Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 21, 2016

© AFP 2016/ US AIR FORCE / Senior Airman Erin Trower

Sputnik: US Air Force Less Than 50% 'Ready for Full-Spectrum Operations'

The US Air Force is considered to be one of the best in the world, but, according to an internal assessment, things are not as good as they might seem. The USAF does not have enough planes, personnel and funding, Gen. David Goldfein, the USAF Vice Chief of Staff, told the US Senate Armed Services Committee.

"Today, we have just 55 combat-coded fighter squadrons, approximately 660,000 Total Force Airmen, and less than 50 percent of our Air Force is ready for full-spectrum operations – a 30 percent reduction since Operation Desert Storm," he said in his written testimony, referring to America's 1991 war against Iraq following Baghdad's annexation of Kuwait.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 21, 2016

Some U.S. Marines on ground in Iraq to fight ISIS: U.S. military -- Reuters

Pentagon Mapmakers Are Using Social Media to Chart Syrians’ Exodus -- Defense One/NextGov

NATO rethinks strategy after Russia's renewed military power show in Syria -- Sydney Morning Herald

Russian military to stay in Syria to protect Hmeimim, Tartus bases — Kremlin -- TASS

Russian MiG-35: Super Jet Can ‘Capture Ten Targets Simultaneously’ (VIDEO) -- Sputnik

Submarine defense: Russian subs posing Pacific threat to US Navy -- TASS

Revealed: Russia's Lethal New Kalina-class Submarine -- National Interest

North Korean Missile Blew Up Shortly After Launch -- Military.com/FOX News

Death Toll in Indonesian Military Copter Crash Rises to 13 -- AP

Australia, looking toward China, beefs up military -- Washington Post

India Finalizes $3B Blueprint for UAV Fleets -- Defense News

U.S. agrees deal on rotational presence at five bases in Philippines -- Reuters

Sweden Adopts Tougher Military Strategy Doctrine -- Defense News

Pentagon to open major £200m intelligence centre in Britain -- The Independent

Development of US Navy’s Future Frigate Pushes Forward -- DoD Buzz

Navy launches barrage of missiles during training in Atlantic (Video) -- Virginia Pilot

Defense Department Drafting Plan for Joint UAV Training -- Defense Tech

Air Force, Army need separate drones, generals tell Congress -- Air Force Times

Air Force Clarifies A-10 Retirement Plans -- Defense News

USAF's New Bomber Costs (Video) -- Defense News

Bombs Away! Lockheed Expanding Missile Factories, Quadruples Bomb Production for ISIS Long Haul -- Defense One

Army must ditch its war data network, former Defense Intelligence Agency chief says -- Washington Times

U.S. military tests Arctic operations -- CNN

New Army weapon tech could make cleaning obsolete -- Army Times

Few women show interest in infantry jobs opened to them -- USA Today

All Marines to Get 'Unconscious Bias' Training as Women Join Infantry -- Military.com

US Military Weakened When Spread Too Thin -- VOA

The Simple Question the Pentagon Can’t Answer—Unless You Have $660 Million -- Lauren Chadwick, Slate

Video: The Secret Business of Training Navy SEALs -- Entrepeneur

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