Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 3, 2021

NBC: U.S. extends New START nuclear treaty with Russia for 5 years

“Especially during times of tension, verifiable limits on Russia’s intercontinental-range nuclear weapons are vitally important,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

The United States and Russia have extended a crucial nuclear arms control treaty until 2026, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty or New START is the last nuclear treaty between the two countries and was set to expire Feb. 5.

Renewing the agreement was one of the first national security challenges facing President Joe Biden’s administration.

“Especially during times of tension, verifiable limits on Russia’s intercontinental-range nuclear weapons are vitally important,” Blinken said in a statement, noting that Russia has remained in compliance since 2010 when the treaty was signed.

Extending the treaty made “the world safer,” he said, adding that “unconstrained nuclear competition would endanger us all.”

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 3, 2021

U.S. signs five-year New START nuclear arms treaty renewal -- UPI

US extends nuclear arms treaty with Russia -- CNN

Study group recommends Biden delay Afghanistan withdrawal -- The Hill

Defense Secretary dismisses hundreds of members of Pentagon advisory boards including late Trump picks -- CNN

Trump appointees to Pentagon boards blocked by Biden defense chief: reports -- FOX News

Navy unveils nearly 60 recommendations to counter racism, improve diversity -- The Hill

SecDef Gives Military Services 60 Days to Hold Stand-Down on Extremism in the Ranks -- Military.com

Nimitz moves into Indo-Pacific region after 270 days in Central Command -- UPI

Navy postpones USS Minneapolis-St. Paul commissioning after design defect discovered -- Navy Times

US Army Europe Wants New Command for Artillery Fire -- Defense One

Sig Sauer delivers Next Generation Weapons System prototypes to U.S. Army -- UPI

Lockheed Overtakes Boeing as Largest US Aerospace and Defense Firm -- Defense One

The Air Force is considering buying new F-16 fighter jets -- Business Insider

AMC Hopes To Wrap Analysis Of Next-Gen Tanker Options In 2022 -- Breaking Defense

5 Longest Serving Military Aircraft in the U.S. Air Force -- National Interest

DoD Likely To Miss 2021 Deadline For Counter-Drone Weapon -- Breaking Defense

Pentagon Could Shred JEDI Cloud Computing Project if US Court Rules in Amazon’s Favor -- Sputnik

Why hypersonic weapons cannot live up to their hype -- David Wright and Cameron L. Tracy, National Interest

That Settles That: White House Is Keeping Space Force -- Defense One

Top Space Force general says ‘America owns space’ in part due to companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX -- CNBC

Army, Navy Funds Unlikely For Space Force Until 2023 -- Breaking Defense

Space Force is looking for a few good soldiers, sailors -- Military Times

Top Space Force general acknowledges service's PR problem -- The Hill

Planned U.S. troop drawdown in Germany frozen, under review -- UPI

Top U.S. general tried, but was unable, to connect to Myanmar's military -- Reuters

European countries’ defense spending grows 5.6% in 2020 -- TASS

Britain, Japan reinforce defense, security cooperation -- UPI

Russian Envoy to US: I Don’t Believe Sane US Generals Really Consider Nuclear War With Moscow -- Sputnik

Russia’s Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket orbits military satellite — Defense ministry -- TASS

Russia’s defense chief stresses need to build up production of Su-57 fighters -- TASS

Russia hints it may return to Open Skies Treaty if US does -- AP

Satellite Photo Purports to Show First Hint of China’s New Submarine Class Under Construction -- Sputnik

South Korea to review stance on joint military exercises with U.S. -- UPI

North Korea not 'enemy' of South, defense white paper says -- UPI

Indian specialists begin training in S-400 air defense system operation -- TASS