Rebel fighters fired a rocket Wednesday against government troops near Ras Lanuf, Libya. The rebels were driven back by mortars and heavy machine guns. Tyler Hicks/The New York TimesGadhafi Relies On Elite Units And Remnants Of A Robust Military -- Wall Street Journal
Before the current conflict in Libya, analysts estimated the strength of Col. Gadhafi's elite forces at as many as 12,000. It isn't clear how many forces he currently commands, and how much of his arsenal of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other weaponry remains in his control after rebels seized armories in the east.
However, Col. Gadhafi appears to have kept the most sophisticated equipment close to the capital.
Read more ....
MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
Libya no-fly zone would take only days - U.S. general -- Reuters
China conducted an ASAT missile defense last year -- Washington Times
Russia hopes to make $9.5 bln in 2011 arms sales -- RIA Novosti
Three Russian submarines to undergo sea trials in 2011 -- Brahmand.com
MoD in talks to avoid £1bn new cuts -- The Telegraph
MoD to spend £389m on jump jets it does not need -- The Telegraph
Britain in Eurofighter talks with Indonesia: report -- AFP
In bid for air superiority, Israel may wait for better jets -- Haaretz
Airbus Military green lights A400M industrial production -- Seattle PI
Guam, U.S. military agree on plan to build firing ranges on ancestral land -- Stars And Stripes
Key Questions Confront U.S. Army’s Ground Force Modernization Initiatives -- Defpro
Navy to correct delayed aircraft launch system -- Navy Times
U.S. Lawmakers: Accelerate Acquisition -- Defense News
DoD Accounting Problems 'Serious': Treasury Dept. -- Defense News/AFP
Predator Survives Cancellation -- Strategy Page
US Marine wants early end to F-35 fighter probation -- Reuters
Navy Adds Cybersecurity Academy Requirements -- Information Week
USAF Testing Bolt-On Anti-Missile Lasers On KC-135s -- Defense Tech
Spinning Senators Wasn’t a ‘Psyop,’ Officer Admits -- Danger Room
U.S. Army Looks to Improve Guard Life -- Military.com
US soldiers punished for refusing to attend Christian rock concert -- The Guardian
With DADT out of the way, Harvard and military make a great couple -- Dan Caldwell, Christian Science monitor (opinion)
The Pentagon's Achilles' heel -- Lawrence Korb, L.A. Times (commentary)