| December 12, 2014 |
THE EARLY BIRD BRIEF |
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TODAY'S TOP 5
1. After Dramatic Day, House Approves $554B for Pentagon
(Defense News) The US House on Thursday narrowly approved a $1 trillion government-wide spending bill, but only after shouting on the floor, the changing of votes and arm-twisting behind closed doors.
2. 12 sailors implicated in submarine shower scandal
(Navy Times) Up to a dozen sailors are suspected of viewing secretly recorded videos of their female shipmates undressing in a submarine shower over a period of 10 months, according to a new investigative report obtained by Navy Times. The scandal has marred the Navy's gender integration effort begun four years ago.
3. Washington's Window To Reform War Funding Just Opened
(Retired Army Lt. Gen. Robert Gard in Defense One) With the resignation of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the arrival of a new Congress, Washington leaders should seize a new window of opportunity to save the Pentagon billions of dollars while improving America's military posture. If past serves as prologue, however, it is more likely Congress will usher in another era of out-of-control defense spending for a military ill-suited to deal with current threats and a new war overseas.
4. China Stealth Jet Maker Walks Back Boast It Could 'Take Out' F-35
(Wall Street Journal) In early November, as President Xi Jinping hosted U.S. President Barack Obama in Beijing ahead of unveiling a cavalcade of bilateral cooperation deals, Mr. Xi's military officials in the south of the country took the occasion to unveil China's new stealth fighter jet, the J-31. The message, analysts say, was unmistakable: watch this, Yanks.
5. Hagel: New Ship To Be Based on LCS
(Defense News) US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has accepted the Navy's recommendation that the design of the small surface combatant (SSC), a more powerful ship to follow the littoral combat ship, will be based on existing LCSs, Pentagon sources said Thursday.
CONGRESS
Defense bill mandates yearly mental health checkups for troops
(Military Times) The defense policy bill passed by the House last week and now pending in the Senate will change how often troops get mental health exams, where they fill some prescriptions and how long they stay in a hospital for mental health treatment.
Senate Panel Sends Blinken Nomination for Deputy State Sec. to Senate Floor
(Defense News) A Senate committee on Thursday approved the nomination of a senior White House official to become the No. 2 leader at Foggy Bottom.
Gillibrand: Service members deserve vote on sexual assault reform
(The Hill) Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said the military's failure to address sexual assault should not be tolerated.
Iraq war vet to take over HASC personnel panel
(Military Times) A leadership round of musical chairs has put an Iraq War veteran in charge of the House Armed Services Committee's personnel panel for the first time, and South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson in charge of the intelligence subcommittee.
Veterans' Affairs chairman a 'no' vote on defense bill
(The Hill) Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday voted against moving forward on the 2015 defense policy bill, saying he had concerns about the Pentagon's "bloated" budget.
Ethics committee closes review of Tom Petri
(Gannett Washington Bureau) The House Ethics Committee closed its inquiry into Wisconsin Rep. Tom Petri Thursday without taking action against the retiring lawmaker.
ISLAMIC STATE
Senate Committee Approves Islamic State AUMF
(Defense News) Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats on Thursday sent a measure to the floor authorizing military operations in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State.
A Force to Fight ISIS Has Manpower, but Little Firepower
(New York Times) Smoking cigarettes in a tent with a dirt floor just outside an isolated village in northern Iraq, the police officers recalled the heady days working alongside American forces and launching dozens of operations to kill and capture Qaeda militants in Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city.
Iraqi F-16 pilots need years more training in U.S.
(Air Force Times) As the U.S. and Iran continue to launch airstrikes in Iraq against Islamic State group targets, Iraqi pilots learning how to fly F-16s in the U.S. are years away from completing their training.
State Dept: Rebels Are Never Going to Defeat Assad Militarily
(Foreign Policy) In a grim assessment of the U.S.-backed Syrian rebels, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday that the country's armed opposition will not be able to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad now or in the foreseeable future, despite the existence of a Pentagon program to train and equip 5,000 rebels per year.
