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Foster is the chief data officer of the US Central Command. Centcom, which heads US military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia, has been testing out AI and computer-vision applications for the Department of Defense and adding tech talent to support its missions. Foster, part of Business Insider's 2024 AI Power List, previously helped develop big data and AI applications at several technology companies with US defense contracts, including CrowdAI and Maxar Technologies. He's also served as an intelligence officer at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and as an officer in the Air Force.See Business Insider's full <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://businessinsider.com/ai-power-list-2024">AI Power List</a>

Michael Foster, US Central Command chief data officer, uses AI to make an impact on defense

<ul class="summary-list"><li>October saw Russia hit with its highest average daily casualties since the war in Ukraine began, a UK offical said.</li><li>The UK's Chief of Defence Staff said Russia suffered around 1,500 killed or injured each day.</li></ul>October saw Russia hit with its worst casualty rate since the war in Ukraine began, a senior UK official has said.The UK's Chief of Defence Staff, Tony Radakin, said on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0024vjj/sunday-with-laura-kuenssberg-trumps-victory-ukraine-and-defence-spend">BBC's "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg"</a> that Russia suffered a daily average of more than 1,500 killed or injured troops in October, which he called "an extraordinary price" for "tiny increments of land."But he added that there was "no doubt that Russia is making tactical, territorial gains" that are putting pressure on Ukraine.In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/DefenceU/status/1855496002972667979">post</a> on X on Sunday, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense shared figures from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that put Russian combat losses since the start of the invasion in February 2022 at around 709,000 troops.NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in late October that the number of Russian troops killed or wounded in the war was "over 600,000."Russia has also suffered heavy losses to military vehicles during the war, losing over 9,200 tanks and around 18,700 armored fighting vehicles, per the Ukrainian figures.The Institute for the Study of War said in an update on the conflict on Saturday that Russian forces would not be able to sustain its current loss rates indefinitely, "especially not for such limited gains."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-korean-troops-ukraine-russia-kursk-8000-front-lines-2024-11">Russian forces were bolstered by the arrival of thousands of North Korean soldiers</a> in October, Western officials have said.Reports of Ukrainian and North Korean troops' <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-details-first-ukraine-attack-north-korea-troops-russia-kursk-2024-11">first clashes in Russia's Kursk region</a> emerged earlier this week.<div type="image" title="Kim Jong Un has been an ally to Putin during Russia's war on Ukraine." height="1877" width="2813" msid="115150108" hostid="261" sizebytes="111736"></div>In his interview with Kuenssberg, Radakin also mentioned the mounting pressure on the Russian economy.Russia has been spending big on defense over the course of the war in Ukraine, which has fueled growth but also led to rampant inflation.The Russian central bank raised its key interest rate to a record 21% in October to try to combat inflation it said was "running considerably above" expectations.Russia is probably capable of going for years before it has to confront its overspending, Alexandra Prokopenko, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, wrote in the Financial Times last month."This is an unpleasant truth for policymakers in Europe and the US," Prokopenko said.Following his election win earlier this week, Donald Trump's team has reportedly been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-advisors-peace-plans-ukraine-demilitarized-zone-no-aid-russia-2024-11">laying out plans for how to end the war in Ukraine</a>.

Russian forces suffered an average of over 1,500 casualties a day in October for 'tiny increments of land,' UK official says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dollar dominance faces key challenges in the future, Brookings researchers said.</li><li>The think tank pointed to four forces that could be make the greenback less attractive. </li></ul>There are a handful of challenges to the dollar's top status in financial markets, according to researchers from the Brookings Institution.In a recent <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-changing-role-of-the-us-dollar/">note</a>, the think tank pointed to the US dollar's shifting status in global financial markets, with the use of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dedollarization-imf-stealth-erosion-global-us-dollar-forex-reserves-sanctions-2024-6">greenback declining steadily </a>over the past several decades. While the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dedollarization-dollar-dominance-currency-war-trade-usd-reserves-explained-2024-5">dollar still dominates</a> central bank reserves and world trade, the currency accounted for 59% of all global reserves at the start of 2024, down from 71% of reserve in 1999, according to estimates from the International Monetary Fund.<div type="image" title="Dollar's share of global reserves graph" height="1138" width="1145" msid="112816893" hostid="261" sizebytes="59508"></div>Meanwhile, the share of nontraditional currency reserves has edged higher. Currencies like the Australian dollar, the Swiss franc, and Chinese yuan accounted for 11% of all central bank reserves at the start of this year, up from 2% recorded in 1999, per IMF data.