TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Feinstein: CIA searched Intelligence Committee computers
(Washington Post) A behind-the-scenes battle between the CIA and Congress erupted in public view Tuesday as the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee accused the agency of breaking laws and breaching constitutional principles in an alleged effort to undermine the panel’s multi-year investigation of a controversial interrogation program.
2. TRANSCOM nominee: U.S. reviewing options out of Afghanistan if Russia doesn't assist
(Air Force Times) The military is reviewing alternate routes to get people and equipment out of Afghanistan, should Northern Distribution Network routes through Russia become disrupted, the administration’s pick to lead U.S. Transportation Command said Tuesday.
3. Ukraine crisis reveals need to push ahead with military downsizing
(James Carroll in the Boston Globe) Barely two weeks ago, the United States seemed on the verge of a historic shift. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sent the first signal: “Pentagon plans to shrink Army to pre-World War II level,” a New York Times headline in late February read. Hagel’s announcement included a potent symbol of the change: the complete elimination of the Air Force’s prized A-10 attack aircraft, which was developed — tellingly — in the 1970s to counter a Soviet ground assault against western Europe. Nearly a quarter-century after the USSR collapsed, the Cold War thaw would finally reach the Pentagon.
4. US, Israel sign deal to continue financing Iron Dome
(Jerusalem Post) Israel and the US Department of Defense have officially signed an agreement to continue production of the Iron Dome weapon system, the US Embassy announced Monday.
5. Interview: Rep. Randy Forbes
(Defense News) Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., could be called the US House’s dean of Navy shipbuilding, and he is attempting to become its top Asia-Pacific strategist. What’s more, most insiders put him on the shortlist for possible successors to retiring House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif. Forbes is chairman of the committee’s seapower subcommittee.
INDUSTRY
USAF, Sikorsky Begin To Gear Up for Rescue Helicopter
(Defense News) Supporters of the US Air Force’s Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program should thank Congress for its late entry into the five-year budget plan, according to the service’s undersecretary.
U.S. Air Force sticks to $550 mln target for new bomber
(Reuters) The U.S. Air Force is "holding tight" to a target of $550 million for each new long-range bomber in a fleet of up to 100 aircraft, excluding research and development costs, a top Air Force official said Tuesday.
Saab to offer Gripen C/D upgrades, pushes exports
(IHS Jane's 360) Saab is to continue to offer upgrades to the Gripen C/D combat aircraft to maintain the type's capability out beyond the introduction into service of the latest-variant Gripen E, a company official disclosed on 10 March.
Ukraine poses no threat to Russian rocket engine imports
(Reuters) The crisis in Ukraine has not jeopardized the longstanding relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the Russian company that builds engines for the rockets used to launch large U.S. government satellites, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.
Argentina eyeing Israeli Kfir C.10 fighters
(IHS Jane's 360) The Argentine Air Force is interested in procuring 14 Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Kfir C.10 fighters that have about 40 years of service, but would arrive updated with modern technology and a price between USD200-280 million, Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources told IHS Jane's.
CONGRESS
Inhofe Wants More Info on Confusing DoD Budget 'Now'
(Defense News) The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to clear up lingering confusion about its 2015 spending blueprint. And he wants it to do so “now.”
Fight Against Military Sexual Assault Hits New Milestone
(National Public Radio) The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill on Monday to curb sexual assault in the military, but some critics say the proposal doesn't go far enough. Leo Shane III of The Military Times explains.
New SASC AirLand Chairman on F-35 Remedy: Fully Fund It
(Defense News) In comments likely to please the program’s contractors, the incoming chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the Pentagon’s troubled F-35 program says there’s one thing Congress can do to avoid more problems: fully fund it.
N.C. congressmen question DoD's plans for 440th Airlift Wing at Fort Bragg
(Fayetteville Observer) Four congressmen from North Carolina have sent a letter to the Department of Defense raising concerns over the possible shuttering of a Fort Bragg unit.
Spec Ops Defends Wartime Authorities, Some in Congress Skeptical
(Defense News) The civilian leader of the country’s special operations community tread lightly before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this afternoon, but didn’t shy away from affirming his desire for Washington to take a new look at the controversial Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) at some point in the near future.
Senate panel ‘very close’ to cyber bill
(The Hill) Lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee are getting “very close” to a new cybersecurity bill, according to the panel's top Republican.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
US Cyber Command Nominee Adopts Open Approach at Confirmation Hearing
(Defense News) When US Army Gen. Keith Alexander submitted written answers to questions for his confirmation hearing to head the newly created US Cyber Command in 2010, he avoided publicly answering all or part of 29 questions, instead providing his responses to Congress in a classified document.
