Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 13, 2015

Wall Street Journal: U.S. Moves to Stem Iran Arms Flow to Yemen

American official says Tehran is trying to supply surface-to-air missiles

WASHINGTON—U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea this month boarded a freighter suspected of delivering Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen, American military officials said.

The destroyer USS Sterett’s search of the Panamanian-flagged Saisaban on April 1 came up empty. But the officials said it marked the U.S. Navy’s first boarding operation in an expanding campaign to ensure Iran doesn’t supply game-changing weapons such as surface-to-air missiles that would threaten Saudi-led airstrikes on the Houthis.

The airstrikes began two weeks ago after Houthi rebels, who have taken over the capital and overrun much of the country, forced American-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee the country.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 13, 2015

Iraq may follow Marines’ blueprint to defeat Islamic State in Anbar -- Washington Times

U.S. spends less on military; Chinese, Russians spend more -- Seattle Times/Bloomberg

Eastern Europe is boosting military budgets, but US is still the big spender -- The Guardian

Scores of ships and aircraft from 13 countries to take part in Nato war games -- The Independent

NATO Drills Begin in Lithuania on Monday -- Sputnik

Russia Apprehensive as Sweden and Finland Move Closer to NATO -- Moscow Times/Reuters

Estonia President Presses for More NATO Troops -- Defense News/AFP

Russian Warships Holding Live Fire Drills in Pacific Ocean -- Sputnik

Russia Extends Grasp Over Black Sea, Into Med -- Defense News

Second Mistral built for Russia set for new sea trials -- ITAR-TASS

Strategic bombers’ flights aimed at demonstrating Russian defense capabilities — top brass -- ITAR-TASS

Su-34: 25 years in service of the Russian Air Force -- ITAR-TASS

Fire-damaged Russian submarine to be repaired -- Barents Observer

China Buys Powerful Military Weapon From Russia: New S-400 Triumf Air Defense Systems Designed To Shoot Down Any Enemy Aerial Target -- IBTimes

China becomes first foreign buyer of Russian S-400 air defense system — media -- ITAR-TASS

Major general from Beijing Military District under arrest -- The Australian

China says military efficiency up as graft campaign bites -- Reuters

South Korea Focuses on Underwater Protection -- Defense News

South Korea’s THAAD Decision -- Robert E. Kelly, The Diplomat

Japan Begins National Security Space Buildup -- Defense News

Israeli Drone Maker Has $6 Billion Backlog and a Red-Hot Stock -- Bloomberg

U.S. to file complaint over 'unsafe' intercept by Russian fighter jet -- CNN

Top Pentagon lawyer: US still in ‘armed conflict’ in Afghanistan -- The Hill

Defense secretary: Bunker-busting bomb against Iran 'ready to go' -- The Hill

Launch of secretive X-37B delayed until May 20 -- Spaceflight Insider

Sensors and longer range weapons means speed and dogfighting don't matter and the future could be a Thunderbird 2 like modular battleplane -- Next Big Future

Pentagon’s Next Bomber Will Be Built To Upgrade -- Defense One

Are U.S. Fighter Jets About to Become Obsolete? -- Zachary Keck, National Interest

Can America's 6th Generation Fighter Jets Rule the Skies? -- Dave Majumdar, National Interest

How Seafloor-Crawling Subs on Wheels Could Change Ocean Warfare -- John Wenz, Popular Mechanics

Pentagon Deploys ‘May I Kiss You?’ Training -- Washington Free Beacon

Should America fight more like Iran? Pentagon official raises eyebrows. -- Anna Mulrine, CSM

What Good Is an Arab Military Alliance? -- Omar Ashour, Project Syndicate

Bridging the Civilian-Military Divide With Stories -- Jenny Lu Mallamo, Time