<div type="image" title="Share of nontraditional currency reserves" height="1162" width="1151" msid="112816894" hostid="261" sizebytes="62210"></div>That decline has sparked some fear among investors that the dollar could soon be ousted from its top-dog position in financial markets. While most experts say that <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/de-dollarization-dollar-war-usd-yuan-china-russia-brics-currency-2024-7">likely isn't happening anytime soon</a>, the think tank said the dollar's dominant status faces key challenges, pointing to four factors in particular.<h2 id="eb86da1f-7f18-4189-b9a3-3748f015a7bb">1. US sanctions</h2>The US began implementing sanctions on Russia and its allies after Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. That's sparked a de-dollarization drive in Russia and other BRICS nations, which have suggested they're looking to shift away from the dollar as a reaction to Western trade restrictions.Russia, in particular, has taken steps to heavily de-dollarize its economy, with the nation adopting a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dedollarization-russia-china-yuan-ruble-exchange-rate-benchmark-new-sanctions-2024-6">yuan-to-ruble exchange rate</a>, proposing a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/de-dollarization-dollar-dominance-currencies-brics-china-russia-india-putin-2023-7">rival currency to the greenback</a>, and reportedly spearheading an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dedollarization-russia-actively-working-brics-local-currencies-platform-us-dollar-2024-6">alternative payment platform</a> that wouldn't be reliant on the dollar.China, which saw its companies hit with <a target="_blank" href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2546">secondary sanctions</a> from the US Treasury last week, has also signaled a shift away from the dollar, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dedollarization-china-yuan-cny-trade-usd-sanctions-protection-reserve-currency-2024-5">promoting its yuan as an alternative</a>."If the United States is capricious with sanctions, acts unilaterally, and fails to develop a doctrine of economic statecraft, the dollar could be dethroned," Brookings researchers said, citing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economic-sanctions-russia-us-dollar-dominance-yellen-alternative-yuan-dedollarization-2023-4">comments</a> from US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.<h2 id="eff7251a-f1be-40d0-8494-5988c77ddab7">2. US debt</h2>The US's rising debt load could make currency holders more wary of the dollar, especially if there are concerns that the US may not be able to pay back its dues.While the US debt balance hasn't yet breached unsustainable levels, the government's rapid pace of spending has done little to ease markets. Fitch, for instance, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fitch-downgrades-us-credit-rating-deficit-debt-ceiling-2023-8#:~:text=Fitch%20downgraded%20the%20US's%20credit,the%20debt%20limit%20until%202025.">downgraded the US</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fitch-downgrades-us-credit-rating-deficit-debt-ceiling-2023-8#:~:text=Fitch%20downgraded%20the%20US's%20credit,the%20debt%20limit%20until%202025."> credit rating</a> last year, citing a "steady deterioration in standards of governance.""Bickering over appropriations, Congress has shut the government down several times. Further political instability could erode investor confidence in the dollar," the researchers said.<h2 id="c18d8d68-8ac9-451c-b2c2-8ff5942f963f">3. Improved payment technology</h2>More advanced payment systems have made it easier to exchange nontraditional currencies. That could weigh on demand for the US dollar, which has traditionally been seen as the most attractive medium of exchange."Typically, converting such currencies to dollars, and vice versa, has been easier and cheaper than exchanging them for one another. But China and India, for example, will soon no longer need to exchange their respective currencies for dollars to conduct trade cheaply. Rather, exchanging renminbi for rupees directly will become cheaper. Consequently, the reliance on 'vehicle currencies,' particularly the dollar, will decline," Eswar Prasad, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said in a previous note.<h2 id="0b9967af-c144-471b-8ee3-4faf7baad925">4. Central bank digital currencies</h2>Digital currencies issued by central banks could also make it easier and cheaper to nontraditional currencies. China is developing one such <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dollar-dominance-outlook-china-india-digital-currency-race-fed-innovation-2024-1">CBDC</a>, and CIPS, China's Cross-border Interbank payment system, has been "growing rapidly" over the past few years, the think-tank noted.The Fed has created its own instant payment network, but hasn't moved to create a CBDC, with Powell suggesting last year that a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/is-fednow-replacing-cash-is-it-a-central-bank-digital-currency.htm">digital currency would require approval from lawmakers</a>. That means the US risks falling behind other countries, where digital payment tech is rapidly developing, Brookings researchers said.Still, despite warnings, most currency experts <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/de-dollarization-dollar-war-currency-usd-dominance-china-yuan-economy-2024-5">do not believe de-dollarization</a> is a near-term threat to the US or its currency. At the moment, there are no close competitors to the greenback in financial markets — and countries that try to de-dollarize anyway <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/de-dollarization-dollar-war-usd-yuan-china-russia-brics-currency-2024-7">risk a host of economic consequences</a>, like slower growth and lost investment value, one commodities vet told Business Insider.