Pentagon’s Disposal of $15 Billion in Items Questioned
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon discarded almost $15 billion in excess parts and material from warehouses over three years, according to two senators who said the “wasteful spending” can be curbed by ordering less.
Commissary fruit, vegetable prices may soar in some Pacific stores
(Military Times) Commissary officials are floating a proposal that could cause the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables to skyrocket in stores in Guam, Japan and South Korea.
Inside the DoD Reporter's Notebook: DoD's even-more-complicated-than-usual budget request
(Federal News Radio) "Inside the DoD's Reporter's Notebook" is bi-weekly feature focused on news about the Defense Department and defense community as gathered by Federal News Radio DoD Reporter Jared Serbu.
'No rationale' for Tricare's refusal to cover genetic tests
(Military Times) A change in medical classifications last year has left clinical laboratories across the U.S. carrying a $10 million tab for Tricare.
ARMY
Fort Carson: Colonel cleared, headed to Afghanistan war
(Colorado Springs Gazette) A Fort Carson commander has been cleared of wrongdoing and is headed to Afghanistan to lead the 4th Brigade Combat Team in Kandahar.
New plea negotiations for Sinclair could take weeks
(Fayetteville Observer) The sexual assault court-martial of Brig. Gen. Jeff Sinclair was postponed indefinitely Tuesday morning because his lawyers have begun new plea-bargain negotiations with Army prosecutors.
Army's Top Enlistee: New Camo Delayed By Congress
(Military.com) The Army's top enlisted leader said the service would have already adopted a replacement for its ineffective Universal Camouflage Pattern had Congress not moved to halt costly service-specific camouflage patterns.
National Guard Commanders Rise In Revolt Against Active Army; MG Rossi Questions Guard Combat Role
(Breaking Defense) The battle between the regular Army and the National Guard, which we all knew would blow up one of these days, has blown up. At 3:30 this afternoon, the spokesman of the 54 state and territorial Guard commanders, Kentucky Adjutant General Ed Tonini, raised the standard of revolt against the active-duty leadership who had, he said, “slammed their minds shut” on any compromise. Meanwhile, much more quietly, and with many caveats, the regulars have broken a 13-year taboo: In an exclusive interview with Breaking Defense, Army Quadrennial Defense Review director Maj. Gen. John Rossi questioned aspects of the Guard’s much-lauded combat performance since 9/11.
Police: Fort Bragg soldier accused of molesting 15-year-old girl
(Fayetteville Observer) A Fort Bragg sergeant who formerly worked in a sexual assault prevention unit is accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl, the Harnett County Sheriff's Office said.
NAVY
5th Fleet commander Adm. Miller nominated deputy CNO
(Stars and Stripes) The commander of U.S. 5th Fleet, Vice Adm. John W. Miller, has been nominated to deputy chief of naval operations at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Tuesday.
New US Navy Counting Rules Add Up To More Ships
(Defense News) You might have missed it, but virtually overnight the US Navy just grew, from 283 battle force ships to 291. A windfall purchase? A fast-track transfer? No, just a new way of counting the ships that carry out the Navy’s missions.
Adobe Gift of Solar Phone Chargers Prompts U.S. Inquiry
(Bloomberg) Someone in Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE)’s marketing department thought it would be a good idea to send Pentagon personnel solar chargers for their mobile phones. The result was a criminal investigation by the U.S. Navy.
Q. & A.: Cmdr. William Marks of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet on the Search for the Malaysian Jet
(New York Times) Cmdr. William Marks, the spokesman for the United States Navy Seventh Fleet, which includes the Pinckney and Kidd, explained the search-and-rescue effort in telephone interviews on Monday. He spoke from the fleet’s command ship, the Blue Ridge, which is in the South China Sea.
Navy ship comes a little too close to whales off Dana Point
(Orange County Register, Calif.) The crew of the Navy's new combat ship, USS Coronado, apparently got in some whale watching at Dana Point's Festival of Whales on Sunday, coming close to shore at the city's headlands before heading back to San Diego for its christening.
AIR FORCE
Re-up, retention bonuses for select few, budget documents show
(Air Force Times) Competition for bigger, but fewer, re-enlistment bonuses will be much tighter this year and next. And retention bonuses will be more plentiful for airmen with critical skills such as intel, according to budget documents released Tuesday.
Air Force base adds defense training in fight against sexual assault
(Dayton Daily News) Ninety airmen from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and 10 Wright State University employees are taking sexual assault self-defense training this week from a world-renowned martial arts company.
