TODAY’S TOP 5
2010 VA memo targeted 'inappropriate' patient scheduling practices
(Military Times) A memo sent to all Veterans Affairs Department health directors in 2010 warning them against using "gaming strategies" to improve scores on patient appointment reports has resurfaced as part of the ongoing probe of scheduling failures at some VA medical centers.
Memo Approving Targeted Killing of U.S. Citizen to Be Released
(New York Times) Facing the potential defeat of an appeals court nominee, the Obama administration decided Tuesday to publicly release much of a classified memo written by the nominee that signed off on the targeted killing an American accused of being a terrorist.
Commentary: US Needs Strategy for a 'Westphalian-Plus' World
(Barry Pavel in Defense News) We are in a new era of world history, but no one has noticed.
US, Closest Allies Sign Space Operations Agreement
(Breaking Defense) Australia, Britain, Canada and United States have signed a symbolically important Memorandum of Understanding committing them to "a partnership on combined space operations."
Hagel Told He Should Improve Ties With House Panel
(Bloomberg) After almost 15 months on the job, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has failed to build a strong relationship with the House panel that funds the Pentagon, according to its chairman.
INDUSTRY
Space Industry Sees Opportunities, Possible Consolidation
(Defense News) In the defense industry's ideal world, budget dollars would flow like Niagara Falls - quick and heavy.
Amid Attacks, ULA Outlines Some EELV Pricing
(Aviation Week) United Launch Alliance (ULA) says the per-unit cost of its Atlas V 401 - the launcher roughly equivalent in lift capability to Space Exploration Technologies' (SpaceX) Falcon 9 v1.1 bursting into the market - costs $164 million apiece under a newly inked agreement
US Air Force Space Head on SpaceX, Engine Issues
(Defense News) Speaking at his last National Space Symposium before his retirement in August, Gen. William Shelton, the head of US Air Force Space Command, expressed frustration with the SpaceX decision to sue the Air Force over its award of a block-buy of launches to the United Launch Alliance (ULA).
Military acquisition rules hamper U.S. ability to counter cyber threats
(Reuters) U.S. military experts on Monday said current acquisition rules hamper their ability to respond quickly to a growing number of cyber attacks against U.S. weapons and computer networks and new approaches are needed.
Ground control station released for Fury UAV
(C4ISR & Networks) Lockheed Martin has released a new Expeditionary Ground Control Station (xCGS) for its upcoming Fury long-endurance UAV.
US official sees approval for higher resolution commercial imagery
(Reuters) The U.S. government will eventually approve a bid by commercial space imagery provider DigitalGlobe Inc to sell higher resolution satellite images, the head of the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency said on Tuesday.
South Africa, Brazil Developing A-Darter SRAAM
(Defense Industry Daily) There's a new advanced dogfighting missile coming to town, and it won't be coming from any of the standard players. Denel Pty Ltd.'s missile/UAV subsidiary Denel Dynamics has entered into a joint development agreement with Brazil's Ministry of Defence and Forca Aerea Brasileira for the A-Darter short range air-air missile (SRAAM), signed as a government to government agreement via South Africa's Armscor.
Russian Engine for Launches Needs Replacement, Panel Says
(Bloomberg) The U.S. "needs to develop a domestic" rocket engine to replace the Russian one used in many launches of American military satellites, according to an independent panel advising the Pentagon.
Replacing Russian-Made Atlas, Antares Engines Would Take Four Years
(Aviation Week) Aerojet Rocketdyne has studied what it would take to replace the Russian-built RD-180 and AJ-26 rocket engines used in the Atlas V and Antares launch vehicles.
Executives Say NH90 Has Moved out of Development Phase
(Defense News) On a day that could accurately be described as "Airbus Day" at the ILA Berlin Air Show, due to the number of media events the company has scheduled, executives tied to the program gave a state of the union-style update on the NH90 helicopter.
Poland receives first Leopard 2A5 MBTs
(IHS Jane's 360) Poland has received its first batch of Leopard 2A5 main battle tanks (MBTs) from ex-German Army stocks, the Polish General Command announced on 16 May.
