[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU CAN ADD THE RIGHT TO REPAIR TO THE LIST OF THINGS THE DOD IS WILLING TO FIGHT FOR. THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS TRYING TO NAVIGATE A PROBLEM AMERICAN FARMERS HAVE BEEN FACING FOR YEARS. WE’LL TALK ABOUT IT.
AND FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, THE U.S. MILITARY HAS BEEN USING POLARIS VEHICLES IN THE HARSHEST ENVIRONMENTS, FOR SOME OF THE MOST DEMANDING MISSIONS. IN OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, SEE WHY THE MRZR IS THE NEXT ENTRY IN THIS LONG-RUNNING PARTNERSHIP.
HEY EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF WEAPONS AND WARFARE. FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M YOUR HOST, RYAN ROBERTSON.
BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE OTHER STORIES, WE WANT TO START WITH THE MARINE CORPS AND ITS EFFORT TO MODERNIZE. BACK IN 2020, THE MARINES KICKED OFF FORCE DESIGN 2030. A TEN-YEAR EFFORT TO REVAMP THE CORPS TO BETTER FIT WITH THE NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY AND TACKLE THE CHALLENGES POSED BY NEAR PEER ADVERSARIES, *COUGH COUGH* CHINA.
SO, FIVE YEARS IN, WHERE DO THEY STAND?
FROM THEIR VERY BEGINNING IN 1775, THE U.S. MARINE CORPS SERVED AS AMERICA’S RAPID-RESPONSE FORCE. SPECIALIZING IN AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS AND EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE. BUT AS THE DOD TURNS ITS FOCUS FROM THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM, TO GREAT POWER COMPETITION, THE CORPS, LIKE THEIR SISTER SERVICES, IS FOCUSED ON MODERNIZING ITS FORCE FOR AMERICA’S NEXT CONFLICT.
FIVE YEARS AGO, THE MARINES LAUNCHED FORCE DESIGN 2030. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY’VE SINCE SHORTENED IT TO SIMPLY FORCE DESIGN, THE IDEA REMAINS THE SAME. SHIFTING HOW THE MARINE CORPS IS ORGANIZED, WHAT CAPABILITIES IT HAS, AND HOW IT PLANS TO OPERATE.
[Gen Eric Smith, Commandant, USMC]
“What I need is lethal capability that’s affordable, that’s light, that’s getting more autonomous, that matches the needs that I have with the Marine Corps.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THAT’S GENERAL ERIC SMITH, THE 39TH COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS, SPEAKING AT LAST SPRING’S MODERN DAY MARINE EVENT ABOUT THE CORPS’ PLAN TO SHIFT FROM COUNTERINSURGENCY OPERATIONS TO A MORE EXPEDITIONARY AND NAVAL-FOCUSED FORCE, CAPABLE OF OPERATING WITHIN CONTESTED AREAS AND SUPPORTING NAVAL OPERATIONS.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR THE CORPS, ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND, LIEUTENANT GENERAL BENJAMIN WATSON, IS KEEPING PACE WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY BEING EMBRACED BY THE DOD.
[LtGen Benjamin Watson, Commanding General, Training and Education Command]
“If we don’t adapt to sort of a crawl, walk, run training model where we fieldl less expensive but sophisticated, you know, training systems, and employ things like virtual reality or augmented reality in those systems to ensure that we make the best use of the time we actually put on the systems that we’re going to fight with and that we can train to full capability as we are still fielding those systems, that then we risk being behind in terms of our readiness for conflict when it does arrive,”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ONE WAY THE CORPS IS DOING THAT IS THROUGH INITIATIVES LIKE PROJECTS TRIDENT, TRIUMPH, AND TRIPOLI. ALL AIMED AT LEVERAGING THE LATEST TOOLS AVAILABLE, WITH LESSONS LEARNED OVER THE CORPS’ 250 YEARS OF SERVICE.
[MajGen Anthony Henderson, Commander, USMC Training Command]
“We have to create that friction in training command and using the scenarios out of Trident, using the virtual system out of Tripoli is the way to go for any evolving military in the future. It’s the way in which you will be able to test yourself to failure, test yourself to disadvantage, and then understand how to maneuver under that.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, THE CORPS IDENTIFIED AREAS OF FOCUS. ALL PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MODERNIZE AND RESTRUCTURE THE CORPS BY ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES POSED BY POTENTIAL ADVERSARIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE INDO-PACIFIC.
