Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 12, 2017

A military parade in China. Damir Sagolj | Reuters

CNBC: China's military is flashing clues about the country's complex politics

* An overwhelming majority of military delegates at China's upcoming Party Congress will be first-time attendees, according to Brookings
* That's a likely sign of President Xi Jinping consolidating power, experts say
* Xi has been purging senior generals as part of a corruption crackdown

The list of delegates attending China's upcoming 19th Party Congress offers tell-tale signs of which way political winds are blowing in the world's second-largest economy. Attendees from the military are particularly notable.

Out of the 300 People's Liberation Army delegates expected to appear at the milestone event, which decides the future of Chinese leadership, a whopping 90 percent will be first-time attendees, Cheng Li, director of the John L. Thornton China Center and a senior fellow in the foreign policy program at Brookings, said in a note this week.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 12, 2017

Xi's reforms have reshaped, modernised military -- Straits Times

China congress: Military facelift a sign of bigger changes -- BBC

Kicking Out Major Rival? China 'Squeezes US' From South-East Asian Arms Market -- Sputnik

Would China & Russia Support a N. Korean Insurgency? -- Franz-Stefan Gady, Diplomat

On guard: New batch of female students graduates from Syria’s military college (VIDEO) -- RT

Russian Military Strategy, Stuck in the Past -- Moscow Times

Russia says U.S. military in Baltic contradicts Russia-NATO agreement: RIA -- Reuters

Armed Ground Robots Could Join the Ukrainian Conflict Next Year -- Defense One

Pilot killed in fighter jet crash after performing in Spain's national day parade -- The Telegraph

Canada Uninterested in Boeing Military Purchases After Dispute With Bombardier -- Sputnik

US military plans evacuation drills against backdrop of North Korea tensions -- Stars and Stripes

As The War In Iraq Winds Down, The US Military Shifts Its Attention To Afghanistan (Again) -- Task & Purpose

Army to establish special forces-like teams after Green Beret deaths in Niger -- The Hill

US will expand military to military relations with Sri Lanka: Admiral Swift -- Daily Mrror

Boeing Will Build More GPS-Guided Smart Bombs With Extra Pentagon Funding -- Bloomberg

Air Force to Fire New Next-Gen ICBM Prototypes in 2020 -- Scout Warrior

No plans to boost size of nuclear arsenal: Pentagon -- Global News/AP

Trump: US nuke force must be in 'tiptop shape' -- Military Times/AP

Army Rolls Out New Field Manual Focused On US Adversaries’ Evolving Capabilities -- Task & Putpose

Army cyber should ‘let nerds be nerds,’ experts say -- Army Times

The Army’s Next Body Armor May Get Stronger The Harder It’s Hit -- Task & Purpose

US Navy stands up first underwater drone squadron -- Navy Times

Pentagon to shift ‘bulk’ of major defense programs to services, and people may go, too -- Defense News

Military dogs recognized for their service with Medal of Courage awards -- CBS News

Army is accepting more low-quality recruits, giving waivers for marijuana to hit targets -- USA Today

West Point superintendent responds to outrage over pro-Communist former cadet -- Army Times

Alleged US Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl to enter a plea Monday -- ABC News

Marines Kick Out 15 Troops in West Coast Hazing Crackdown -- Military.com

The US Air Force's own Wonder Woman: Military dentist becomes an Instagram star with her incredible physique and patriotic wardrobe -- Daily Mail

The Tropes and Triggers of TV's New Military Dramas -- WIRED