Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 21, 2014

U.S. Fighter Jocks Pray The ‘ISIS Air Force’ Rumors Are True -- Dave Majumdar, Daily Beast

Syrian rebels say ISIS now has a few aircraft. American pilots can’t wait to shoot the things down.



The ISIS terrorist group may have acquired a few old Soviet-built MiG fighters, according to a Syrian opposition group. But even if ISIS does have jet fighters, there is little chance that the group can do any real damage with those antiques beyond their value as propaganda tools, U.S. military pilots say.



“If ISIS is flying, or is thinking about flying, it will not be doing so for very long,” one Air Force official said.



According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights—an opposition group based in London—ISIS has managed to acquire three Soviet-built Mikoyan MiG-21 Fishbed and MiG-23 Flogger fighters. The aircraft are allegedly being flown by former Iraqi air force pilots, who are also training wannabe ISIS aviators to fly the jets.



Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 21, 2014

Iraq PM Rules Out Foreign Intervention by Ground Forces -- Defense News



Pentagon denies that ISIS has air capability -- The Hill



US Considers $600 Million Arms Sale to Iraq: Official Report -- RIA Novosti



UK to fly military drones over Syria -- The Guardian



Junk and knockoffs: Iran's military weaponry panned, but regime still formidable, say experts -- FOX News



Iran Military Ready to Ship Equipment to Lebanon -- AP



The Rest Is Mystery as Swedes Chase Possible Russian Sub -- Bloomberg Businessweek



Sweden vows to increase defence spending as capability questioned -- Financial Times



Swedish Forces Admit Failure, Issuing False Information on Alleged Foreign Submarine Location -- RIA Novosti



Latvia warns Swedish hunt for Russian submarine could become a security 'game changer' in the Baltic Sea -- Daily Mail



Ukraine Government Troops Used Cluster Bombs, Rights Group Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek



Russia to Launch Third and Final Bulava SLBM Last Week of November: Defense Source -- RIA Novosti



Russia prepares for ice-cold war with show of military force in the Arctic -- The Guardian



North Korea Gets New Submarine -- RIA Novosti



China's Only Aircraft Carrier Is Having Some Technical Difficulties -- Business Insider



Rafale Fighters India is Buying Can't Match Chinese Fighters: Russian Envoy -- NDTV



India Gives In to Russia's Terms For High-Priced Tank Ammunition -- Defense News



In harm's way: British Army medics leave RAF Brize Norton for the Ebola front-line -- Daily Mail



Nuclear weapons deal with US renewed in secret, UK confirms -- The Guardian



US Military Drone Makes 'Hard Landing' in Niger -- AP



New Izumo-class carriers to greatly boost Japan's force projection -- Want China Times



U.S., Japan to conduct joint military drill for island defense -- Reuters



U.S., South Korea to Detail Wartime Military Command Plans -- WSJ



NATO seeks more U.S. ships -- Navy Times



America’s $7.6 billion war on Afghan drugs fails, opium production peaks -- RT



More US troops arriving in West Africa for Ebola fight -- Stars and Stripes



Boeing Seeks Revised Schedule for U.S. Aerial Tanker -- Bloomberg



Navy's Advanced Hawkeye will deploy next year -- C4isr & Networks



Two F-16 fighter jets collide in Elk County -- KSN.com



US Senators Urge White House to Escalate War Against IS -- RIA Novosti



Obama Could Reduce Nuclear Arsenal Without Harming National Security: Disarmament Expert -- RIA Novosti



Navy takes different approach to painting vessels -- Stars and Stripes/The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot (MCT)



Bring back the Harrier fighter -- The Telegraph



The Coming Swarm: Robotics on the Battlefield -- Paul Scharre, Real Clear Defense