- DOCTRINE
- MAKING MARINES
- MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY TRAINING
- PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION
- SERVICE LEVEL TRAINING EXERCISES
- SHARED DATA
- UNIT LEVEL TRAINING
IT’S WORTH NOTING THAT ELEMENTS OF FORCE DESIGN EVOLVED AND CHANGED SINCE IT WAS LAUNCHED, DUE, AT LEAST IN PART, TO RUSSIA’S ILLEGAL INVASION OF UKRAINE, AND HOW UKRAINIAN FORCES WERE ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST A MUCH LARGER AND BETTER FUNDED FOE.
[MajGen Jason Woodworth, Commander, Marine Corps Installations Command]
“We just really need technology to help us with this plan. Obviously, there’s gotta be training and education for our agile young men and women, but we’ve got to have something that’s going to help us, because it is a really, really challenging change in the in warfare in the last couple years.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
THE COMMANDER OF THE MARINE CORPS’ INSTALLATION COMMAND, MAJOR GENERAL JASON WOODWORTH, SAYS ONE AREA WHERE THE CORPS EVOLVED IS IN LOOKING OUTSIDE ITS RANKS FOR SOLUTIONS TO CERTAIN PROBLEMS.
[MajGen Jason Woodworth, Commander, Marine Corps Installations Command]
“We can tell you what the problem is, but we need more from industry, I think, in ways where they can help us understand the problem, shape the problem, and come up with solutions that are viable and somewhat agile and adaptable in the future. To be better at that.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
AMONG THE POSITIVES, SENIOR LEADERSHIP OBSERVED SINCE THE INITIATIVE KICKED OFF, IS THE ABILITY OF YOUNGER MARINES TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGES.
[MajGen Anthony Henderson, Commander, USMC Training Command]
“Our limitation has been at times, particularly which is we take them still through our foundry, our legacy foundry, and they’re ready to learn faster and more, and every time we place them in that context of, look, have you learned this yet? And we test them and evaluate them, we find they are already there. They’re just waiting on us in our process.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ONE AREA WHERE THE MARINES ARE SHOWING DEFINITIVE PROGRESS IS IN RECRUITING.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE CORPS CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORMED OTHER BRANCHES OF THE U.S. MILITARY IN ACHIEVING ITS RECRUITMENT OBJECTIVES. WHILE IT IS NO DOUBT A POSITIVE INDICATOR, GENERAL SMITH SAYS THE REAL WIN IS KEEPING THOSE MARINES IN THE CORPS.
[Gen Eric Smith, Commandant, USMC]
“So we have to do things that are smarter. We have to let Marines pick their own duty station again, if you let a Marine write his own task and statement, they’ll get it right 100% of the time. If a Marine is at Camp Lejeune and they want to stay at Camp Lejeune for nine years or 12 years, that’s fine by me. Why do I have to move him to Camp Pendleton?”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
GENERAL SMITH SAYS THE MARINES CAN’T RECRUIT THEIR WAY OUT OF A MANPOWER CRISIS, BUT THEY CAN RETAIN THEIR WAY OUT OF ONE.
SO WHAT DO THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF FORCE DESIGN LOOK LIKE AS THE CORPS LOOKS AHEAD? SENIOR LEADERSHIP SAYS THE ABILITY TO INNOVATE AND RESPOND TO THE DEMANDS OF MODERN WARFARE WILL BE CRUCIAL IN SHAPING THE MARINES’ ROLE IN AMERICA’S NATIONAL DEFENSE FOR YEARS TO COME.
NOW, FOR HEADLINES THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED, I’M JOINED ONCE AGAIN BY SENIOR PRODUCER BRETT BAKER. BRETT, GREAT TO SEE YOU. AND YOU JUST GOT A NEW CAR, RIGHT?
[BRETT BAKER]
I DID. THAT IS THAT IS TRUE. I DID GET A NEW VEHICLE. TREATED MYSELF FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A FEW YEARS. SO, YES, I HAVE A NEW WHIP.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YES, NEW WHIP. TREAT YOURSELF. HAVE FUN PAYING THE TAXES WHEN YOU GO TO REGISTER IT. I KNOW THAT’S ALWAYS FUN, YEAH, BUT YEAH, LET’S GO AHEAD AND SORRY. MY CAT JUST CAME INTO THE ROOM. BRETT. LET’S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE HEADLINES.
