WEBVTT 00:00.759 --> 00:04.289 Good afternoon , everyone . Just a few 00:04.300 --> 00:06.356 things at the top and then we'll get 00:06.356 --> 00:08.411 right to your questions . So just to 00:08.411 --> 00:10.578 recap , as you know , Secretary Austin 00:10.578 --> 00:12.800 traveled to Fort Bragg , North Carolina 00:12.800 --> 00:15.022 on Friday to visit with service members 00:15.022 --> 00:17.370 dod civilians and their families and to 00:17.379 --> 00:19.379 thank them for what they do for our 00:19.379 --> 00:21.435 country and to learn about what's on 00:21.435 --> 00:23.657 their minds as the home of the airborne 00:23.657 --> 00:25.657 and special operations forces . The 00:25.657 --> 00:27.712 base is one of our nation's foremost 00:27.712 --> 00:29.657 power projection platforms and the 00:29.657 --> 00:31.546 joint force at Fort Bragg and the 00:31.546 --> 00:33.879 families and community who support them , 00:33.879 --> 00:36.046 represent a critical national security 00:36.046 --> 00:38.046 asset and an important war fighting 00:38.046 --> 00:39.900 capability . During his visit , 00:39.909 --> 00:42.076 Secretary Austin met with soldiers and 00:42.076 --> 00:43.853 families from the 82nd Airborne 00:43.853 --> 00:46.790 Division visited Hampton primary school 00:46.799 --> 00:48.966 which is part of the the department of 00:48.966 --> 00:50.910 Defense school system . Spoke with 00:50.910 --> 00:53.132 troops in the third brigade combat team 00:53.132 --> 00:55.299 of the 82nd Airborne Division where he 00:55.299 --> 00:57.466 previously served as brigade commander 00:57.466 --> 00:59.688 and met with army and Air Force R O T C 00:59.688 --> 01:01.410 students at Fayetteville State 01:01.410 --> 01:03.970 University . During his discussions , 01:03.979 --> 01:06.090 the secretary emphasized how proud he 01:06.090 --> 01:08.370 is of our service members dod civilians 01:08.379 --> 01:10.323 and their families for all they're 01:10.323 --> 01:12.059 doing to defend our nation and 01:12.069 --> 01:14.180 highlighted his continuing commitment 01:14.180 --> 01:16.236 to supporting our troops through the 01:16.236 --> 01:18.180 department's taking care of people 01:18.180 --> 01:20.389 initiatives . On Saturday , Secretary 01:20.400 --> 01:22.389 Austin then delivered the keynote 01:22.400 --> 01:24.519 address during Fayetteville State 01:24.529 --> 01:26.473 University's commencement where he 01:26.480 --> 01:28.591 discussed the value of service to the 01:28.591 --> 01:30.480 nation and the impact that public 01:30.480 --> 01:32.313 service can have both inside and 01:32.313 --> 01:34.536 outside of the military . The speech is 01:34.536 --> 01:36.702 posted to the dod website on a related 01:36.702 --> 01:38.536 note , I can announce today that 01:38.536 --> 01:40.424 Secretary Austin will deliver the 01:40.424 --> 01:42.480 commencement address at the US Naval 01:42.480 --> 01:44.702 Academy's 2023 commencement ceremony in 01:44.702 --> 01:46.536 Annapolis scheduled for May 26 . 01:47.279 --> 01:49.223 Separately , Secretary Austin will 01:49.223 --> 01:50.890 brief the Senate Committee on 01:50.890 --> 01:52.612 appropriations tomorrow on the 01:52.612 --> 01:54.501 president's fiscal year 24 budget 01:54.501 --> 01:56.930 request as it pertains to investing in 01:56.940 --> 01:59.760 us security competitiveness and the 01:59.769 --> 02:01.325 path ahead for the US China 02:01.325 --> 02:03.870 relationship . Secretary Austin will 02:03.879 --> 02:05.935 join Secretary Blinken and Secretary 02:05.935 --> 02:08.046 Raymundo to speak on the department's 02:08.046 --> 02:09.990 efforts to address the PRC pacing 02:10.000 --> 02:12.449 challenge in lockstep with our partners 02:12.460 --> 02:14.293 across the administration and in 02:14.293 --> 02:16.660 Congress as well as in cooperation with 02:16.669 --> 02:18.891 our international allies and partners . 