Defense News Early Bird Brief

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COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
May 19, 2014 EARLY BIRD BRIEF Get the most comprehensive aggregation of defense news delivered by the world's largest independent newsroom covering military and defense. ADVERTISEMENT	ADVERTISEMENT TODAY’S TOP 5 1. DoD Research Chief: High Cost of Weapons Threatens Security (Defense News) The high cost of the US Defense Department’s weapon programs threatens national security, the head of the Pentagon’s advanced research-and-development arm said.  2. Fearing militia control of Libya’s airports, U.S. moves troops to Sicily in case evacuation needed (McClatchy) Alarmed by developments in Libya, the United States this week moved 200 troops to a base in Sicily so that they could respond more quickly if the U.S. needs to evacuate its embassy in Tripoli, two administration officials have told McClatchy.  3. Editorial: Army Times says VA's Shinseki must step down (Army Times) The VA scandal over alleged “secret wait lists” for health care appointments, which may have contributed to the deaths of dozens of veterans whose treatment was delayed, is still unfolding.  4. "We're At Greater Risk:" Q & A. With General Keith Alexander (The New Yorker) Since Edward Snowden’s revelations about government surveillance, we know more about how the National Security Agency has been interpreting Section 215 of the Patriot Act and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. We’ve learned some new words —“bulk metadata,” “selector,” “reasonable articulable suspicion,” “emphatic-access restriction”—but we don’t really know how much of this works in practice.  5.  VA's top health official resigns amid scandal over delays in vets' care (Military Times) The Veterans Affairs Department’s top health official abruptly resigned Friday amid the exploding scandal over delays in veterans’ care. INDUSTRY Airbus Looks To Overseas, Cyber To Grow Business (Defense News) The free-spending days of the mid-2000s are all but over for the defense industry. And with few new start programs coming from the Pentagon in favor of more cautious — and less expensive — modernization initiatives, defense executives have become more selective in how they plan to grow their business. Lockheed machinists on strike at Mississippi space center (Reuters)  Lockheed Martin Corp on Friday said it was disappointed that just over 100 union-represented workers at a Mississippi space center had decided to go on strike after rejecting the company's contract offer. The company said it hoped to resolve the issue soon. F-35B To Fly At Christening Of Brits’ Newest Aircraft Carrier, If Weather OK (Breaking Defense) Do not expect any official confirmation, but the British will allow Lockheed Martin’s F-35B to make its first flight outside of the United States on July 4 when the country’s newest aircraft carrier is christened by Her Majesty the Queen. UK extends Sampson radar experimental BMD research (IHS Jane's 360) Building on the success of a live detect and track experiment performed in the western Pacific under the Type 45 Science and Technology (TSAT) programme, the United Kingdom has committed further funds to explore the potential of BAE Systems' Sampson E/F-band active array multifunction radar (MFR) in a maritime ballistic missile defence (BMD) role. 3-D Printing Companies See Growing Market in Unmanned Aircraft (National Defense Magazine) Three-D printing companies are experiencing an explosion of sales to the unmanned aircraft industry, a trend that will likely continue, industry executives said at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International conference. Israel Balks at German Ship Deal; Readies International Bid (Defense News) Israel is backing away from a long-anticipated ship deal with Germany after failing to secure Berlin’s commitment to share some of the costs of the estimated $500 million buy. Pakistan Wants Drones, and It Doesn't Need America's Permission to Get Them (National Journal) Pakistan has remote-piloted aircraft. Islamabad uses surveillance drones to provide the military with a real-time picture of its restive border areas or counterterrorism operations. Pakistan unveiled two new drones in November: Burraq, named after the winged horse from the heavens that transported Islamic prophets, and Shahpar. They were developed by Pakistan's defense industry, the government said, and would not be armed. DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIAN DARPA'S Disruptive Technologies Arati Prabhakar, director of DARPA, on the agency's most promising disruptive technologies.  Today's Security Environment Stephen Hadley, chairman of the U.S. Institute of Peace, on the increase of new actors and a faster pace of change in today's security environment.   