FIRST UP, THERE IS A PUSH UNDERWAY BY SOME IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO ALLOW MECHANICS AND MAINTAINERS OF THE VARIOUS BRANCHES THE ABILITY TO WORK ON VEHICLES AND MACHINERY WITHOUT VOIDING THE WARRANTY ON SAID VEHICLE OR MACHINERY. A RECENT REPORT BY TASK AND PURPOSE DETAILED THE PUSH FOR A “RIGHT TO REPAIR”. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IT’S OFTEN WRITTEN INTO THE CONTRACTS THAT THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN WORK ON CERTAIN SYSTEMS ARE DEFENSE CONTRACTORS. BRETT, OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO SOME HEADACHES, BECAUSE IT’S NOT LIKE YOU CAN GET A DEFENSE CONTRACTOR OUT TO THE INDO PACIFIC ONCE THE MISSILES START FLYING AND YOU NEED TO REPAIR SOMETHING ON YOUR BOAT,
[BRETT BAKER]
YEAH, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT AMERICA’S FARMERS HAVE BEEN FACING FOR A LONG TIME. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THE GEAR INSIDE THESE MACHINES, BE IT A TRACTOR OR A TANK OR A JET OR WHAT HAVE YOU IS OBVIOUSLY HIGHLY PROPRIETARY, BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU’VE GOT A SERVICE FULL OF, YOU KNOW, MECHANICS AND TECHNICIANS AND FOLKS WHO CAN HANDLE THIS TYPE OF WORK THAT JUST CAN’T DO IT OTHERWISE THEY’RE VOIDING THE WARRANTY. AND IT COULD BE, LIKE YOU SAID, IN A COMBAT SITUATION, IF THE STUFF HAS FALLEN, THAT COULD BE A REAL LIMITATION. SO THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM THAT THEY’RE HAVING TO WORK THROUGH. IT’S KIND OF CRAZY TO ME THAT THEY WOULD SIGN DEALS WITH THAT IN THERE. I DON’T KNOW HOW THAT GETS PASSED, FOLKS, BUT YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM, LIKE, NOT JUST FOR THE NATION’S DEFENSE, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING AMERICAN FARMERS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR A LONG TIME. AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO MONEY, I SUPPOSE, SURE. BUT YEAH, IT’S, THIS IS A PROBLEM.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
SO IT’S, I WAS READING SOME ARTICLES IN ONE ONE MILITARY PERSON DESCRIBED IT AS, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE YOU’RE ON STAR TREK, AND CAPTAIN KIRK ASKS SCOTTY, LIKE, HEY, YOU’RE GONNA FIX THAT ENGINE? AND SCOTTY SAYS, WELL, WE NEED TO WAIT FOR THE FEDERATION TO SEND A REPAIR CREW. IT’S GONNA TAKE THREE WEEKS FOR THEM TO GET HERE, AND WE CAN’T GET STARTED UNTIL THEY GET HERE. LIKE, THAT ANSWER DOESN’T FLY, RIGHT? IT’S SUCH A PROBLEM THAT SENATORS TIM SHAHEE AND ELIZABETH WARREN, WHO, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE SENATE, YOU KNOW THOSE TWO ARE NORMALLY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF MOST ISSUES. THEY’VE COME TOGETHER TO KIND OF PUSH THIS, PUSH A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THROUGH, TO GET THIS FIXED. WHICH, WHO KNOWS? MAYBE THAT’S THE ANSWER, RIGHT, RIGHT?
[BRETT BAKER]
I MEAN, THAT’S THE ULTIMATE BIPARTISAN TYPE PROJECT, RIGHT? LIKE, LET’S DO WHAT THE SMART THING IS. LET’S DO WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS AND AND MAKE, FIND IT. FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, MORE WAITING FOR THE THING TO SCROLL. OKAY? NEXT UP, BRETT, MORE PROBLEMS FOR THE AIR FORCE AND THEIR KC, 46 PEGASUS. THIS TIME, IT’S ISSUES WITH THE REFUELERS, AUXILIARY POWER UNIT. FOR THE UNINITIATED, AP USE ARE CRUCIAL FOR PROVIDING ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENABLING SELF-STARTING OF THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT GROUND SUPPORT. THERE’S A RECENT EXCUSE ME.
