Strategic Trends
@strategictrends.bsky.social
US foreign policy and national security interests in the Indo-Pacific | Maritime minded | | Learning every day | Views my own. | Always humble
Reposted by Strategic Trends
I don't even have much to say. This was a good vessel, the USN panicked at the slightest hint of delays and now is killing the program. There has not been a single vessel in US Navy service that hasn't been redesigned, delayed, and had some cost overruns in the last 60~ years.
This is the stupidest and most self-destructive USN procurement decision in at least a decade.
Constellation was a relatively healthy program and progressing on a realistic budget and schedule, mostly baseless criticism of it notwithstanding.
Constellation was a relatively healthy program and progressing on a realistic budget and schedule, mostly baseless criticism of it notwithstanding.
BREAKING: Navy Cancels Constellation-class Frigate Program, Considering New Small Surface Combatants — USNI News
news.usni.org/2025/11/25/n...
news.usni.org/2025/11/25/n...
November 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM
I don't even have much to say. This was a good vessel, the USN panicked at the slightest hint of delays and now is killing the program. There has not been a single vessel in US Navy service that hasn't been redesigned, delayed, and had some cost overruns in the last 60~ years.
50 bucks that we're gonna outsource M/LUSV to accelerate and expand the program to """replace""" Constellation, and it will go terribly and end up causing M/LUSV to be effectively canceled as well
November 25, 2025 at 10:41 PM
50 bucks that we're gonna outsource M/LUSV to accelerate and expand the program to """replace""" Constellation, and it will go terribly and end up causing M/LUSV to be effectively canceled as well
For my Master's thesis, my most important finding was America's traditional asymmetric advantages enjoyed over China, being technological superiority and experience, will almost cease to exist over the next 15 years, but more impactful ones will endure!
Many reasons to hope.
Lets talk about it.
Many reasons to hope.
Lets talk about it.
November 24, 2025 at 2:52 AM
For my Master's thesis, my most important finding was America's traditional asymmetric advantages enjoyed over China, being technological superiority and experience, will almost cease to exist over the next 15 years, but more impactful ones will endure!
Many reasons to hope.
Lets talk about it.
Many reasons to hope.
Lets talk about it.
🗣🗣🗣Third interview confirmed🗣🗣🗣 Now in person
Absolutely rocked my 2nd interview today for a dream starting job. So at least I had a great day all things considered
Im that much closer to helping the military more efficiently kill Russian and Chinese servicemembers
Im that much closer to helping the military more efficiently kill Russian and Chinese servicemembers
September 17, 2025 at 6:30 PM
🗣🗣🗣Third interview confirmed🗣🗣🗣 Now in person
Absolutely rocked my 2nd interview today for a dream starting job. So at least I had a great day all things considered
Im that much closer to helping the military more efficiently kill Russian and Chinese servicemembers
Im that much closer to helping the military more efficiently kill Russian and Chinese servicemembers
September 11, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Absolutely rocked my 2nd interview today for a dream starting job. So at least I had a great day all things considered
Im that much closer to helping the military more efficiently kill Russian and Chinese servicemembers
Im that much closer to helping the military more efficiently kill Russian and Chinese servicemembers
Reposted by Strategic Trends
On the one hand - yes. Other hand, any Iranian efforts to assemble a weapon and test it are likely going to be as vulnerable, if not more vulnerable, as the hardened underground facilities that Israel just struck. Israel would certainly make every effort to interdict a rushed assembly. A #nukesky 🧵/
June 13, 2025 at 3:21 AM
On the one hand - yes. Other hand, any Iranian efforts to assemble a weapon and test it are likely going to be as vulnerable, if not more vulnerable, as the hardened underground facilities that Israel just struck. Israel would certainly make every effort to interdict a rushed assembly. A #nukesky 🧵/
China is well on its way to realize a snap invasion capability of Taiwan by the later half of the 2030s and that should scare the fuck out of you
May 22, 2025 at 1:57 AM
China is well on its way to realize a snap invasion capability of Taiwan by the later half of the 2030s and that should scare the fuck out of you
Reposted by Strategic Trends
Today we are going learn about Light Exo-Atmospheric Projectile's first flight test. So what is LEAP? LEAP was a program aimed at developing extremely lightweight and small KKVs. The program first spawned from an SDI effort develop a light kill vehicle for ground or space based hyper-velocity guns.
May 5, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Today we are going learn about Light Exo-Atmospheric Projectile's first flight test. So what is LEAP? LEAP was a program aimed at developing extremely lightweight and small KKVs. The program first spawned from an SDI effort develop a light kill vehicle for ground or space based hyper-velocity guns.
Remembered that the nuclear disarmament community still exists.
Day ruined.
Day ruined.
April 22, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Remembered that the nuclear disarmament community still exists.
Day ruined.
Day ruined.
Reposted by Strategic Trends
"Still, legal analysts have raised questions about the legality of sending US citizens to prisons abroad."
what are we doing here. it is illegal. there is literally zero question that it is illegal. what is this 'raised questions' stuff.
what are we doing here. it is illegal. there is literally zero question that it is illegal. what is this 'raised questions' stuff.