Military Strategy and Disruptive Change Retired Marine Gen. James Cartwright, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, on how in-tune national and military leaders are to disruptive change. Vago's Notebook The need for systems that can deliver capabilities quickly and cheaply can co-exist with ambitious weapons systems. CONGRESS Old Bulls Could Soon Fight Again Over Drone Program (Defense News) US Sen. John McCain is poised to ignite a new — and potentially fiery — fight on Capitol Hill over whether the military or CIA should control America’s armed drone program. Memorial Day Will Focus Congress on Military Affairs (National Journal) With millions of Americans set to commemorate Memorial Day weekend, the House is wrapping itself in military affairs this week, acting on legislation to boost accountability at the embattled Veterans Affairs Department and taking up the annual National Defense Authorization Act. GOP's New F-35 Line: Don't Burn Partners US Will Need Later (Defense News) The Republican Party is trying out a new line in defense of the embattled F-35 fighter jet. It goes a little something like this: Burn Washington’s partners on the program now, and building coalitions of the willing will be harder later. Cantor won't allow immigration vote on defense bill (The Hill) House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) will not allow a vote next week on legislation that would grant legal status to young illegal immigrants who serve in the military, according to a spokesman. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Military gets picky in recruiting; only 20% of applicants qualify (Kansas City Star) Many see the military as a last resort in a tough job market — but always an option, the youth assume. Truth is, the class of 2014 now leaving high school will face more difficulty qualifying for the armed services than ever in the 40-year history of the all-volunteer force. Auditors Fault Pentagon Sorting of Biggest Bioweapon Threats (Global Security Newswire) Auditors say the Defense Department is not following its own procedures for guarding against "potentially catastrophic" biological strikes. Pentagon Criticized for Losing Innovation Mojo (National Defense Magazine) Cuts to federal spending have wreaked havoc on Defense Department research and technological pursuits, officials insist. Potential adversaries are modernizing while the next generation of U.S. weaponry remains bogged down in budget quagmires. As a result, the U.S. military could soon fall behind in the arms technology race, warned Undersecretary of Defense Frank Kendall. ARMY In Teresa King lawsuit, U.S. Attorney asks for dismissal (Army Times) In a gender and racial discrimination lawsuit brought by the first female commandant of the Army Drill Sergeants School, attorneys for the federal government have asked a judge to dismiss the case, invoking immunity under the Feres doctrine. Victim speaks up as JBLM takes on ‘insider threat’ of sex assault (Tacoma News Tribune) Spc. Amber Eaton never had a chance to thrive in the Army after she joined two years ago at age 19. You're in the game (Army Times) Your next Army avatar will not only look like you, it’ll move and shoot like you as well. JBLM Kiowa helicopter squadron to be inactivated (Tacoma News Tribune) The Army’s postwar downsizing will take another bite out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord this year, as a 400-soldier helicopter squadron will be shut down. NAVY Sentencing in '79 Puerto Rico ambush comes after decades of investigation (Navy Times) Justice had eluded 18 unarmed sailors gunned down in a terrorist ambush in Puerto Rico for 34 years. No more. Portsmouth-based riverines struggle back after suicides (Virginian-Pilot; Norfolk, Va.) Three suicides in a single unit couldn’t be ignored – even if investigators said the sailors’ deaths had nothing to do with their jobs or the stresses of a difficult transition in a troubled squadron. Sailors design parts on gator's 3-D printer (Navy Times) When the amphibious assault ship Essex got the fleet’s first 3-D printer last year, crew members were asked to test whether it could manufacture medical supplies aboard ships. J.F. 'Skeets' Coleman dies at 95; test pilot for perilous XFY-1 Pogo (Los Angeles Times) J.F."Skeets" Coleman, who was the test pilot on one of the oddest military airplanes ever produced, died Tuesday of natural causes at an assisted-living facility in Oceanside, said his daughter, Nancy. AIR FORCE Air Force Evaluating New Targeting Monocle for F-22 Raptor (U.S. Naval Institute) The U.S. Air Force’s elite 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron recently evaluated the Thales Visionix Scorpion helmet-mounted cueing system on the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., according to a senior service official. Guardsman gets 2nd Bronze Star (Air Force Times) Staff Sgt. Matthew Zimmer and five fellow New York Air National Guardsmen made headlines in December when they were each awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for rescuing four critically injured soldiers, both American and Afghan, from an ambush outside an Afghan village on Dec. 10, 2012. Glacier giving up remains of 1952 plane crash (Tampa Tribune) Little by