Midrats

Latest Episodes:

Episode 599: American Generalship in the Long War, with Gray Connolly Aug 01, 2021

Show notes

For coming up on two decades, the United States military has been engaged - if you want to call it by the medal they give everyone for it - a Global War on Terrorism.
As we have invested two decades, trillions of dollars, and thousands dead across the globe in response to the attacks of September, 2001 - our best friends have been with us.
They do this of their own free will, and share the good fortune and bad with us in our contact of the war.
Today’s Midrats is a wide ranging discussion on the history, theory, and application of American leadership with our guest, Gray Connolly.
Gray Connolly (Graham Alfred Frederick Connolly) is an Honors graduate in Arts and Law from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. He is a graduate of the Royal Australian Naval College and holds the Queen's Commission in the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Australian Navy [Naval Intelligence].
Gray has served on operational Naval Intelligence deployments at sea and ashore in the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, East Timor, and the Middle East. Gray served as a Naval Intelligence officer in the Iraq War (two deployments) and in the Afghanistan War.
These days, Gray is a Barrister in Sir Edmund Barton Chambers in Sydney. He has advised and represented the State of New South Wales and the Australian Government, including in national security matters. Gray was before that a Judge’s Associate in both the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia. Gray lectures in Australian Constitutional Law.
Gray is a frequent panelist for ABC radio and television, and he has been published in various newspapers and journals.
Gray is married, has had basset hounds named Churchill, and is a life-long supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Richmond Football Club. He still plays football/soccer and is a plodding midfielder.

Episode 598: Maritime Melee! Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

Tired of hearing "DELTA" related to COVID, when in a good and just world when you heard that word it would be used to talk about old Russian Soviet Era SSBN or 2-seater all weather F-18s?
Well, we're not sure we'll cover either of those topics on today's episode or that we'll totally ignore COVID's impact in the natsec arena, but it's a melee - so you never know what will come up in the maritime national security conversation.
giving Deming a second look, the CNO admits what everyone knew about FORD for over a decade, China rattles the nuclear saber at Japan, and our friends return to the Pacific.
Remember, with the melee format, if you have a chance to catch the you can join in the chat room or call in with the topic of your choice and make the show your own.

Episode 597: Ukraine & the Eastern Black Sea with CAPT Chris Rawley, USNR Jul 18, 2021

Show notes

If it is early summer in the Black Sea, it is time for the annual Ukrainian hosted international exercise Sea Breeze.
Why is this exercise important, who came along, and what does it tell us about the state of the Ukrainian Navy, maritime security in the contested eastern Black Sea, and some interesting responses from the Russians.
Recently returning from the exercise and joining us for the full hour will be returning guest, Captain Chris Rawley, USNR
CAPT Rawley is the Reserve Chief of Staff for US. Naval Forces Europe and Africa. Over his 29 year career, he has deployed to the Persian Gulf, Western Pacific, Iraq, Afghanistan, and across Africa.
In his civilian career, Chris is the founder and CEO of Harvest Returns, a platform for investing in agriculture.

Episode 596: Mid-Summer SITREP Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

Sal and EagleOne are back after July 4th with a full plate of catching up to do on the waterfront from ghosting Afghanistan, Japan & Taiwan's awkward natsec flirting, the INDOPACCOM J2 isn't all that happy with what he's discovered west of Wake, and the ever popular question, how many years is a 30-yr CG good for.
Come join us!
Editor's Note: Due to interruptions during stormy weather during the live show, to improve the listening experience, there were edits and cuts in post production that may make certain sections seem choppy - but trust me, it is better than the unedited version.

Episode 595: Pre-July 4th Melee Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

One week prior to the July 4th holiday, and it's time to catch up on the latest events in the maritime security arena ... and an arena it is.
We have a new SECNAV nom ... but no one is talking about it.
We have the CNO expending T-AKE amounts of personal, professional, and institutional capital defending quaint academic social theory, FORD enjoys a banging time at sea, and the Royal Navy enjoys a Russian air and sea spectacular!
...and that is just the first few things.
As always with our free for alls, we have an open chat room and open phone line to the studio for those who join us live ... so don't be shy.