Islamic State overruns Badr Brigade position near Samarra
(Long War Journal) Over the past week, the Islamic State has launched a series of attacks against Iraqi troops and allied Iranian-backed Shiite militias near the key central city of Samarra. The attacks include an operation that resulted in a defeat of the Shiite Badr Brigade militia, and a series of suicide bombings that were executed by foreign jihadists from France, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
INDUSTRY
Musk's SpaceX Closer to Certification for Launches, U.S. Says
(Bloomberg) Billionaire Elon Musk's space-exploration company is close to winning the certification it needs to begin launching satellites for the U.S. military, according to an Air Force official.
Tim Rudolph: Air Force aims for zero data centers through purchase of IaaS
(C4ISR & Networks) Tim Rudolph is the Air Force Senior Leader for Integrated Information Capabilities, AF Life Cycle Management Center. He serves in a variety of capacities, including AFLCMC Chief Technology Officer (CTO) as the Authorizing Official for C2 Platform IT, both ground-based and airborne.
United Technologies CEO Hunting for Major Acquisition
(Wall Street Journal) United Technologies Corp. 's new chief, Greg Hayes, is hunting for a major acquisition and is open to changing a portfolio that includes Otis elevators, Black Hawk helicopters and Carrier air-conditioning systems.
CEO: Focus on Short-Term Dividends Could Blind Defense Industry to Long-Term Viability
(Defense News) While market pressures have been discouraging companies in the defense sector from making long-term investments in favor of initiatives that can help boost their share value in the short-term, Mike Petters, chief executive of Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., on Wednesday insisted that he was committed to taking a a longer-term view.
Northrop Grumman delivers protected communications payload
(C4ISR & Networks) Northrop Grumman has completed early delivery of the fourth payload for the Air Force's Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) protected military communications satellites. The payload of phased array, nulling and advanced v-band crosslink antennas incorporates with the communications processing, routing and control hardware and software shipped earlier in the year to prime contractor Lockheed Martin.
Italy, Turkey Selected for F-35 European Maintenance
(Defense News) Italy and Turkey are the big winners in the first wave of F-35 global sustainment competition.
Boeing Still Interested In South Korea's KF-X
(Aviation Week) Boeing confirms it remains interested in South Korea's KF-X fighter program but declines to say directly whether it is considering a development based on its Advanced Super Hornet, as reported by Aviation Week.
Israeli $800M V-22 Deal Not Dead: Just Hovering
(Breaking Defense) Reports that Israel's plan to buy a dozen V-22 Osprey tiltrotor troop transports is dead are - as Mark Twain said after reading his own incorrect obituary - greatly exaggerated. A U.S. Letter of Agreement offering a bargain price and early delivery of the first six of 12 Ospreys requested by Israel formally expired on Wednesday amid political turmoil in Tel Aviv and new elections scheduled for March 17. But a source close to the program said the Israeli Ministry of Defense sent a letter to the U.S. government this week asking that the U.S. offer be put on ice - not withdrawn - until a new Israeli government takes power in 2015.
JASSMs To Equip Polish F-16s
(Defense News) Poland's Ministry of Defense has signed a deal with Lockheed Martin to acquire AGM-158 joint air-to-surface standoff missiles (JASSMs) for its fleet of 48 F-16 fighter jets. The contract is worth about US $250 million, the ministry said in a statement.
Czechs sign for continued Gripen upgrades and support
(IHS Jane's 360) The Czech Republic has signed an SEK576 million (USD77 million) deal with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the continued support and upgrade of its Saab Gripen fighter aircraft for a further 12 years, the manufacturer announced on 11 December.
VETERANS
Vets fight for Afghan interpreters
(Boston Herald) Marine Sgt. Andrew Biggio of Winthrop - who told the Herald he "slept, ate and worked alongside" his interpreter - and Marine platoon Sgt. Peter Boisvert of Nashua, N.H., are urging Congress to allow more Afghans to earn visas.
Hearing: Homelessness among veterans is declining, but goal remains elusive
(Stars & Stripes) Veteran homelessness has been reduced 33 percent since 2009, but there is still a long way to go before the U.S. reaches "functional zero," Congressmen and veteran service providers said Thursday in a hearing on Capitol Hill.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes over Aurora's VA hospital project
(Denver Post) The Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to let the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversee its troubled hospital construction project in Aurora, a representative of U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman said Wednesday.