02:18.979 --> 02:21.201 The secretary looks forward to briefing 02:21.201 --> 02:22.868 congressional members on this 02:22.868 --> 02:25.070 critically important topic . Switching 02:25.080 --> 02:27.191 gears . The Department of Defense and 02:27.191 --> 02:28.970 National Telecommunications and 02:28.979 --> 02:31.460 Information Administration have jointly 02:31.470 --> 02:33.699 expressed our support for a state 02:33.710 --> 02:35.949 department proposal delivered last week 02:35.960 --> 02:37.182 to the Inter American 02:37.182 --> 02:39.839 Telecommunications Commission or Cel 02:40.119 --> 02:42.949 which calls for opening the 3300 to 02:42.960 --> 02:45.699 3400 megahertz band for five G mobile 02:45.710 --> 02:48.160 services within the Americas region . 02:48.809 --> 02:50.865 By state departments submitting this 02:50.865 --> 02:53.087 proposal . The US government is seeking 02:53.087 --> 02:55.031 to protect critical operations and 02:55.031 --> 02:58.580 capabilities while also use of the 3334 02:58.589 --> 03:00.880 100 mega band or megahertz band for 03:00.889 --> 03:03.380 five G mobile services by countries 03:03.389 --> 03:05.699 that wish to do so . The proposal will 03:05.710 --> 03:07.710 be discussed during seat's upcoming 03:07.710 --> 03:09.619 meeting in Mexico City on May 22 03:10.529 --> 03:12.830 electromagnetic spectrum access in all 03:12.839 --> 03:14.561 bands remains essential to dod 03:14.561 --> 03:16.672 operations as we conduct our national 03:16.672 --> 03:18.740 security mission worldwide . And 03:18.750 --> 03:20.861 additional information will be posted 03:20.861 --> 03:22.970 to defense dot gov later today . And 03:22.979 --> 03:25.035 finally to update you on us training 03:25.035 --> 03:27.380 efforts of Ukrainian armed forces . I 03:27.389 --> 03:29.929 can confirm that the 31 M one Abrams 03:29.940 --> 03:32.162 training tanks have arrived at Graphene 03:32.162 --> 03:34.273 Germany in preparation for subsequent 03:34.273 --> 03:36.218 training of Ukrainian tank crews . 03:36.270 --> 03:38.437 Those crews are expected to arrive and 03:38.437 --> 03:40.548 begin training within the next couple 03:40.548 --> 03:42.826 of weeks as we've discussed previously , 03:42.826 --> 03:44.826 this extensive training program for 03:44.826 --> 03:46.770 Ukrainian crews and maintainers is 03:46.770 --> 03:48.714 intended to prepare them for their 03:48.714 --> 03:50.714 critical roles ahead in effectively 03:50.714 --> 03:52.881 operating the M one tank and defending 03:52.881 --> 03:55.048 the Ukrainian people . And with that , 03:55.048 --> 03:54.990 we'll take your questions . We'll start 03:55.000 --> 03:58.130 with associated press . Bald . Thank 03:58.139 --> 04:01.179 you . Um Two things . Uh If you could 04:01.190 --> 04:05.039 pat one , um can you just update us on 04:05.050 --> 04:07.272 the troops arrival at the border at the 04:07.272 --> 04:09.494 southern border ? Um How many are there 04:09.494 --> 04:12.059 where you believe they are ? And any 04:12.070 --> 04:14.181 other details about that that you may 04:14.181 --> 04:16.510 have at this point . And secondly , um 04:16.519 --> 04:19.790 on the uh Middle East Persian Gulf , 04:20.269 --> 04:22.325 can you tell us whether or not there 04:22.325 --> 