TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Report: Blue Angels boss tolerated porn, lewdness
(Navy Times) Capt. Gregory McWherter served not once, but twice, as commanding officer of the Navy's elite flight demonstration squadron. His first tour seemed to go smoothly, according to a Pacific Fleet investigation released Tuesday, but something went awry when he returned to replace an ousted CO in 2011.
2. Russian Jet Flew Within 100 Feet of US Aircraft, Official Says
(Defense News) At the height of recent tensions between the US and Russia in April, an armed Russian fighter jet flew within 100 feet of a US Air Force RC-135U and taunted the intelligence-gathering aircraft with an aggressive maneuver over international waters north of Japan, the Pentagon acknowledged for the first time Tuesday.
3. We need more visas, now, for our Afghan allies
(Secretary of State John Kerry in The Los Angeles Times) The way a country winds down a war in a faraway place and stands with those who risked their own safety to help in the fight sends a message to the world that is not soon forgotten.
4. USDI Vickers' Top Threats: Terrorists, Syria, Russian 'Revanchism'
(Breaking Defense) If you want to understand why President Obama spoke so much about terrorism in his widely panned West Point speech, the head of Pentagon intelligence explained it pretty well today.
5. Pentagon seeks $211M repayment from Pratt for accounting issue
(Reuters) The Pentagon is seeking $211 million from engine maker Pratt and Whitney for cost accounting problems on contracts dating back to 2005, according to a report released on Tuesday.
ARMY SGT. BOWE BERGDAHL RELEASED
Sources: Bergdahl may have walked off base more than once
(Military Times) An internal military investigation found that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl intentionally sneaked away from his forward operating base in Afghanistan just before he disappeared in 2009 - and that may not have been the first time he left the post without permission, according to officials familiar with the probe.
Taliban video shows Bowe Bergdahl's release in Afghanistan
(CNN) Dressed in a white shalwar kameez, with a striped shawl draped across his shoulder, the gaunt-looking American looks up at the Blackhawk chopper circling overhead.
Can Bowe Bergdahl Be Tied to 6 Lost Lives? Facts Are Murky
(New York Times) Did the search for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl cost the lives of American soldiers?
Bowe Bergdahl Too Fragile for Desertion Questions, Official Says
(ABC News) Newly freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not being asked about the circumstances of his "capture" by the Taliban, though a note he left at his base back in 2009 could help tell the story, a senior defense official told ABC News today.
Top military officer: Bergdahl case not closed
(Associated Press) The nation's top military officer said Tuesday the Army could still throw the book at Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the young soldier who walked away from his unit in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan and into five years of captivity by the Taliban.
The Bergdahl Bargain Was Just the Beginning
(Foreign Policy) Obama swapped five Taliban for Bowe Bergdahl. What will he trade for the three other Americans being held in Afghanistan?
Hagel called to testify on prisoner swap
(The Hill) House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) has asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to testify on the controversial prisoner trade that freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
Congress Knew the White House Had Considered a Prisoner Swap
(National Journal) The administration floated an exchange for Bergdahl in 2011, and lawmakers pushed back. This time, Obama opted to ask forgiveness instead of permission.
WH apologizes to Senate intel chief for prisoner swap secret
(The Hill) The White House has apologized to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) for failing to alert her in advance of a decision to release Taliban commanders from Guantanamo Bay.
Bergdahl's unit comrades recount his disappearance
(Associated Press) Three former members of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's platoon spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday about Bergdahl's disappearance, his freedom and how he should be treated now that he's out.
Secret Videos Prompted Bowe Bergdahl Taliban Prisoner Swap
(Wall Street Journal) Two secret videos showing rapid deterioration in Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's health persuaded reluctant military and intelligence leaders to back the prisoner swap that has stoked a backlash, officials said Tuesday, as the Army launched a new probe into why the soldier disappeared from base shortly before his capture by the Taliban in 2009.
INDUSTRY
Northrop wins $9.9 bln contract for B-2 bomber sustainment
(Reuters) Northrop Grumman Corp has won a five-year contract valued at up to $9.9 billion from the U.S. Air Force to modernize and support the B-2 stealth bomber, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday.
BAE Adds Suppliers to Type 26 Team
(Defense News) Six equipment suppliers have been added to BAE Systems' Type 26 design team as Britain's naval shipbuilder prepares to put the finishing touches to proposals due to be delivered to the Ministry of Defence this summer to build a new fleet of frigates for the Royal Navy.
