1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,350 happy friday . Um I have a 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,527 special guest joining me at the podium 3 00:00:06,527 --> 00:00:08,638 today , I asked Dr Bill a plant , the 4 00:00:08,638 --> 00:00:10,304 undersecretary of defense for 5 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,440 acquisition and sustainment to , to 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,496 join me today because I , you know , 7 00:00:14,496 --> 00:00:17,080 obviously you have shown a higher 8 00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:19,191 degree of interest in the contracting 9 00:00:19,191 --> 00:00:21,247 of the kind of , of the support that 10 00:00:21,247 --> 00:00:23,413 were given to Ukraine . And so I asked 11 00:00:23,413 --> 00:00:25,413 DR plan to come here and and uh and 12 00:00:25,413 --> 00:00:27,524 give you some some highlights of some 13 00:00:27,524 --> 00:00:29,580 of the work we've been doing through 14 00:00:29,580 --> 00:00:31,302 his team , the acquisition and 15 00:00:31,302 --> 00:00:33,469 sustainment team to support Ukraine to 16 00:00:33,469 --> 00:00:35,469 include contracting for the Ukraine 17 00:00:35,469 --> 00:00:37,524 security assistance initiative funds 18 00:00:37,524 --> 00:00:39,747 and working with the defense industry . 19 00:00:39,747 --> 00:00:41,969 And again , that's something that we've 20 00:00:41,969 --> 00:00:41,160 been talking about for the last few 21 00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:43,216 days and I know you're interested in 22 00:00:43,216 --> 00:00:46,820 that . Um MR DR plant has a hard out 23 00:00:46,820 --> 00:00:48,876 here . So I'm gonna stop talking and 24 00:00:48,876 --> 00:00:50,900 let him go to the podium . He's got 25 00:00:50,900 --> 00:00:52,956 some opening comments and then we'll 26 00:00:52,956 --> 00:00:55,011 take some questions but we've got to 27 00:00:55,011 --> 00:00:57,233 get him out of here about quarter after 28 00:00:57,233 --> 00:00:59,456 the hour . So with that sir , thank you 29 00:00:59,456 --> 00:01:01,622 so much for joining . Good afternoon . 30 00:01:01,622 --> 00:01:03,622 Thank you john , bye everybody . So 31 00:01:03,622 --> 00:01:03,610 I'll make a few remarks here as john 32 00:01:03,610 --> 00:01:05,943 said and then we'll take some questions . 33 00:01:05,943 --> 00:01:08,720 So thanks again for being here . So uh 34 00:01:08,730 --> 00:01:10,563 I do want to provide a couple of 35 00:01:10,563 --> 00:01:12,452 updates before we do get into the 36 00:01:12,452 --> 00:01:14,119 questions . Uh something's on 37 00:01:14,119 --> 00:01:16,490 contracting and other funding for key 38 00:01:16,490 --> 00:01:18,860 systems . I think the last few weeks 39 00:01:18,860 --> 00:01:21,460 have really highlighted The intensity 40 00:01:21,460 --> 00:01:23,700 of conventional conflicts now in the 41 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:25,478 21st century and the demand for 42 00:01:25,478 --> 00:01:27,830 munitions and weapons platforms , it 43 00:01:27,830 --> 00:01:29,997 really outpaces anything we've seen in 44 00:01:29,997 --> 00:01:32,163 recent memory . As I'm sure you're all 45 00:01:32,163 --> 00:01:33,886 aware the Ukraine supplemental 46 00:01:33,886 --> 00:01:36,052 appropriations act was signed into law 47 00:01:36,052 --> 00:01:39,580 on 15 March of the 13.6 billion . When 48 00:01:39,580 --> 00:01:43,460 that in that appropriation 3.5 billion 49 00:01:43,470 --> 00:01:45,710 was appropriate to replenish us stocks 50 00:01:45,710 --> 00:01:47,870 of equipment sent to Ukraine through 51 00:01:47,870 --> 00:01:49,814 the presidential , it's called the 52 00:01:49,814 --> 00:01:51,537 presidential drawdown . Okay . 53 00:01:51,537 --> 00:01:53,270 Following the required 30 day 54 00:01:53,470 --> 00:01:55,910 notification period of Congress , The 55 00:01:55,910 --> 00:01:58,550 first tranche of funds roughly 1.45 56 00:01:58,550 --> 00:02:00,800 billion where was transferred to the 57 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,967 army and the marines earlier this week 58 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,296 to procure replenishment , stocks of 59 00:02:05,296 --> 00:02:07,184 Stingers , javelins and other key 60 00:02:07,184 --> 00:02:09,260 components . We are actively 61 00:02:09,260 --> 00:02:11,990 negotiating right now . The army is 62 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,167 forced Stingers and related components 63 00:02:14,300 --> 00:02:16,522 and that's ongoing . Expect to get that 64 00:02:16,522 --> 00:02:18,470 awarded by the end of the May for 65 00:02:18,470 --> 00:02:20,980 javelins . The award is imminent . So 66 00:02:20,980 --> 00:02:23,700 that's all happening right now . Now in 67 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:25,700 the second supplemental that's been 68 00:02:25,700 --> 00:02:27,811 requested by the White House . That's 69 00:02:27,811 --> 00:02:30,020 been gone over . Uh that's the 33 70 00:02:30,020 --> 00:02:32,970 billion requests , supplemental 5.4 of 71 00:02:32,970 --> 00:02:34,660 that would be for additional 72 00:02:34,660 --> 00:02:38,190 replenishment . So again , 3.5 was 73 00:02:38,190 --> 00:02:41,300 approved before We're asking in the 74 00:02:41,300 --> 00:02:45,100 next supplemental for 5.4 . Okay , The 75 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:47,490 second item is a security assistance 76 00:02:47,770 --> 00:02:49,992 under authority provided by the Ukraine 77 00:02:49,992 --> 00:02:52,214 Security Assistance initiative or UsA . 78 00:02:52,214 --> 00:02:54,910 I unlike presidential drawdown , this 79 00:02:54,910 --> 00:02:57,132 is an authority under which the U . S . 80 00:02:57,132 --> 00:02:59,132 Can . Procure capabilities directly 81 00:02:59,132 --> 00:03:01,188 from industry rather than delivering 82 00:03:01,188 --> 00:03:03,243 equipment out of our stockpiles . So 83 00:03:03,243 --> 00:03:05,466 it's a different category . Um On april 84 00:03:05,466 --> 00:03:07,560 1st we announced $300 million in 85 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,160 security assistance under U . S . A . I . 86 00:03:10,540 --> 00:03:12,770 And to date the D . O . D . Has already 87 00:03:12,770 --> 00:03:15,050 awarded eight contracts totaling 88 00:03:15,050 --> 00:03:18,930 $136.8 million and we'll have 89 00:03:18,930 --> 00:03:21,041 some of the details of this if you're 90 00:03:21,041 --> 00:03:23,208 interested . But these awards included 91 00:03:23,208 --> 00:03:25,041 unmanned aerial systems , puma , 92 00:03:25,041 --> 00:03:27,263 advanced precision kill weapon system , 93 00:03:27,263 --> 00:03:30,080 communication devices , combat medical 94 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,390 equipment and supplies meals ready to 95 00:03:32,390 --> 00:03:36,390 eat , even binoculars . So again , this 96 00:03:36,390 --> 00:03:39,660 also includes A 17.8 million for 97 00:03:39,660 --> 00:03:41,827 switchblade on manned aerial systems . 98 00:03:41,827 --> 00:03:43,882 That's award that's going to be seen 99 00:03:43,882 --> 00:03:45,993 later today uh later this afternoon . 100 00:03:45,993 --> 00:03:49,190 So again uh out of the 300 million , we 101 00:03:49,190 --> 00:03:51,430 have plans for all 300 million but 102 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,080 we've announced already the awards for 103 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,770 136 8.8 million . I want to highlight 104 00:03:57,780 --> 00:03:59,950 that again . This is in the next 105 00:03:59,950 --> 00:04:02,950 supplemental . An additional $6 billion 106 00:04:02,950 --> 00:04:06,330 Ai in the supplemental 107 00:04:06,340 --> 00:04:08,980 appropriation , which again provides 108 00:04:08,980 --> 00:04:12,110 capability directly to Ukraine and 109 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,453 sending a clear message to the industry , 110 00:04:14,453 --> 00:04:16,690 a demand signal . So I closed by 111 00:04:16,690 --> 00:04:18,912 emphasizing that we are in contact with 112 00:04:18,912 --> 00:04:21,150 industry every day as the requirements 113 00:04:21,150 --> 00:04:23,206 evolved and will continue to utilize 114 00:04:23,206 --> 00:04:24,928 all available tools to support 115 00:04:24,928 --> 00:04:27,170 Ukraine's armed forces in the face of 116 00:04:27,170 --> 00:04:29,400 Russia's aggression as we work to 117 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,080 mitigate supply chain constraints speed 118 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,140 up production lines get contracting 119 00:04:34,140 --> 00:04:36,029 underway . We have also asked the 120 00:04:36,029 --> 00:04:38,029 industry to present options for new 121 00:04:38,029 --> 00:04:39,807 systems that can meet strategic 122 00:04:39,807 --> 00:04:41,918 objectives . We did put out a request 123 00:04:41,918 --> 00:04:44,100 for information about two weeks ago In 124 00:04:44,110 --> 00:04:46,443 different categories of Timeframes , 30 , 125 00:04:46,443 --> 00:04:48,650 60 and 90 days to industry and what 126 00:04:48,650 --> 00:04:51,100 they could provide . We've received and 127 00:04:51,100 --> 00:04:53,620 are looking at well over 300 proposals 128 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,102 and we're going through those right now 129 00:04:56,102 --> 00:04:58,890 in this book and uh and so there's a 130 00:04:58,890 --> 00:05:00,946 lot of work going on so I'll stop at 131 00:05:00,946 --> 00:05:03,112 this point and we'll go to questions . 132 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,690 Is it like a 1-1 replacements of 1400 133 00:05:09,700 --> 00:05:12,010 stingers that went out the door today , 134 00:05:12,020 --> 00:05:14,870 do you just us require 1400 or is there 135 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,102 you're getting more above that number ? 136 00:05:17,102 --> 00:05:19,102 It's not that simple . At least for 137 00:05:19,102 --> 00:05:21,213 this first tranche as I understand it 138 00:05:21,213 --> 00:05:23,158 because it depends on the system , 139 00:05:23,158 --> 00:05:22,590 depends when the system was , you know , 140 00:05:22,590 --> 00:05:24,646 the system that we're replenishing . 141 00:05:24,646 --> 00:05:26,868 The intent is to eventually grew to 1 1 142 00:05:26,868 --> 00:05:29,090 replacement . But it was , it's uh it's 143 00:05:29,090 --> 00:05:31,312 it's the intent is to eventually get to 144 00:05:31,312 --> 00:05:33,479 1 to 1 but it it the the reason it may 145 00:05:33,479 --> 00:05:35,479 not be directly 1 to 1 in the first 146 00:05:35,479 --> 00:05:37,368 tranches just depends on when the 147 00:05:37,368 --> 00:05:39,423 system was bought and then buying it 148 00:05:39,423 --> 00:05:41,534 today , But the intent is to get to a 149 00:05:41,534 --> 00:05:43,534 1-1 with between the combination of 150 00:05:43,534 --> 00:05:45,812 these replenishment funds . Hey , Tony , 151 00:05:45,812 --> 00:05:48,034 I think you're on the phone there . You 152 00:05:48,034 --> 00:05:51,600 want to ask you questions ? Hey , 153 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,711 thanks . Thanks john and welcome back 154 00:05:53,711 --> 00:05:56,480 dr Laplanche have a quick question for 155 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,070 you Uh D O and D X rating programs a 156 00:06:00,070 --> 00:06:02,292 lot of industry are asking for this D O 157 00:06:02,292 --> 00:06:04,514 rating and some are even asking for the 158 00:06:04,514 --> 00:06:06,514 D X rating the highest . What's the 159 00:06:06,514 --> 00:06:08,737 status of that ? Are any programs being 160 00:06:08,737 --> 00:06:11,760 reviewed for that ? Any new programs 161 00:06:11,770 --> 00:06:13,381 are being reviewed for those 162 00:06:13,381 --> 00:06:15,900 designations because of Ukraine . The 163 00:06:15,910 --> 00:06:17,854 first question Tony Well , there's 164 00:06:17,854 --> 00:06:19,910 always they're always looking at the 165 00:06:19,910 --> 00:06:19,910 programs and making sure particularly D 166 00:06:19,910 --> 00:06:22,290 O list is up to date . Many , there are 167 00:06:22,290 --> 00:06:24,123 many programs already have D . O 168 00:06:24,123 --> 00:06:26,234 designations and so and we've already 169 00:06:26,234 --> 00:06:28,290 been using this is this is for title 170 00:06:28,290 --> 00:06:30,234 one . This is for the rest of your 171 00:06:30,234 --> 00:06:32,179 Defense Production act , Title One 172 00:06:32,179 --> 00:06:34,401 which is basically prioritizing defense 173 00:06:34,401 --> 00:06:36,568 equipment over say a commercial item . 174 00:06:36,568 --> 00:06:38,623 So we're always looking at D O D D X 175 00:06:38,623 --> 00:06:40,679 rating that Tony referred to ? Is we 176 00:06:40,679 --> 00:06:42,679 really reserve that to a very small 177 00:06:42,679 --> 00:06:44,901 category of things and we have not , we 178 00:06:44,901 --> 00:06:47,068 have not any plans to change that . We 179 00:06:47,068 --> 00:06:49,401 have not changed those . What's in that ? 180 00:06:49,401 --> 00:06:52,340 The X category born . Uh as I'm looking 181 00:06:52,340 --> 00:06:55,710 at this list and and you detailed a bit 182 00:06:55,710 --> 00:06:57,877 about this , but the only the only one 183 00:06:57,877 --> 00:07:00,043 we've seen announced under contracts , 184 00:07:00,043 --> 00:06:59,990 if I'm not mistaken is the pumas , you 185 00:06:59,990 --> 00:07:02,110 said the switch blades would come uh 186 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,930 later today . Why haven't we seen the 187 00:07:04,930 --> 00:07:07,152 contract announcements on the ones that 188 00:07:07,152 --> 00:07:09,374 are over the 7.5 million . And then I'm 189 00:07:09,374 --> 00:07:11,541 just curious if you can detail what 45 190 00:07:11,541 --> 00:07:13,763 million in transportation ? Should have 191 00:07:13,763 --> 00:07:15,708 been anything that was above seven 192 00:07:15,708 --> 00:07:15,540 million ? Should be and should have 193 00:07:15,540 --> 00:07:17,818 been on Fed should have been announced . 194 00:07:17,818 --> 00:07:20,040 So is there something up there ? That's 195 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,151 greater than seven billion ? That was 196 00:07:22,151 --> 00:07:21,590 not announced . Seven million . Excuse 197 00:07:21,590 --> 00:07:23,890 me . Well , we'll find out why that is . 198 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,127 I just , I don't know the answer , but 199 00:07:27,127 --> 00:07:29,293 it should be right at the threshold of 200 00:07:29,293 --> 00:07:29,100 seven million . Everything above seven 201 00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:31,211 should be announced . You know what , 202 00:07:31,211 --> 00:07:33,211 what is obligated to Ukraine ? Just 203 00:07:33,211 --> 00:07:35,211 haven't seen anything since the 300 204 00:07:35,211 --> 00:07:37,322 million announcement . But I was also 205 00:07:37,322 --> 00:07:37,060 wondering , you said you have plans for 206 00:07:37,060 --> 00:07:39,116 all 300 million ? Is it more of what 207 00:07:39,116 --> 00:07:41,116 we're seeing here ? Is it different 208 00:07:41,116 --> 00:07:43,227 systems and what is the 45 million in 209 00:07:43,227 --> 00:07:45,227 transportation ? The answer is more 210 00:07:45,227 --> 00:07:47,449 indifferent . Yes and yes , depends . I 211 00:07:47,449 --> 00:07:49,282 mean , everything depends the 45 212 00:07:49,282 --> 00:07:51,282 million for transportation , that's 213 00:07:51,282 --> 00:07:50,430 government , that's for the government 214 00:07:50,430 --> 00:07:52,486 that's for us to actually for things 215 00:07:52,486 --> 00:07:54,541 like de Ella and Transcom to get the 216 00:07:54,541 --> 00:07:56,708 equipment over . That's what that it's 217 00:07:56,708 --> 00:07:58,920 out of 300 . You take 45 off the 300 218 00:07:59,010 --> 00:08:00,899 then the rest is are there by the 219 00:08:00,899 --> 00:08:04,190 systems and so 136 , you know , And you 220 00:08:04,190 --> 00:08:06,357 add add to it 45 in the road and so we 221 00:08:06,357 --> 00:08:08,523 still have that delta that we're going 222 00:08:08,523 --> 00:08:11,870 to announce that in 300 gen , a couple 223 00:08:11,870 --> 00:08:13,426 of things you mentioned the 224 00:08:13,426 --> 00:08:15,700 switchblades ? There's been talk about 225 00:08:15,700 --> 00:08:17,890 the switchblade . 600s not being 226 00:08:17,890 --> 00:08:19,834 delivered . Why have they not been 227 00:08:19,834 --> 00:08:23,280 delivered ? Is it Is there some block 228 00:08:23,290 --> 00:08:25,240 to the procurement , is it because 229 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,530 they're not available yet ? Is that 230 00:08:27,540 --> 00:08:29,730 being fixed to get them there ? Yeah , 231 00:08:29,740 --> 00:08:31,796 so let me tell you what I know about 232 00:08:31,796 --> 00:08:33,740 switchblades and we'll get you the 233 00:08:33,740 --> 00:08:35,907 answer on the specific part of the 600 234 00:08:35,907 --> 00:08:35,650 because I'm not sure I can answer that 235 00:08:35,650 --> 00:08:37,872 other than an educated guess and I want 236 00:08:37,872 --> 00:08:39,706 to get it right , but here's the 237 00:08:39,706 --> 00:08:42,039 situation with the switchblades overall . 238 00:08:42,039 --> 00:08:43,872 You may have seen the number 700 239 00:08:43,872 --> 00:08:45,761 overall . Okay . What it is is my 240 00:08:45,761 --> 00:08:47,983 understanding is there was 100 or so in 241 00:08:47,983 --> 00:08:50,094 one of the earlier tranches that were 242 00:08:50,094 --> 00:08:52,206 taken directly out of our inventory . 243 00:08:52,206 --> 00:08:54,150 Okay , so that was under under the 244 00:08:54,150 --> 00:08:56,261 basically taking from our inventory , 245 00:08:56,261 --> 00:08:58,317 There is another 300 or so . Right , 246 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,260 This is three , this is 300 or so . 247 00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:03,316 They're coming from a combination of 248 00:09:03,316 --> 00:09:05,260 places but I think the 300 is what 249 00:09:05,260 --> 00:09:07,427 we're putting under contract , is that 250 00:09:07,427 --> 00:09:09,482 correct ? That's because they have a 251 00:09:09,482 --> 00:09:11,538 hot production line So we're able to 252 00:09:11,538 --> 00:09:10,590 put that in the country and then the 253 00:09:10,590 --> 00:09:12,701 remainder I think is others that they 254 00:09:12,701 --> 00:09:14,923 may have in stock that we're doing . So 255 00:09:14,923 --> 00:09:17,201 it's a combination that adds up to 700 , 256 00:09:17,201 --> 00:09:17,180 we're using two different authorities 257 00:09:17,180 --> 00:09:19,236 to do it . I'm not specifically sure 258 00:09:19,236 --> 00:09:21,180 about the 600 and we'll get you an 259 00:09:21,180 --> 00:09:23,291 answer on that on why I assume that's 260 00:09:23,291 --> 00:09:25,513 in that first tranche that was supposed 261 00:09:25,513 --> 00:09:27,680 to be delivered but we'll get you that 262 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:29,970 answer . Um the so in terms of earlier 263 00:09:29,970 --> 00:09:32,081 this week the Taiwan Defense Minister 264 00:09:32,081 --> 00:09:34,340 said that uh they've been told that 265 00:09:34,340 --> 00:09:37,050 there's a backlog of deliveries for the 266 00:09:37,050 --> 00:09:39,328 howitzer , the self propelled howitzer . 267 00:09:39,328 --> 00:09:41,606 Is there a shortage because of Ukraine ? 268 00:09:41,606 --> 00:09:43,772 Is that affecting weapons shipments to 269 00:09:43,772 --> 00:09:46,460 Taiwan ? Not that I'm aware of . Let me 270 00:09:46,470 --> 00:09:48,359 remind her . This is the M triple 271 00:09:48,359 --> 00:09:50,248 sevens we're talking about here . 272 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,511 Triple sevens are what were delivered 273 00:09:52,511 --> 00:09:54,289 to Ukraine . These are slightly 274 00:09:54,289 --> 00:09:56,400 different version there , the paladin 275 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,360 howitzer for Taiwan . But there was a 276 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,780 link being made in news reports about 277 00:10:01,790 --> 00:10:03,901 that it was a shortage as a result of 278 00:10:03,901 --> 00:10:05,901 Ukraine and I'm not aware of that . 