:20,929 indications that President Putin now 285 00:12:20,929 --> 00:12:23,680 that there's , you know , this talk of 286 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:25,791 a potential for a full scale invasion 287 00:12:25,791 --> 00:12:27,847 of the country , that he's preparing 288 00:12:27,847 --> 00:12:29,902 some sort of an occupation force for 289 00:12:29,902 --> 00:12:32,069 post invasion . If in fact Russia does 290 00:12:32,069 --> 00:12:34,180 trying to take over Ukraine . And can 291 00:12:34,180 --> 00:12:36,402 you give us any sense of how large that 292 00:12:36,402 --> 00:12:38,624 force might be ? I don't have I I don't 293 00:12:38,624 --> 00:12:40,458 have estimates on that . Again , 294 00:12:40,458 --> 00:12:42,624 Everything kind of flows from whatever 295 00:12:42,624 --> 00:12:44,624 his decision is . And as we've said 296 00:12:44,624 --> 00:12:46,847 before , I mean , he could do something 297 00:12:46,847 --> 00:12:49,250 of a small scale uh and of a temporary 298 00:12:49,250 --> 00:12:51,810 nature , perhaps in the eastern part 299 00:12:51,820 --> 00:12:53,876 and Donbas , you're hearing a lot of 300 00:12:53,876 --> 00:12:55,598 Russian state media talk about 301 00:12:55,598 --> 00:12:59,230 Ukrainian aggressions in the Donbas um 302 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,407 or he could do something much bigger . 303 00:13:01,407 --> 00:13:03,684 Um And if he did something much bigger , 304 00:13:03,684 --> 00:13:07,400 you know , in terms of trying to occupy 305 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,310 more of Ukraine for a longer period of 306 00:13:10,310 --> 00:13:12,530 time , then clearly one would have to 307 00:13:12,530 --> 00:13:14,586 expect that he would do the planning 308 00:13:14,586 --> 00:13:16,752 for what , that's what that occupation 309 00:13:16,752 --> 00:13:19,990 would look like . Um And uh as we know 310 00:13:19,990 --> 00:13:22,580 from our own experience , uh you know , 311 00:13:22,590 --> 00:13:24,850 if you're intending to hold territory , 312 00:13:24,940 --> 00:13:26,940 you've got to do , you have to make 313 00:13:26,940 --> 00:13:28,940 sure you have plenty of sustainment 314 00:13:28,940 --> 00:13:31,218 capability to do that to include ample , 315 00:13:31,230 --> 00:13:33,840 ample force . But again , I don't , we 316 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,062 don't know exactly what he's planning . 317 00:13:36,062 --> 00:13:38,380 Um so I couldn't give you a number of 318 00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:40,380 like what an occupation force would 319 00:13:40,380 --> 00:13:42,380 look like because it's really gonna 320 00:13:42,380 --> 00:13:44,602 depend on what he ends up doing . And I 321 00:13:44,602 --> 00:13:46,824 know I sound like a broken record , but 322 00:13:46,824 --> 00:13:48,880 one thing he could do is simply move 323 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:50,880 these troops away , de escalate the 324 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:52,602 tensions and get serious about 325 00:13:52,602 --> 00:13:54,547 diplomatic negotiations and find a 326 00:13:54,547 --> 00:13:56,658 peaceful way through this . Let me go 327 00:13:56,658 --> 00:13:58,769 to the phones . I haven't , I've done 328 00:13:58,769 --> 00:14:00,769 that and I've got to try to be down 329 00:14:00,769 --> 00:14:02,990 here in about 15 minutes . Um so I'm 330 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,000 probably not gonna get to everybody 331 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,167 today . Howard Altman Military Times , 332 00:14:08,740 --> 00:14:11,010 john the american public has an 333 00:14:11,010 --> 00:14:13,730 absolute right to know how and what its 334 00:14:13,730 --> 00:14:15,619 troops are doing and how taxpayer 335 00:14:15,619 --> 00:14:17,786 dollars are being spent . Can you tell 336 00:14:17,786 --> 00:14:20,070 me when journalists will be allowed to 337 00:14:20,070 --> 00:14:22,690 be dead with troops going over to 338 00:14:22,690 --> 00:14:25,820 europe and if not soon , who or what is 339 00:14:25,830 --> 00:14:28,500 holding that decision up ? Thank you , 340 00:14:30,620 --> 00:14:32,731 I'm the Assistant to the Secretary of 341 00:14:32,731 --> 00:14:35,200 Defense for public affairs . So uh , 342 00:14:35,210 --> 00:14:37,620 I'm the one responsible for decisions 343 00:14:37,620 --> 00:14:40,500 that are made about media access to our 344 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:43,460 operations and to our people . So two 345 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,373 to paraphrase the famous Harry S Truman , 346 00:14:46,373 --> 00:14:48,484 the buck stops with me on this . Um , 347 00:14:48,484 --> 00:14:51,360 we're still working our way through um , 348 00:14:51,940 --> 00:14:55,600 what what would be the appropriate 349 00:14:55,610 --> 00:14:58,190 level of media access here to to what 350 00:14:58,190 --> 00:15:00,190 our troops are doing ? I just don't 351 00:15:00,190 --> 00:15:02,357 have anything to announce to you today 352 00:15:02,357 --> 00:15:04,900 or to speak specifically . I certainly 353 00:15:04,900 --> 00:15:06,910 have heard loud and clear uh , the 354 00:15:06,910 --> 00:15:08,854 interest , I understand that and I 355 00:15:08,854 --> 00:15:11,170 respect that . But when I have 356 00:15:11,170 --> 00:15:13,337 something , you know , more that I can 357 00:15:13,337 --> 00:15:15,448 be more definitive , I certainly will 358 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,430 Tony . Capasso . Hi john I had a 359 00:15:19,430 --> 00:15:21,940 question on polish tanks and once a 360 00:15:21,940 --> 00:15:23,970 number of senators wrote Senator , 361 00:15:23,980 --> 00:15:26,260 Secretary Austin february 3rd and 362 00:15:26,260 --> 00:15:28,350 secretary Blinken asking them to 363 00:15:28,350 --> 00:15:31,190 Expedia expedite approval of a formal M 364 00:15:31,190 --> 00:15:34,210 one tank requests Poland made in july . 365 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,169 I understand the defense Security 366 00:15:36,169 --> 00:15:38,570 cooperation agency has either not yet 367 00:15:38,580 --> 00:15:40,850 or recently finished its analysis for 368 00:15:40,850 --> 00:15:42,739 the State Department . What's the 369 00:15:42,739 --> 00:15:44,850 status of that dot the review and why 370 00:15:44,850 --> 00:15:47,680 has it taken so long as for how long it 371 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,960 takes . I mean , you can imagine this 372 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,127 is not a small decision and we want to 373 00:15:52,127 --> 00:15:54,127 make sure we get it right . I don't 374 00:15:54,127 --> 00:15:56,238 have any updates for you today . Uh , 375 00:15:56,238 --> 00:15:58,530 Tony . Um , but uh , I'll check to see 376 00:15:58,530 --> 00:16:00,641 if there's a process , answer that we 377 00:16:00,641 --> 00:16:02,586 can provide you . Um , but again , 378 00:16:02,586 --> 00:16:04,919 these are not decisions we take lightly . 379 00:16:04,919 --> 00:16:07,086 And , uh , we certainly understand and 380 00:16:07,086 --> 00:16:09,363 respect the oversight role of Congress . 381 00:16:09,363 --> 00:16:12,290 Uh , and we also understand and respect 382 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,970 our polish allies . Um , and , 383 00:16:15,970 --> 00:16:18,137 uh , and the defense relationship that 384 00:16:18,137 --> 00:16:20,248 we have with them . I just don't have 385 00:16:20,248 --> 00:16:22,414 any announcements today . Louis john , 386 00:16:22,414 --> 00:16:24,414 there was a sailor that passed away 387 00:16:24,414 --> 00:16:27,550 this weekend at the assessment course . 388 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,670 Is secretary aware of this Is , do you 389 00:16:30,670 --> 00:16:32,614 have any concerns about this ? And 390 00:16:32,614 --> 00:16:34,614 there have been some criticism that 391 00:16:34,614 --> 00:16:37,650 maybe the training for this whole week , 392 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,630 as it is known , maybe too much the 393 00:16:41,630 --> 00:16:45,630 Hilton understand the secretary 394 00:16:45,630 --> 00:16:47,908 was briefed on the incident . Uh , and , 395 00:16:47,908 --> 00:16:51,150 uh , he sends his deepest condolences 396 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,327 to the family . And that's the kind of 397 00:16:53,327 --> 00:16:56,700 news that , that no parent wants to get . 