TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Survey shows Lackland MTIs 'scared to train'
(Air Force Times) Two years after a rape allegation against a military training instructor launched one of the biggest sexual misconduct scandals in military history, trainers who remained at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland said their morale was low, they had little trust in leadership and they didn't feel as dedicated to their jobs anymore.
2. Hagel to make decisions on Guantanamo detainees 'fairly soon'
(Reuters) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Wednesday he will make decisions fairly soon about detainees at Guantanamo Bay detention center who Uruguay has offered to accept.
3. The Gap Between Supply and Demand for Spy Planes Just Got Bigger
(Sam Brannen in Defense One) President Barack Obama's West Point speech created a nearly impossible problem for the Pentagon's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) planners by asking them to do much more with dwindling resources. The president correctly argued that the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist threat has reached a new phase and spread globally, necessitating a new U.S. approach of assistance to partners to take the initiative in fighting it locally across an expansive geography from South Asia to the Sahel.
4. Trust, Not Tech, Big Problem Building Missile Defenses Vs. Iran, North Korea
(Breaking Defense) Even the most advanced systems can't stop Iranian or North Korean missiles if America's allies can't cooperate to integrate those systems into a regional defense, because ballistic missiles can move too fast and far for a single country to catch.
5. Mattis: Withdrawal plan gives enemy hope, sends wrong message to allies
(USA Today) James Mattis, a retired Marine four-star general who led U.S. Central Command, which oversaw the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said announcing a lower U.S. troop number and setting a specific withdrawal date "sends a message" to U.S. allies that it is not fully committed to the fight against the Taliban.
INDUSTRY
Army to Seek Northrop Refunds Over Inflated Labor Rates
(Bloomberg) The U.S. Army will press Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) for refunds after the Pentagon's inspector general found the contractor charged the service inflated labor rates on programs to fight drug trafficking.
Lockheed Acquires Space Firm for $61 Million
(Defense News) Lockheed Martin reached an agreement to purchase the Space Operations arm of Astrotech, a move that should help the largest defense company in the world grow its launch capabilities.
US Army seeks quieter Shadow UAVs
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Army has awarded AAI Corporation a USD7.69 million contract to reduce the audio signature of its RQ-7B Shadow V2 (RQ-7BV2) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Department of Defense (DoD) disclosed on 27 May.
Air Force won't block alternate GPS III provider
(C4ISR & Networks) If Lockheed Martin wants to find a new source for a key component on its GPS III satellite, the US Air Force won't stand in its way, according to the head of the service's Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).
South Korea to Buy Textron Anti-Armor Weapons, U.S. Says
(Bloomberg) South Korea's military is buying one of the top anti-armor weapons developed by the Pentagon, a Textron Inc. (TXT) system designed to destroy tanks and vehicles.
Lockheed wins Coast Guard C4ISR contract
(C4ISR & Networks) Lockheed Martin has received a $69 million contract to provide the C4ISR system for the U.S. Coast Guard's seventh National Security Cutter, the USCGC Kimball.
U.S. Navy secretary defends new warship program
(Reuters) U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus defended the embattled $34 billion Littoral Combat Ship program on Wednesday and said the ability to reconfigure the ships to carry out different missions would help the Navy keep pace with rapidly changing technologies.
Consortium Offers Proposal if UK Re-establishes Maritime Patrol Requirement
(Defense News) A consortium involving L-3 Communications, Selex and Ultra Electronics has thrown its hat into the ring as a bidder for a possible British government requirement to re-establish a maritime patrol aircraft capability.
Portugal to induct Harpoon Block II for submarines in 2014
(IHS Jane's 360) The Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa) is planning to introduce the UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon Block II missile later this year to equip its two Type 214 (locally known as Type 209PN) Tridente-class attack submarines NRP Tridente (S 160) and NRP Arpao (S 161).
Russia's Rosoboronexport Takes Over Crimean Defense Exports
(Defense News) Russia's state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport has announced it is taking over the export of arms and military equipment made by defense manufacturers based in Ukraine's Crimea, which is currently under Russian control.