04:25.730 are going to be additional dod military 04:25.739 --> 04:29.600 assets sent to the Gulf 04:29.609 --> 04:31.869 Strait of Hormuz region ? Are we 04:31.880 --> 04:34.549 talking about ships , aircraft ? Can 04:34.559 --> 04:36.920 you give us any anything to put a 04:36.929 --> 04:38.985 little meat on the bones of what the 04:38.985 --> 04:41.399 White House said Friday about either 04:41.410 --> 04:43.299 additional assets ? Or is it just 04:43.299 --> 04:46.779 additional rotations or additional 04:46.790 --> 04:48.901 patrolling ? Can you just help us out 04:48.901 --> 04:51.068 on that ? Absolutely . Uh So , on your 04:51.068 --> 04:53.068 first question , uh in terms of the 04:53.068 --> 04:55.234 Southwest border , uh as of today , we 04:55.234 --> 04:57.179 have approximately 550 active duty 04:57.179 --> 04:59.123 troops uh that have arrived at the 04:59.123 --> 05:01.012 border . Uh We do anticipate that 05:01.012 --> 05:04.779 another 950 will be arriving uh no 05:04.790 --> 05:08.260 later than five June . Uh And so , um 05:08.529 --> 05:10.585 the predominant number of , of those 05:10.585 --> 05:12.696 troops , as I understand it are in El 05:12.696 --> 05:15.000 Paso . Uh although C B P ultimately 05:15.010 --> 05:17.010 will be the ones to determine their 05:17.010 --> 05:18.954 disposition since they're there to 05:18.954 --> 05:21.630 support C B P . Um in terms of 05:21.640 --> 05:25.589 the strait of Hormuz , uh and the , the 05:25.600 --> 05:27.656 White House statement on Friday , uh 05:27.656 --> 05:29.711 really what it comes down to is that 05:29.711 --> 05:32.269 the US will increase the rotation of in 05:32.279 --> 05:34.570 theater assets patrolling the strait of 05:34.579 --> 05:37.029 Hormuz uh with the intent of bolstering 05:37.040 --> 05:39.869 our vigilance and our presence at this 05:39.880 --> 05:41.991 uh at this location . And that's this 05:41.991 --> 05:44.519 maritime choke point . Uh These assets 05:44.529 --> 05:46.690 will include uh manned and unmanned 05:46.700 --> 05:49.380 aerial platforms uh as well as surface 05:49.390 --> 05:51.612 naval vessels from the Navy , the Coast 05:51.612 --> 05:53.557 Guard to help enhance our maritime 05:53.557 --> 05:55.390 surveillance . Uh In fact , as I 05:55.390 --> 05:57.829 understand it , uh the fifth fleet over 05:57.839 --> 05:59.728 the weekend on Sunday posted some 05:59.728 --> 06:01.506 imagery from a P eight pass and 06:01.506 --> 06:03.728 patrolling over the strait of Hormuz uh 06:03.728 --> 06:06.149 with personnel from the US uh and 06:06.160 --> 06:08.327 various regional allies and partners . 06:08.327 --> 06:10.438 And then we continue to very actively 06:10.438 --> 06:12.660 coordinate with our regional partners . 06:12.660 --> 06:14.660 For example , fifth fleet commander 06:14.660 --> 06:16.604 spoke to his French counterpart on 06:16.604 --> 06:18.829 Saturday to discuss opportunities for 06:18.839 --> 06:20.690 the US and the and France to 06:20.700 --> 06:22.978 collaborate and increasing our patrols . 06:25.170 --> 06:27.448 I'm sorry , quick thing on the P eight . 06:28.100 --> 06:30.211 Do you expect the US would be able to 06:30.211 --> 06:32.359 send additional P eights there ? That 06:32.369 --> 06:34.591 was one thing that I thought might have 06:34.591 --> 06:36.536 been an option . Yeah , so , so no 06:36.536 --> 06:38.480 announcements to make right now in 06:38.480 --> 06:40.647 terms of additional assets moving into 06:40.647 --> 06:42.702 theater . Uh again , the focus right 06:42.702 --> 06:44.869 now will be on increasing the rotation 06:44.869 --> 06:46.758 of the in theater assets . Um But 06:46.758 --> 06:48.925 certainly if and when we have anything 06:48.925 --> 06:48.720 new to announce , we'll , we'll do that . 