| November 19, 2014 |
THE 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. SIGAR: Pentagon's Economic Development in Afghanistan 'Accomplished Nothing'
(Defense News) The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says he is investigating the Pentagon's efforts to spark that country's economic development, which cost between $700 million and $800 million and "accomplished nothing."
2. Special Report: In Pentagon deal with Russians, big profit for tiny Florida firm
(Reuters) For months, a powerful U.S. senator has been pushing for details of a murky deal under which a Russian manufacturer supplies the rocket engines used to launch America's spy satellites into space.
3. War Is No Video Game - Not Even Remotely
(Scott Swanson in Breaking Defense) Flying a Predator drone in combat is nothing like playing a video game. Take it from me, the first person to pull the trigger in a lethal missile strike from a Predator.
4. U.S. Agencies Review Policy On Hostages
(New York Times) The Obama administration confirmed on Tuesday that it was reviewing its policy on securing the release of United States citizens taken hostage abroad, but that the ban on paying ransom would not change.
5. GOP Steering Committee Selects Rep. Thornberry as Next HASC Chairman
(Defense News) Top House Republicans want Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry to take over in January as House Armed Services Committee chairman, a move that would put a defense-sector ally atop the military oversight panel.
CONGRESS Levin Says NDAA Conferees 'Not There Yet,' But Still Hopeful
(Defense News) US House and Senate members hammering out a Pentagon policy bill are "not there yet," says one of the conference committee's leaders.
AUMF's chances shrink in lame duck
(The Hill) Prospects for congressional passage of a new authorization of military force (AUMF) against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are dwindling.
Rep. Jones on Islamic State Conflict: 'Tell Me How You Will Pay for It'
(Defense News) The United States is spending $300,000 per hour bombing Islamic State group targets in Iraq and Syria, says one senior House Armed Services Committee member.
Levin: Pentagon to 'speed up' training of Syrian rebels
(The Hill) The Pentagon is accelerating plans to train and equip vetted Syrian rebel groups against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Issue Tracker: Sizing Up the Lame Duck
(Defense News) Lawmakers returned last week to a lack of consensus on just how two "must-pass" defense bills would be completed by the time both chambers leave next month, marking the end of the 113th Congress.
ISLAMIC STATE U.S. forces already advising Iraqi forces in Anbar province
(Reuters) American forces have begun advising Iraqi troops in the western Anbar province, the top U.S. general told Reuters, in a faster-than-expected expansion of an operation that is central to its campaign against Islamic State.
UK Reapers Up the Intensity Against IS in Iraq
(Defense News) Missile strikes by British Reapers against Islamic State targets in Iraq are increasing in intensity, the Royal Air Force reported Tuesday.
ISIS and the Intimate Kill
(The Atlantic) The Islamic State has made violence look easy. That's what makes the group so terrifying.
Moderate Syrian rebels say they're advancing on Damascus from south
(McClatchy) Rebel groups based in southern Syria are advancing on the western suburbs of Damascus and warning they might soon enter the capital, a development that's in sharp contrast to the grim reports from northern Syria, where moderate rebels have suffered setbacks from the government and radical Islamists.
Refugee wave from Syria and Iraq now a 'mega crisis,' U.N. official says
(Washington Post) The crises in Syria and Iraq have caused a flood of refugees that could destabilize neighboring countries and pose a threat to countries around the world, the senior refu-gee official for the United Nations said Monday.
INDUSTRY KF-16 Fallout: BAE Cuts 191 Jobs
(Defense News) BAE Systems has laid off 191 employees at a Fort Worth, Texas, facility as part of the continuing fallout from South Korea's cancellation of a contract to upgrade its fleet of F-16 fighters.
JSTARS Contractor Joins Modernization Competition
(National Defense) Northrop Grumman is jumping into the fray of the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System recapitalization program to replace the Air Force's premier surveillance and targeting aircraft. The service wants to buy new airframes equipped with the latest software, sensors and computing systems, with four becoming operational as early as fiscal year 2022.
