TOP NEWS Air Force halts funding for Boeing’s ballistic missile replacement Washington Post Turkey in talks to buy more S-400 missile defense systems from Russia Defense Post The Russo-Chinese alliance emerges The Hill United States Air Force halts funding for Boeing’s ballistic missile replacement Washington Post10/22/19 The Air Force has halted funding for Boeing’s $349 million ballistic missile development effort, effectively clearing the way for a Northrop Grumman-led team to become the only bidder for one of the Pentagon’s most expensive weapons production programs. Middle East Turkey in talks to buy more S-400 missile defense systems from Russia Defense Post10/23/19 Turkey is in talks to buy more S-400 missile defense systems from Moscow, Russia’s state arms exporter said, despite repeated warnings from the United States against such a purchase. South Asia Pakistan minister gives nuclear threat after Indian Army hits Pak army posts, terror launch pads across PoK (VIDEO) India Today10/22/19 In heavy retaliation of Pakistani attempts to infiltrate terrorists into India, Pakistan Army posts and gun positions giving protection to the terror launch pads were hit by the Indian Army in Tanghdar sector in Pakistan occupied Kashmir across the Line of Control. Analysis/Commentary The Russo-Chinese alliance emerges The HillStephen Blank 10/21/19 On October 3 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the next step in the Russo-Chinese alliance, revealing that Russia is now helping China build an early warning system for its missile defenses. The ultimate Middle East missile target: Nuclear reactors Washington ExaminerMark Dubowitz and Henry Sokolski 10/22/19 Saudi Arabia has plans to build an array of large nuclear power plants. Why does the U.S. have nukes in Turkey, anyway? SlateFred Kaplan 10/22/19 At the start of the Cold War, the United States and its NATO allies lacked sufficient troops and armor to stave off a Soviet invasion of Western Europe—a prospect that many generals and intelligence analysts at the time considered possible, if not imminent. Scratching Erdogan’s nuclear itch Arms Control WonkMark Hibbs 10/22/19 The New York Times went over the top in headlining that President Recip Tayyip Erdogan “says he wants nuclear weapons” after he complained in public appearances in September and October that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is unfair. Don’t be surprised when South Korea wants nuclear weapons Bulletin of the Atomic ScientistsByong-Chul Lee 10/23/19 The feasibility of North Korea abandoning its nuclear weapons voluntarily, and the guarantee of America’s extended deterrence in the event of the nuclear crisis on the peninsula are both trending in the wrong direction. India needs to amend its nuclear doctrine Tribune IndiaLt. Gen. Harbhajan Singh 10/23/19 India’s strategy should be to deter/dissuade China from embarking on any large-scale offensive.