Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 27, 2017

Task & Purpose/Business Insider: 4 US Soldiers Were Reportedly ‘Left Behind’ Amid Deadly Niger Ambush

Four U.S. soldiers were reportedly left behind as the brunt of their Special Forces team was evacuated after being ambushed by ISIS-affiliated militants in Niger, The New York Times reported on Oct. 26.

About two hours after the U.S. troops called in for additional support, seven of the 11 soldiers were reportedly evacuated by French helicopters, leaving four U.S. soldiers — three of them Green Berets — behind, reports the Times. U.S. officials in the report suggested that other U.S. and coalition assets were nearby when the helicopters took off.

A second Special Forces team reportedly later made its way into the ambush site and located the bodies of Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright. Sgt. La David Johnson’s body was eventually recovered by Nigerien forces, two days later, nearly a mile away from the scene of the ambush, officials said to CNN.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 27, 2017

AfriCom Two-Star Named to Lead Niger Ambush Investigation -- Military.com

Second Special Operations team was on ground near Niger ambush -- Fox News

French helicopters strike militants near Niger ambush site -- Military Times

US troops conducted 26 missions in Niger over the last six months -- Military Times/AP

US pressing Niger to allow armed drones: report -- The Hill

Armed Services Dem: Pentagon not forthcoming about Niger attack -- The Hill

McCain pleased at 'progress' with Pentagon after Niger briefing -- The Hill

China's J-20 fifth-gen fighter moves into series production -- Janes 360

Putin test-fires ballistic missiles in strategic nuclear force command and control drills -- TASS

Putin Launches 4 Ballistic Missiles in Strategic Nuclear Forces Drill (VIDEO) -- Sputnik

Russia launches ballistic missiles from submarines, spaceport during strategic drills -- TASS

Top NATO general says he hasn't seen evidence of Russia arming Taliban -- The Hill

NATO chief says allies concerned about Russian phone jamming -- C4ISRNet

BAE cuts could light a fire under Britain’s combat air strategy -- Defense News

Afghan Air Force to Get More A-29 Super Tucanos -- DoD Buzz

US general: Iraqi tensions divert resources from ISIS fight -- Military Times/AP

Mattis warns of ‘catastrophe’ during visit to DMZ -- The Hill

Mattis Visits Seoul for Defense Talks as Tensions Climb -- US News and World report/Reuters

As Mattis Peers Into North Korea, He Gets Warning on Artillery -- US News and World Report/Reuters

Pentagon: Aircraft carriers heading to Korean Peninsula not in response to threats -- The Hill

Air Force report finds faulty engine assembly caused F-16 crash in April -- Air Force Times

Marines Need Speed From Ship To Shore -- Breaking Defense

Marines Want a Truck-Mounted Rocket-Launcher that Fits in an Osprey -- Defense tech

The Army Is Racing To Field A New Light Tank To Infantry Brigades As Soon As Possible -- Task & Purpose

Army R&D Spending Geared Toward a ‘Big War’ -- National Defense

Air Force Adds More Than $40 Million to SpaceX Engine Contract -- Space.com

Serious head and hand wounds described by Bergdahl searchers -- Military Times/AP

Pentagon begins pull back of unneeded assets from Puerto Rico -- The Hill

Survey: 58 percent of IAVA members have lost a veteran to suicide -- Military.com

The US Military Is Unprepared For The Future Of War. Here’s How To Repair And Rebuild It -- Mackenzie Eaglen, Task & Purpose/The National Interest

Is 355 Ships by 2050 Realistic? Maybe Not, Navy Undersecretary Says -- DoD Buzz