Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 5, 2015

Washington Post: Top U.S. general in Afghanistan leaves door open to altering drawdown plan

The top U.S. general in Afghanistan on Wednesday left the door open to altering the plan to remove U.S. troops from the country, saying he doesn’t yet know what U.S. and Afghan officials can accomplish in the coming fighting season while focused on a new training mission.

Gen. John F. Campbell told the House Armed Services Committee that he wants to see how new “Train Advise and Assist Commands” (TAACs) do while working with senior Afghan military officials. The commands were established as part of the military support mission established at the beginning of the year as NATO ended its formal combat mission in Afghanistan.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 5, 2015

Quo Vadis Afghanistan? General Campbell Testifies on the Hill -- Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat

Campbell-Sopko feud on public Afghan audits spills to hearing -- Washington Times

Dempsey does not rule out U.S. ground troops in Syria -- Defense News

Iraq: Unreliable, Unpredictable And Asking For Help -- Strategy Page

First Briton, ex-Royal Marine, dies fighting Islamic State in Syria: report -- Washington Times

Ukraine crisis: Ukrainian MPs back bill to boost army -- BBC

Russian diplomat says US airborne troops being redeployed to Ukraine -- ITAR-TASS

Russian Jets Penetrate NATO Ships' Air Defenses in Black Sea -- Sputnik

Russia is holding military drills in nearby breakaway regions -- Business Insider/Radio Free Europe

Benelux countries sign air defence pact -- EU Observer

India and Japan Inch Closer to Surveillance Aircraft Deal -- The Diplomat

Confirmed: China’s Defense Budget Will Rise 10.1% in 2015 -- The Diplomat

China's CJ-10 cruise missile is officially renamed DF-10 -- Want China Times

Sri Lanka May Bar Port Visits by Chinese Submarines -- The Diplomat

US has monitored Chinese subs for years, says Global Times -- Want China Times

US Army Protects China Ties Despite Tensions -- Defense News

New Zealand spying on Pacific allies for 'Five Eyes' and NSA, Snowden files show -- The Guardian

Russia Tops China as Principal Cyber Threat to US -- The Diplomat

North Korean hacking threatens nations -- Washington Times

Air Force: Stealth bomber in need of modernization, upgrades -- Air Force Times

New Small Diameter Bomb Doesn’t Fit Inside Marine’s F-35B -- Defense Tech

Total Force Report in, USAF Eyes Next Steps -- Defense News

Congressmen Rally Behind Ohio-Class Submarine Replacement -- National Defense

Warplanes: The Last American Scout Helicopter -- Strategy Page

House Dem: No Path To More DoD Spending -- Defense News

House GOP Splits On Defense Sequestration -- Breaking Defense

Defense chief: Obama should not have limited ISIS war resolution -- The Hill

Fatal coverup of defective Army helicopter parts alleged in lawsuit -- Washington Post

Army secretary defends stripping Special Forces officer of awards -- Washington Post

FBI: Person in custody in Maryland shootings; 1 damaged NSA building -- Washington Times

USS Ranger heading out in the morning -- Kitsap Sun

The Biggest Thing Since Silicon: Raytheon’s Gallium Nitride Breakthrough -- Breaking Defense

Remembering History’s Mightiest Warship -- Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat