Good morning. Here’s your Daily Situational Awareness briefing for Monday, 30 August 2021. You can receive this daily intel brief via email by signing up at https://forwardobserver.com/daily-sa
TODAY’S BRIEFING:
- Situational Awareness
- Army’s new ARES takes flight
- Green New Deal sneaks into utilities
- Road-use fees likely
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SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
ARES: The U.S. Army’s new Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System (ARES) took flight after only six months of development. The aircraft can fly up to 14 hours at 40,000 feet, ideal for sustained Fires coordination in the Pacific. The system is designed to work alongside the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) which identifies and tracks communications, electronic, and radar signals. (AC: The rapid development, acquisition, and stand-off features indicate future Pacific duty with global support capabilities. The ARES looks like a civilian aircraft, except for protruding antennae, increasing survivability and detection time in contested airspace. – D.M.)
ENERGY: Senator Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) “Clean Electricity Payment Program” will implement federal green energy policies under the $3.5 trillion infrastructure spending plan. Specifically, the provision will require utilities to purchase or generate a certain amount of renewable energy per year. By not changing the production regulation and enacting a fee-based structure, the change will avoid Supreme Court scrutiny. States with “reliable baseload power” from renewables would be forced to close fossil fuel facilities. (AC: Proponents say hydro, nuclear, and carbon-capture would count as “renewable” despite ongoing droughts and rejection of widespread nuclear power. This is part of the Green New Deal through another vehicle. – D.M.)
ROADS: As the Infrastructure bill nears final passage and enactment, road-use fees are becoming more likely. The bill provides funding for studies and implementation of fees to reduce congested roadways. Citing the litany of toll-roads and bridge fees in New England, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ) warned that the increased fees would “damage the regional economy at a precarious moment.” Economists note nation-wide implementation would be difficult as cities like Houston do not have robust public transit systems. (AC: Lawmakers say the pervasiveness of in-vehicle GPS and telemetry data will provide the required information to implement use fees. The legislation is likely to pass, so expect studies in major metropolitan areas next year. – D.M.)
HAZARDS WARNING
HURRICANE SEASON: Tropical Storm Ida continues to bring dangerous storm surges along the Louisiana and Mississippi coast, potentially overtopping local levees. Ida will continue producing heavy rainfall across southeast Louisiana, coastal Mississippi, and Alabama which will cause “considerable to life-threatening” flooding. Entergy and Cleco are reporting that all of Orleans Parish is without power. More than 950,000 customers are without power due to “catastrophic damage to their transmission system”. Entergy was not able to provide a timeline for power restoration and stated that service trucks will not be able to begin repairs until winds subside below 30 miles per hour. According to the National Hurricane Center the Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley and Central and Southern Appalachian, and Mid-Atlantic should expect considerable flooding impacts through Wednesday. Tropical Depression Ten is not currently projected to impact the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center, although that could change at any date.
In today’s Early Warning briefing, Dustin examines the key takeaways from the latest Nuclear Deterrence Forum and Max details Far Left activity from over the weekend. Upgrade your Situational Awareness to Early Warning here: https://forwardobserver.com/subscribe