* Is ISIL operating jets, as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims? There’s a Youtube video purportedly showing a jet landing at an ISIS-controlled base, but USCENTOM says they haven’t seen any evidence. * This is a head-scratcher. Iraq floundered...
* US Army Acquisition Undersecretary Heidi Shyu described her service’s modernization efforts as approaching a “death spiral.” That it not just the type of anti-sequestration rethoric we’ve grown used to, as Shyu sounds genuinely frustrated...
* Germany’s Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel has been advising defense manufacturers to diversify as exports to unsavory regimes would be put under increased scrutiny. With a mid-year report he’s delivered on promises to increase transparency and timeliness...
* US top brass say that ISIL is winning its way to defeat [Politico]. * WaPo: Serious disagreements remain in U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State. * RAND Corporation is attempting to draw lessons from 13 years of war and recommends a similar...
* Back in January Global Times wrote about work reportedly underway in China to build destroyer-sized patrol ships. Back then Chuck Hill speculated [CIMSEC] that such big ships could be used for more offensive purposes. China Defense Blog has purported pictures of the...
