Thank You
Robert Serge
VVA 17 Member
Blog Master
To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember
From: no-reply@navytimes.com
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Navy Times Early Bird Brief
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 04:30:24 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Senate Panel to Pentagon: 'Reassess' Value of Alternate F-35 Engine(Defense News) In the wake of an engine fire that grounded the F-35 fleet, a US Senate subcommittee wants senior Pentagon officials to consider reviving an effort to develop a second power plant. 2. China To Continue Outward Push, Task Force Captain Says (Aviation Week) The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will continue to maintain and expand its overseas missions and exercises, says Senior Capt. Zhao Xiaogang, who is charge of the task force of ships participating in the 2014 Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercises off the Hawaiian coast. 3. If the Pentagon Buys Less, It Needs to Invest More (Retired Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Tom Harrison in Defense One) The United States defense budget is in transition, adjusting to new realities following more than a decade of war. As we have observed in past drawdowns, typically the first casualty of peace is Pentagon spending on research, development, test and evaluation, known as RDTandE 4. Treasury imposes new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine (Military Times) The Treasury Department imposed new sanctions against financial services, energy and arms sectors of Russia on Wednesday, citing attempts to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine not being honored. 5. Pentagon Envisions 'Small' Training Program for Syria Opposition (Wall Street Journal) A Pentagon plan to aid Syrian rebels is emerging as far smaller than advocates hoped, ramping up slowly over an extended period while offering no quick support to moderate fighters, who are losing ground both to the Assad regime and to jihadists. FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOWAlenia Flies New Trainer Demonstrator at Farnborough(Defense News) One year after announcing it at the Paris Air Show, Italy's Alenia Aermacchi has flown a demonstrator of its new basic advanced M-345 trainer at the Farnborough International Airshow. BAE To Flight-Trial New Radar for RAF Aboard Typhoon (Defense News) A prototype active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed to meet specific British Royal Air Force requirements is to be flight-trialed on a Eurofighter Typhoon jet as part of a GBP72 million (US $123 million) deal awarded to BAE Systems by the Ministry of Defence here. Selex Provides Jamming Pod for RAF Tornados (Defense News) Selex ES has been contracted to design and develop a common jamming pod for RAF Tornados, the firm said Wednesday at the Farnborough International Airshow. BAE: New Helmet Makes Night Vision Goggles on Combat Helmets 'A Thing of The Past' (Defense News) BAE Systems has launched a new helmet-mounted display that offers a night vision camera it claims will make night vision goggles "a thing of the past." Boeing Continues Partnership Strategy With Paramount Group Deal (Defense News) In what is the latest move by Boeing to collaborate with a company offering knowledge of an untapped market, the aerospace giant has signed an agreement with The Paramount Group of South Africa. Deal To Integrate Storm Shadow Missile With Typhoon Ready for Signing (Defense News) A contract to integrate the Storm Shadow stand-off missile on to the Typhoon combat jet is to be signed Thursday, Britain's defense procurement minister has confirmed. Raytheon Targeting Tomahawk of the Future (Defense News) With funds for new-production Tomahawk cruise missiles shrinking, Raytheon is looking to cash in on the next best thing - upgrades and "recertifications" of existing missiles, an effort that could last a decade or more. Dual-Mode Brimstone Proves Maritime Capabilities in Trials (Defense News) MBDA has conducted firing trials of its dual-mode Brimstone missile against fast attack craft as part of a trial for the British Ministry of Defence, company officials said Wednesday. Want To Lease a Watchkeeper UAV? Call Thales (Defense News) As part of a plan to lease and rent sensor capabilities to military and civilian customers, Thales has said it would consider leasing out the Watchkeeper UAV. AgustaWestland Signs To Integrate Missile Systems Onto Wildcat (Defense News) AgustaWestland signed a GBP90 million (US $154 million) deal on Wednesday to integrate, test and install the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) heavy and light missile systems onto 28 Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat helicopters. Lockheed Gets First Customer for Commercial C-130J (Defense News) ASL Aviation Group has become the first customer for Lockheed Martin's LM-100J, the new civil version of its popular C-130J military cargo transport, in a move that could potentially create return for military customers down the line. Italy Gives AW149 Military Certification (Defense News) AgustaWestland's AW149 helicopter, which the firm is pitching to Poland, received Italian military certification Tuesday at the Farnborough International Airshow. Anglo-French UCAV Program Eventually Could Add New Partners (Defense News) British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has