Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 10, 2012

The U.S. Is Buying Arms From Russia -- Bloomberg Businessweek

For the past year, the Obama administration has been criticizing Russia for selling weapons to Syria and blocking the United Nations from condemning the conflict that’s killed more than 10,000 people. Yet at the same time, the U.S. has been buying military helicopters from an unlikely source: the same Russian-government-owned company that Congress says is arming the Syrian regime. Since May 2011, the Pentagon has paid Rosoboronexport $411 million for 21 Mi-17 helicopters.

Now some U.S. lawmakers are saying the sales must stop. “We should not be using U.S. taxpayer dollars to support a firm that is arming a regime in Syria that’s murdering innocent men, women, and children,” says Representative Rosa DeLauro. The House recently passed an amendment sponsored by the Connecticut Democrat that would ban future contracts with the company.

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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

Britain faces legal challenge over secret US 'kill list' in Afghanistan -- The Guardian

Gauss: Stuxnet-Linked Cyber Weapon Hits Lebanon -- ABC News

Navy Delays Carrier’s Combat Tests, Weapons Tester Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Construction begins on 11th LPD for US Navy -- Naval-Technology.com

Drone piloting gains popularity in military -- Herald Net/AP

FAA Drone Chief Enthusiastic About Plan For UAVs Over Alaska, And Beyond -- Aol Defense

X-48C completes successful test flight -- Defense Tech

Drones Need Secure Datalinks To Survive Vs. Iran, China -- Aol Defense

Panetta: National Guard, Reserve Key to Defense Strategy -- US Department of Defense

Report says U.S. military pay growth could be slowed -- Baltimore Sun

Declassified Photos Reveal CIA’s Deep-Sea Rescue of a Spy Satellite -- Danger Room

Intelligent, autonomous robots set to change combat landscape -- Stars and Stripes

Pentagon proposes more robust role for its cyber-specialists -- Washington Post

Could lasers solve the military's friendly-fire problem? -- CNN

NYPD unveils new $40 million super computer system that uses data from network of cameras, license plate readers and crime reports -- New York Daily News

Terrorism expert may testify at Fort Hood trial -- Houston Chronicle/AP

Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano favored women pals for jobs: lawsuit -- New York Post

Clock ticking to disastrous defense cuts -- William J. Bennett, CNN Contributor