The US has lost track of Russia’s operational and tactical capabilities at a time where the country has shown that the use of its military to impact change in the region is on the table, the former head of US European Command and NATO said Monday. Retired Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, who retired earlier this year after leading EUCOM, said at ASC16 that the US rightfully shifted its intelligence focus away from Russia to “tough campaigns” in the Middle East and Afghanistan, and in doing so the US took its eyes off a possible opponent in Europe. The intelligence and military communities need to develop an understanding of Russia’s state of operations, to be able to “understand what the norm is and can see when something is abnormal.” Russia, in its invasion of Ukraine, has shown to be a “kleptocratic” government and the US needs to keep NATO strong to keep Russia in check, Breedlove said.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
