Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 21, 2014

U.S. Fighter Jocks Pray The ‘ISIS Air Force’ Rumors Are True -- Dave Majumdar, Daily Beast

Syrian rebels say ISIS now has a few aircraft. American pilots can’t wait to shoot the things down.

The ISIS terrorist group may have acquired a few old Soviet-built MiG fighters, according to a Syrian opposition group. But even if ISIS does have jet fighters, there is little chance that the group can do any real damage with those antiques beyond their value as propaganda tools, U.S. military pilots say.

“If ISIS is flying, or is thinking about flying, it will not be doing so for very long,” one Air Force official said.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights—an opposition group based in London—ISIS has managed to acquire three Soviet-built Mikoyan MiG-21 Fishbed and MiG-23 Flogger fighters. The aircraft are allegedly being flown by former Iraqi air force pilots, who are also training wannabe ISIS aviators to fly the jets.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 21, 2014

Iraq PM Rules Out Foreign Intervention by Ground Forces -- Defense News

Pentagon denies that ISIS has air capability -- The Hill

US Considers $600 Million Arms Sale to Iraq: Official Report -- RIA Novosti

UK to fly military drones over Syria -- The Guardian

Junk and knockoffs: Iran's military weaponry panned, but regime still formidable, say experts -- FOX News

Iran Military Ready to Ship Equipment to Lebanon -- AP

The Rest Is Mystery as Swedes Chase Possible Russian Sub -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Sweden vows to increase defence spending as capability questioned -- Financial Times

Swedish Forces Admit Failure, Issuing False Information on Alleged Foreign Submarine Location -- RIA Novosti

Latvia warns Swedish hunt for Russian submarine could become a security 'game changer' in the Baltic Sea -- Daily Mail

Ukraine Government Troops Used Cluster Bombs, Rights Group Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Russia to Launch Third and Final Bulava SLBM Last Week of November: Defense Source -- RIA Novosti

Russia prepares for ice-cold war with show of military force in the Arctic -- The Guardian

North Korea Gets New Submarine -- RIA Novosti

China's Only Aircraft Carrier Is Having Some Technical Difficulties -- Business Insider

Rafale Fighters India is Buying Can't Match Chinese Fighters: Russian Envoy -- NDTV

India Gives In to Russia's Terms For High-Priced Tank Ammunition -- Defense News

In harm's way: British Army medics leave RAF Brize Norton for the Ebola front-line -- Daily Mail

Nuclear weapons deal with US renewed in secret, UK confirms -- The Guardian

US Military Drone Makes 'Hard Landing' in Niger -- AP

New Izumo-class carriers to greatly boost Japan's force projection -- Want China Times

U.S., Japan to conduct joint military drill for island defense -- Reuters

U.S., South Korea to Detail Wartime Military Command Plans -- WSJ

NATO seeks more U.S. ships -- Navy Times

America’s $7.6 billion war on Afghan drugs fails, opium production peaks -- RT

More US troops arriving in West Africa for Ebola fight -- Stars and Stripes

Boeing Seeks Revised Schedule for U.S. Aerial Tanker -- Bloomberg

Navy's Advanced Hawkeye will deploy next year -- C4isr & Networks

Two F-16 fighter jets collide in Elk County -- KSN.com

US Senators Urge White House to Escalate War Against IS -- RIA Novosti

Obama Could Reduce Nuclear Arsenal Without Harming National Security: Disarmament Expert -- RIA Novosti

Navy takes different approach to painting vessels -- Stars and Stripes/The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot (MCT)

Bring back the Harrier fighter -- The Telegraph

The Coming Swarm: Robotics on the Battlefield -- Paul Scharre, Real Clear Defense