TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Pentagon Weapons Would Get $25 Billion Less Than Planned
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon’s proposed $496 billion budget for the coming fiscal year would provide $154 billion for weapons purchases and research, $25 billion less than projected a year ago, according to Defense Department figures.
2. Standoff With Russia Fuels U.S. Defense Spending Debate
(Wall Street Journal) The deepening East-West standoff over Ukraine is triggering a shift in political pressures in Washington and adding fuel to a debate over U.S. military spending cuts.
3. In planning for the future, the Pentagon sees fewer troops and more technology
(Walter Pincus in the Washington Post) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has already announced that SOCOM will grow to 69,700 troops, from 66,000. He told reporters last week that otherwise, the new budget will propose force reductions “in every military service, active and reserve, in order to sustain our readiness and technological superiority and to protect critical capabilities like special operations forces and cyber-resources.”
4. Study: Nearby blasts may cause lasting damage without symptoms
(USA Today) A small scientific study of veterans exposed to bomb blasts while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan uncovered signs of lasting brain damage even in cases where there were no outward symptoms such as headaches, dizziness or confusion.
5. Russia Orders Soldiers in Military Drills Back to Their Bases by March 7
(Wall Street Journal) Russia's defense minister on Tuesday ordered soldiers involved in combat-preparedness drills across Russia to return to their bases by March 7, the Interfax news agency reported.
CRISIS IN UKRAINE
Sanctions on Russia ‘highly likely,’ State Dept. says; Poland calls for NATO meeting
(Washington Post) The United States and its European allies sought Monday to mobilize outrage over Russian actions in Ukraine, as Poland called for an urgent meeting of NATO, saying it feels threatened by Moscow’s moves in the region.
Pentagon Suspends U.S.-Russian Military Exercises
(Defense One) The United States has suspended all military exercises with Russia in response to the invasion of the eastern region of Crimea as the standoff in Ukraine continues to escalate.
Retired U.S. general touts Ukrainian troops' toughness
(Military Times) A retired U.S. general with deep knowledge of the geopolitical dynamics at play in Ukraine says the country’s military will stand its ground if Russian forces launch an assault.
Fear of Russian attack remains as Kerry arrives in Kyiv
(Kyiv Post) After blocking Ukrainian military bases in Crimea on March 2, Russia issued ultimatums to the Ukrainian army on March 3 to surrender by 5 a.m. on March 4 or face a “military storm.”
Senator recommends sending UN peacekeepers to Ukraine
(The Hill) U.S. and western officials are calling for the deployment of international peacekeepers to Ukraine, to prevent further Russian incursions into Ukrainian territory.
INDUSTRY
Ukraine Tensions Could Create Problems for Boeing
(Wall Street Journal) Escalating tensions over Ukraine could create headaches for Boeing Co.'s business in Russia, which is both a major supplier and a big market for the U.S. aerospace giant.
Sikorsky Pricing on USAF Combat Rescue Helo Set to Expire at End of March
(Defense News) As the defense community waits to see whether the US Air Force’s Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program will be funded in the FY 2015 budget, producer Sikorsky’s price proposal is set to expire by the end of March.
S. Korean Firm Claims Development of Wideband Radar Absorbing Material
(Defense News) A South Korean company claims that it has developed a radar absorbing material (RAM) suited to absorption of almost all frequencies.
U.K.'s Hybrid Air Vehicles Begins Re-assembling Large Airship
(Aviation Week) The U.K.’s Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd. (HAV) has begun reassembling a large airship acquired from the U.S. Army, following cancellation of the Northrop Grumman-led Long-Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) program.
Rolls Royce-HAL Dealings Under Probe
(Defense News) India’s anti-fraud agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has begun a probe into alleged corruption charges against UK-based Rolls Royce in the supply of engines to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) to power the Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft.
Schiebel to lease S-100 Camcopter VTUAV to Italian Navy
(IHS Jane's 360) The Italian Navy has agreed a lease with Schiebel for the Camcopter S-100 vertical take-off unmanned air vehicle (VTUAV). The 12-month contract, the value of which is undisclosed, will enable the navy to conduct an extended operational evaluation of the system.
CONGRESS
Lawmakers divided on possible 2017 BRAC round
(Federal Times) When it comes to a new round of base closures in 2017, lawmakers are split between lukewarm support, vehement opposition and general uncertainty.
Week ahead: Pentagon, Congress begin budget battle
(The Hill) The Pentagon will unveil its 2015 budget proposal this week, beginning a contentious fight with Capitol Hill over the military’s spending priorities.
On Ukraine, US Congressional Hawks Find Restraint
(Defense News) Remember Feb. 28, 2014. It’s the date Russian troops seized a large chunk of Ukraine. It’s also the day the biggest congressional proponents of US military force turned into big fans of soft power.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DoD pushes forward on pay, benefits cuts
(Military Times) Never in the 40-year history of the all-volunteer force has the Pentagon sought to roll back the existing military compensation package for service members. Until now.