A RECENT POST BY THE WAR ZONE DETAILS HOW THE PROBLEMS ARE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH, THE AIR MOBILITY COMMAND ISSUED A MEMO LIMITING THE USE OF THE APU. INSTEAD OF REDUCING RELIANCE ON GROUND CREWS, THE APU ISSUES ARE CREATING GREATER DEPENDENCE ON THEM, BECAUSE OF ALL THE APU ISSUES BRETT, WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT AIR FORCE AND THE AGILE COMBAT EMPLOYMENT IN THE PACIFIC, WHERE THEY’RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO OPERATE FROM AUSTERE LOCATIONS. THAT’S NOT GREAT IF THE AP USE AREN’T WORKING ON THESE TANKERS.
[BRETT BAKER]
YEAH THAT’S A HUGE DEAL, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THE PLAN IS ALWAYS FOR A TANKER TO RETURN TO. A DECENT SIZED FACILITY, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN, CAN ACCOMMODATE THEM AND AND BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, FILL UP THE TANKS AND GET THEM BACK IN THE AIR AGAIN. BUT THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT CALL IF WE’RE LANDING IN AN AUSTERE PLACE, AND IF YOU CAN’T FIRE UP THE JET, WELL, THEN IT’S JUST KIND OF STUCK THERE. THAT’S NOT GOOD. SO IT’S JUST ANOTHER KIND OF LIST IN THE, IN THE, YOU KNOW, GROWING LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN MAKING THE KC 46 A PERMANENT PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE AIR FORCE’S INVENTORY. IT JUST SEEMS KIND OF LIKE A CRAZY ONE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL MAJOR JETS ARE EQUIPPED WITH. THIS IS, IS KIND OF SHAME. THIS IS A PRETTY COMMON AIRFRAME. SO, YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS A, AGAIN, JUST KIND OF ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THORNS. AND DECIDE FOR FOLKS TO ACTUALLY LIKE AIR MOBILITY COMMAND WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS, IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE THEY’VE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN GETTING THE KC 46 INTEGRATED INTO THE FORCE
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YEAH, IT’S DEFINITELY HAD SOME PROBLEMS. THERE WAS SOME SOME PLANES THAT THE BOOMS WERE FALLING OFF, WHICH IS NOT, NOT WHAT YOU WANT. NOT GREAT. BOB, YEAH, NOT GREAT. BOB. THERE WAS ALSO SOME ISSUES WITH, LIKE, THE REMOTE VIEWING STATION WASN’T EXACTLY WORKING. AND FOR THE BOOM OPERATORS, THAT’S HOW THEY ON THE PEGASUS, THAT’S HOW THEY, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT THEY’RE DOING. AND SO HAD SOME ISSUES. THE IT IS GETTING SOME PRETTY GOOD AIR MILEAGE, THOUGH. IT WAS USED PRETTY EXTENSIVELY DURING THE IRAN BOMBING CAMPAIGN. SOME PEGASUS IS PEGASUS, WHAT’S THE PLURAL OF PEGASUS, PEGASI. SOME PEGASI WERE FLYING HELPING ISRAEL WHEN, WHEN ISRAEL WAS LAUNCHING ITS STRIKES ON IRAN. SO IT IS GETTING SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, TIME ALOFT, BUT IT’S JUST NOT EXACTLY STELLAR WHEN IT’S ON THE GROUND. SO WE’LL GET THE WE’LL GET IT FIXED. HOPEFULLY DAVIDSON WINDOW IS FAST APPROACHING, AND SO THEY NEED TO GET THESE ISSUES IRONED OUT BEFORE THAT WINDOW CLOSES.