held out the prospect of other nations eventually joining the Anglo-French future combat air system program but said for now it would remain a bilateral effort. IRAQObama Faces Pressure on Possible Iraq Strikes From Fellow Democrats(Defense News) US President Barack Obama is facing resistance from his own Democratic party as he mulls whether to launch US military strikes in Iraq. Top Marine Commander: Iraq Chaos Shows Costs of U.S. Withdrawal (Foreign Policy) Stepping into an intensifying political debate, the head of the Marine Corps said the United States doesn't have the luxury of isolationism and said Iraq's deterioration may have been prevented if Washington had maintained a larger U.S. presence there. Weeks of combat in Iraq show Shiite militias have few offensive capabilities (McClatchy) The sectarian Shiite militias that the government in Baghdad has dispatched to fill the void created by the collapse of the Iraqi army are proving ill-equipped for offensive operations intended to reverse gains by the radical Islamic State, Iraqi soldiers and military experts studying the current military situation have concluded. For Iraq, Debacle in Tikrit as Forces Walk Into Trap Set by Militants (New York Times) Iraqi troops and their militia and volunteer allies were on the verge of declaring victory over Sunni militants holding the strategic town of Tikrit and were about to hoist the Iraqi flag over key government buildings, when, a survivor recalled Wednesday, "the doors of hell opened." U.N. refugee chief calls for political solution in Iraq (Washington Post) The head of the U.N. refugee agency said Wednesday that he was increasingly frustrated with Iraq's skyrocketing number of displaced people - and with governments worldwide that expect humanitarian aid organizations to "come clean up the mess." Iraqi Kurds Talk Independence But Move For Stronger Position In Iraq (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Iraq's Kurdish region appears to be making a determined drive toward independence as Baghdad reels from a Sunni Islamist takeover of much of the country's north. In Kurdish Iraq, the fight against ISIS isn't just for men (Public Radio International) When the Iraqi army retreated in the face of the Sunni extremist group ISIS in recent weeks, another army moved in. It was the peshmerga - the militia of the Kurdish people. The peshmerga have long been known for their discipline and toughness - and for including women. INDUSTRYAir Force seeks space launch proposals from industry(Air Force Times) The Air Force this week opened competition for a national security space launch for the first time in a decade. U.S. open to slower Boeing deliveries, but no extra cost (Reuters) The U.S. Navy might agree to accept slower deliveries of Boeing Co F/A-18 fighter jets and EA-18G electronic attack jets to help extend the company's production line, but not if that adds cost to the program, a Navy official said Wednesday. Pentagon's Strained Relationship With Vendors Getting Worse (National Defense) Robertson makes auxiliary fuel tanks that are installed in helicopters to extend their range and endurance. The company has sold the tanks to the Defense Department for nearly four decades, and it is now questioning whether it should continue to bid on military deals following the adoption in recent years of stringent contracting policies. Covers Off Eurofighter E-Scan Radar (Aviation Week) It has been more than a decade in the making, but now the Eurofighter nations are one small step closer to having an active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar capability in the Typhoon. Turks Seeking C-130 Upgrade Deals Abroad (Defense News) Turkey's national aerospace specialist has perhaps busied itself too long with upgrading the country's fleet of C-130 transport aircraft but it finally reached the delivery stage and is now confident it may win similar upgrade contracts abroad. L-3, Selex And Ultra Team On Multi-Mission Aircraft Offering (Aviation Week) L-3 Communications, Selex ES and Ultra Electronics have partnered to offer Bombardier's Q400 turboprop airliner as the platform to meet an expected requirement for a multi-mission aircraft for the U.K. IAI subsidiary acquires stake in Brazil's Avionics Services (IHS Jane's 360) European Advanced Technology (EAT), a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), announced on 16 July that it had acquired a minority stake in Brazilian firm Avionics Services. EuroProp Builds Experience, Prepares For Support Deals (Aviation Week) International (EPI), the consortium that builds the TP400 turboprop engine for the Airbus A400M airlifter, says it is preparing for the ramp up in production of the aircraft in 2015 and the arrival of new customers. Norway's Joint Strike Missile Tempts Aussies; Raytheon Likes It Too (Breaking Defense) It's a remarkable story, really. A fairly tiny country, Norway, decides to place a $1.3 billion bet on developing one of the world's most capable missiles to be fired from what will probably become the world's most popular fighter, the F-35. Japanese MoD confirms potential PAC-2 component export (IHS Jane's 360) The Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed to IHS Jane's that it is in talks with counterparts from the United States about exporting components to third parties for the Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) air-defence