Brazil to Buy 28 Embraer Military Cargo Jets (Paywall)
(Wall Street Journal) The Brazilian air force plans to acquire 28 military cargo jets from aircraft manufacturer Embraer SA EMBR3.BR +0.70% worth 7.2 billion Brazilian reais ($3.27 billion), the company said Tuesday.
BAE unveils new RG35 MIV variant
(IHS Jane's 360) BAE Land Systems South Africa has developed a new Motorised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) variant of its RG35 mine-protected vehicle family.
Swiss voters reject Gripen purchase
(IHS Jane's 360) Swiss voters have rejected the country's planned purchase of 22 Saab Gripen E fighter aircraft in a landmark referendum on 18 May.
CONGRESS
US Senators Develop Plan to Keep A-10s Flying for One Year
(Defense News) Senate Armed Services Committee members have cobbled together a plan to keep the US Air Force's A-10 attack planes flying for another year.
Military budget: Four ways US lawmakers are blocking Pentagon cost-cutting
(Christian Science Monitor) The Pentagon is under pressure to cut the military budget but is facing push-back from members of Congress on issues ranging from pay rates and force size to weapons and base closures.
Shinseki, Hagel Make Quiet Visit to Congress as VA Scandal Intensifies
(National Journal) Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made a quiet trip to Capitol Hill on Tuesday afternoon amid the growing scandal engulfing veterans affairs hospitals across the country.
Senate panel moves to block VA bonuses
(The Hill) The Senate Armed Services Committee will reject a new round of military base closures, according to leaders of the panel's subcommittee on military readiness and management.
US Senate Panel Adds Funds for ISR, Drones; Authorizes Boko Haram Ops
(Defense News) A US Senate subcommittee on Tuesday approved a measure allowing the Pentagon to spend billions on its most lethal forces while also clearing them to target the Boko Haram organization.
GOP, White House Clash over Nuclear Security Provisions in Defense Bill
(Global Security Newswire) As annual defense authorization legislation nears the House floor, the Obama administration and House Republicans continue to clash over key nuclear weapons and nonproliferation issues.
Supporters urge a vote as military amnesty bill hits roadblock in House
(Stars & Stripes) House lawmakers and undocumented immigrants rallied Tuesday in front of the Capitol, urging Majority Leader Eric Cantor to drop opposition to a 2015 defense bill amendment granting citizenship to those who live in the country illegally if they serve in the military.
Senate to reject base closures
(The Hill) The Senate Armed Services Committee will reject a new round of military base closures, according to leaders of the panel's subcommittee on military readiness and management.
Drone Combat: Program Caught in Intel-Military Tug of War
(Defense News) An old-fashioned turf war is brewing in the US Senate over one of the country's most controversial counterterrorism tools: control over America's armed drone program.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
US Special Ops Commanders: We Need ISR in Africa, Comms in Arctic
(Defense News) A group of US special operations leaders outlined what capabilities their troops will need in the coming years here today, focusing mostly on intelligence gathering technologies in places like Africa and the Arctic.
Conference official hints at McRaven's departure
(Tampa Tribune) He said the 2014 SOFIC conference "might be the last" for McRaven as commander of SOCOM, which is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base.
Four DARPA Projects That Could Be Bigger Than The Internet
(DefenseOne) Forty years ago, a group of researchers with military money set out to test the wacky idea of making computers talk to one another in a new way, using digital information packets that could be traded among multiple machines rather than telephonic, point-to-point circuit relays. The project, called ARPANET, went on to fundamentally change life on Earth under its more common name, the Internet.
Celeb Chef Robert Irvine to Open Restaurant at the Pentagon?
(Intercepts) Rumors are swirling that celebrity chef Robert Irvine - host of Food Network's Restaurant: Impossible - is opening a new eatery in the Pentagon.
United Airlines settles USERRA case for $6M
(Military Times) United Airlines has agreed to a $6 million settlement with Reserve component service members who said the company was underpaying pension benefits to employees who mobilized for duty in the National Guard and reserves.
