Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 27, 2018

An Su-25 taking off from Hmeimim air base in Syria in 2015. Russian Ministry of Defense

Business Insider: These are the 11 types of Russian military jets and planes known to be stationed in Syria

Israeli satellites on Saturday revealed two Russian Su-57s at its Hmeimim air base in Syria.

A Russian official said the Su-57s were deployed to the war-torn country as a deterrent "for aircraft from neighboring states, which periodically fly into Syrian airspace uninvited."

Additional satellite images from July 2017 also showed 10 other kinds of Russian jets and planes, 33 aircraft altogether, stationed at its air base in Latakia.

There's probably, however, more than 33, as some jets and aircraft could have been conducting sorties or flying elsewhere when the images were taken.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 27, 2018

The February 2018 Air War Between Israel, Syria and Iran Was Brief and Violent -- War Is Boring

The 10 Strongest Military Forces In The Middle East -- Forbes

Saudi King Salman replaces top military commanders -- UPI

Saudi Arabia fires top army chiefs in military shake-up -- Al Jazeera

China’s terrifying and deadly arsenal of weapons -- News.com.au

More military facilities should be installed in S.China Sea to counter US provocations: Chinese analysts -- Global Times

US Navy sails massive fleet through South China Sea in defiance of Chinese -- News.com.au

The Australian Navy may be preparing for a direct venture into the South China Sea -- News.com.au

Russia Claims It Now Has Lasers To Shoot Satellites -- Defense One

The End of ‘Hide and Seek’: Russian Iskanders Permanently in Kaliningrad -- RCD

Limited number of weapons in German military ready for action: report -- DW

Britain’s military hardware ‘obsolete’ compared to Chinese and Russian long-range missiles, former general warns -- The SUN

Canadian military trying to decide how to handle marijuana legalization -- Global News

As Predator drones retire, the Reapers’ mission grows -- Air Force Times

Navy christens expeditionary fast transport USNS Burlington -- UPI

The Submarines of the Future Will Be Robotic -- War Is Boring

Shovel or RPG? Army upgrades will help scouts better identify targets -- Army Times

USAF Getting 'Cast Ductile Iron Bomb' Cluster Munition Replacement Despite Policy Change -- The Warzone/The Drive

US Army’s war-gaming is under-resourced, three-star says -- Defense News

US defense-industrial base study team on target to make recommendations, DoD official says -- Defense News

The Corps delays opening of new hard labor camp in Okinawa -- Marine Times

First transgender recruit signs up to join US military -- CNN

'Marines will die from this': John Kelly reportedly bristled at the notion of repealing 'Don't ask, Don't tell' -- Business Insider

Kelly Meets at White House With Vets Groups on VA Chaos -- Military.com

Facing Fitness Crisis, Army Leaders Look to Change Culture -- Military.com/The Fayetteville Observer

Something for Everyone in the Military-Industrial Complex -- Maj. Danny Sjursen, War Is Boring

What Has $49 Billion in Foreign Military Aid Bought Us? -- Andrew Miller and Richard Sokolsky, American Conservative

Nonstrategic nukes: What are they good for? -- Daniel Cebul, Defense News

Military Force Structure: Trade-Offs, Trade-Offs, Trade-Offs -- Mark Cancian, Breaking Defense

Letter From Iraq: The Battle Of Mosul May Signal The Return Of The Decisive Battle -- Amos Fox, Task Purpose