Experts: DoD War Budget Will Remain Even if US Troops Leave Afghanistan
(Defense News) The US Defense Department will likely continue asking Congress for war funding separate from the Pentagon’s base budget accounts and not subject to federal spending caps even if all American troops leave Afghanistan by the end of the year, experts say.
Fear of losing tech edge factors into Pentagon budget plans
(Reuters) Concerns that cuts in defense spending could erode the U.S. military's technological edge over rivals such as Russia and China are in part driving the Pentagon's plans to slash troop levels and retire aging weapons.
Military Funding for Technology
(C-SPAN) Defense News correspondent Paul McLeary talked about the 2015 Pentagon budget, and efforts by the Pentagon to boost technology programs as the military proposes cuts in other areas, including troop levels and some veterans' benefits.
ARMY
Nearly 1 in 5 had mental illness before enlisting in Army, study says
(Los Angeles Times) Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. soldiers had a common mental illness, such as depression, panic disorder or ADHD, before enlisting in the Army, according to a new study that raises questions about the military's assessment and screening of recruits.
Fort Drum highlights services for married soldiers after release of divorce rate statistics
(Watertown Daily Times) In light of high divorce numbers in Jefferson County that some linked to the area’s military population, post officials outlined the wide range of programs it offers married soldiers.
Brig. Gen. Jeff Sinclair, wife working through challenges
(Fayetteville Observer) Rebecca Sinclair said last summer that she forgives her husband, Brig. Gen. Jeff Sinclair, for the extramarital affair that will put him in front of a court-martial panel Tuesday.
Proposed military cuts a worry for Fort Jackson
(The State; Columbia, S.C.)U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made big news last week by announcing deep cuts to the military, particularly the Army. But those cuts are actually shallower than automatic cuts already mandated by Congress as a result of the 2011 debt ceiling standoff.
Indiana Guardsman in court on bomb-possession charge
(The Columbus Dispatch; Ohio) An Indiana National Guardsman appeared in U.S. District Court in Columbus this afternoon on a charge of carrying homemade bombs in his van as he sped through Madison County west of Columbus on Jan. 1.
NAVY
After 32 Ships, Future of LCS Program Unclear
(Defense News) Hardly anything is clear in Washington about what’s happening with the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. Details are embryonic, discussions are just beginning, the whys and wherefores still unclear, memos and specific directions yet to be issued, and sensitivities still raw.
USS Somerset, in honor of 9/11, is commissioned
(Philadelphia Inquirer) The sun was spring-bright and the air winter-cold when Mary Jo Myers, wife of retired Gen. Richard B. Myers, finally said the words Saturday that a crowd of thousands had waited hours to hear.
Simulation lab brings new technology to Naval Hospital
(The Daily News; Jacksonville, N.C.) Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune’s newest simulation lab brings a level of technology never before seen on its campus.
Pilots learn to fly from desk chair
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Young pilots at North Island Naval Air Station are finding out that it involves staring at two computer screens, watching a tiny colored figure move along a dotted line.
AIR FORCE
Air Force Academy suspects 40 freshmen cheated on chemistry assignment
(Air Force Times) The Air Force Academy is investigating 40 freshmen for allegedly cheating on a Chemistry 101 lab report assignment.
USAF To Shed Light on 'Mystery' Plane
(Defense News) While last week’s US defense budget preview was dominated by news of what was being cut, one bright spot remains — the US Air Force’s long-range bomber program.
Vast distances, unexpected dangers - and rewards - as Africa mission expands
(Air Force Times) The order to help evacuate Americans from the violence-seized capital city of South Sudan came just 2½ months after the small group of airmen from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., arrived at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.
Davis-Monthan’s future is cloudy (With Video)
(The Arizona Republic; Phoenix) Davis-Monthan Air Force Base faces an uncertain future following Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s recommendation this week to retire the entire A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet as part of a broader effort to reduce the military.
Air Force Academy cadet, professor work to better 'Spice' test
(Colorado Springs Gazette) The Air Force Academy's chemistry department is cooking up a formula that could lead to better drug testing for synthetic marijuana.
Spies, Lies, and Rape in the Air Force: An Undercover Agent's Story
(The Daily Beast) Jane Neubauer was just out of basic training when a secretive military unit recruited her for an undercover mission. She claims she was raped on duty. The Air Force isn’t so sure.
MARINE CORPS
Crashed Marine jet from SD air wing
(San Diego Union-Tribune) The F/A-18C Hornet jet that crashed Saturday during a training flight in western Nevada was on loan from the San Diego-based 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine officials confirmed. The pilot who died in the incident 70 miles east of Naval Air Station Fallon, however, was from a different unit.
Body of Fallen Minn. Marine Returning to Delaware Tuesday
(KSTP-TV; St. Paul, Minn.)The body of a fallen Marine from Minnesota is being returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Gen. “Mad Dog” Mattis just gave what may be the most motivating speech of all time
(Battle Rattle) One of the Marine Corps’ most revered generals proved his mettle as a warrior poet recently, delivering a speech that summed up the Marine Corps ethos and experience–from bar fights to earth’s orbit. Gen. Jim Mattis, who retired last year from his post as head of U.S. Central Command after a 41-year career, gave this speech at the Marine Corps University Foundation’s 2014 Semper Fidelis Award Dinner on Feb. 22., where he accepted the award.
