TODAY’S TOP 5
1. On policy allowing women into combat, Marines prepared to seek exceptions
(Marine Corps Times) A force integration plan sent to top Marine Corps officers and enlisted leaders March 12 by the commandant reveals that more women will be assigned to previously closed combat arms units, but emphasizes the service will be prepared to seek exceptions to the 2013 Defense Department directive that opens all combat roles to women by Jan. 1, 2016.
2. Lockheed Martin F-35 Jet’s Software Delayed, GAO Says
(Bloomberg) Delays in testing critical software for Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT)’s F-35 jet are threatening to delay the Pentagon’s most expensive weapon and boost development costs, according to congressional investigators.
3. Afghanistan's Coming Darkness
(Christopher Johnston in War on the Rocks) The withdrawal of coalition soldiers from southern Afghanistan has been marked by silence, spreading almost imperceptibly below the Hindu Kush. Most International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops have already left or withdrawn “behind the wire.” making it difficult to measure the unfolding violence, let alone stop it. While the 2009 surge shifted tactical momentum against the insurgency, forecasting its ultimate conclusion meant the strategic contest was lost. Once the pre-ordained drawdown commenced in 2011 the Taliban shifted their primary focus away from coalition forces to erode the remnants of Afghan central government.
4. U.S. sends Osprey aircraft, more Special Operations forces to hunt Ugandan warlord
(Washington Post) President Obama has ordered a sharp increase in U.S. Special Operations forces deployed to Uganda and sent U.S. military aircraft there for the first time in the ongoing effort to hunt down warlord Joseph Kony across a broad swath of central Africa.
5. White House Growth and Security Bill Includes $8B for New Weapons
(Defense News) The Pentagon’s share of the White House’s $56 billion Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative requests more than double the procurement money previously disclosed in budget documents earlier this month.
INDUSTRY
Exclusive: Boeing U.S. tanker program seen $1 billion over budget
(Reuters) The U.S. Air Force on Friday estimated that Boeing Co's (BA.N) development of a new refueling plane will cost nearly $1.1 billion more than initially planned, but the terms of the government's contract mean Boeing must cover the added costs.
US Reassures Taiwan on Funding for F-16 Radar Upgrade
(Defense News) The same week that the US Air Force said it had figured out a way to get its counterparts in Taiwan new radars for its 146 F-16 fighter jets, sources at Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) are accusing US officials of lying to them and avoiding questions on the impact that the cancellation of the upgrades on the US side will have on Taiwan.
In Defense Industry, a Souring Mood on Acquisition Reform
(National Defense Magazine) When Trey Obering was deputy director of the Defense Department’s missile defense agency in 2002, he was asked to fix one of the most troubled acquisition programs in recent history. The airborne laser — a modified Boeing 747 jet that carried a megawatt laser to shoot down ballistic missiles — was handed over by the Air Force to MDA after eight years of nonachievement.
South Korea to Award Tanker, Fighter Contracts by End of Year
(Defense News) The Republic of Korea Air Force expects to make a selection and sign a contract on its new tanker before the end of the year, according to one of the service’s top generals.
Satellite Industry Frets About Future Military Business
(National Defense Magazine) The Pentagon spends about a billion dollars a year on satellite communications services from commercial vendors, which supply about 80 percent of the military’s demand.
Threatened Sanctions on Russia Could Put Pressure on US Allies
(Defense News) For US allies who would likely face US pressure to follow suit if sanctions are imposed, Russia is a critically important supplier.
CONGRESS
On Capitol Hill, a Return to Pet Military Projects
(Defense News) There was scant evidence for weeks that a bipartisan US budget deal would bring a return to the practice of finishing annual spending bills — until recently, when the first signs emerged.
US senator wants decision on Afghan troop levels
(Associated Press) A U.S. senator leading a bipartisan delegation to Afghanistan called on President Barack Obama Saturday to announce a decision on his plans for future troop levels in the country on the assumption a much-delayed security pact eventually will be signed with Kabul.