Navy Altered Destroyer Upgrades Due to Budget Pressure, Demand for Ships
(USNI News) Budget pressure and an insatiable demand for ships capable of bulls eyeing ballistic missiles drove the Navy to alter its plan to upgrade Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers (DDG-51), officials with the Navy surface warfare policy division (OPNAV N96) told USNI News during a Thursday briefing at the Pentagon.
Cap on contractor exec salary expanded to all DoD, NASA contractor employees
(Federal Times) A cap on contractor executive salary reimbursement rates will be expanded to include almost all contractor employees under Defense Department and NASA contracts, according to a final rule published in the Federal Register May 30.
Northrop Grumman wins COCOM contract
(C4ISR & Networks) Northrop Grumman has won a five-year, $98 million contract to upgrade the Global Adaptive Planning Collaborative Information Environment (GAP CIE).
Lockheed to deliver first of 36 F-16s to Iraq this week
(Reuters) Lockheed Martin Corp this week will deliver the first of 36 F-16 fighter jets to Iraq, marking what Baghdad's envoy to the United States called a "new chapter" in his country's ability to defend its vast borders with Iran and other neighbors.
Avio Space Could Be Sold This Summer
(Defense News) After being held up for months, the sale of Italian satellite launcher builder Avio Space could get underway in July and form a key element in a predicted consolidation of the European launcher market, officials have said.
Indian Navy asks BJP to fund next phase of indigenous carrier build
(IHS Jane's 360) The Indian Navy (IN) is seeking INR160 billion (USD2.66 billion) over the next 2-3 years from the newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to resume construction of the Project 71 indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC)
India's Air Force Modernization Worries Rival Pakistan
(National Defense) The country is on the cusp of a $20 billion deal to purchase nearly 130 Dassault Rafale fighter jets that could be signed within three months, according to media reports. At 1,500 aircraft, the fleet would be 30 percent bigger than its Pakistani counterpart.
Qatar to buy stake in BMC
(IHS Jane's 360) The Qatar Armed Forces Industry Committee (AFIC) has applied to Turkey's Competition Board (RK) to acquire 49% of commercial and military vehicle manufacturer BMC from local finance house ES Mali Yatirim (ES Financial Investment), RK announced on its website on 2 June.
Lawmakers: Sequestration, End of Arms Buys Could Weaken US Industrial Base
(Defense News) US House members are worried about the impact of sequestration cuts and the scheduled end of some major weapon buys, warning the dual hit could damage the defense industrial base.
BMT reveals 5% growth in 2013
(IHS Jane's 360) UK-based naval design and engineering company BMT Group Ltd has announced 2013 revenues of GBP163.3 million (USD273.6 million) and underlying operating profits of GBP11.3 million in a statement on its financial performance, released on 2 June.
Philippine MPA RfP piques interest of four firms
(IHS Jane's 360) Four foreign firms have shown interest in a PHP5.976 billion (USD136 million) programme to provide two long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
VETERANS
Interim VA secretary rolls up his sleeves on care
(The Hill) The interim head of the Veterans Affairs Department promised on Monday to root out the systemic fraud that has plagued the agency's nationwide healthcare system.
Despite scandal, VA changes will be hard to enact
(Military Times) Lawmakers from both parties want major changes in how the Veterans Affairs Department operates - and that will make it difficult to enact any changes at all.
Bill would let VA secretary fire execs, revamp hiring authority
(Federal Times) The Veterans Affairs Department secretary would be able to fire senior executives and the agency would receive new hiring authorities and emergency funding under legislation announced June 1.
Shaheen introduces VA fix bill
(The Hill) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced a bill Tuesday that aims to address mismanagement within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Lawmaker wants vets to be able to seek private care without pre-approval
(Military Times) A congresswoman who served in Iraq wants the Veterans Affairs Department to let veterans seek medical care from private physicians without needing approval from the VA first.
CONGRESS
Sen. Durbin: Early July Is 'Goal' for Defense Spending Bill
(Defense News) US Senate appropriators are aiming to take up their 2015 Pentagon spending measure just after Independence Day, says Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.
Durbin backs delay to DOD immigration rule
(The Hill) Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Tuesday said he supports the White House's move to delay plans for allowing more illegal immigrants to serve in the military.
Is Obama's New Counterterror Program Merely 'A Political Talking Point'?
(Defense News) US senators are questioning the need for a new $5 billion program proposed by President Barack Obama to fight al-Qaida and similar groups in North Africa.
