Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 26, 2017

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C front) greets military officers at a meeting in Beijing, Jan. 29, 2015. Xinhua

South China Morning Post: Xi Jinping shakes up China’s military leadership … what changes at the top mean for world’s biggest armed forces

President unveils smaller commission under his chairmanship, consolidating his control of world’s biggest armed forces

China’s Communist Party has appointed a new slimmed down Central Military Commission to oversee the nation’s armed forces.

Analysts said the appointments further strengthened Xi’s control over the commission, which he heads.

The body will be led by a seven member group, down from the 11 who oversaw its operations previously.

The changes come as Xi has initiated a massive modernisation programme for the country’s military to make it a leaner and more efficient fighting force.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 26, 2017

China's Xi meets military in first event since new leaders unveiled -- Reuters

Xi fills top military posts with loyalists -- Nikkei Asian Review

China says defense ties inject 'positive energy' into U.S. relations -- Reuters

Beijing and Manila agree to boost military ties as China tries to mend fences -- SCMP

Russia-Philippines Military Ties Get an October Boost -- The Diplomat

How Russia Uses American Businesses to Steal U.S. Military Technology -- Katie Zavadski, Daily Beast

Russia’s Big Guns on the Move -- Medium

Qatar, Russia sign agreements on air defense, supplies -- Reuters

Four killed, several injured as train collides with army truck in Finland -- Reuters

How Much Can Germany's Military Expand? -- Wall Street Journal

NATO official: Turkey faces ‘consequences’ if purchase of S-400 completed -- Defense News

In Rare Show of Force, Navy Now Has Three Carriers in Pacific -- Military.com

Navy Sends Aircraft Carrier To North Korea After Successful ISIS Mission -- Task & Purpose/Business Insider

Navy mum on cause of ship crash near Korean peninsula -- Navy Times

The Marine Corps Is Launching Rockets From Ships -- Popular Mechanics

Air Force’s $2 Billion Bomber Request Pays for Staff, Drawings -- Bloomberg

Boeing hit with another KC-46 cost overrun, this time worth $329M -- Defense News

Air Force F-15 to Deploy in 2018 With New Small Diameter Bomb II -- Scout Warrior

Air Force F-22 Conducts Operational Testing of New Weapons Tech -- Scout Warrior

Army receives upgraded Abrams tank — and more improvements are on the way -- Army Times

Northrop pulls out of MQ-25 drone competition -- C4ISRNet

The Pentagon’s tech advisers want special career track, ‘innovation elevator’ for big thinkers -- Defense News

Air Force Vice Chief Wilson: Weaponizing data is the next big target -- Space News

DARPA Ties XS-1 Military Space Plane Project to National Security -- Space

Army space project a now-or-never moment for low-cost military satellites -- Space News

Re-up now: Army offers up to $12,000, plus bigger bonuses, to eligible soldiers -- Army Times

Is this the tipping point for trust in the U.S. military? -- Daniel W. Drezner, Washington Post

Sex Scandals Are Rife in the US Military, Investigation Finds -- Newsweek

Could New Abrams Tech & Weapons Destroy Russia's T-14 Armata? -- RCD

Can The Pentagon Protect Young Innovators? -- Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., Breaking Defense

STAYING POWER: The Missing Element of National Military Power -- William Adler, RCD

How to Repair and Rebuild America's Military -- American Enterprise Institute

Questions Loom as Mattis Visits South Korea: Can Diplomacy Work? -- Military.com/AP