DefenceTalkUS Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Riyadh Tuesday to seal a major arms deal that will provide the Saudi kingdom with sophisticated missiles for its American-made fighter jets. Hagel flew in from Jordan after a three-day visit to Israel in his first tour of the region since he took office two months ago. He […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hagel-in-riyadh-as-saudi-us-plan-arms-deal-47567/

DefenceTalkThe four branches of the military delivered another warning to Congress April 18 that a prolonged budget sequester will significantly affect military readiness, and could leave the services unable to carry out defense strategy. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer told lawmakers sequestration has forced the cancellation of flying hours, the stand-down […]https://www.defencetalk.com/sequestration-will-affect-force-readiness-47564/

DefenceTalkRussia and Belarus agreed on Tuesday a draft treaty on the exchange of geostrategic information between their military, Belarusian Defense Minister Yuri Zhadobin said. “We have approved a draft treaty on exchange of geostrategic information between our armed forces,” Zhadobin said at a news briefing after a meeting of the joint board of the Russian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-belarus-agree-geostrategic-data-exchange-47571/

DefenceTalkUS Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel headed to Israel on Sunday in a weeklong trip to the Middle East that will be dominated by worries over Iran’s nuclear program and Syria’s raging civil war. In his first trip to the region since taking over as Pentagon chief nearly two months ago, Hagel planned to discuss with […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-chief-heads-to-israel-after-us-arms-deal-unveiled-47550/

DefenceTalkThe top leaders from Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force Reserve and National Guard were on Capitol Hill here April 17 to provide statements and answer questions regarding their FY14 budget proposals. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., the chairwoman of the full U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the chairman of the Subcommittee […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reserve-guard-leaders-discuss-fy14-budget-47544/

DefenceTalkSpeaking to a Senate panel about the effects of sequestration on the national security environment, the director of national intelligence said today that he’s “seen this movie before.” During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on current and future worldwide threats, James R. Clapper said he served through the last round of budget cuts 20 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/cuts-make-intelligence-failures-likely-top-intel-official-says-47534/

DefenceTalkAs Defense Department leaders defend before Congress the president’s $526.6 billion base defense budget request for fiscal year 2014, DOD officials are preparing a review that reassesses assumptions driving the Pentagon’s investment and force structure decisions, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hagel said the review, conducted […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hagel-review-to-assess-investment-force-structure-assumptions-47508/

DefenceTalkIran’s army “alone” is able to destroy Israel, army commander General Ataollah Salehi said on Thursday, responding to boasts by the Jewish state that its military that could attack its archfoe on its own. “Our message to this illegitimate regime (Israel) is the same, we do not need to utilise all of Iran’s military forces,” […]https://www.defencetalk.com/iran-able-to-destroy-israel-alone-commander-47524/

DefenceTalkChina on Tuesday issued a white paper on national defense elaborating on its new security challenges in peacetime and the employment of armed forces to cope with them. The document, the eighth of its kind issued by the Chinese government since 1998, warns that the Asia-Pacific region has become an increasingly significant stage for world […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-defense-paper-stresses-new-military-employment-47501/

DefenceTalkNorth Korea’s military Tuesday issued an “ultimatum” saying it would attack without warning if anti-North Korean activities continued in the South. The warning came after protestors in Seoul on Monday burned portraits of North Korea’s founder Kim Il-Sung, his son Kim Jong-Il and grandson and current leader Kim Jong-Un. The act coincided with national celebrations […]https://www.defencetalk.com/north-korea-vows-attack-on-south-over-anti-north-activities-47499/