ARMY
Fifth BCT this year shuts down on Wednesday
(Army Times) Third Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division will case its colors during a ceremony Wednesday at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Why Ground Forces? Army Leaders Seek to Clear Up 'Misconceptions'
(National Defense) As the Army fights an uphill battle on Capitol Hill to avert deep budget cuts in 2016, it is also mounting a public-relations campaign against pundits and analysts who downplay the value of land forces.
Plea deal offered to former Fort Drum soldier charged in infant death
(Watertown Daily Times) The former Fort Drum soldier charged with murdering his ex-fiancee's infant got a plea deal Monday to avoid a potential life sentence.
U.S. Army Forces Command's top noncommissioned officer poised to join unit
(Fayetteville Observer) Command Sgt. Maj. Scott C. Schroeder will move to the Fort Bragg-based command from his current position as command sergeant major of Fort Hood, Texas, and the III Corps, according to officials.
NAVY
Fleet Forces' top ship slated for lay-up
(Navy Times) The cruiser Gettysburg earned this year's Battenberg Cup for the ship with the best all-around crew achievement in the Atlantic Fleet, now known as Fleet Forces Command. The Gettysburg earned the honor for qualifying 99 percent of its petty officers as enlisted surface warfare specialists, as well as all its junior officers as underway officers of the deck. The ship set the goal of having all the petty officers second class ESWS qualified, said Capt. Brad Cooper, the cruiser's skipper, in a May 15 phone interview.
Navy skipper faulted in fatal crash
(San Diego Union Tribune) A Navy investigation released Monday lays some blame on the former skipper of a San Diego destroyer for a September helicopter crash that killed two pilots.
Top Navy SEAL's life advice: 'Make your bed'
(Navy Times) Adm. Bill McRaven is a badass - and fount of good advice. Head of the U.S. Special Operations Command, he is a 36-year SEAL who has been at the tip of the spear in the war on terror since 2001. He has commanded a squadron in the fabled Naval Special Warfare Development Group, better known as SEAL Team Six, and he oversaw planning and execution of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Adultery led to Va. base enlisted leader's ouster
(Associated Press) The top enlisted leader at a Navy base in Virginia Beach was relieved of his duties after acknowledging he committed adultery, according to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
DDG deploys on short cruise to Europe
(Navy Times) The destroyer Oscar Austin is heading over to Russia's front yard. The ship deployed Tuesday from Naval Station Norfolk to join this year's Baltic Operations exercise, or BALTOPS, and to join in the seventieth anniversary of the D-Day landings. The Oscar Austin will then conduct exercises with the Norwegian navy, and join 6th Fleet's amphibious command ship Mount Whitney in the Baltic Sea for the larger exercise, Naval Surface Force Atlantic said in a Tuesday release.
Navy petty officer admits accepting bribe from Singapore company
(Los Angeles Times) Petty Officer 1st-class Daniel Layug, 27, is the third defendant to plead guilty in a bribery scandal involving Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia, a firm that for decades provided services to Navy ships at Asia-Pacific ports.
White House doubles down on cruiser lay-up plan
(Navy Times) The Obama administration is none-too-pleased with a House subcommittee's changes to an annual defense spending bill, including revisions to Navy plans and budgets that affect sailors.
Ex-Truman sailor pleads guilty in Navy hacking case
(Associated Press) Two men accused of conspiring to hack into the computer systems of the Navy have each pleaded guilty in Tulsa federal court.
AIR FORCE
B-52s get communications upgrade
(C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Air Force has begun upgrading the communications and computers of its B-52 fleet.
Air Force facing shortage of researchers due to retirements
(Dayton Daily News) The number of scientists and engineers retiring at the Air Force's top science research agency has doubled in the last five years, and defense experts say the trend could lead to a shortage because a growing number of highly trained workers are eligible to leave.
World War II aircrew one step closer to Congressional Gold Medal
(Air Force Times) The House passed a measure Monday that would bestow the Congressional Gold Medal on the famed Doolittle Raiders for their "outstanding heroism, valor, skill and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo" during World War II.
$58.46 million later, Pope ready for planes that may never come
(Fayetteville Observer) For Col. Sharon Johnson and her fellow airmen at Pope Field, the post's hangars are a point of pride.
