The Worst OPSEC Violation In My Lifetime

BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 2 months ago

News.

Joe Biden just announced a new working group with Britain and Australia to share advanced technologies — including the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines — in a thinly veiled bid to counter China.

The trio, now known by the acronym AUKUS, will make it easier for the three countries to share information and know-how in key technological areas like artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, underwater systems, and long-range strike capabilities.

Biden, joined virtually by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday afternoon, detailed the reasons for the trilateral effort.

“This is about investing in our greatest source of strength, our alliances and updating them to better meet the threats of today and tomorrow,” Biden said from the White House in between two monitors showing the other world leaders. “AUKUS — it sounds strange, all these acronyms, but it’s a good one.”

“We must now take our partnership to a new level,” said Morrison.

“We’re adding a new chapter in our friendship,” Johnson added.

All three countries will work over the next 18 months to figure out how best to deliver the technology, which the U.S. traditionally has only shared with the U.K., the official said. U.S. officials and experts noted that Australia currently doesn’t have the requisite fissile material to run a nuclear-powered submarine, meaning the next year and a half of negotiations will likely feature nuclear-material transfer discussions.

Let’s leave behind for the moment the issue of Australia imprisoning their own people who have not taken the mRNA vaccine, or the draconian lockdowns, the street beatings administered by the cops, and other highly objectionable behavior.

I know folks who left the Navy nuclear program, and while they are allowed to report on their CV or resume what ship they worked on, they cannot publish the type of nuclear reactor, or vice versa, they can put the nuclear reactor type with which they have had experience, but not connect it to a specific ship.  Many of the engineers and scientists at KAPL stay for a long time, but some leave because they can’t publish.  Publishing what they know isn’t allowed.

Because I know nuclear engineering and have been around so many people for so long who work in the same discipline I do, I know things like the allowable SUR (startup rate) they are allowed to achieve when returning to power from a reactor trip (it’s important to get power back in a submarine), as well as many other things about Navy nuclear power propulsion systems.  I know many of the things they cover in their nuclear prep / nuclear fundamentals course, I know fuel enrichments, etc., etc.

I would never divulge the information I know, regardless of whether the information was classified or FOUO or not, and regardless of whether I am under any specific NDA.  It isn’t wise.  I stand to gain no benefit, while potentially divulging sensitive information.  I care about things like that.

Australia is owned to a literal degree by China even more so than the U.S.  Not only is Biden risking violation of NDAs by Australians, whether intentional or not, he is also putting sensitive information in the hands of a country that is beholden to China.  This information spans not just the nuclear technology we have, but defense technology and how the two interrelate and support each other.  You can’t design a core without the software to do it, so this transfer must include things like highly proprietary and sensitive computer codes, from Monte Carlo transport and depletion codes to thermal hydraulics codes using CFD, critical heat flux correlations, DNB correlations, etc., etc.

My mind is racing at the technology we’re getting ready to package up and deliver to people who might not protect it.

In a time when the Department of Defense is concerned about whether TV shows, movies or the gaming industry divulges TTPs (tactics, techniques and procedures) of its SpecOps community, potentially endangering them in future engagements, Biden is committing OPSEC violations of his own.

This is the worst OPSEC violation in my lifetime.  I’ve never seen worse.  Admiral Rickover is turning in his grave.


Comments

  1. On September 15, 2021 at 9:56 pm, Factions Speak Louder Than Herds said:

    Infiltrated, surrounded, under occupation by a Weather Underground Government.
    Be of good cheer, you are not one of the zombies stuck back forty years ago in an America that no longer exists.
    We get to be the Indians now (h/t-Animal Mother), just read about the Minnesotastan supreme court reversing the murder conviction of ex-cop Mohammed Noor who shot and killed an unarmed Australian woman in a dark nighttime alley back in 2009.
    Also read about Clinton, Bush, Obama, campaigning for permanent welfare, and fast track to citizenship for all “allies” from Afghanistan.
    No nation can survive traitors from within and the burn it all down by any means necessary crowd is the government now.
    No chance in WWIII, not with fellow travelers at the helm.

  2. On September 15, 2021 at 11:05 pm, George 1 said:

    This is most likely by design. Bill Clinton gave them missile technology and this administration is giving them reactor and submarine technology. Biden is just doing it through a third party.

  3. On September 16, 2021 at 4:04 am, WiscoDave said:

    Much easier, this way, to get 10% for “the big guy.”

