Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 17, 2019

The Hill: Trump's pick to lead Pentagon glides through confirmation hearing

Army Secretary Mark Esper appears to be on a glide path to confirmation as Pentagon chief after Tuesday’s hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Defense secretary nominee briefly tangled with 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) over his previous job as a lobbyist for defense contractor Raytheon. But the debate marked the only fireworks at an otherwise uncontentious hearing.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said after the hearing that he expects the panel to vote on Esper’s nomination as soon as Thursday. That would likely be followed by a procedural vote on the Senate floor as early as Monday evening, Inhofe added.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 17, 2019

Esper Pledges 'Tough Decisions' on China, Russia if Confirmed as Defense Secretary -- Military.com

U.S. Needs New Bases in Asia to Counter China Threat, Esper Says -- Bloomberg

Esper sidesteps question on whether he aligns more with Mattis or Trump -- The Hill

Esper: F-35 Won’t Hit 80% Readiness, Cites Stealth Parts -- Breaking Defense

Pentagon chief nominee: 'We need to get back on the diplomatic channel' with Iran -- The Hill

Pentagon nominee regrets Turkey’s ‘drift’ from West -- AP

Trump pulls F-35 sale from Turkey after Russian missile defense purchase -- UPI

Lawmakers say Trump is locked into Turkey sanctions -- Defense News

Trump says US will not sell Turkey F-35s after Russian missile defense system purchase -- The Hill

The US Army will test armored robotic vehicles in 2020 -- The Verge

Flight deck on new aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy is complete -- Daily Press

The San Antonio-Class LPD Payload Package Delivers Lethality -- US Naval Institute

Military Discipline in the Social Media Age: How the New Top Marine Plans to Lead -- Military.com

In a First, an F-35 Pilot Is Joining the Navy's Blue Angels Demonstration Team -- Military.com

US service academy graduates could see longer military obligations -- Military Times

US must maintain a strong diplomatic and military presence in Iraq to counter Iran’s influence, experts say -- Apoorva Mittal, Military Times

US forces have much to learn from Ukraine’s fight with Russia, says State Department official -- Military Times

Commercial Satellites: Will They Be Military Targets? -- Breaking Defense

'Dangerous': Air Force responds to plans to 'storm Area 51' and 'see them aliens' -- USA Today

‘The Chinese have already broken into my stuff’: Cyber espionage concerns Army acquisition three-star -- Army times

Marine Corps moves and new investments in Australia could cause trouble with China -- Marine Times

US defence giant Honeywell distances itself from Taiwan under threat of China sanctions over arms deal -- SCMP

Japan won't deploy to the Strait of Hormuz, defense minister says -- UPI

China blocking Malaysian and Vietnamese oil and gas vessels ‘shows greater willingness to use force’, think tank says -- SCMP

Potential pitfalls for Germany's new defense minister -- DW

In Russia’s growing shadow, Lithuania modernizes its defenses -- Defense News

France Maintains the Goal of Creating a ‘European Army’ -- Helene Fouquet, Bloomberg

Hungary sets terms to unblock Ukraine-NATO talks -- Emerging Europe

NATO-linked pundits say Russia is set for 'regional war' in Europe, but do the facts back it up? -- RT

Delivery of S-400 Triumph Air Defence Systems to India to be Completed by 2023 - Defence Ministry -- Sputnik

Israel's military to increase protection of strategic sites from Hezbollah missiles -- Jerusalem Post