Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 29, 2016

Soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition are seen with Kurdish Peshmerga forces in a village east of Mosul, Iraq, May 29, 2016. AZAD LASHKARI/REUTERS

Military Times: New in 2017: Big decisions for the wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan

With a new administration preparing to take charge, there is growing uncertainty about the role of U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

When Donald Trump assumes office in mid-January, there will be 15,000 American personnel deployed to those theaters. He has sent mixed signals regarding the wars, vowing on the one hand to crush extremists determined to attack the homeland while also signaling an “America first” policy meant to avoid expending more blood and treasure overseas.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 29, 2016

U.S.-led Coalition Intensifies Air Strikes Against Islamic State Near Raqqa -- Long War Journal

Middle East Now Without a US Carrier -- Defense News

Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Returns Friday from Middle East -- AP

German military flew nearly 700 missions against 'Islamic State' in 2016 -- DW

German military to send first soldier to Baghdad -- DW

Iranian general says country warned off US fighter jets, drones in military drill -- FOX News

Russia to cut military presence in Syria -- TASS

Tiny Spy Drones No Match for Russia's 'Repellent-1' Mobile Anti-Drone Complex -- Sputnik

Defense contractors deliver over 100 warplanes to Russian troops in 2016 -- TASS

Drills and Games: A Sneak Peak at Russia's Military Activity in 2017 -- Sputnik

How Russia's most advanced military equipment stacks up against NATO hardware -- Thomas Colson, Business Insider

Watch China's Military Rocket Force Show Off Its Might -- Popular Mechanics

China: Top Military General Under Investigation for Graft -- AP

China’s military in 2016: Missiles, intelligence and the SCS -- Bill Gertz, Asia Times

Defector: North Korea has Big Nuclear Plans -- VOA

US Intel Images Suggest Another N. Korean Missile Launch Site -- VOA

Report: North Korea retains missile base in mountainous region -- UPI

After Nuke-Capable Missile Test, India Official Lashes Out at Beijing Criticism -- Sputnik

This is a drill: British army returns to Hong Kong -- AFP

Sweden Faces Major Funding Challenge in Defense Modernization -- Defense News

What Turkey's Incirlik Military Base Has to Do With the Nuclear Arms Race -- Sputnik

USN considers options for replacing Zumwalt's LRLAP projectile -- IHS Jane's 360

JSTARS Recap Program Moves Forward After DoD Nixes Fixed-Price Requirement -- Defense News

Army Abrams Tanks to Control Robotic Attack Drones -- Scout Warrior

Marines Will Use Samsung Smartphones to Order Fire Missions -- Kit Up!

Grounding of Super Hornets, Growlers Caused by Exploding Jet Canopy -- Military.com/Virginia Pilot

Two dead in Army helicopter gunship crash in Texas -- Washington Post

Congress OKs more money, gets serious about laser weapons in defense bill -- Military Times

Did the U.S. Army Just Build 117,000 'Super' Guns? -- National Interest

Army colonel sentenced to 12 years in child pornography case -- AP

US military could carry out first execution in over 50 years -- CNN