From: no-reply@navytimes.com
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Navy Times Early Bird Brief
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 04:15:08 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. As F-35 Ramps Up, Legacy Fighters Face Existential Threat(National Defense) After 2018, the F-35 is likely to capture over a 50 percent share of the global fighter jet market, says Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst for the Teal Group, in a February report. At about the same time, most U.S. and European fourth generation fighters are scheduled to end production, with many manufacturers exiting fighter jet production altogether. 2. Military Families Forced to Subsidize Income With Food Banks (NBC News) Some of the nation's active military members and veterans don't have enough to put food on the table, and they rely on food banks for help. 3. Peace and War: The Space Between (Nadia Schadlow in War on the Rocks) President Obama's commitment to reducing America's reliance on the military instrument of power is well-known. It has been a constant theme of his presidency - from his first presidential campaign through his major speech on foreign policy at West Point earlier this year. 4. Ferguson: In calling the National Guard, emphasis is on 'limited' role (Christian Science Monitor) President Obama said he hoped that the role of the National Guard would be limited, and suggested that local police departments reexamine their use of heavy military equipment when confronting protesters. 5. Report alleges theft, moonlighting, nepotism rampant at Camp Grayling (Detroit Free Press) A Michigan National Guard investigation produced allegations of widespread theft, moonlighting, destruction of government property and nepotism at an equipment maintenance facility at the Camp Grayling military training base. IRAQTroops in Iraq Rout Sunni Militants From a Key Dam(New York Times) Iraqi and Kurdish ground troops overran Sunni militants and reclaimed Iraq's largest dam on Monday, President Obama said, as American warplanes unleashed a barrage of bombs in an expansion of the limited goals laid out by the president in authorizing the military campaign in Iraq. US, UK Leadership Warn Iraq Mission Won't be Quick; US Escalates Air Offensive (Defense News) In an interview with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman on Aug. 7, President Barack Obama promised that while the United States would use its formidable air power to help Iraq push back extremist Islamic State fighters from Erbil and other key northern Iraqi cities, Baghdad shouldn't count on the US "being the Iraqi Air Force." Pope offers cautious yellow light for US airstrikes in Iraq (Boston Globe) Pope Francis delivered a mixed verdict on US airstrikes in Iraq on Monday, saying that while it's morally legitimate to stop an unjust aggressor, as America says it's doing with regard to the radical Islamic State in northern Iraq, a single nation shouldn't decide for itself when the use of force is warranted. The ISIS cyber threat-a great unknown (C4ISR & Networks) The cyber capabilities of ISIS are not really well understood due to lack of actual attacks that have been traced back to ISIS. However, one interesting indicator of their cyber interest and or capabilities can be found in their use of a custom Arabic language social networking app called The Dawn of Glad Tidings. Sens. McCain, Graham 'applaud' Obama for airstrikes to retake dam (The Hill) Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) on Monday cheered President Obama's decision to expand airstrikes against Islamist militants to help Iraqi forces regain control of the country's biggest dam. Islamic State message: "We will drown all of you in blood" (Reuters) The Islamic State militant group sends a message to the United States via social media saying "we will drown all of you in blood." Gavino Garay reports. Uncertain future for Yazidi refugees (BBC) Humanitarian aid is being distributed to the thousands of people, mostly Yazidis, who have fled Islamic militants in northern Iraq INDUSTRYBechtel, CH2M Hill Win UK Service Provider Contracts(Defense News) Two US contractors have landed key contracts to help overhaul the way Britain's Ministry of Defence runs its GBP14 billion (US $23.4 billion) procurement and support organization. Air Force orders more Global Hawk UAVs (C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Air Force has ordered three more Global Hawk UAVs. Company Developing Wind Measurement Technology to Improve Cargo Airdrops (National Defense) When the Air Force conducts an airdrop mission today, pilots must fly planes over a drop zone multiple times in order to calculate wind conditions. A new system under development by Lockheed Martin could increase the precision of airdrops and cut down the time required to perform resupply missions. Unmanned K-Max Operates With Unmanned Ground Vehicle (Aviation Week) Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Army have demonstrated the autonomous deployment of an unmanned ground vehicle by an unmanned aircraft. Austal USA launches USN's eighth Littoral Combat Ship (IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy's (USN's) eighth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has launched in Mobile, Alabama, and is undergoing final outfitting before activation in the first quarter of 2015, Austal USA officials told IHS Jane's on 14 August. Once Troubled C-17 Program Provides Acquisitions Lessons for Today (National Defense) Imagine a time when war is ending, large-scale security requirements are receding, and defense budgets