Iran Oil-Swap Proposal Prompts Questions on U.S. Sanctions Strategy
(Global Security Newswire) A senior U.S. lawmaker wants the Obama administration to explain how it would respond if Iran and Russia finalize a "sanctions-busting" oil deal.
Senate Intel Committee Close to Cyber Bill Agreement
(Defense News) Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee are just a few provisions away from reaching consensus on a sweeping new cybersecurity bill that would codify how private companies can report suspicious activity, a leading Senate Republican said on Tuesday.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Space Architecture Changes to Boost US Intelligence Gathering
(Defense News) The Pentagon is changing the way it uses its space intelligence-gathering assets, which would give the Defense Department the ability to watch over areas for long periods of time, a senior DoD official said on Tuesday.
Speed Kills: The Case For Hypersonic Weapons
(Breaking Defense) "I believe, today, we could build a Mach 5 cruise missile [with] off-the-shelf materials," said Charles Brink of the Air Force Research Laboratory. "We could go 500 nautical miles in 10 minutes."
Pentagon Funds Development of New Tech for Detecting 'Dirty Bombs'
(National Journal) With its supply of helium running out, the Pentagon is funding research into alternative methods for detecting the presence of possible "dirty bombs."
NSA Chief: Snowden 'Probably Not' Foreign Agent
(Defense News) The head of the US National Security Agency (NSA) said this morning that the scandal surrounding Edward Snowden's revelations about American data mining on global targets is "not what's going to define us" as an institution, though he admitted that he needs "to be more transparent ... I need to be able to tell people what we do and how we do it."
Military Times newspapers not reaching Navy, Marine Corps bases overseas
(Military Times) If you're stationed outside the U.S. and can't find a copy of a Military Times newspaper, here's why: The company that delivers the papers to Navy and Marine Corps bases overseas has gone out of business.
DISA searches for fit with evolving Cyber Command
(Federal Times) As the Defense Department continues to build up its cyber forces, including with the hiring of some 6,000 cyber professionals in the coming months, officials are starting to piece together exactly where the Defense Information Systems Agency will fit in.
ARMY
Special Forces soldier from Fort Bragg killed in Afghanistan
(Fayetteville Observer) A Special Forces soldier from Fort Bragg was killed in Afghanistan on Monday, the Pentagon said.
Fort Hood officials: Shots fired in isolated event
(USA Today) Officials at Fort Hood say an incident of shots fired near an on-post military family housing complex appears to be an isolated incident, according to KVUE television.
Woman testifies about alleged prostitution ring at Fort Hood
(Austin American-Statesman) A former sexual assault prevention officer at Fort Hood faces charges at a hearing today that he set up a prostitution ring that sought to set up cash-strapped female soldiers with higher ranking officers for sex.
Soldiers deploy to France for D-Day anniversary
(Army Times) When throngs of people converge along the beaches of Normandy, France, to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, U.S. soldiers will be there, in dozens of ceremonies and many of them in the most dramatic spectacle on the calendar.
Getting more women into Army leadership
(Washington Post) Major General Marcia Anderson joined the military by accident 35 years ago, when she signed up for a Reserve Officer Training Corps class because she needed a science credit as a student at Creighton University.
Fort Bragg training explosion still under investigation while two soldiers recover
(Fayetteville Observer) Two Fort Bragg soldiers injured on base earlier this year have settled into the routine of recovery.
NAVY
F/A-18 squadron CMC relieved
(Navy Times) The command master chief of an F/A-18E Super Hornet squadron was fired Monday following a captain's mast for conduct issues, according to a Tuesday news release from Naval Air Force Pacific.
Navy Increases On-Board Ship Maintenance
(DoDBuzz) The Navy plans to add more maintenance personnel to ship crews and perform more maintenance activities on-board ships as they are deployed in order to reduce the costs and time needed at the shipyard upon their return, service leaders said.
USS Ross leaves for new home port in Spain
(Navy Times) A U.S. warship that's capable of shooting down ballistic missiles has started its voyage to its new home port in Spain.
Navy Joint Strike Fighter Set for October Tests at Sea
(USNI News) The Lockheed Martin F-35C carrier-based version of the Joint Strike Fighter is making steady progress towards sea-trials onboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in October according to a company official.
US destroyers train with South Korean navy off Korean coast
(Stars & Stripes) The USS Wayne E. Meyer and USS John S. McCain are participating in a training exercise with the South Korean navy off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula this week.
AIR FORCE
2 from Davis-Monthan receive Bronze Stars for valor
(Arizona Daily Star) Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Stringer relived a mission in Afghanistan two years ago in the Helmand River Valley where a blast from an improvised explosive device launched him 40 feet, mangling his lower face, throat and hands .
