Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 31, 2017

Soldiers stand at attention during the training for the military parade of the 60th National Day celebration, Beijing, September 7, 2009. [Xinhua]

Newsweek: The Chinese Military is Getting Rid of 300000 Troops to Pay for New High-Tech Weapons

China wants to buy new high-tech weapons for its navy and air force, but to do that, it needs to lay off 300,000 troops. The Chinese Defense Ministry announced Thursday that Beijing's plan to reduce troop levels would be completed by the end of the year.

Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said there were "detailed arrangements" to ensure the layoffs would be carried out without delay, Reuters reported. "This year it will achieve its set aims on schedule," Wu told a regular monthly news briefing, without providing further details.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 31, 2017

Analysis: The Pace of Chinese Military Modernization is Getting Attention at the Pentagon and in Congress -- Kris Osborn, Scout Warrior

China's Military Says Taiwan Is 'Doomed' and Trump's Weapons Will Be Useless -- Newsweek

From Green to Purple: Can the Chinese Military Become More Joint? -- Joel Wuthnow and Phillip C. Saunders, War on the Rocks

Russian military makes rare visit to Pakistani tribal region -- AP

Russian Military Deal with Serbia Counters Influence of NATO and EU in Balkans -- Newsweek

Russia adds 'Kazan' to its nuclear attack submarine fleet -- Defense News

Royal Marines face frontline axe as military chiefs are forced to make £10BILLION cuts over the next decade amid escalating costs of ships and jets -- Daily Mail

Top Canadian soldier says military not hurting for money -- CTV News/Canadian Press

Finns Mull Co-Housing Male, Female Conscripts to Boost Equality, Morale -- Sputnik

Australia issues tender request for new frigates -- UPI

US gives NATO allies 2 months for defense spending plans -- AP

Tillerson gives NATO two-month deadline on defense spending -- The Hill

Fallon and Mattis discussing Nato spending -- BBC

Britain and U.S. tell NATO allies to 'raise their game' on defense spending -- Reuters

Trump gives military more authority to launch Somalia strikes -- The Hill

US military now authorized to conduct offensive airstrikes in Somalia -- ABC News

Pentagon Responds to Criticism Over Civilian Deaths in Mosul Blast -- VOA

Mosul shows difficulty of removing militants from urban areas -- Military Times

Trump administration stops disclosing troop deployments in Iraq and Syria -- Los Angeles Times

Air Force secretary nominee backs stealth of F-35 jets -- The Hill

Future V-22 Weapons May Range from Lasers to Sonic Waves -- DoD Buzz

Lockheed nears $27 billion helicopter deal with Pentagon -- Reuters

General: Air Force might 'have to stop flying' for six weeks -- Washington Examiner

Military sharply warns Congress against punting on spending -- Jeremy Herb, CNN

Marines to field new revolutionary radar -- C4ISRNET

Army Shows Off Its Lightest Combat Helmet Ever -- Military.com

General Dynamics, U.S. Ordnance share U.S. Army contract for M2 machine guns -- UPI

Air Force Needs Disposable Aircraft, Official Says -- Defense Tech

DoD prepares for more advanced armed drones amid ISIS threat -- C4ISRNet

A more connected military means new battlefield glitches, too -- Aliya Sternstein, Christian Science Monitor

Top U.S. Military Official Says We Need to Prepare for Space Battles -- Futurism

Inside the Ring: Pentagon Tightens Security on China Contacts -- Washington Free Beacon

Pentagon puts Trump’s cost cutting promises to work -- The Hill

U.S. Marines Send F-35 Fighters To South Korea -- And A Signal To The North -- Loren Thompson, Forbes

Marines are once again 'The Few, The Proud' -- Marine Times

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