Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 16, 2018

During the 82nd Airborne exercise in Nevada last month, Army soldiers practiced moving paratroopers on helicopters and flew artillery, fuel and ammunition deep behind what was designated as enemy lines. Credit U.S. Army

New York Times: Military Quietly Prepares for a Last Resort: War With North Korea

WASHINGTON — Across the military, officers and troops are quietly preparing for a war they hope will not come.

At Fort Bragg in North Carolina last month, a mix of 48 Apache gunships and Chinook cargo helicopters took off in an exercise that practiced moving troops and equipment under live artillery fire to assault targets. Two days later, in the skies above Nevada, 119 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division parachuted out of C-17 military cargo planes under cover of darkness in an exercise that simulated a foreign invasion.

Next month, at Army posts across the United States, more than 1,000 reserve soldiers will practice how to set up so-called mobilization centers that move military forces overseas in a hurry. And beginning next month with the Winter Olympics in the South Korean town of Pyeongchang, the Pentagon plans to send more Special Operations troops to the Korean Peninsula, an initial step toward what some officials said ultimately could be the formation of a Korea-based task force similar to the types that are fighting in Iraq and Syria. Others said the plan was strictly related to counterterrorism efforts.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 16, 2018

North Korea warns against joint drills with South; U.S. deploys bombers -- UPI

US, S. Korea agree to suspend military drills during Olympics -- Channel News Asia

US Bombers, Warships Summoned to Korean Peninsula as Olympic Games Approach -- Sputnik

US, Japan Kick off Joint Military Exercise -- The Diplomat

South Korean police prep security for North Korean Olympic visitors -- UPI

[Photo] Convoy of Chinese military trucks seen moving towards North Korea border in late December -- Daily NK

Beijing's new 'landing ship' could be used to help invade Taiwan, Chinese media suggests -- CNBC

China launch new satellite into space to 'spy on Earth' in bid to match US military -- Express

Commentary: Deferring the resumption of South Korea-US military drills a key aim for China -- Channel News Asia

China alarms India by selling cheap subs to Indian Ocean nations -- Asia Times

Russian military conducts massive missile drills -- ABC News/AP

Russia's Military Expansion Makes It Greatest Threat to Europe and NATO Must Defend It, Says U.S. General -- Newsweek

Israel touts 'steel dome' as answer to terror tunnels -- Defense News

How the Israeli Military's Courts Abandon Female Soldiers -- Haaretz

New US-backed Syria force: Five things you should know -- Al Jazeera

Syrian rebels make pitch to restore CIA program: report -- The Hill

Turkish military officers in Greece: "I don’t think extradition is on the table" -- DW

Raids across Germany target suspected Iranian spies -- DW

French Sailors Say Bonjour to US Supercarrier Training -- Sputnik

Pentagon Plans to Develop New Low Yield Nuke, Nuke-Armed Cruise Missile –Reports -- Sputnik

Pentagon planning two new nuclear weapons: report -- The Hill

Raytheon awarded $641M for ballistic missile defense system testing -- UPI

Sailors must 'be able to handle fatigue,' top admiral says -- Navy Times

Top Navy surface warfare officer expected to step down in wake of collisions: report -- The Hill

US Navy surface boss expected to step down under pressure in latest collision fallout -- Defense News

Trump says a shutdown would hurt the military 'very badly.' Here's what would happen -- Washington Examiner

Vice President Pence at Nellis: The era of military budget cuts is over -- Air Force Times/AP

US military members receive biggest pay bump since 2010 -- FOX News

Why don't more people serve? The US is launching a commission to find out -- Military times