McKinley Named President, CEO at NDIA
(Defense News) The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) announced today that retired US Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley will take over as president and CEO on Jan. 1.
Military Simulation Market to Remain Flat
(National Defense) Despite sharp military spending cuts in the United States and most NATO countries, the market for training equipment and services will stay relatively flat, according to analysts. But contractors in this sector, especially in the United States, face a bumpy road ahead as the Pentagon puts programs on hold and waits for Washington to settle budget disputes.
MDA Aims for 2020 Fielding of Redesigned Kill Vehicle
(Defense News) Deployed in 2004 as a bulwark against North Korea's missile program, the original exoatmospheric kill vehicle (EKV) was rushed into development and fielded as a prototype. But the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is seeking a redesigned EKV that is more reliable, and easier to produce, likely for fielding in 2020.
Navy wants littoral warship IR sensors
(C4ISR & Networks) The Navy is looking for new infrared sensors for warships operating in littoral waters.
Textron Starts Work on New Navy Hovercraft
(USNI News) Work started Monday on the first of 73 planned hovercraft slated to replace the service's aging Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) landing craft, Naval Sea Systems Command announced.
Gun Maker Colt Strikes Deal to Avoid Year-End Default
(Wall Street Journal) Gun manufacturer Colt Defense LLC has struck an 11th-hour deal with Morgan Stanley that removes the immediate threat of default and allows the company to make a November payment to its bondholders.
India Removes IMI From Blacklist
(Defense News) India has quietly lifted a ban on Israeli Military Industries (IMI), paving the way for negotiating new defense projects with the Israeli company, a Defence Ministry source said.
Brazil requires 'at least' 108 Gripen fighters
(IHS Jane's 360) The Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira: FAB) expects to field "at least" 108 Saab Gripen E/F combat aircraft by the time deliveries are complete, a senior service official disclosed on 18 November.
Action Pending on AESA Radar for Typhoon
(Defense News) The four nations behind development of the Typhoon fighter are expected to announce they are moving ahead with a program to fit an active electronically scanned array (AESA) to the jet when the Eurofighter partner nations' ministerial meeting takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, Wednesday.
Nigeria wants to procure Scorpion ISR and light attack jet
(IHS Jane's 360) Nigeria is considering acquiring the Textron AirLand Scorpion light strike and surveillance jet as it looks to combat Islamist militants operating within its borders, a senior air force official disclosed on 18 November.
RAF To Be Equipped With Bunker Busting Version of Paveway IV
(Defense News) British combat jets are on course to be armed with a new bunker busting version of the Paveway IV precision guided bomb.
Belgium Receives Last NH90 Troop Transport Helicopter
(Aviation Week) The last of four NH90 troop transport helicopters ordered by Belgium, designated RN08, was handed over in Marignane, France, Nov. 13.
Canada Rethinking Opposition to MD Systems
(Defense News) Once cautious about involvement in missile defense, Canada's military and government are slowly, but steadily, moving to a position where they could play a role in both ground-based and maritime systems.
VETERANS DoD, VA suicide prevention efforts on Capitol Hill
(Military Times) A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Monday designed to improve access to mental health services for troops and veterans and strengthen the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments' suicide prevention efforts.
Watchdog: VA Still Not Doing Enough To Address IT Vulnerabilities
(NextGov) The Department of Veterans Affairs information security weaknesses are again in the crosshairs of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
Tactical Veteran: Smart tools for job searches
(Military Times) Social media are an inextricable aspect of our lives these days, helping us to stay connected with friends and family across the world - and also giving us a chance to get recognized by an employer looking to hire.
Before Buying New Scheduling System, VA Plans to Kick the Tires
(NextGov) Six months after revelations of lengthy wait times faced by veterans seeking care embroiled the Department of Veterans Affairs in scandal, the agency is putting the finishing touches on its proposed shopping list for buying updated scheduling software.
Vets vocal group 4TROOPS auditioning new members
(Military Times) Does performing and touring with a veterans' vocal group strike a chord with you?
