Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 18, 2017

Russian Paratroopers

War Is Boring: Russian Paratroopers Could Totally Mess Up the Baltic States

Airborne soldiers bring the element of the surprise

In February 2016, the influential RAND Corporation — a think tank closely aligned with the U.S. Air Force — published a paper in which it warned that a Russian invasion of the Baltic States could reach the capitals of Latvia and Estonia in less than three days even with a week of warning.

But that might underestimate how quickly Russia could overrun the region, were the Kremlin to send the bulk of its airborne forces and seize the element of surprise. It’s possible a Russian victory could come within hours, not days.

How would such an invasion unfold? A missile barrage and air strikes at dawn, crippling the Baltic States’ defenses, would precede a large-scale airborne operation supported by a small-scale land intrusion into Lithuania from Russia’s enclave in Kaliningrad.

Before the alliance could understand — let alone react to — what was happening, it’d be over.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 18, 2017

What Happens Next In The Baltics? -- Claude Schmid, The Bridge

Russian military conducts successful test launch of Topol-M ballistic missile (VIDEO) -- RT

Russia test-fires Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile -- UPI

Russia's Lethal Su-35 Was Just Spotted Armed with a New Missile NATO Should Fear -- National Interest

The Smart and Sneaky Way Russia's Military Is Getting Stronger -- James Mugg, National Interest

Russia, Military Modernisation and Lowering the Nuclear Threshold -- Malcolm Davis, The Strategist

Pentagon Chief Says Russia’s Actions Constrain Cooperation -- Bloomberg

Why the New Japan-Australia Military Pact Matters -- The Diplomat

Japan’s F-35B stealth fighters likely to fly to Korea during ROK-U.S. joint drills -- The Dong-A Ilbo

Leak of information about shipbuilding plans behind removal of senior Canadian military officer, sources say -- National Post/Ottawa Citizen

Canada's military vice-chief removed from post over alleged leak of shipbuilding data -- Globe and Mail

Lithuania signs agreement with U.S. on troop deployment -- AP

McCain proposes $640B defense budget for 2018 -- The Hill

The U.S. Army's New Super Missile Could Dominate the Land Wars of the Future -- Kris Osborn, National Interest

The US Air Force is beefing up cybersecurity for the F-22 and F-35 -- Business Insider

Digital Light Engine technology to illuminate F-22 Head-Up Display -- BAE Systems

The F-35 Amazingly Has Even More Problems Than We Thought -- Gizmodo

If Trump Wants Lower F-35 Costs, He Should Compete F135 Engine -- Breaking Defense

Top Navy leader: F-35 'on a completely different level' from the Super Hornet -- Washington Examiner

Military jet crashes at Naval Air Station Meridian; 2 eject -- Navy Times

Trump and Boeing CEO Look to Downscale Requirements on Air Force One Replacement -- Defense News

Air Force-SpaceX Relations ‘Excellent,’ Air Force Sec James Says -- Bloomberg

Russia Jammed Your Satellites? US Military Develops Undersea Network as Backup -- Space.com

In the 1970s, the U.S. Navy Tried to Talk Like Whales -- Atlas Obscura

The US Army successfully flies its hoverbike prototype -- Endgadget

CIA makes 12 million declassified pages available online -- DW

Obama commutes Chelsea Manning's prison sentence, pardons Gen. James Cartwright -- Military Times

The US Air Force spent $387,000 to make the lobby outside a 3-star general's office look nice -- Business Insider

Mattis Is Right. Here’s Why NATO Is Not Obsolete -- Task & Purpose

NATO’s Future – Grim or Hopeful? -- Jaroslaw Strozyk, Thew Cipher Brief

Air Superiority: Autonomy, Survivability, and Getting to 2030 -- Alex Grynkewich, War on the Rocks