Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 29, 2019

Reuters: Global military spending at new post-Cold War high, fueled by U.S., China: think-tank

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Global military expenditure reached its highest level last year since the end of the Cold War, fueled by increased spending in the United States and China, the world’s two biggest economies, a leading defense think-tank said on Monday.

In its annual report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said overall global military spending in 2018 hit $1.82 trillion, up 2.6 percent on the previous year.

That is the highest figure since 1988, when such data first became available as the Cold War began winding down.

U.S. military spending rose 4.6 percent last year to reach $649 billion, leaving it still by far the world’s biggest spender. It accounted for 36 percent of total global military expenditure, nearly equal to the following eight biggest-spending countries combined, SIPRI said.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 29, 2019

US and China account for almost half of world's military spending, report says -- CNN

Global Military Expenditures Are Up, Driven By Top 2 Spenders — U.S. And China -- NPR

SIPRI: Global military spending 'highest since Cold War' -- Al Jazeera

Russia drops out of top 5 global military spenders while US and China up the ante -- CNBC

We can't stay 'stagnant': Navy chief defends decision to decommission aircraft carrier -- Washington Examiner

F-35s Only? The U.S. Marines Have a Long Way to Go -- National Interest

There’s a new general in charge of the Army’s efforts to revamp basic training and fitness -- Army Times

Microsoft, Amazon Leading The Way To The Pentagon’s Multi-Cloud Environment -- National Interest

Musk to Pentagon: SpaceX ‘Missed the Mark’ on a Launch Bid -- Bloomberg

Navy Launches Safety Review After 2 Navy Recruits Die at Boot Camp Within 8 Weeks -- Military.com

US Navy warships pass through Taiwan Strait -- DW

Trump, Erdogan discuss working group on Russian S-400 -- Al Jazeera

US, Turkey play chicken over Russia -- The Hill

Blackwater founder Erik Prince's new company has reportedly set up shop in Iraq. His old company was kicked out for murdering civilians. -- Business Insider

Poland acquires AW101 helos for Navy under $430M deal -- Defense News

Germany to train Saudi soldiers despite Yemen war concerns -- DW

Whale with harness could be Russian weapon, say Norwegian experts -- The Guardian

China Has Its Very Own B-52 Like Bomber (With 'Russian DNA') -- National Interest

China’s latest class of warship makes its public debut -- Defense News

Bangladesh Navy receives final two Chinese-made Type C13B corvettes -- Jane's 360

Afghanistan’s Hired Guns -- US News and World Report

Can the Pentagon sell Silicon Valley on AI as ethical war? -- Kelsey D. Atherton, C4ISRNet