Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 15, 2015

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters at the Pentagon, Dec. 14, 2015, after a meeting with the National Security Council about the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. DoD photo by Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz

U.S. Department of Defense: Obama: ISIL Being Hit 'Harder Than Ever,' Will Be Defeated

WASHINGTON, December 14, 2015 — The coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is hitting ISIL targets "harder than ever" and will defeat the terror group, President Barack Obama said today.

The coalition is carrying out relentless strikes against ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria, while partners on the ground are rooting out terrorists from towns and neighborhoods, Obama told reporters at the Pentagon during a press briefing that followed a meeting of the National Security Council.

"In recent weeks, we've unleashed a new wave of strikes on their lifeline -- on their oil infrastructure -- destroying hundreds of their tanker trucks, wells and refineries, and we're going to keep on hammering those," he said.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 15, 2015

Obama Vows to Hit IS Harder, Says Commandos Now in Syria -- ABC News/AP

Obama: ISIS strategy 'moving forward with a great sense of urgency' -- CNN

US Defense Sec. Carter's trip aims to strengthen fight against Islamic State -- Washington Times

Islamic Countries Form First Coalition to Battle Terrorism -- Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia forms alliance of 34 Muslim nations to fight ISIS and tackle 'the Islamic world's problem with terrorism' -- Daily Mail

France Uses First Cruise Missiles Against IS, Defense Ministry Says -- AFP

ISIS Oil Operations Are Difficult to Stop, U.S. Official Says -- OilPrice.com

Russia, West Diverge on Military Tactics in Syria -- WSJ

Russian General Staff Chief, US Counterpart Discuss Syria Air Cooperation -- Sputnik

Russian Mi-35M gunship helicopter appears in Syria for the first time -- The Aviationist

Russian Helicopters outranks US Sikorsky Aircraft in defense products sales 2014 — SIPRI -- TASS

Russia tests new stealth drones at Armenian military base -- TASS

Report: Russia plans to buy 200 aircraft, 30 ships per year -- IHS Jane's 360

Saudis Order $1.1Bln More Patriot PAC-3 Interceptors From Lockheed Martin -- Sputnik

Ukraine to Participate in Major NATO Drills in Poland - Poroshenko -- Sputnik

Revealed: Israel Wants the Lethal F-35B Stealth Jump-Jet -- National Interest

China deploys 3rd stealth cruise missile destroyer -- RT

Exclusive: Obama expected to move on Taiwan arms sales before year-end -- Reuters

US Plans to Sell Destroyers to Taiwan Despite Chinese Protest -- Sputnik

Exclusive: Another U.S. patrol in South China Sea unlikely this year - officials -- Reuters

Air Force May Need To Cut F-35s With Budget Crunch, CRS Says -- Bloomberg

Northrop Unveils Sixth Gen Fighter Concept -- Breaking Defense

US Tests Plan for F-18 Jets to Carry Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles -- Sputnik

Stealthy destroyer back at Bath Iron Works -- The Gazette

Three House panels to investigate whether ISIS intelligence was cooked -- The Hill

US Rushing to Keep Up With Russian, Chinese Killer Robots -- Sputnik

The Pentagon is Nervous about Russian and Chinese Killer Robots -- Defense One

These Are the Decisions the Pentagon Wants to Leave to Robots -- Defense One

The Navy's rising tide of UUVs -- C4ISR & Networks

2017 Budget Proposal to Include Billions for Next-Generation Weapons Research -- National Defense

Bergdahl faces court-martial for desertion -- The Hill

Bowe Bergdahl to Face Court-Martial on Desertion Charges -- NYT

Gen. Dunford: U.S. commands, war plans outdated -- Washington Times

Dunford: It's Time To Shrink, Reform Joint Chiefs Staff -- Defense News

Dunford: New Pentagon Staff Needed to Meet Transregional Threats -- Defense One

Dunford Discusses Implications of Current Security Environment -- US Department of Defense

The not-so-secret history of JSOC -- Wesley Morgan, Washington Post

US Forces to Be Deployed 'Pretty Hard' in Foreseeable Future -- Sputnik

Panel: Evolving Defense Technologies Require New Strategies -- Defense News

The fight against the Islamic State will take more time than some would allow -- Walter Pincus, Washington Post