Corps starts search for next crop of Marine gunners
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps Recruiting Command is looking for experienced enlisted grunts to apply to become Marine gunners — one of the service’s most prestigious infantry jobs. Each year a couple dozen Marines are screened, but only about half make the cut to serve as the Corps’ foremost experts on combat marksmanship and all things infantry.
COAST GUARD
Top Coast Guard Officer in Pacific to Be Nominated as Next Commandant
(U.S. Naval Institute) The head of the Coast Guard’s mission from the Rocky Mountains to East Africa coast will be nominated to lead the service, according to a Friday notification from the Department of Homeland Security.
Coast Guardsman convicted in sexual assaults
(Washington Post) A Coasts Guardsman was convicted during a general court-martial on charges relating to sexual assaults of two female Coast Guardsmen.
LoBiondo fears cuts to US Coast Guard aid will undermine drug war
(The Press of Atlantic City) U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, who sits on a House subcommittee overseeing the Coast Guard, remains concerned in light of the announcement about the Army and battles fought last year when Coast Guard funding was cut by the administration.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
War Deaths Top 13,000 in Afghan Security Forces
(New York Times) More than 13,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers have been killed during the war here, far more than previously known, according to Afghan government statistics.
27 Taliban militants killed or injured in Afghan military operations
(Khaama Press) At least 27 Taliban militants were killed or injured following military operations conducted by Afghan national security forces in the past 24 hours.
NATO supply trucks under fire in Pakistan
(Al Jazeera) Two people were killed in northwest Pakistan after gunmen attacked four vehicles carrying NATO supplies for Afghanistan, according to officials.
Attack on Pakistan courthouse kills 11 despite cease-fire
(Los Angeles Times) In a rare assault on the heart of the Pakistani capital, militants stormed a district court complex in Islamabad on Monday, unleashing gunfire and explosives that killed at least 11 people, including a judge, and wounded 25 others.
MIDDLE EAST
Armed groups on rise in Anbar
(Al-Monitor) The escalation of the Anbar crisis, including both the developments on the ground and the political repercussions, has resulted in some Iraqis adopting a hostile position toward the state and its institutions, creating a tribal and sectarian bias among the citizens.
Syrian Electronic Army Threatens to Hack CENTCOM
(Defense One) The Syrian Electronic Army takes to Twitter to threaten an attack on U.S. Central Command if the United States conducts cyberwarfare operations against Syria.
US kills 3 AQAP operatives in Yemen drone strike
(The Long War Journal) The US killed three al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters in a drone strike in Yemen today. The strike is the first recorded in Yemen in more than five weeks. The target of the attack was a senior AQAP commander who in the past said he is not afraid of dying in a US airstrike.
Israeli airstrike kills Palestinian militant in Gaza Strip
(Los Angeles Times) A Palestinian militant was killed in an Israeli airstrike Monday as he attempted to launch rockets at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip, authorities said.
ASIA-PACIFIC
China: Military will respond to provocations in disputed seas
(The Philippine Star) China's military is prepared to respond to all threats to the country's sovereignty, a government spokeswoman said Tuesday, ahead of the expected announcement of another big bump in defense spending.
China Appeals for International Support in 'War Against Terrorism'
(Voice of America) China is appealing to the international community for "more understanding and support" in what it describes as its fight against terrorism.
Japan Plans Special Force for Island Defense
(Wall Street Journal) Japan plans to establish a 3,000-troop unit specializing in amphibious operations "as swiftly as possible," the defense minister said, publicly outlining details of the new unit for the first time as tensions with China continue over disputed islands.
South Korea warns Japan over comfort women review
(BBC) South Korean President Park Geun-hye has warned Japan it will only bring isolation on itself if it reviews a statement acknowledging its wartime use of sex slaves.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Frustration With Afghanistan
(New York Times Editorial Board) President Obama and NATO last week threatened to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by year’s end, given President Hamid Karzai’s refusal to sign a bilateral security agreement with the United States.
Commentary: Why We Need a Defense Clandestine Service
(Robert David Steele in Defense News) I was a CIA spy from 1979 to 1988, leaving when invited to be a co-creator of the Marine Corps Intelligence Center from 1988 to 1993. Since 1993, I have been one of the more persistent published proponents of intelligence reform around the world.
On MRAPS: Or Protecting Troops and Eroding Local Support in Baghdad
(John Amble in War on the Rocks) It was mid-summer 2008, another hot day in east Baghdad, and that was the sole topic of discussion among the group of Iraqi men who had gathered around our patrol. We were in a small square in Tisa Nissan, the part of the city at which the relative affluence of Karada to the west meets the chaotic, unplanned sprawl that had come to define much of Baghdad al-Jadida and Kamaliya to the east in recent years.
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