Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 15, 2019

DW: Germany suspends Iraq training mission as US pulls out diplomatic staff

Germany's Bundeswehr has halted its military training exercises in Iraq amid heightened tensions in the region. The US has put troops on high alert and removed nonemergency diplomatic staff from Baghdad and Erbil.

The German army has suspended its training operations in Iraq as regional tension grows, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"The German army has suspended the training," ministry spokesman Jens Flosdorff said. There was "generally heightened alert, awareness" for soldiers currently operating in the region, he added but said training could be resumed within a few days as there was "no concrete threat" at the moment.

Germany was "orienting itself toward our partner countries, which have taken this step," Flosdorff said.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 15, 2019

Spain withdraws warship from US-led combat group in Gulf -- The Hill

Netherlands joins Germany in halting Iraq mission due to security threat -- RT

NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg: Increased US military presence in Gulf 'concerning' -- SKY News

The US and UK militaries are struggling to get their story straight on the mysterious Iran threat -- Business Insider

Military plans to counter Iran include possible 120,000 troop deployment, cyber attack ‘Nitro Zeus’ -- Military Times

Kuwait urges military to take 'maximum caution' amid US-Iran tensions -- New Arab

Houthi drone attacks in Saudi 'show new level of sophistication -- Al Jazeera

An Ordinary Bird Brings Down the World's Most Advanced Warplane -- Popular Mechanics

Stennis headed to Norfolk for upgrades, part of three-carrier location swap -- UPI

US Army eyes exoskeletons for military use -- Army Technology

The Corps is working on an advanced reconnaissance drone that will be launched out the back of the MV-22 Osprey -- Marine Times

DARPA wants to automate aerial dogfighting with AI wingman -- New Atlas

One of America's Top Allies Proved an F-22 Can Be Killed in Combat -- National Interest/War Is Boring

CIA Recruiting Comes Out Into The Open -- NPR

The NSA knows its weapons may one day be used by its targets -- Cyber Scoop

Defense spending bill includes $15M to study Space Force -- The Hill

Bill introduced to ban Chinese military scientists from American labs -- Economic Times

McSally to introduce military sexual assault reform bill -- The Hill

Birth Control Policies at Boot Camp Affect Military Readiness, Study Finds -- Military.com

71% of young people are ineligible for the military — and most careers, too -- USA Today

Russian military gains in Ukraine could spell trouble for the US Army, even in a conventional fight -- Todd South, Army Times

US warns EU over €13-billion defense spending -- DW

US troops relocating to Guam but scepticism in Okinawa lingers. And even some in the US military are unconvinced -- SCMP

Sweden Seeks Largest Defence Beef-Up in Decades in Light of "Russian Threat" -- Sputnik

UK’s top diplomat urges ‘decisive’ defense budget boost -- Defense News

Russia starts deliveries of Su-30SM fighter jets to Belarus -- TASS

Turkish top diplomat on S-400 deal with Russia: No delays, it’s a fait accompli -- TASS

Iraq Yet to Make Decision on Purchase of S-400 From Russia - Ambassador -- Sputnik

Huawei says willing to sign 'no-spy' agreements -- BBC

This Chinese truck can launch a salvo of drones -- C4ISRNet