  4. On September 16, 2021 at 9:36 am, JB said:

    I had the same reaction upon reading this report yesterday ? Clearly this policy change has been in the works for months if not years. Maybe Trump had put the brakes on this and Biden pulled the plan from the round file. Now that we know Milley and Esper are likely Chinese agents, with the CIA and NSA as co-conspirators, Congress must get off their asses and order a urgent security review of the Biden Regime. But who could be trusted to conduct such a review ? Certainly not the FBI.

  5. On September 16, 2021 at 10:13 am, Georgiaboy61 said:

    @ Herschel

    Re: “This is the worst OPSEC violation in my lifetime. I’ve never seen worse. Admiral Rickover is turning in his grave.”

    Criminologists and sociologists have something they call the “broken window” effect, maybe cops, too… it is the relationship between relatively minor crimes left unpunished and their gateway to bigger and more serious violations. If the authorities tolerate broken windows and vandalism, for example, and make no effort to find and punish the guilty parties, then it is virtually assured that more and more-serious crimes are on the way.

    Back in the 1990s, then-President Bill Clinton was able to hand over cutting edge GPS technology to the Chinese, without paying the price for it. He did it under the auspices of “commercial use,” but in the years since, we have come to understand that was just a fig-leaf. Oh, there were a few protests, but nothing stuck to the man. The Chinese probably paid someone handsomely for the information, but if so, that info has been lost to history. Maybe the regime over there made a nice donation to the Clinton Foundation, a.k.a. the largest money-laundering operation in the world.

    That is what brought us to the present and the power elite who openly flout the law and dare anyone to stop them. Bill Clinton de facto worked for the Chi-Coms, but Joe Biden doesn’t even bother to hide the fact any longer.

    You get more of what you tolerate…

  6. On September 16, 2021 at 10:40 am, Fred said:

    Re “broken window” if they would steal an election what wouldn’t they do?

    Your life is in danger. Period. Full stop.

  7. On September 16, 2021 at 11:38 am, bob sykes said:

    Actually, what is more important is that we screwed over France, our oldest ally, for the second time in one month. The French defense minister said that AUKUS stabbed France in the back. There was no prior notice of the new defense arrangement and no prior notice that the French submarine deal would be cancelled. Less than a month ago, the French and our other NATO and Afghan allies were not notified that we were pulling out. They had to scramble to get their own evacuation teams into Kabul.

    Another thing that is much more important than AUKUS is that Milley and the other members of the JCS and their deputies conspired to mutiny against the civilian leadership of this country. Milley himself also colluded with senior PLA officer to share US military plans. We have not seen this level of treason since the Civil War.

    The American people and America’s allies cannot trust the US military.

  8. On September 16, 2021 at 12:21 pm, Fred said:

    Well, France is a muzzle country now anyway.

  9. On September 16, 2021 at 4:18 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:

    @ Fred

    Re: “Re “broken window” if they would steal an election what wouldn’t they do?”

    Ah yep…. you got that right….

  10. On September 16, 2021 at 6:30 pm, Steady Steve said:

    It is up to us to change things. It was always up to us. By Any Means Necessary.

  11. On September 16, 2021 at 10:50 pm, AlfredENewman said:

    You know, at this point, it’s hard to even get angry about it. I don’t expect anything but failure, misery, incompetence, and insanity from this govt, the media, and anyone else who thinks they’re my better. Everyone in charge is a ‘tard at this point. I only care about my people and keep showing up as long as the money spends and keep putting aside useful things for the Greater Depression.

  12. On September 17, 2021 at 2:17 am, Georgiaboy61 said:

    @ Alfred E. Newman

    Re: “You know, at this point, it’s hard to even get angry about it.”

    After a certain point, your ability to get upset burns out. Out of self-preservation, if nothing else. You have to turn your attention to the things you can actually control, rather than the things you cannot. Life is lived wherever you are, after all,wherever you happen to be… and not in some ‘imperial city’ halfway across the country.

    An establishment and government this corrupt cannot endure in the long-term. It is going to collapse from its own internal contradictions and weaknesses, if nothing props it up. Those caught in the maelstrom will do their best to drag us down with them, but don’t fall for it. Patience and forbearance win the day. Withdraw your consent and your money and attention, insofar as this is possible. Go Galt… just because they’re gone stark raving mad and insane doesn’t mean the rest of us have to do so…

  13. On September 17, 2021 at 7:43 am, Fred said:

    Also @ Alfred, I completely agree. All you ever really had was whatever folks and kinfolks you could muster. And abilities, skills, and know-hows are far superior to stuff.

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You are currently reading "The Worst OPSEC Violation In My Lifetime", entry #28158 on The Captain's Journal.

This article is filed under the category(s) Department of Defense,Navy,Nuclear and was published September 15th, 2021 by Herschel Smith.

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