Top News: US Space Force to begin sharing technical space data with UK C4IRS North Korea to set new five-year plan in January as economy struggles Reuters US Demands Restoration of UN Sanctions Against Iran New York Times United States US and Japan plan fleet of low-orbit satellites to track missiles Nikkei Asian Review8/19/20 More than 1,000 units to detect next-gen Chinese and North Korean weapons. US Air Force may have accidentally revealed interest in hypersonic nuke Defense News8/19/20 The U.S. Air Force has issued, and quietly revoked, a solicitation to industry seeking technologies that would support a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of traversing intercontinental ranges, potentially signaling the military’s interest in a hypersonic nuclear weapon. ANALYSIS: Hypersonic missile defense: Issues for Congress Congressional Research Service8/17/20 The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Development Agency (SDA)are currently developing elements of a hypersonic missile defense system to defend against hypersonic weapons and other emerging missile threats. OPINION: Plotting a path forward for America’s homeland missile defense Heritage FoundationPatty Jane Geller 8/19/20 As these systems age and the foreign missile threat grows, the U.S. needs to commit to ensuring an adequate missile defense for the future. East Asia 4 U.S. bombers fly simultaneously near Korean Peninsula on eve of joint exercises with S. Korea Yonhap News8/19/20 The United States flew four bombers near the Korean Peninsula simultaneously earlier this week to show its commitment to the defense of partner nations on the eve of joint military exercises with South Korea, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said. North Korea to set new five-year plan in January as economy struggles Reuters8/19/20 Kim announced the first five-year economic plan since the 1980s when the congress last met in 2016, also vowing to not use nuclear weapons unless the country’s sovereignty was infringed by others with nuclear arms. ANALYSIS: At a crossroads? China-India nuclear relations after the border clash CarnegieToby Dalton, Tong Zhao 8/19/20 While both countries may think the situation is under control, dismissive attitudes and misperceptions could end up fueling a dangerous competition. Middle East US Demands Restoration of UN Sanctions Against Iran New York Times8/19/20 The United States will demand Thursday that all United Nations sanctions be reimposed against Iran, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, a move that follows America’s embarrassing failure to extend an arms embargo against Tehran. Pompeo likely to visit U.N. on Thursday in pursuit of sanctions on Iran: diplomats Reuters8/18/20 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will likely travel to New York on Thursday to seek a return of all U.N. sanctions on Iran and meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, diplomats and a U.N. official said. Despite U.S. sanctions bid, Iran aims to keep nuclear deal alive until U.S. election Reuters8/18/20 The fate of a fragile 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers hinges on the result of the U.S. presidential election in November, not a planned U.S. bid this week to trigger a return of all U.N. sanctions on Tehran, said several Iranian officials. Russia and Europe US Space Force to begin sharing technical space data with UK C4IRS8/17/20 The U.S. Space Force will begin sharing valuable space situational awareness data with the United Kingdom as part of Operation Olympic Defender, the service announced Aug. 14.