are declining. Add to this a push for acquisition reform and arms-length relationships with the defense industrial base. If this sounds similar to the current environment, it is. The last time this level of pressure was put on defense programs was the early 1990s. Army begins search for DCGS-A Increment 2 (C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Army has begun the search for the second increment of the Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A) with a request for industry feedback on the planned requirements and acquisition strategy. Top Secret Air Force Bomber Program Moves Forward (National Defense) Air Force officials over the past few years have been happy to talk publicly about how much they need a new long-range strike bomber, but have given it a "secret" classification and share few other details. UK Required To Pay Raytheon Over Border Security Program Termination (Agence France-Presse) Britain will make a hefty payout to a US defense company after a tribunal found London had unlawfully terminated a contract to provide the country's electronic borders program. Bulgarian DM Unveils Army Modernization Program, Fighter Jet Procurement (Defense News) Bulgarian Defense Minister Velizar Shalamanov has announced a 1 billion leva (US $680 million) program to modernize the military's armament and decrease its dependency on weapons and components from Russia by 2020. Former Meggitt CEO buys Shimtech (IHS Jane's 360) European investment house Bridgepoint is set to sell aircraft composites maker Shimtech to a group led by former Meggitt CEO Terry Twigger, UK newspaper The Sunday Times reported on 17 August. Turkey Hopes To Export GENESIS System for G-class Frigates (Defense News) Turkey's procurement office, in connection with state-controlled military software company Havelsan, has launched efforts to export an indigenous naval combat management system. Canada's second thoughts on F-35 Lightning show concerns about plane's high cost (Washington Post) O, Canada, land of "peace, order and good government." Land of compromise and polite politics. Land of turmoil over whether to buy the F-35. Canada Crafting High-End UAV Requirements (Defense Industry Daily) By the time 2005 drew to a close, Canada was pursuing UAVs on 3 fronts. The RQ-11 Raven's early performance in Afghanistan led to purchases of solider-portable mini-UAVs, which would be joined by older Sperwer tactical UAVs external link already in inventory. Canada's Air Force was also crafting a multimillion-dollar plan to purchase the Joint Unmanned Surveillance Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS), for fielding around 2010. India Lifts Ban on Denel (Defense News) India has removed South Africa's Denel from a blacklist, allowing the company to again do business here after nine years of investigations failed to prove corruption charges related to a rifle purchase. VETERANS'Not recommended' list of schools draws criticism(Military Times) For years, public officials and organizations have warned veterans not to waste their education benefits at bad schools. But those warnings have almost always neglected to detail which schools are "bad." Report: VA employee took recovering vet to crack house (Montgomery Advertister; Ala.) Although a Veterans Affairs police officer determined that a Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System employee took a patient to a crack house and helped him buy illegal drugs, the worker is still employed more than a year after the incident. VA Modernizing Electronic Health Record System (National Defense) The Department of Veterans Affairs is upgrading its electronic health care system in the hope that increased interoperability will improve patient care. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTDoD releases list of genetic tests covered by Tricare(Military Times) The Defense Health Agency has announced which genetic tests Tricare will cover starting in September. DARPA Program Aims to Reduce Cost of Electronic Antenna Systems (National Defense) Electronic antenna systems, which are used on aircraft and other military platforms for radar, communications and electronic warfare, are notoriously costly to both develop, maintain and upgrade. Seoul school staff to undergo communication, conflict management training (Stars & Stripes) Staff at Seoul's three DODEA schools will undergo communication and conflict management training in response to what the top education official in the Pacific called "adult issues" which bred so much employee dissension that it affected student morale and performance. ARMYFeds: No charges against company in Guard probe(Associated Press) Federal authorities said Thursday they have no plans to file any charges against a company that contracted for dental services with the Kansas Army National Guard. Fort Hood soldier found dead at home (Army Times) Fort Hood officials have identified a soldier who died Aug. 13 from an apparent gunshot wound in Killeen, Texas. Cenla rallies to fight possible cutbacks at Fort Polk (The Town Talk; La.) The public has one week left to get involved in the fight to spare Fort Polk from major cutbacks. Report: Army Olympian cited for hunting deer at car dealership (Army Times) A sergeant first class who'd become one of the faces of the U.S. Olympic wrestling team over the past decade was cited by Colorado Springs, Colorado, police Thursday night for hunting deer out of season at an area car dealership. Army criminal investigators warn of romance scammers pretending to be troops (Colorado Springs Gazette) You've met the soldier of your dreams online. It's true love, even if