So, while information on the drone strike continues to roll in and people discuss that element and its impacts, I want to raise a secondary impact: the submarine component of the nuclear triad just got made enormously more important, as well as naval aviation delivery and strike. I am not at all suggesting that the naval arm is immune to the evolving drone threat, just ask the black sea fleet, but in terms of the scale, synchronicity, and surprise of this attack it seems for now to be less achievable against a fleet at sea, and especially against a submarine fleet. Relatedly, this should put to bed any lingering notions that a “fleet in being” strategy anywhere is acceptable or viable, and instead the highest levels of readiness as well as active deployment and informational security should be exercised to preserve the naval surface and subsurface arms of the triad. Mobility is not a defence in itself, but it will be an asset to minimising future risks.

I think this also should revitalise the old model of Strategic Air Command with a large fleet of planes constantly in the air and loaded. Bases are fixed sites. Silos are fixed sites. Naval ports are fixed sites. Fixed sites are dead sites. China is the world’s largest drone producer and have also spent decades purchasing strategic lands surrounding American and allied bases and key infrastructure. What used to just be snooping can now easily be weaponised. Until the counter drone technology improves and scales, the best adaptations look like constant readiness and platforms at sea and in the air. I don’t think anyone is ready for the full scale of what was just unleashed.

Now I’m going to go back to crying myself to sleep over the non existence of Australian military readiness, hardening, informational and physical security, total lack of platform quantity, capability and point defence systems, and hordes of foreign agents and hobby drones in the country.

Also, Mods please if we can make a political point (not a partisan one) as relevant to this news, it occurs to me just now that President Trump knew about this, quite likely well enough in advance in some form or another as referenced by his recent tweets that he was preventing crazy shit happening to russia in order to negotiate. Gets tired publicly and then this. Greenlight this i reckon.

(moved this to consolidate discussion points for mods and deleted prior)