House bill would delay commissary budget cuts
(Military Times) Another legislative proposal has been introduced to ward off cuts in commissary funding — at least until the commission that is studying all military compensation completes its work.
Rogers: US 'rhetoric doesn't match reality'
(The Hill) Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said Sunday the Obama administration needs to be tougher on Russia and provide military aid to help Ukrainians defend themselves.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Military under fire after sex assault rulings
(The Hill) The military is coming under new fire for its handling of two high-profile sexual assault cases.
DARPA Awards Contracts in Search of a 460 MPH Helicopter
(U.S. Naval Institute) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded contracts to four companies to design a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that is much faster than a helicopter but retains excellent hover capability.
The wait remains for vehicle meant to replace Humvees
(USA Today) The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the Pentagon's long-awaited replacement for the workhorse Humvee, is at least four years away from full production, Army records show.
U.S. may give sonar gear to Malaysia for plane search
(Reuters) The Pentagon is weighing a request from Malaysia for sonar equipment to bolster the so-far frustrated search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, as concerns grow that any debris may have sunk to the bottom of the sea.
ARMY
Spec ops sniper competition begins Monday
(Army Times) Shooters from around the world will compete in the 2014 U.S. Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition beginning Monday.
Tank Goodness: Armor Programs Will Recover Despite GCV Kill, Sequester
(Breaking Defense) Sometimes dark clouds really do have silver linings. The winding down of two wars and the automatic spending cuts called sequestration have been brutal for the Army budget. The service recently had to cancel its top-priority weapons program, the tank-like Ground Combat Vehicle. But even if sequestration continues, said one leading analyst, ground vehicle spending has at the very least bottomed out — and it may well rebound impressively.
82nd marks 20th anniversary of Green Ramp tragedy
(Army Times) The 82nd Airborne Division on Monday will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the deadly Green Ramp accident that killed 24 paratroopers.
After Fifty Years, Finally At Rest
(Line of Sight) A burial service was held at Arlington National Cemetery on Friday, March 21, for seven service members who died in a plane crash near Bu Prang, Vietnam on Oct. 24, 1964. The remains of Army Staff Sgt. Lawrence Woods were recovered in 2010 and recently identified by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.
1,200 troops in JBLM's aviation brigade heading to Afghanistan as war winds down
(Tacoma News Tribune) This much is certain: About 1,200 Joint Base Lewis-McChord Army aviators gathered Friday to set off on a nine-month mission in Afghanistan that should mark the last major deployment to the war for a conventional force out of the South Sound installation.
Hometown Heroes: Combat Aviation Brigade soldiers jumped in to help fire, flood victims (With Video)
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Last summer, after disaster struck twice in the form of fire and floods, newly stationed members of Fort Carson's 4th Combat Aviation Brigade showed how invested they had become in a community they were just learning to call home.
Two Gitmo guards face sex-assault trials in S.A.
(San Antonio Express-News) Two soldiers who worked as guards at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba will go on trial next month in San Antonio on charges of sexually abusing women under their command.
NAVY
MSC ships offer blueprint for cruiser lay-ups
(Navy Times) Cruiser crews going into lay-up in the coming years could be cut by two-thirds and share berthing and galleys with other ships if the Navy follows an established model that has cut costs by more than 80 percent.
Navy freshman slotback Will McKamey in coma after collapse at practice
(Baltimore Sun) Navy football player Will McKamey remained in critical condition Sunday at Maryland Shock Trauma, one day after he sustained a brain injury during a spring practice in Annapolis, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Q&A on USS America
(San Diego Union-Tribune) The newest amphibious assault ship in the U.S. fleet is the America, the fourth Navy vessel to be named for the nation.
Better boondockers
(Navy Times) Navy experts are testing new materials in hopes of replacing the steel toe cap with a lightweight but durable resin that would lighten your boondockers, the fleet footwear many sailors hate. Boots with the new toe caps could be up to 20 percent lighter.
