The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser for promotion to the rank of general to serve as commander of US Southern Command. Fraser is the first Air Force general to head SOUTHCOM, which oversees the US military’s activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Fraser, currently the deputy commander of US Pacific Command, was nominated for the SOUTHCOM post in April. He replaces Adm. James Stavridis, whom the Senate confirmed on June 10 to take over US European Command. Stavridis will succeed Army Gen. Bantz Craddock, who is retiring.
The Senate Armed Services subcommittee on strategic forces heard testimony from the Defense Department’s top missile defense leaders and demanded to know why the Missile Defense Agency's proposed $9.6 billion fiscal 2023 budget will not yield more reliable defense against hypersonic weapons already being fielded by adversaries, including Russia on…