Photo of the Day: April 17, 2013

By Zachary Fryer-Biggs in Intercepts, Photo of the Day Tags:

Port of Los Angeles Police officer Anthony Reitz and his bomb sniffing German Sheppard K-9, 'Boomer,' conduct a bomb sweep in a trash can in the Catalina terminal of Port of Los Angeles on April 16, 2013 in San Pedro, California. The Port of Los Angeles Police were under a heightened state of alert one day after explosions at the Boston Marathon killed 3 people and wounded more than 170. others. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Signs of heightened security are visible everywhere, including here on Capitol Hill where trash cans have been tipped over to prevent the placement of explosive devices, and bags are being thoroughly searched on their way into the Rayburn House Office Building.  Although a comparison that has been prevalent on the airwaves, the scene reminded this reporter of post 9/11 in New York, where trash cans were removed for several years in some public places before slowly making their way back.

SecDef Chuck Hagel Returns to His Personal Political Lions’ Den

By John T. Bennett in Budget, Capitol Hill, DoD, Industry, International, Israel, Policy Tags: , , , , ,

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel enters his personal political lions' den Wednesday morning: the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Smithsonian National Zoological Park photo)

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.” That famous quote dates to 1598 and the “Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint George!” speech in William Shakespeare’s play “Henry V.” But it will apply this morning when Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel faces the Senate Armed Services Committee, the panel that so roughed up Hagel during his Jan. 31 confirmation hearing.

Okay, perhaps today’s dual hearing on the Pentagon’s 2014 budget request and the situation in Syria won’t quite be Shakespearean. But make no mistake, for Hagel, if the House Armed Services Committee is something of a Capitol Hill safe haven, the Senate Armed Services Committee is his political lions’ den. More

Boston Bombing: Outside the Capitol, Security Measures & Reminders. Inside, Few Answers.

By John T. Bennett in Capitol Hill, DoD, Intercepts, International, Operations, Policy Tags:

The American flag flies at half staff over the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday in honor of the the three people killed in the bombings during the Boston Marathon. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Public trash bins were overturned outside the United State Capitol on Tuesday morning, the cans and bags that typically allow passers by to discard coffee cups, soda cans and newspaper nowhere in sight. A security precaution. Flags flew at half staff. To honor the dead. Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and journalists alike traded speculation about the Boston bombing — but few definitive clues. More

Photo of the Day: April 16, 2013

By Zachary Fryer-Biggs in Intercepts, Photo of the Day Tags:

Seconds after the bombings in Boston guardsmen help remove rubble that collapsed onto victims. (Screenshot/CNN)

With several hundred Massachusetts guardsmen helping to provide security at the Boston Marathon April, 15, two blasts killed three and injured more than a hundred Monday.  Many noticed that within seconds of the bombs detonating the guardsmen moved in, working to help the victims amid the chaos.

The thoughts of the entire Defense News team are with the victims of yesterday’s attack and their families.

As President Obama said in his remarks last night:

“We still do not know who did this or why.  And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts.  But make no mistake — we will get to the bottom of this.  And we will find out who did this; we’ll find out why they did this.  Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.”

McCain on Expected N.Korean Missile Launch: Shoot It Down

By John T. Bennett in Intercepts

This picture received from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows the December 2012 launch of the Unha-3 rocket, carrying the satellite Kwangmyongsong-3, as shown on a large screen at a satellite control center in North Korea. (AFP PHOTO / KCNA via KNS via Getty)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., knows just what President Barack Obama and his national security team should do if North Korea, as expected, test fires a long-range missile this week.

The commander in chief should order the U.S. military to shoot it down. More

Photo of the Day: April 15, 2013

By Zachary Fryer-Biggs in Intercepts, Photo of the Day Tags: ,

South Korean conservative protesters burn a mockup of a North Korean missile and effigies of North Korea national founder Kim Il-Sung, former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and now leader Kim Jong-Un during an anti-North Korea rally on April 15, 2013 in Seoul, South Korea. North Korea marks its founder Kim Il-Sung's 101th birthday today while the fear of possible missile launch continues. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Newest LCS suffers fire at sea, damage “minor”

By Christopher P. Cavas in Acquisition, Navy, Shipbuilding

The Coronado seen in January 2012 at the time of its christening ceremonies. (Austal USA photo)

Fire broke out aboard the littoral combat ship Coronado late Friday morning while the vessel was on its second day of sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico, a U.S. Navy official confirmed Saturday.

No one was injured in the accident, and early indications are that the damage was minor, the official said.

The incident happened as the ship was conducting a full power demonstration and running at high speed. Insulation on the starboard diesel exhaust first smoldered, then ignited but, according to the official, the flames were “extinguished immediately.”

Shortly after, the lagging on the port diesel exhaust repeated the sequence and again, the flames were immediately put out.

Running on its gas turbines, the Coronado returned to the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile,Alabama late Friday night to begin the incident assessment by representatives from the Navy, Austal USA, diesel builder MTU and others.

Initial expectations were that the incident would not trigger a major delay in the ship’s sea trials or completion. More

Source: White House Wanted to Keep DIA Finding on N.Korean Nukes Under Wraps

By John T. Bennett in Capitol Hill, DoD, Intercepts, International, Operations, Policy Tags: , ,

On December 12, 2012, North Korea launched Unha-3 rocket allegedly carrying the satellite Kwangmyongsong-3. The photo was taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Getty Images)

A Defense Intelligence Agency finding that North Korea possesses nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles was thrust into public by a senior U.S. House staff member who was merely doing his job, congressional sources say.

In a new twist, a House source tells Defense News that a DIA congressional liaison told a senior House Armed Services Committee aide that while the finding was unclassified, the Obama administration wanted to keep it under wraps. More

Photo of the Day: April 12, 2013

By Zachary Fryer-Biggs in Intercepts, Photo of the Day Tags:

YouTube Preview Image

**WARNING** This video is very graphic, and depicts men under fire at Operation Red Sand in Bala Murghab, Badghis Province, Afghanistan, April 4, 2011. This audio depicts the actual moment Army Sgt. Jeff Sheppard, Pfc Ben Bradley, Air Force Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Lee, and Navy K9 ‘Valdo’ were wounded by an RPG.  (Photos and Video by USAF Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace)

The video above was produced by USAF Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace, along with his retelling of the events it captures below.

“Today marks two years since a team of 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment scouts, a few Navy augmentees and I fought a well-trained, well-equipped and outnumbering enemy in northern Bala Murghab (BMG), Badghis province.

The reality is any airman, sailor or coastie at any time can be tasked with augmenting the Army or Marine Corps ground forces, and you could find yourself in a situation you’ve never imagined.”

Check out more of Wallace’s account after the break

Photo of the Day: April 11, 2013

By Zachary Fryer-Biggs in Intercepts, Photo of the Day Tags:

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) (L) speaks to the media about balancing the budget as Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) watches on Capitol Hill April 10, 2013 in Washington, DC. Today was the first day that members of Congress were able to study the proposed budget, which the White House says would cut deficits by a total of $1.8 trillion over a decade. (Allison Shelley/Getty Images)

The budget battle begins.

Check out our coverage of the budget rollout.

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