Kazakhstan to evaluate Predator XP
(IHS Jane's 360) Kazakhstan has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer General Atomics, paving the way for in-country evaluation of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) Predator XP.
Scandinavian Deals Could Be Worth More Than 2 Billion Euros for Rheinmetall
(Defense News) Two recent truck deals with Scandinavian countries could eventually be worth more than 2 billion euros (US $2.72 billion) for Rheinmetall, the company says.
CANSEC 2014: Canadian DND to publish list of 200 capabilities it will consider for procurement
(IHS Jane's 360) The Canadian government will release its new defence acquisition guide on 16 June, which will provide a look forward to military capabilities and procurement for the next 20 years.
Omani Navy Receives Third Khareef Corvette
(Defense News) The Royal Navy of Oman on Thursday received the third of three new 99-meter corvette warships from BAE systems in their naval expansion project "Khareef."
CONGRESS
US House Panel Proposes $570B for Defense; Adds Monies for Carrier, Growlers
(Defense News) US House defense appropriators moved one step closer Thursday morning to approving $570.4 billion in base and war spending for the Pentagon, including funds for an 11th aircraft carrier and electronic-attack planes.
Bill passes to reestablish Gulf War board's autonomy
(USA Today) A House bill that passed Wednesday will restore autonomy to a Gulf War illness board that had been stripped away by the Deparment of Veterans Affairs earlier this year.
Dems to push funding for more VA hospitals
(The Hill) Senate Democratic leaders are planning a two-pronged legislative response to the scandal embroiling the Veterans Affairs Department, which has become an issue in several Senate races.
Senate urged to debate bill that would OK firings of senior VA managers
(Stars & Stripes) As the White House gave embattled VA Secretary Eric Shinseki more time Thursday, Congress and veterans took direct aim at agency executives who have overseen scheduling abuses spread throughout the nationwide health care system.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
In wake of VA scandal, DoD to review its health system
(Military Times) Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work will lead the Pentagon's review of its military health system, a comprehensive look at patient safety and access Secretary Chuck Hagel says is needed to ensure the organization meets national standards.
DoD report calls for more restrictions on high-interest loans
(Military Times) Defense officials must clamp down on more predatory lenders to force troops away from high-cost credit options, according to a Defense Department report recently submitted to Congress.
Dempsey: US Not 'Exhausted' by Decade of War
(Defense News) The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has rejected the notion that the US is politically exhausted during his visit to the United Arab Emirates this week.
Survey: Lower pay raise would hurt troops' morale more than finances
(Military Times) Nearly three-quarters of respondents to a Military Times survey believe that a proposal to give troops a smaller-than-expected pay raise next year would significantly harm morale.
ARMY
Sergeant found dead in Fort Hood barracks
(Army Times) The Army has identified the soldier who was found unresponsive in his barracks room Tuesday at Fort Hood, Texas.
2 ex-Army soldiers laundered Afghanistan bribes
(Associated Press) Two former Army soldiers have pleaded guilty to accepting about $250,000 in bribes from contractors in Afghanistan and shipping the cash back to the United States to be laundered through a landscaping business.
Did Maine Guard chief try to remake second unit without telling governor?
(Portland Press-Herald) Brig. Gen. James Campbell, the commander of the Maine National Guard, went to Washington, D.C., last year without Gov. Paul LePage's knowledge to pitch a plan to convert a combat communications squadron based in South Portland into a cyber security unit, according to two people with direct knowledge of the trip, one of whom is a high-ranking Guard official.
Shooting Of Sikh Army Veteran Divides Community
(National Public Radio) In late January, a mentally ill man was shot and killed by two police officers in Lodi, Calif., south of Sacramento. Tragedy often follows a confrontation between the police and a mentally ill person, but the facts of this case are in dispute.
NAVY
Ford Carriers Sport New Radars To Deflect Threats
(Aviation Week) When the next-generation aircraft carrier CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford takes to the seas later this decade, it will face one of the most dangerous threats to the U.S. maritime military behemoth-the Chinese DF-21 anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM).