398 00:16:56,710 --> 00:16:59,500 Uh , so he knows that the navy is 399 00:16:59,500 --> 00:17:01,500 looking into this and they're fully 400 00:17:01,500 --> 00:17:03,840 investigating the cause of death . And 401 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,840 I think the secretary wants to make 402 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,062 sure that he gives the Navy the time to 403 00:17:08,062 --> 00:17:10,284 look at this carefully and thoughtfully 404 00:17:10,284 --> 00:17:12,007 before coming down any kind of 405 00:17:12,007 --> 00:17:14,640 conclusions . Obviously , um , you know , 406 00:17:14,650 --> 00:17:17,510 one such accident is 11 too many . If 407 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,742 we just don't know , we just don't know 408 00:17:19,742 --> 00:17:21,853 what happened here . So is it , is it 409 00:17:21,853 --> 00:17:24,076 too prematurely to make criticisms like 410 00:17:24,076 --> 00:17:27,520 that ? Wow , very stringent 411 00:17:27,660 --> 00:17:30,480 standards that points . I mean , the 412 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,190 training has to be demanding given the 413 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,990 work that our navy seals do on behalf 414 00:17:35,990 --> 00:17:38,101 of this country every single day . So 415 00:17:38,101 --> 00:17:40,157 you would expect the standards to be 416 00:17:40,157 --> 00:17:42,323 very , very high for their readiness . 417 00:17:42,323 --> 00:17:44,670 I think right now two things need to be 418 00:17:44,670 --> 00:17:46,670 focused on . One is support for the 419 00:17:46,670 --> 00:17:48,837 family , a grieving family who is just 420 00:17:48,837 --> 00:17:50,970 going through agony right now and to 421 00:17:50,980 --> 00:17:53,970 giving the navy time to investigate 422 00:17:53,970 --> 00:17:56,192 this death and really try to figure out 423 00:17:56,192 --> 00:17:58,192 what happened here . And I think it 424 00:17:58,192 --> 00:18:00,248 would be not only premature , but it 425 00:18:00,248 --> 00:18:02,414 would be irresponsible to get ahead of 426 00:18:02,414 --> 00:18:04,414 that process at this point . Yeah . 427 00:18:04,414 --> 00:18:08,170 Funny . Do you have any updates ? Great 428 00:18:09,940 --> 00:18:12,250 ISIS leader , the secretary and his 429 00:18:12,250 --> 00:18:14,660 statements ? The department will look 430 00:18:14,660 --> 00:18:18,250 into whether any action the U . S . 431 00:18:18,250 --> 00:18:21,690 Forces have contributed . I need to go 432 00:18:21,690 --> 00:18:24,150 again . Okay . Because we're getting 433 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,530 reports from the ground that puts 434 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,560 casualties more than big assessment . 435 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:35,262 Yeah , I don't have an update for you , 436 00:18:35,262 --> 00:18:37,429 fatty . I mean , we continued to do an 437 00:18:37,429 --> 00:18:39,429 after action review on this and you 438 00:18:39,429 --> 00:18:41,262 know , as we know more uh well , 439 00:18:41,262 --> 00:18:44,490 certainly provided I uh and as you saw 440 00:18:44,490 --> 00:18:46,546 in the Secretary's statement , we're 441 00:18:46,546 --> 00:18:48,601 certainly willing to take a look and 442 00:18:48,601 --> 00:18:50,712 and and and to see if um if there was 443 00:18:50,712 --> 00:18:52,879 any actions taken by the United States 444 00:18:52,879 --> 00:18:55,520 that that could have caused um civilian 445 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,631 casualties . Um , and again , we just 446 00:18:57,631 --> 00:18:59,840 don't have any more granularity . Um , 447 00:19:00,230 --> 00:19:02,360 I think it is worth reminding though 448 00:19:04,570 --> 00:19:08,330 how the the kind of restraint that the 449 00:19:08,330 --> 00:19:10,497 special operators showed every step of 450 00:19:10,497 --> 00:19:12,552 the way . Uh , and the fact