06:48.869 --> 06:51.179 Thank you . We go to next question , 06:52.809 --> 06:55.087 quiet group today . Let me go to Chris . 06:58.220 --> 07:01.809 Thanks Pat on uh May 11th . Uh NORAD 07:01.820 --> 07:05.320 intercepted uh six Russian aircraft um 07:05.329 --> 07:08.149 off the coast of Alaska . Uh Well , 07:08.160 --> 07:11.070 NORAD noted , um they did not see that 07:11.079 --> 07:13.246 as a threat . They did note that there 07:13.246 --> 07:16.070 were large scale US military exercises 07:16.079 --> 07:18.301 occurring in Alaska . Does the Pentagon 07:18.301 --> 07:20.790 view this as a provocative actions on 07:20.799 --> 07:23.109 behalf of the Russians ? Just to make 07:23.119 --> 07:25.230 sure I understand you're ask , you're 07:25.230 --> 07:27.508 asking about a Russian exercise . They , 07:27.508 --> 07:30.130 they Russian flights uh in the Alaska 07:30.140 --> 07:32.720 Air Defense Identification Zone that 07:32.750 --> 07:35.019 NORAD uh announced over the weekend 07:35.029 --> 07:37.140 that had occurred last week that they 07:37.140 --> 07:40.070 intercepted . Yeah . Right . So , so we 07:40.079 --> 07:42.200 conduct exercises all the time , 07:42.209 --> 07:45.529 obviously . Uh And so , no , we don't 07:45.540 --> 07:47.500 view our exercises as 07:50.420 --> 07:52.750 near a U SI . Think the North Com 07:52.760 --> 07:54.880 statement speaks for itself . Um , 07:54.890 --> 07:57.112 again , it's not the , the first , uh , 07:57.112 --> 08:00.940 Russian uh flight probably won't be the 08:00.950 --> 08:03.190 last North Com responded appropriately 08:03.609 --> 08:05.609 if I could , uh , just ask a second 08:05.609 --> 08:07.739 question . Um , Secretary Austin sent 08:07.750 --> 08:09.779 the , uh , letter , uh to Senator 08:09.790 --> 08:12.239 Warren on the nomination hold warning 08:12.250 --> 08:15.179 this could become AAA critical issue . 08:15.190 --> 08:17.459 Has the secretary spoken to Senator 08:17.470 --> 08:20.410 Tuberville about this since then ? Um , 08:20.420 --> 08:22.642 I don't , I don't have any specifics to 08:22.642 --> 08:24.809 provide other than to say that the dod 08:24.809 --> 08:26.587 does remain in contact with the 08:26.587 --> 08:28.864 senator's office . Thank you very much . 08:28.864 --> 08:31.429 Yes , ma'am to go off Chris though . Is 08:31.440 --> 08:35.109 it not the first Russians to go ? Right 08:35.119 --> 08:39.000 on , uh , ad Z I during 08:39.010 --> 08:41.229 one of our military exercises , you , 08:41.239 --> 08:43.919 it's not the first for them to fly by , 08:43.929 --> 08:46.900 but during a , a large military 08:46.909 --> 08:50.080 exercise , I believe around 10,000 , um , 08:50.090 --> 08:52.146 I , I don't have an answer to that . 08:52.146 --> 08:54.257 We'll have to look into that and come 08:54.257 --> 08:56.479 back to you . Thank you . You come over 08:56.479 --> 09:00.280 here to will . Thank you . Um First on 09:00.289 --> 09:02.122 does Britain's promise of cruise 09:02.122 --> 09:04.289 missiles and long range U A V S affect 09:04.289 --> 09:06.289 or change us calculations regarding 09:06.289 --> 09:08.622 providing longer range fires to Ukraine ? 