Early Bird Brief - Defense News

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Dec 23, 2016

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Good morning and welcome to the Early Bird Brief. Please send news tips and suggestions to: earlybird@militarytimes.com.

Today's Top 5

1. Trump Tells Twitter He Wants A Super Hornet With F-35 Capabilities
(Defense News) President-elect Donald Trump may have had his meetings with the Lockheed Martin chief executive officer, but he’s not ready to play nice, tweeting on Thursday evening that he could look to Boeing’s Super Hornet as an alternative to the F-35.

2. Aleppo is back under government control, Syrian army says
(Los Angeles Times) After so much suffering, Aleppo is officially back under Syrian government control.

3. Suspect in Berlin Attack Is Shot Dead in Milan
(New York Times) Anis Amri, the chief suspect in the deadly terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin this week, was killed by the police in a shootout outside Milan around 3 a.m. Friday, ending a brief but intense manhunt across Europe, Italian officials announced.

4. The next White House Press Secretary is a Navy officer
(Military Times) The next White House press secretary will be a Navy commander with 17 years experience in the reserves, President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday.

5. Trump is Now America’s Arms Deal Negotiator
(DefenseOne) His meetings and bombshell tweets with the heads of America’s two largest weapon makers show Trump will play a role in hammering out contracts.

Donald Trump & the Presidency

Trump Calls for Expansion of US Nuclear Capability, in 140 Characters or Less
(Defense News) In 140 characters, President-elect Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the national security community yet again with a tweet that signaled continued support of the nuclear triad — but could also suggest a much more drastic expansion to the nuclear arsenal.

Israelis called Trump to weigh in ahead of UN Security Council vote
(CNN) The Israeli government reached out to President-elect Donald Trump for help in pressuring the Obama administration to veto a UN Security Council resolution condemning settlement activity, a senior Israeli official told CNN.

Trump: U.S. must 'greatly strengthen' nuclear capability
(Associated Press) President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday abruptly called for the United States to "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability" until the rest of the world "comes to its senses" regarding nuclear weapons.

Obama dumps registry for some immigrant men, mostly Muslims
(Associated Press) The Obama administration said Thursday it is officially scrapping a post-9/11 requirement for immigrant men from predominantly Muslim countries to register with the federal government. The U.S. hasn't used the program since 2011, but a top immigration adviser to President-elect Donald Trump has spoken of renewing it.

Senate Democrats want more info from Trump's Cabinet picks
(Associated Press) The Senate should not move ahead on President-elect Donald Trump's picks for top jobs, including some of the wealthiest Americans, until they provide complete financial disclosure statements and meet ethical standards, the senior Democrats on panels responsible for confirming nominees said Thursday.

The next White House Press Secretary is a Navy officer
(Military Times) The next White House press secretary will be a Navy commander with 17 years experience in the reserves, President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday.

Overseas Operations

US Army General Slams Russia's 'Live-Fire Training' in Syria
(Military.com) The U.S. Army commander in Europe charged Thursday that Russia used Syria as a "live-fire training" exercise to boost President Vladimir Putin's claims that his military is now superior to that of the U.S.

Made-in-America Weapons, War Crimes, and the Outcry Over Yemen
(Quartz) As the US limits some arms sales to Saudi Arabia, human rights groups present 'overwhelming evidence' pointing back at Washington.

Iraq: Car bombings in Mosul kill 15 civilians, 8 policemen
(Fox News) Three car bombs ripped through an outdoor market in Mosul on Thursday, killing at least 15 civilians and eight policemen, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Afghanistan Taliban: Eight dead in attack on MP's house
(BBC) Taliban gunmen in Afghanistan have attacked the Kabul home of a member of parliament, killing eight people

Pentagon

Japan, US mark return of military-used land to Okinawa
(New York Times) Amid rising tensions over the American military presence on Okinawa, the United States officially returned nearly 10,000 acres of land on the northern part of the island to Japan on Thursday. It was the largest transfer of land since the United States returned Okinawa to Japan in 1972, at the end of postwar occupation.

US Military Test-Fires SM-6 Weapons in Missile Defense Test
(Space.com) The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy have launched their latest missile defense test in the Pacific Ocean in a successful demonstration that hurled two interceptors at an incoming medium-range ballistic missile.

Army

D.C.-area soldiers rehearse upcoming presidential inauguration
(Army Times) When President-elect Donald Trump stands on the Capitol steps to take the oath of office on Jan. 20, the event will be backed up by about 13,000 troops.

The long guns: History of US military rifles
(Fox News) The U.S. Army’s upgraded M4A1 combat rifle is just the latest development in a category of weapons that American soldiers have carried since the country’s earliest days.

Viola may be what the Army needs, experts say
(Federal News Radio) When President-elect Donald Trump announced Vincent “Vinnie” Viola as his pick for Army Secretary yesterday, one word was on the mind of the defense community. Who?

Gen. James C. Smith, 93: ‘Soldier’s soldier’ in 3 wars put troops first
(Atlanta Constitution Journal) Gen. Jame “Jim” Smith, a highly decorated veteran of three wars and father of seven, died Dec. 14 at his Lawrenceville residence. He was 93.

Navy

Carrier Ike, Wasp groups and 22 MEU returning home for New Year's
(Navy Times) Sailors and Marines of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group can now count the number of days left in their deployment on two hands or fewer as the flattops head across the Atlantic for home.

Trio of Curious French Police Officers Accidentally Ship Out on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
(USNI News) Three curious French police officers are facing disciplinary measures after accidentally shipping out on carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) when it left after a port visit to Marseilles on Tuesday.

Air Force

US Air Force F-35s Likely Coming Soon to Europe
(Defense News) The Air Force’s top civilian on Monday hinted the service could deploy a number of F-35As to Europe as early as this summer.

Squadron commander reassigned after chief's drunk driving arrest
(Air Force Times) The squadron commander of the 4th Security Forces Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina has been reassigned after the squadron's security forces manager was charged in a fatal drunk driving accident.

Marine Corps

What to expect from the 'Warrior Monk'
(Marine Corps Times) The career and character of retired Gen. Jim Mattis has come under a microscope recently, since the revered Marine officer was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next defense secretary.

13 Years After Iraq, the Marines of 'Generation Kill' Regret Nothing
(Military.com) For many Americans, civilian and military, the most intimate look at the 2003 invasion of Iraq comes through the eyes of a company of wry reconnaissance Marines who trade insults and belt Avril Lavigne songs to ward off sleeplessness and boredom as they plunge deep into an unknown combat zone as shock troops in thinly protected Humvees.

Parris Island DI jailed in online child porn sting
(Marine Corps Times) A drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island has been arrested for internet crimes against children in Texas as part of a months-long sting operation.

Marine Corps sets 3 hearings in Parris Island hazing cases
(Associated Press) The first public military court proceedings involving allegations of abuse and hazing at the Marine Corps' recruit training facility at Parris Island in South Carolina are set to begin in January, the Marine Corps announced on Thursday.

Coast Guard

Coast Guard has repatriated 136 Cubans since last weekend
(Associated Press) The Coast Guard says the Cubans were stopped in eight separate interdictions at sea as they attempted to make their way to the United States mainland.

Defense Industry

Bidder Hopes for Quick Decision in Norway Sub Program
(Defense News) The timing of Norway’s pick of a new attack submarine may have sped up, following a press report that Oslo could make a single source selection early in the new year rather than at the end of 2017 after holding a tender, said one competitor.

Air Force develops materials to support electronic systems
(C4ISRNET) A pair of recent awards highlights the Air Force’s efforts to develop cutting-edge materials in support of the electronic systems that underlie the C4ISR mission.

Boeing awarded $82M F/A-18 contract
(C4ISRNET) Boeing has been awarded an $82 million contract for infrared sensors for F/A-18 E/F aircraft.

Orbital ATK completes Zombie Pathfinder target test for U.S. Army
(UPI) Orbital ATK completed its first demonstration for its next-generation Zombie Pathfinder short-range ballistic missile target for the U.S. Army.

Long-range test success for Norwegian JSM
(Flightglobal) Kongsberg and Raytheon have carried out a long-range flight test of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) from a Lockheed Martin F-16, as the developmental weapon continues its qualification campaign.

Airbus Helicopters gets new helicopter support contract
(UPI) The U.S. Army has given Airbus Helicopters Inc. a five-year logistics support contract for UH-72A Lakota utility and training helicopters.

Pentagon prioritises EP-3 role for Triton
(Flightglobal) An 18-month-old plan to equip the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton with a signals intelligence payload will proceed after the US Navy received approval from top Pentagon officials August 2016, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) tells FlightGlobal.

Veterans

Ending 'concurrent receipt' of retirement and disability pays would save billions, federal agency says
(Military Times) Congressional researchers say that eliminating the ability of nearly 600,000 military veterans to collect retirement pay and disability compensation simultaneously could save billions and contribute to deficit reduction.

Trump won votes promising to protect veterans, but major veterans groups are rattled by his plans
(Los Angeles Times) Donald Trump’s flair for connecting with veterans won him an overwhelming share of their votes, but the durability of the alliance is already being tested as Trump’s search for a Veterans Affairs secretary veers in a direction that has alarmed some of America’s most influential retired soldiers.

Congress & Politics

John McCain: We have a stake in Syria, yet we have done nothing
(Washington Post) The words “never again” ring hollow as the city of Aleppo, Syria, has fallen to regime forces of Bashar al-Assad. A brutal siege that has ground on for years was finally brought to a bloody end by a surge of Russian airpower, Iranian shock troops and assorted regional militia fighters. As we eulogize the dead of Aleppo, we must acknowledge the United States’ complicity in this tragedy.