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Hagel says putting women in combat jobs is important, but not easy
(Military Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said integrating women into combat units is "not easy" but is an important change that will ultimately strengthen the force.
Pentagon's Preparing a Budget Plan Exceeding Sequestration Cuts
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon expects to submit a five-year budget that will violate mandatory spending caps for the second consecutive year, according to the Defense Department's comptroller.
Big data takes a strategic turn at DoD
(C4ISR & Networks) Sophisticated big data reporting, analysis, visualization, integration and development tools are essential for turning ever-growing mountains of intelligence data into useful, collaborative information that can be efficiently distributed to parties across the military and intelligence communities.
U.S. troops in Europe told not to wear uniforms off base
(Military Times) U.S. troops in Europe are ditching their camouflage uniforms in order to blend in more with the locals.
Former military officer counsels police on restraint
(USA Today) Jim Lechner spent decades in the military, serving in Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq, among other places.
ARMY Aviator sues Army over lesbian-kiss fallout
(Army Times) The 2012 incident that could lead to the end of a decorated lieutenant colonel's career involved a lesbian kiss and a broken nose, according to Army investigators.
Local soldier murdered on deployment?
(San Diego Union-Tribune) A fellow soldier has been charged with murder in the shooting of a San Diego County infantryman who died on deployment to Jordan, the Army said Tuesday.
Article 32 done, colonel awaits court-martial ruling
(Army Times) A senior Army National Guard officer charged with knowingly exposing a woman to HIV by having unprotected sex now waits to learn if he will face a court-martial.
Military court weighing fate of condemned soldier
(Associated Press) A former U.S. soldier sentenced to death for killing two fellow soldiers and injuring 14 others in an attack in Kuwait is pinning his hopes of staying alive on an argument jurors should have never seen his diary.
Local soldier's wife was stabbed in neck, torso
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) An Army wife whose body was found at Aliamanu Military Reservation over the weekend was stabbed in the neck and torso, the Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office said Tuesday.
Boost your GT score, save your career
(Army Times) As the Army gets smaller, and the competition to remain on active duty increases, Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler offers his No. 1 piece of advice for staying in uniform: Improve that GT score.
Pacific Pathways to Expand Army's Presence in Region
(National Defense) From September to November, soldiers based in Washington and Hawaii cut a swath through Asia with stops at Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan to conduct training with local forces.
December promotions authorized for Regular Army officers
(Army Times) Orders authorizing December promotions have been authorized to chief warrant officer two through colonel by the Human Resources Command for these Regular Army officers
Steel Mags share their mettle
(Military Times) Louise Cantrell lost her entire family - her Green Beret husband, Edward Cantrell, and their two little girls - in a house fire in 2012.
Reserve PME selections announced
(Army Times) The following Army Reserve officers, warrant officers and senior noncommissioned officers have been selected as principals and alternates for additional professional military education courses in fiscal 2015:
NAVY Navy secretary racks up 930K miles in world travel
(Associated Press) The Navy secretary has spent more than a full year of his five-year tenure on overseas travel, racking up more than 930,000 miles on trips that cost taxpayers more than $4.7 million.
Deployed sailors, Marines get free phone cards for holidays
(Navy Times) Sailors and Marines deployed with more than 70 units and those forward-deployed to overseas ports during the holidays will receive free $10 prepaid phone cards.
Bold Alligator Wargame Goes Off-Script, On Purpose
(Breaking Defense) 17 warships and two submarines. Thousands of personnel from 19 countries. Billions of dollars of high-tech hardware. Months of planning. But sometimes you still have to improvise.
Detention hearing for man accused of assault at Sub Base gate is postponed
(The Day; New London, Conn.) The detention hearing for Gary Ray Brunache, 35, the Norwich man charged for his role in a Nov. 13 incident at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, has been rescheduled to Nov. 25 at 11 a.m.
TV's 'The Last Ship' will film on Mercy
(San Diego Union-Tribune) If you see fireworks and smoke over San Diego Bay this week, it is only a product of Hollywood.
