| January 28, 2015 |
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. Panel will propose new military retirement system
(Military Times) The long-awaited report on military compensation set to drop Thursday will propose fundamental changes to military retirement and health care benefits, according to several people familiar with the report.
2. Source: DoD To Request $585B For FY16
(Defense News) The Department of Defense is preparing to submit a $585 billion fiscal 2016 funding request to Congress on Feb. 2, according to a source with knowledge of the budgetary documents.
3. AFRICOM Commander Wants Full Counterinsurgency Plan for Boko Haram
(Defense One) The top commander of U.S. troops in Africa said he would like the U.S. military to do more to fight the terrorist group Boko Haram, but that it's up to Nigerian and U.S. policy officials to decide how much they're willing to change the trajectory of that group's violent stronghold on the region.
4. Mattis Calls on Congress to Halt Guantanamo Prisoner Releases
(DOD Buzz) Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis took a stance Tuesday against the release or transfer of prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba.
5. Army: Bergdahl reports are untrue, no decision made
(Army Times) The Army says there is no truth to media reports claiming a decision has been made to charge Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl with desertion.
CONGRESS Deficit Battle Would Spark GOP-on-GOP Skirmish
(Defense News) The US Senate Budget Committee's chairman wants new federal spending cuts to help reduce the country's "endless supply of debt," setting up a Republican-on-Republican clash.
Thornberry Worried By Uniforms Leaving Military
(Breaking Defense) The new chairman of the House Armed Services Committee sounded pretty sympathetic today to the Navy's plan for a separate budget line to fund a new generation of nuclear missile submarines.
U.A.E. Bid to Buy Unarmed Drones From U.S. Weighed by Congress
(Bloomberg) Lawmakers have tentatively approved a proposal by General Atomics to sell its unarmed Predator drones to the United Arab Emirates, the first sale of the reconnaissance aircraft outside the North Atlantic alliance, U.S. officials said.
Sen. Menendez Alters Course on Iran Sanctions
(Defense News) A key US Democrat wants the Senate to delay approval of an Iran sanctions bill he helped write, arguing he now is willing to give Tehran one more chance.
Gowdy Vows to 'Ratchet up' Benghazi Investigation
(Associated Press) The chairman of a special House committee investigating the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, promised Tuesday to "ratchet up" an inquiry he said is being hobbled by resistance from the Obama administration.
Next Up for US Senate: DHS-Funding Bill
(Defense News) US Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday the chamber will move to a Homeland Security bill with billions for defense firms after finishing the Keystone XL measure.
INDUSTRY Boeing's Sub-Hunting Poseidon Gets a Pentagon Budget Boost
(Bloomberg) Boeing Co. (BA:US)'s maritime surveillance aircraft will get an increase in the Pentagon's fiscal 2016 budget, with the Navy to request 16, one more than planned for that year, according to budget documents.
Finmeccanica To Sell Off Parts of DRS
(Defense News) Italy's Finmeccanica has said it will sell off parts worth ���200 million (US $224 million) of DRS - the US electronics firm it owns - in 2015.
Lockheed Martin profit forecast misses on lower pension income
(Reuters) Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), the Pentagon's largest arms supplier, forecast 2015 earnings below analysts' estimates due to lower pension income.
Interview: Scott Wine
(Defense News) Scott Wine, CEO and chairman of Polaris Industries, known as a commercial power sports vehicle manufacturer, has expanded and diversified the business since he arrived in 2008 - pushing further into the defense sector and acquiring Indian Motorcycle, a Harley Davidson competitor.
Oshkosh Corp. earnings fall 40% on decline in military vehicle sales
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) With a 44% drop in military vehicle revenue, Oshkosh Corp. on Tuesday reported a sharp decline in earnings for its fiscal first quarter.
Sacramento drone maker pays $2 million in Pentagon contract probe
(Sacramento Bee) A Sacramento manufacturer of target-practice drones will pay $2 million to settle charges that it overcharged the Pentagon for spare parts.