NAVSEA: Affordability Prompted Second Look at LX(R)
(USNI News) The Navy's second look at the requirements and design of its next amphibious warship is walking the line between capability and affordability, the head of Naval Sea Systems Command told reporters Thursday at NAVSEA's temporary headquarters.
Destroyer James E. Williams to deploy Friday
(Virginian-Pilot) The guided-missile destroyer James E. Williams will deploy Friday from Norfolk Naval Station.
Submarine North Dakota to get visitors despite delayed commissioning
(New London Day) Despite the postponement of the submarine North Dakota's commissioning, originally scheduled for Saturday, 58 people from the namesake state are still making the trek because they couldn't get their flights and hotels refunded or wanted to come anyway.
Greenert: Number of Navy ships to rise in Asia-Pacific
(Stars & Stripes) The Navy will increase the number of ships deployed in the Asia-Pacific region over the next few years, the Chief of Naval Operations said Thursday.
AIR FORCE
Bonuses, incentive pay approved for some missileers
(Air Force Times) Some missileers will be eligible for bonuses and incentive pay under the first round of changes aimed at improving morale and addressing ethical issues in the nuclear missile community, the Air Force announced Thursday.
Pentagon proves 4th- to 5th-gen combat aircraft comms
(IHS Jane's 360) A new communications capability enables fifth-generation combat aircraft to share information with fourth-generation aircraft, prime contractor Northrop Grumman announced on 27 May.
Congressman: Air Force overemphasizes religious neutrality
(Air Force Times) Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., is pushing the Air Force to weaken its rules requiring religious neutrality, drawing strong objections from a leading activist for separation of church and state in the military.
Air Force military policeman killed in shooting on Detroit's east side
(WDIV Detroit) Detroit police say they've arrested a 19-year-old man who is accused of killing his stepfather, an active-duty Air Force sergeant.
664 Reserve captains selected for major
(Air Force Times) The Air Reserve Personnel Center said Thursday it has selected 664 reservists for promotion to major.
MARINE CORPS
Amos: We're missing one essential component to remain amphibious
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps cannot meet its amphibious assault needs with its current stable of ship-to-shore connectors, according to Commandant Gen. Jim Amos in a recent article he penned for the June edition of Proceedings Magazine.
Major relieved, investigation finds 'error in judgment' led to Marine's drowning
(Marine Corps Times) Marine officials have relieved the commanding officer of the Corps' Reconnaissance Training Company and ordered an overhaul of training after a private first class drowned during a preliminary recon swim test aboard Camp Pendleton, California, earlier this year.
Guard in hot cell death has record of leaving post
(Associated Press) A jail guard investigators say left her post without permission as an inmate lay dying in his 101-degree cell had been disciplined four years earlier for a similar infraction, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
Future Medal of Honor recipient honors SC soldiers who gave all
(The State in Columbia, S.C.) Many words were offered Wednesday to honor and thank the families of two South Carolina soldiers who died while serving in Afghanistan in the past year. But for Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, there were no words fit for the occasion.
Maj. Gen. Lewis Craparotta named commander at 29 Palms
(Desert Sun) Maj. Gen. Lewis A. Craparotta will take over command of Marine Air Ground Task Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms during a change of command ceremony at the base on July 10.
The few, the funny, the Marines: Corps announces 'funny video' contest
(Stars & Stripes) The Marine Corps is calling on active duty Marines and sailors to participate in its "Devil Dogs of Comedy" video contest, in which they can win a variety of valuable prizes.
VETERANS
VA chief Eric Shinseki pledges urgent healthcare fixes
(Los Angeles Times) Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki called in leaders of key veterans groups Thursday and pledged to keep VA hospitals open nights and weekends if necessary to set up speedy appointments for veterans whose long waits for medical care have triggered a growing crisis at the massive agency.
White House offers tepid support to Shinseki as pressure builds
(The Hill) The White House offered tepid support Thursday for embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, skirting questions on whether he'll soon be fired.