09:08.900 --> 09:11.122 Thanks . Well , uh no , it doesn't . Um 09:11.122 --> 09:13.178 You know , as we've said all along , 09:13.178 --> 09:15.122 we're going to continue to stay in 09:15.122 --> 09:17.289 active discussions with Ukraine , with 09:17.289 --> 09:19.289 our allies and our partners on what 09:19.289 --> 09:21.400 their most urgent security assistance 09:21.400 --> 09:23.456 needs are . Uh As you know , we have 09:23.456 --> 09:25.678 provided a wide variety of capabilities 09:25.678 --> 09:28.390 to include things like artillery , air 09:28.400 --> 09:31.380 defense , armor ammunition , and we'll 09:31.390 --> 09:33.669 continue to do that going forward and 09:33.679 --> 09:35.735 then um kind of building off that um 09:35.869 --> 09:37.702 Ukraine has , has kind of made a 09:37.702 --> 09:39.480 renewed push for um for western 09:39.480 --> 09:41.591 warplanes again . Is there , is there 09:41.591 --> 09:43.480 any change in in the US view that 09:43.480 --> 09:45.536 that's not the right ? Um That's not 09:45.536 --> 09:44.760 the right equipment to provide at this 09:44.770 --> 09:47.190 point or is that basically the same as 09:47.200 --> 09:49.422 it's been ? Yeah . Again , I don't have 09:49.422 --> 09:51.533 anything to announce today in regards 09:51.533 --> 09:53.589 to uh any type of fighter aircraft . 09:53.589 --> 09:55.589 Again , we're going to stay in very 09:55.589 --> 09:55.500 close contact with Ukraine and with our 09:55.510 --> 09:57.677 allies and partners uh to look at both 09:57.677 --> 09:59.454 their near term and longer term 09:59.454 --> 10:01.549 security needs . Thank you , Liz . 10:03.989 --> 10:06.289 Um What is the U , does it look more 10:06.299 --> 10:08.700 likely or less likely that China would 10:08.710 --> 10:11.789 supply weapons to Russia ? Uh So as of 10:11.799 --> 10:13.466 right now , we don't have any 10:13.466 --> 10:15.729 indications that China has provided 10:15.739 --> 10:18.929 lethal assistance to Russia . And um 10:18.940 --> 10:21.162 what is the US ? What is the Department 10:21.162 --> 10:23.218 of Defense doing specifically in the 10:23.218 --> 10:25.440 region ? Um to , to stop China or deter 10:25.440 --> 10:27.718 China from potentially sending weapons ? 10:27.849 --> 10:29.849 So you've , you've heard us talk uh 10:29.849 --> 10:32.520 that both publicly and privately , we 10:32.530 --> 10:35.559 have communicated with China about the 10:35.570 --> 10:37.650 negative consequences of providing 10:37.659 --> 10:40.119 lethal aid to Russia . Not only would 10:40.130 --> 10:43.159 it extend the duration of this uh of 10:43.169 --> 10:46.320 Russia's illegal occupation of Ukraine 10:46.330 --> 10:49.489 and result in thousands of innocent , 10:49.599 --> 10:51.820 killed in Ukraine . It would also 10:51.830 --> 10:53.663 squarely put them in the camp of 10:53.663 --> 10:55.886 countries that are looking to eliminate 10:55.886 --> 10:57.997 Ukraine as a nation . Last question . 10:58.130 --> 11:00.890 Um Looking ahead to the G7 summit later 11:00.900 --> 11:03.122 this week , is the US doing anything to 11:03.122 --> 11:05.760 bolster its posture in the region ? Is 11:05.770 --> 11:08.599 the US tracking that China might react 11:08.609 --> 11:10.940 militarily to the summit ? I don't have 11:10.950 --> 11:13.172 anything specific to provide other than 11:13.172 --> 11:15.179 we of course , do maintain a robust 11:15.190 --> 11:17.301 presence in the Indo Pacific region . 11:17.301 --> 11:19.523 We'll continue to work closely with our 11:19.523 --> 11:21.690 allies and partners to promote peace , 11:21.690 --> 11:23.912 security and stability . Thank you , go 11:23.912 --> 11:25.968 Tony and they'll come back here or a 11:25.968 --> 11:27.912 couple of different regions of the 11:27.912 --> 11:27.760 world . What's the status of the 11:27.770 --> 11:29.937 Pentagon's preparation for this time ? 