Top U.S. general, Pentagon at odds over Russia's capabilities

Top U.S. general, Pentagon at odds over Russia's capabilities

Air Force commander contends Moscow has 'closed the gap'

Published: 22 hours ago

F. Michael Maloof

 

U.S. spy plane

WASHINGTON – The commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and North Africa and of Allied Air Command has warned that Russia has “closed the gap” with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in air superiority with its development of advanced technologies for new generation aircraft and surface-to-air missile systems, but the Pentagon disagrees with him, according to a report in Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

“The advantage that we have had from the air, I can honestly say, is shrinking not only with respect to the aircraft that they’re producing, but the more alarming thing is their ability to create anti-access/area-denial (A2/D2) that are very well-defended,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Frank Gorenc before the recent Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington.
He said Moscow has improved greatly on anti-aircraft capabilities and warned of slippage in the U.S. military’s technological edge and its ability to develop countermeasures.
“I don’t think it’s controversial to say that they’ve (the Russians) closed the gap in capability – not just in Europe, everywhere,” Gorenc said.
In response to a series of questions from G2Bulletin, however, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook disagreed.
Get the rest of this, and other, reports, in Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
Speaking on behalf of Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, Cook said, “I would not agree with that assessment and would just make clear that we feel confident in NATO’s capabilities.
“Obviously, the Russians have technological know-how,” he said. “They have military equipment that is substantial, but we feel confident certainly in NATO’s ability to do its work and to carry out its own mission responsibility.”
Cook said Carter has “talked about the need for the U.S. military to (confront) new gaps to new threats including new technologies, new innovations.”
“He’s been quite up front in talking about the need to maintain our military edge around the world,” Cook said.
“And that’s something this secretary feels very strongly about,” he continued. “And I think you’ll see it reflected in his budget going forward and in his commitments going forward, and that’s something he aims to maintain.”
Sanitizing intel
The latest disagreement in the face of Russian advancement in aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles comes amid allegations that intelligence reported to policymakers is being sanitized, which has prompted congressional investigations.
Congressional intelligence committees are looking at allegations that U.S. military analysts are altering intelligence to portray a far more optimistic view of the effort against ISIS than is actually occurring.
Get the rest of this, and other, reports, in Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

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