Widow wins VA claim 24 years after filing
(Military Times) Three weeks before 39-year-old Ronald McNutt died of cancer in 1987, he began talking about his military service in Vietnam with his wife, Bettye. The former soldier recalled swimming in rivers contaminated with runoff from Agent Orange and cooking on makeshift grills cobbled from the drums that had held the toxic herbicide.
Inspectors visited Tampa VA hospital, officials say
(Tampa Tribune) As a national Veterans Affairs probe expanded into whether patients died as the result of being forced to wait for treatment, department inspectors visited Tampa's James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital last week, according to local VA officials.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Al Qaeda and allies in Afghanistan 2007-2013
(Long War Journal) One of the arguments used by the Obama administration for a rapid drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan by the end of 2016 is that the US and the Coalition have reduced al Qaeda there to "remnants." To the contrary, however, a study by The Long War Journal of International Security Force press releases detailing raids against al Qaeda and its allies in Afghanistan shows that, since ISAF began reporting on these raids, jihadist groups have maintained a persistent presence in the country. ISAF's data is generally backed up by independent press reports as well as al Qaeda and allied groups' own propaganda on their operations throughout Afghanistan.
Taliban shadow governor among 5 killed in Kunduz operation
(Khaama Press) At least five Taliban militants including the group's shadow governor for Kunduz province was killed following a military operation.
Valerie Plame: CIA outing 'colossally stupid'
(CNN) Another CIA official whose cover was blown by a presidential administration said the inadvertent outing of an intelligence official in Afghanistan by the White House was "colossally stupid" and will have repercussions for the intelligence community.
MIDDLE EAST
Foreign Jihadis Fighting in Syria Pose Risk in West
(New York Times) Two years ago, a young man who now calls himself Abu Muhajir slipped into Syria with a few friends and $80,000, forsaking what he said was a job as a high school science teacher in North America to wage jihad.
Report: Iran's first Caspian sub will be active in 2015
(IHS Jane's 360) A submarine Iran is building at Bandar Anzali on the Caspian Sea will be operational in 2015, according to military sources cited by the Azerbaijan Press Agency (APA).
Iran Is Using a Neocon to Hack Its Foes
(The Daily Beast) In Iran's intelligence war against America, the regime has a new weapon: "John R. Bolton."
International Observers Find Egypt's Presidential Election Fell Short of Standards
(New York Times) Egypt's presidential election fell short of international standards of democracy, two teams of foreign observers said Thursday, a day after the former military officer who led last summer's military takeover won a landslide victory with more than 95 percent of the vote.
EUROPE
Russia has withdrawn most troops from Ukraine border, Hagel says
(Washington Post) Russia has withdrawn thousands of its troops massed on the border with Ukraine, even as violence escalated inside that country between government troops and pro-Russian separatists, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday.
Third NATO Ship Enters Black Sea, Russia Vows Increased Military Air Presence
(USNI News) A French frigate entered the Black Sea on Wednesday, growing the number of NATO surface warships in the region to three, according to a ship spotting blog and Russian press reports.
Ukraine Military Helicopter Shot Down; General Among 14 Dead
(Al Jazeera) Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine shot down a government military helicopter Thursday amid heavy fighting around the eastern city of Slovyansk, killing 14 soldiers, including a general, Ukraine's interim president said.
Pro-Russia Troops Take Symbol of Ukraine Uprising
(New York Times) The revolution was interrupted by a coup on Thursday, with one faction in this self-declared republic ousting another from the regional administration building that had become the symbol of the uprising here.
Finland Suspends Inquiry Into Russian Violations of Airspace
(Defense News) Finland's National Border Guard confirmed Thursday that it has suspended its investigation into repeated violations on May 20 of Finnish airspace by Russian military aircraft until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can obtain "formal identification" of the aircraft involved from Russian authorities.
Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus form Eurasian Economic Union
(Washington Post) Russian President Vladimir Putin moved Thursday to further bolster his nation's ties to former Soviet republics, as Russia's relationships with the United States and Europe continue to fray over the conflict in Ukraine.