they need a little cash. SMA Chandler on the record (Army Times) Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler has less than six months left on the job, but he's still pushing hard on several key soldier issues. Attorneys for Chelsea Manning promise fight if Pentagon doesn't grant gender treatment (Washington Post) Attorneys for Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning said last week they will sue the Defense Department if officials do not immediately provide gender dysphoria treatment for the soldier, who is serving time in a military prison for leaking classified documents to the anti-secrecy Web site WikiLeaks. NAVYNavy Program at Center of Drone Survivability Debate(National Defense) U.S. military unmanned aircraft for the past decade have carried out reconnaissance and strike missions in "friendly," or permissive, skies. Navy flies manned, unmanned carrier jets together for first time (Navy Times) It was one small button push for man and one giant catapult launch for the Navy's unmanned air combat program Sunday as the X-47B flew its first takeoffs and landings with F/A-18s on the aircraft carrier Roosevelt. U.S. Navy to Test and Evaluate Lockheed Martin Industrial Exoskeletons (Seapower) Lockheed Martin has received a contract through the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) for the U.S. Navy to evaluate and test two FORTIS exoskeletons, the company announced Aug. 18. This marks the first procurement of Lockheed Martin's exoskeletons for industrial use. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. More pay for longer deployments (Navy Times) About 7,000 sailors with the Bush carrier strike group and the Bataan ampibious ready group likely will be about $1,000 richer than expected when they get back from deployment this fall. As Technology Matures, New Roles Emerge for Underwater Drones (National Defense) When Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went missing in March, navies and governments from across the globe scrambled to analyze satellite data and search for debris fields over the expansive and deep Indian Ocean. Listening In: The Navy Is Tracking Ocean Sounds Collected by Scientists (The Atlantic) In a retired shore station for transpacific communications cables on the western coast of Vancouver Island sits a military computer in a padlocked cage. Navy captain sues after daughter's physical therapy denied (Navy Times) A Navy captain and his wife are suing the Defense Department on behalf of their daughter after the military's family health care provider upheld a decision to deny payment for years of physical therapy. Navy identifies sunken World War II vessel as cruiser USS Houston (Los Angeles Times) U.S. Navy divers concluded Monday that a wrecked vessel in southeast Asia is World War II cruiser USS Houston, a ship sunk by the Japanese that remains the final resting place for about 700 sailors and Marines. AIR FORCEFrustration Grows Over Stalled Reforms for Air Force Nuclear Personnel(Government Executive) Following a series of personnel lapses in the Air Force nuclear missile-launch officer corps over the past 15 months, some defense insiders are growing impatient for Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to announce publicly the major steps he plans to take to address the matter. First airman to receive Air Force-designed Medal of Honor dies (Flightlines) Colonel Bernard Fisher, awarded the Medal of Honor in 1967, died over the weekend in Idaho, KBOI 2News reports. He was 87. JBLM airman receives Silver Star for heroic actions on the ground (Tacoma News Tribune) The ammunition supply was desperately low and the troops were in grave danger of running out completely. Air Force Seeking Greater Balance Between Active, Reserve Components (National Defense) The politically damaging public battles between the Air Force and its reserve components over funding and personnel seem to have subsided after a wave of budget compromises, integration initiatives and a report to Congress. Double EPRs: Move to fixed date for evals means some will get two this year (Air Force Times) Some technical sergeants will receive two enlisted performance reports this year, as the Air Force implements sweeping changes to the enlisted evaluation system that include fixed dates for each rank. 20 years, 4 branches: Servicemember is part of exclusive club (Stars & Stripes) Deployed to Afghanistan from the Texas Air National Guard's 204th Security Forces Squadron, Yanez has served in the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Guard and Reserve are recruiting airmen hit by force cuts (Air Force Times) The 'help wanted' sign is out for airmen facing the prospect of losing their active-duty jobs in the Air Force - or whose nerves are so frayed after surviving this year's aggressive round of force cuts that they've decided it's time to call it quits. MARINE CORPSHagel talks war, women in combat, and Darwin(Marine Corps Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ended a worldwide tour with a stop at the Corps' largest West Coast base to talk to Marines. Erin Corwin body found; Christopher Lee arrested (Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) Ex-Marine Christopher Lee was arrested Sunday night in the killing of Erin Corwin, a missing Marine wife who was found crumpled at the bottom of a 140-foot mine shaft in a remote area of the High Desert. More pay for longer deployments (Marine Corps Times) Members of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit likely will be about $800 richer than expected when they get back from deployment this fall. Services in St. Pete for decorated Marine who stirred outrage (Tampa Tribune) The body of Marine Cpl. Rob Richards, a St. Petersburg native and war hero who touched off international outrage through a video showing him and three others urinating on dead Taliban fighters, is coming home later this week. Marines call on CMC to bring back silkies and tattoos (Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps recently released a survey asking Marines what they think about the Sam Browne belt, brass collar insignias for enlisted, and changes to the dates for sleeves up and sleeves down. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANAmid Election Impasse, Calls in Afghanistan for an Interim Government(New York Times) A coterie of powerful Afghan government ministers and officials with strong ties to the security forces are threatening to seize power if an election impasse that has paralyzed the country is not resolved soon. In Iran's shadow, Afghans favor keeping foreign troops (Stars & Stripes) The 49-year-old shopkeeper, who, like many Afghans, goes by one name, said only warlords and others who would profit from a disintegrating Afghanistan want foreign troops to depart entirely. Tribal elders in Kunar warns to uprise against Pakistani shelling (Khaama Press) The tribal elders in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan have warned to uprise if the Pakistani artillery shelling did not stop in this province. Death of Afghan Sikh in shipping container shows minority's desperation (Stars & Stripes) The father of two young children and a struggling business owner deep in debt, Jasbeer Singh opted to leave Afghanistan and seek better fortunes for his family in the West, a path taken by many fellow Afghan Sikhs in recent years. Imran Khan's party quits Parliament, escalating pressure on premier to resign (Washington Post) Pakistan faced a brewing crisis Monday less than 18 months after completing a historic transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another, as a key opposition party said it is pulling out of the national assembly and thousands of demonstrators prepared for a showdown with security forces in the capital. India Cancels Talks After Pakistani Envoy Meets With Separatists (New York Times) India called off planned talks with Pakistan on Monday after Pakistan's top diplomat in New Delhi met with separatist leaders from Kashmir in defiance of an Indian warning, officials here said. MIDDLE EASTU.S. Ship Completes Destruction of Syria's Most Dangerous Chemicals(ABC News) The Pentagon has announced the completion of the destruction of the most dangerous of Syria's chemical weapons aboard the American ship MV Cape Ray. Since early July the ship has been in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea destroying 600 tons of a nerve gas precursor and 20 tons of mustard agent. Israelis and Palestinians agree to keep talking in effort to win long-term Gaza truce (Washington Post) Israeli and Palestinian officials agreed just before a midnight deadline Monday to extend the Gaza cease-fire for an additional 24 hours to try to complete a deal that could lead to a permanent truce. Hamas in West Bank 'planned to topple Palestinian Authority' (Jerusalem Post) Shin Bet, IDF say plot was orchestrated by Hamas overseas headquarters located in Turkey, and centered on a string of mass casualty terror attacks. Could Maliki's departure spur Lebanon's presidential election? (Al-Monitor) The Lebanese are currently waiting on the bench, torn between feelings of optimism and pessimism about the election of a new president. Yemeni victims of U.S. military drone strike get more than $1 million in compensation (Washington Post) The Yemeni government paid the families of those killed or injured in a U.S. drone strike last year more than $1 million, according to documents that provide new details on secret condolence payments seen as evidence that civilians with no ties to al-Qaeda were among the casualties. EUROPE12 Lakenheath F-15s participate in NATO joint exercise(Air Force Times) Twelve F-15 fighter jets and 180 personnel from the 493rd Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force, Lakenheath, are participating in a joint exercise with the Bulgarian military, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters Monday. Rockets hit civilian convoy fleeing east Ukraine city (USA Today) Rocket and mortar fire Monday hit a convoy of buses filled with civilians trying to evacuate an area of heavy fighting near the surrounded city of Luhansk in east Ukraine, burning people alive in the vehicles, the Ukrainian government said. Russia Has Already Invaded Ukraine: Strobe Talbott (Huffington Post) Strobe Talbott, one of America's top Russia experts who translated Nikita Khrushchev's memoirs into English, was Deputy Secretary of State from 1994-2001. He is presently President of the Brookings Institution. He spoke with WorldPost editor Nathan Gardels on Monday, August 18: Ukraine Combat Triggers Surveillance Upgrade at Finnish Military (Bloomberg) Finland is stepping up its military surveillance in response to the worsening conflict in Ukraine, according to the nation's chief of defense. Merkel Promises Support for Baltic States Alarmed by Russia (Wall Street Journal) German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday pledged to support the Baltic countries against a possible Russian threat but rejected demands for a permanent western military force in the region. Turkey Expresses Outrage at Reports of Routine Spying by Germany, a NATO Ally (New York Times) After angrily insisting for months that "friends don't spy," the German