Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 2, 2017

North Korean soldiers salute during a parade. Petar Kujundzic/Reuters

NBC: North Korea Defector Warns Military Will React to Any Sign of U.S. Attack

North Korean military officers have been trained to trigger a devastating counterstrike if their country is attacked by the United States, according to a high-profile defector.

Former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong Ho's comments to U.S. lawmakers suggest that military action on the Korean peninsula — a course of action repeatedly raised by President Donald Trump — would almost certainly result in a catastrophic number of civilian casualties.

"North Korean officers are trained to press the button without any further instructions from the general command if something happens on their side," Thae said Wednesday. "So if there is any sound of fire or bombs or strikes from Americans, the [North Korean] artillery and short-range missiles will fire against South Korea."

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 2, 2017

North Korean officers reportedly 'trained to press their button' and fire on South Korea if attacked -- Business Insider

South Korea spy agency sees signs of planned new missile test by North -- Reuters

US Supersonic B-1B Bombers Buzz North Korea, Practice Strike -- Sputnik

S. Korea, U.S. leaders to discuss military options against N. Korea: McMaster -- Yonhap News Agency

As China Continues To Expand Its Military, Rival Taiwan Responds In Kind -- Forbes

Breakthrough to power most advanced jet launch system on China’s second home-grown aircraft carrier -- SCMP

Iranian, Russian top generals confer in Tehran amid Putin's visit -- Trend News Agency

How a Pentagon research project convinced Vladimir Putin of a coming biowar -- Defense News

Russia Upgrading Su-57 to 6th Generation Fighter Jet? -- Franz-Stefan Gady, Diplomat

UK defense secretary resigns amid allegations about behavior -- AP

Royal Canadian Air Force to buy air-to-air missiles from U.S. -- UPI

Saab’s Gripen E fighter reaches supersonic speeds -- Airforce-Technology

New A-29 order brightens aircraft's prospects in Middle East -- Defense News

Extending the Range of the U.S. Navy's E-2D Advanced Hawkeye -- National Interest

Corrosion Issues Spur Pentagon to Halt F-35 Deliveries -- Sputnik

Minor quality control issue creates new problem for F-35 enterprise -- Defense News

Navy, Air Force Build New LRASM Weapon Sensor Targeting Tech -- Scout Warrior

Crushed in their racks: Inside the John S. McCain disaster -- Navy Times

US Army advances precision-guided mortar programme -- Jane's 360

Army Starts Work on New Fleet of Next-Generation Combat Vehicles -- Scout Warrior

MBDA Inc. to produce parts for Small Diameter Bomb -- UPI

DARPA hypersonic effort accelerates -- Defense Systems

Here Comes the Trump Pentagon — Finally -- Paul McCleary, Foreign Policy

Gitmo Judge Convicts U.S. General—Because He Stood Up for Detainee Rights -- Spencer Ackerman, Daily Beast

4-star: Army equipment ready for the fight across the globe -- Army Times

Army Goes Back to Basics on Supply, Maintenance -- DoD Buzz

Pentagon must target weak points, improve resiliency in the defense supply chain -- Jeff Green, Defense News

The Cost of the U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: Not Scary -- Matthew R. Costlow, RCD

The Private Air Force Preparing U.S. Pilots for the Next War -- Paul McCleary, Foreign Policy