that the 451 00:19:12,552 --> 00:19:15,310 raid was done at all shows the degree 452 00:19:15,310 --> 00:19:18,460 to which we were willing to try to 453 00:19:18,460 --> 00:19:21,400 avoid and minimize any civilian harm , 454 00:19:21,410 --> 00:19:23,577 uh , doing it the way we did , knowing 455 00:19:23,577 --> 00:19:25,688 that there was an innocent family who 456 00:19:25,688 --> 00:19:27,799 didn't even know who else was in that 457 00:19:27,799 --> 00:19:29,910 house on that first floor and getting 458 00:19:29,910 --> 00:19:31,854 them all out safely as well as for 459 00:19:31,854 --> 00:19:34,021 additional Children . Um , but again , 460 00:19:34,021 --> 00:19:36,077 always willing to take a look as the 461 00:19:36,077 --> 00:19:38,077 secretary said , just don't have an 462 00:19:38,077 --> 00:19:40,243 update , but , but we're very proud of 463 00:19:40,243 --> 00:19:42,490 the restraint and the professionalism 464 00:19:42,500 --> 00:19:44,722 uh , and the precision with which these 465 00:19:44,722 --> 00:19:46,556 special operators conducted this 466 00:19:46,556 --> 00:19:48,960 mission . Yeah . Uh , let's see . I 467 00:19:48,970 --> 00:19:50,670 already got leader tom 468 00:19:55,140 --> 00:19:58,400 All right . This is sort of a 469 00:19:58,430 --> 00:20:00,690 corollary to jen's earlier question , 470 00:20:00,700 --> 00:20:03,120 what's the Pentagon's analysis of the 471 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:05,710 public warning from the general ? Um , 472 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,553 Isan off , He's chair of the All 473 00:20:07,553 --> 00:20:09,664 Russians officer assembly saying that 474 00:20:09,664 --> 00:20:11,720 Putin should not invade Ukraine . It 475 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,090 would be a disaster . Uh , what what 476 00:20:14,090 --> 00:20:16,257 analysis do you think the Pentagon has 477 00:20:16,257 --> 00:20:18,312 expect to have on feedback from this 478 00:20:18,312 --> 00:20:20,790 letter to have in Moscow ? I'm not 479 00:20:20,790 --> 00:20:23,450 gonna speak to internal communications 480 00:20:23,460 --> 00:20:26,420 between Russian officers and I can't 481 00:20:26,420 --> 00:20:28,587 speak to this press reporting that jen 482 00:20:28,587 --> 00:20:30,476 asked about . I've seen the press 483 00:20:30,476 --> 00:20:32,642 reporting . I just don't have anything 484 00:20:32,642 --> 00:20:35,190 to speak to it that said , uh , we 485 00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:37,780 would certainly agree that another 486 00:20:37,780 --> 00:20:40,820 invasion of Ukraine would be disastrous . 487 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,373 Certainly for the Ukrainian people , uh , 488 00:20:43,373 --> 00:20:45,540 and certainly would not come cost free 489 00:20:45,540 --> 00:20:47,900 to the Russians to the Russian military . 490 00:20:47,910 --> 00:20:50,870 Um , uh , there's absolutely nobody 491 00:20:50,870 --> 00:20:54,860 wants to see , at least nobody 492 00:20:54,860 --> 00:20:56,916 other than perhaps Mr Putin . Nobody 493 00:20:56,916 --> 00:20:59,027 wants to see this devolved into armed 494 00:20:59,027 --> 00:21:01,930 conflict . Uh And that would that would 495 00:21:01,940 --> 00:21:04,520 absolutely incur casualties uh and a 496 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,810 high cost to we believe to the civilian 497 00:21:06,810 --> 00:21:08,977 population of Ukraine as well . And it 498 00:21:08,977 --> 00:21:11,300 doesn't have to be that way . There's 499 00:21:11,300 --> 00:21:13,460 plenty of opportunity for Mr Putin to 500 00:21:13,460 --> 00:21:15,990 do the right thing here and be serious 501 00:21:15,990 --> 00:21:18,157 about finding a diplomatic way forward 502 00:21:18,157 --> 00:21:20,046 and de escalating the tensions by 503 00:21:20,046 --> 00:21:22,230 moving those troops away . Nancy . 504 00:21:22,230 --> 00:21:25,980 Youssef Wall Street Journal , thank 505 00:21:25,980 --> 00:21:29,360 you . Um on the cash ari rade . Um The 506 00:21:29,360 --> 00:21:31,416 U . S . Said it was a killer capture 507 00:21:31,416 --> 00:21:33,582 mission . Where would he have gone had 508 00:21:33,582 --> 00:21:35,510 he been captured ? And also can I 509 00:21:35,510 --> 00:21:37,621 follow up on Howard Altman's question 510 00:21:37,621 --> 00:21:39,677 about the embeds , can you give us a 511 00:21:39,677 --> 00:21:42,300 sense of when we'll know um the um 512 00:21:42,310 --> 00:21:45,320 media access sort of plan for for 513 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,431 troops to point to europe . Thank you 514 00:21:47,431 --> 00:21:50,520 nancy . I'll try to work all that 515 00:21:50,530 --> 00:21:52,970 access stuff as fast as I can . Um I 516 00:21:52,980 --> 00:21:55,460 don't have a time certain for you . Um 517 00:21:55,540 --> 00:21:58,380 And I'm not going to get into the 518 00:21:58,390 --> 00:22:00,446 tactics techniques and procedures of 519 00:22:00,446 --> 00:22:02,780 what what might have been a capture 520 00:22:02,780 --> 00:22:04,947 mission obviously didn't turn out that 521 00:22:04,947 --> 00:22:07,002 way , but I think it'd be better for 522 00:22:07,002 --> 00:22:08,891 everybody if we didn't talk about 523 00:22:08,891 --> 00:22:10,947 eventualities on that mission , that 524 00:22:10,947 --> 00:22:13,058 didn't occur because as I said when I 525 00:22:13,058 --> 00:22:15,058 first started talking about this on 526 00:22:15,058 --> 00:22:17,113 Wednesday . We want to be able to do 527 00:22:17,113 --> 00:22:19,336 these things in the future . We have to 528 00:22:19,336 --> 00:22:21,391 expect that ISIS is going to appoint 529 00:22:21,391 --> 00:22:23,502 another leader . Um And so we we want 530 00:22:23,502 --> 00:22:25,724 to preserve options going forward . And 531 00:22:25,724 --> 00:22:27,558 I do appreciate it's a very fair 532 00:22:27,558 --> 00:22:29,558 question but I think I hope you can 533 00:22:29,558 --> 00:22:31,447 understand why we're simply gonna 534 00:22:31,447 --> 00:22:34,190 dimmer on something like that . Ta ra 535 00:22:34,190 --> 00:22:38,060 cap . Thanks john um a couple of 536 00:22:38,060 --> 00:22:41,260 follow ups for the soldiers that will 537 00:22:41,260 --> 00:22:44,180 fall in in Poland and Romania and 538 00:22:44,180 --> 00:22:46,210 Germany . Will they be housed at 539 00:22:46,220 --> 00:22:48,387 existing barracks or are they going to 540 00:22:48,387 --> 00:22:51,080 be bringing field tents um or something 541 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,860 like that ? And then secondly , um 542 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,384 could you give us an update on the 543 00:22:56,384 --> 00:22:58,830 nuclear posture review specifically ? 544 00:22:58,830 --> 00:23:00,663 Because I know you don't want to 545 00:23:00,663 --> 00:23:02,774 discuss the internal deliberations of 546 00:23:02,774 --> 00:23:04,970 the letter . Um the intermediate range 547 00:23:04,980 --> 00:23:07,390 nuclear missiles and potential start 548 00:23:07,390 --> 00:23:10,620 treaty uh participation seemed to be a 549 00:23:10,620 --> 00:23:12,731 couple of the bargaining chips on the 550 00:23:12,731 --> 00:23:14,842 table . Um Is that going to delay the 551 00:23:14,842 --> 00:23:17,030 NPR's release ? Thank you . I don't 552 00:23:17,030 --> 00:23:19,141 have a specific update for you on the 553 00:23:19,141 --> 00:23:21,363 nuclear posture review and the timing ? 554 00:23:21,363 --> 00:23:23,760 I can tell you that it's ongoing still . 555 00:23:23,770 --> 00:23:27,530 Um And and uh we're doing it in 556 00:23:27,530 --> 00:23:29,697 parallel with our work on the national 557 00:23:29,697 --> 00:23:31,919 defense strategy . It is an interagency 558 00:23:31,919 --> 00:23:33,974 process though . The nuclear posture 559 00:23:33,974 --> 00:23:36,197 review , not just it doesn't just exist 560 00:23:36,197 --> 00:23:38,252 here at D . O . D . So we're part of 561 00:23:38,252 --> 00:23:40,470 the team putting this together . Um I 562 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:42,700 can assure you that it's it's being 563 00:23:42,700 --> 00:23:44,867 worked on in real time as we speak . I 564 00:23:44,867 --> 00:23:47,033 just don't have a release date for you 565 00:23:47,033 --> 00:23:49,570 but I I think it would be safe for you 566 00:23:49,570 --> 00:23:53,280 to assume that um that it 567 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,730 will come out and be nested along with 568 00:23:55,730 --> 00:23:57,786 the National Security strategy , the 569 00:23:57,786 --> 00:24:00,260 National Defense Strategy and as those 570 00:24:00,260 --> 00:24:02,316 are ready to roll out . Um But again 571 00:24:02,316 --> 00:24:04,482 the exact timing , I don't know as for 572 00:24:04,482 --> 00:24:06,427 the troops that are going on , I'm 573 00:24:06,427 --> 00:24:08,427 going to have to refer you to you . 