Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 12, 2017

Daily Mail: Intelligence chief calls Trump after his fury at spies over fake dossier: President-elect says James Clapper got in touch to 'denounce false and fictitious report'

* Trump says James Clapper phoned him about 'illegally circulated' document full of 'phony facts'
* President-elect's tweet does not make clear if bitter split with intelligence community is healed
* Clapper said he conveyed his 'dismay' to Donald Trump during a discussion on Wednesday evening
* He said that the media had obtained the document before the U.S. intelligence community had seen it
* The U.S. intelligence community neither created nor leaked the document, Clapper promised
* But he did not address whether spy sources had disclosed that version was prepared for Trump's team
* Disclosure that it was among preparation documents for briefing to him allowed Buzzfeed to publish it
* NBC News reports that a summary was given to Trump transition officials - but in Washington D.C.
* It was presented in secure room so could not be taken out of it or discussed elsewhere

Donald Trump has said that the Director of National Intelligence called him about the dirty dossier - and described it as to 'denounce the false and fictitious report that was illegally circulated'.

The intervention came the morning after an extraordinary public statement from the director, James Clapper, in which he said he was 'dismayed' at the leak of the discredited 35-page document claiming that Moscow had a dirt file on the president-elect which it would use to manipulate him.

But it is unclear whether it will end Trump's public feud with the intelligence community, which he accused at a press conference on Wednesday of misconduct.

And Clapper's condemnation of leaks did not address the central issue about the dossier - that it was included in briefing papers for the president-elect, giving Buzzfeed what it said was its justification for publishing them.

More details emerged on Thursday of how it was presented to the Trump team in a briefing from a senior intelligence official to NBC News, which was reported on MSNBC's Morning Joe.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 12, 2017

U.S. intelligence chief Clapper says spoke with Trump about media leaks -- Reuters

Intelligence Chief Clapper to Trump: Russia Memo Wasn’t Leaked by Us -- NBC

Former MI-6 spy known to U.S. agencies is author of reports on Trump in Russia -- Reuters

Ex-MI6 officer Christopher Steele in hiding after Trump dossier -- BBC

F-35s Head To Japan As Chinese Bombers and Carrier Make Big Moves -- The Drive

South Korea military: China hotline wasn't working when bombers deployed -- UPI

Chinese aircraft carrier sails out of Taiwan Strait -- DW

Chinese Military Commissions New Intelligence Gathering Ship -- Sputnik

Syrian experience prompts fast transition to high-tech weapons — deputy PM -- TASS

Russia reduces military presence in Syria, Su-25 transfer to Khmeimim is planned rotation – MoD -- RT

Russia steps up military presence in Syria, despite Putin promise -- FOX News

US Decision on MANPADS Delivery to Syria 'Insane' - Russian Foreign Ministry -- Sputnik

Precision Weapons Could Replace Nuclear as Deterrent Factor - Defense Minister -- Sputnik

India to Spend $250Bln on Defense Purchases Over 10 Years – Defense Ministry -- Sputnik

No Torpedoes for India's Second Scorpene Submarine -- Defense News

Indian Defense Officials to Visit France to Finalize Rafale Jets Payment Details -- Sputnik

Additional Reaper Drones to Arrive in France in 2019 -- Defense News

Israeli soldiers 'caught in Hamas online honey trap' -- BBC

Israel Eyes Resumed Turkish Relations, More Training With US, NATO Navies -- Defense News

Proposed 355-Ship Navy Could Open Door to Increased Destroyer Production -- Defense News

Navy to Trump Team: Fund Maintenance Before Buying New Ships -- DoD Buzz

US Navy Wants Multi-Use Missiles for Surface Warfare -- Defense Tech

LCS Minehunting Package Near Completion -- DoD Buzz

Trump Again Hints at F-35, F-18 Competition -- Defense News

F-35 Could Carry B61 Nuclear Warhead Sooner Than Planned -- Defense Tech

N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications -- NYT

It's Official: Sixteen Government Agencies Now Have Access To Unminimized Domestic NSA Collections -- Tech Dirt

Confirmation hearing for Trump's Defense pick Mattis underway -- USA Today

Mattis Warns Putin Trying to ‘Break’ Alliance, Voices NATO Support -- Defense News

Mattis Enthusiastic on ICBMs, Tepid on Nuclear Cruise Missile -- Defense News

Mattis says civilian control of military will prevail -- Politico

Outgoing Navy secretary voices concerns about Mattis nomination -- Defense News

Trump picks top vets health official as the next VA secretary -- Military Times

Trump’s CIA Pick Mike Pompeo Backs Intelligence Report on Russian Hacking -- NBC

Does the U.S. Military Actually Protect Middle East Oil? -- John Glaser, National Interest