Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 3, 2017

CBS: New details on ambush in Niger that left 4 U.S. soldiers dead

CBS News has learned new details of the October ambush in Niger that left four American soldiers dead and their bodies stripped.

They were part of a larger force of U.S. and Nigerien troops on a reconnaissance mission near the border with Mali, where Islamic terrorists are known to travel.

At some point, their orders changed, and the soldiers were forced to camp outside for the night.

The village of Tongo Tongo is so remote some Nigerien military escorts had trouble finding the road to get there. It's where the 12-member American team and 30 Nigerian soldiers stopped to get supplies.

Villager Adamou Bubaker said he saw three or four armed men on motorcycles approach the U.S. convoy. He was so nervous he walked 25 miles to speak with CBS News at another location.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 3, 2017

No One Seems Sure What's Been Holding up Drone Strikes in Niger -- The Drive

Niger officials are disputing the US's version of the mission in which 4 American soldiers died -- Business Insider

Failures of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq -- Jay Herndon, The Bridge

U.S. bomber drills aggravate North Korea ahead of Trump's Asia visit -- Reuters

US Military Flies Bombers Near North Korea To 'Threaten And Blackmail' Regime, Pyongyang Claims -- Newsweek

North Korea’s ICBM Attack Range Will Extend To US By 2018: Officials -- IBTimes

Xi instructs army to improve its readiness for war -- ECNS.cn

Chinese military industry entering golden age -- China Daily

How is China bolstering its military diplomatic relations? -- China Power

What a New PLA Promotion Says About Xi Jinping's Military Control -- The Diplomat

Marine artillery barrage of Raqqa was so intense two howitzers burned out -- Marine Times

Pentagon approves Qatari F-15 fighter jet support deal -- Al Jazeera

Navy head concerned with sailors' ability to drive ships -- The Hill

Sailors driving the McCain were not qualified to be on watch, Navy says -- Navy Times

Armed Services chairman: Pentagon didn't heed warnings before fatal collisions -- The Hill

Sailors Could Face Criminal Charges After Deadly Ship Collisions -- Task & Purpose/Business Insider

Navy Considering Mid-Block Virginia-Class Upgrades, SSGN Construction in Late 2030s -- USNI

The Pentagon Is Quietly Developing A Next Generation Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile -- The Drive

Watch The Navy Fire Its New Evolved Sea Sparrow Block II Missile For The First Time -- War Zone/The Drive

U.S. Central Command Asks Army For New Counter-Drone Weapons -- Scout Warrior

Air Force Plans $10 Billion GPS III Contest Amid Lockheed Delays -- Bloomberg

Sizing up the latest trends in soldier armour -- Army Technology

DoD declares Army, Navy cyber teams fully capable -- Federal News Radio

Senate won't accept billion dollar failures from Army secretary nominee -- Army Times

McCain backs Pentagon nominee despite concerns over defense industry ties -- The Hill

Deliberations Resume on Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's Fate -- US News and World Report/AP

The Pentagon's Vital African Mission -- Wall Street Journal

‘The Message From Mattis Is Basically Square Your Shit’: DoD Scrambles For Facts In Niger -- Task & Purpose

No One Seems Sure What's Been Holding up Drone Strikes in Niger -- War Zone/The Drive

8 useless pieces of gear the military still issues out -- We Are The Mighty

First look: 2017 military lifestyle survey finds families feel isolated -- Federal News Radio

This is why most military aircraft have ashtrays -- We Are The Mighty