The 4 forces that will challenge the dominance of the dollar, according to economic researchers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Air Force majorly overpaid for C-17 spare parts, including bathroom soap dispensers, per a Pentagon watchdog.</li><li>The dispensers were 80 times more expensive than the commercially available alternative.</li></ul>The US Air Force overpaid for spare parts for a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-340-million-boeing-c17-globemaster-iii-military-jet-2022-1">C-17 military transport aircraft</a> manufactured by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-19-billion-share-offering-boost-financials-liquidity-2024-10">Boeing</a>, according to a new watchdog report. In one example, an audit found, the service paid more than 80 times the regular commercial value for bathroom soap dispensers.The audit, which detailed cost issues with a variety of C-17 spare parts, blamed the overpayment on a lack of oversight by the Air Force.On Monday, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General released information related to an audit on whether the Air Force purchased C-17 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ongoing-f35-fighter-jet-problems-affect-whole-us-military-fleet-2023-1">spare parts</a> "at fair and reasonable prices." The audit was initiated in response to a DoD Hotline allegation.The audit found that the Air Force "overpaid nearly $1 million for a dozen different types of spare parts" on contracts, the office said, including bathroom soap dispensers "where the Air Force paid more than 80 times the commercially available cost of a 7,943-% markup."<div type="image" title="A US Air Force Airman guides a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) truck as it drives out of a C-17 Globemaster III plane and onto tarmac." height="1940" width="3448" msid="114745677" hostid="261" sizebytes="525780"></div>Across the board, the office said the service failed to consistently <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-defense-military-budget-compared-federal-education-spending-2023-4">pay reasonable prices</a> for about 26% of spare parts reviewed, valued at $4.3 million.But the OIG was unable to effectively review over half of the total spare parts — estimated at more than $22 million in value — "because the Air Force did not maintain historical cost data, and the Defense Contract Management Agency Item Group was unable to obtain supplier quotes or identify commercially similar parts," the office said.The OIG attributed the overpayment problem to the Air Force's failure to sufficiently validate accurate data for contract negotiation, identify price increases while executing contracts, and review invoices to determine <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-spent-1280-on-coffee-cup-2018-10">fair and reasonable before paying</a>."We are reviewing the report, which appears to be based on an inapt comparison of the prices paid for parts that meet military specifications and designs versus basic commercial items that would not be qualified or approved for use on the C-17," Boeing spokeswoman Deborah VanNierop told Bloomberg, which first reported the overpayments identified by the OIG. "We will continue to work with the OIG and the US Air Force to provide a detailed written response to the report in the coming days," she said.<div type="image" title="A THAAD launcher next to an aircraft." height="5504" width="8256" msid="114745678" hostid="261" sizebytes="783294"></div>Per Inspector General Robert P. Storch, the Air Force's issues could have an impact on C-17 readiness."The Air Force needs to establish and implement more effective internal controls to help prevent overpaying for spare parts for the remainder of this contract, which continues through 2031," he said, adding that "significant overpayments for spare parts may reduce the number of spare parts that Boeing can purchase on the contract, potentially reducing C-17 readiness worldwide."The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-sudden-show-force-to-russia-china-in-alaska-2024-9">C-17 Globemaster III</a> is a large versatile aircraft designed to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-340-million-boeing-c17-globemaster-iii-military-jet-2022-1">transport troops and equipment across a variety of distances</a>. It's the Air Force's primary strategic lift aircraft. It has also become a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-c-17-globemaster-airforce-cargo-aircraft-evacuation-2021-9">central aircraft in evacuation and humanitarian efforts</a>, among other missions.

US Air Force wildly overpaid Boeing by almost 8,000% for C-17 aircraft bathroom soap dispensers, Pentagon watchdog finds

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia's economic expansion will drop off sharply after this year, the country's central bank said.</li><li>GDP could fall from as much as 4% to as low as 0.5% in 2025, the report said.</li></ul>Russian wartime growth will stagger next year as labor and sanction issues wear down the "overheating" economy, the country's central bank said in its annual report.Although GDP is projected to expand as much as 4% this year, state and consumer demand have by now outstripped supply, the Central Bank of Russia said.The report, cited by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/553c50cf-aa2c-41bc-8f4c-f8f24cee2b1a">Financial Times</a>, expects growth to reach the 0.5%-to-1.5% zone in 2025, and be 1% to 2% in 2026."Available production capacity is depleted," bank deputy governor Alexei Zabotkin told reporters last week. "The pace of expansion is held back by sanctions barriers and by physical limitations on the output of the means of production. The economy needs additional labor for this as well."He added that labor shortages had "significantly worsened."This dilemma first cropped up after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, committing part of its workforce to the front lines. Last year's forced mobilization order made the deficit more severe, as <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/russian-economy-record-worker-shortage-sanction-ukraine-war-labor-exodus-2023-4?_gl=1*esjdrx*_ga*MTMxNDIwNDI1Ni4xNjc1Njg3OTU4*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyNTM2NDU1OC41NTkuMS4xNzI1MzY0ODA4LjQ1LjAuMA..">up to a million Russians</a> fled the country. By the end of 2023, the country was estimated to lack<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-lacks-workers-ukraine-war-labor-crisis-worker-shortage-2023-12"> close to 5 million workers.</a>That's put pressure on Russian businesses to increase wages, in a big to source new workers. According to FT, the nominal wage jumped 19.2% in the first quarter of 2024, slowing slightly in the second quarter. Labor shortfalls have hit manufacturing, trade and agriculture the hardest, according to the report.Rising wages and aggressive government spending are a recipe for higher inflation, which the central bank expects to reach 6.5% to 7% by the end of this year. The bank outlined that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-business-elites-criticize-central-bank-interest-rate-hike-2024-7">interest rates</a> — now standing at 18% — are unlikely to move away from the double digits.The report said inflation is projected to fall between 4% and 4.5% in 2025, then remain at the 4% level after that.The West has offered no relief to Russia, as sanctions from the US and its allies have only tightened in recent months. In late August, Washington announced another <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-russia-sanctions-war-spending-exports-ukraine-china-banks-treasury-2024-8">sweeping sanctions package targeting foreign entities</a> that still support Russia's war production.Production capacity and labor supply is "nearly fully used," the report said.According to FT, the central bank also listed other economic scenarios in its report, such as an economic "deglobalization" that occurs alongside higher interest rates. In this situation, Russia would contract as much as 3% to 4% next year, and face a crisis as difficult as the 2008 period.The central bank's outlook appears in line with Western forecast, as the International Monetary Fund similarly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-grows-faster-than-all-advanced-economies-imf-2024-4">anticipates momentum to fade in 2025</a>.Meanwhile, individual analysts have warned that a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-collapse-recession-moscow-ukraine-war-us-dollar-energy-2024-7">severe recession is looming over Moscow</a>, which could hit as soon as next year.