system. VETERANSVA asks for $18B to hire medical staff, lease space(Military Times) Veterans Affairs Department officials want nearly $18 billion more in funding over the next three years to hire more clinicians, lease more space and cut down on wait times for medical appointments. VA gives new wheelchair to Vietnam vet Michael Sulsona following act of kindness at Lowe's (Staten Island Advance) A simple "thanks" was all Vietnam veteran Michael Sulsona had to say after the outpouring of support which led to him receiving a new wheelchair from the office of Veterans' Affairs on Tuesday. Tester sounds off on VA reform (The Hill) Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) on Wednesday slammed his fellow lawmakers for dragging their feet on legislation to fix the embattled Veterans Affairs Department. Here Are All the Ways Congress Is Trying to Fix the VA (Government Executive) After the Veterans Affairs Department scandal broke back in May, there were a lot of proposals to fix the agency, and there was a bipartisan push to make the changes a reality. VA bill will get vote soon, panel chairman says (Military Times) The House Veterans' Affairs Committee chairman expressed confidence Wednesday that the bill to fix problems in the troubled Veterans Affairs Department would be voted on before Congress leaves for its August recess. Albany VA nurse blows whistle on unsafe practices (Times Union; Albany, N.Y.) Valerie Riviello could not imagine that the action she took to help a patient in November would land her at the center of a national story about whistle-blowing against deficient care at Veterans Health Administration facilities. CONGRESSObama's New CT Program Meets Bipartisan Resistance on Capitol Hill(Defense News) US House Armed Services Committee leaders struck a skeptical - and bipartisan - tone about a $5 billion counterterrorism program proposed by President Barack Obama. Senate derails Army bid to take Guard helicopters (Associated Press) The Army has lost an initial Senate skirmish over a hotly disputed plan to take Apache attack helicopters away from National Guard units in a budget-cutting move that has infuriated governors and state military leaders. Rep. Smith: White House needs to sell plan to aid Syrian rebels (The Hill) Lawmakers hammered defense officials Wednesday for more details on a $1 billion White House plan to train and equip opposition to the Assad regime in Syria and those fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Audit the Pentagon Now, Congressmen Say (US News & World Report) An anti-war California liberal and a Texas conservative who once spoke approvingly about impeaching President Barack Obama are demanding an immediate audit of the Pentagon. Senators vow to reassert America's rocket power (The Hill) Lawmakers and top military officials on Wednesday expressed fears that friction with Russia could someday leave the United States without the power to launch rockets into space. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTStudy: New combat treatment guidelines saved troops' lives(Military Times) New procedures to treat massive blood loss from combat injuries are saving lives, according to a new study in JAMA Surgery. Pentagon Enlists Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson To Design a Space Plane (The Daily Beast) The Pentagon's premier research division wants to design an advanced spacecraft that engineers have tried and failed to build for years. So they've enlisted the help of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson, naturally. Military ramps up use of underwater drones. What do they do? (Christian Science Monitor) Underwater drones have scientific and civilian uses, like the search for the missing Malaysia Airline Flight 370. Militaries, too, see them as an increasingly useful tool. Pentagon told lawmakers that it plans to move six Guantanamo detainees to Uruguay (Washington Post) The Pentagon recently notified members of Congress that it intends to transfer six low-level detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Uruguay soon, including a Syrian man who is legally challenging the manner in which the military force-feeds some prisoners, U.S. officials said Wednesday. ARMYBergdahl's attorney also fought for Army captain in espionage case(Army Times) Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has retained a high-profile attorney - the same lawyer who defended Capt. James Yee, a Muslim Army chaplain cleared in an espionage probe a decade ago. Hampton man, accused of being Army deserter, released from jail (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) A Hampton man accused of deserting the Army was released from Allegheny County Jail on Tuesday, but he must answer to the military charge. Ground commanders with cyber skills (Army Times) Ground commanders are already learning how to counter cyber threats in the field, but the Army's cyber boss wants them to start launching their own attacks. Feds give reassurances to Pierce County leaders on proposal to send immigrant detainees to JBLM (Tacoma News Tribune) Federal officials stressed to Pierce County leaders on Wednesday that local government resources will not be used to care for hundreds of young, undocumented immigrants who could be sheltered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. NAVYNavy Selects Ships for Out-Year Retirements(Seapower) In addition