Repayment for Naval Academy education can vary
(Baltimore Sun) Two midshipmen are in the process of "disenrolling" from the academy as part of the fallout of a high-profile sexual assault case. But neither is likely to be hit with a tuition bill because the incident that led to their departure occurred before they agreed to serve in the military.
AIR FORCE
Charge sheet details alleged threats, abuse by MTI
(Air Force Times) A former military training instructor who goes on trial Monday at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland is accused of threatening to cut off a recruit’s testicles, and ordering recruits to lie about how one trainee got a black eye and to keep silent about her “unauthorized training methods,” according to a charge sheet in the case.
Resurrecting a stealthy giant
(Los Angeles Times) A 2010 fire on a B-2 stealth bomber in Guam left it heavily damaged. That sparked a four-year — and largely secretive — mission to repair the costly warplane.
PJ honored for rescue in Afghanistan
(Air Force Times) Pararescueman Staff Sgt. Thomas Culpepper was on his first deployment in Afghanistan on May 26, 2011, when his team of six got the call that an IED blast had trapped Army Pathfinders.
Global Hawk to deploy to Japan for first time
(Air Force Times) The RQ-4 Global Hawk, the massive surveillance drone once targeted for extinction and now considered by the Air Force as the answer for future intelligence needs, is expanding its reach into the Pacific this year with its first deployment to Japan.
MARINE CORPS
Desert base, deadly highway
(The Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) After stargazing in the Mojave Desert, Cpl. Donald Fowler gunned the gas pedal on a desolate stretch of two-lane highway, a heavy metal song blaring through his speakers and the headlights of his yellow Ford Mustang piercing the dark.
Friends, family say goodbye to fallen Marine
(The Pantagraph; Bloomington, Ill.) Hundreds cried and laughed Saturday as they remembered U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Reid “Eeyore” Nannen for his sense of humor, dedication to his family and service to his country.
Marines train for post-combat aftermath (With Video)
(San Diego Union-Tribune) The Marine commander was expecting a grateful reception after routing enemy forces from their village, but town leaders were in no mood to be thankful.
1st of 1,200 Marines to arrive in Australia within days as part of rotation
(Stars and Stripes) The first of almost 1,200 U.S. Marines will arrive in northern Australia within days to start a six month training rotation, the Australian Ministry of Defence has announced.
237-mile hell hike takes recon Marines to historic levels of pain
(Marine Corps Times) The 237-mile trek down much of the length of South Korea is an annual tradition among the troops of the Republic of Korea’s 1st Special Reconnaissance Battalion. The hike came at the end of the Korean Marine Exchange Program, a cold-weather exercise that involves U.S. and Korean forces and takes place largely at the Korean Mountain Warfare Training Center, near Peong-Chang.
Marine. Lt. Col. Bill Conner completes the Antarctica Marathon; raises more than $40K for Semper Fi Fund
(PT 365) A year’s delay, an early-race pulled muscle and a lot of mud didn’t stop a boots-and-utilities-clad Lt. Col. Bill Conner from finally finishing the Antarctica Marathon earlier this month.
VETERANS
Study: Student vets have higher graduation rates than nonvets
(Military Times) Student veterans seeking associate and bachelor’s degrees under the GI Bill have slightly better graduation rates than their nonveteran peers, data from a new Student Veterans of America study suggests.
Veterans charity charged with deceiving the public
(Austin American-Statesman) The Texas Attorney General’s office has charged the Veterans Support Organization, a Florida-based charity that has come under fire in several states, with deceiving Texas donors by falsely telling them their donations would help needy local veterans.
VA urged to make lung disease service-connected
(Military Times) A New York congressman wants the Veterans Affairs Department to make a rare lung disease found in some Iraq and Afghanistan veterans service-connected, meaning having the condition automatically would rate compensation and care from VA.
