Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 20, 2020

The US Navy released video that shows Iranian naval vessels repeatedly conducting "dangerous and harassing approaches" towards US Navy warships in the North Arabian Sea, according to US Central Command.

The Hill: Foreign powers test US defenses amid coronavirus pandemic

U.S. adversaries are probing America's defenses as the world is preoccupied with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

In the past two weeks, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have all moved to test Washington in the sea, in the air and on land as U.S. forces have become more restricted in movement amid concerns over the spread of COVID-19.

“Exactly how distracted is the U.S. military? They want to know,” said Susanna Blume, the director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security, referring to foreign countries.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 20, 2020

For second week, about 1,000 new coronavirus cases among US troops -- Military Times

DoD extends travel restrictions for troops, families through June 30 -- UPI

Esper to extend travel restrictions for Defense Department personnel -- CNN

Navy launching investigation into COVID-19 outbreak on Theodore Roosevelt -- Navy Times

Military sees no quick exit from ‘new world’ of coronavirus -- AP

Army awards $635.1M in contracts to aid coronavirus response -- UPI

Widespread testing will be crucial to get the military back to full operations, but it’s going to take a while -- Military Times

Boeing set to reopen major military helicopter production hub for H-47 and MH-139 -- Defense News

Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle Rebooted by the Army to Replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle -- National Interest

AF Seeks Freedom To Shift $$ Between Space Programs -- Breaking Defense

Building, testing of 5th Ford weapons elevator finished, Navy says -- UPI

US Navy Orders 15 Hovercraft Costing $386 Million for Marine Landing Forces -- Sputnik

General Dynamics Electric Boat delivers Vermont submarine to Navy -- UPI

Marine barbershops abuzz with demand for high-and-tight cuts -- AP

Northrop could get $85 billion award to make next-gen ICBMs sooner than expected -- Defense News

Pentagon Could Award Contract for Next Generation of ICBMs Before September -- Sputnik

New Air Force One instruction manuals cost $84 million -- The Hill

Pentagon IG: No proof White House interfered in $10B Microsoft contract -- UPI

Trump says he will deliver West Point commencement address -- Washington Examiner

US Air Force abruptly ends its 16-year bomber deployment in Guam and recalls them to be used more flexibly in the face of the threat from Russia and China -- Daily Mail

Roper Sees Air Force ‘Flying Cars’ In Production By 2023 -- Breaking Defense

U.S. destroyers join NATO exercise in Baltic, Black seas -- UPI

Germany to Order 45 Fighter Jets From Boeing, Report Says -- Bloomberg

German plan sees Eurofighter, F-18 mix replacing Tornado: source -- Reuters

NATO warns allies to block China buying spree -- DW

China’s military draws on 6G dream to modernise fighting forces and plan wartime scenarios -- SCMP

China’s spy agency goes public with espionage and subversion plots -- SCMP

China rejects U.S. report of underground nuclear tests -- UPI

China’s National Day show of military muscle risks backfiring -- Cary Huang, SCMP

Russia shows willingness to include new nuke, hypersonic weapon in arms control pact -- Defense News

Meet Russia’s Underwater Hypersonic Cruise Missiles -- National Interest

Russia to test its first submarine-based hypersonic missiles -- RBTH

Russian T-14 Armata tanks tested in Syria -- TASS

Russia launches anti-satellite missile -- UPI

China Claims Its New 'Meter Wave Radar' Is The Perfect Counter To Stealth Aircraft -- National Interest

India's Newly-Acquired Apache Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing Near Pakistani Border - Video -- Sputnik

These French-Made Pakistani Missiles Could Sink an Aircraft Carrier -- National Interest