Moscow: It's much easier to vilify Russia than to consider election results
(The Hill) Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary criticized the U.S. response to the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, accusing the White House of purposefully demonizing the country rather than considering the results of the election.

Cyber, Space & Surveillance

Report documents Russian malware targeting Ukrainian military
(C4ISRNET) A unit within the Russian military intelligence, which was also subsequently attributed by some private security firms for part of the hacks against the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, has implanted malware within the Android platform allowing for easier reconnaissance and even targeting of Ukrainian soldiers using these mobile devices.

Congress scrapped this one word from the law, opening the door to a space arms race
(Los Angeles Times) By removing a single word from legislation governing the military, Congress has laid the groundwork for both a major shift in U.S. nuclear defense doctrine and a costly effort to field space-based weaponry.

National Security

Two Americans injured in Berlin attack
(Washington Examiner) Two U.S. citizens were injured in Monday's terrorist attack in Berlin in which a man who is still at large drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market.

CIA director: US should not 'resort' to Russian tactics in hack retaliation
(Washington Examiner) How the U.S. retaliates against Russian hacking in the recent election matters, according to CIA Director John Brennan.

International Affairs

Putin: Russia's military is stronger than any potential foe
(Associated Press) Russia's military today can overpower any potential foe but should strengthen its nuclear arsenal, President Vladimir Putin told an annual end-of-year meeting Thursday with defense chiefs.

In Ukraine, more evidence of a hacking group's Kremlin ties
(Associated Press) For those searching for stronger evidence of Russia's connection to the hack of the Democratic National Committee, the tale of an infected Ukrainian Android app used for cellphones or tablets may help, according to a cybersecurity firm.

Japan, U.S. mark the return of military-used land to Okinawa
(Associated Press) Japan and the U.S. marked a partial return of the land used by American troops to Okinawa in a ceremony Thursday on the southern island, but there was no sign the move was helping to lessen protests against the island's heavy U.S. military presence.

US Refutes Israeli Claims of Lebanese APC Transfers to Hizbollah
(Defense News) The US government is refuting Israeli assessments that US-supplied troop carriers to Lebanon have made their way to Hizbollah forces operating in Syria on behalf of the Bashar Assad regime.

IDF slams ‘interference’ of external rabbis, lobbyists over religious issues in army
(Jerusalem Post) The IDF Manpower Directorate has sharply criticized the interference by civilian rabbis and lobbying groups in religious issues arising within the army, namely over the issue of new regulations for soldiers growing beards.

After ISIS, Iraq’s Militias Face Another Fight: Legitimacy
(The Atlantic ) The Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, face a post-war battle for influence that connects Tehran and Washington.

China says Trump's pick of hostile trade adviser is 'no laughing matter'
(Guardian) Donald Trump’s decision to hand a key spot in his administration to a scholar known for his “apocalyptic” attacks on China is further proof the American billionaire is spoiling for a fight with Beijing, a Chinese newspaper has claimed.

Philippines to investigate President Duterte's claims he killed suspects
(Guardian) The Philippines’ independent rights watchdog has said it will investigate President Rodrigo Duterte’s boasts he killed criminals years ago as mayor of the city of Davao.

Congo forces killed 40, arrested 460 in Kabila protests - U.N
(Reuters) The head of the U.N. human rights agency said on Friday that Congolese security forces had killed at least 40 people and arrested 460 in protests against President Joseph Kabila this week.

Commentary & Analysis

NDAA and the Counter-Drone Challenge
(Ben Lerner in Defense News) On December 17, a Hamas member described by the organization as a supervisor of its drone program, was gunned down by unknown assailants in Tunisia. The fact that Hamas identified the target as a drone program supervisor underscores the ominous reality that Hamas, and other non-state and state adversaries, have taken up drone warfare.

The Year in Pictures: 2016
(New York Times) In a year that confounded, shocked and humbled, there was also grace.

Sending special ops to Raqqa means more cannon fodder for Syria
(Daniel Davis, The Hill) British academic Kimberly Wade published research last Friday that revealed an astounding 50 percent of people in a study remembered events that never actually happened. Apparently senior foreign policy officials in the U.S. administration are among the half that remember events that never actually occurred.

Fallout of Halting Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia
(Barak Seener in Defense News) UK asserted that cluster bombs used in Saudi Arabia against Houthi rebels in Yemen were restricted to purely military targets, and that no civilians were targeted. Nonetheless, the outgoing Obama administration is halting a planned weapons sale of precision-guided munitions (PGMs) to Saudi Arabia due to its concerns over civilian casualties while paradoxically continuing to refuel Saudi-led coalition planes.

Japan's change in military outlook marks the end of a 'peace state'
(Ra Mason, UPI) Thanks to the constitution imposed on its citizens by the United States after the end of World War II, Japan has long been thought of by pacifists as a "peace state."

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