Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 7, 2015

New York Times: Russia Fires Cruise Missiles in Syria as Assad Begins a Ground Attack

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Russia and Syria unleashed a coordinated assault by land, air and sea on Wednesday, seeking to reverse recent gains by rebel groups that were beginning to encroach on his last bastion of power.

Moscow said it had fired 26 cruise missiles on Syrian targets from naval vessels in the Caspian Sea, 900 miles away, though it was not immediately clear whether they hit targets in the area of the ground offensive.

The ground assault, and airstrikes, seemed to focus on an area of northern Hama Province and southern Idlib Province, around three villages that insurgents consider the first line of defense of the strategic Jebel al-Zawiyah area.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 7, 2015

Russia agreed with partners in advance on cruise missile strikes on IS militants in Syria -- TASS

These are the cruise missiles Russia just sent into Syria -- Washington Post

US jets have close call with Russians over Syria -- The Hill

U.S. aircraft diverted to avoid Russian fighter in Syria -- CNN

EXCLUSIVE: Russian jets 'intercept' US predator drones over Syria, officials say -- FOX News

Ashton Carter: U.S. not cooperating with Russia against Islamic State -- Washington Times

US Rules Out Intelligence Sharing With Russia on Fighting ISIL -- Sputnik

Israel, Russia Conclude First Round of Deconfliction Talks -- Defense News

Russia ready to consider Iraqi request for airstrikes – Upper House speaker -- RT

Iran Pushed for Russia's Military Campaign in Syria, Iraqi Officials Say -- AP

Russian Military Official Explains Aims of Syrian Operation to Uzbek Gov’t -- Sputnik

Spy Planes, Signal Jammers, and Putin’s High-Tech War in Syria -- Foreign Policy

Exclusive: Modi pushes 'obsolete' made-in-India plane on reluctant military -- Reuters

Is This China’s Newest Special Forces Support Aircraft? -- The Diplomat

Report: US And Canadian Officials Talked About Combined Military Forces -- Here & Now

Canadian military to study hacking cars -- Toronto Star

Britain to order 4 new Trident nuclear submarines – Cameron -- RT

U.S. Naval Commander in Europe: NATO Needs to Adapt to Russia’s New Way of Hybrid Warfare -- USNI News

US admiral: The Russian military is trying to 'cripple' NATO -- Business Insider

U.S. commander: American troops must remain in Afghanistan past 2016, new ‘plan’ needed -- Washington Tiems

MV-22 Ospreys May Fly Disaster-Relief Missions in US -- Defense Tech

US Army to Receive Upgraded Missile Interceptors -- Sputnik

Pentagon sees big impact if Congress fails to pass FY16 budget -- Reuters

Senate passes defense spending bill that blocks Gitmo closure, veto showdown next -- RT

Democrats buck Obama in defense vote -- The Hill

Sexual assault in the military and the unlawful command influence Catch-22 -- James Joyner and James W. Weirick, War on the Rocks

From ‘collateral damage’ to ‘deeply regrets': How the Pentagon has shifted on the Afghan hospital attack -- Washington Post

U.S. Military Deaths in Afghanistan -- NYT