Pierce County sheriff's deputy kills ex-soldier in University Place
(Tacoma News Tribune) A Pierce County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a 25-year-old former soldier late Friday after a confrontation in University Place.
Soldier returns student's Flat Stanley after journey
(Arizona Republic) "People don't write letters anymore," according to third-grade teacher Luella Wood. But 10 years ago, in the painstaking scrawl of an 8-year-old, Alan Orduna did.
After 70 years, WWII gunner finally accepts Purple Heart
(Air Force Times) Richard Faulkner volunteered for the Army Air Forces on October 10, 1942, two days after he turned 18. Less than a year had passed since the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, and signing up, he believed, was his duty.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Afghanistan alleges foreign hand in hotel attack
(Associated Press) Afghanistan's presidency says its spy agency believes that a foreign intelligence service, and not the country's main militant groups, was behind the attack on a Kabul hotel last week that killed nine people, including two children and four foreigners.
Breaking With the West, Afghan Leader Supports Russia’s Annexation of Crimea
(New York Times) Afghanistan this weekend joined Syria and Venezuela and became the newest member of a select club of nations: those that have publicly backed the Russian annexation of Crimea.
Gatherings in Pakistani Madrasas focus on disrupting Afghan elections
(Khaama Press) Several gatherings have taken place in religious schools (Madrasas) in Pakistan to discuss ways in disrupting the upcoming Afghan elections.
Face-to-face meeting: Govt to push Taliban for indefinite ceasefire
(The Express-Tribune; Pakistan) A day after government and Taliban negotiators agreed on the venue of a proposed face-to-face meeting, a senior government official said that they would push the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to indefinitely extend its ceasefire.
MIDDLE EAST
Egypt court sentences 529 Morsi supporters to death
(BBC) A court in Egypt has sentenced to death 529 supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
Turkey Shoots Down Syrian Warplane
(New York Times) Turkish fighter jets shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday after it violated Turkish airspace, Turkey’s prime minister said.
U.S. shifts Syria strategy to 'southern front'
(Los Angeles Times) The U.S. and allies are giving cash, and many say, training, to rebel forces in what many view as a last chance to turn the war against Bashar Assad's government.
Tensions Percolate Ahead of Iraqi Election
(Wall Street Journal) Over the past four years, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has overseen a gridlocked Parliament, contended with renewed sectarian conflict and made a host of political enemies.
Iraq Hit by Wave of Bombings and Attacks
(New York Times) Thirty-seven people were killed on Friday in a wave of bombings and attacks across Iraq, and eight soldiers were kidnapped, security officials said.
M-346 Rollout Marks Israeli-Italian Mega Deal
(Defense News) Alenia Aermacchi has rolled out its first M-346 jet trainer for Israel, part of a reciprocal deal covering satellites and early warning aircraft for Italy. The deal has boosted ties between the countries and may now see Tel Aviv sending its F-35 joint strike fighters to Italy for maintenance.
Iranians up to 'no good' with U.S. aircraft carrier mock-up
(USA Today) The senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee says Iran's construction of a mock-up U.S. aircraft carrier demonstrates Iran's continued lack of good faith.
EUROPE
Europe Ramps Up Defense Posture Amid Russia Crisis
(Defense News) A deepening crisis in Ukraine has sharpened the defense policy of NATO member states in Eastern Europe, with the Estonia prime minister calling for higher military spending and Poland seeking early orders for missile defense and drones.
U.S. Scurries to Shore Up Spying on Russia
(Wall Street Journal) U.S. military satellites spied Russian troops amassing within striking distance of Crimea last month. But intelligence analysts were surprised because they hadn't intercepted any telltale communications where Russian leaders, military commanders or soldiers discussed plans to invade.
Is This the Next Crimea?
