News Did defense officials hide border mission details from Congress? – Lawmakers want to know if Defense Department officials intentionally hid plans to boost troop deployments along the U.S. southern border when they testified before Congress this week.     Business U.S. Navy signs mammoth contract with Huntington Ingalls for two aircraft carriers – The…

U.S. hopes Turkey buys Patriot, drops Russian missile pledge A senior U.S. official says Washington hopes Turkey will choose the Patriot air defense system over a Russian system that has raised NATO concerns. Turkey has pledged to buy the Russian S-400 missile defense system, with deliveries starting in 2019. The American official, speaking on condition…

News Trump targets intel chiefs over threat assessment of North Korea, Iran, ISIS – President Donald Trump is pushing back on his top national security advisers’ assessments of the threats posed by North Korea, the Islamic State group and Iran.   Bipartisan House group introduces two bills to stall Syria, South Korea troop withdrawals –…

Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan says the U.S. will be sending “several thousand” more American troops to the southern border to provide additional support to Homeland Security. He says the troops will mainly be used to install additional wire barriers and provide increased surveillance of the area. Plans call for about 150 more miles of…

News U.S. in ‘early stages’ of withdrawal, as ISIS squeezed into a few square miles – The noose is tightening on the final group of Islamic State fighters along Syria’s Middle Euphrates River Valley, as U.S. troops prepare for their own departure once the terror group’s physical holdings are finally eliminated, Pentagon officials said.  …

NATO leader says Trump is `committed’ to military alliance NATO’s secretary-general says President Donald Trump is “committed” to the military alliance and that his “clear message” about members contributing more money is “having an impact.” Trump in the past has suggested he could probably withdraw from NATO if he wanted to, and he’s complained that…

News Taliban talks: Will negotiations lead to peace in Afghanistan? – The “significant progress” said to have been made during six days of talks between U.S. officials and the Afghan Taliban suggests that both sides are serious about trying to find a peaceful solution to a 17-year conflict that has scarred Afghanistan.   U.S., Canadian…

U.S., Canadian fighter planes scramble to escort Russian jets Military authorities say U.S. Air Force and Canadian fighter jets were scrambled to escort two Russian bombers that were traveling in the Arctic region near the North American coastline. The North American Aerospace Defense Command says two F-22 and two CF-18 fighter jets identified two Russian…

News Pentagon identifies Army Green Beret killed in Afghanistan – The Pentagon on Jan. 23 released the name of an Army Green Beret who was killed Jan. 22 during combat operations in central Afghanistan.   Chinese military flies Su-30 fighter jet, Y-8 surveillance plane close to Taiwan in latest show of strength – A Sukhoi…

U.S. intelligence warns of ‘ever more diverse’ threats A new U.S. intelligence strategy report says Russia’s efforts to expand its influence and China’s modernizing military are among the “ever more diverse” threats facing the country. The National Intelligence Strategy report issued every four years also singles out North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, growing cyber…