Defense
Unless lawmakers find a way to prevent a $53 billion cut to planned defense spending for 2013, the U.S. military services would be forced to buy fewer F-35 fighters, Stryker vehicles and Army helicopters, says a House panel. What’s more, the pending cut could jeopardize the Air Force’s plans for new tanker and bomber fleets. – Defense News
The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee said Tuesday that defense spending could be reduced by an additional $5 billion if the across-the-board Pentagon cuts hit in 2013. – DEFCON Hill
At this morning’s celebration of the Navy’s 237th birthday, the service’s normal pride on such occasions was redoubled by a strong sense that, after a decade supporting ground operations in Afghanistan (landlocked) and Iraq (nearly so), the administration’s refocus on the Pacific means it is now the Navy’s turn to shine. – AOL Defense
The Air Force has temporarily frozen aircraft moves, and it is not clear yet how thousands of airmen will be affected — or for how long. – Military Times
A study by the intelligence community raised industrial base “concerns” about the merger between commercial spy satellite companies GeoEye and DigitalGlobe but found no showstoppers. – AOL Defense
DoD is applying the many lessons learned from developing and testing MRAPs to ensure that its combat vehicles protect our troops, enabling them to accomplish whatever tasks they must undertake. And the facts on the ground offer another lesson learned: MRAPs have been well worth what they cost. – Foreign Affairs’ Snapshots
Cybersecurity
Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) writes: Congress has recessed until after the November elections without passing cybersecurity legislation, which a bipartisan chorus of prominent defense and intelligence officials says is urgently needed to protect our country’s economic and national security. – Washington Post
Across all Air Force domains of operation, Cyber Vision 2025 recommends science and technology to improve foundations of trust, enhance human-machine interaction, enhance agility and resilience, and assure and empower missions. As complementary advances, these will help assure the cyberspace advantage so the Air Force can fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace. – Defense News
The War
The United States military has secretly sent a task force of more than 150 planners and other specialists to Jordan to help the armed forces there handle a flood of Syrian refugees, prepare for the possibility that Syria will lose control of its chemical weapons and be positioned should the turmoil in Syria expand into a wider conflict. – New York Times
The fiery terrorist loving preacher who was flown to the United States from Britain over the weekend after a lengthy extradition battle pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges on Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom. – New York Times
Nuclear Weapons
Senior U.S. military personnel continue to advocate for maintaining the full nuclear triad even as it becomes less cost-efficient to build new delivery platforms for a declining number of warheads, Time magazine reported on Monday. – Global Security Newswire
Missile Defense
A cross-aisle group of senators last week called on the U.S. Defense Department to refrain from committing any of the interim funding provided by Congress under a continuing budget resolution for fiscal 2013 to the controversial Medium Extended Air and Defense System, according to a joint press release. – Global Security Newswire
NATO
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced the approval of two more multinational security burden-sharing “projects” under the banner of “Smart Defense,” at the defense ministers meeting happening in Brussels on Tuesday. – The E-Ring
NATO ministers wrestled on Tuesday with how to prevent austerity-driven defence cuts in many member countries from undermining the power of the 63-year-old Western alliance. – Reuters
NATO is ready to defend Turkey, the alliance’s top official said Tuesday, in a direct warning to Syria after a week of cross-border artillery and mortar exchanges dramatically escalated tensions between the two countries. – Associated Press
