Marine Gen. James Mattis, US Central Command boss, asked Senate defense overseers Tuesday for their support in enabling the “effective integration and extension” of warfighting networks between the United States and its coalition partners. Such connectivity “from maritime environments to the aerial layer and over rugged mountainous terrain” is essential to CENTCOM’s success, he wrote in prepared remarks to the Senate Armed Service Committee. Mattis said networks currently are “divided” among various services, agencies, and combatant commands, “resulting in degraded and delayed actions that have allowed our adversaries to exploit this fundamental cyber shortfall for too long.” However, one “bright network spot” is the Afghan Mission Network because it allows US and coalition forces and civilians to remain connected and synchronized on the battlefield and linked to supporting assets throughout the world, he noted.
U.S. military and law enforcement officials captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a high-stakes military operation on Jan. 3, a mission carried out by the Army's Delta Force and supported by extensive American airpower.