Russia's 'overheating' economy will face a sharp slowdown next year as labor and sanctions crush momentum, central bank says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>It may be too late for interest-rate cuts to stop a recession, former Fed president Bill Dudley wrote for Bloomberg.</li><li>He called for the central bank to start cutting rates this month.</li></ul>Cutting interest rates now might no longer be enough to stop a recession, Bill Dudley wrote for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-07-24/the-fed-needs-to-cut-interest-rates-now?srnd=undefined">Bloomberg</a>, cautioning that delaying cuts for another month will only aggravate the situation."Although it might already be too late to fend off a recession by cutting rates, dawdling now unnecessarily increases the risk," the former New York Federal Reserve President said.Cooling inflation and labor data have convinced markets that the Fed will start slashing rates by September. But to Dudley, even this is too late, and central bankers would do better to pivot rates at next week's policy meeting.However, few investors indicate this is likely to happen, and the Fed itself has heavily emphasized a preference to wait. According to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html?redirect=/trading/interest-rates/countdown-to-fomc.html">CME FedWatch Tool</a>, the odds of a July rate cut are just 7% right now, compared to a near-consensus 88% for September."If we loosen policy too late or too little, we could hurt economic activity," Jerome Powell <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/interest-rate-cuts-timeline-federal-reserve-inflation-powell-economists-forecast-2024-7">told a Senate Committee</a> in early July.While Dudley, too, subscribed to the idea that rates should stay higher-for-longer until the Fed achieves its target inflation rate of 2%, he noted that macro-conditions have taken a turn for the worse.Where the Fed's monetary tightening appeared insufficient over past years due to high consumer spending and an investing boom, Dudley cited that its impact is now becoming quickly apparent.Pandemic-era savings are depleting, housing construction is slumping, and momentum from government-led investing initiatives — such as in infrastructure and semiconductors — is fading, he said.According to Dudley, this slowdown points to fewer jobs down the road, and an uptick in unemployment could set off a near-certain recession indicator: the Sahm Rule.The model tracks unemployment's three-month average rate, and flashes red when this metric increases by 0.5% from a 12-month low."Most troubling, the three-month average unemployment rate is up 0.43 percentage point from its low point in the prior 12 months — very close to the 0.5 threshold that, as identified by the Sahm Rule, has invariably signaled a US recession," Dudley said.Despite this, Dudley suggested that the Fed might not be as concerned about breaching the Sahm Rule as it should be. Those indifferent to it have explained unemployment's rise as the consequence of a rapidly growing labor force, and not due to rising layoffs, he said.But even if this were the case, it doesn't make the indicator any less perceptive, Dudley added: the rule accurately predicted recessions in the 1970s, at a time when the labor force was also rising quickly.Last month, Claudia Sahm, the rule's creator, also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sahm-rule-recession-indicator-fed-rate-cuts-labor-unemployment-contraction-2024-6">called on the Fed to pay closer attention to it</a>."My baseline is not recession," she said. "But it's a real risk, and I do not understand why the Fed is pushing that risk. I'm not sure what they're waiting for."According to Dudley, there are two other reasons the Fed may be waiting for September to cut rates.He suggested that central bankers don't want to make a mistake by declaring victory over inflation too soon, given last year's moderations in inflation proved temporary. Otherwise, Dudley suspects that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is seeking broader support for cutting.