Divorce rates: Another view of the data
(Air Force Times) Does your job make you more likely to divorce your spouse?
Last U.S. personnel leaving Transit Center at Manas
(Military Times) The last U.S. personnel are expected to leave the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, by the end of the week, a spokesman for Air Forces Central Command said Tuesday.
Deployed airmen to wear new Army camo pattern
(Air Force Times) Deployed airmen will wear the Army's new combat uniform camouflage pattern.
Time in grade, service commitment waivers announced
(Air Force Times) Certain lieutenant colonels have until Feb. 1 to apply for time-in-grade waivers, allowing them to retire with higher retirement pay.
MARINE CORPS
Marine Corps to close its IED detection dogs specialty
(Marine Corps Times) Officials with the Marine Corps military working dog program are looking to find homes for all the service's improvised explosive device-sniffing dogs as the Corps' requirement for these highly trained animals draws to a close.
Marine-turned-actor puts missed chances in past and savors success
(Marine Corps Times) For a while, Adam Driver felt like he was doomed to a life of missed opportunities.
Marine Corps Finds Pentagon's Mobile Plan is No Bargain
(NextGov) When the Marine Corps decided to look outside the Defense Department for secure mobile communication services last year there was really just one reason: cost. And now it seems that the Marines may have discovered a bargain.
White House petition to free Marine from Mexican prison surpasses 100K signatures
(Washington Times) A petition asking President Obama to demand the release of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi from a Mexican prison has surpassed the 100,000 signatures needed for an official White House response.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Afghan Government Wants Full Freedom for Five Taliban Leaders
(Tolo News) The five top Taliban commanders who were released from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for an American prisoner of war have reportedly reached Qatar. Under the deal brokered between the U.S. and the Taliban by Qatar, the released insurgents are to be kept under surveillance in Qatar for one year, but the Afghan government has criticized that arrangement and demanded the men be let loose.
Iran tries to block Afghanistan's opium boom
(Associated Press) In the face of Afghanistan's unprecedented boom in opium production, neighboring Iran is trying to batten down its border to slow down smuggling, building moats, walls and other large-scale projects.
Two military officers among five killed in blast near Rawalpindi
(Dawn.com) Two military officers were killed on Wednesday when a suicide bomber hit their twin cabin vehicle on Fateh Jang road near Rawalpindi, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asim Bajwa said.
Russian arms supplies to Pakistan are not aimed against third countries, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
(RIA Novosti) Russian arms supplies to Pakistan are not aimed against third countries, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
MIDDLE EAST
Arab Leaders Briefed on New Russia Doctrine
(Defense News) Arab officials have been briefed in Moscow on the new emerging Russian national security doctrine, which focuses on the global uprisings and revolutions that have affected the Arab world and other regions like Ukraine.
ISIS suicide bomber kills Anbar Awakening leader
(Long War Journal) A suicide bomber from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham yesterday killed Mohammed Khamis Abu Risha, a senior official in the Anbar Awakening who commanded forces in Ramadi.
After Guantanamo, Freed Detainees Returned to Violence in Syria Battlefields
(Wall Street Journal) A decade ago, the U.S. released three hardened Moroccan militants from Guantanamo and turned them over to the Moroccan government on the assumption they wouldn't return to the battlefield.
Syrian election sends powerful signal of Assad's control
(Washington Post) Syrians voted on in a tightly controlled election Tuesday that reinforced President Bashar al-Assad's tenacious hold on power, underscoring the failure of U.S. policies aimed at inducing him to step down.
Israel Condemns Plan in Washington to Work With New Palestinian Alliance
(New York Times) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that he was "deeply troubled" by the Obama administration's decision to work with the new Palestinian government, signaling new strains in the often rocky relationship between Israel and the United States, two close and critical allies.
EUROPE
More US base consolidations on the way in Europe
(Stars & Stripes) Recommendations for more base closures and consolidations in Europe will be submitted to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in a matter of weeks as part of an ongoing effort to shed unneeded facilities on the Continent, according to the Defense Department.
U.S. reaffirms: No weapons will go to Ukraine
(USA Today) As President Obama prepared to meet with Ukraine's president-elect for the first time Wednesday, the U.S. continued to rule out providing weapons to help Ukraine fight against pro-Russian insurgents.