Episode 594: Small Islands in Great Power Competition, with Alexander Gray Jun 13, 2021

Show notes

China is interested in a lot more than just the first or second island chain. In the vast reaches of the Pacific Ocean, the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia are critical to the sea lines of communication for the economic powerhouses on both sides.
From the Age of Discovery to today, their importance rises to the top of any power who wished to influence the area.
To look at this area of returning importance with us for the full hour will be Alexander B. Gray.
The starting point for our conversation will be the issues he raised in two recent articles; "How the US Can Protect the Sovereignty of the Smallest Pacific Islands" in The Diplomat, and "Why a Crisis in the Pacific islands Matters for Washington and Beijing" in The Hill.
Alex is a Senior Fellow in National Security Affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council, served as Director for Oceania & Indo-Pacific Security at the White House National Security Council from 2018-2019.

Episode 593: More Patrol Craft, Not Fewer with LCDR Jordan Bradford, USN Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

In a sharp departure from the ideas that brought them to the fleet, the Navy, "...appears poised to sunset the MK VI and Cyclone-class patrol craft programs in rapid succession, with no replacements on the horizon."
Why are these small craft in our Navy today, what missions are they doing, and what risk are we accepting if we let this capability go? What follow on craft could even do the job better?
To discuss these and related issues will be LCDR Jordan Bradford, USN.
The starting point for our conversation will be his article from the May 2021 Proceedings, "The MK-VI id Dead - Long Live the MK VII."
Lieutenant Commander Bradford is the commanding officer of USS Typhoon (PC-5). He is a 2009 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has formerly served as strike officer on board the USS Vicksburg (CG-69), navigator on board the De Wert (FFG-45), and combat systems and operations officer on board the Detroit (LCS-7). His opinions are his own and do not reflect any endorsement by the Navy, the Department of Defense, or the United States government.

Episode 592: The Modernization Crunch with Hallie Coyne May 24, 2021

Show notes

After two decades of a low boil, but highly demanding series of conflicts in Asia required an extensive focus on the now - in both funding and leadership time. America finds herself facing the 2020s with a rested, increasingly well equipped and confident People's Republic of China on the other side of the Pacific stretching herself on a global scale.
Advances of the last few decades that were made were focused on the fight at hand, but they may not be the right equipment for the expected fight to come. What does the USA need to start investing in now to ensure we are better positioned at the end of this decade than we were entering it?
This Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern, join my guest co-host Mark Vandroff and me to discuss these and related issues with Hallie Coyne, a research associate at the American Enterprise Institute. We will use as a starting point for our conversation the recent report she co-authored with Mackenzie Eaglen, The 2020s Tri-Service Modernization Crunch.
Hallie supports work on defense budget analysis, defense reform and acquisition, and US military strategy. She has published on trends related to military construction funding and the national security implications of data protection regulations. Before joining AEI, Coyne worked at the multinational technology company Oracle as a business development consultant, with previous experience at the US Embassy Ottawa and the International Trade Administration in the US Department of Commerce. She holds a BA with honors from the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, with majors in international relations and history. She has also completed academic work at the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

Episode 591: May Day Midrats Melee! May 03, 2021

Show notes

OK, it is the day after May Day ... but that's close enough for government work.
As the entire maritime world this week decided to pick up on some Midrats favorites - poaching the Army's budget and making the Taiwanese porcupine a bit more imposing - could there be a better time for another Sal & Eagle One green range?
Open topic, open chat room, open phones.
We'll cover the waterfront and invite you to come on board for a broad ranging discussion of national and maritime security issues.
Sunday, 5pm Eastern!

Episode 590: The Lessons of Service Squadron TEN, with Ryan Hilger Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

Home is thousands of miles away on the other side of the great Pacific Ocean. A deadly and relentless enemy is challenging ships and sailors for every island, cove, sea and shipping lane.
There is no time – or yardspace – for damaged ships for travel home for repairs or resupply. Large shore facilities and ports anywhere near the fight are either under enemy control, or too dangerous and damaged to be useful.
How can the US Navy fight and win under these circumstances? We know the answer. We’ve been here before.
How can the war games of a century ago, and the war they helped win less than two decades later, help us today as we face another rising power in the Western Pacific?
For the full hour this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern to discuss this and related questions, will be Lieutenant Command Ryan Hilger, USN. We will use as a starting point for our conversation his recent article over at CIMSEC, Service Squadron TEN and the Great Western Naval Base.
Ryan is a Navy Engineering Duty Officer stationed in Melbourne, Florida. He has served on USS Maine (Gold) and USS Springfield as Chief Engineer. He holds a masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

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