Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 20

VOA: NATO Launches Largest Military Exercise in Decade

NATO has launched its largest military exercise in more than a decade, with the United States and its allies increasingly concerned about Russian military moves and growing instability in the Middle East.

The Western military alliance said during the three-week exercise, dubbed Trident Juncture, 36,000 troops from more than 30 NATO member-nations and partners will undergo "intensive training" across Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Speaking to reporters Monday at Tapani air force base in Italy, NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow stressed the military exercise involves a "fictitious adversary" and said NATO seeks "confrontation with no one."

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 20

NATO begins largest military exercise in over a decade -- UPI

Russia NATO Relations 2015: Amid Russian Aggression, Largest Military Exercise In More Than A Decade Begins -- IBTimes

US forced to borrow equipment for five-week Nato exercise in central Mediterranean -- The Independent

Amid Budget Cuts US Army Forced to Borrow British Helicopters -- Sputnik

Top US General Assesses IS Fight in Iraq -- VOA

US Lt. General Stunned: Russians Can Move Military Forces 'Very Quickly' -- Sputnik

US, Russia Set to Sign Memo on Air Safety in Syria -- VOA

U.S. military chief: Iraq doesn't want Russian help -- USA Today

Putin: Russia Will Continue Strengthening Armed Forces -- Sputnik

Russia to strengthen its Armed Forces, introduce advanced control systems — Putin -- TASS

Russian ‘Skynet’ to lead military robots on the battlefield -- RT

Russia is interested in naval cooperation with Cuba — defense minister -- TASS

Russia shrugs off US anxiety over military satellite -- BBC

Why Is a Russian Military Satellite Creeping on Foreign Comm Satellites? -- Motherboard

Beijing Reaches for Military Upper Hand in Asia -- WSJ

China tests its largest airship -- Popular Science

The Pakistani Military Has Tightened Its Control of the Country’s Security Policy -- Time

Japan tries to ease South Korea's concern over military role -- Reuters

EXCLUSIVE: Pakistan to appoint ex-general as new national security advisor -- Reuters

China, Russia, Iran Closing Gap with Smaller, Older U.S. Military -- Washington Free Beacon

As Iran deal begins, US and Israel resume talks on defense aid -- The Hill

Pentagon to reportedly setup drone base in Cameroon to help track Boko Haram militants -- FOX News

Pentagon Admits Mistaken Forced Entry At Afghan Doctors' Hospital -- RFE

McCain: Military recommended up to 20K troops in Afghanistan -- The Hill

The Army Wants Someone To Build Them a New Handgun -- Popular Mechanics

USAF: Expanded Risk of Neck Damage to F-35 Pilots -- Defense News

House panel to study foreign military training efforts -- Military Times

Army Cyber Command readies cyber units for the battlefield -- SC Magazine

NSA chief: These are the 3 cyber threats that keep me up at night -- Business Insider

Private emails of CIA director, DHS secretary hacked -- CBS

Base breast-feeding rules trumped by new Army policy -- USA Today

Former CIA Interrogator Forced to Resign From College Post -- Newsweek

Republican defense hawks draw line on Pentagon spending -- The Hill

Defense spending: Pentagon gravy train has less gravy -- CNBC

There's a Fight Brewing Over the Pentagon's 'Slush Fund' -- Matt Yurus, VICE News

Why the Pentagon Has Returned to Body Counts -- Joseph Trevithick, MotherBoard

The Greatest Threat to the U.S. Army (And It's Not Russia, China or Iran) -- James Hasik, National Interest