AIR FORCE Air Force ISR mission grows with threats from Islamic State
(Air Force Times) The demand for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions has increased across combatant commands from a tolerable level in the last few years to more frequent and in-depth requirements in recent months.
Simulation Technology Offers Aircrews Enhanced Training Opportunities
(National Defense) Simulators have long provided pilots with the basic training needed to learn the art of flying. Now, industry leaders are taking flight simulation to higher levels, creating entire new realities for pilots.
Air Force sends F-22s to Japan for deterrence exercise
(Air Force Times) The Air Force sent its most advanced stealth fighter to Japan this month to fly in a training exercise aimed at deterrence and maintaining security in the region.
Air Force secretary expected to visit Guam
(Pacific Daily News) Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James will visit Guam as part of her first tour of U.S. bases in the Asia-Pacific region since becoming the branch's top boss, The Associated Press reported.
First sergeant initial tours increase from three to four years
(Air Force Times) Beginning next year, the initial tours for Air Force first sergeants will increase from three years to four.
MARINE CORPS High Water-Speed Still a Priority for Marine Corps' Amphibious Assault Vehicle
(National Defense) The Marine Corps spent $3.5 billion and 25 years developing an amphibious assault vehicle that can skim on top of the water at high speeds. Even though four of its attempts floundered, the service has not given up on creating a vehicle with that capability, officials said Nov. 17.
Corps investigates death of Okinawa-based Marine
(Marine Corps Times) A Japan-based Marine was pronounced dead Tuesday morning after he was found unresponsive in his Okinawa barracks.
Charges filed against Marine; accused of sex with a minor
(Yuma Sun; Ariz.) A criminal complaint was filed Monday afternoon in Yuma Justice Court against the Marine from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, who was also a coach at an area school, charging him with three felony offenses.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN SIGAR to review Afghan Super Tucano program
(IHS Jane's 360) A US Air Force program to provide 20 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to the Afghan Air Force (AAF) is to be investigated by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
US military continues to claim al Qaeda is 'restricted' to 'isolated areas of northeastern Afghanistan'
(Long War Journal) A recently issued report on the status of Afghanistan by the US Department of Defense has described al Qaeda as being primarily confined to "isolated areas of northeastern Afghanistan." But information on Afghan military and intelligence operations against the global jihadist group contradicts the US military's assessment.
Sartaj Aziz statement on militant groups taken out of context: FO
(Dawn; Pakistan) A day earlier, Aziz told BBC Urdu in an interview that Pakistan was not going to target militant groups that do not "pose a threat to the state" - a statement that received harsh criticism by political rivals and on social media. The country's premier spy agency has long been accused of harbouring the "good" and "bad" Taliban narrative.
MIDDLE EAST With killings in Jerusalem, prospect of U.S.-sponsored talks dims further
(Washington Post) The dim prospect that U.S.-sponsored talks between Israelis and Palestinians could be resumed any time soon faded almost completely Tuesday after the bloody attack in a Jerusalem synagogue where five people, including three Americans, were killed by two Palestinian wielding knives and axes.
In Jerusalem's 'War of Neighbors,' the Differences Are Not Negotiable
(New York Times) Amid the condemnations from all corners of Tuesday's deadly attack at a Jerusalem synagogue, there were also disturbing signs of celebration. A cartoon of a bloody meat cleaver like the one used in the attack that killed four Orthodox Jews circulated on social media. Residents of the Gaza Strip paraded in the streets singing victory songs, giving out candy, waving flags.
Hours after Netanyahu vow, family home of an attacker demolished
(Los Angeles Times) Israel said early Wednesday its forces had demolished the family home of an east Jerusalem Palestinian man who had used his vehicle to ram a crowd of pedestrians at a tram stop last month. The overnight demolition revived a controversial practice that had largely been abandoned in recent years.
Egypt Will Expand Its Security Zone Near Gaza Strip
(New York Times) Egypt's military said on Monday that it intended to double the size of a secured buffer zone in a town bordering the Gaza Strip after discovering smuggling tunnels across the frontier that were longer than expected, according to state news media.