Air Force's findings on cheating investigation expected in two weeks
(Air Force Times) The Air Force will announce its response to allegations of cheating among nuclear missile officers in two weeks, as multiple investigations wrap up and the top nuclear commander finalizes his recommendations.
Nearly half of Air Force’s planned F-15C Eagle cuts could come from overseas
(Stars and Stripes) The Air Force wants to retire 51 F-15C Eagles, including 21 overseas, starting in fiscal 2015, according to Air Force officials.
Mother of late Air Force recruit satisfied with investigation of son’s death
(Akron Beacon Journal; Ohio) A month after receiving a 15-pound box of documents related to her son’s death while in Air Force Basic Military Training, Mary Richards now believes his death was thoroughly investigated.
MARINE CORPS
Corps names first woman to serve as MEU sergeant major
(Marine Corps Times) Sgt. Maj. Lanette Wright will make history this week when she is named the Corps’ first female sergeant major of a Marine expeditionary unit.
Teen indicted on murder charge in Marine's death
(Star News; Wilmington, N.C.) A man accused of running down and killing a Marine with his car in February was indicted Monday by a New Hanover County grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and felony death by motor vehicle, a spokeswoman for the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office confirmed Tuesday.
Deal allows Japanese access to Marine base to flee natural disaster
(Stars and Stripes) Officials from the Marine Corps and Chatan city signed an agreement Tuesday that will allow the Japanese people access to Camp Foster in the event of a natural disaster.
One of Vietnam’s fiercest battles recalled in film
(San Diego Union-Tribune) They were days of survival, just south of the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam during the winter of 1968.
VETERANS
Vets battle VA on post-Vietnam Agent Orange claims
(Military Times) Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Bailey never fought in Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia, where many U.S. troops were exposed to the toxic defoliant Agent Orange.
Veterans Affairs office in Baton Rouge getting evicted after complaining about building
(The Times-Picayune; New Orleans) After officials with the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs in Baton Rouge publicly complained about the condition of the building the city-parish is leasing for them, their landlord now plans to evict them.
Hockey player Josh Sweeney among U.S. veterans in Sochi
(USA Today) The U.S. Paralympic team has no shortage of compelling stories, especially with slightly more than 20% of the 80-person roster comprised of military members. The 18 military members now competing in the Sochi Paralympics is a significant jump from the five veterans four years ago on the USA's 50-member team in Vancouver.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Top general to testify about Afghanistan amid impasse over U.S. troop presence
(Military Times) Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top commander in Afghanistan, will testify on Capitol Hill Wednesday about the situation on the ground amid a continuing standoff with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who is refusing to sign a security agreement that would allow U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan after this year.
Afghan police: 3 insurgents killed in shootout
(Washington Post) Afghan police officials say three insurgents tried to storm the former intelligence service headquarters in the southern city of Kandahar, prompting a fierce gunbattle with security forces that left the attackers dead.
Timeline: Involved since 2001, Canada wraps up its mission in Afghanistan (With Video)
(CTV News Channel) Canada's military efforts in Afghanistan will end this month, with the withdrawal of the last 100 soldiers from Kabul, where they had been wrapping up training of Afghan National Security Forces.
Pakistan Eyes Possible Defense Budget Increase
(Defense News) Pakistan is examining a possible defense budget increase in light of a changing security and financial situation, but though new equipment is needed rising operational costs could soak up any increase, say analysts.
MIDDLE EAST
Saudi Arabia rejects Maliki's charges on funding Iraqi militants
(Reuters) Saudi Arabia on Monday rejected accusations by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that Riyadh and Qatar are funding Sunni Muslim insurgents his troops are battling in Iraq's western Anbar province.
9/11 recruiter reportedly freed in Syria
(The Long War Journal) Mohammed Zammar, the al Qaeda operative responsible for recruiting the suicide-hijack pilots for the 9/11 attacks, has reportedly been freed inside Syria.
As Syria war enters fourth year, regime eyes victory
(Agence France Presse) As Syria's conflict enters its fourth year, ravaging the country and creating a massive humanitarian crisis, President Bashar al-Assad's regime is on the offensive to regain territory from a divided opposition.
Hezbollah Support for Syrian Regime Risks Eroding Support Base in Lebanon
(Wall Street Journal) The streets of this Hezbollah bastion on the southern edge of Beirut once bustled with squealing schoolchildren, well-to-do merchants and bargain-hunting shoppers, a testament to the group's success in lifting its fellow Lebanese Shiite Muslims out of poverty and illiteracy.