It may already be too late for the Fed to stop a recession, former central bank president says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Navy has spent months battling the Houthis in a conflict that shows no signs of ending.</li><li>A top admiral said it will take more than military action alone to stop the Houthi attacks.</li></ul>The US Navy's counter-Houthi mission will not be enough on its own to stop the Iran-backed rebels from attacking vulnerable merchant ships, the admiral overseeing operations in the Middle East said this week.Vice Adm. George Wikoff, the commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, said that it will take more than force and firepower to deal with the Houthis. Rather, Washington and its allies must come up with an alternative way to apply pressure on the group."The solution is not going to come at the end of a weapon system," Wikoff said Wednesday at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. "It's going to be the international community."For over eight months, US forces have been working to defend key shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from relentless Houthi attacks. The rebels have been using one-way attack drones, naval drones, and anti-ship missiles to threaten commercial vessels and American warships deployed in the region.US warships and aircraft have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-carrier-strike-group-fired-nearly-800-munitions-houthi-fight-2024-7">expended hundreds of munitions</a> to regularly intercept Houthi missiles and drones and to strike the rebels in Yemen, targeting assets like weapons, launchers, and radar sites.<div type="image" title="The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely conducts a pre-action calibration practice fire of its 5-inch gun in the Red Sea on March 21." height="823" width="1279" msid="112383445" hostid="261" sizebytes="94612"></div>Top US officials have repeatedly said that these efforts are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3643830/statement-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-coalition-strikes-in-ho/">intended to strip</a> the Houthis of their ability to conduct attacks. But as of this week, the rebels <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/3863518/august-6-us-central-command-update/">continue to launch</a> missiles and drones at the surrounding waters."We have certainly degraded their capability. There's no doubt about that," Wikoff said. "However, have we stopped them? No.""Our mission remains to disrupt their ability and try to preserve some semblance of maritime order while we give an opportunity for policy to be developed against the Houthis," he added.Wikoff said it has been difficult to find a center of gravity for the Houthis that the US can hold at risk over time, making it a challenge to apply a classic deterrence policy in this scenario.Right now, he said, the idea is for the Navy to maintain the status quo to allow other areas of government and the international community to kick in and pressure the Houthis to stop their attacks.<div type="image" title="F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jets fly over the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon during flight operations in the Red Sea on March 26." height="2125" width="3188" msid="112383447" hostid="261" sizebytes="43288"></div>"This is a global problem — the entire globe is impacted by this problem," he said. "We can certainly try with some warships and some sailors and some folks trying their best to preserve maritime security. But this is going to require a global solution.""The more players on the field that can get involved in the diplomatic and that piece of this, the better off I think we'll be in terms of the odds of success," Wikoff added.Wikoff's assessment echoes similar remarks made by US officials that the military action taken so far has been unable to stop the Houthis.His comments also follow warnings from experts and officials that the Houthi conflict is unlikely to end soon, raising questions about the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-stuck-red-sea-battle-cant-fight-houthis-forever-2024-6">long-term sustainability</a> of the US naval presence in the region and the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-fired-nearly-one-billion-missiles-countering-iran-houthis-2024-4">growing financial costs</a> of the operations.<div type="image" title="An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches off the flight deck during flight operations aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea on April 20." height="2758" width="4137" msid="112383451" hostid="261" sizebytes="453536"></div>Earlier this year, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers that the Houthi threat is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/houthis-keep-attacking-ships-red-sea-long-time-us-intelligence-2024-5">likely to stay active</a> for some time because, among other reasons, the rebels recieve external assistance from Iran while also locally producing their own weapons.Wikoff said that although Iran continues to back the Houthis, the rebels are "diversifying" where they receive support from and are domestically developing their own capabilities."We do believe there's an Iranian relationship here that's well-known and well-documented," he said. "But our assessment right now is — and we're certainly trying to deny that capability to make it in — we do believe that the overall supply of the Houthis is far more complex."

The US Navy says it can't stop the Houthi attacks on shipping with force alone

Security agencies will be deploying artificial intelligence-based security systems with enhanced <keyword id="22713904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="surveillance-features" source="keywords">surveillance features</keyword> and automated crowd estimation facilities at and around <keyword id="20283480" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Red-Fort" source="keywords">Red Fort</keyword> on the upcoming Independence Day, sources said. A document accessed by the reveals that CCTVs having video analytics features will be deployed at important locations at the venue. The intelligence video surveillance system will have features like a vehicle number plate recognition system, face detection, people movement counting, tripwire, audio detection, intrusion, defocus, and abandoned or missing objects. "We will also be using AI-armed cameras to count the entry and exit of people inside the premises. The estimation of the crowd will be done through AI," an official added. The cameras, said the official, will have the capability of detecting abandoned baggage in