little, the monster slab of ice is grinding out the remnants of an Air Force C-124A Globemaster, a military transport airplane that was Korea-bound on Nov. 22, 1952, when it crashed into the side of Mount Gannett, about 40 miles east of Anchorage. MARINE CORPS Marine Corps resurrects $2.6 million Semper Fi Bowl (Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps officials will reinstate funding for the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl, a high-profile recruiting event that brings together dozens of high school football players from across the country each year. Earlier, the Corps had announced the program would be cut due to budgetary constraints. $25M lawsuit over inmate who died in hot NYC cell (Associated Press) The mother for a mentally ill, homeless veteran who was found dead in a 101-degree New York City jail cell said Friday that she was angry at city officials for not keeping her son safe and announced plans for a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against the city. Marine Corps manpower experts answer your re-enlistment questions (Marine Corps Times) There’s a brighter outlook for Marines who want to re-enlist this year, but the situation remains highly competitive. Division Psychiatry welcomes a new canine companion (Jacksonville Daily News, N.C.) Sometimes, all it takes is a cold nose, a wet kiss or a wagging tail to turn things around for Marines and sailors seeking mental health treatment on base. VETERANS Wife of female soldier killed in Afghanistan to receive death benefits (Military Times) The gay widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan has received word from the Department of Veterans Affairs that she will receive the same full benefits that heterosexual widows and widowers receive. Obama’s Pick for VA Health Supervised Scandal-Tainted Hospital (ABC News) Dr. Jeffrey Murawsky was nominated on May 1 to replace Dr. Robert Petzel as undersecretary of health at the Department of Veterans of Affairs.   Petzel’s “resignation” was officially announced today, although his impending retirement was first announced last September. Exclusive: VA Scandal Hits New Hospital (The Daily Beast) Veterans with serious heart conditions, gangrene, and even brain tumors waited months for care at the Albuquerque VA hospital, a whistleblowing doctor tells The Daily Beast. Kinzinger: VA scandal now ‘something criminal’ (The Hill) Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) is calling on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign after reports that waitlists at VA facilities have resulted in the death of veterans. Growing evidence points to systemic troubles in VA healthcare system (Los Angeles Times) Three years ago Edward Laird, a 76-year-old Navy veteran, noticed two small blemishes on his nose. His doctor at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Phoenix ordered a biopsy, but month after month, as the blemishes grew larger, Laird couldn't get an appointment. Obama ‘madder than hell’ about scandal at VA, aide says (The Hill) White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said in an interview broadcast Sunday that President Obama is angry about problems over waiting time at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and will not stop focusing on the issue until it is fixed.  'Delay in treatment' a factor in more than 100 deaths at VA centers (Dayton Daily News) As controversy swirls around the Veterans Administration over deaths caused by delayed care, an investigation by the Dayton Daily News found that the VA settled many cases that appear to be related to delays in treatment. Doctor says Temple VA manipulated waiting lists (San Antonio Express-News)  A retired Austin doctor has told Veterans Affairs investigators that a fellow physician manipulated waiting lists at a veterans hospital in Temple. Mental strain on troops comes into focus (The Hill) A recently-published book about an Army Green Beret is sparking controversy in military circles about whether veterans are getting proper treatment for mental health. MIDDLE EAST Saudi Defense Leaders Replaced By Moderates (Defense News) Saudi Arabia’s reshuffling of its top military leadership — in which hardliners are being replaced by moderates — is just the latest in a string of changes in the kingdom’s defense posture, and comes as Saudi Arabia assures its allies that it is still strong on defense. Private Group Sought to Arm Syrian Rebels (Wall Street Journal) A group led by a former Pentagon official devised a plan to supply moderate Syrian rebels with weapons sourced in Eastern Europe and financed by a wealthy Saudi, and it ran into flak from the CIA. Chief of Syria’s Air Defense Dies in Battle Near Capital (New York Times) The general in charge of Syria’s air defense has been killed in fighting near Damascus, an opposition monitoring group and Syrian security officials said Sunday. AFGHANISTAN Casevac, the new Osprey mission in Afghanistan (Marine Corps Times) A Marine Osprey unit here has taken on an exclusive new mission that could have far-reaching implications for the future of the military’s prized tiltrotor aircraft. Afghan President Hamid Karzai relieved his term is winding down (Los Angeles Times) Six weeks before the Afghan election, at a meeting at the presidential palace, women's rights activist Sima Samar gently teased President Hamid Karzai about being a short-timer. Abdullah, once called ‘messenger of death,’ seeks Afghan presidency as a healer (Washington Post) Some called him the “Messenger of Death.” During Afghanistan’s brutal civil war of the 1990s, Abdullah Abdullah became famous as the government official who periodically announced how many rebels had been slain. EUROPE Dempsey To Urge Military Chiefs To Step Up Mediterranean Security (Defense News) America’s top general plans to push his NATO counterparts to increase security contributions in southern Europe along the Mediterranean at a meeting of the alliance’s uniformed leaders this week. USAF, RAF improve communications after claims of near miss (Air Force Times) The Royal Air Force GR-4 Tornado attack plane came from seemingly nowhere. It crossed from the left of an Air Force MC-130 and circled behind — close enough for the MC-130 loadmasters with the 352nd Special Operations Group to see the RAF markings. Russia Claims French Intelligence Ship Has Returned to Black Sea (U.S. Naval Institute) A French signals intelligence ship has reentered the Black Sea, according to several local media reports. AFRICA Air Force assisting search for missing girls in Nigeria (Air Force Times) The Air Force is flying manned MC-12W Liberty and unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance sorties over Nigeria to assist in locating more than 200 girls kidnapped by militants. Deployments to Africa raise troubling issues, experts say (Marine Corps Times) When Secretary of State John Kerry met with several African allies recently, security and stability issues topped his agenda. Gunfire, political chaos in Libya with attack on parliament (Los Angeles Times) Militiamen loyal to a rogue former general attacked Libya’s parliament building Sunday, state media said, in a new challenge to the authority of the North African nation’s weak central government. The group later reportedly declared it had replaced the lawmaking body. Militant group vows to fight Libyan general (Associated Press) An al-Qaida-inspired group in Libya said Monday it will fight troops loyal to a renegade general behind an attack on the country's parliament the day before and join forces with Islamic militias who were targeted by the general's secular followers. ASIA-PACIFIC South Korean president to disband coast guard over ferry response (Los Angeles Times)South Korean President Park Geun-hye announced Monday that she would disband the coast guard because of its inept efforts to rescue those stranded aboard a sinking ferry, which left more than 300 people dead or missing, mostly high school students. Vietnam Moves to Quell New Anti-China Protests (Wall Street Journal) Vietnam deployed security forces and quelled renewed protests against China on Sunday amid escalating tensions between the two nations after a territorial dispute sparked anti-Chinese rioting across the southeast Asian country. Vietnam's Pro-Democratic Opposition is Gathering Steam (Foreign Policy) As anti-Chinese protests roil Vietnam, a domestic pro-democratic opposition is quietly gathering steam. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS The House Ducks on Defense (New York Times Editorial Board) The Pentagon has for too long been in denial about the changes it will have to make in a world of declining resources, skyrocketing personnel costs and changing global threats. This year, however, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel presented a more realistic, though still insufficient, cost-saving budget. Yet Congress seems firmly stuck in the past, loyal to campaign donors and frightened, as always, about local political fallout from closing excess military bases, modifying military compensation, reducing troop levels and cutting nonessential or older weapons. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki needs to go (Dana Milbank in the Washington Post) Eric Shinseki has served his country honorably as a twice-wounded officer in Vietnam, as Army chief of staff and finally as President Obama’s secretary of veterans affairs. Take the Target Off Shinseki's Back (Max Cleland in Politico)The toughest job in Washington is to prosecute war. The second toughest job is, as Abraham Lincoln once phrased it, “to care for him who has borne the battle. How Corruption Guts Militaries: The Ukraine Case Study (Sarah Chayes in Defense One) Here’s a contrast that sums up the David and Goliath aspect of the Ukraine crisis. Picture the sleek, white-hulled vessel Vladivostok, one of two Mistral class warships France is selling to Russia, and compare the bedraggled tents some Ukrainian soldiers sleep in with donations of food jumbled outside and rain-soaked blankets drying over a brushwood fire.