170: Farewell General Milley + Brasil Army Modernization + Australia Retires Taipan Helo Fleet Ahead of Schedule + Bulgaria Procures Strykers + Taiwan Builds Domestic Submarine + More

Back from time off.  Please review (in order):

1. US Congress passes Continuing Resolution to prevent shutdown.
2. Farewell General Mark Milley after 43 years of service- including 4 years as an impactful Army Chief of Staff and 4 years as Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
3. US Navy decommissions two Freedom-Class Littoral Combat Ships- USS Little Rock (LCS-9) & USS Detroit (LCS-7)- after less than 8 years of active service.
4. US Navy commissions Independence Variant, Future Littoral Combat Ship- USS Augusta (Maine), (LCS-34). 
5. Taiwan Navy launches first domestic submarine- the Hai Kun. Goal is to build 7 more for a total of 8.
6. Thailand tests domestic built (prototype) 105mm towed howitzer. 
7. Australia has enough of the Taipan helicopter and retires the entire fleet ahead of schedule. Will replace with Black Hawks.
8. Brasil Army Modernization plan.
9. Bulgaria to procure (possibly) 183 Strykers.  Plan to consolidate 3 x mechanized battalions into one brigade (smart). 
10. Israel to supply Germany with Arrow 3 Air Defense system (defeats long-range ballistic missiles).