11:29.937 --> 11:31.937 One presidential drawn on authority 11:31.937 --> 11:33.714 package that the Taiwan Defense 11:33.714 --> 11:35.770 Minister said was gonna be about 500 11:35.770 --> 11:37.881 million . Uh Is it in the end game in 11:37.881 --> 11:40.103 terms of identifying the items ? And is 11:40.103 --> 11:42.326 it possible Secretary Austin or Blinken 11:42.326 --> 11:44.159 will announce it tomorrow at the 11:44.159 --> 11:43.809 hearing . Yeah , thanks Tony . So I 11:43.820 --> 11:45.931 don't have anything to announce right 11:45.931 --> 11:48.098 now . Uh As you highlight uh last year 11:48.098 --> 11:51.159 Congress did authorize up to one 11:51.169 --> 11:55.150 billion or $1 billion in presidential 11:55.159 --> 11:57.679 drawdown authority for Taiwan . Uh and 11:57.690 --> 12:00.440 Secretary Austin in February during the 12:00.450 --> 12:02.506 uh testimony before the Senate Armed 12:02.506 --> 12:05.080 Service Services Committee did say that 12:05.090 --> 12:06.923 uh we intend to make use of that 12:06.923 --> 12:08.701 authority , but in terms of the 12:08.701 --> 12:10.646 specific details of the timing , I 12:10.646 --> 12:12.812 don't have anything to provide today . 12:12.812 --> 12:12.119 Can you give me a sense of whether 12:12.130 --> 12:14.074 they're in the end game of pulling 12:14.074 --> 12:16.241 together a list though of systems ? Uh 12:16.241 --> 12:18.463 I I don't not from the podium . Ok . Uh 12:18.463 --> 12:20.519 I'm a part of the world of graft and 12:20.519 --> 12:22.679 we're 31 tanks . Why won't you , why 12:22.690 --> 12:24.746 doesn't the US just keep those tanks 12:24.746 --> 12:26.857 there for the Ukraine to use in their 12:26.857 --> 12:28.468 spring offensive rather than 12:28.468 --> 12:30.690 reconfigure 31 in the United States and 12:30.690 --> 12:33.130 ship over here . Uh So as I understand 12:33.140 --> 12:35.251 it , a couple of things , uh First of 12:35.251 --> 12:37.307 all , uh these tanks are intended uh 12:37.307 --> 12:39.880 specifically for training , uh don't 12:39.890 --> 12:42.057 necessarily have the capabilities that 12:42.057 --> 12:44.223 they would need to go into combat . So 12:44.223 --> 12:46.390 the tanks that we will be providing to 12:46.390 --> 12:48.057 Ukraine are going through the 12:48.057 --> 12:50.112 refurbishment process right now . Uh 12:50.112 --> 12:52.450 They will be up updated , upgraded and 12:52.460 --> 12:56.030 uh prepared for export to Ukraine and 12:56.039 --> 12:58.039 they , and because we're doing this 12:58.039 --> 12:59.928 concurrently , we will be able to 12:59.928 --> 13:02.039 provide those tanks to them uh in the 13:02.039 --> 13:03.872 fall time frame to get them into 13:03.872 --> 13:05.928 Ukraine before the end of the year , 13:05.928 --> 13:08.039 Persian Gulf and Layman's language in 13:08.039 --> 13:10.150 increasing rotations . Does that mean 13:10.150 --> 13:12.261 rotating ships in and less than maybe 13:12.261 --> 13:14.372 six or five or six months schedules ? 13:14.372 --> 13:16.539 Um What it means , Tony is that we are 13:16.539 --> 13:18.761 going to use uh the United States along 13:18.761 --> 13:20.706 with our regional partners , we're 13:20.706 --> 13:22.317 going to continue to use the 13:22.317 --> 13:24.372 capabilities that we have to step up 13:24.372 --> 13:26.483 our presence . Uh And , and uh ensure 13:26.489 --> 13:30.159 that that we are um seen . Uh And that 13:30.169 --> 13:32.614 we are actively communicating . Uh We 13:32.625 --> 13:34.847 will work together to deter any type of 13:34.847 --> 13:36.681 aggressive behavior . The use of 13:36.681 --> 13:38.847 unmanned vessels over there . The navy 13:38.847 --> 13:40.736 declared full uh full operational 13:40.736 --> 13:42.958 capability for this famous task force . 