574 00:24:08,427 --> 00:24:10,482 Come on that one Tara . I don't know 575 00:24:10,482 --> 00:24:12,538 what their bed down uh locations are 576 00:24:12,538 --> 00:24:14,760 going to be . I suspect that uh in some 577 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:16,593 cases it will be you know , more 578 00:24:16,593 --> 00:24:18,649 permanent structures , probably most 579 00:24:18,649 --> 00:24:20,704 likely at host nation basis . But in 580 00:24:20,704 --> 00:24:22,704 the context of doing exercises they 581 00:24:22,704 --> 00:24:25,038 could very well be in the field as well . 582 00:24:25,038 --> 00:24:24,960 So it's gonna kind of depend on their 583 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,850 schedules . But I would refer you to 584 00:24:27,850 --> 00:24:29,860 Yukon . They'll have a much cleaner 585 00:24:29,860 --> 00:24:32,460 sense of of their lodging than than I 586 00:24:32,460 --> 00:24:35,060 do , paul McLeary political . 587 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,870 Hi john thanks the switch gears 588 00:24:41,540 --> 00:24:44,150 one . If you have an update on the F 35 589 00:24:44,150 --> 00:24:46,740 that um was lost in the south china sea . 590 00:24:46,740 --> 00:24:49,280 If what the status of the recovery 591 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,502 efforts are ? Have you seen any chinese 592 00:24:51,502 --> 00:24:53,560 moves in that region near where the 593 00:24:53,570 --> 00:24:55,960 plane is ? And if there's any 594 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,184 um actions being taken against the 595 00:24:59,184 --> 00:25:01,351 sailors who are kind of leaking photos 596 00:25:01,351 --> 00:25:04,860 and and video . Um I 597 00:25:04,870 --> 00:25:06,870 lost some of the first part of your 598 00:25:06,870 --> 00:25:10,360 question uh Was it about other 599 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:14,110 recovery efforts ? Yeah the recovery 600 00:25:14,110 --> 00:25:16,332 efforts for the F- 35 . You've seen any 601 00:25:16,332 --> 00:25:18,910 Chinese activity in the area , specific 602 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,480 chinese ship movements . Um , I think 603 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,702 you can understand we're taking all the 604 00:25:23,702 --> 00:25:25,758 appropriate planning actions that we 605 00:25:25,758 --> 00:25:27,924 need to salvage our aircraft and we're 606 00:25:27,924 --> 00:25:30,091 going to recover in a timely manner as 607 00:25:30,091 --> 00:25:32,036 we've done in the past . So , um I 608 00:25:32,036 --> 00:25:34,202 think any question about have being in 609 00:25:34,202 --> 00:25:36,202 some sort of competition to recover 610 00:25:36,202 --> 00:25:39,910 what is in fact our property is 611 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,130 speculative at best . Um And then your , 612 00:25:43,140 --> 00:25:45,307 I think your second question was about 613 00:25:45,307 --> 00:25:48,750 the video that was released . Um what I 614 00:25:48,750 --> 00:25:52,180 know is that the Navy is not only 615 00:25:52,180 --> 00:25:54,347 investigating of course , the cause of 616 00:25:54,347 --> 00:25:56,180 the mishap itself , but they are 617 00:25:56,180 --> 00:25:59,790 investigating the release of this , 618 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:02,070 of this deck video that you saw flight 619 00:26:02,070 --> 00:26:04,237 deck video that you saw and I wouldn't 620 00:26:04,237 --> 00:26:06,403 get ahead of their investigation . But 621 00:26:06,403 --> 00:26:08,514 I know they're looking into what what 622 00:26:08,514 --> 00:26:12,030 appears to be an unauthorized leak of 623 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,630 of of official video and video . Quite 624 00:26:15,630 --> 00:26:17,852 frankly , that's going to be crucial to 625 00:26:17,852 --> 00:26:19,741 the investigation into the mishap 626 00:26:19,741 --> 00:26:21,908 itself . Okay , I've got time for just 627 00:26:21,908 --> 00:26:25,080 uh one more . I'll go to dan dan Lamont 628 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:27,910 Washington post . Good afternoon . 