Friday, May 23, 2014

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 23, 2014

Putin’s New Model Army: Russia’s Military Modernization -- The Economist

Money and reform have given Russia armed forces it can use

THIS week Vladimir Putin said he had ordered 40,000 of his troops, strung along the border with Ukraine since March, back to barracks. As with two previous similar “orders”, there was little sign of an immediate withdrawal. Russia’s president may indeed wish to avoid a ground invasion. But the deployment of large numbers of well-equipped, combat-ready troops has proved useful, to intimidate and provide psychological support for the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian separatists. For Mr Putin, this amply justifies the painful and expensive military modernisation he began nearly seven years ago. Any illusion that Russia could be a partner of NATO and the West has gone. This has brought the realisation that what kind of forces Mr Putin has and the uses he might put them to matter.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs

Russia Strengthens Military Bases Abroad – Defense Minister -- RIA Novosti

Russia will respond to increased NATO activity near border - top general -- Reuters

Moscow to Respond if US Speeds Up European Missile Defense – Foreign Ministry -- RIA Novosti

Russian Shipyard launched first Project 22100 patrol ship "Ocean" for FSB Border Protection -- Navy Recognition

Russian, Iranian defense ministers meet -- AP

Iran’s Defense Strategy Based on Self-Reliance, Ties with other States: DM -- Tasnim News Agency

Iranian Army Starts Massive Drills with Testing Missiles -- Tasnim News Agency

France Might Withhold 2nd Mistral Ship From Russia -- Defense News

French Military Chiefs Denounce Budget-Cut Plans -- AP

BAE Systems launches UK Royal Navy's third Astute-class SSN -- IHS Janes 360

UK’s new Reaper drones remain grounded, months before Afghan withdrawal -- Bureau of Investigative Journalism

What a US Military Evacuation in Libya Might Look Like -- ABC News

House OKs $495.8B for 2015 Base Budget; Orders Army Structure Commission -- Defense News

House Passes Bill Blocking U.S.-Russian Arms Control Funds -- Global Security Newswire

House defies Pentagon, retains U-2 spy plane, military bases -- AP

USS George Washington completes sea trials, ready for patrol -- Dvids

Lockheed, Austal respond to U.S. Navy query on small-warship ideas -- Reuters

Navy Considers it’s Beyond-the-Horizon Future -- DoD Buzz

Here's Everything That's Needed To Run The Navy's Failed 'Ship Of The Future' -- Business Insider

SOCOM soon getting more capable, deadlier Ospreys and C-130s -- Air Force Times

Critics accuse Air Force of manipulating data to support A-10 retirement -- PBS Newshour

US military seeks permission to defend drone strikes -- FOX News

U.S. Military Pushes for More Disclosure on Drone Strikes -- WSJ

The Military Is Shutting Down Its Weather-Controlling Death Beam -- io9

Atlas 5 rocket powers clandestine satellite launch -- Space Daily/UPI

Elon Musk blames bribery for Air Force awarding rocket contract to a competitor -- Endgadget

Snowden NBC Interview Reveals Whistleblower Has More to Say -- RIA Novosti

Women moving into front-line combat positions in military -- WRAL

Marine’s sexual assault conviction overturned because of commandant’s tough talk -- McClatchy News

The 10 Best and Worst States for US Military Retirees -- National Journal

Defense Secretary Hagel ‘Supports’ Shinseki Amid Health Care Crisis -- Time

VA's Shinseki says he won't quit over health-care scandal allegations -- Stars and Stripes/Washington Post

The U.S. Military's New Mission: Slimmer Kids -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Is the World's Most Powerful Military Defenseless Against Big Tobacco? -- Michael Mechanic, Mother Jones

I made Obama's BlackBerry -- CNN

CIA’s Memorial Wall for fallen operatives is shaped by a Northern Virginia stone carver -- Washington Post

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