Infantry vet gets pranked by 'NCIS' star and Mrs. Obama
(Military Times) How do you go from a fake job interview to straddling a motorcycle with Michael Weatherly from "NCIS" draped over your back to getting un-punk'd by the First Lady to actually landing a dream job?
Congress losing last WWII vets, a tea party fave
(Associated Press) Congress is saying farewell to its last two veterans of World War II, the member whose lodgings inspired Amazon's "Alpha House" show, a founding firebrand of the tea party, the senator dubbed "Dr. No" and a few dozen other lawmakers this week as another session of bickering winds down.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
US Readying Military, Economic Options to Russian Missile Treaty Violation
(Defense News) Pentagon and State Department officials are reviewing what military and economic options they can employ if Russia continues development of a cruise missile it has tested in violation of a cornerstone nuclear weapons treaty between Washington and Moscow, senior US officials say.
Cyber Command trying to get running start, add staff
(Stars & Stripes) The fledgling U.S. Cyber Command is trying to hit the ground running, aware that it's playing catchup with often archaic equipment, dealing with constantly evolving threats and trying to justify its existence amid budget cuts and force reductions.
For children of fallen troops, Snowball Express brings joy
(Fayetteville Observer) Since 2006, American Airlines has been offering the Snowball Express throughout the world by giving wives, husbands and children an opportunity to gather with one another each year near the holidays, where they are treated to amusement parks, rodeos, dances and four days of happiness.
ARMY
CID: Be alert and aware on social media
(Army Times) Army Criminal Investigation Command is calling on all soldiers and their loved ones to scrub their social media accounts in light of recent world events.
Fort Bragg soldier found dead in his on-post home; military officials investigating
(Fayetteville Observer) A Fort Bragg soldier was found dead in his on-post home earlier this month, officials said Thursday.
New app helps soldiers access relief society help
(Army Times) Soldiers can now download a mobile app to get information about the nonprofit Army Emergency Relief .
Army's new Cyber branch looking to recruit talent
(Defense Systems) As the military continues to trim down following the drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan, the one growth area is in cyber defense. All of the military services' cyber divisions, along with the overarching U.S. Cyber Command, plan to steadily increase their number of cyber warriors over the next two years, to help protect networks and combat the growing threats from other countries.
New Army safety boss seeks soldier feedback
(Army Times) The Army recorded the smallest number of accidental soldier deaths in fiscal year 2013 since it started tracking the statistic in 1975. Last fiscal year, the figure went even lower, dropping from 136 to 127.
NAVY
Are Navy SEALs affected by repeated blasts?
(San Diego Union-Tribune) A pilot study in San Diego will look at how Navy SEAL brains are affected by repeated blasts, research with possible implications for other Americans who suffer brain injuries.
Destroyer, Coast Guard rescue man lost 12 days at sea
(Navy Times) A Hawaii fisherman who set sail on Thanksgiving spent 12 days at sea with no food or water before a destroyer crew rescued him Tuesday after his Mayday call was heard, according to a Thursday Navy release.
Prosecutors: Egyptian took Navy job to steal secrets
(Virginian-Pilot) A former Egyptian citizen told an undercover FBI agent earlier this year that he took a job with the Navy for the sole purpose of stealing military secrets and providing them to the Egyptian government, according to federal prosecutors.
Naval Academy graduates raise questions about alumni association, foundation
(Washington Post) In recent years, the U.S. Naval Academy has faced intense scrutiny over the school's handling of sexual assault cases, its admission process and treatment of an outspoken faculty member. Now, two graduates are taking the academy's alumni association and chief fundraising arm to task over what they allege are unethical practices.
Navy spy "fish" could be operational next year
(Virginian-Pilot) It looks like a fish, sort of.
AIR FORCE
B-52 lands in Australia for training
(Air Force Times) An Air Force B-52, along with a KC-135 refueling tanker, landed in Australia on Monday to train with the Royal Australian Air Force. This marks the fourth time a Superfortress has landed down under since 2012.
SANS, CSIS unveil cyber scholarships for Air Force vets
(FCW) The SANS Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies are offering cybersecurity training scholarships for 12 veterans of the Air Force. It is the pilot phase of a broader program to get veterans top public- or private-sector jobs in cybersecurity.