EUROPE Poland, Romania Eye Intensified Cooperation With United States
(Defense News) As the conflict in Ukraine continues to upset the security balance in Eastern Europe, the governments in Poland and Romania are increasingly eager to establish the US Aegis Ashore missile defense system and provide ballistic missile coverage against Russia for eastern and southern NATO members.
NATO leader sees 'serious military buildup' in Ukraine
(Reuters) NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg denounced on Tuesday what he called a serious Russian military buildup both inside Ukraine and on the Russian side of the border and urged Moscow to pull back its troops.
Vice President Biden to Visit Ukraine
(Voice of America) U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has left Washington for a five day trip that will include talks with leaders in Ukraine later this week.
ASIA-PACIFIC Japan To Focus on Atago, PAC-3 Upgrades
(Defense News) Japan's ballistic missile defense (BMD) plans revolve around bolstering its Aegis-based fleet and upgrading its Patriot capabilities to counter a still-limited threat from North Korea.
Philippines announces plan to spend USD2 billion on procurement
(IHS Jane's 360) Philippine President Benigno Aquino has outlined an intention to spend PHP91 billion (USD2 billion) on defence procurement before 2017.
As government building is stormed, Hong Kong protesters debate the endgame
(Washington Post) It began with a bang - with tear gas, rubber bullets and baton-wielding police charging at student demonstrators.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS A New Era for the Defense Department
(Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Defense One) Today, the Defense Department is undergoing a defining time of transition. After 13 years of war fought by an all-volunteer force, we are reshaping our defense enterprise to adapt for a fiscal environment plagued by perpetual uncertainty and shrinking resources, and to contend with an historic realignment of interests and influences around the world.
Imperfect Union: The Constitution Didn't Foresee Divided Government
(Garrett Epps in The Atlantic) Watching the battle between Obama and a Republican Congress for two years may shake Americans' faith in the Framers.
Iran Nuclear Talks a Win-Win for Tehran, Washington
(Joseph Sarkisian in Cicero Magazine) As the P5+1 talks with Iran drudge along toward a tentative agreement, it makes sense to throw out conventional ideas of what successful rapprochement looks like. In fact, piecemeal diplomatic progress that has come out of this legitimate attempt at conflict resolution could lead to unexpected wins for both sides.
Why It's Too Early to Forget About Ebola
(Sophie Novack in National Journal) The panic that gripped the country following four diagnoses of the virus in the United States seems to have faded into a collective amnesia following a three-week period with no new Ebola cases.
African Union Peace Operations: From Rhetoric to Reality
(Stewart M. Patrick in the Council on Foreign Relations) The slogan of "African solutions to African problems" has long been a seductive mantra, attractive to African and Western governments alike. The phrase suggests a new era of continental responsibility in which African countries themselves-rather than former colonial powers, the United States, or even the United Nations (UN)-play a bigger role in delivering regional peace and security. The vision of a self-confident, united, and capable Africa has obvious attractions on the continent. But it also appeals to Washington, which increasingly views instability and violence within Africa's many fragile states as enabling conditions for terrorists and violent extremists ranging from Boko Haram to al-Shabab to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
A Ticket to Turkey and a Desire to Fight: Why Some Foreign Fighters Travel to Syria
(Chelsea Daymon in Small Wars Journal) In recent months the ongoing violence in Iraq and Syria perpetrated by the Islamic State (IS), otherwise known at the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL), and other groups such as Ahrar ash-Sham, al-Qaeda's (AQ) Jabhat al-Nusra Front, and what could be termed its AQ co-affiliate, the Khurasan Group have grabbed the attentions of Western, European and Middle Eastern nations alike. Putting aside the brutality, the daily attacks, and ongoing skirmishes between battling groups, this epic battle in Syria and more recently Iraq, has created a phenomenon which is not new to insurgencies and civil wars yet has been greatly amplified and incubated in the current Levantine theatre.
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