President Donald Trump said that he asked if El Salvador could build more prisons to jail as many American criminals as possible — US citizens included
Trump Wants El Salvador to Build More Prisons to Jail Americans
President Donald Trump said that he asked his counterpart Nayib Bukele if El Salvador could build more prisons to jail as many American criminals as possible — US citizens included.
www.bloomberg.com
April 14, 2025 at 7:52 PM
"Still, legal analysts have raised questions about the legality of sending US citizens to prisons abroad."
what are we doing here. it is illegal. there is literally zero question that it is illegal. what is this 'raised questions' stuff.
what are we doing here. it is illegal. there is literally zero question that it is illegal. what is this 'raised questions' stuff.
Reposted by Strategic Trends
This will destroy physical sciences and engineering programs the same way NIH overhead caps would destroy biomedical programs. My alma mater is likely to effectively die if this goes through, as does most university run materials science and metallurgy research in the country.
Energy Department reduces funding for grants to colleges and universities
The change by the Trump administration limits to 15 percent funds for indirect costs, which cover facilities and staff many scientists say are crucial to their work.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 12, 2025 at 2:10 PM
This will destroy physical sciences and engineering programs the same way NIH overhead caps would destroy biomedical programs. My alma mater is likely to effectively die if this goes through, as does most university run materials science and metallurgy research in the country.
Please don't I want a job and don't want to have to compete with people a decade into their careers
DOD civilian employee roles that do not facilitate "lethality" should be assessed for restructuring or elimination, the memo states.
DOD issues guidance to advance civilian workforce overhaul
DOD civilian employee roles that do not facilitate "lethality" should be assessed for restructuring or elimination, the memo states.
www.defensenews.com
April 10, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Please don't I want a job and don't want to have to compete with people a decade into their careers
Everything is awful
April 9, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Everything is awful
Reposted by Strategic Trends
things you see before an economic crash
February 28, 2025 at 11:27 PM
things you see before an economic crash
Reposted by Strategic Trends
This is a question I am *extremely* interested in us developing an answer to. Off the cuff (and a couple beers deep...it's a Friday) here are 6 precepts plus 3 wishlist items. Call it "Rules for Liberal Realists". (Title WIP). These are ideas about what we want, and how to get it, broadly defined.
There's still a lot of work to do though in articulating what exactly a liberal/left/dem natsec/FP looks like though
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you care even the slightest about national security, congratulations, you’re a democrat now
February 15, 2025 at 4:38 AM
This is a question I am *extremely* interested in us developing an answer to. Off the cuff (and a couple beers deep...it's a Friday) here are 6 precepts plus 3 wishlist items. Call it "Rules for Liberal Realists". (Title WIP). These are ideas about what we want, and how to get it, broadly defined.
If I ever say I'm pondering this is the type of shit I'm pondering about
January 29, 2025 at 3:19 AM
If I ever say I'm pondering this is the type of shit I'm pondering about
Its cool I wasn't reading or anything
January 22, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Its cool I wasn't reading or anything
The 21st century is a maritime century gosh darnit
January 21, 2025 at 7:05 PM
The 21st century is a maritime century gosh darnit
Honestly what the fuck is the point of the hedge stockpile if we aren't going to utilize it for the exact type of scenario it was created for in the first place.
"Another enemy is building a peer nuclear arsenal"
"Okay. Don't react at all. It might make them upset"
Deranged
"Another enemy is building a peer nuclear arsenal"
"Okay. Don't react at all. It might make them upset"
Deranged
January 6, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Honestly what the fuck is the point of the hedge stockpile if we aren't going to utilize it for the exact type of scenario it was created for in the first place.
"Another enemy is building a peer nuclear arsenal"
"Okay. Don't react at all. It might make them upset"
Deranged
"Another enemy is building a peer nuclear arsenal"
"Okay. Don't react at all. It might make them upset"
Deranged
My new years resolution is to be more confrontational with bullshit
also destroy China
also destroy China
January 6, 2025 at 3:06 AM
My new years resolution is to be more confrontational with bullshit
also destroy China
also destroy China
Reposted by Strategic Trends
We've spent too long considering Russia's red lines. It's time we started making them consider ours.
December 31, 2024 at 12:22 AM
We've spent too long considering Russia's red lines. It's time we started making them consider ours.
I have been busy
December 28, 2024 at 5:18 AM
I have been busy
Reposted by Strategic Trends
I see @nytopinion.nytimes.com is continuing its long tradition of platforming unsubtle Russian disinformation narratives and malign actors.
December 28, 2024 at 3:46 AM
I see @nytopinion.nytimes.com is continuing its long tradition of platforming unsubtle Russian disinformation narratives and malign actors.
I am very staunchly of the viewpoint that a Sino-American war, specifically over Taiwan is realistically unavoidable, simply because there is little reason to believe that the current trajectory we are both on will substantially change anytime soon.
December 20, 2024 at 6:57 AM
I am very staunchly of the viewpoint that a Sino-American war, specifically over Taiwan is realistically unavoidable, simply because there is little reason to believe that the current trajectory we are both on will substantially change anytime soon.