Act now to preserve old records, as AF upgrades fitness system
(Air Force Times) If you want your fitness records that predate July 2010, you must download them by Dec. 30 or they will be lost forever.
Home for Christmas: U.S. Air Force trainee finds beloved dog Buddy with help from strangers
(Huntsville Times; Ala.) "I know I'm basically grasping at straws at this point, but I've been looking forward to seeing my dog for the past two months, and to know that he isn't here is killing me."
Academy seeking donations to send troops to bowl game
(FlightLines) The Air Force Academy is soliciting donations to help send troops to their football bowl game later this month.
MARINE CORPS
Marines use L.A.'s Dodger Stadium for mock raid
(Marine Corps Times) Dodger Stadium became a training ground for Marines on Dec. 9 as they used the Major League ballpark for a mock raid involving an arms dealer.
Police name Marine major as suspect in Okinawa hit-and-run
(Stars & Stripes) Okinawa police say a Marine Corps major assigned to Camp Courtney has admitted his involvement in a hit-and-run accident that left a 67-year-old man unconscious in Okinawa city.
Marines' alliance with Georgians holds clues to future missions
(Marine Corps Times) More than 2,000 Marines and other U.S. personnel have deployed to the Eastern European nation of Georgia in the last five years as part of a program that trained and equipped the country's army to fight alongside NATO troops in Afghanistan. As that program enters its final stages, officials with Marine Corps Forces Europe say the unconventional partnership could form the template for training alliances with other developing militaries in future conflicts.
Iwo Jima, 2 other ships, deploy from Mayport
(First Coast News; Jacksonville, Fla.) More than 4,000 sailors and marines from the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group left Naval Station Mayport Thursday afternoon on a seven-month deployment.
Liberty cards still required for Japan-based Marines
(Marine Corps Times) Rules for going off base softened for service members stationed across Japan earlier this month, but Marines must continue carrying "liberty cards" when they step out.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Afghan general talks Helmand future
(San Diego Union-Tribune) During an exclusive interview on Wednesday at Camp Pendleton with U-T-San Diego, Malouk spoke to military affairs reporter and frequent Helmand visitor Gretel C. Kovach about the future of Afghanistan and its deadliest province. Here are excerpts from a translation of Malouk's comments.
In 2 Attacks, Suicide Bombers Kill at Least 6 in Kabul
(New York Times) A teenager evaded tight security and blew himself up in the auditorium of an elite French high school in Kabul Thursday evening, killing at least one other person and wounding more than a dozen people.
Afghanistan ask donors for more money as budget for state salaries run out
(Khaama Press) Afghanistan has asked the aid donors for a bailout as the budget for state salaries has run out, leaving the government unable to pay the salaries of teachers, civil servants and other government workers.
MIDDLE EAST
Doctors Draw Contradictory Conclusions After Autopsy of Palestinian Official
(New York Times) Israeli and Palestinian pathologists on Thursday offered contradictory interpretations of a joint autopsy report on the prominent Palestinian official who died after a confrontation with Israeli security forces at a West Bank demonstration a day earlier.
AQAP claims shelling of American section of airbase in Yemen
(Long War Journal) A Twitter account linked to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a statement today claiming that the terrorist group's fighters carried out a rocket attack on a joint US-American airbase in Yemen's southern Lahj province. According to AQAP, this latest attack against US interests in Yemen is a retaliation for the failed US rescue operation last week that sought to free several hostages, including American photojournalist Luke Somers.
Iran Nuclear Talks to Resume Next Week
(Wall Street Journal) Nuclear talks between Iran and six major powers will resume in Geneva next week, European Union officials said Friday.
EUROPE
Poland Reports 'Unprecedented' Russian Maneuvers in Baltic
(Deutsche Welle) Increased Russian military activity over the Baltic Sea has left several eastern European countries on edge. But Poland's Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has assured: "We are not under threat of an attack."
Finland: 'Unusually Intense Russian Air Activity' Over Baltic
(USNI News) Russian aircraft have stepped up flights over the Baltic Sea to the country's exclave in Kalliningrad in the last week, according to a Tuesday statement from Finnish Defence Forces.
