Images of U.S. soldiers in the Syrian desert training with an advanced electronic aiming system on their rifles have offered the first indication that the Israeli-made device was being field tested by the U.S. military.

German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch has shipped the first batch of its new M110A1 Squad Designated Marksman Rifles to the U.S. Army. Between 5,000 and 6,000 of the new rifles will be delivered to the Army through mid-2021, a company statement said.

Planes belonging to the 86th Airlift Wing’s 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base have continued making regular forays for airdrops and other training despite limitations due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Belarus says it will launch a series of military drills in response to Defender-Europe 20, the U.S.-led exercise that was scaled back to such an extent over coronavirus concerns that even Moscow nixed its own countermaneuvers.

The Army in its budget request said the rifle, designated Mk22 by Special Operations Command, would become the primary antipersonnel sniper system, “effective against personnel and material targets at extreme ranges.”

A team of biomedical engineers compared the U.S. Advanced Combat Helmet, which is being phased out, to three designs from WWI in extensive testing designed to simulate the effects of overhead explosions.

The Army's monthly incentive rates hadn’t increased since 1999, when they represented almost 25% of base pay. Last year, incentive pay was equal to about 11% of base salary, the service statement said.

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The M2 Bradley, which has been in service since 1981, transports infantry on the battlefield, provides fire support to dismounted troops and combats enemy vehicles.

Service members and Defense Department civilians are each slated to receive an average 3.1% bump in annual pay as part of the $737 billion military budget for 2020 — $22 billion more than last year’s defense measure.