public places. Intrusion detection features will be the security of high risk. Different zone-based alarms can be set as per priority and sensitivity of each zone. The advanced FRS facility will be in recognition of faces on live cameras as well as on recorded videos. Detect any matches with faces on the "Watch List" database and provide alerts to the control room. Detecting multiple faces from group images and searching for similar faces from a single camera or across multiple cameras. An enrolled person can be searched by names or similar faces and also search via. unknown faces using a single image or group photo. Divulging further details on the new changes, a senior government official informed that they have been using a <keyword id="20903661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="facial-recognition-system" source="keywords">facial recognition system</keyword> for the past several years but this year they will be deploying Number Plate Recognition (NPR) that will have vehicle plate detection based on real-time 24x7 video processing. It will immediately video record and snapshot each vehicle or violated vehicle. It will be integrated with multiple cameras or sensors for driver image capture. Delhi police will be deploying more than 700 CCTVs and more than 150 cameras having video analytics features. More than 10,000 security personnel, including Delhi police and paramilitary jawans, will be deployed in and around the Red Fort and other crucial locations in central and north Delhi. A team of central intelligence agencies and all concerned security agencies visited the Red Fort and held a security review meeting recently for the Independence Day event. At the review meeting, held in the backdrop of the attack on former US president Donald Trump during a public meeting, additional arrangements would be needed to maintain a stricter vigil at the high-security event, reliable sources claimed. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-wants-to-re-enter-the-quick-commerce-business-to-take-on-blinkit-and-swiggy-instamart/articleshow/112364583.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-wants-to-re-enter-the-quick-commerce-business-to-take-on-blinkit-and-swiggy-instamart/articleshow/112364583.cms" target="_blank">Ola wants to re-enter the quick commerce business to take on Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-mpc-meet-cheque-clearing-time-reduced-upi-limit-increased-for-tax-payment/articleshow/112366099.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-mpc-meet-cheque-clearing-time-reduced-upi-limit-increased-for-tax-payment/articleshow/112366099.cms" target="_blank">RBI MPC meet – Cheque clearing time reduced, UPI limit increased for tax payment</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-curvv-ev-with-up-to-585-km-range-launched-starting-at-17-49-lakh/slidelist/112342769.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-curvv-ev-with-up-to-585-km-range-launched-starting-at-17-49-lakh/slidelist/112342769.cms" target="_blank">Tata Curvv EV with up to 585 km range launched starting at ₹17.49 lakh</a>

Security forces to deploy AI-based security systems at Red Fort on Independence Day

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Houthis attacked Tel Aviv with a long-range drone that attacked from an unexpected direction.</li><li>Sensors picked up the unidentified aircraft but air defense crews failed to try to identify it.</li></ul>The Houthis' unprecedented July 19 drone attack against Tel Aviv from Yemen caught Israelis by surprise, piercing the country's battle-tested defenses and exposing vulnerabilities that the Yemen-based rebels were ready and willing to exploit."The July 19 drone attack showed the importance of the human factor as well as training and mission planning in any military situation," Federico Borsari, a defense expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis, told Business Insider."On the Houthi side, it confirms a quite sophisticated mission planning based on attacking Israel from the least expected direction — the Mediterranean Sea."The Houthis carried out the attack using an extended-range <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/houthis-hit-israel-attack-drone-upgraded-longer-range-strikes-idf-2024-7">Samad drone</a> that slowly flew an estimated 1,600 miles before crashing into a Tel Aviv apartment building not far from the US embassy, killing one and injuring at least 10."The Houthis carefully selected the drone's flight path and waypoints to make it fly at a relatively low altitude and along the Eritrean, Sudanese, and Egyptian coastline to minimize its exposure to Western ship-based radars and air defense assets in the Red Sea," Borsari said."The time of the attack is also not casual, as night makes it more difficult to identify the drone without low-light and thermal sensors."The CEPA analyst explained that on the Israeli side, "human error in the identification process" — possibly the result of poor communication, training, or even negligence — was the most likely factor behind the failure to intercept. Sensors picked up the unidentified aircraft but air defense crews failed to try to identify it, a sign that they likely weren't focused on Israel's westerly approaches as a threat sector."This confirms that technology alone, even for one of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-used-new-arrow-system-first-time-stop-enemy-missile-2023-11">most advanced air defense systems</a> in the world, is not enough to provide effective protection," Borsari said. "Technology works only together with training (a skilled human component) and effective tactics."One challenge for Israeli troops is that they must maintain situational awareness of more threat sectors while Houthi rebels may only have a limited <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/houthi-fight-shows-us-navy-needs-training-defeat-drones-commander-2024-7">arsenal of drones</a> with the long-range to fly roundabout routes to attack from new directions. Israel may also need to work more closely with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-israeli-defeat-irans-missiles-big-boost-for-regional-alliance-2024-4">partners</a> like Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia for warning about suspicious air tracks.Freddy Khoueiry, a global security analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at the risk intelligence company RANE, believes the July 19 incident can be attributed to two primary factors."Firstly, the advanced Houthi drone was launched for the first time, following an atypical flight path that likely caught the Israelis off guard," Khoueiry told BI. "Secondly, although Israeli forces detected the drone, they failed to recognize it as a threat, a human error similar to the one that occurred at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/enemy-drone-killed-us-troops-jordan-slipped-past-defenses-report-2024-1">Tower 22 in Jordan</a> with US forces earlier this year.""Moving forward, the Israelis will likely take into account such unconventional drone paths from the Houthis, such as in the North, where they already anticipate Hezbollah drones coming in from the Mediterranean," Khoueiry said."To prevent a similar Houthi attack, Israel will likely increase vigilance towards threats from the south by enhancing air defenses in Eilat and the Red Sea, and by collaborating more closely with regional partners for early detection of incoming threats."