Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a directive that creates the “Warfighter Senior Integration Group” to oversee the Pentagon’s efforts to respond rapidly to combatant commanders’ urgent requests for new capability. The group will also have responsibility for mitigating “the risk of operational surprise associated with ongoing or anticipated near-term contingency operations,” reads the directive, dated Aug. 24th. “DOD’s highest priority is to provide warfighters involved in conflict or preparing for imminent contingency operations with the capabilities urgently needed to overcome unforeseen threats, achieve mission success, and reduce risk of casualties,” states the directive. The deputy defense secretary will chair the group; the Joint Chiefs’ vice chairman is the group’s co-chair. Membership will also include senior-level officials from across the Office of Secretary of Defense as well as representatives from the services and combatant commands, states the directive. (Carter directive; caution, large-sized file.)
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan flew an unusual trilateral flight with two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bombers escorted by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s, and two ROK Air Force KF-16 fighters—both countries’ respective variants of the F-16—July 11. That same weekend, the top military officers of the three nations…