Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 21, 2015

(Flickr/U.S. Air Force)

James Drew, War Is Boring: The U.S. Air Force is determined to junk half its best jammers

The U.S. Air Force is winnowing down its fleet of EC-130H Compass Call electronic attack planes.

The 15 high-tech jammers belong to the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. But if the flying branch has its way, it will retire seven at the turn of the fiscal year in October, according to the Pentagon's budget request.

They're few in number, but highly important planes. These are same EC-130Hs that twice shut down Saddam Hussein's air defenses, and helped American pilots and troops return home alive from the conflicts in Kosovo, Haiti, Panama, Serbia and more recently Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 21, 2015

Video of Islamic State capabilities impresses military experts -- McClatchy news

Iran flashes military might amid high hopes for nuclear deal -- CNN

Iran's Army Of Deterrence -- Radio Free Europe

U.S. warships to monitor ships traveling from Iran -- CNN

Saudi National Guard to Take Part in Coalition Operation in Yemen -- Sputnik

Syrian fighters to begin training in Turkey despite divide over mission -- Washington Post

Russian North Fleet Aviation Holding Anti-Ship Drills in Barents Sea -- Sputnik

Military robots to shine at 2015 Russian army high-tech expo -- RT

Russia Developing Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft System for Arctic -- Sputnik

Russia to have first new nuclear icebreaker in 2017 — deputy PM -- ITAR-TASS

Prototype of new Russian RS-26 ICBM to be shown to US side by year end -- ITAR-TASS

Russia's arms export revenues in 2014 remained record-high at above $15 bln — PM -- ITAR-TASS

New fighter joins Kazakh Air Force -- UPI

Bombed out? British jets striking Iraq running out of ammo, MoD to place new order -- RT

Why the BrahMos armed Sukhoi is bad news for India’s enemies -- Russia & India Report

India keeping a close eye on China-Pak military cooperation: Navy chief -- Hindustan Times

US Military Spending Still Up 45% Over Pre-9/11 Levels; More Than Next 7 Countries Combined -- The Intercept

Marines overhaul air-to-air combat tactics while integrating F-35 fighter jet -- Washington Post

US Air Force Consolidates Bomber Fleets Under One Command -- Sputnik

Air Force puts B-1, other long-range bombers in 1 command -- AP

Congress Adds Cash to Special Account to Build New Nuclear Submarines -- DoD Buzz

Navy Eyes Production Rate Increase for Virginia-Class Submarines -- ExecutiveGov

GOP lawmaker: 'Troops will die' if A-10 retired -- The Hill

Who Will Supply the US Navy's Next Anti-Ship Missile? -- The Diplomat

Pressure grows on Marines to consider lowering combat standards for women -- Washington Times

National Guard Seeks New Mission After War -- NPR

How many nuclear options does a president need to deter or to attack? -- Walter Pincus, Washington Post

Is The US About To Blockade Iranian Arms Shipments To Yemen? -- Tyler Rogoway, Foxtrot Alpha