MARINE CORPS
Body found in search for Marine who fell during Osprey training flight
(WRAL) The body of a Marine who fell from an MV-22 Osprey aircraft Monday evening during a training flight near White Lake was recovered Tuesday evening after an exhaustive search by more than 1,000 military and law enforcement personnel.
Marines step up with college money for 'strong young woman'
(Free Lance-Star) The Marine Corps came to Lexy Quance's rescue Monday, awarding her a $10,000 college scholarship that she can renew for three years as long as her grades are good.
Teen admits to fatal crash
(The Citizens' Voice) Tyler Duda walked into a courtroom Monday afternoon and admitted he did it. But that wasn't enough for the family of 59-year-old Nickolas Zurilla, a pedestrian cut into three pieces last summer when Duda took his mother's car out for a joyride in the middle of the night.
31st MEU CO steps down, inquiry into leadership style continues
(Marine Corps Times) The commander of the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit resigned on Tuesday amid allegations that he created a hostile work environment within the unit's headquarters element, leading to a loss of trust in his ability to lead the amphibious force.
VETERANS
IG: VA investigations expanded to 26 facilities
(Associated Press) The number of VA facilities under investigation after complaints about falsified records and treatment delays has more than doubled in recent days, the Office of Inspector General at the Veterans Affairs Department said late Tuesday.
How a backlogged VA determines the true cost of war
(Washington Post) It had taken a while, but Army Staff Sgt. Sam Shockley had meticulously compiled a list of all of his war wounds, including his diminished memory, only to leave it sitting in his bedroom as he went rushing off to his appointment.
Why Is Shinseki Refusing More Authority To Fire VA Employees?
(DefenseOne) Firing a government employee isn't always easy. Firing Veterans Affairs executives amid a scandal-ridden agency record of incompetency might get a little easier, though.
Idaho Navy veteran has one goal: To be interred beside her wife
(McClatchy) Taylor is 74 years old, a veteran, widow and church deacon. She wanted to register for a niche in the columbarium, wanted her service to her country honored, her marriage vows celebrated.
SC law criminalizes lying about military service
(The State in Columbia, S.C.) A new South Carolina law makes it a crime for someone to falsely claim military service for personal profit.
Miami VA Whistleblower Exposes Drug Dealing, Theft, Abuse
(WBFS-TV) When asked why he would risk his job and speak publicly, Detective Thomas Fiore considered the question carefully before answering.
MIDDLE EAST
About 6,000 U.S. troops headed to Jordan for military exercise
(Military Times) Roughly 6,000 U.S. troops will take part in this year's "Eager Lion" exercise in Jordan from May 25 to June 8, a Defense Department spokesman said.
Aleppo's most wanted man - the rebel leader behind tunnel bombs
(The Guardian) The most wanted man in Aleppo is feeling satisfied. Less than a week before, he had helped pack the last of 25 tonnes of explosives into a tunnel dug under a hotel and filled with Syrian troops.
ISIS names Danish, French suicide bombers killed in 'Ninewa Division'
(Small Wars Journal) The Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham, a former al Qaeda affiliate that operates in Iraq and Syria, recently praised six foreign suicide bombers who were killed in attacks in its "Ninewa Division." The six fighters were from France, Denmark, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.
Syrian Fighting Gives Hezbollah New but Diffuse Purpose
(New York Times) For many months, Shiite communities across Lebanon lived in fear as car bombs tore through their neighborhoods, punishing Hezbollah and its supporters for sending fighters to aid President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war in neighboring Syria.
EUROPE
Aircraft sent to Italy for possible Libya evacuation
(Stars & Stripes) A Marine crisis-response team has deployed additional aircraft to Sicily as it awaits orders for a possible evacuation of American officials in Libya.
U.S. applies sanctions against 10 more Russians in Magnitsky case
(Washington Post) The Obama administration on Tuesday accused Russian doctors, prison officials and others of complicity in the death of a lawyer whose case has come to symbolize human rights abuses in Russia, reversing course after earlier declining to apply new sanctions for fear of angering the Kremlin.
Ukraine's hobbled navy: 'Times are not the best'
(Associated Press) Ukraine's navy is in Odessa's harbor, though it can be hard to spot.