Ukraine Pushes Back as Rebels Attack in the East
(New York Times) Ukraine's minister of internal affairs said Tuesday that the central government's security forces had begun a new phase of the campaign against separatist fighters in the city of Slovyansk, destroying rebel checkpoints and equipment and engaging in firefights.
Isolation deepens in breakaway Ukrainian region as separatists dream of New Russia
(Washington Post) When separatists here staged a referendum to break away from Ukraine last month, the vote was mocked in Western capitals as a Soviet-style farce.
AFRICA
Rogue Libya general escapes suicide attack at base
(Agence France-Presse) A rogue Libyan general, who has led repeated deadly assaults on jihadists in second city Benghazi, escaped a suicide attack on Wednesday, one of his commanders told AFP.
Islamist militia helps new Libyan PM take office
(Associated Press) Surrounded by an Islamist militia, Libya's newly elected prime minister took office as the country's interim premier vowed Tuesday not to hand over power, the latest crisis to roil the North African nation as a renegade general leads an offensive against Islamists.
Analyst: Counterterrorism Likely Focus of US-Africa Summit
(Voice of America) Africa analyst Bronwyn Bruton said she does not expect to hear a lot about human rights issues during the forthcoming US/Africa leaders' summit in Washington.
Report: 10 generals guilty of arming Boko Haram
(Associated Press) Ten generals and five other senior military officers have been found guilty in courts-martial of providing arms and information to Boko Haram extremists, several Nigerian newspapers said Tuesday, though the military insisted there was no truth in the reports.
ASIA-PACIFIC
TV Shows China Ship Ramming Another Vietnamese Vessel Near Oil Rig
(Wall Street Journal) Vietnam TV showed what it identified as a Chinese ship ramming a Vietnamese vessel on Sunday, in the latest of clashes near a deep-sea drilling platform deployed last month by China in waters off the disputed Paracel Islands.
Vietnam navy receives third TT400TP patrol vessel
(IHS Jane's 360) The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Navy took delivery of its third and final TT400TP-class patrol vessel on 28 May.
Post allowance restored for US civilian workers in South Korea
(Stars & Stripes) The U.S. government has restored the post allowance for Korea-based workers to 20 percent of spendable income after the cost-of-living adjustment was suddenly eliminated last month.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The Mission Goes First: Female Marines and the Infantry
(Marine 2nd Lt J. Emma Stokien in War on the Rocks ) It was recently proposed on WOTR by Colonel Ellen Haring, USAR, that female marine lieutenants be afforded the opportunity to retake the Infantry Officer Course (IOC) and its initial Combat Endurance Test (CET), like many of their male counterparts who have also failed this grueling test.
From Small Unit Leaders to Rugged Diplomats
(Steve Thomas in Real Clear Defense) American foreign policy and its current generation of practitioners suffer from an almost complete lack of understanding of the critical concept of "feasibility" as it relates to statecraft in conflict zones
Our Army's Headed for Collapse
(Douglas Macgregor in Politico) When markets crash, when economic indicators fall by double digits, investors panic, stocks drop like rocks and governments teeter on the brink of collapse. Unable to understand the sudden break in prosperity, the public asks what happened; politicians hold hearings, financial institutions are investigated and, eventually, "too-big-to jail" financial wizards go to prison. At least, that's what happened in the years after the 1929 crash
Snowden and the weakness of typed passwords
(Andrew Borene in C4ISR & Networks) With the flick of his wrist and a few keystrokes, Edward Snowden hand-typed other people's passwords and initiated data downloads in what has become the greatest national security information breach in U.S. history.
Analysis: Blowback from the Syrian jihad has begun
(Analysis: Blowback from the Syrian jihad has begun) As the Obama administration seeks to invest more heavily in training and arming 'vetted, moderate' rebels in Syria's three-year civil war, a conflict that has already claimed over 150,000 lives and drawn the largest-ever concentration of foreign jihadists, the wisdom of this course becomes increasingly questionable.
After Ukraine, Obama Keeps an Eye on the Baltics
(Tara Sonenshine in Defense One) In the wake of the Ukraine election, all eyes are on Russia and President Vladimir Putin for signs of a full withdrawal of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border or an escalation of tensions in and around Kiev.
Is America Returning to Europe?
(Stanley R. Sloan in War on the Rocks) President Obama's request that Congress approve a billion dollar fund to enhance defense in Europe represents two major changes in administration policy. First, it proposes to reverse the "pivot" or "rebalancing" reductions in the U.S. involvement in European security (without removing a fortified focus on Asia). Second, it asks the Congress to provide additional funds at a time when the overall goal is to reduce defense spending.
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