Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 2, 2015

A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter drops off a U.S. soldier for a mission near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Dec. 20. Obama’s budget proposal, and the ensuing battles, could be a preview of the national security debate in the 2016 presidential election. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Greg Jaffe, Washington Post: Obama budget’s boost for military spending points to brewing national security debate

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 2, 2015

Obama to request hike in US military budget -- AFP

US Budget Request Will Change Drastically, Experts Say -- Defense News

E. Ukrainian rebels announce recruiting drive, plan 5 new brigades -- RT

Report: Breedlove, administration officials back defensive weapons for Ukraine -- Stars and Stripes

U.S. Considers Supplying Arms to Ukraine Forces, Officials Say -- New York Times

US mulls providing Kiev forces with ‘defensive’ weapons – report -- RT

Barack Obama rules out military conflict between US, Russia -- Economic Times/PTI

Russia's Lavrov says U.S. backs military solution in Ukraine -- Reuters

Russia Begins WMD Defense Drills in Armenia and Near Ukraine -- Sputnik

Russian troops to be reinforced in strategic areas — defense minister -- ITAR-TASS

Russia Working To Make Military Invincible, Says Rearmament Of Nuclear Forces Top Priority -- IBTimes

Test launch of Russia’s new Yars-based ballistic missile due in March — source -- ITAR-TASS

Russian Military Selects “New” Assault Rifles -- Bearing Arms

Huge Russian fiberglass minesweeper to join Navy in November -- RT

Russian Air Force to receive fifth-generation fighters in 2016 as scheduled — company -- ITAR-TASS

No cooling in relations between post-Soviet security bloc members — CSTO secretary general -- ITAR-TASS

Azerbaijan Launches Military Exercises Amid Tensions With Armenia -- Radio Free Europe

Iran Successfully Launches Satellite Into Space, First Since 2012 -- Sputnik

Egypt seeking military equipment from France: report -- Al Arabiya

Egypt creates new military command to combat Sinai militants -- Asahrq Al-Awsat

Hostages Drive Abe’s Push to Boost Japan Military Action Overseas -- WSJ

Japan Launches New Spy Satellite -- Defense News/AFP

Navy Takes Lead in Taiwan Military Reshuffle -- Defense News

Greece Warned Against Further Defense Cuts -- Defense News

British hero who fought off 200 enemy soldiers sells bravery medal -- Express

Hit Brit: Royal Marine tagged as world’s deadliest sniper -- RT

Sources: U-2 in USAF Budget Request -- Defense News

Kendall Unveils U.S. 6th Gen Fighter Strategy -- Defense News

Navy Builds a New Class of Sea-Basing Ships -- DoD Buzz

Bidding for New US Oiler, Amphibs to be Bundled -- Defense News

Reform Military Benefits, Buy an Aircraft Carrier a Year -- DoD Buzz

Defense secretary pick Ashton Carter is primed for confirmation -- Stars and Stripes/USA Today (Tribune News Service)

What the battle for Kobane says about U.S. overseas military bases -- Amy Austin Holmes, Washington Post

A Fresh Take on the US Military Pay and Benefits Debate -- Miriam Krieger and Kevin Kenney, War On The Rocks

Watch Out America: North Korea's Military Practices Sinking US Aircraft Carriers -- Zachary Keck, National Interest

How a 120-Year-Old War Is Driving China's Military Modernization -- David M. Liebenberg, The Diplomat

4 U.S. Intelligence Assumptions That Need to Go -- Peter Mattis, National Interest

Obama’s Trillion Dollar Nuclear Weapons Gamble -- Stephen Young, Defense One