Ukraine's military and pro-Russian separatists face shortcomings in their fight in restive east
(Washington Post) At a frontline post near pro-Russian rebels, a Ukrainian military unit gave off a vibe that did not exactly convey a readiness to fight.
White House accuses Russia of anti-U.S. propaganda war in Ukraine
(Los Angeles Times) The Obama administration's dispute with the Kremlin over the unrest in Ukraine has turned to a new controversy: whether heavily armed men in a grainy image are trigger-happy American mercenaries in Ukraine or a police SWAT team in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
AFRICA
Offensive in Libya by former Gadhafi general aimed at breaking Islamist control
(McClatchy) A former general in Moammar Gadhafi's army who defected to the United States nearly three decades ago has launched an unexpected offensive against Islamist militias in Libya _ a development that appears to have broken the stalemate that left the militias in charge in much of the country
Bombings sow fear and reveal Boko Haram's increasing reach across Nigeria
(Washington Post) While world attention remains riveted on the drama of 276 schoolgirls missing since their abduction by a violent Islamist sect in mid-April, scattered bombings in the month since - including twin car blasts Tuesday that killed at least 118 people in the city of Jos - have spread alarm across the country and raised new concerns about tensions between Christians and Muslims in this diverse nation of 175 million.
Uganda Calls for Urgent Deployment of Troops in South Sudan
(Wall Street Journal) Uganda's military chief called for an urgent deployment of regional troops to enforce a faltering cease-fire in war-torn South Sudan, where Ugandan troops are helping the country's beleaguered President Salva Kiir try to end a five-month conflict.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Satellite Shows 'Rapid Pace' of Work at North Korea Missile Site
(Global Security Newswire) A new image analysis suggests that North Korea has dramatically sped up the pace of work on construction projects at its main missile launch site.
China vents outrage over U.S. cyberspying indictment
(Washington Post) Outraged by U.S. cyberspying charges against members of a secretive Chinese military unit, China summoned the U.S. ambassador in Beijing for a dressing down, state media said Tuesday, and the Defense Ministry blasted the U.S. accusations as hypocritical.
After Martial Law Declaration, Thailand Waits for General's Next Move
(Wall Street Journal) A day after Thailand's military imposed nationwide martial law, the country faced uncertainty over whether a coup d'etat was imminent or if its civilian leaders could broker a deal to end months of bitter and often violent feuding.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Not Every Flattop Is an Aircraft Carrier
(Bryan McGrath in Real Clear Defense) The debate over refueling the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73), prompted recently by the Obama administration in its FY15 budget submission, has raised larger questions about the size and shape of the Navy's power projection fleet.
U.S. Drones are from Mars, Euro Drones are From Venus
(Ulrike Franke in War on the Rocks) Two years ago, on the way to a conference, I found myself sitting next to a gender studies professor on the plane. When I told him about my research, he asked: "What gender do you think drones have?" I did not know how to respond at the time, never having asked myself that question and never having been overly convinced of the need to 'gender study' everything.
Heads need to roll at the VA
( Eugene Robinson in The Washington Post) Finally, an authentic scandal: incompetence and deception at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Given what we know so far, more heads need to roll - and a criminal investigation should be launched.
Emergency Operator
(John Dickerson in Slate) The story of trouble at the Department of Veterans Affairs is a familiar one: A political firestorm erupts, and firings are called for. Hearings are held. Outrage is produced. Pundits want to know what the president is going to do. Interested parties say he is moving too slowly. T
State of Jihad: The Reality of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
(Douglas A. Ollivant and Brian Fishman in War on the Rocks) Out of the crucible of the Syrian civil war and the discontent in Iraq's Sunni regions, something new is emerging. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is no longer a state in name only.* It is a physical, if extra-legal, reality on the ground. Unacknowledged by the world community, ISIS has carved a de facto state in the borderlands of Syria and Iraq.
Libya's Growing Risk of Civil War
( Andrew Engel in the Washington Institute) Long-simmering tensions between non-Islamist and Islamist forces have boiled over into military actions centered around Benghazi and Tripoli, entrenching the country's rival alliances and bringing them ever closer to civil war.
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