Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 17, 2014

U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (L) gestures next to Strategic Command commander Adm. Cecil Haney at a news briefing to announce reforms to the nuclear enterprise at the Pentagon in Washington, November 14, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Yuri Gripas

U.S. Military Scrambles To Keep Its Edge Despite Budget Woes -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Short of funds, and awash in global challenges, the U.S. military-industrial complex is betting on robotics and other new technologies to stay ahead of rapid advances in weapons development by China, Russia and other potential foes.

But with budgets already under pressure and deeper cuts looming in fiscal 2016, it remains uncertain if the Pentagon can win support in Congress to speed up the acquisition process and turn the new technologies into game-changing weapons.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel unveiled a new "Defense Innovation Initiative" at a conference at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Saturday, an effort to secure and expand the U.S. military's competitive edge.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 17, 2014

Hagel Announces New Technology Initiative to Stay Ahead of China, Russia -- DoD Buzz

Hagel Lists Key Technologies For US Military; Launches ‘Offset Strategy’ -- Breaking Defense

Hagel announces new Pentagon research and development program -- FOX News/AP

Pentagon to sharpen tech edge with robotics, 3D printing, weaponry -- ZDNet

Hagel: US Needs Game-Changing Military Innovation -- Military.com/AP

Another Pentagon official calls for innovation -- Washington Post

Hagel says U.S. military accelerating mission to train Iraqi troops -- Reuters

New Stealth Submarine to Join Russian Navy by End of Year: Defense Ministry -- Sputnik

Russia to Start Deploying Own Space Station in 2017: Reports -- Sputnik

Poroshenko says too early for Ukraine to join NATO -- ITAR-TASS

With J-31 Flight, China Makes a Statement -- Defense News

China-P'stan Fighter Jet Nears First Foreign Deal -- Bloomberg Businessweek

China Training Pakistan Army Along Indo-Pakistani Border -- Sputnik

China’s showpiece fighter jet crashes on test flight; 7 hurt -- Free Press Journal

Will Turkey stick with Chinese missile defense deal? -- Al-Monitor

Thai Army Helicopter Crashes in North, Kills 5 -- AP

US Document Riles Critics of Proposed Canadian F-35 Buy -- Defense News

Airbus Might Face Higher Costs on Delayed Military Transport Plane -- NYT

2016 US Defense Budget Could Be $60B Over Spending Caps -- Defense News

Pentagon Concerned Over Russia's Military Presence Near Gulf of Mexico -- Sputnik

US to Send Over 2,000 Additional Soldiers to Ebola-Hit Countries: Pentagon -- Sputnik

US Begin $1 Trillion Upgrade of Nuclear Weapons Arsenal -- IBTimes

Why the US had only 1 wrench for 450 nuclear missiles -- KDVR

U.S. Navy Expects Further Orders of Boeing Jets -- Marine Link

US Marines in market for Reaper-sized UAS -- Flight Global

Second stealthy destroyer starting to take shape -- AP

Pentagon chief wants to look at base closures -- Orange County Register

US Army Works Toward Single Ground Robot -- Defense News

'Most wanted': Army to roll out list of fugitives -- Army Times

US prosecutors troubled by extent of military fraud -- AP

Kicked out captains lose promised college benefit -- Army Times

Army aviator sues over forced retirement after attempting to stop lesbian kissing -- New York Daily News

Army soldier, war dog reunited after adoption application snafu -- Washington Times

The Pentagon Is Tightening Its Belt -- Andrea Shalal, Business Insider/Reuters

Watch the U.S. Army’s Mock Battle Inside a Nuclear Reactor -- Kevin Knodell, War Is Boring

Desperate F-16 Pilots Used Anti-Tank Missiles as Cameras -- David Axe, War Is Boring