Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 18, 2018

The Hill: Trump directs creation of Space Command as 11th combatant command

President Trump on Tuesday directed the Pentagon to create Space Command, a unified combatant command meant to lay the groundwork for his proposal to create Space Force.

“Pursuant to my authority as the Commander in Chief and under section 161 of title 10, United States Code, and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I direct the establishment, consistent with United States law, of United States Space Command as a functional Unified Combatant Command,” Trump said in a memo to the Pentagon on Tuesday.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 18, 2018

Trump orders creation of US Space Command -- CNN

Trump signs memo directing Pentagon to establish Space Command -- FOX News

Northrop Grumman receives $3.6B contract for infrared missile countermeasures -- UPI

US Army picks two companies to build prototypes for a new cannon-toting vehicle to back up infantry -- Defense News

US Long Range Anti-Ship Missile Achieves 'Operational Capability' - Contractor -- Sputnik

Navy contracts Austal for next two littoral combat ships -- UPI

Navy to activate first CMV-22B tilt-rotor aircraft squadron -- UPI

Virginia-class attack submarine USS Delaware launched -- UPI

5 takeaways: Top US Navy officer releases updated strategy document -- Defense News

The military could save hundreds of billions — by capping pay, scrapping aircraft, slashing benefits, experts say -- Military Times

US confirms Russia has 'significant military capacity' along Ukraine's borders -- Washington Examiner

Russia Slashes Syria Military Flights -- VOA/AFP

Ten intelligence agencies ramp up efforts aimed at Russian military, says FSB -- TASS

Reconnaissance and attack drones to arrive for Russian Army from 2019 -- TASS

Russia deploys fighter jets to Crimea in ongoing dispute with Ukraine -- UPI

Russia's Northern Fleet Resumed Air Patrols of Arctic - Commander -- Sputnik

Russian strategic Tu-160 bomber test-fires 12 missiles -- TASS

Russia wants back in on India’s gun and missile system competition -- Defense News

Here’s NATO’s Next Turf War With Russia -- Bloomberg

British Spy Vessel Reportedly Enters Black Sea Amid Kerch Strait Crisis (PHOTOS) -- Sputnik

NATO Members Drive Fastest Increase in Global Defence Spending for a Decade, Jane’s by IHS Markit Reveals -- AP

US Backs NATO Membership for Bosnia, Dismisses Serb Opposition -- VOA/Reuters

General Dynamics warns Canada: Canceling Saudi deal would cost billions -- Reuters

Netanyahu: Israeli Missiles Can Reach Entire Middle East -- Sputnik

Israel and Cyprus holding three-day military drill -- Jerusalem Post

Dozens working on ‘critical’ Turkish defense programs detained in probe -- Defense News

Japan bolsters military to counter China, Russia in East Asia -- CNBC

China fills gap left by US in Middle East military drone market, British think tank says -- SCMP

China’s military is inexperienced and riddle with issues… so why are we so worried about them? -- Alex Hollings, Newsrep

Indian Army Moots $5Bln Air Defence Guns That Fires Smart Ammunition -- Sputnik

The discovery of the Titanic wreck was a front for a secret US military mission -- Natasha Frost, Quartz