<div type="image" title="The Houthis released this image of a drone they claimed was used in the July 19 attack in the center of Tel Aviv that killed 1 person and injured at least 10." height="1080" width="1920" msid="112180697" hostid="261" sizebytes="47820"></div><h2 id="ff9959e8-fc6a-4b47-b0fd-536af03675fb">'A more cunning approach'</h2>Following the deadly attack, the Israeli military promptly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-military-says-tel-aviv-blast-apparently-caused-by-drone-2024-07-19/">increased air patrols to protect Israeli airspace</a>. The next day, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-fighter-jets-israel-air-war-gaza-2024-1">Israeli fighter jets</a> carried out a long-range airstrike against Yemen's Houthi-controlled Hodeidah port, killing six and injuring over 80. The Israeli military anticipates Yemen will become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-22/ty-article/.premium/israeli-army-expects-yemen-theater-to-become-more-central-may-strike-houthi-targets-again/00000190-d733-de6f-abb2-dfbfddb80000">a more central theater</a> in the regional conflict that began in October in light of the Tel Aviv attack and the retaliation against Hodeidah. The Iran-backed Houthis have also waged war on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, falsely claiming that their attacks would be limited to ships linked to Israel.Sebastien Roblin, a widely published military-aviation journalist, believes Israel's overall track record of defending against Houthi drones and missiles remains "very good," considering this was the first successful attack from Yemen. Since October, the Houthis have fired over 200 missiles and drones at Israel in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The US-led naval task force in the Red Sea intercepted several of them."The successful Houthi attack on July 19 did reflect a more cunning approach to avoiding the gauntlet of air defenses along the Red Sea by routing over Eritrea and Sudan," Roblin told BI. "However, its success still depended on surprise too.""The incident has the potential to inoculate vulnerability at least of that specific (Mediterranean) blindspot — Houthis will have to look for others, just as Hezbollah has managed to identify and exploit some tactical-level gaps to harry IDF border forces," Roblin said."While Israeli air defenses have had successes and failures versus prior drone intrusions (mostly by Hezbollah), I'm dubious that this in particular heralds a new era of vulnerability," Roblin added. "Nor do I think Houthis can generate enough numbers over such long distances for an effective saturation strategy."Nevertheless, the attack has some important lessons and was a clear-cut reminder that drones, unlike ballistic missiles, can approach their targets from unexpected and less predictable angles."Israel may increase patrols by its G.550 Eitam or 707 airborne early warning planes to improve monitoring down the Red Sea corridor, perhaps extending coverage further sideways over Eritrea and Sudan," Roblin added. "But it has only three G.550 conformal airborne early warning aircraft and two 707 AEWs, so greater coverage can be surged but likely not sustained indefinitely."<div type="image" title="The Houthis released a video purportedly showing the launch of a long-range drone that attacked Tel Aviv four days prior." height="1080" width="1707" msid="112180696" hostid="261" sizebytes="13458"></div><h2 id="f27f92bc-3f43-4463-8ac6-1ebb43d808f3">Israel's defenses</h2>Fighter jets have also proven effective against drones. When Iran launched an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/half-of-iran-missiles-fired-israel-failed-reports-2024-4">unprecedented missile and drone barrage</a> against Israel in April, Israeli, British, French, and Jordanian fighters intercepted all the drones before they reached Israel."Fighter jets with both air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions offer great flexibility as they can conduct <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-war-planes-fighter-jets-f35-2024-4">defensive counter-air missions</a> against incoming drones as well as left-of-launch strikes against the enemy's drone ground elements, including launchers, operators, and control stations," CEPA's Borsari said."However, this is not cost-effective in the long term, so Israel must combine this option with ground-based solutions."Roblin also noted that fighters are a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/britain-shows-off-dragonfire-laser-weapon-take-out-drones-cheap-2024-3">"cost-inefficient"</a> way of intercepting drones, given the cost of their air-to-air missiles."So far, Israel and the US Navy and others in the region have been able to pay the bill in order to attrit Houthi drones before they get close," Roblin said. "The IDF stated it was increasing fighter patrols in response to the July 19 attack, though should there be a war with Hezbollah, it might be forced to reduce patrols again as more fighters are assigned offensive missions."Israel also has a multifaceted <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-israel-defense-systems-weapons-in-action-2024-4">air defense network</a> designed to guard its territory from threats from inexpensive rockets to ballistic missiles and has been adapting more defenses to counter drones.Existing Israeli defenses, such as the well-known <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-uss-new-iron-dome-missile-defense-system-works-2019-8">Iron Dome</a>, can detect and down these drones.The Israeli military is preparing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/air-force-to-redeploy-gun-based-air-defense-systems-to-counter-hezbollah-drones/">the redeployment of gun-based air defenses</a> for point defense of military bases and sensitive infrastructure in northern Israel against repeated Hezbollah drone attacks. These may be the six-barrel M61 Vulcan