279 00:10:05,901 --> 00:10:07,901 We've talked about this , this is a 280 00:10:07,901 --> 00:10:10,123 separate , I understand but it's a it's 281 00:10:10,123 --> 00:10:12,068 a separate , a completely separate 282 00:10:12,068 --> 00:10:14,179 transactional process . There's not a 283 00:10:14,179 --> 00:10:16,401 correlation , I wouldn't see it the way 284 00:10:16,401 --> 00:10:18,734 that they would be trying to connect it , 285 00:10:18,734 --> 00:10:18,560 but I don't see those . I don't think 286 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:22,190 those would be connected . So we had , 287 00:10:22,940 --> 00:10:26,590 I've been told that replacing these 288 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,040 stock bombs that it didn't that the 289 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,151 stockpiles didn't necessarily have to 290 00:10:32,151 --> 00:10:35,180 come back up to the previous 291 00:10:35,740 --> 00:10:37,740 level because those stockpiles have 292 00:10:37,740 --> 00:10:40,730 been required years and years ago , 293 00:10:41,340 --> 00:10:44,270 warfare was different but I came in 294 00:10:44,270 --> 00:10:46,437 late but I thought I heard you say the 295 00:10:46,437 --> 00:10:48,560 intent is to replace on a one for one 296 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:51,100 basis to the extent that it depends on 297 00:10:51,100 --> 00:10:53,100 what one , the one means . And I'll 298 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:55,322 give you an example of exactly what I'm 299 00:10:55,322 --> 00:10:57,260 talking about . Um , the model of 300 00:10:57,270 --> 00:10:59,270 javelins that are on the production 301 00:10:59,270 --> 00:11:01,492 line right now are called the F model . 302 00:11:01,492 --> 00:11:03,740 Is that Lockheed martin makes , uh , 303 00:11:03,750 --> 00:11:06,420 the plan all along before Ukraine was 304 00:11:06,420 --> 00:11:08,531 the transition to the next generation 305 00:11:08,531 --> 00:11:10,860 of javelin , better , better seeker , 306 00:11:10,870 --> 00:11:13,240 better range etcetera called the G 307 00:11:13,250 --> 00:11:15,550 model . And so of course one of our 308 00:11:15,550 --> 00:11:17,772 decisions to make and when we replenish 309 00:11:17,772 --> 00:11:19,883 it , we want to replenish it probably 310 00:11:19,883 --> 00:11:22,050 we will with the G model , so it's not 311 00:11:22,050 --> 00:11:24,161 quite a one for one replacement . Now 312 00:11:24,161 --> 00:11:26,383 think of some , some other systems that 313 00:11:26,383 --> 00:11:25,670 are much older than that you have . 314 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:27,736 It's , it's going to be harder . For 315 00:11:27,736 --> 00:11:29,680 example , the M triple seven is an 316 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:31,902 example , You know , we don't have that 317 00:11:31,902 --> 00:11:31,530 in production anymore . So what do you , 318 00:11:31,530 --> 00:11:33,641 what's the replacement equivalent for 319 00:11:33,641 --> 00:11:35,641 an M triple seven ? And we're going 320 00:11:35,641 --> 00:11:35,240 through all of these calculations right 321 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,640 now . So it's one for one to the best 322 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:39,807 you can do or the equivalent of that . 323 00:11:39,807 --> 00:11:42,084 But this is the issue that's happening . 324 00:11:42,084 --> 00:11:43,862 We're having to go through this 325 00:11:43,862 --> 00:11:46,029 calculation . And so the Europeans are 326 00:11:46,029 --> 00:11:48,307 allies , which is if they're replacing , 327 00:11:48,307 --> 00:11:50,529 for example , the polls sending Russian 328 00:11:50,529 --> 00:11:52,584 made originally tanks , um , what do 329 00:11:52,584 --> 00:11:54,807 they want to replace them with etcetera 330 00:11:54,807 --> 00:11:54,700 etcetera . So it's everybody's going 331 00:11:54,700 --> 00:11:57,240 through the same calculation of what is 332 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,910 the replacement ? Yeah , john thank you . 333 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,031 Are you looking to buy any additional 334 00:12:03,031 --> 00:12:05,910 phoenix ghost drone through the USA I 335 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,430 fund , I'm not aware that we're looking 336 00:12:08,430 --> 00:12:11,120 to buy them . Um , but I think I'll 337 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:12,980 just say this in many of these 338 00:12:12,980 --> 00:12:15,810 contracts there there we use what's 339 00:12:15,810 --> 00:12:17,977 sometimes called indefinite delivery , 340 00:12:17,977 --> 00:12:20,143 indefinite quantity I D I . Q . Is the 341 00:12:20,143 --> 00:12:22,088 terminology which has a contract , 342 00:12:22,088 --> 00:12:24,254 there's a ceiling on it , but that you 343 00:12:24,254 --> 00:12:26,421 can put individual task orders against 344 00:12:26,421 --> 00:12:28,477 it . The nice thing about that is if 345 00:12:28,477 --> 00:12:28,190 later on you have a contract already 346 00:12:28,190 --> 00:12:30,357 set up and pretty ready , recognize um 347 00:12:30,357 --> 00:12:32,523 if you want to go back and buy more of 348 00:12:32,523 --> 00:12:34,190 something , even more than we 349 00:12:34,190 --> 00:12:36,023 originally planned , it's pretty 350 00:12:36,023 --> 00:12:35,870 straightforward to do it . I'm pretty 351 00:12:35,870 --> 00:12:38,210 sure we will have that arrangement in 352 00:12:38,210 --> 00:12:40,321 in that case , but it also depends on 353 00:12:40,321 --> 00:12:42,321 each system is different , isn't in 354 00:12:42,321 --> 00:12:44,543 production , what , what , what systems 355 00:12:44,543 --> 00:12:46,488 are being , are being still in our 356 00:12:46,488 --> 00:12:48,543 stockpile etcetera . Okay . And then 357 00:12:48,543 --> 00:12:50,599 just more broadly speaking , are you 358 00:12:50,599 --> 00:12:53,500 looking to boost us inventories of the 359 00:12:53,510 --> 00:12:56,230 phoenix ghost ? That I can't answer ? I , 360 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,240 we can find the answer that I don't 361 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,462 know it was yes . Ghost was made if you 362 00:13:00,462 --> 00:13:02,629 know , were executed by the big Safari 363 00:13:02,629 --> 00:13:04,740 office in the Air Force . If you know 364 00:13:04,740 --> 00:13:04,390 anything about that office , they do 365 00:13:04,390 --> 00:13:07,350 lots of really great fast type work . 366 00:13:07,350 --> 00:13:09,030 They were very active during 367 00:13:09,030 --> 00:13:11,280 Afghanistan and Iraq and sometimes they 368 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,447 just , I don't know the answer to it , 369 00:13:13,447 --> 00:13:15,669 we'll find out , but it just depends on 370 00:13:15,669 --> 00:13:17,836 what the operational needs are , there 371 00:13:17,836 --> 00:13:20,058 are lots of US systems , there are lots 372 00:13:20,058 --> 00:13:22,169 of US systems and each US system does 373 00:13:22,169 --> 00:13:24,224 something slightly different . But I 374 00:13:24,224 --> 00:13:26,224 don't , I'll find out for you . The 375 00:13:26,224 --> 00:13:28,224 answer to that Tony . Do you have a 376 00:13:28,224 --> 00:13:31,710 question ? I do . Thank you . Mr 377 00:13:31,710 --> 00:13:35,080 LaPlante . Um in the $33 billion 378 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,413 supplemental that went over to Congress , 379 00:13:37,413 --> 00:13:39,469 there was a $500 million request for 380 00:13:39,469 --> 00:13:41,580 something called a critical munitions 381 00:13:41,580 --> 00:13:44,150 acquisition fund . There was also a $50 382 00:13:44,150 --> 00:13:46,420 million request for a defense export 383 00:13:46,420 --> 00:13:48,830 ability transfer account . Can you tell 384 00:13:48,830 --> 00:13:51,000 us what those things are and what 385 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,000 they're gonna do ? Because I assume 386 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,222 your office is going to run them . So I 387 00:13:55,222 --> 00:13:57,222 think they're , well , they're both 388 00:13:57,222 --> 00:13:59,167 generally to try to help us in the 389 00:13:59,167 --> 00:14:01,333 situation that we find ourselves in is 390 00:14:01,333 --> 00:14:03,930 a situation that unfortunately happens 391 00:14:04,110 --> 00:14:06,610 periodically . It's the third time In 392 00:14:06,610 --> 00:14:09,030 my adult memories since 2000 that we've 393 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,151 had this happen where all of a sudden 394 00:14:11,151 --> 00:14:13,373 we find our production lines to to have 395 00:14:13,373 --> 00:14:15,484 to be boosted up . The first time was 396 00:14:15,484 --> 00:14:17,484 after 911 . What happened is if you 397 00:14:17,484 --> 00:14:19,540 remember we went into Afghanistan in 398 00:14:19,540 --> 00:14:21,920 october will buy december late december 399 00:14:21,930 --> 00:14:24,590 2001 . We were running really low on 400 00:14:24,590 --> 00:14:26,701 munitions because we hadn't planned , 401 00:14:26,701 --> 00:14:28,923 it was 9 11 . It happened , hadn't been 402 00:14:28,923 --> 00:14:30,757 planned , budgeted in Uh , those 403 00:14:30,757 --> 00:14:32,923 munitions lines got hot stayed hot for 404 00:14:32,923 --> 00:14:34,979 a long time . But then as we did the 405 00:14:34,979 --> 00:14:36,979 drawdown in Afghanistan and Iraq or 406 00:14:36,979 --> 00:14:39,034 thought we were gonna certainly draw 407 00:14:39,034 --> 00:14:41,146 down in Iraq . About 2014 , same same 408 00:14:41,146 --> 00:14:43,368 thing with the budget tears . We always 409 00:14:43,368 --> 00:14:45,423 turned the production lines down and 410 00:14:45,423 --> 00:14:47,590 then the ISIS fight and the ISIL fight 411 00:14:47,590 --> 00:14:49,423 happened and and right , we were 412 00:14:49,423 --> 00:14:51,646 scrambling in the same way we are now . 413 00:14:51,646 --> 00:14:54,810 So you can't the idea behind the fund 414 00:14:54,810 --> 00:14:56,977 and the export ability piece , It's an 415 00:14:56,977 --> 00:14:59,088 idea . It's not a new idea , but it's 416 00:14:59,088 --> 00:15:01,310 one that has basically almost a working 417 00:15:01,310 --> 00:15:03,421 capital or replenishment fund that we 418 00:15:03,421 --> 00:15:05,643 can have a continuous stockpile because 419 00:15:05,643 --> 00:15:07,810 we can't predict exactly which weapons 420 00:15:07,810 --> 00:15:07,010 are gonna be needing . We're not going 421 00:15:07,010 --> 00:15:09,177 to predict what the next surprise will 422 00:15:09,177 --> 00:15:11,740 be , but at least find our way not in 423 00:15:11,740 --> 00:15:13,851 the same situation because that's why 424 00:15:13,851 --> 00:15:15,962 munitions go up and down because when 425 00:15:15,962 --> 00:15:18,073 the peace breaks out , the budgeteers 426 00:15:18,073 --> 00:15:20,296 turned down the knob , production lines 427 00:15:20,296 --> 00:15:22,462 go quiet . And then unfortunately when 428 00:15:22,462 --> 00:15:24,240 events happen , they're often a 429 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,351 surprise and you find yourself in the 430 00:15:26,351 --> 00:15:28,407 same situation . So it's a way to to 431 00:15:28,407 --> 00:15:30,462 hopefully build up a little bit of a 432 00:15:30,462 --> 00:15:32,573 buffer for the next time . Uh huh . I 433 00:15:32,573 --> 00:15:34,684 wanted to follow up on that . How has 434 00:15:34,684 --> 00:15:36,560 the Ukraine war changed your 435 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,671 assumptions on what kind of stockpile 436 00:15:38,671 --> 00:15:41,330 is necessary ? And at this point , you 437 00:15:41,330 --> 00:15:43,650 know , Ukraine has been using a lot of 438 00:15:43,650 --> 00:15:46,970 munitions very rapid pace . How close 439 00:15:46,970 --> 00:15:49,210 are our stockpiles to the point where 440 00:15:49,430 --> 00:15:51,750 you wouldn't be able to push more 441 00:15:51,750 --> 00:15:53,583 forward without putting your own 442 00:15:53,583 --> 00:15:55,694 stockpiles at risk . Well , it's that 443 00:15:55,694 --> 00:15:57,750 is the that's the calculation that's 444 00:15:57,750 --> 00:15:59,917 being done every day and it's really a 445 00:15:59,917 --> 00:16:01,639 tradeoff between readiness and 446 00:16:01,639 --> 00:16:03,861 modernization . It's something that the 447 00:16:03,861 --> 00:16:06,083 war , the war fighters and the services 448 00:16:06,083 --> 00:16:08,306 are experts at this . They had to do it 449 00:16:08,306 --> 00:16:08,090 during sequester . In that case it was 450 00:16:08,090 --> 00:16:10,312 you have , you have a funding cut , you 451 00:16:10,312 --> 00:16:12,368 didn't think you were going to get , 452 00:16:12,368 --> 00:16:12,030 you know , and you can only take the 453 00:16:12,030 --> 00:16:14,086 money from certain places where they 454 00:16:14,086 --> 00:16:16,252 take the money , fungible money was in 455 00:16:16,252 --> 00:16:18,197 O . N . S . It hit training , what 456 00:16:18,197 --> 00:16:20,419 happened readiness went down , but that 457 00:16:20,419 --> 00:16:22,586 was a risk that was taken at that time 458 00:16:22,586 --> 00:16:24,252 to try to protect some of the 459 00:16:24,252 --> 00:16:26,086 modernization and new stuff . So 460 00:16:26,086 --> 00:16:28,308 exactly those calculations are going on 461 00:16:28,308 --> 00:16:28,240 right now where the war fighters are 462 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,462 looking and saying , how much risk am I 463 00:16:30,462 --> 00:16:32,573 willing to take on my readiness ? You 464 00:16:32,573 --> 00:16:34,740 know , and then at the same time we're 465 00:16:34,740 --> 00:16:36,740 trying to protect our modernization 466 00:16:36,740 --> 00:16:38,796 here . The constraint is really time 467 00:16:38,796 --> 00:16:40,907 and the and the variable that is hard 468 00:16:40,907 --> 00:16:42,907 to figure out his time . Um , but I 469 00:16:42,907 --> 00:16:44,962 will say this about there's a lot of 470 00:16:44,962 --> 00:16:47,184 lessons being learned right now . And I 471 00:16:47,184 --> 00:16:46,850 said at the very beginning , my opening 472 00:16:46,850 --> 00:16:49,290 statement about this is this is pretty 473 00:16:49,290 --> 00:16:51,512 unprecedented . The amount of munitions 474 00:16:51,512 --> 00:16:53,734 that are being used right now have been 475 00:16:53,734 --> 00:16:55,790 used in the last month , month and a 476 00:16:55,790 --> 00:16:55,520 half . So I'm sure we're all going to 477 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,060 be reexamining our assumptions . I do 478 00:16:58,060 --> 00:17:01,070 believe uh , in the in europe as well . 479 00:17:01,780 --> 00:17:03,558 I was at the NATO with our NATO 480 00:17:03,558 --> 00:17:05,669 partners talking bilaterally . Not as 481 00:17:05,669 --> 00:17:07,724 part of NATO but talking bilateral . 482 00:17:07,724 --> 00:17:09,558 It's happening to NATO event and 483 00:17:09,558 --> 00:17:09,280 everybody's going through this 484 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,070 calculation you know so this is their 485 00:17:13,070 --> 00:17:15,430 assumptions that future conflicts might 486 00:17:15,430 --> 00:17:17,541 look more like this one and less like 487 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,560 what we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan 488 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,560 where there would be more precision 489 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:23,671 guided munitions where there would be 490 00:17:23,671 --> 00:17:25,671 more need for drones and that's how 491 00:17:25,671 --> 00:17:27,560 your assumptions are changing . I 492 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,671 wouldn't go I wouldn't be able to say 493 00:17:29,671 --> 00:17:31,727 that . I'm not sure that certainly I 494 00:17:31,727 --> 00:17:30,920 have not been in those conversations 495 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:32,976 about what assumptions we would make 496 00:17:32,976 --> 00:17:36,160 about the future . I you know the U . S . 497 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,271 Military has to plan for almost every 498 00:17:38,271 --> 00:17:40,620 contingency . And uh and so that's the 499 00:17:40,620 --> 00:17:42,787 thing we have to remind ourselves , we 500 00:17:42,787 --> 00:17:44,898 have to remind ourselves of Secretary 501 00:17:44,898 --> 00:17:46,620 Gates , what he said about Our 502 00:17:46,620 --> 00:17:48,842 prediction record when he was secretary 503 00:17:48,842 --> 00:17:51,064 of defense . We have a perfect record . 504 00:17:51,064 --> 00:17:53,287 We're o for nine so it's the prediction 505 00:17:53,287 --> 00:17:56,320 business in our world is one that we 506 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,376 have to do it . It's a best practice 507 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,980 but but it's it's it's always to rely 508 00:18:00,980 --> 00:18:03,091 on saying this is what's gonna happen 509 00:18:03,091 --> 00:18:05,313 next or likely to happen next . Clearly 510 00:18:05,313 --> 00:18:07,480 we're learning stuff right now and I'm 511 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,702 sure it's going into the calculations . 512 00:18:09,702 --> 00:18:11,813 Um I'll just stop at that point . Yes 513 00:18:11,813 --> 00:18:14,036 I'm afraid we have run out of time . We 514 00:18:14,036 --> 00:18:16,258 got to lift up your head off and then . 515 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,270 Okay thank you thank you . Mhm . 516 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:25,160 Thanks . Yeah 517 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,207 okay I probably should have raised the 518 00:18:30,207 --> 00:18:33,530 podium for dr plant , it's set at Kirby 519 00:18:33,530 --> 00:18:35,970 height but that's alright , alright , 520 00:18:35,980 --> 00:18:38,590 that was my opening statement was him . 521 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,050 So uh so we can get right to questions 522 00:18:41,060 --> 00:18:43,227 then . You got one for me to return to 523 00:18:43,227 --> 00:18:46,330 the Moscow . Um Are there any 524 00:18:46,330 --> 00:18:48,386 restrictions that you can talk about 525 00:18:49,420 --> 00:18:52,830 that the U . S . Impose or 526 00:18:52,830 --> 00:18:55,990 include on Ukraine in its use of 527 00:18:55,990 --> 00:18:58,650 american intelligence so as not to risk 528 00:18:58,660 --> 00:19:00,716 further escalation of the conflict . 529 00:19:00,716 --> 00:19:02,840 And then there's secondly there's a 530 00:19:02,850 --> 00:19:05,072 report out there about a second control 531 00:19:05,072 --> 00:19:07,128 ship . Russian patrol ships has been 532 00:19:07,128 --> 00:19:09,294 struck and there's anything at all you 533 00:19:09,294 --> 00:19:09,120 can say about that . Yeah we've seen 534 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:11,342 the reports about this second , I think 535 00:19:11,342 --> 00:19:13,890 they're saying the reporting out there 536 00:19:13,890 --> 00:19:16,057 at least in social media was a Russian 537 00:19:16,057 --> 00:19:18,112 frigate . We've been looking at this 538 00:19:18,112 --> 00:19:20,223 all day and we have no information to 539 00:19:20,223 --> 00:19:22,057 corroborate those reports on the 540 00:19:22,057 --> 00:19:23,779 intelligence , I think you can 541 00:19:23,779 --> 00:19:25,834 understand , I'm going to be careful 542 00:19:25,834 --> 00:19:25,340 here and what we talked about in terms 543 00:19:25,340 --> 00:19:28,310 of the parameters of intelligence that 544 00:19:28,310 --> 00:19:31,310 we provide them . But um we provide 545 00:19:31,310 --> 00:19:33,920 them what we believe to be relevant and 546 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,087 timely information about Russian units 547 00:19:36,190 --> 00:19:39,320 that could allow them to adjust and 548 00:19:39,330 --> 00:19:41,830 execute their their self defense to the 549 00:19:41,830 --> 00:19:44,800 best of their ability . Uh the kind of 550 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:46,800 intelligence that we provide them . 551 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,440 It's legitimate , it's lawful and it's 552 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:51,662 limited . Uh and I would rather not get 553 00:19:51,662 --> 00:19:54,890 into what uh you know the degree to 554 00:19:54,890 --> 00:19:56,946 which there's limitations on there , 555 00:19:56,946 --> 00:19:59,140 but we try to be as as timely and as 556 00:19:59,140 --> 00:20:01,251 relevant as we can . And I would also 557 00:20:01,251 --> 00:20:03,418 add this is not an unimportant point . 558 00:20:03,418 --> 00:20:05,362 We are not the only sole source of 559 00:20:05,362 --> 00:20:07,362 intelligence and information to the 560 00:20:07,362 --> 00:20:09,584 Ukrainians . They get intelligence from 561 00:20:09,584 --> 00:20:11,750 other nations as well . Um And they 562 00:20:11,750 --> 00:20:13,890 have a pretty robust intelligence 563 00:20:13,890 --> 00:20:16,057 collection capability of their own . I 564 00:20:16,057 --> 00:20:18,168 mean , they've been fighting this war 565 00:20:18,168 --> 00:20:20,279 against Russia for eight years . It's 566 00:20:20,279 --> 00:20:22,390 not like they are completely blind to 567 00:20:22,390 --> 00:20:24,557 the way Russia organizes itself in the 568 00:20:24,557 --> 00:20:26,723 way that Russia conducts itself on the 569 00:20:26,723 --> 00:20:29,320 battlefield . So as you would expect 570 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,910 any nation to do , they form a mosaic 571 00:20:31,910 --> 00:20:34,220 here . They collate the information 572 00:20:34,220 --> 00:20:36,442 that they're getting and then they make 573 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,807 their own decisions about what they're 574 00:20:38,807 --> 00:20:40,696 gonna do with that and if they do 575 00:20:40,696 --> 00:20:42,529 decide to do something with that 576 00:20:42,529 --> 00:20:44,418 intelligence , then they make the 577 00:20:44,418 --> 00:20:46,640 decisions about acting on it . Yeah . I 578 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,584 think when you were talking to the 579 00:20:48,584 --> 00:20:48,010 networks earlier today , you said the 580 00:20:48,010 --> 00:20:50,990 US did not know beforehand that the 581 00:20:50,990 --> 00:20:53,157 attack on the Moscow bo was gonna take 582 00:20:53,157 --> 00:20:55,212 place ? I'm just curious , generally 583 00:20:55,212 --> 00:20:57,157 speaking , when the U . S . Shares 584 00:20:57,157 --> 00:20:59,379 intelligence with the Ukrainians , does 585 00:20:59,379 --> 00:21:01,490 the US ask what it's going to be used 586 00:21:01,490 --> 00:21:01,270 for or is it just sort of handed over 587 00:21:01,270 --> 00:21:04,110 and said , yeah , again , I I want to 588 00:21:04,110 --> 00:21:05,832 be careful not to get into the 589 00:21:05,832 --> 00:21:07,777 specifics of the intel sharing . I 590 00:21:07,777 --> 00:21:10,180 think we can all understand why it's 591 00:21:10,180 --> 00:21:12,180 not good to have an open discussion 592 00:21:12,180 --> 00:21:14,236 about intelligence sharing . I would 593 00:21:14,236 --> 00:21:16,458 just go back to what I've said before . 594 00:21:16,458 --> 00:21:19,610 We try to provide them useful and 595 00:21:19,610 --> 00:21:21,850 relevant timely intelligence so that 596 00:21:21,850 --> 00:21:24,072 they can better defend themselves . But 597 00:21:24,072 --> 00:21:26,294 ultimately they make the decision about 598 00:21:26,294 --> 00:21:28,072 what they're gonna do with that 599 00:21:28,072 --> 00:21:31,120 information . If anything we don't 600 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:35,110 routinely get no we don't get um uh 601 00:21:35,120 --> 00:21:37,480 you know we don't get heads up about 602 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,860 their day to day operations nor nor do 603 00:21:39,860 --> 00:21:42,027 we expect to . I mean there they're in 604 00:21:42,027 --> 00:21:44,027 an active fight . If you're getting 605 00:21:44,027 --> 00:21:46,249 specific intelligence , why not ask hey 606 00:21:46,249 --> 00:21:48,304 what are you gonna do with this ? We 607 00:21:48,304 --> 00:21:50,416 are again I'm not going to talk about 608 00:21:50,416 --> 00:21:52,471 the intelligence sharing process any 609 00:21:52,471 --> 00:21:54,582 more detail than that . So we provide 610 00:21:54,582 --> 00:21:56,760 them useful relevant intelligence so 611 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,038 that they can better defend themselves . 612 00:21:59,290 --> 00:22:01,234 Um But they have they are under no 613 00:22:01,234 --> 00:22:04,410 obligation to to tell us um 614 00:22:04,420 --> 00:22:07,180 how they're going to use that 615 00:22:07,180 --> 00:22:10,060 information or when and where if at all . 616 00:22:10,940 --> 00:22:13,820 Okay . Yeah Tara have any changes been 617 00:22:13,820 --> 00:22:17,060 made to us force posture in the area 618 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:19,650 just in case there's retaliatory moves 619 00:22:19,660 --> 00:22:22,250 by Russia because I think you know we 620 00:22:22,250 --> 00:22:24,710 don't talk about force protection 621 00:22:24,710 --> 00:22:26,821 measures that we take anywhere around 622 00:22:26,821 --> 00:22:29,043 the world . Um I can just tell you that 623 00:22:29,043 --> 00:22:31,420 uh that we still have now more than 624 00:22:31,470 --> 00:22:33,660 100,000 troops in europe on rotational 625 00:22:33,660 --> 00:22:35,827 permanent orders . They're still doing 626 00:22:35,827 --> 00:22:37,882 the jobs that they were doing before 627 00:22:37,882 --> 00:22:40,120 the air on c and certainly on the 628 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:43,480 ground and and we're always monitoring 629 00:22:43,490 --> 00:22:46,420 uh their force protection protocols and 630 00:22:46,420 --> 00:22:48,642 posture to make sure it's appropriate . 631 00:22:48,642 --> 00:22:50,698 But I would not speculate one way or 632 00:22:50,698 --> 00:22:52,476 the other about That's not even 633 00:22:52,476 --> 00:22:54,531 speculation . I wouldn't comment one 634 00:22:54,531 --> 00:22:56,420 way or the other about what force 635 00:22:56,420 --> 00:22:58,753 protection protocols we've put in place . 636 00:22:58,753 --> 00:23:01,390 Yeah . Just separately , the lend lease 637 00:23:01,390 --> 00:23:03,557 act was supposed to be signed into law 638 00:23:03,557 --> 00:23:06,200 in the coming days . Um can you can you 639 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,311 talk about how that's going to change 640 00:23:08,311 --> 00:23:10,367 things here at the pentagon ? I mean 641 00:23:10,367 --> 00:23:12,589 that they say it's gonna make it easier 642 00:23:12,589 --> 00:23:14,644 for the U . S . To get equipment and 643 00:23:14,644 --> 00:23:16,867 weapons to Ukraine . But what does that 644 00:23:16,867 --> 00:23:18,867 actually mean ? Yeah , we've talked 645 00:23:18,867 --> 00:23:20,978 about this a little bit before . It's 646 00:23:20,978 --> 00:23:20,850 not signed into law . And so until the 647 00:23:20,940 --> 00:23:23,280 unless or until the president decides 648 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:25,800 to sign that we're going to refrain 649 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,090 from commenting on it . I would just 650 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:30,267 back out a little bit and say , number 651 00:23:30,267 --> 00:23:32,580 one , we really do . I genuinely 652 00:23:32,580 --> 00:23:34,469 appreciate the support that we've 653 00:23:34,469 --> 00:23:36,469 gotten from Congress to allow us to 654 00:23:36,469 --> 00:23:38,469 continue to support Ukraine and the 655 00:23:38,469 --> 00:23:40,580 President , As you saw just last week 656 00:23:40,580 --> 00:23:42,524 asked for another $33 billion , 16 657 00:23:42,524 --> 00:23:44,413 billion of which would affect the 658 00:23:44,413 --> 00:23:46,636 department specifically . Um and as you 659 00:23:46,636 --> 00:23:48,858 heard , the secretary say , we urge the 660 00:23:48,858 --> 00:23:51,080 Congress to act quickly on that so that 661 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,191 we can keep providing this support in 662 00:23:53,191 --> 00:23:55,510 an uninterrupted way , um additional 663 00:23:55,510 --> 00:23:57,920 support legislated by Congress and 664 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,087 approved by the President certainly is 665 00:24:00,087 --> 00:24:02,142 going to be helpful . Any additional 666 00:24:02,142 --> 00:24:04,253 support that we can provide . Ukraine 667 00:24:04,253 --> 00:24:06,420 is going to be helpful . But I'm going 668 00:24:06,420 --> 00:24:06,270 to refrain from speaking to the 669 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:08,880 specifics of that , of that pending 670 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,690 legislation unless or until the 671 00:24:10,690 --> 00:24:14,070 president signs it . Yeah , on a 672 00:24:14,070 --> 00:24:17,730 separate topic last week . Greece has 673 00:24:17,730 --> 00:24:20,140 violated Turkish airspace for about 30 674 00:24:20,140 --> 00:24:23,050 times . Which mounted attention in 675 00:24:23,060 --> 00:24:26,060 agency . I wonder what's your take on 676 00:24:26,070 --> 00:24:29,800 this as currently while the NATO is 677 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:31,911 united against Russian aggression and 678 00:24:31,911 --> 00:24:33,967 this tension is mounting and I don't 679 00:24:33,967 --> 00:24:35,911 have I don't have any knowledge of 680 00:24:35,911 --> 00:24:38,022 those reports . So I'll tell you what 681 00:24:38,022 --> 00:24:40,022 we'll do . I'll take the question . 