Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 14, 2019

My Chinese counterpart, VADM Shen Jinlong, and I completed a constructive and candid discussion, an ongoing dialog we are both committed to continuing. Our two countries have many aligned interests and all countries benefit from a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.

— Adm. John Richardson (@CNORichardson) January 14, 2019

SCMP: US Navy commander hails ‘constructive and candid’ talks with Chinese counterparts

* Admiral John Richardson met senior figures from the PLA as part of a visit designed to reduce friction between the two sides
* Recent months have seen increasing tension over the self-ruled island and China’s presence in the disputed South China Sea

A senior US naval officer said that he had had a “constructive and candid” discussion with his Chinese counterpart as part of an effort to calm growing tensions between the two sides.

Admiral John Richardson, the US Chief of Naval Operations, tweeted after the meeting with Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong, the head of the PLA Navy, that the two sides were both committed to continuing their dialogue.

“Our two countries have many aligned interests and all countries benefit from a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific,” wrote Richardson.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 14, 2019

Indonesia arming up in the South China Sea -- Asia Times

Beijing sabre-rattling means busy year for Taiwanese military -- Asia Times

Plan calls for US troop pullout from Syria to take months, bringing hundreds more troops in to assist -- AP

US Bolsters Forces in Region as Syria Withdrawal Begins -- Military.com

The Navy's Secret Investigation Into The USS Fitzgerald Collision Details A Disaster That Was Just Waiting To Happen -- Task & Purpose

Worse than you thought: inside the secret Fitzgerald probe the Navy doesn’t want you to read -- Military Times

Ship owners to pay U.S. government for Fitzgerald collision -- Navy Times

US Navy to sail warship through Arctic waters in show of strength to Russia and China -- The Independent

Here’s when the Army will pick three companies to build the M16/M4 and SAW replacements for soldiers and Marines -- Army Times

U.S. Air Force awards Lockheed $131.6M for C-5 sustainment -- UPI

GE unit wins $450 million U.S. defense contract: Pentagon -- Reuters

Microsoft wins $1.76 billion defence contract - Pentagon -- Reuters

US military planning its first-ever missile test around Okinawa, report says -- Stars and Stripes

Hawaii Military Plans for Space Defense Race -- Military.com/The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

The Army Is Finally Testing New Combat Boots After Thousands Of Soldiers Complained About Their Current Pair -- Task & Purpose/Military.com

Hundreds more active-duty troops may be sent to US-Mexico border -- AP

Pentagon recruits rejected scientist for massive pollution fight -- Politico

Pentagon Owns Fewer Buildings Than Previously Thought: Audit -- Defense One

Op-ed: Want to fix the Navy’s sub maintenance woes? Unleash the warrant officers -- Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Fogarty, Navy Times

What to look for in the upcoming Missile Defense Review -- Aaron Mehta, Defense News

Intel: How the Syria pullout highlights Pentagon-Bolton tensions -- Al-Monitor

An ocean apart: Few naval vendors manage to pierce US and European protectionism -- Defense News

Pompeo signs off on al-Udeid Air Base expansion, but says Qatar diplomatic crisis ‘has dragged on too long’ -- AP

Report: U.S. military making changes in South Korea ahead of OPCON -- UPI

France, Germany aim to unify their clashing weapons-export rules -- Defense News

A new military build-up in the Balkans -- Emerging Europe

Defence secretary Gavin Williamson suggests scaring Spanish ships away from Gibraltar with paintballs -- Yahoo News

Cargo plane crashes in Iran killing 15: Army -- Al Jazeera

Analysis Israeli Army Chief’s Parting Message to Soleimani, Nasrallah and Khamenei -- Haaretz

German armed forces recruit fewer minors -- DW

Fires and rollovers plague Canadian Army's $600 million fleet of new armoured vehicles -- National Post

Swedish defence agency warns satellite station could be serving Chinese military -- SCMP

Remote Military Outpost will Help Indonesia Resist Chinese Maritime Expansion -- VOA

Pak female agent honey-traps 50 Indian soldiers; Army jawan arrested in Jaisalmer for spying -- The Economic Times