French Fighter Jet Crashes, One Dead
(Wall Street Journal) A French air force jet crashed on a home for disabled adults Wednesday, killing one and injuring six near the city of Tours in central France, the French Defense Ministry said.
AFRICA
French Forces Kill a Leader of Jihadists in Mali Raid
(New York Times) The French Army said Thursday that it had killed a leader of a terrorist group in the deserts of northern Mali.
Blasts kill at least 40 in Nigerian city of Jos
(Reuters) Two bombs exploded near a bus station in the central Nigerian city of Jos on Thursday evening, witnesses said, the second one killing at least 40 people.
Nigerian Opposition Selects Ex-Dictator as Presidential Candidate
(Wall Street Journal) Nigeria's opposition on Thursday nominated a retired general to face the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in February elections that will feature two perennial rivals.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
It's Time To Drop The Ban On Transgender Troops
(Jason Lemieux in Task & Purpose) Last year, a former Navy SEAL known as Christopher Beck came out as Kristin, a transgender woman, after 20 years of service in one of the most demanding, courageous, and tightly knit military units on earth. In a June 2013 interview with Anderson Cooper, Kristin articulated the effect of the U.S. military's ban on transgender service: A life in the shadows, constantly suppressing one of the most fundamental aspects of her identity for fear of the shame, humiliation, and punishment associated with being discovered. In 20 years, she says, "no one ever met the real me."
Canceling the DDG-1000 Destroyer Program Was a Mistake
(Ben Freeman in National Defense) The U.S. Navy's DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers are extraordinarily expensive. Since 2009, the cost of the ships has increased 34.4 percent, according to the Congressional Research Service. Each of the three Zumwalt's being built will cost taxpayers around $3.4 billion. And, that's on top of the more than $9 billion in research and design funding that has gone into this program.
War and America's Compromisers in Chief
(Chris Miller in Cicero Magazine) War is uncompromising. Despite modern attempts to predict it, understand it, quantify it, contain it, reduce it, and eliminate it, it remains the same as it ever was. Only the tools of war change-from rocks, arrows, and chariots to nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, and drones. Dig around in the earliest fossils of human bones and one will find men killed by other men. War has always been here and there is no reason to believe it will ever be eliminated. The best we can hope for is to avoid it when possible, reduce or contain it when plausible, and, failing that, win it by all means necessary. America has shown itself in its 238 years of existence to be adept at it.
The Origins of Turkey's Buffer Zone in Syria
(Aaron Stein in War on the Rocks) Rumors are everywhere about some sort of a buffer zone inside Syria along its border with Turkey. The notion of a buffer zone has a deep history rooted in Turkey's shifting foreign policy towards Syria - from close partner to intractable enemy. In order for policymakers and observers to weigh the likelihood of a buffer zone or "air exclusion zone" to succeed, this history must be understood from Turkey's perspective.
Opportunities to Combat Violent Religious Extremism
(Knox Thames in Small Wars Journal) The shocking gains by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the ongoing attacks of Boko Haram in Nigeria, and the Pakistani Taliban's grinding insurgency are among the most vexing examples of violent religious extremism and terrorism in the world today. These and other groups, motivated by a twisted religious ideology as well as factors unique to their circumstances, often use faith to justify their heinous attacks on innocents. The violence is spreading, resulting in acute violations of human rights that jeopardize the stability of fragile states.
Ten Rules for Building Militias in an Era of Terrorism and Persistent Conflict
(Patricio Asfura-Heim in War on the Rocks) Iraq stands on the precipice. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has taken control of vast stretches of territory in the north and west of the country and is now poised at the gates of Baghdad-for the time being held at bay by Iranian-backed Shia militias and U.S. air power. When ISIL swept through Sunni-dominated areas of northern Iraq in June, it faced little resistance from the Iraqi army, which had been hollowed out by years of corrosive sectarian policies and corruption. Now, the U.S. and Iraqi governments are pinning their hopes on Sunni tribes, ostensibly tired of ISIL rule, joining forces with the Iraqi security forces against the militants occupying their lands. With support from the U.S., Iraqi officials are considering establishing a National Guard force to organize tribal militias into coordinated provincial defense forces.
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