Airbus Helicopter Looks to Polish Tender
(Defense News) Airbus Helicopters last month submitted its offer in Poland's tender for 70 military multirole helicopters and expects a short list to be selected in February, Chairman Guillaume Faury said Tuesday.
Boeing awarded Indonesian AH-64E contract
(IHS Jane's 360) Boeing has been awarded a USD295.8 million firm-fixed-price foreign military sales contract for eight AH64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters for Indonesia, the Department of Defence (DoD) disclosed on 27 January.
BAE among winners of Navy intel contracts
(C4ISR & Networks) BAE and Information Systems Laboratories have received contracts to support intelligence exploitation systems.
Slow Progress Pays Dividends for Warrior IFV
(Defense News) Lockheed Martin UK and the Ministry of Defence agreed to substantial contract amendments to insert additional technology and capabilities while a deal to sustain and upgrade the British Army's Warrior infantry fighting vehicle was rebaselined in 2014, company executives have confirmed.
U.S. and India to Cooperate on Aircraft Carrier Technology
(USNI News) U.S. and India will create a working group to share aircraft carrier technology and design, according to an agreement signed earlier this month as part of President Obama's visit to the country.
CAE Buys Bombardier Aviation Training Unit
(Defense News) CAE has announced its intention to acquire the military aviation training unit of Bombardier.
VETERANS Problem VA employees could face penalties
(Military Times) Last year, lawmakers made it easier to dismiss Veterans Affairs officials under fire for mismanagement or malfeasance. Now, they're going after problem employees' pay.
An animated film that speaks volumes about war in nine minutes
(Washington Post) Filmmaker Danny Madden's neighbor, a Vietnam veteran, once told him a story about a platoon of soldiers in the jungle of South Vietnam. They were on patrol when something went wrong. There was no shooting, no enemies in sight, but Americans were screaming on the radio.
Study links genetics, anti nerve-agent pills to Gulf War illness
(Military Times) A small research study at Baylor University has identified a genetic difference between veterans who developed symptoms of Gulf War illness after deploying to that 1990-91 conflict and those who deployed but didn't get sick.
Female vet harassed for parking in reserved spot resonates with other servicewomen
(Christian Science Monitor) In a recent incident in North Carolina, a female veteran received a nasty note after pulling into a veterans-only parking space at a grocery store.
Senators Reintroduce Sick Leave Bill for Disabled Vets
(Government Executive) Senators have reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would give disabled veterans hired as federal employees access to their full year's sick leave immediately upon starting their jobs.
Police: VA employee falsified records in local veteran's death
(Dayton Daily News) Middletown police say they expect to charge a Dayton VA employee next week with patient negligence, falsifying records and possibly theft in office because "he's getting paid to do a job he's clearly not doing."
Whistleblower: Tomah VA site sit-in ends with no meeting
(Wausau Daily Herald; Wis.) A former employee who blew the whistle on drug-prescribing practices at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center staged a sit-in at the facility for more than seven hours Tuesday while he waited to meet with VA investigators.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 25 Issues To Watch In the Coming DoD Budget
(Defense News) On Feb. 2, the Pentagon will submit its fiscal 2016 budget request to Congress. Defense News reporters teamed up with budget analytics firmVisualDoD to highlight the most important issues to watch.
Peeling the Onion Back on the Pentagon's Special Operations Budget
(DefenseOne) The U.S. special operations budget has been seen as one of the most stable parts of the Defense Department's $560 billion budget in recent years.
DoD Official: Government Has Lost its Technological Edge Over Opponents
(National Defense) A senior Defense Department official said the government has lost its technological edge and now must rely on industry to overmatch adversaries in the battlefields of the future.
Letter: Pot shops off limits to military members
(Associated Press) Dozens of recreational marijuana businesses in Washington state have been sent letters from the military saying the shops are off limits to all members of the armed forces, an official said Tuesday.