AFRICA
Despite joint search for missing girls, Nigeria and United States are wary partners
(Washington Post) When Secretary of State John F. Kerry announced early this month that the Obama administration was rushing a team of experts to help Nigerian officials rescue 276 abducted schoolgirls, the hope in Washington was that Nigerians would react with gratitude and energetic cooperation.
Exclusive: Security Woes Dog U.N.'s Libya Mission
(Foreign Policy) Last October, with security concerns in Libya mounting, the United Nations dispatched a high-level delegation to Tripoli to determine whether U.N. staff could function safely in a country beset by Islamist extremists and renegade militias that had killed America's top envoy, attacked foreign embassies, raided the country's oil resources, and temporarily abducted both the Jordanian ambassador and the former Libyan prime minister.
ASIA-PACIFIC
China Hacking Is Deep and Diverse, Experts Say
(Wall Street Journal) China's Internet espionage capabilities are deeper and more widely dispersed than the U.S. indictment of five army officers last week suggests, former top government officials say, extending to a sprawling hacking-industrial complex that shields the Chinese government but also sometimes backfires on Beijing.
New threats will not distract U.S. from Asia, Hagel says
(Reuters) The United States will not be deterred from plans to strengthen its military position in Asia by emerging threats elsewhere, the U.S. defense secretary said on Thursday as he prepared to meet allies in the region worried by an increasingly assertive China.
India Ministry Proposes Opening Defense to More Foreign Investment
(Wall Street Journal) India's Trade Ministry has proposed opening the country's defense industry to more foreign investment, a senior ministry official said Friday.
North Korea Will Investigate Fate of Abducted Japanese
(New York Times) North Korea has agreed to open a new investigation into the fate of Japanese citizens abducted by its agents during the Cold War, the two countries said Thursday, signaling a possible diplomatic breakthrough in an emotional issue that has divided Japan and the North.
South Korea President Warns on Nuclear Domino Effect
(Wall Street Journal) A new nuclear test by North Korea could have a domino effect by providing its neighbors with a pretext to arm themselves with nuclear weapons, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said.
Inside the DMZ
(Stars & Stripes) The Korean Demilitarized Zone remains one of the world's most heavily guarded borders.
Australia Calls for Greater U.S. Role in Asia Pacific
(Wall Street Journal) Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop called on the U.S. to exercise more influence in Asia to help counter rising instability in the South China Sea, saying that talk of China eclipsing U.S. power in the region was overdone.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Can Women be Infantry Marines?
(Army Reserve Col. Ellen Haring in War on the Rocks) The Marines have stated that their occupational standards are already valid and gender neutral. They believe that the existing standards have served them well and if women can simply prove themselves against existing standards than that should be the measure of whether or not women will be allowed into combat specialties. As a test, the Marines have allowed entry level women to attend both the infantry officer and enlisted courses. So far more than 55 enlisted women have qualified to be infantry Marines while no women officers have qualified.
The VA Scandal Is Really About Whistleblowers
(Alesh Houdek in The Atlantic) Despite the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, the federal government during the Bush and Obama administrations has grown increasingly hostile to whistleblowers.
What the President Meant to Say...
(Retired Adm. James Stavridis in Foreign Policy) On a gray and drizzly day at West Point, President Barack Obama laid out an incomplete message for the ears of the graduates of the Class of 2014 as they took their place in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Obama's foreign policy repeats some avoidable mistakes
(David Ignatius in The Washington Post) President Obama's measured defense of his foreign policy at West Point on Wednesday made many cogent points to rebut critics. Unfortunately, the speech also showed that he hasn't digested some of the crucial lessons of his presidency.
Thailand's Army Tears Up the Script
(Duncan McCargo in The New York Times) There is a script for Thai coups: a day or two of shock and awe, seizure of television stations, token tanks on the streets - and then swift international reassurance, a plausible interim prime minister, an appointed national assembly, a committee to draft a new constitution and promises to hold elections within a year.