SOME NEWS OUT OF LOCKHEED MARTIN; THEIR COMMON MULTI-MISSION TRUCK AIR VEHICLES, THAT ARE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, WERE TESTED IN TACTICAL FLIGHT SCENARIOS THIS SPRING AT RANGES IN OREGON. A LOCKHEED MARTIN TEAM TESTED THE CMMT-D CRUISE MISSILE, SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYING IT FROM A HELICOPTER FOR AN UNPOWERED GLIDE. THEY TELL US THIS WAS THE FIRST DEPLOYMENT OF A COMPACT AIR VEHICLE IN A TACTICAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE RAPID DRAGON PROGRAM. AND IN JUNE, A TEAM TESTED THE CMMT-X VARIANT WITH ITS FIRST PYLON LAUNCH FROM AN AIRCRAFT. DEVELOPED FROM THE SPEED RACER CONCEPT, CMMT-X EVOLVED IN SEVEN MONTHS WHILE MEETING U.S. AIR FORCE STANDARDS. BRETT, WE’VE REPORTED ON THE COMET BEFORE. KIND OF A LOCKHEED MARTIN’S ANSWER TO THE, YOU KNOW, CHEAP CRUISE MISSILES. THE FACT THAT THEY WERE TO PUT THIS THING ON RAPID DRAGON, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE IT’S JUST AWESOME. RAPID DRAGON, FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, IT’S BASICALLY A PALLETIZED VERSION OF CRUISE MISSILES THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EAT OUT THE BACK OF, A C1 30. AND SO ALL OF THESE GIANT AIRPLANE TANKERS, CARGO PLANES, COULD BE FILLED UP WITH PALLETS OF CRUISE MISSILES. THAT’S A LOT OF DILEMMAS, A LOT OF FREEDOM FLYING AT CHINA. BUT BRETT, YOU KNOW THE COMET? WHAT’S KIND OF YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM THESE TESTS.
[BRETT BAKER]
WELL, I THINK IT’S DEFINITELY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. OBVIOUSLY, THE PENTAGON’S WHOLE EMPHASIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, MORE, CHEAPER, FASTER, AND LET’S GET IT UP AND GOING. AND SO THIS IS DEFINITELY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THESE PROCESSES USED TO TAKE, SOMETIMES DECADES, SO THE FACT THAT IT’S, YOU KNOW, BEEN DONE IN LESS THAN A YEAR, VERY IMPRESSIVE FOR NOT ONLY LOCKHEED MARTIN, BUT DEFINITELY GOOD SIGN FOR THE DOD AND THE PARTNERS THAT THEY WANT TO WORK WITH IN GETTING THESE KIND OF MUNITIONS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS INTO THE HANDS OF THE OPERATORS.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
AND YOU NAILED IT RIGHT THERE. BRETT, THE, YOU KNOW, GOING FROM DECADES TO LESS THAN A YEAR IS REALLY PROOF OF OF THE GREATNESS OF DIGITAL ENGINEERING AND, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL DESIGN, BECAUSE WITH AI AND WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY, WE CAN KIND OF MIMIC, LIKE, HEY, IF WE, IF WE PUT THIS FIN ON IT, WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO? IF WE PUT THIS, YOU KNOW, CPU ON IT. WHAT DOES THAT WHAT ABILITY WILL THAT BRING US? THEY CAN KIND OF SIMULATE SO MUCH OF THAT IN A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT NOW THAT THEY BASICALLY KNOW 90% OF WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO BE GETTING WHEN THEY GO AND MAKE A PHYSICAL MODEL AND ACTUALLY DO IT IN THE REAL WORLD. SO BRETT, THAT’S ABOUT ALL THE TIME WE. HAVE FOR HEADLINES
[BRETT BAKER]
REAL THIS QUICK, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU, RYAN.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
OH, I’LL TAKE IT.
[BRETT BAKER]
I HAD A JAR READY FOR A “YOU BET” FINE…
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
YOU BET JAR. OKAY, OKAY
[BRETT BAKER]
I GOTTA CONGRATULATE YOU. I DIDN’T, I DIDN’T PUT ANY MONEY IN IT. SO, GOOD JOB.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
OH, IT’S HILARIOUS. YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE I WAS THINKING LIKE, OH, MAYBE WE SHOULD BUST OUT, LIKE THE YOU BET JAR THIS WEEK, AND WE DIDN’T. I’M THE SUPER PRODUCER. YEAH, YOU ARE THE SUPER PRODUCER. I SAY YOU BET ALL THE TIME, BUT I WAS CONSCIOUSLY TRYING NOT TO SAY IT. I STOPPED MYSELF ABOUT FIVE TIMES. SO, YEAH, GOOD TIMES. GOOD TIMES. WE’LL SEE HOW MANY YOU BETS WE CAN SNEAK IN NEXT TIME YOU’RE WITH US. HOW ABOUT THAT, BRETT.