Dempsey's Attempt to Honor Dead Saudi King Backfires
(Foreign Policy) The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, is sponsoring an essay contest at the National Defense University (NDU) meant to honor late Saudi King Abdullah, a man who, he said, possessed "remarkable character and courage." It's having the opposite effect, however, with critics using the competition to pounce on the king's shoddy human rights record.
Zorching toward glory: Adm. Kirby answers 20 questions
(Military Times) Pay attention to the man behind the curtain - or in this case, at the Pentagon podium.
ARMY Recruit drops 150 pounds to join Army
(Army Times) Brian Bourne began basic training this week at Fort Benning, Georgia, on his way to become an Army infantryman. At 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Bourne probably doesn't look out of place. In the not-so-distant past, however, he would have stuck out plenty.
FBI investigates ordnance explosion that injured two El Paso women
(El Paso Times) The FBI is leading a multi-agency investigation into an explosion that critically injured two women suspected of finding ordnance while scavenging for scrap metal at a military training range in the desert north of El Paso.
February officer promotions announced
(Army Times) Congratulations to the active component officers who will be promoted in February.
JBLM soldier accused of fatal street stabbing in Lakewood has first day in Army court
(Tacoma News Tribune) Two days after he allegedly stabbed a young soldier to death on a Lakewood street, Pvt. Jeremiah Hill reportedly told a fellow soldier who was treating his wounds that he thought he would get away with it.
Woman from Philippines accused of attempting to fraudulently enter Fort Drum
(Watertown Daily Times) U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a woman from the Philippines who they say attempted to enter the post with a fraudulent passport.
NAVY Amphib Green Bay home port shifts to Japan
(Navy Times) The amphibious transport dock Green Bay left its sunny harbor Monday for Sasebo, Japan, where it will join U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed force.
Navy decommissions last OHP-class frigate
(United Press International) The U.S. Navy has decommissioned the USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60), the last guided missile frigate of the Oliver Hazard Perry class.
CNP: 161 chiefs to be forced into retirement after board
(Navy Times) One hundred and sixty-one chiefs, senior chiefs and master chiefs will be forced to retire by Aug. 31 as part of the first forced-retirement board for chiefs in two years.
US Navy's Railgun Will Be Shown In Public In February 2015
(Huffington Post) "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was a terrible film, it did however have one redeeming feature: its futuristic portrayal of a new US Navy weapon.
Destroyer Jason Dunham leaves Norfolk for 6th Fleet
(Navy Times) Though much of the East Coast was buried in a blizzard, the destroyer Jason Dunham cut through the gray haze in the early hours Tuesday to start a six-month, independent deployment to 6th Fleet, which includes waters in and around Europe and parts of Africa
AIR FORCE 8 U.S. airmen injured, F-15E damaged in Spain crash
(Air Force Times) Eight U.S. airmen suffered minor injuries and at least one F-15E Strike Eagle was damaged in Monday's crash of a Greek F-16 at Los Llanos air base, Spain.
Ghostrider's Big Gun: AC-130J Gets 105 ASAP; Laser Later
(Breaking Defense) Sometimes smart bombs aren't the smart choice. Sometimes you just need a big bad flying gun. That's why the aging AC-130 gunship is still revered by ground troops for its ability to fire a 105mm cannon - a weapon normally mounted on light tanks. That's why the head of Air Force Special Operations Command, Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, decided the new model, the AC-130J Ghostrider, had to have the 105 instead of relying on missiles. And that's why Heithold will fight to slow the rate at which older AC-130s are retiring.
AFSOC in Pacific Welcomes MC-130J
(Defense News) The first two copies of the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) MC-130J Commando II have arrived in the Pacific, as the command retires 57 of the venerable MC-130 E, H and P models.
Watchdog group: Fire 2-star for alleged A-10 'treason' comment
(Air Force Times) The watchdog group Project on Government Oversight is calling for a two-star general to be fired over allegedly saying officers who advocate for the A-10 are committing treason.
