272: IDF Destroying Tunnels in Rafah + Finnish Leaders: No Appetite for Troops in Ukraine + US & Japan Collaborate on Hypersonic-Glide Intercept Effort + US Army DE M-SHORAD Struggling in CENTCOM AOR + More

I - On Defense Podcast

For review:
1. IDF locating and destroying tunnels in Rafah operation.
Israel Defense Minister (Yoav Gallant): "many tunnels have already been destroyed and many more will be destroyed soon."
2. Strange Story: US Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) visits Kyiv weeks after Washington approved a $61 billion package of aid for the country- and plays guitar.
3. Finnish Leaders: No Appetite for Troops in Ukraine.
4. Australia defense budget for 2024-2025 is AU$55.7 billion.
5. US & Japan Collaborate on Hypersonic-Glide Intercept Effort.
Initial Operational Capability estimated in late 2029.
Full Operational Capability in 2032, with at least
24 x Hypersonic Interceptors by 2040.
6. US Army DE M-SHORAD Struggling in CENTCOM AOR.
4 x systems fielded in February 2024.
7. US Army IVAS running out of time? Commander of Army Futures Command (General James Rainey): "if it (IVAS) does not work, then I think we would have to take a very hard look at whether we continue down that path or use that money for other critical aspects of our night-vision strategy...".
8. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter facing delivery delays from the Technology Refresh 3
(TR-3) upgrade.
The TR-3 effort provides more computing power and memory to support a suite of planned upgrades known as Block 4.