[BRETT BAKER]
AND WE DID IT WITHOUT A SHOCK COLLAR, SO ALL THE BETTER.
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
UNLESS YOU’RE THE ASTRONOMY TYPE, WHEN YOU HEAR THE NAME POLARIS, IT’S LIKELY YOU THINK OF SNOWMOBILES PLOWING THROUGH DRIFTS OF SNOW. OR MAYBE YOU THINK OF PERSONAL WATERCRAFT OR ONE OF THEIR BOATS, CRASHING THROUGH THE WAKES AT A LOCAL LAKE.
SINCE 1954, THEY’VE BEEN MAKING VEHICLES FOR RECREATION AND WORK. SO IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT THEY ALSO FOUND A HOME WITHIN AMERICA’S MILITARY RANKS AS WELL.
THAT’S WHY THE MRZR (M-Razor) IS OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK.
TO SEE A POLARIS MRZR SIX BY SIX PARKED ON THE FLOOR OF A MILITARY EXHIBITION IS TO WANT TO CLIMB BEHIND THE WHEEL IMMEDIATELY AND BURN SOME RUBBER.
BUT, WE SHOWED SOME SELF-RESTRAINT AND INSTEAD VISITED WITH POLARIS PROGRAM MANAGER JOHN LAFATA TO GET THE 411 ON THIS SIX-WHEELED MACHINE.
UPGRADED WITH A THIRD AXLE TO ENHANCE ITS PAYLOAD CAPACITY, THIS VERSION CAN HANDLE 3,600 POUNDS, WITH 3,000 OF THOSE ON THE PLATFORM DECK. THIS ALLOWS FOR MORE LOGISTICAL FLEXIBILITY AND THE INTEGRATION OF HEAVIER SYSTEMS.
[John LaFata, Program Manager, Polaris Government & Defense]
“It’s a one size fits all vehicle, so you can be able to utilize it for a number of different mission sets, whether that’s doing recon exploration, exploration type events, logistical side of things, just carrying food, water, fuel, or weapon style systems, like we have on the on the jackal behind us, ”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
LAFATA SAYS ANY SERVICE MEMBER WHO PUTS THE MRZR TO WORK CAN TRUST THE COMPANY’S SEVEN DECADES OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. PUTTING ALL OF THEIR LESSONS LEARNED RIGHT BACK INTO THEIR VEHICLES.
[John LaFata, Program Manager, Polaris Government & Defense]
“So we take that off-road DNA from the larger Polaris organization, and we’ve built it into that militarized capability of M Razer alpha. So the 32-inch stall tires, front and rear lockers, eight-speed automatic transmission, 1.5-liter diesel transmission or diesel engine, you’re getting that power and that off-road maneuverability, with high payload carrying capability, that can maneuver around places that a normal vehicle is just not going to go.”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
POLARIS TOUTS THE VEHICLE’S ABILITY TO FILL A VARIETY OF ROLES, FROM GATHERING INTELLIGENCE, TO DAILY OPERATIONS, LOGISTICS, AND COMMUNICATIONS. THEY SEE IT AS A SWISS ARMY KNIFE SOLUTION TO A NUMBER OF THE MILITARY’S NEEDS.
[John LaFata, Program Manager, Polaris Government & Defense]
“Our main goal is to try and showcase that this fills a gap between the ULTV, the JLTV. You get yourself something that can fill that, that payload and necessity in inside of what we see as their their needs from a from a vehicle standpoint. ”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
SO, WHAT’S NEXT? LAFATA TELLS US POLARIS IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MARINE CORPS TO DEVELOP A ONE KILOWATT AND A FIVE KILOWATT VERSION OF THE M-RAZR ALPHA, WITH THE FIVE KILOWATT VERSION BEING ABLE TO EXPORT POWER AT 24 VOLTS. IT’S A FEATURE THAT NOT ONLY ENHANCES THE PLATFORM’S MODULARITY, BUT IT MAKES THE PLATFORM MORE VERSATILE ALSO, ABLE TO MEET A RANGE OF NEEDS THE MARINES MIGHT HAVE FOR THE VEHICLE.
BACK IN APRIL, WE TOLD YOU ABOUT HOW THE STATE OF OHIO WORKED TO LAND ANDURIL’S PLANNED 5-MILLION-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY, CALLED ARSENAL 1, JUST SOUTH OF THE STATE CAPITAL IN COLUMBUS.
