Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 15, 2019

FILE PHOTO: U.S. troops patrol at an Afghan National Army (ANA) Base in Logar province, Afghanistan August 7, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani/File Photo

Reuters: Exclusive: U.S. may trim over 1,000 troops from Afghanistan in belt-tightening - general

MUSCAT/KABUL (Reuters) - Even before any peace push-related drawdowns, the U.S. military is expected to trim troop levels in Afghanistan as part of an efficiency drive by the new commander, a U.S. general told Reuters on Friday, estimating the cuts may exceed 1,000 forces.

U.S. President Donald Trump told Congress this month he intended to reduce U.S. forces from Afghanistan as negotiators make progress in talks with Taliban insurgents, saying: “Great nations do not fight endless wars.”

U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, the head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, said the decision to reduce some of the roughly 14,000 American forces in Afghanistan was not linked to those peace efforts, however.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 15, 2019

Shanahan: US will not unilaterally withdraw from Afghanistan -- AP

Shanahan: US won’t pull troops from Afghanistan without consulting NATO -- The Hill

Navy: Ford’s Advanced Arresting Gear Will be Ready for Fleet Super Hornets, Growlers by End of Year -- USNI News

As Navy pledges surface reforms, some ask for proof of improvement -- Navy Times

Here’s what damage the Leyte Gulf suffered when it 'touched sterns’ with another ship -- Navy Times

A new PFT: Why the Corps might adopt the Royal Marines’ fitness tests -- Marine Times

It’s Not About the Test: Toward a Better Fitness Training Regimen for the Army -- Brett Reichert and Nick Bono, War On The Rocks

OICW All Over Again? US Army Seeks Next-Gen Gun With Tank Aiming Computer -- Sputnik

Why 2019 Needs To Be The Year The U.S. Army Picks Up The Pace On A New Long-Range Assault Aircraft -- Loren Thompson, Forbes

Saab to supply U.S. Army with M4 weapon system -- UPI

Army calls base housing hazards 'unconscionable,' details steps to protect families -- Reuters

US Air Force Mulls Boosting Space Military Capabilities at New Mexico Base -- Sputnik

How a Triton mishap might boost confidence in autonomous vehicles -- C4ISRNet

Is the new US strategy on artificial intelligence to play catch up? -- Kelsey D. Atherton, C4ISRNet

USFK chief: American troop presence in Korea not related to end-of-war declaration -- UPI

USS Blue Ridge visits South Korean port city ahead of summit -- UPI

West Point to Hold One-Day Stand-Down to Address Problem Drinking -- Military.com

US troops drink snake blood during jungle survival training at the 2018 Cobra Gold -- ABC News Online

America’s greatest advantage against China is slowly eroding -- Defense News

Chinese state media warn of a 'high-tech Cold War' amid fears of an AI arms race after Trump ordered Washington to prioritise artificial intelligence -- Daily Mail

China considers criminal charges, including jail time, for military rumour-mongers -- SCMP

Pakistan wraps up multinational naval drill as its approach to maritime security shifts -- Defense News

Japan's 1st amphibious assault force certified during exercise with U.S. Marines -- UPI

Russia Spotted 19 Foreign Spy Jets Near Border Over Past Week -- Sputnik

Two Tupolev-95MS bombers carry out flight over Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk -- TASS

Putin: Europe does not want to host US missiles, but won’t dare to object -- TASS

West to give joint response to suspension of INF Treaty, says German minister -- TASS

UK spy chief raises concerns over use of Huawei for 5G rollout -- Al Jazeera

German Ex-Air Force General: 'US Betrayed European Security' -- Sputnik

Europe’s NATO problem -- David M. Herszenhor, Politico.eu