Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 5, 2016

The Hill: Defense secretary welcomes Saudi offer of ground troops in Syria

Defense Secretary Ash Carter welcomed late Thursday Saudi Arabia's reported offer to send ground troops to Syria to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

"That kind of news is very welcome," Carter said during a visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

"It'll be easier to sustain the defeat and it'll be also easier to accomplish all the non-military aspects of the defeat if other countries that are part of the coalition accelerate their efforts at the same time," he said.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 5, 2016

Saudi official says kingdom ready to send troops to Syria -- AP

Saudi Arabia offers to send ground troops to Syria to fight Isis -- The Guardian

Top U.S. general in Afghanistan: 2016 'possibly worse than 2015' -- CNN

Outgoing Afghanistan general: U.S. military needs to beat back Taliban -- Washington Post

Senate confirms Afghan chief -- The Hill

US military attacked for complicity in Afghan child soldiers after boy's murder -- The Guardian

Obama Is Pressed to Open Military Front Against ISIS in Libya -- NYT

White House says Obama not preparing military action against extremists in Libya -- Washington Times

Report: Rwandan Military Trained Burundian Refugees -- ABC News

Another brutal attack by Boko Haram highlights the weakness of Nigeria’s military -- The Economist

Why the Military Rules in Pakistan -- Stratfor

Russian military bases in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan ready to respond swiftly if necessary -- TASS

Air defense systems in Syria could be used to secure Russian Air Force ops - Russia's MoD -- RT

Bullet the Blue Sky: Su-35S Named One of the World's Deadliest Fighters -- Sputnik

Never in the Cold War Had US Put Its Military Force So Close to Russia -- Sputnik

Russia ramping up military drills to Cold War levels, NATO says -- FOX News

Don't Worry: Russia Will Find 'Asymmetrical Response' to Pentagon's Cash -- Sputnik

U.S. To Send More Heavy Military Equipment To Eastern Europe -- NPR

Ukraine Launches First Military UAV To Combat Insurgents -- Defense News

Germany strengthens military cooperation with the Netherlands -- DW

Now Owned by Chinese Company, Yacht-Builder Pitches Italian Navy on Patrol Vessels -- Defense News

Trident Police Guarding UK Nukes Pose Threat to National Security‏ -- Sputnik

Pigs get to keep flying: Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt 'warthogs' will not be retired before 2022 -- Daily Mail

USAF to continue A-10 ‘Warthog’ wing production -- Flight Global

US Air Force says plans test F-35 deployment this month -- Jerusalem Post

Navy investigating rise of health issues among fighter jet pilots -- The Hill

Pentagon chief announces $1B for Air Force training in budget -- The Hill

US Navy boosts F-35C and F/A-18 buy in new budget plan -- Flight Global

Commandant Working On Closer Integration Of Carriers, Amphibious Forces -- USNI News

Independent U.S. Rebalance to the Pacific Report Calls for Study of Second Carrier Based in 7th Fleet -- USNI News

U.S. Navy requests 4,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles in budget -- UPI

SECDEF Carter Confirms Navy Developing Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile for Cruisers, Destroyers -- USNI News

The U.S. Navy's surface force just got a lot deadlier -- Bryan McGrath, War On The Rocks

Counter-Fire Radar Struggles Against Volley-Fired Mortars -- Defense News

Smoking ban at Landstuhl is the latest move for the Army's anti-tobacco push -- Army Times

New Microchip Could Increase Military Intelligence Powers Exponentially -- Defense One

Surprisingly sound answers on the future of the Army -- Robert Scales, War On The Rocks

Ignoring the Army's recent past will not help it win future wars -- Andrew Hill, War On the Rocks

Is the Pentagon's Budget About To Be Nuked? -- Aaron Mehta, Defense News