682 00:24:40,022 --> 00:24:39,710 We'll see if we have any context on 683 00:24:39,710 --> 00:24:42,970 this . But before I make , you know , 684 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,980 some sort of pronouncement here on on 685 00:24:45,990 --> 00:24:48,590 what you're claiming happened . I think 686 00:24:48,590 --> 00:24:50,646 it'd be better if we just get ground 687 00:24:50,646 --> 00:24:52,701 truth here and I just don't have any 688 00:24:52,701 --> 00:24:54,923 way to corroborate those reports also , 689 00:24:54,923 --> 00:24:56,923 like , of course it's a decade long 690 00:24:56,923 --> 00:24:59,146 tension actually dispute between Turkey 691 00:24:59,146 --> 00:25:01,312 and Greece . Greece Greek claimed that 692 00:25:01,312 --> 00:25:03,368 while their territorial water is six 693 00:25:03,368 --> 00:25:05,368 nautical miles , The airspace is 10 694 00:25:05,368 --> 00:25:07,312 nautical miles . They claimed they 695 00:25:07,312 --> 00:25:09,201 claimed that 10 nautical miles of 696 00:25:09,201 --> 00:25:11,257 airspace . What is the US position . 697 00:25:11,257 --> 00:25:13,257 Can you just Yeah , let me take the 698 00:25:13,257 --> 00:25:15,423 question . I'm not , I wasn't prepared 699 00:25:15,423 --> 00:25:17,646 to talk about greek or Turkish airspace 700 00:25:17,646 --> 00:25:19,812 requirements here today . So I'm going 701 00:25:19,812 --> 00:25:21,923 to take the questions so that I don't 702 00:25:21,923 --> 00:25:24,146 waste your time or or or you know , any 703 00:25:24,146 --> 00:25:26,034 more than that ? An update on the 704 00:25:26,034 --> 00:25:28,312 training of Ukrainian troops in europe . 705 00:25:28,312 --> 00:25:30,368 What the latest is , how many , what 706 00:25:30,368 --> 00:25:32,479 weapons systems ? Um Yeah , hold on , 707 00:25:32,479 --> 00:25:35,670 just a second . Uh huh . 708 00:25:36,140 --> 00:25:37,270 See here , 709 00:25:50,610 --> 00:25:52,777 I know it's here somewhere . Just hang 710 00:25:52,777 --> 00:25:56,660 on , hang on with me . Let's see . 711 00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:00,830 Yeah , here we go . So as 712 00:26:00,830 --> 00:26:04,380 of today , more than 220 Ukrainian 713 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,210 Uh soldiers have been , have completed 714 00:26:08,340 --> 00:26:11,760 Triple seven training . There's an 715 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:15,200 additional 150 plus that are currently 716 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,311 going through how it's our training . 717 00:26:17,540 --> 00:26:20,500 Uh 15 Ukrainian soldiers have completed 718 00:26:20,500 --> 00:26:22,850 the Q 64 training . That's that mobile 719 00:26:22,850 --> 00:26:25,072 air defense radar system that we talked 720 00:26:25,072 --> 00:26:28,400 about . Um 60 721 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,480 Ukrainian soldiers have completed M113 722 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,202 training , that's the armoured 723 00:26:33,202 --> 00:26:36,590 personnel carrier . Uh and about 50 724 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,790 more are currently being trained on 725 00:26:39,790 --> 00:26:43,690 that right now . That's it . Yeah , jen 726 00:26:44,650 --> 00:26:46,817 earlier this week , General Million is 727 00:26:46,817 --> 00:26:48,860 prepared remarks to the Senate said 728 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,620 That President Xi's goal for his 729 00:26:52,620 --> 00:26:55,780 military is by 2027 to have his 730 00:26:55,790 --> 00:26:59,190 military to the levels that they could 731 00:26:59,190 --> 00:27:03,020 invade Taiwan . Um later he said 732 00:27:03,030 --> 00:27:06,240 that uh they may not get there . So two 733 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,600 questions a from your point of view 734 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,822 from the pentagon's point of view , why 735 00:27:10,822 --> 00:27:13,620 is china military not at a point now 736 00:27:13,630 --> 00:27:17,020 that it could invade Taiwan until 2027 737 00:27:17,530 --> 00:27:20,010 why what do you see happening that 738 00:27:20,020 --> 00:27:22,242 might cause General Milley or Secretary 739 00:27:22,242 --> 00:27:24,242 Austin to say That they may not get 740 00:27:24,242 --> 00:27:26,380 there even by 2027 . There's an awful 741 00:27:26,380 --> 00:27:29,570 lot there . I mean again you're right 742 00:27:29,570 --> 00:27:31,626 to put a fine point on it , jen what 743 00:27:31,626 --> 00:27:33,820 the chairman said was that The 744 00:27:33,830 --> 00:27:36,052 President Xi himself has said they want 745 00:27:36,052 --> 00:27:38,163 to have that capability by 2027 . Not 746 00:27:38,163 --> 00:27:40,274 necessarily that they have the intent 747 00:27:40,274 --> 00:27:43,570 to act on that capability by 2027 . I 748 00:27:43,570 --> 00:27:45,737 think in order to answer your question 749 00:27:45,737 --> 00:27:47,792 fully , we'd be getting very quickly 750 00:27:47,792 --> 00:27:49,959 into a classified realm and so I think 751 00:27:49,959 --> 00:27:51,848 we need to be careful here at the 752 00:27:51,848 --> 00:27:54,450 podium talking about about the kinds of 753 00:27:54,450 --> 00:27:56,617 capabilities that the that the chinese 754 00:27:56,617 --> 00:28:00,050 are are trying to advance um with that 755 00:28:00,060 --> 00:28:02,116 and with other in other regards , in 756 00:28:02,116 --> 00:28:04,060 the indo pacific in terms of their 757 00:28:04,060 --> 00:28:06,338 coercion and and aggressive activities , 758 00:28:07,140 --> 00:28:08,850 I think , um 759 00:28:11,140 --> 00:28:14,810 largely speaking , in addition 760 00:28:14,810 --> 00:28:17,720 to offensive capabilities and you've 761 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,020 seen them exercise amphibious , right ? 762 00:28:20,030 --> 00:28:23,040 You've seen them conduct bomber patrols , 763 00:28:23,050 --> 00:28:25,161 you've seen them now build and put to 764 00:28:25,161 --> 00:28:28,020 see , you know , indigenous aircraft 765 00:28:28,020 --> 00:28:30,090 carriers . So , offensive power 766 00:28:30,090 --> 00:28:32,201 projection capabilities , you've also 767 00:28:32,201 --> 00:28:34,550 seen them develop over many years . 768 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,890 What we call , it's a a 769 00:28:37,900 --> 00:28:40,820 pentagon sort of ISM but anti area 770 00:28:40,820 --> 00:28:43,370 access denial capabilities . What that 771 00:28:43,370 --> 00:28:45,592 means is they're built , they're trying 772 00:28:45,592 --> 00:28:48,850 to accumulate uh standoff capabilities 773 00:28:48,850 --> 00:28:51,960 to prevent other militaries , including 774 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,530 the United States from from physical 775 00:28:54,530 --> 00:28:57,560 access to whatever territorial claims 776 00:28:57,560 --> 00:28:59,710 they might they might make . And so 777 00:28:59,710 --> 00:29:01,766 it's a combination of these kinds of 778 00:29:01,766 --> 00:29:03,543 capabilities that I think we're 779 00:29:03,543 --> 00:29:05,820 watching both offensive and anti area 780 00:29:05,820 --> 00:29:08,770 access denial denial capabilities . Um 781 00:29:08,770 --> 00:29:12,060 Now what would throw them off schedule . 782 00:29:12,060 --> 00:29:14,770 I mean , um uh it could be any number 783 00:29:14,770 --> 00:29:16,492 of things , including economic 784 00:29:16,492 --> 00:29:18,381 challenges . I mean , they're not 785 00:29:18,381 --> 00:29:20,410 immune very not immune to uh to the 786 00:29:20,410 --> 00:29:22,632 international economy and that can have 787 00:29:22,632 --> 00:29:24,854 an effect on just like it has an effect 788 00:29:24,854 --> 00:29:27,077 on every nation on in terms of building 789 00:29:27,077 --> 00:29:29,299 up defense capabilities . Um what we're 790 00:29:29,299 --> 00:29:32,170 doing um is just again , 791 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,780 there's no indication that that they 792 00:29:35,780 --> 00:29:38,730 intend to do that by that or any other 793 00:29:38,730 --> 00:29:40,786 date . Just that they've stated they 794 00:29:40,786 --> 00:29:42,730 want to have the capability . What 795 00:29:42,730 --> 00:29:44,952 we're focused on is making sure that we 796 00:29:44,952 --> 00:29:47,063 have appropriate capabilities to meet 797 00:29:47,063 --> 00:29:49,341 our security commitments in the region . 798 00:29:49,341 --> 00:29:51,119 Uh And five of our seven treaty 799 00:29:51,119 --> 00:29:53,119 alliances are there . We take those 800 00:29:53,119 --> 00:29:55,341 seriously . And so again , I you know , 801 00:29:55,341 --> 00:29:57,397 pointed to that budget . There is an 802 00:29:57,397 --> 00:29:59,563 awful lot in that budget , including a 803 00:29:59,563 --> 00:30:01,619 record number of dollars invested in 804 00:30:01,619 --> 00:30:03,760 science and technology research going 805 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,590 forward to try to make sure that we too 806 00:30:06,590 --> 00:30:08,590 have the capabilities to meet those 807 00:30:08,590 --> 00:30:10,812 commitments . Uh And uh and again , the 808 00:30:10,812 --> 00:30:12,812 last thing I'd say is the secretary 809 00:30:12,812 --> 00:30:14,701 said this many times , There's no 810 00:30:14,701 --> 00:30:16,701 reason for cross strait tensions to 811 00:30:16,701 --> 00:30:18,423 turn into conflict . No reason 812 00:30:18,423 --> 00:30:20,646 whatsoever . We continue to support the 813 00:30:20,646 --> 00:30:22,701 one china Policy secretary made that 814 00:30:22,701 --> 00:30:24,757 clear when he talked to the minister 815 00:30:24,757 --> 00:30:26,979 away not long ago and uh we continue to 816 00:30:26,979 --> 00:30:29,146 support Taiwan and their ability to to 817 00:30:29,146 --> 00:30:31,360 have their own intrinsic self defense 818 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,527 capabilities . Those efforts are going 819 00:30:33,527 --> 00:30:35,638 to continue . And we've also said and 820 00:30:35,638 --> 00:30:37,749 continue to say that we don't want to 821 00:30:37,749 --> 00:30:39,971 see the status quo changes unilaterally 822 00:30:39,971 --> 00:30:42,610 in a military way . Yeah . Louis john 823 00:30:42,620 --> 00:30:44,676 how much is left in the presidential 824 00:30:44,676 --> 00:30:46,970 drawdown authority ? Funding ? Is it 825 00:30:46,980 --> 00:30:49,147 300 million ? Is it 100 million ? It's 826 00:30:49,147 --> 00:30:52,970 about $250 million . Is there a 827 00:30:52,980 --> 00:30:54,591 possibility of an additional 828 00:30:54,591 --> 00:30:57,070 announcement of