Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 6, 2020

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley

Breaking Defense: Old Weapons Under Fire As COVID Debt Rises

With defense budgets expected to be coming in flat under even best-case scenarios, the time for tough decisions might be coming.

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon may slash older weapons programs to buy new ones in coming years if the federal government’s COVID-19 response takes a big bite out of budgets, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said today.

Before the global pandemic slammed American society and ground the economy to a halt, Pentagon leaders were already looking at flat defense budgets and were casting about for fat to trim. But the trillions Congress and the Trump administration has pumped into the economy, which falls on top of an already exploding budget deficit, could make predictions of flat budgets look optimistic.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 6, 2020

Esper: Flat budget could speed cutting of legacy programs -- Defense News

Esper shoots back at Senate Democrats' criticism of coronavirus response -- The Hill

China, Russia take advantage of virus emergency, U.S defense secretary says -- Reuters

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman says evidence suggests coronavirus was not man-made or released from lab -- The Hill

Pentagon chief: USS Kidd coronavirus outbreak may have come from counter-drug operation -- The Hill

‘No need to test the entire force’: Military sets new COVID-19 targets -- Washington Examiner

The Army Wants a Wearable COVID-19 Detector -- Next-Gov

US Defense Chief Frets Economic Damage of COVID-19 Could Shrink Pentagon Budget -- Sputnik

COVID-19 hospitalization rate 50 times higher in the military than in overall US -- Military Times

Inside the Air Force’s Scramble to Telework During the COVID-19 Pandemic -- Air Force Magazine

Huntington Ingalls Industries Awarded $187 Million Advance Procurement Contract for Amphibious Assault Ship LHA 9 -- Huntington Ingalls Industries

Marinette Marine nets $795.1M for 10 Guided Missile Frigates for Navy -- UPI

5 things you should know about the US Navy’s new frigate -- Defense News

The Pentagon's Flying Aircraft Carriers Are Launching Recoverable Gremlin Drones -- National Interest

Northrop Grumman, Raytheon partner for Next Generation Interceptor bid -- UPI

US Air Force ‘Interested in Accelerating’ Hypersonic Cruise Missile Programme -- Sputnik

The Army’s future vertical lift plan may have a supplier problem -- Defense News

New Team Pitches South Africa's Bronco II Light Attack Plane To American Special Operators -- Warzone/The Drive

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt reportedly once told the US Army's top special forces general 'you absolutely suck' at artificial intelligence -- Business Insider

US ‘had nothing to do’ with ex-Green Beret’s failed raid in Venezuela, says Esper -- Military Times

Trump's spy chief pick grilled over claims intel shows coronavirus originated in Chinese lab -- CNN

Trump’s Intelligence-Chief Nominee Vows to ‘Speak Truth to Power’ -- Defense One

US awards 29 Purple Hearts for brain injuries in Iran attack -- AP

Italy’s Fincantieri will build newest class of US Navy warships -- CNBC

U.S. Navy Operates Ships In Barents Sea For First Time In Decades As Russia Increases Arctic Capabilities -- RFE

Russia's Northern Fleet Tracks NATO Warships Crossing Into Barents Sea - Defence Ministry -- Sputnik

Russian National Guard spokesman reveals agency’s mission in Syria -- TASS

Number of coronavirus cases found in Russian Armed Forces up to 1,475, says ministry -- TASS

'Not a Priority': Norway Misses US, UK Drill Off Its Arctic Coast -- Sputnik

Chinese navy anti-piracy drill ends with detour through South China Sea islands for US attention -- SCMP

China successfully conducts maiden launch of Long March-5B carrier rocket -- TASS

China's supersonic stealth bomber could be ready later this year - making it the third country alongside US and Russia capable of launching nukes from land, sea or air -- Daily Mail

Chinese ministry warned Xi of armed confrontation with US: report -- The Hill

China’s long-range Xian H-20 stealth bomber could make its debut this year -- SCMP

Boeing presents first Loyal Wingman drone aircraft to Australia -- UPI

With China In Mind, Australia Just Bought America's Newest LRASM Ship Killer Missiles -- National Interest

Israel Defense Ministry buys small exploding drones -- UPI

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