EUROPE
Russia will use large landing force in military exercise
(ITAR-TASS) More than 3,000 paratroopers will be air-dropped in a Russian military exercise for the first time in the past two decades, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
General: Armed groups in Crimea are Russian military
(The Hill) Groups of armed forces who have taken over military installations in Crimea are Russian forces, the top commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Europe said in a statement Tuesday, seeking to clear up confusion over where the forces were from.
Ukraine, Poland To Hold Joint Air Force Drills
(Defense News) Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has announced plans to hold joint drills of the Ukrainian and Polish air forces. Under the plan, Ukraine’s Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 jet fighters will participate in the military exercises along with Poland’s F-16s and Mikoyan MiG-29s, the ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine’s Interim Leader Seeks Aid in Washington
(New York Times) The interim prime minister of beleaguered Ukraine was to make the rounds here on Wednesday as he seeks help bolstering his fragile government and even more fragile economy while somehow reversing Russia’s occupation of the Crimean Peninsula.
ASIA-PACIFIC
China Says Military Needs to Defend National Interests
(Wall Street Journal) President Xi Jinping called on China's armed forces to staunchly defend national interests, while warning military leaders that China would have to bear greater responsibility as its military might grows.
Large US contingent to take part in South Korean exercise
(Stars and Stripes) Almost 10,000 U.S. troops will join the South Korean military later this month in the peninsula’s largest joint amphibious landing drill, South Korean media reported Tuesday.
Malaysia Air Force Denies Saying Jet Tracked to Malacca
(Bloomberg) Malaysia’s Air Force chief denied saying Flight 370 was tracked as deviating from its path into Malacca Strait, adding to the confusion surrounding the search for the missing plane, which entered its fifth day.
Indonesia Looks To Buy European Missiles Through Foreign Loans
(Defense News) Indonesia, a regional power building its military capability through foreign loans, is seeking a loan to pay for four Thales missile batteries worth more than £100 million (US $167 million), a European banker said.
AFRICA
Libya ousts prime minister after ship leaves rebel-held port with illegal oil
(Washington Post) Libya’s parliament handed a no-confidence vote to Prime Minister Ali Zeidan on Tuesday in yet another jolt to the oil-rich nation’s crumbling political stability.
Political Killings Still Plaguing Post-Qaddafi Libya
(New York Times) For Judge Jamal Bennour, one of the leaders of the Libyan uprising, the day the revolution turned sour was when his friend and fellow lawyer, Abdul-Salam al-Musmari, was shot dead in front of him.
Jihadists return to northern Mali a year after French intervention
(The Guardian) Growing concern as Islamist groups targeted by Operation Serval appear to be regaining footholds despite 6,000 UN troops.
Offensive in Somalia sees militants flee 5 towns
(Washington Post) Columns of African Union and Somali troops are moving deeper into land controlled by al-Qaida-linked militants, forcing fighters to flee from five towns in quick succession in a further squeezing of al-Shabab’s strongholds.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
What Would Jimmy Carter Do?
(Andrew Krepinevich in Defense One) Russia’s invasion of Crimea has led many pundits to compare President Barack Obama’s foreign policies with those of President Jimmy Carter. The similarities are difficult to ignore, up to a point.
Navy and Marine Power from the Sea: The Nation’s “Perfect Blend”
(Robert Holzer in War on the Rocks) On Veterans Day in 2011, President Obama attended the first-ever Aircraft Carrier Classic basketball game, pitting the then-number one ranked North Carolina Tar Heels against the Spartans of Michigan State. The contest was held on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), the same warship that earlier on May 2nd had buried Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at sea.
Using Cultural Guides to Bridge the Veterans' Employment Gap
(Nick Swaggert in the Huffington Post) Veterans' employment is a national topic; look no further than the constant media and White House attention it receives. Yet, current efforts are failing; post 9/11 veterans have a 10.1 percent unemployment rate, or nearly 50 percent greater than average Americans. Numerous studies and case studies have shown that hiring veterans is good business, but the unemployment rate remains stubbornly high.
The U.S. needs to get more aggressive on Syria
(The Washington Post Editorial Board) Washington's seeming inability to focus on more than one international crisis at a time has been a boon to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. It also has diverted attention from the bankruptcy of Obama administration policy.
Russia’s military is the largest in the region, but it isn’t the same force as in Soviet times
(Walter Pincus in the Washington Post) The military forces that Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use “as a last resort” in eastern Ukraine are in the early stages of a major, seven-year modernization program that is not expected to be completed before 2020.
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