a new P . D . A . Well 829 00:30:57,070 --> 00:30:59,181 look , I mean we still have that , we 830 00:30:59,181 --> 00:31:01,181 still have some some money left and 831 00:31:01,181 --> 00:31:03,560 draw down authority . Um uh and I would 832 00:31:03,570 --> 00:31:05,681 certainly expect that you will see us 833 00:31:05,681 --> 00:31:07,848 want to use that authority but I don't 834 00:31:07,848 --> 00:31:10,014 have any announcements to speak to you 835 00:31:10,014 --> 00:31:11,959 from the podium right now . Um And 836 00:31:11,959 --> 00:31:14,014 again I point you to knowing we were 837 00:31:14,014 --> 00:31:16,126 getting close to the end . That's why 838 00:31:16,126 --> 00:31:18,292 the president acted as early as he did 839 00:31:18,292 --> 00:31:20,514 to submit a new supplemental request so 840 00:31:20,514 --> 00:31:23,100 that um if if congress can act quickly 841 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:25,580 on that we can keep these drawdown 842 00:31:25,590 --> 00:31:27,757 authorities going without interruption 843 00:31:27,757 --> 00:31:29,812 because clearly the war is not being 844 00:31:29,812 --> 00:31:31,868 interrupted and we want to make sure 845 00:31:31,868 --> 00:31:34,060 we're as fleet of foot to help Ukraine 846 00:31:34,060 --> 00:31:36,227 as they have been on the battlefield , 847 00:31:36,470 --> 00:31:38,637 expand a little on what the doctor was 848 00:31:38,637 --> 00:31:40,950 talking about the new But dr was 849 00:31:40,950 --> 00:31:43,450 talking about this new the additional 850 00:31:43,450 --> 00:31:45,720 17 million for the switch blades . I 851 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:47,609 mean is that quite to a numerical 852 00:31:47,609 --> 00:31:49,950 quantity ? I mean what uh well I think 853 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,010 what he was referring to was dollars 854 00:31:53,010 --> 00:31:55,990 match to the 700 that we've committed . 855 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:59,560 So we've committed to providing 700 856 00:31:59,940 --> 00:32:03,720 switchblade uh systems to Ukraine . 857 00:32:03,730 --> 00:32:06,000 There's 100 of them in country right 858 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:07,944 now . And he I think he racked and 859 00:32:07,944 --> 00:32:10,167 stacked where the rest of it was coming 860 00:32:10,167 --> 00:32:13,430 from . Yeah . Yeah kelly the US is 861 00:32:13,430 --> 00:32:15,730 supplying Ukraine with weapons 862 00:32:15,890 --> 00:32:18,001 intelligence training while there are 863 00:32:18,001 --> 00:32:20,057 no U . S . Troops on the ground . Is 864 00:32:20,057 --> 00:32:22,168 this turning into somewhat of a proxy 865 00:32:22,168 --> 00:32:24,334 war between the US and Russia ? The US 866 00:32:24,334 --> 00:32:26,223 has been clear it's not trying to 867 00:32:26,223 --> 00:32:28,223 escalate its involvement to provoke 868 00:32:28,223 --> 00:32:28,120 Putin but where is the line there 869 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,287 everything but troops and jets , could 870 00:32:30,287 --> 00:32:33,400 you elaborate ? This is a war that 871 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,520 Russia started on Ukraine . It's a war 872 00:32:36,540 --> 00:32:40,210 that of choice . Mr Putin chose to 873 00:32:40,210 --> 00:32:42,480 wage against the people of Ukraine 874 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,536 against the Ukrainian armed forces . 875 00:32:44,536 --> 00:32:46,702 That's the war . And it doesn't matter 876 00:32:46,702 --> 00:32:48,869 how much Mr Putin wants to advance the 877 00:32:48,869 --> 00:32:50,869 rhetoric that it's somehow the west 878 00:32:50,869 --> 00:32:52,813 versus Russia or that his national 879 00:32:52,813 --> 00:32:54,924 security was threatened . It wasn't . 880 00:32:54,924 --> 00:32:57,036 And this war isn't it's not about the 881 00:32:57,036 --> 00:32:59,147 west , it's not about NATO , it's not 882 00:32:59,147 --> 00:33:01,202 about the United States , it's about 883 00:33:01,202 --> 00:33:03,420 his uh entity towards Ukraine and the 884 00:33:03,420 --> 00:33:05,531 people of Ukraine and that that's the 885 00:33:05,531 --> 00:33:07,753 war that is what's going on right now . 886 00:33:07,753 --> 00:33:11,110 Yeah . Thanks john you often 887 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,890 spoke with the Ukraine like battlefield 888 00:33:14,890 --> 00:33:16,890 assessment that the war is changing 889 00:33:16,890 --> 00:33:19,057 because of the Donbass Eastern front , 890 00:33:19,057 --> 00:33:21,223 different types of weapons , different 891 00:33:21,223 --> 00:33:23,446 types of problems . I wonder if you can 892 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,410 touch on . Has the air picture changed ? 893 00:33:26,420 --> 00:33:28,531 We heard the other day that there are 894 00:33:28,531 --> 00:33:31,680 less Russian sorties . So um are there 895 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:33,790 less stingers or less air defense 896 00:33:33,790 --> 00:33:36,050 systems going in or is that the same 897 00:33:36,050 --> 00:33:38,383 type ? What's going on with the airport ? 898 00:33:38,383 --> 00:33:40,494 I think you've seen us change support 899 00:33:40,494 --> 00:33:43,300 based on the kind of fighting that 900 00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:45,411 Ukrainians are doing and expect to be 901 00:33:45,411 --> 00:33:48,710 doing over the coming weeks . Um , and 902 00:33:48,710 --> 00:33:50,766 as the war migrated more towards the 903 00:33:50,766 --> 00:33:52,988 concentration on the Donbas flat , open 904 00:33:52,988 --> 00:33:56,680 land , more rural , more uh 905 00:33:56,690 --> 00:34:00,460 indicative or or relevant to mechanized 906 00:34:00,460 --> 00:34:02,770 warfare and artillery . And we're 907 00:34:02,770 --> 00:34:04,492 seeing that happen every day . 908 00:34:04,492 --> 00:34:07,260 Artillery barrages back and forth , 909 00:34:07,260 --> 00:34:09,320 quite frankly . Um , so we have 910 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:11,740 modified and tailored the packages that 911 00:34:11,740 --> 00:34:14,760 we're providing . And uh when we have 912 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:16,760 additional packages to announce , I 913 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:19,400 think you'll see in them that relevance 914 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:22,030 born through . Um as for the air 915 00:34:22,030 --> 00:34:24,640 picture , it changes every day in terms 916 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:26,807 of how many sorties the Russians fly . 917 00:34:26,807 --> 00:34:28,973 I'll let them speak to their their air 918 00:34:28,973 --> 00:34:31,270 plan . But we continue to see the 919 00:34:31,270 --> 00:34:33,790 airspace contested . Um , we continue 920 00:34:33,790 --> 00:34:37,470 to see the Ukrainians be very 921 00:34:37,470 --> 00:34:39,192 effective in their air defense 922 00:34:39,192 --> 00:34:41,414 capabilities . Very nimble about that . 923 00:34:41,414 --> 00:34:43,026 But yet the Russians to have 924 00:34:43,026 --> 00:34:45,137 significant air defense coverage over 925 00:34:45,137 --> 00:34:47,590 Ukraine and uh they do continue to 926 00:34:47,590 --> 00:34:50,570 launch both missile strikes as well as 927 00:34:50,580 --> 00:34:54,260 uh fixed manned 928 00:34:54,270 --> 00:34:58,060 airstrikes into into Ukraine 929 00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:00,300 predominantly the airstrikes were 930 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:02,522 seeing whether their missile strikes or 931 00:35:02,522 --> 00:35:05,900 or or dropped from an aircraft are 932 00:35:05,900 --> 00:35:08,140 happening in what we call the J fo the 933 00:35:08,140 --> 00:35:10,307 joint forces operations area basically 934 00:35:10,307 --> 00:35:12,418 the Donbass region where the fighting 935 00:35:12,418 --> 00:35:14,529 is really going on right now and also 936 00:35:14,529 --> 00:35:16,696 down in Mario people even today , they 937 00:35:16,696 --> 00:35:19,050 continue to pound mary opal . Um , we 938 00:35:19,060 --> 00:35:22,310 uh continue to observe the same sort of 939 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,610 risk a version out of Russian pilots as 940 00:35:25,610 --> 00:35:27,666 we have seen before . They know that 941 00:35:27,666 --> 00:35:29,554 the Ukrainians have effective air 942 00:35:29,554 --> 00:35:31,666 defense and so you don't see them fly 943 00:35:31,666 --> 00:35:33,650 very long or very often inside 944 00:35:33,650 --> 00:35:35,870 Ukrainian airspace . They launched 945 00:35:35,870 --> 00:35:37,981 their missions and and their missions 946 00:35:37,981 --> 00:35:40,350 basically , usually mostly in Russian 947 00:35:40,350 --> 00:35:42,406 airspace . But it's very contested . 948 00:35:42,406 --> 00:35:44,350 And again , that's a that's a real 949 00:35:44,350 --> 00:35:46,183 credit to , to how smart and how 950 00:35:46,183 --> 00:35:48,128 effective the Ukrainians have been 951 00:35:48,128 --> 00:35:50,128 about their defense . Would you say 952 00:35:50,128 --> 00:35:52,017 that Donbass requires less US air 953 00:35:52,017 --> 00:35:54,128 defense assistance ? I would , what I 954 00:35:54,128 --> 00:35:56,310 would say is what the Donbass requires 955 00:35:56,310 --> 00:35:58,366 are the kinds of capabilities we are 956 00:35:58,366 --> 00:36:00,532 focused on providing the Ukrainians in 957 00:36:00,532 --> 00:36:02,754 these in these recent weeks . Artillery 958 00:36:02,754 --> 00:36:04,866 long range fires . Uh , these armored 959 00:36:04,866 --> 00:36:06,699 personnel carriers , the the tow 960 00:36:06,699 --> 00:36:09,580 vehicles for the howitzers , The 155 961 00:36:09,580 --> 00:36:13,330 rounds . Um um , the 962 00:36:13,340 --> 00:36:15,173 gun battles are real and they're 963 00:36:15,173 --> 00:36:17,284 happening every day from both sides . 964 00:36:17,284 --> 00:36:19,229 That's uh that's what this terrain 965 00:36:19,229 --> 00:36:21,340 lends itself to . That's what Russian 966 00:36:21,340 --> 00:36:23,562 doctrine sort of tends to dominate when 967 00:36:23,562 --> 00:36:25,673 they're in this kind of environment . 