Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 27, 2016

Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen visited soldiers with Germany’s naval special forces in Eckernförde. Credit Fabian Bimmer/Reuters

Defense News/AFP: German Military Called 'Overstretched, Underfunded'

BERLIN — Germany's military is overstretched and underfunded as its troops are engaged in anti-jihadist missions from Syria and Afghanistan to Mali while also aiding refugees at home, the defense commissioner said Tuesday, according to Agence France-Presse.

Plagued by a series of defense equipment failures, the military is "at a crossroads" and has reached "the limit of its capacity for interventions," said Hans-Peter Bartels.

Founded in 1955, the Bundeswehr had a peak force of 600,000 at the end of the Cold War when West Germany conscripted young men, and has since shrunk to a 177,000-strong volunteer force.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 27, 2016

Concerns about Fatigue Mount as Iraqi Troops Prepare to Retake Mosul -- Military.com

Iraq's Military Is Still Struggling Despite US Training -- AP

Japan Will Not Join War Against ISIS For ‘Foreseeable Future’ -- Time

Iran’s Naval Drill Begins East of Hormuz Strait -- Tasnim News Agency

Israeli Gov’t Reaches Out Before Clamping Down on Cyber Exports -- Defense News

Commentary: New Russian Security Strategy -- Khatuna Mshvidobadze, Defense news

Russia's war robots are less than they appear -- Popular Science

Russian aggression a top concern in U.S. European Command's new military strategy -- Military Times

Africa’s defence sector at risk from corruption -- Defence Web

China's Navy Visits Indonesia in Last World Tour Stop -- The Diplomat

China’s Marines Conduct First Military Exercises in the Gobi Desert -- The Diplomat

Poland issues fresh threats over H225M order -- Flight Global

Zero Fighter Flies Over Japan for 1st Time Since WWII -- AP

Supporters of Okinawa Base Relocation Plan Claim a Win in Local Elections -- The Diplomat

Taliban vs. Turboprops: Afghanistan’s New Attack Planes -- National Interest

US troops could remain in Afghanistan for decades – report -- RT

US to Deploy Newest Missile Attack Drones in South Korea -- Sputnik

US Admiral Warns of China’s and Russia’s Growing Space Weapons Arsenal -- The Diplomat

F-22 with historic Maloney’s Pony insignia has been the first Raptor to go into combat in Syria -- The Aviationist

Pentagon in open brawl over spending priorities -- Politico

US Air Force, Marine Corps F-35s To Appear at UK Air Shows -- Defense News

ISIS, Global Threats Boost US Arms Exports -- Defense One

Tragedies shape military’s security rules -- San Diego Union Tribune

US Senator Paul blasts Pentagon for spending $40K on model base -- The Hill

Marine Corps General James Mattis -- History.net

5 Bad Arguments for Cutting U.S. Defense Spending -- Justin T. Johnson, National Interest