Air Force wants to thwart network snoops
(C4ISR & Networks) The Air Force is looking for technologies to prevent enemy network surveillance.
AFN murder case heads to jury at Ramstein
(Air Force Times) A jury on Tuesday began deliberating the fate of an Air Force staff sergeant charged with premeditated murder in the December 2013 strangling death of his American Forces Network co-worker.
MARINE CORPS Philippines rejects US Marine's appeal to drop murder case
(Associated Press) The Philippines on Tuesday rejected an appeal by a U.S. Marine that it drop a murder case against him in the death of a transgender Filipino woman last year.
Lejeune Marines deploy to support European, African ops
(Marine Corps Times) The latest contingent of about 900 Marines to support operations in Europe and Africa deployed Saturday.
Obituary: Elizabeth Kealey / Marine Corps pilot didn't waver in wake of challenges
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) When Marine Capt. Elizabeth Kealey returned from a deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, she showed her mom, Chris Kealey-Thompson, photographs of her helicopter covered in bullet holes.
Milestone for my hero' - Injured Marine Mathis makes difficult decision to have leg amputated
(Wilson Times; N.C.) Lance Cpl. Duncan Mathis said it was an easy decision to amputate the lower portion of his left leg.
Marine Corps Marathon offers more events
(Marine Corps Times) Not satisfied with simply hosting the country's third largest 26.2-miler, Marine Corps Marathon organizers are sponsoring several events this year with activities geared toward different levels of fitness and fun.
COAST GUARD Coast Guard renders court-martial verdicts in late 2014
(Navy Times) The Coast Guard handed down 36 courts-martial verdicts in the last three months of 2014 - three times as many in the previous quarter - in addition to seven military administrative actions, six reliefs for cause and 334 non-judicial punishments for 564 charges, according to good order and discipline statistics released Jan. 24.
Hunting for smugglers -- of drugs and humans -- off California's coast
(Los Angeles Times) John Babbini's words were hard to hear over the noise of the boat's propellers churning the water, so he leaned back and talked over his right shoulder.
ISLAMIC STATE Special Ops Must Work With Services, Allies
(Defense News) The head of the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) called the volume of fighters flowing into Iraq and Syria from approximately 90 nations to fight with the Islamic State group "staggering."
Retired generals: U.S. set for failure in Iraq and Syria without clear strategy
(Washington Post) Without a clear strategy from the White House and the return of a robust defense budget, the United States is set for failures in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, argued former generals James Mattis and John Keane, as well as former admiral William Fallon in congressional testimony Tuesday.
Spy General Unloads on Obama's ISIS War Plan
(The Daily Beast) Former DIA Chief Michael Flynn likens the fight against Islamic militants to the Cold War and calls for an international chain of command akin to that of the Allies in World War II.
Iraq officials vow to investigate alleged massacre of Sunnis
(Los Angeles Times) Iraqi officials on Tuesday promised to investigate reports that at least 70 civilians, including women and children, were slain during a bloody government campaign to seize control of the embattled eastern province of Diyala.
US Sees Kobani as key win, but Mosul may require new tactics
(Associated Press) The Kurdish recapture of Kobani in northern Syria appears to have provided a blueprint for defeating the Islamic State, bringing together U.S. air power with an effective ground force and protected routes for the movement of fighters and weaponry. Taking back the key Iraqi city of Mosul may be an entirely different matter.
The Big, Fragile Win Over ISIS
(The Daily Beast) Kurdish fighters now control 90 percent of Kobani-and winning the besieged Syrian city back from the terror group exposed the vulnerability of the U.S. and coalition effort.
Covert CIA Mission to Arm Syrian Rebels Goes Awry
(Wall Street Journal) It didn't take long for rebel commanders in Syria who lined up to join a Central Intelligence Agency weapons and training program to start scratching their heads.