629 00:26:27,910 --> 00:26:30,020 Thank you to two questions please . 630 00:26:30,020 --> 00:26:32,076 First looking for any kind of update 631 00:26:32,076 --> 00:26:34,242 you might have on the maritime side in 632 00:26:34,242 --> 00:26:37,480 the Black Sea as it relates to surface 633 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,647 combatants , amphibious , other things 634 00:26:39,647 --> 00:26:41,758 like that . That might be used on the 635 00:26:41,758 --> 00:26:43,924 Black Black coast seaside . And second 636 00:26:43,924 --> 00:26:46,091 was looking for any kind of update you 637 00:26:46,091 --> 00:26:48,258 might have on Amanda Bay investigation 638 00:26:48,258 --> 00:26:47,820 that I know the secretary was 639 00:26:47,820 --> 00:26:50,930 interested in and sort of ordered a 640 00:26:50,930 --> 00:26:54,720 second investigation of thanks updates 641 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,240 on the Black Sea . Uh , no , no 642 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,351 specific ship movements to speak to . 643 00:26:59,351 --> 00:27:01,573 As I think , you know though , dan , we 644 00:27:01,573 --> 00:27:03,796 do have the Harry S Truman strike group 645 00:27:03,796 --> 00:27:05,851 uh , in the Mediterranean , um , and 646 00:27:05,851 --> 00:27:07,962 they continue to conduct operations . 647 00:27:07,962 --> 00:27:09,684 In fact , they're uh , they're 648 00:27:09,684 --> 00:27:12,920 operating um , in in um , they're 649 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,510 operating alongside the french carrier 650 00:27:15,510 --> 00:27:17,830 Charles de Gaulle . So lots of great 651 00:27:17,830 --> 00:27:19,886 training opportunities with our NATO 652 00:27:19,886 --> 00:27:22,108 partners in the Mediterranean , nothing 653 00:27:22,108 --> 00:27:24,274 that I have nothing to report or speak 654 00:27:24,274 --> 00:27:26,274 to specifically on the Black Sea at 655 00:27:26,274 --> 00:27:26,050 this point on the Manda Bay 656 00:27:26,050 --> 00:27:28,272 investigation . You're , you're right . 657 00:27:28,272 --> 00:27:30,328 And our understanding is that , uh , 658 00:27:30,328 --> 00:27:32,680 that that is being wrapped up . I mean , 659 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:34,624 the investigation I think has been 660 00:27:34,624 --> 00:27:36,569 largely completed . It's now going 661 00:27:36,569 --> 00:27:38,970 through coordination , um , and uh , 662 00:27:38,980 --> 00:27:40,920 and sort of getting , getting the 663 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,130 finishing touches , put it on it , and 664 00:27:43,140 --> 00:27:45,620 I do think that we will be able to 665 00:27:45,620 --> 00:27:48,170 speak to all of you about it um , in 666 00:27:48,170 --> 00:27:50,226 the not too distant future , I would 667 00:27:50,226 --> 00:27:52,780 say , uh , probably just a matter of a 668 00:27:52,790 --> 00:27:54,810 few weeks , maybe less . So we're 669 00:27:54,810 --> 00:27:56,977 getting close to the end of that . And 670 00:27:56,977 --> 00:27:58,977 obviously , well laid out for you , 671 00:27:58,977 --> 00:28:01,143 just like we laid out the just like we 672 00:28:01,143 --> 00:28:03,254 laid out the Abbey Gate investigation 673 00:28:03,254 --> 00:28:05,421 last week . Okay , listen , I promised 674 00:28:05,421 --> 00:28:07,477 I'd be down by 3 30 it's 3 30 . So I 675 00:28:07,477 --> 00:28:09,810 apologize . I couldn't get to everybody , 676 00:28:09,810 --> 00:28:11,921 but , uh , thanks for hanging with me 677 00:28:11,921 --> 00:28:13,360 and we'll see you later this week .