Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 22, 2020

 

Defense News: NATO’s defense spending targets now ‘gold standard’ all allies should meet, key Trump officials say 

WASHINGTON and PORSTMOUTH, New Hampshire — Two of the Trump administration’s top national security officials have signaled in the last week that the NATO target of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense is now the “gold standard” being applied to all allies around the globe. 

While not a hard figure from the administration, the target may catch the attention of allies in the wake of years of comments from President Donald Trump that those nations are not spending enough on defense. 

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 Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 22, 2020 

10 NATO countries now spending 2% of GDP on defense, report shows -- UPI 

US NATO allies still short on defense spending aims -- AP 

Turkey Puts Missile Spat at NATO’s Door Before Meeting -- Bloomberg 

Top US general in Afghanistan says he’s holding back to give Taliban peace deal a chance -- Military Times 

Taliban attacks increase as US troops move toward total withdrawal from Afghanistan -- FOX News 

Fraud, waste and abuse cost US $19 billion in one decade in Afghanistan -- Stars and Stripes 

White House leans on Pentagon to fulfill Trump’s Afghanistan pledge -- Politico 

Mark Esper: U.S. troops leaving Germany likely to stay in Eastern Europe -- UPI 

SECDEF Esper’s ‘Battle Force 2045’ Plan Still Awaiting White House Approval -- USNI News 

US Urges Countries to Withdraw from UN Nuke Ban Treaty -- Military.com/AP 

Behind the “Budweiser”: A brief history of the Navy SEAL Trident -- Popular Mechanics 

Space Force activates Space Operations Command in Colorado -- UPI 

Marines Hop Islands, Set Up Long-Range Fires as Force Preps for Clash with China -- Military.com 

US Senators ask for pause on Army’s new fitness test, call it ‘premature' -- Army Times 

U.S. Spy Agency Warns That Chinese Hackers Target Military, Defense Industry -- WSJ 

Air Force seeks computer-brain interface -- Military Times 

Lessons To Learn From U.S. Military On How To Handle Pandemic -- NPR 

For the Military, Destroying the Earth in Games May Help to Save the Real World -- NextGov 

India, U.S. Set for Military Pact on Satellite Data During Pompeo Visit -- US News and World Report/Reuters 

State Department approves $1.4B sales of missile systems to Taiwan -- UPI

Despite Military Improvements, Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Still ‘Highly Risky’ Says Former Pentagon Official -- USNI News 

European nations should shape their air-combat fleets to support the F-35, US analysts say -- Defense News 

British Army admits more delays in fielding enough combat forces -- Defense News 

Lockheed Martin drone tested by the British Army -- FOX News 

Sweden embarks on its largest military build-up for decades -- The Economist 

Naval Group will repair French ‘Perle’ nuclear sub damaged by fire -- Defense News 

6 Russian military officers charged with a worldwide cyberattack -- CNN 

Russian Navy Seen Escorting Iranian Tankers Bound for Syria -- USNI News 

Japan's plan to build missile defence system at sea faces mounting costs: source -- Reuters 

China overhauls military education, modernizing troops to be ready to fight -- SCMP 

Massive war games light up Iran's skies -- Al-Monitor 

How to Spot a Military Impostor -- New Yorker