Jordan Hostage Crisis May Hurt U.S. Ties
(New York Times) Popular anger over Jordan's role in the coalition bombing campaign in Syria burst into the open in recent days when it appeared that the fate of a captured Jordanian fighter pilot was taking a back seat to that of a Japanese journalist, Kenji Goto, also being held hostage by the militants.
ISIL hostages' parents beg governments to save their sons
(USA Today) The parents of two hostages held by the Islamic State appealed for their governments to secure their release Wednesday, after the pair's captors said they had less than "24 hours left to live."
Yazidi girls tell of escape from IS
(Al-Monitor) For Ibtisam, a 15-year-old Yazidi girl, the six months after the Islamic State (IS) attacked her hometown could not have been crueler. Her mother and three younger sisters were taken from the village of Tel Qasab, near Sinjar, as spoils of war by the extremists, who control territory across Iraq and Syria. After five months in captivity, each day not knowing if they would live to see the next, Ibtisam was freed along with some 200 other Yazidis, most of them elderly, sick or disabled.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN Islamic State appoints leaders of 'Khorasan province,' issues veiled threat to Afghan Taliban
(Long War Journal) Abu Muhammad al Adnani, a spokesman for the Islamic State, announced the group's "expansion" into the lands of "Khorasan" -- modern day Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of the surrounding countries -- and declared former Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan or TTP) commander Hafez Saeed Khan as the "governor" of Khorasan province. Khan had previously served as the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan's emir for the tribal agency of Arakzai.
Engine failure caused Predator crash in Afghanistan
(Air Force Times) Engine failure caused an MQ-1B Predator drone to crash July 14 in Afghanistan, the Air Force announced this week.
Pakistan Says 76 Militants Killed In New Air Strikes
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Pakistan says air strikes in a restive tribal area along the border with Afghanistan have killed 76 militants.
MIDDLE EAST Casualties reported as soldiers attacked on Lebanese border
(Times of Israel) Massive explosions were heard in the northern Har Dov area along Israel's border with Lebanon on Wednesday morning as an IDF patrol came under attack
Israeli aircraft strike positions in Syria: Israeli army
(Reuters) Israeli aircraft struck Syrian army artillery positions early on Wednesday, the military said, in retaliation for rockets launched at the Israel-occupied Golan Heights a day earlier.
Netanyahu Talk Stirs Backlash in Israeli Race
(New York Times) Michael B. Oren, who spent four years as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ambassador to Washington, has called on Mr. Netanyahu to cancel his speech to Congress about Iran. Amos Yadlin, a former military intelligence chief who frequently briefed the Israeli prime minister on security matters, denounced the event as "irresponsible."
Obama pays condolences to family of late King Abdullah
(Washington Post) President Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to lead a high-profile delegation to offer condolences to the family of the late King Abdullah and meet with his successor.
Militants in Yemen Free President's Top Aide
(Wall Street Journal) Militants freed the embattled Yemeni president's chief of staff on Tuesday and called for a meeting among the country's clashing factions to end a deepening political crisis in which U.S. counterterrorism interests are at stake.
EUROPE U.S. officials identify Tass as Russian news organization tied to spy ring in New York
(Washington Post) The Russian government-owned news agency Tass worked with the country's foreign intelligence service to gather economic information in New York, according to U.S. officials.
Russian Gorshkov frigate build may slow without Ukrainian gas turbines
(IHS Jane's 360) The build status of the Russian Navy's third- and fourth-in-class Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates may be delayed as Russia contends with sourcing an indigenous propulsion plant supplier following Ukraine's ban on military exports to Russia.
Top American Diplomat Decries 'Lies' of Russian Media
(Foreign Policy) Victoria Nuland rebuts Russia Today's coverage of the Ukraine crisis and belittles the network's "tiny, tiny" audience in America.
Czech Military To Buy Helos, Vehicles, Radar
(Defense News) The Czech Ministry of Defense has unveiled plans to launch tenders to acquire new helicopters, armored vehicles and radars this year for an estimated 10.5 billion kronas (US $425 million), local broadcaster Ceska Televize reports.