(Politico Magazine) Moldova is not Ukraine. There has been no violent revolution on the streets of Chisinau, the capital of this largely agricultural country, and, though kleptocratic traditions permeate, the corruption here falls well short of the private zoos and sprawling dachasof Viktor Yanukovych, the ousted Ukrainian president. But the country is hopelessly divided on whether its future lies as an independent country in the European Union, reunification with linguistic brother country Romania, or allied with Russia, and its troublesome Transnistria region casts a long shadow across all of these issues.
Finns, Swedes Weigh NATO Membership
(Defense News) Heightened regional tensions, which have grown in the wake of the disputed legality of Crimea’s referendum to join the Russian Federation, have rekindled debate over whether non-aligned Sweden and Finland can protect their sovereignty outside of NATO.
Western leaders call for NATO show of force amid Russian buildup
(Stars and Stripes) Western leaders on Sunday called for a repositioning of NATO forces in light of a buildup of Russian troops on Ukraine’s eastern border that the alliance’s military leader called very sizable and very ready.
UK May Arm Reapers With Brimstone
(Defense News) The Royal Air Force is closing on a decision of whether to deploy Dual Mode Brimstone missiles on its remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper aircraft following a series of test firings in the US, including a hit on a small truck traveling at 70 mph.
For 1st time, German Army officer to be USAREUR chief of staff
(Stars and Stripes) The U.S. military plans to appoint a German officer to be the next chief of staff of U.S. Army-Europe, Stars and Stripes has learned.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Philippines To Challenge Chinese Blockade
(Defense News) With the eyes of the world focused either on the Russian incursion into Ukraine or the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines passenger plane, another drama that normally would be making international headlines is unfolding in the South China Sea.
China: Plane spots objects in search for Flight 370
(USA Today) China's state news agency reported that a Chinese plane crew spotted some "suspicious objects in the southern Indian Ocean" on Monday while searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Indonesia to acquire stealthy missile patrol craft
(IHS Jane's 360) The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) is to order a new 63 m trimaran-hulled, stealthy missile patrol craft to replace KRI Klewang , which was destroyed in a 2012 fire.
Upgraded Indian Howitzers Cleared for Summer Trials
(Defense News) India’s homemade 155mm/45 caliber gun, which failed last year’s summer trials when a barrel burst while firing, has successfully completed winter trials and is cleared for summer trials, an official of the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) said.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Pipeline politics in Syria
(Army Maj. Rob Taylor in Armed Forces Journal) Much of the media coverage suggests that the conflict in Syria is a civil war, in which the Alawite (Shia) Bashar al Assad regime is defending itself (and committing atrocities) against Sunni rebel factions (who are also committing atrocities). The real explanation is simpler: it is about money.
Building an Army of 125,000 Spartans, Part II
(J. Furman Daniel III in Real Cear Defense) One of the great things about making a provocative argument is that you get plenty of responses. Two weeks ago, I wrote a think piece about the advantages of creating a small, elite force that could serve either as a rapid response force for small scale operations or as the cadre for a rapidly expanded army in the event of a major power war. Since then, I have received a wide range of responses ranging from full-fledged agreement, to thoughtful engagement with my points, to openly hostile personal attacks on my education and character. My reaction to all of these comments has been the same−I must have struck a nerve!
Wake Up NATO, You’re No Deterrent to Russia
(Philip Seib in Defense One) NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a Washington audience on Wednesday that Russia’s absorption of Crimea is a “wake-up call” for his organization. The alarm had best ring loudly, because NATO has been sleeping deeply.
A developing trend of lawless behavior?
(Jack Murphy in the San Diego Union-Tribune) There are a lot of puzzled expressions on people’s faces when it comes to the subject of the late Osama bin Laden and why the White House has not authorized the release of any pictures of his body.
EDITORIAL: Army Times calls on Fox to give 'Enlisted' better time slot
(Army Times) The Fox network’s new military comedy, “Enlisted,” appears to have hit its stride, but stagnant ratings after the show’s disappointing pilot episode threaten to torpedo its chances of being picked up for a second season.
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