Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 28, 2020

Politico: U.S. clamps down on troop travel in the Middle East due to coronavirus

According to a Feb. 27 memo obtained by POLITICO, all leave and liberty travel with the Central Command theater is banned until further notice.

The U.S. is suspending certain types of travel for military and civilian Department of Defense personnel to and within the Middle East due to concerns over the coronavirus, according to an order issued Thursday.

All leave and liberty travel with the Central Command theater is banned until further notice, according to the memo obtained by POLITICO. For example, personnel assigned to a unit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, cannot travel to the United Arab Emirates or Jeddah for the weekend.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 28, 2020

Coronavirus Fears Halt US Military Exercises -- Foreign Policy

U.S., South Korea Cancel Military Exercises Amid Coronavirus Spike -- US News and World Report

Coronavirus is here to ruin all hope for beards in the military -- Military Times

The US Navy orders ships in the Pacific to stay at sea at least 14 days between port calls over coronavirus concerns -- Business Insider

Pacific Fleet: Chinese destroyer’s laser targeted US plane -- Navy Times

Chinese warship fired laser at American surveillance plane, U.S. Navy says -- CBS/AP

Navy arms destroyers with new laser weapons -- FOX News

SECNAV Modly: Navy Needs Additional $120 Billion To Build 355-Ship Fleet By 2030 -- USNI News

More Marine Corps Personnel Cuts Are Coming, Commandant Says -- Military.com

Army Restores Money for Infantry Squad Vehicle in Fiscal 2021 Budget -- Military.com

Will unmanned ground vehicles replace tanks? -- Army-Technology

US Department of Defense to Begin Testing 5G Tech Prototypes -- Sputnik

Raytheon awarded $90.4M for JMEWS warheads for Tomahawk missiles -- UPI

Big-Motor Bombers. The U.S. Air Force Has Mulled B-52 Re-Engining Since the 1950s -- National Interest

Pentagon Sees a $9 Billion Surge in Nuclear Spending by 2025 -- Bloomberg

Pentagon Pushes For Construction of Nuclear Warhead That Has Not Been Designed -- Sputnik

Space Force official: Transfers of military personnel to Space Force are strictly voluntary -- Space News

Abrupt End to MQ-9 Production Surprises General Atomics -- Air Force Magazine

US Air Force: The history of the military branch -- FOX News

Trump upends controversial surveillance fight -- The Hill

Bipartisan senators say Pentagon's effort to improve military housing falls short -- The Hill

Majority of troops in survey support transgender service members in ranks -- The Hill

US professor Anming Hu charged with hiding China ties from Nasa -- SCMP/AFP

Fear reigns in Africa's Sahel region amid US military drawdown plan -- DW

Philippines, U.S. Seek New Military Deal After Duterte Exit -- Bloomberg

Door not shut for saving US-Philippines defence pact – envoy says -- SCMP/Reuters

Lockheed Martin nabs $1.1B to provide GMLRS to Romania, South Korea -- UPI

Setback for US? Sri Lanka Shuns Million Dollar American Agreement Over National Security Concerns -- Sputnik

Russian military chief voices concern about NATO activities -- Military Times/AP

Tests of Newest Russian Hypersonic Weapons Continue in the Northern Fleet - Defence Minister Shoigu -- Sputnik

Russia’s Northern Fleet continues tests of hypersonic weapons -- TASS

Coronavirus cluster at ‘work unit’ believed to be China’s cybersecurity agency in Beijing -- SCMP

China’s Navy Will Be the World’s Largest in 2035 -- US Naval Institute

Why India’s closer ties to US need not harm relations with China -- SCMP

Yes Turkey Is Trying to Build Its Own "F-35" Like Stealth Fighter -- National Interest