Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 5, 2018

Anna Macdonald Rachel Zissimos, National Interest: America's Military Is Back! (Well, Sort Of)

The rebuild has begun. But much more needs to be done

In recent years, perhaps no one has felt the pinch of budget cuts more than the U.S. military.

Though Congress must remain responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, injudicious cuts to defense did unnecessary damage to our armed forces.

Thanks to recent action from Congress, however, the military has cause for optimism. Congress took the first critical steps to rebuild the military by raising the spending caps and providing additional funding for defense in fiscal years 2017 and 2018.

As that rebuilding gets under way, The Heritage Foundation’s Index of U.S. Military Strength will remain a key source for tracking the progress.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 5, 2018

Russia, India seal deal on supply of S-400 air defense systems -- TASS

India, Russia Formally Ink $5.4 billion S-400 Air Defense System Deal - Kremlin -- Sputnik

Russia, India to continue joint military drills -- TASS

Deliveries of Russian Su-35 to Indonesia Might Fall Under US Sanctions - Reports -- Sputnik

MiG-29 jet crashes near Moscow — source -- TASS

Pentagon Calls Delivery of S-300s to Syria 'Knee-Jerk Response' to Il-20 Downing -- Sputnik

Russia Claims US Running Secret Bio Weapons Lab in Georgia -- AP

Russian military has no plans to scrap traditional ushanka hat -- TASS

Adm. Foggo Warns of Russian Submarines Challenging U.S. Defenses -- USNI News

Thailand Takes Advantage of China's Arms Market -- National Interest

Analyst: Taiwan's purchase of $330M U.S. arms package challenges China -- UPI

T-X loss casts shadow over South Korean arms exports -- Defense News

A new Arab military alliance has dim prospects -- The Economist

U.S. service member killed in Afghanistan -- UPI

American general says battlefield losses for Afghan forces are rising -- AP

US Navy Wants Major War Exercise in South China Sea - Report -- Sputnik

Secret US base in Somalia is getting some ‘emergency runway repairs’ -- Air Force times

US Army triggers design competition for future attack reconnaissance helicopter -- Defense News

Sikorky's S-97 Raider helicopter exceeds 200 knots in test -- UPI

Boeing to provide technical services for F/A-18 variants -- UPI

More than 7,000 Marines could get the boot ― and maybe sooner than they expect -- Marine Times

U.S. Army moves closer to commissioning M777ER howitzer after latest test -- Defense Blog

Boeing to provide technical work on JDAM GPS-guided bombs -- UPI

White House warns of ‘domestic extinction’ of suppliers in industrial base report - and DoD is ready to help with cash -- Defense News

White House report points to severe shortcomings in U.S. military supply chain -- Washington Post

Trump Report Warns Military at Risk as Industry Relies on China -- Bloomberg

Trump Considers Firing Air Force Chief Over Space Force Pushback -- Foreign Policy

No Evidence of Widespread SEAL Disciplinary Problems: Navy Official -- Military Times

Military fashion week: Peacoat out, Army camo in -- Colorado Springs Gazette

It Is Time to Update the President's Nuclear Command Authority -- Nikolai Sokov & Miles A. Pomper, National Interest

Strategy and Reality in Afghanistan -- Nathan Jennings, RCD

Why the CENTCOM chief says a long-term presence in Syria is not a war-footing against Iran -- Kyle Rempfer and Tara Copp, Military Times