Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- June 16, 2017

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the long-range strategic ballistic rocket (Reuters/Korean Central News Agency)

Adam P. MacDonald, National Interest: This is North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Strategy

North Korea is well on its way to becoming a nuclear-armed state with the Kim Jong-un regime impervious to coercion, sanctions or incentives. Any attempt by the United States to conduct a disarming first strike against North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and missile forces would be extremely risky, possibly initiating a full-scale war with Pyongyang.

While it is militarily inferior, Pyongyang possesses the capability to inflict severe damage to in-theatre US units and regional allies — most importantly mass casualties in and around Seoul. Increased diplomatic isolation and tightening of the sanctioning regime has not deterred or crippled North Korea from progressing its nuclear program, which has been innovative in securing illicit streams of revenue to offset trade losses.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- June 16, 2017

Boost-Phase Intercept Is Still the Best Defense against the North Korean Nuclear Threat -- NRO

Challenges Ahead for the U.S.–South Korea Alliance -- Lee Byong-Chul, 38 North

Overview of North Korea’s NBC Infrastructure -- 38 North

US Congress takes up new bill to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge -- Times of Israel

Russia questions US Himars missile deployment in Syria -- BBC

Kremlin regrets US reluctance to cooperate in war on terror in Syria -- TASS

The Russian Army Will Soon Have Some New Big 'Guns' -- National Interest

Russia at final stage of developing advanced electronic warfare system -- TASS

Eye on India: China, Pakistan hold naval drills in Arabian Sea -- India Today

Giving Japan a military -- Jeffrey W. Hornung, Japan Times

Peaceful Swedes Want Their Piece of EU Arms Cake -- Sputnik

Modernized military will put more emphasis on cyber attacks, Canadian defence minister says -- CBC

US to send 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan -- DW

U.S. military has made no decision on new Afghanistan troop levels: spokesman -- Reuters

Air Force to Conduct B-21 Raider Critical Design Review -- Scout Warrior

The Navy's 30-day review reveals few answers for cockpit air problems -- Navy Times

F-35A Hypoxia Problems Date Back to 2011, Air Force Reveals -- Military.com

Pentagon Builds Robo-Wingmen to Fly With Manned Fighter Jets -- Sputnik

The Pentagon is developing an army of robotic drones able to fly alongside fighter jets at speeds of 700mph -- Daily Mail

Navy’s Planned 80 Super Hornet Buy Could Grow After New Pentagon Strategy Review -- USNI News

The Army is growing by thousands of soldiers. Here's where they're going to go. -- Army Times

DARPA Developing New Urban Warfare Software App for Marine Mobile Devices -- Sputnik

The Pentagon Looks to Videogames for the Future of War -- WIRED

Brit hacker admits he siphoned info from US military satellite network -- Register

The Military Will Try to Make a Missile-Destroying Laser Drone -- Popular Science

Air Force buys 100 Dronebuster devices for security forces -- Air Force Times

CIA has been hacking into Wi-Fi routers for years, leaked documents show -- ZDNet

CIA reportedly hacked Wi-Fi routers for years -- CNET

Air Force budget reveals how much SpaceX undercuts launch prices -- Ars Technica

First court-martial possible in Marines United investigation -- Marine Times

EXCLUSIVE: Alleged NSA leaker Reality Winner seen for the first time since her arraignment exercising, eating and performing yoga in Georgia prison yard as she awaits trial -- Daily Mail

Donald Trump has talked big about his military build up -- The Economist

Mattis Is Punting the Military Buildup to 2019 -- Frederico Bartels, Daily Signal