968 00:36:25,673 --> 00:36:27,896 And again , reminding that that this is 969 00:36:27,896 --> 00:36:30,118 an area of Ukraine that both sides have 970 00:36:30,118 --> 00:36:32,396 been fighting over now for eight years . 971 00:36:32,396 --> 00:36:32,130 They're very familiar with that terrain 972 00:36:32,130 --> 00:36:33,963 and that's what we're seeing use 973 00:36:33,963 --> 00:36:36,080 predominantly , I won't I'm not gonna 974 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,680 say that that there won't ever be and 975 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:40,569 has never been in the fighting in 976 00:36:40,569 --> 00:36:42,569 Donbas they use for short range air 977 00:36:42,569 --> 00:36:44,680 defense . I think the I don't want to 978 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:46,791 speak for the Ukraine's , but I think 979 00:36:46,791 --> 00:36:48,958 they would tell you that they're still 980 00:36:48,958 --> 00:36:48,880 finding those capabilities very 981 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:52,550 relevant , but but in terms of 982 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:55,540 our flow of support and assistance , 983 00:36:55,540 --> 00:36:57,540 we're really trying to tailor it to 984 00:36:57,540 --> 00:36:59,651 what they're telling us . They need , 985 00:36:59,651 --> 00:37:01,651 what they're telling us , that they 986 00:37:01,651 --> 00:37:03,596 need the most of what we call long 987 00:37:03,596 --> 00:37:03,460 range fires in this case . Artillery , 988 00:37:04,230 --> 00:37:06,452 yep . Yes , ma'am , in the background , 989 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:10,820 it's hard to see bacteria and I like to 990 00:37:10,830 --> 00:37:13,420 sit in the shadows , you know ? Um so 991 00:37:13,430 --> 00:37:15,263 just a couple of quick follow up 992 00:37:15,263 --> 00:37:17,486 questions when you're going down , your 993 00:37:17,486 --> 00:37:19,652 training kind of like , overthrew over 994 00:37:19,652 --> 00:37:21,874 overview . I didn't hear anything about 995 00:37:21,874 --> 00:37:24,041 phoenix ghost . Are those in Ukraine ? 996 00:37:24,041 --> 00:37:26,750 Are those delivered yet ? And are 997 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:28,982 Ukrainians being trained on those yet ? 998 00:37:36,930 --> 00:37:40,110 Uh let's see , I do not show any of the 999 00:37:40,110 --> 00:37:42,750 phoenix ghosts actually uh 1000 00:37:43,510 --> 00:37:47,260 in in in Ukraine yet . And 1001 00:37:47,290 --> 00:37:48,740 as for training , 1002 00:37:51,130 --> 00:37:53,130 I know that there was some training 1003 00:37:53,130 --> 00:37:56,310 done . Yeah . Um there's about 20 and 1004 00:37:56,310 --> 00:37:58,421 I'm sorry , I missed this when I went 1005 00:37:58,421 --> 00:38:00,254 down the list . So thank you for 1006 00:38:00,254 --> 00:38:02,143 calling it out . There's about 20 1007 00:38:02,143 --> 00:38:04,199 Ukrainian soldiers that are in their 1008 00:38:04,199 --> 00:38:06,880 final day of a week long , seven day uh 1009 00:38:06,890 --> 00:38:10,810 phoenix ghost us training course . So 1010 00:38:10,820 --> 00:38:13,680 yeah , thanks for just very quickly . 1011 00:38:13,830 --> 00:38:17,250 Um dr lu plant , he talked about an RFP 1012 00:38:17,250 --> 00:38:19,306 or a series of our mps that went out 1013 00:38:19,620 --> 00:38:22,520 And that he had 300 proposals . Do you 1014 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:24,631 have any additional information about 1015 00:38:24,631 --> 00:38:27,900 what sort of strategic objectives Did 1016 00:38:28,220 --> 00:38:30,109 that ? You know , the Pentagon is 1017 00:38:30,109 --> 00:38:32,109 seeking to fill with those and when 1018 00:38:32,109 --> 00:38:34,276 some decisions might be made , I don't 1019 00:38:34,276 --> 00:38:36,331 I couldn't begin to speculate that . 1020 00:38:36,331 --> 00:38:38,560 Tom did you say ? How many of the 90 1021 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:40,504 howitzers that were promised or in 1022 00:38:40,504 --> 00:38:43,120 country and also in the fight ? And as 1023 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,020 far as the 190,000 rounds that were 1024 00:38:46,020 --> 00:38:47,909 promised , how many of those have 1025 00:38:47,909 --> 00:38:51,750 arrived ? Yeah , let's see . Um 1026 00:38:54,220 --> 00:38:56,331 without getting into specific numbers 1027 00:38:56,331 --> 00:38:57,140 on that , 1028 00:38:58,770 --> 00:39:01,360 you'd like that , wouldn't you ? 1029 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:05,790 I the vast majority of the 90 1030 00:39:05,790 --> 00:39:08,300 are inside Ukraine . The vast vast 1031 00:39:08,300 --> 00:39:10,356 majority , but not not all of them . 1032 00:39:10,356 --> 00:39:12,522 And I'm sorry your second question was 1033 00:39:12,522 --> 00:39:14,689 around 190,000 promised . How many are 1034 00:39:14,689 --> 00:39:16,130 in ? Yeah . 1035 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,940 So I'd say I'd put it at roughly 60% of 1036 00:39:23,940 --> 00:39:26,730 the 144,000 rounds that we had 1037 00:39:26,730 --> 00:39:29,220 committed over two P . D . A s About 1038 00:39:29,220 --> 00:39:31,331 60% are in there are actually in it . 1039 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:34,087 Okay . I've got time for just a couple 1040 00:39:34,087 --> 00:39:36,309 more than we've got to reset . The room 1041 00:39:36,309 --> 00:39:38,476 for Mr Burns is farewell . Yeah , john 1042 00:39:38,476 --> 00:39:40,309 john you know that that about 20 1043 00:39:40,309 --> 00:39:40,300 Ukrainian soldiers are about to wrap up 1044 00:39:40,300 --> 00:39:42,300 their week long training course for 1045 00:39:42,300 --> 00:39:44,700 phoenix Ghost um do you have any um 1046 00:39:44,710 --> 00:39:46,877 sort of , you know window for when you 1047 00:39:46,877 --> 00:39:49,043 expect those systems to be delivered ? 1048 00:39:49,043 --> 00:39:51,210 I would think that if they're about to 1049 00:39:51,210 --> 00:39:50,530 finish training they're probably 1050 00:39:50,530 --> 00:39:52,586 getting I just don't I don't have an 1051 00:39:52,586 --> 00:39:54,808 estimate on here . I mean I can kind of 1052 00:39:54,808 --> 00:39:56,974 tell you where we're at on a given day 1053 00:39:56,974 --> 00:39:59,470 but I'm not I'm not I don't have access 1054 00:39:59,470 --> 00:40:01,470 to the logistical plan . I couldn't 1055 00:40:01,470 --> 00:40:03,637 give that to you . But obviously we we 1056 00:40:03,637 --> 00:40:05,748 certainly want to get them to them as 1057 00:40:05,748 --> 00:40:05,430 soon as we can as soon as it's 1058 00:40:05,430 --> 00:40:08,530 practical and make sure that uh that 1059 00:40:08,540 --> 00:40:11,590 the individuals trained on it are are 1060 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:13,930 able to fall in if they can on on 1061 00:40:13,930 --> 00:40:15,930 equipment . If not we want to close 1062 00:40:15,930 --> 00:40:18,152 that gap as much as possible . And will 1063 00:40:18,152 --> 00:40:20,263 there be another covert going through 1064 00:40:20,263 --> 00:40:22,208 that ? I don't have any reports of 1065 00:40:22,208 --> 00:40:24,430 another one . It wouldn't surprise me , 1066 00:40:24,430 --> 00:40:24,380 but if there is , we'll certainly talk 1067 00:40:24,380 --> 00:40:26,547 about it . But I don't I don't I'm not 1068 00:40:26,547 --> 00:40:28,713 tracking another one but that it would 1069 00:40:29,210 --> 00:40:31,321 at all . Not not surprised me because 1070 00:40:31,321 --> 00:40:33,432 you know , we we wanna as we're doing 1071 00:40:33,432 --> 00:40:35,543 with the howitzers , you want to keep 1072 00:40:35,543 --> 00:40:37,710 that training going . Okay . Alright . 1073 00:40:37,710 --> 00:40:39,821 I think I already got you . Got you , 1074 00:40:39,821 --> 00:40:39,610 Got you , I told you I'll take your 1075 00:40:39,610 --> 00:40:41,740 question , I'll take your questions . 1076 00:40:43,210 --> 00:40:45,280 I'll take that one too . I'm just 1077 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,280 kidding . Go ahead . Okay then 1078 00:40:49,010 --> 00:40:51,270 the lead . Inspector General had a 1079 00:40:51,270 --> 00:40:54,070 report about why are the the chief 1080 00:40:54,070 --> 00:40:57,070 Inspector like duty ? Inspector Jungle 1081 00:40:57,270 --> 00:40:59,500 had a report on the y our area of 1082 00:40:59,500 --> 00:41:02,010 operation . And then in that report 1083 00:41:02,010 --> 00:41:04,232 there is an assessment that the D . I . 1084 00:41:04,232 --> 00:41:06,650 A . Assess that actually Iranian backed 1085 00:41:06,650 --> 00:41:09,690 militias are cooperating with PKK in 1086 00:41:09,690 --> 00:41:11,620 Iraq and Syria to attack Turkish 1087 00:41:11,620 --> 00:41:14,500 positions . Are you aware of that 1088 00:41:14,510 --> 00:41:16,500 assessment ? And what does this 1089 00:41:16,500 --> 00:41:18,500 building plan to do with that ? You 1090 00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:20,556 know I don't have any detail in that 1091 00:41:20,556 --> 00:41:22,667 particular assessment . Therefore I'm 1092 00:41:22,667 --> 00:41:22,480 not gonna and I certainly even if I did 1093 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:24,480 I would not speculate or talk about 1094 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:26,536 future operations . You know , we're 1095 00:41:26,536 --> 00:41:28,758 not gonna do that . Let's take one more 1096 00:41:28,758 --> 00:41:30,813 from the phone here . Uh Let's see , 1097 00:41:30,813 --> 00:41:33,940 paul Hanley . Hi john can you hear me ? 1098 00:41:44,110 --> 00:41:45,554 Maybe you don't have me ? 1099 00:41:52,010 --> 00:41:54,260 Must be a sign . It's friday . We'll 1100 00:41:54,260 --> 00:41:56,593 cut it . Uh Well , quite it short there . 1101 00:41:56,593 --> 00:41:58,760 Thanks very much appreciate you coming 1102 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:00,704 today and uh have a good weekend . 1103 00:42:00,704 --> 00:42:01,330 We'll see you on monday .