THE STATE AND THE BURGEONING DEFENSE CONTRACTOR ARE MAKING HEADLINES AGAIN, AND THAT’S THE SUBJECT OF THIS WEEK’S COMMS CHECK.
ANDURIL INDUSTRIES HAS JUST LANDED A $310 MILLION GRANT FROM OHIO’S JOB CREATION OFFICE AS IT GEARS UP TO BUILD ITS HUGE MANUFACTURING FACILITY.
UNDER A 30-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH JOBSOHIO, THE COMPANY WILL CREATE MORE THAN 4,000 JOBS AND INVEST AT LEAST $910.5 MILLION IN THE NEXT DECADE TO QUALIFY FOR THE FUNDS.
THE NEW FACILITY, CALLED “ARSENAL 1,” WILL FOCUS ON PRODUCING MILITARY DRONES AND AUTONOMOUS AIR VEHICLES, WITH PLANS TO OPEN IN JULY 2026. THIS MASSIVE FACILITY WILL BE SITUATED ON A 500-ACRE SITE NEAR RICKENBACKER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ABOUT 16 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COLUMBUS.
ALRIGHT FOLKS, THAT JUST ABOUT DOES IT FOR US THIS WEEK AT WEAPONS AND WARFARE. PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS–AND DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.
WE JUST GOT CERTIFIED AGAIN BY ALL-SIDES AS AN UNBIASED OUTLET–SO IF YOU WANT STRAIGHT FACTS–WE GOT YOU COVERED.
FOR MY WRAP THIS WEEK–I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF WATERING DOWN THE MESSAGE.
SINCE TAKING OFFICE FOR HIS SECOND TERM–DEMOCRATS AND OTHERS HAVE REPEATEDLY ACCUSED PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP OF TAKING THE COUNTRY DOWN AN AUTHORITARIAN PATH.
THE LATEST ACCUSATION COMES AMID THE NEWS THAT CBS IS CANCELLING THE LATE SHOW, HOSTED BY STEVEN COLBERT. THE CLAIM BY THE LEFT IS, UNDER PRESSURE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP– CBS FIRED COLBERT AFTER HE WAS CRITICAL OF THE NETWORK’S PARENT COMPANY FOR PAYING MILLIONS TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION…AND BECAUSE COLBERT’S CONTRACT WAS NOT RENEWED–
WE’RE NOW EVEN FURTHER DOWN AN AUTHORITARIAN RABBIT HOLE.
BUT HERE’S THE THING–THE LATE SHOW WAS CANCELLED–BUT IT’S NOT GOING OFF THE AIR UNTIL NEXT YEAR. AND WHEN IT DOES–IT’S NOT LIKE STEVEN COLBERT WON’T HAVE ANOTHER JOB LINED UP–
WHERE HE CAN SHARE HIS THOUGHTS WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT NETWORK EXECS TELLING HIM WHAT’S ACCEPTABLE OR NOT.
NETWORK T-V VIEWERSHIP HAS BEEN DECLINING FOR YEARS–AND LATE NIGHT IS NO DIFFERENT. REUTERS SAYS THE SHOW WAS LOSING MILLIONS, AND COLBERT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID PRESENTERS AT CBS–SO, WHEN THE NETWORK SAYS CANCELLING THE LATE SHOW WAS A BUSINESS DECISION, MAYBE THERE’S SOME TRUTH TO THAT?
LOOK, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE STRONG DEMOCRACIES ALLOW DISSENT, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING AFTER HIS CRITICS WITH PLENTY OF FERVOR–
BUT COLBERT GETTING ALMOST A YEAR’S NOTICE THAT HE’S GOING TO BE OUT OF HIS CURRENT JOB ISN’T AUTHORITARIANISM.
SAYING IT IS ONLY DILUTES THE IMPACT OF THE WORD–IT WATERS DOWN THE MESSAGE–AND MAKES IT LESS LIKELY THAT PEOPLE WILL HEED THE CALL IF ACTUAL AUTHORITARIAN ALARMS START TO SOUND.
FOR SENIOR PRODUCER BRETT BAKER, VIDEO EDITOR BRIAN SPENCER, AND MOTION DESIGNER DAKOTA PITEO–I’M RYAN ROBERTSON FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, SIGNING OFF.