13:42.958 --> 13:46.625 59 . Will any of those uh uh drones , 13:46.635 --> 13:48.864 water drones be used possibly in the 13:48.875 --> 13:51.195 strait of Hormuz to help patrol ? Yeah , 13:51.205 --> 13:53.261 as I mentioned , we'll be , we'll be 13:53.261 --> 13:55.483 using both manned and unmanned assets . 13:55.483 --> 13:57.594 And so uh us central command will use 13:57.594 --> 13:59.761 the full complement of capability that 13:59.761 --> 14:01.927 we have resident in theater to support 14:01.927 --> 14:03.816 this effort . Thank you , David . 14:05.820 --> 14:09.130 Increased rotations means increased 14:09.140 --> 14:11.196 presence . Are you really , what are 14:11.196 --> 14:13.307 you talking about ? Just an increased 14:13.380 --> 14:16.190 tempo , increased operations , tempo . 14:16.270 --> 14:18.381 Uh You know , think of it about we're 14:18.381 --> 14:20.437 going to increase the patrols in the 14:20.437 --> 14:22.548 neighborhood uh to ensure that we are 14:22.548 --> 14:25.450 seen . Uh And that , that Iran clearly 14:25.460 --> 14:28.450 gets the message that we will not stand 14:28.460 --> 14:30.627 for this type of aggressive behavior . 14:30.627 --> 14:32.793 And again , it's not the United States 14:32.793 --> 14:34.960 by itself . We're working closely with 14:34.960 --> 14:37.950 our regional partners . Thank you . It 14:37.960 --> 14:39.682 will all be done by the forces 14:39.682 --> 14:42.859 currently there , correct ? Ok . Let me 14:42.869 --> 14:43.869 go to Oran . 14:48.809 --> 14:50.920 Just a very quick question . Is there 14:50.920 --> 14:52.698 an update to the possibility of 14:52.698 --> 14:54.809 Secretary Austin meeting Minister Lee 14:54.809 --> 14:57.087 while the two are at Shangri LA ? Yeah , 14:57.087 --> 14:58.865 thanks or so . I don't have any 14:58.865 --> 15:00.865 announcements to make today . Uh As 15:00.865 --> 15:02.642 you've heard , Secretary Austin 15:02.642 --> 15:04.809 emphasize many times , we believe that 15:04.809 --> 15:06.587 it's very important to keep the 15:06.587 --> 15:08.587 channels of communication open . So 15:08.587 --> 15:10.809 that is something that we will continue 15:10.809 --> 15:12.976 continue to seek to do . But I again , 15:12.976 --> 15:12.659 don't have anything to announce from 15:12.669 --> 15:15.719 the podium today . Thank you . Take a 15:15.729 --> 15:17.896 couple more here , go to Mike and then 15:17.896 --> 15:21.609 go to the ambassador to South 15:21.619 --> 15:23.730 Africa said he was willing to bet his 15:23.730 --> 15:25.841 life that South Africa loaded weapons 15:25.841 --> 15:28.940 onto a Russian flagged cargo ship at a 15:28.950 --> 15:31.070 base off near Cape Town . He 15:31.080 --> 15:33.619 subsequently sort of walked back those 15:33.630 --> 15:35.741 comments . I just wondered , does the 15:35.741 --> 15:39.479 US believe South Africa has provided 15:39.489 --> 15:42.570 weapons and ammunition to Russia and in 15:42.580 --> 15:45.270 this conflict ? Yeah , thanks Mike . So 15:45.280 --> 15:47.750 I I won't get into any specifics in 15:47.760 --> 15:51.070 terms of uh what other countries may be 15:51.080 --> 15:53.191 doing from an intelligence standpoint 15:53.191 --> 15:55.191 other than to say this is something 15:55.191 --> 15:57.080 we're taking seriously . Uh It is 15:57.080 --> 15:59.136 something that the US government has 15:59.136 --> 15:59.049 raised and discussed with the South 15:59.059 --> 16:01.349 African government . Uh but I'm not 16:01.359 --> 16:03.526 going to get into the details of those 16:03.526 --> 16:05.989 particular diplomatic discussions from 16:06.000 --> 16:08.167 our perspective . As you know , Russia 16:08.167 --> 16:10.278 is waging a brutal and indiscriminate 16:10.278 --> 16:12.539 campaign against the Ukrainian people . 