to the 14 ships identified for decommissioning or removed from active service in fiscal 2015, the Navy has selected 17 the ships to be removed from service from 2016 through 2019. Ex-SEAL says he saw Ventura punched (Minneapolis Star Tribune) A former U.S. Navy SEAL Wednesday offered the most complete account yet to support an author's contention that he punched Jesse Ventura after the former governor made derogatory remarks about the SEALs and the war in Iraq at a California bar in 2006. Improving economy, lengthy tours could affect Navy retention (Stars & Stripes) An improving economy and a high pace of operations marked by lengthy deployments could lower Navy retention rates, the service's chief of personnel said in an interview Wednesday. AIR FORCEMcCain dresses down senior Air Force general for comments(Gannett Washington Bureau) When SpaceX sued the Air Force this spring, claiming the Pentagon was illegally blocking competition for its military satellite launch business, the head of the Air Force Space Command scolded the California-based aerospace company. Wright-Patterson commander looks back at 2 years in charge (Dayton Daily News) Col. Cassie B. Barlow confronted the furlough of thousands of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's civilian workers - twice, a government shutdown, darkened hallways and broken pipes. U.S. Air Force Picks 14 Companies To Support Hosted Payload Efforts (Space News) The U.S. Air Force awarded contracts to 14 space companies to facilitate the placement of military payloads aboard commercial satellites, a key step in the service's ongoing exploration of alternative ways to deploy space-based capabilities. MARINE CORPS5 things to expect from Gen. Dunford's confirmation hearing(Marine Corps Times) Gen. Joseph Dunford, the commander of all NATO troops in Afghanistan, will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday morning for a hearing on his nomination to become commandant of the Marine Corps. After some 17 months in a multi-service command, he'll now be called to return his focus to Marine-specific operations, budgeting, morale and discipline Future Marine Corps Missions Depend on New Ship-To-Shore Connectors (National Defense) Until it can develop a long-range, speedy ship-to-shore connector, the Marine Corps is putting crisis response ahead of combat operations as its most important mission, a top Marine capabilities officer said July 15. Marines Test Heavy Duty Landing Craft Prototype at RIMPAC (USNI News) The Marine Corps recently tested a prototype for heavy-duty amphibious landing craft that could one-day transport up to three M1A1 Abrams from ship to shore at 20 knots. Erin Corwin missing-person case: Search warrants served (Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) Four search warrants have been served in the ongoing search for Erin Corwin, a 20-year-old Marine wife who vanished from Twentynine Palms two and a half weeks ago. COAST GUARDFormer Head of Coast Guard Appointed as Special Arctic Representative(USNI News) The recently retired head of the U.S. Coast Guard has been appointed as a special ambassador to the Arctic, according to a Wednesday announcement from the U.S. State Department. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANInsurgents attack Kabul airport(Washington Post) Afghan insurgents staged a pre-dawn attack on Kabul International Airport on Thursday, firing rocket-propelled grenades from a nearby building and engaging in a gun battle with security forces, officials here said. Attack on president Karzai's security convoy leaves 4 injured (Khaama Press) Taliban militants attacked the security convoy of president Hamid Karzai in eastern Paktia province of Afghanistan. Fire-prone buildings to be left at Afghan bases, watchdog for reconstruction warns (Washington Post) In a hurry to finish installations for Afghan forces before the end of the year, the Army Corps of Engineers is leaving behind hundreds of buildings that were built with materials that make them prone to catch fire, the inspector general with oversight for U.S. reconstruction efforts warned in a letter Thursday. Belarus, Pakistan Seek Closer Defense Industry Cooperation (Defense News) Belarus and Pakistan have expressed an interest in pursuing closer defense industrial relations, but the likely path forward is uncertain at this early stage of talks, say analysts. Pakistan, U.S. reportedly launch airstrikes in escalating offensive (Los Angeles Times) Pakistani fighter jets and CIA drone aircraft pounded targets in North Waziristan on Wednesday, local officials reported, killing more than 50 suspected militants in separate attacks that reflected a widening military campaign in the restive tribal area. MIDDLE EASTInnocent and Gone: Israeli Strike on Gaza Kills Four Children(NBC News) The terrible human toll from the nine-day Gaza conflict was laid bare Wednesday when four Palestinian boys from the same family were killed as they played football on a beach. Israeli official expects 'very high possibility' of invasion of Gaza; airstrikes escalate (Washington Post) A day after plans for a cease-fire toppled into a fury of air attacks, Israel and Hamas found themselves on Wednesday searching for a way forward, with a senior Israeli military official declaring that a ground invasion of Gaza was a "very high possibility." Teen beaten in Israel returns to Tampa (WTSP; Tampa) Tariq Khdeir