government struggled Monday to respond to news media reports that its intelligence services routinely spy on Turkey, a NATO ally, and inadvertently captured at least one conversation each involving Hillary Rodham Clinton when she was secretary of state and her successor, John Kerry. ASIA-PACIFICUS, South Korea militaries kick off computer exercise(Stars & Stripes) The U.S. and South Korea kicked off their annual summer war games on Monday following a weekend of increased bluster from North Korea. India Commissions First in New Class of Stealthy Destroyer (USNI News) India's first modern guided missile destroyer formally entered the fleet on Saturday in a formal commissioning ceremony - three years behind schedule, according to local press reports. Southeast Asia boosting homegrown defense (Deutsche Welle) Reports claim that Southeast Asian nations are investing in their defense sector in response to increasing tensions with Beijing over the South China Sea. But will that be able to keep China at bay? DW examines. Philippines Warns China About Vessels in Disputed Seas (Wall Street Journal) The Philippines on Monday warned China that what it described as the frequent presence of Chinese ships in a disputed area of the South China Sea could potentially spark renewed tensions between the neighbors. AFRICARenegade Libyan general claims air strikes on Tripoli(Reuters) Renegade General Khalifa Haftar's air force was responsible for strikes on Islamist-leaning militia in Tripoli on Monday, one of his commanders said, after weeks of fighting for the capital in Libya's worst violence since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011. Surviving Ebola, but Untouchable Back Home (New York Times) The neighbors lined up, smiling and mouthing soft congratulations when the van pulled in bearing Jattu Lahai and her 2-year-old daughter. Morocco ramps up counter-terror fight (Magharebia) The Moroccan armed forces on Thursday (August 14th) deployed heavy weapons and anti-aircraft batteries near El-Hank lighthouse in Casablanca. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISNATO-based nuclear weapons are an advantage in a dangerous world(Brent Scowcroft, Stephen J. Hadley and Franklin Miller in The Washington Post) When NATO's leaders gather in Wales in early September, they will address several issues critical to the alliance, including Russian adventurism in Ukraine and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, members' contribution to collective defense, the adequacy of individual national defense budgets and plans for supporting the people of Afghanistan. Commentary: Strategic Budget Choices (Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., in Defense News) Within the complicated universe of military acquisition is a relatively new method of decision-making that forces the US Department of Defense and the military services to make choices that balance want versus need. Towards A Career Path in Cyberspace Operations for Army Officers (Maj. Todd Arnold, Maj. Rob Harrison Col. and Gregory Conti in Small Wars Journal) In the past five years, the Department of Defense (DoD) recognized the emergence of cyberspace as an operational domain and created U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). These events were the result of the realization that cyber operations are both a critical vulnerability and a massive opportunity. Within the Army, U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) was created as the single command to conduct and oversee the Army's operations in cyberspace. Commentary: Budgets, Not Tech, May Delay US Army's Next Rotorcraft (M.E. Rhett Flater in Defense News) Though the US Army has yet to make a formal announcement, according to reports the Sikorsky-Boeing team and Bell Helicopter Textron have been selected for government-funded Joint Multi-Role (JMR) program technology demonstrations. Don't Forget the Taliban (Frank Hoffman) Our attention these days is torn between violent conflicts and graphic imagery from eastern Ukraine, western Iraq and the Kurdistan region, and the rubble of Gaza. Informed readers could be excused for forgetting about the International Security Assistance Force's mission in Afghanistan or Pakistan's daily struggle to keep violent extremism from taking root inside its borders. The notion that we live in an age of unmatched peace is rendered moot by the front page of any newspaper or website. The tides of war are not receding. Commentary: Improve DoD Acquisition With Better Buying Power, Should-Cost Analysis (Christian Hagen in Defense News) Earlier this summer, Frank Kendall, US undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, updated Congress on the Better Buying Power (BBP) initiative, started four years ago to improve the DoD's acquisition process. In Iraq, it's not 'mission creep' (Retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling in CNN) Having had to request and frequently justify force requirements for combat and noncombat missions, I know that terms like "mission creep" and "boots on the ground" in connection with America's intervention in Iraq are frustratingly ill-defined and usually improperly used by those who have likely never had to plan or execute a military operation. Can Haider al-Abadi Unite a Divided Iraq? (Retired Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Al-Samarae in Cicero Magazine) Democracy is still a new process for Iraqis after decades of autocratic rule and life under military occupation. Embracing it as a governing system is accompanied by new difficulties and headaches | |||||
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