16:12.549 --> 16:14.890 So the US has strongly urged countries 16:14.900 --> 16:17.330 not to provide support to Russia's war 16:17.340 --> 16:19.007 machine . Ok , let me go to . 16:20.969 --> 16:23.136 Thank you General , I have a follow up 16:23.136 --> 16:25.080 question on potential meeting with 16:25.080 --> 16:27.280 Chinese counterpart . Um so according 16:27.289 --> 16:29.729 to some media reports , China said that 16:29.739 --> 16:32.349 there is a real chance of meeting with 16:32.359 --> 16:34.330 Secretary Austin because of us 16:34.340 --> 16:36.700 sanctions on the minister . So how do 16:36.710 --> 16:40.099 you respond to Chinese Ukraine that us 16:40.270 --> 16:42.700 sanction affects a potential meeting ? 16:44.929 --> 16:48.109 Secretary Austin can meet with his 16:48.119 --> 16:50.260 Chinese counterparts . There is there 16:50.270 --> 16:53.130 is no uh restrictions in that regard . 16:53.280 --> 16:55.869 Um But again , I don't have anything to 16:55.880 --> 16:57.713 announce right now in terms of a 16:57.713 --> 16:59.936 potential meeting . Thank you very much 16:59.936 --> 17:02.989 time for a couple more . Yes , ma'am . 17:05.729 --> 17:07.951 Hi . Thank you so much , Megan Eckstein 17:07.951 --> 17:09.951 with defense news . Um just a quick 17:09.951 --> 17:11.729 follow up on the tanks that you 17:11.729 --> 17:11.560 mentioned going to Germany . Do you 17:11.569 --> 17:13.291 have any additional details on 17:13.291 --> 17:15.069 personnel , spare parts , other 17:15.069 --> 17:16.625 infrastructure that will be 17:16.625 --> 17:18.847 accompanying the tanks to help with the 17:18.847 --> 17:21.849 training ? Um So no spare parts per se , 17:21.859 --> 17:23.748 right ? Because that's a separate 17:23.748 --> 17:25.748 effort in terms of the presidential 17:25.748 --> 17:27.803 drawdown authority and the USA I for 17:27.803 --> 17:30.026 these particular tanks . Uh certainly a 17:30.026 --> 17:32.699 key aspect of the training will be 17:32.709 --> 17:34.709 maintenance and sustainment of that 17:34.709 --> 17:36.765 capability . Uh You've heard us talk 17:36.765 --> 17:38.709 about the fact that the M one is a 17:38.709 --> 17:40.876 complex machine that requires a lot of 17:40.876 --> 17:42.987 maintenance to , to sustain it , keep 17:42.987 --> 17:45.339 it operating . So that will be crucial . 17:45.369 --> 17:47.147 Uh Which is why we're doing the 17:47.147 --> 17:49.130 training in stride with the actual 17:49.140 --> 17:51.362 refurbishment of the tank , the tanks . 17:51.362 --> 17:53.584 So , so that'll be an essential element 17:53.584 --> 17:55.969 of what they learn . Ok . Last question , 17:55.979 --> 17:58.469 Mike , can you tell me about if , uh , 17:58.479 --> 18:00.701 could you talk about these reports that 18:00.701 --> 18:02.646 a Russian cruise missile landed in 18:02.646 --> 18:05.170 Poland a few days ago ? I think , uh , 18:05.180 --> 18:07.930 I , I don't have anything on that . I'd 18:07.939 --> 18:09.883 have to refer you to Poland . Ok , 18:09.883 --> 18:11.606 thanks very much . Everybody . 18:11.606 --> 18:11.430 Appreciate it .