ASIA-PACIFIC Botched Philippine Police Raid Jeopardizes Peace Deal With Rebel Group
(New York Times) In the aftermath of a botched raid that left 44 elite police officers dead, several key lawmakers in the Philippines have withdrawn their support for legislation that would formalize a peace agreement with Islamic rebels in the country's south, jeopardizing the landmark deal that was meant to end more than four decades of violence.
Thailand warns U.S. to mind its own business over politics
(Reuters) Thailand warned the United States against meddling in its political affairs on Wednesday, saying many Thais had been hurt by the remarks of a visiting U.S. envoy who took a swipe at the ruling military junta's undemocratic practices.
Vietnam War-Era Helicopter Crashes, Killing 4 Soldiers
(Associated Press) An American-built helicopter once used in the Vietnam War crashed Wednesday during a training mission in the Southeast Asian nation, killing all four soldiers aboard, the military said.
AFRICA American among victims of attack on hotel in Libyan capital
(Washington Post) According to U.S. officials, the victim was David Berry, whose online profile describes him as a 12-year Marine combat veteran "with extensive experience in the Special Operations and Intelligence Communities." It says he often worked in "hostile and austere locations throughout the world."
Islamic State's 'province' claims responsibility for attack on hotel in Tripoli
(Long War Journal) Gunmen stormed the Corinthia hotel in Tripoli early this morning, killing at least five foreigners and three guards, according to initial reports. Foreign government officials, including those serving as diplomats, and tourists have frequented the hotel in the past, making it an attractive target for jihadists.
Zambia To Boost AF Trainer, Lift Capabilities
(Defense News) The Zambian Air Force will take delivery of an undisclosed number of trainer, transport and fighter aircraft and aerial defense systems this year as part of a major re-equipment program to improve operational and airlift capabilities.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS The Irrelevance of Traditional Warfare?
(Retired Army Lt. Gen. David W. Barno and Nora Bensahel in War on the Rocks) A senior government official recently posed the provocative question: "Is land warfare dead?"
Analysis: Islamic State sleeper cells a threat to Turkey
(Jonathan Schanzer and Merve Tahiroglu in The Long War Journal) The police report, which was disclosed by Jane's Intelligence Weekly, warns of 3,000 operatives living in Turkey who are directly linked to the jihadist organization. The report also lists a number of vulnerable cities, including the country's political and cultural capitals of Ankara and Istanbul.
King Salman's Shady History
(David Andrew Weinberg in Foreign Policy) President Obama wants to work with the leader of the House of Saud. But the new king of Saudi Arabia has troubling ties to radical Islamists.
Boko Haram's Resiliency Spells Trouble for West Africa
(Jeff Moore in Small Wars Journal) As the world mourned for the victims of an Islamist jihadist terror attack in France, a mass casualty attack in Baga, Nigeria by Boko Haram killed scores of men, women and children - low estimates say possibly 500 were killed; high estimates say 2,000. Regardless of the exact casualty count, the attack triggered no mass marches, no speeches by international heads of state, and no outward signs of solidarity from the White House or Congress. Why? Nigeria's attack was done by Islamist jihadists, just like France. And if the high the body count is true, it's about 1,000 less than the September 11th attacks, which is astounding. Regardless of the lack of international condemnation, the Baga attack signifies the genocidal nature of Boko Haram's violence, and the group will undermine West Africa's security unless Nigeria can quickly improve its counterinsurgency (COIN) operations.
The Dilemma of an African Soldier
(Jeffrey W. Meiser in War on the Rocks) Two days before the world entered 2015, a handful of former officers from the Gambian Armed Forces attacked the State House in Banjul, The Gambia. Published accounts call Lamin S. Sanneh, a former Gambian military officer, the ringleader of the aborted coup. Accounts vary, but 3-4 of the dissidents were killed, including Sanneh. He was my friend, and as I write these words, I still can't believe that he is dead.
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