cannons Israel is looking into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/two-wars-test-cannons-and-machine-guns-as-drone-killers-2024-6">mounting atop armored vehicles</a> as a cost-effective defense against these drones."Traditional anti-aircraft guns (preferably mobile and radar-guided) can certainly play a role in defending against drones, especially for short-range and point defense around critical infrastructure and other sensitive targets," Borsari said. "However, they are only part of the C-UAS (counter-unmanned aerial systems) solution. Israel needs to build a layered defense that also includes easy-to-manufacture and cost-effective interceptors."Such systems could include the Iron Dome's Tamir interceptors, US-made Coyote Block 3 missiles, advanced precision kill system (APKWS) laser-guided rockets, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/every-trench-ukraine-needs-tools-close-range-electronic-warfare-official-2024-6">electronic warfare</a>, and directed energy weapons like Israel's upcoming <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-israel-iron-laser-beam-air-defense-system-test-2022-4">Iron Beam system</a>.Borsari argued that Israel needs to strengthen its "already capable" air defenses to deal with "simultaneous multi-type saturation attacks" from different directions, including small and medium size drones "at the lower end of the spectrum" in addition to traditional cruise and ballistic missiles."This means integrating low-tier air defense capabilities at scale, combining different types of effectors with an eye on cost-effectiveness," Borsari said. "These include electronic warfare, anti-aircraft artillery, cheap guided interceptors, decoys, and also directed energy solutions. Israel has access to all these solutions, but it should scale them up."Roblin also suggested Israel could explore cheaper guided weapons for destroying drones costing in "the low $10,000s instead of hundreds of thousands, or even $1 million+" that many traditional air-to-air missiles cost. For example, "trying to combo a laser-targeter with the APKWS laser-guided rocket/missile" or adopting the Tamir interceptor missile <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twz.com/air/the-case-for-arming-drone-hunting-fighters-with-iron-domes-tamir-missile">for aerial use</a>.Israel has already deployed a naval version of the Iron Dome, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israeli-warship-downs-threat-new-air-defense-weapon-first-time-2024-4">C-Dome</a>, which has intercepted drones launched by Hezbollah."More rapid deployment of the naval C-Dome system mounted on Israeli Navy Sa'ar-6 corvettes also seems an interesting possibility for a forward-deployable surface-based air defense capability that could sponge up drone attacks using Tamir missiles," Roblin said.RANE's Khoueiry also sees that corvettes armed with these could play a "significant role" in intercepting drones and missiles in the Red Sea."However, unless the Houthis target the southern port city of Eilat, they are likely to continue aiming at other Israeli cities and the Eastern Mediterranean, using pathways that go over Egyptian or Saudi airspaces," Khoueiry said.

A deadly Houthi attack on Tel Aviv is forcing Israel to rethink its drone defenses 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Cooling labor data could still lead the Fed to cut rates by 50 basis points, Goldman Sachs' David Solomon says.</li><li>"I think the percentage chance is in the low 30s," Solomon said of a 50 basis point cut.</li></ul>It wasn't long ago that Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-recession-stagflation-dimon-solomon-interest-rates-economic-outlook-fed-2024-5">forecasted there could be no rate cuts</a> from the Federal Reserve this year.Now, even as the latest inflation data has most investors pricing in a 25 basis point cut in September, Solomon says a larger cut could still be in the cards. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/09/11/watch-cnbcs-full-interview-with-goldman-sachs-ceo-david-solomon.html">In an interview with CNBC</a> on Wednesday, he pointed to weakening jobs data, which he says could warrant a bigger cut if labor conditions continue to soften."Our best guess is 25 [basis points]. But I think there's a case to be made for 50 [basis points] based on a little bit more softening in the labor market," Solomon told CNBC in a Wednesday interview."I think the percentage chance is in the low 30s," he said of a 50 basis point cut.Solomon said the depth of rate cuts will likely depend on further labor market data, which has flashed mixed signals in the last two months.A surprise unemployment rate increase in July sparked worries of a recession, while the August jobs report brought the unemployment rate down slightly to 4.2%, in line with expectations.Solomon forecasts the Fed will make two to three rate cuts this fall, and any further cuts will depend on progress toward the central bank's 2% inflation goal."We have to watch carefully the trajectory of inflation, and also the trajectory of growth. And candidly, it's very hard to speculate about that as you look forward because the policy direction we're going to have as we look into 2025 and 2026 is very uncertain," he said.Solomon's comments come after the highly-anticipated August consumer-price index was a mixed bag of data. The annual inflation rate eased to 2.5%, slower than forecasts and down from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-consumer-price-index-in-july-fed-interest-rates-2024-8?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;_gl=1*16zorxn*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyNTk4NTE4Ni4xMjEuMS4xNzI1OTg1MzE1LjYwLjAuMA..">2.9% in July.</a> However, monthly core inflation—which excludes food and energy prices—<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/inflation-report-stock-market-today-fed-rate-cuts-economy-outlook2024-9">rose unexpectedly</a> to 0.3%, up from 0.2% in July.Those numbers have most investors <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-august-consumer-price-index-federal-reserve-rate-cuts-2024-9#:~:text=Core%20CPI%20increased%203.2%25%20over,greater%20than%20July's%205.1%25%20increase.">pricing in a 25 basis point rate cut</a> at next week's Fed policy meeting."Amidst the debate over the magnitude of the first Fed rate cut, the August CPI data helped solidify the case for a 25bps rate cut at the September 18 meeting, rather than a 50bps reduction," EY economist Lydia Boussour said in a Wednesday note.Solomon said he continues to predict a 25 basis point cut, and is "predominantly in the soft landing camp," he said.

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