Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 13, 2015

Wall Street Journal: U.S. Moves to Stem Iran Arms Flow to Yemen



American official says Tehran is trying to supply surface-to-air missiles


WASHINGTON—U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea this month boarded a freighter suspected of delivering Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen, American military officials said.


The destroyer USS Sterett’s search of the Panamanian-flagged Saisaban on April 1 came up empty. But the officials said it marked the U.S. Navy’s first boarding operation in an expanding campaign to ensure Iran doesn’t supply game-changing weapons such as surface-to-air missiles that would threaten Saudi-led airstrikes on the Houthis.


The airstrikes began two weeks ago after Houthi rebels, who have taken over the capital and overrun much of the country, forced American-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee the country.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 13, 2015

Iraq may follow Marines’ blueprint to defeat Islamic State in Anbar -- Washington Times



U.S. spends less on military; Chinese, Russians spend more -- Seattle Times/Bloomberg



Eastern Europe is boosting military budgets, but US is still the big spender -- The Guardian



Scores of ships and aircraft from 13 countries to take part in Nato war games -- The Independent



NATO Drills Begin in Lithuania on Monday -- Sputnik



Russia Apprehensive as Sweden and Finland Move Closer to NATO -- Moscow Times/Reuters



Estonia President Presses for More NATO Troops -- Defense News/AFP



Russian Warships Holding Live Fire Drills in Pacific Ocean -- Sputnik



Russia Extends Grasp Over Black Sea, Into Med -- Defense News



Second Mistral built for Russia set for new sea trials -- ITAR-TASS



Strategic bombers’ flights aimed at demonstrating Russian defense capabilities — top brass -- ITAR-TASS



Su-34: 25 years in service of the Russian Air Force -- ITAR-TASS



Fire-damaged Russian submarine to be repaired -- Barents Observer



China Buys Powerful Military Weapon From Russia: New S-400 Triumf Air Defense Systems Designed To Shoot Down Any Enemy Aerial Target -- IBTimes



China becomes first foreign buyer of Russian S-400 air defense system — media -- ITAR-TASS



Major general from Beijing Military District under arrest -- The Australian



China says military efficiency up as graft campaign bites -- Reuters



South Korea Focuses on Underwater Protection -- Defense News



South Korea’s THAAD Decision -- Robert E. Kelly, The Diplomat



Japan Begins National Security Space Buildup -- Defense News



Israeli Drone Maker Has $6 Billion Backlog and a Red-Hot Stock -- Bloomberg



U.S. to file complaint over 'unsafe' intercept by Russian fighter jet -- CNN



Top Pentagon lawyer: US still in ‘armed conflict’ in Afghanistan -- The Hill



Defense secretary: Bunker-busting bomb against Iran 'ready to go' -- The Hill



Launch of secretive X-37B delayed until May 20 -- Spaceflight Insider



Sensors and longer range weapons means speed and dogfighting don't matter and the future could be a Thunderbird 2 like modular battleplane -- Next Big Future



Pentagon’s Next Bomber Will Be Built To Upgrade -- Defense One



Are U.S. Fighter Jets About to Become Obsolete? -- Zachary Keck, National Interest



Can America's 6th Generation Fighter Jets Rule the Skies? -- Dave Majumdar, National Interest



How Seafloor-Crawling Subs on Wheels Could Change Ocean Warfare -- John Wenz, Popular Mechanics



Pentagon Deploys ‘May I Kiss You?’ Training -- Washington Free Beacon



Should America fight more like Iran? Pentagon official raises eyebrows. -- Anna Mulrine, CSM



What Good Is an Arab Military Alliance? -- Omar Ashour, Project Syndicate



Bridging the Civilian-Military Divide With Stories -- Jenny Lu Mallamo, Time