Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 3, 2014

A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle assigned to the 174th Fighter Wing prepares to take off from Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield at Fort Drum, N.Y. in this October 18, 2011 USAF handout photo obtained by Reuters February 6, 2013. Credit: Reuters/U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Ricky Best/Handout

Military Drones Set To Get Stronger Chemical Weapons And Could Soon Make Their OWN Decisions During Missions -- Daily Mail

* The U.S. Department of Defence (DoD) revealed its Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap, setting out its technology aims for the next 25 years
* Its plans include drone-bombs that can hunt in 'swarms' from a mothership
* Next-generation unmanned aircraft will likely be equipped with better sensors and navigational equipment, plus superior autonomous systems

Drones that can choose to deviate from a set mission and hunt in ‘swarms’ could be patrolling skies within the next 25 years, according to a new roadmap.

Unmanned aircraft carrying stronger chemical weapons could also be on the horizon, the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD) revealed in its Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap.

While the document sets out plans for unmanned maritime, land and air vehicles, there is a lot of focus on the future capability of controversial drones, which, if the plans come to fruition, could deviate from mission commands set by humans if they spot a better target.

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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

The Future of the Military is Robots Building Robots -- Aaron Martin and Ben FitzGerald, Foreign Policy

US-Israel Arrow-3 Marks Milestone Test -- Defense News

Under America's watchful eye, Israel successfully tests Arrow III missile shield -- Haaretz/Reuters

Hezbollah Upgrades Missile Threat to Israel -- Wall Street Journal

China to centralize military command to improve operations -- Reuters

China's Nuclear Bomber Can Hit US Military Bases -- 4-Traders

Taiwan acquires submarine-launched Harpoon missiles from US -- Want China Times

The secret base of Hanoi Submarine -- Vietnamnet

Transfer of command from US to S. Korea questioned as North acted up -- Stars and Stripes

South Korean Army Academy Fights to Keep Sex Banned for Academy Cadets -- Voice of America

Turkish Army Demands Retrial In Coup Plot Cases -- Defense News/AFP

Russian Navy to Expand Air Patrols in Arctic -- RIA Novosti

Minister: C. Africa Won't Sap France's Military -- Defense News/AFP

Military’s fighter-jet reports to put ball in Ottawa’s court on F-35s -- Globe and Mail

U.S. Military Ship Readied for Mission to Destroy Syria’s Chemical Weapons -- New York Times

Weather, time key challenges in first chemical destruction at sea off Syria -- CNN

Task Force Guam redeploys from historic mission in Afghanistan -- Stars and Stripes

When You’ve Only Got 20 B-2 Bombers… -- Time

B-2 Returns to Flight Nearly 4 Years Later -- Defense Tech

The Pentagon’s New Jet Fighter Costs Twice as Much as You’re Being Told -- David Axe, War Is Boring

UAVs and the F-35: Partners in Air Power? -- Robert Farley, The Diplomat

Study predicts 5 percent defense and aerospace growth -- The Hill

Military social sciences tab up to $726M since '07 -- USA Today

Fleet hails and farewells for 2014 -- Navy Times

Military propaganda websites on verge of extinction -- USA Today

Why U.S. Troops Don’t Use Pain Rays and Stun Grenades -- Dan Lamonthe, Foreign Policy

31 Phrases That Only People In The Military Will Understand -- Business Insider

WWII ace who flew through Eiffel Tower dies in Va. -- WTOP/AP