returned to cheers at Tampa International Airport late Wednesday weeks after he had allegedly beaten by Israeli police. Israel Says It Foiled Big Attack From Gaza Tunnel (New York Times) The Israeli military said it foiled a major attack from Gaza early Thursday when its forces identified approximately 13 militants emerging from an underground tunnel into Israeli territory not far from a kibbutz and attacked them from the air. UAE Establishes Space Agency (Defense News) The United Arab Emirates plans to establish the first Gulf Arab space agency, and its first objective is to conduct a fully indigenous mission to Mars by 2021. Assad inaugurated to 3rd term, says events in region prove him right about terrorism (Washington Post) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad declared victory over those who had sought to overthrow him as he embarked Wednesday on a third term in office, buoyed by a growing extremist threat to the region that has helped cement his hold on power. EUROPEPutin Criticizes U.S. Over New Sanctions(New York Times) Responding to a new round of economic sanctions by the United States, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia lashed out late Wednesday against what he called America's "aggressive foreign policy," which he said had caused havoc in the Middle East, and accused the United States of pushing the Ukrainian government to continue fighting rather than encouraging peace. Ukrainian female pilot faces murder charges in Russia (USA Today) A celebrated Ukrainian bomber pilot who faces murder charges in Moscow has become a new, high-profile flash point between Ukraine and Russia as they clash over deadly fighting along their border. Espionage claims could test US-German military accord, experts say (Stars & Stripes) The latest scandal over U.S. espionage in Germany could signal a permanent change in relations between Washington and Berlin, which have been contentious ever since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ASIA-PACIFICThailand raises defence budget 5%(IHS Jane's 360) Thailand's military government has proposed a 2015 defence budget of THB193 billion (USD6 billion), representing a 5% increase over spending in 2014. The funding represents approximately 8% of the total government expenditure during the 2015 fiscal year, which commences 1 October 2014. South Korea Begins Naval Drills With the U.S. (New York Times) Fighter jets roared off an American aircraft carrier into a gray sky on Wednesday as the United States kicked off a joint naval exercise off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, with the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, calling for strong punishment if North Korea initiated a military provocation. Investigation into Taiwanese Apache crash blames pilot, low cloud (IHS Jane's 360) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on 15 July that a combination of the "environment and human error" caused the 25 April crash of a Republic of China Army (RoCA) Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopter in Longtan Township, Taoyuan County. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISObama's foreign policy inertia(David Ignatius in The Washington Post) When Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. says that the Islamic State that has taken root in Iraq and Syria poses a "deadly" threat and that he has "extreme, extreme concern" about its bomb-makers, that sounds like an emergency. Yet the Obama administration hasn't settled on a coordinated, aggressive response that might prevent this inferno from spreading. Opinion: History and The Third Iraq War (Navy Cmdr. Daniel Dolan in USNI News) Despite former Vice President Dick Cheney's recent attempts to tag the Obama administration with blame for the current chaos in Iraq, the judgment of history is already firmly established on how we helped to create the conditions for the latest crisis - and it was not because 5000 American troops were not left in Iraq after Dec. 2011. National Missile Defense Technology Still Falls Short (Robert G. Gard Jr. in National Defense) The United States has been attempting to develop a workable national missile defense capability since 1944, prompted initially by German V-2 ballistic missile attacks in Europe during World War II. The most recent initiative is the ground-based midcourse defense system, referred to as GMD, intended to defend against a limited attack by one or two intercontinental ballistic missiles launched by a rogue state, specifically North Korea or Iran. Getting Unmanned Naval Aviation Right (Shawn Brimley and Bryan McGrath in War on the Rocks) The issue of when and how the U.S. Armed Forces fully integrate unmanned and increasingly autonomous surveillance and strike platforms into their inventory is one of the most important issues facing the Department of Defense. Bashar al-Assad and the Devil's Gambit (Dominic Tierney in The Atlantic) A year ago, Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, was reeling from an entrenched insurgency and facing the prospect of war against the United States and its allies. After Syrian government forces used chemical weapons to kill more than 1,000 civilians in August 2013, Barack Obama threatened air strikes against Damascus-before a last-minute deal to destroy Syria's chemical stockpiles averted a conflict. | |||||
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