• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 18 Apr 2005 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• ONE SOLDIER KILLED, ONE INJURED FROM IED ATTACK
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Task Force Liberty Soldiers detain suspected terrorist cell leader MNF-I/MNC-I 18 Apr 2005 -- Task Force Liberty Soldiers detained a suspected terrorist cell leader near Hawija during a raid at about 3 a.m. April 18.
• Coalition Forces mortar fire damages mosque in Balad MNF-I/MNC-I 18 Apr 2005 -- A Coalition Forces mortar round fell short of its intended target and damaged a window in a mosque in Balad at about 11:30 a.m. April 17.
• Iraq Army Finds No Sign Of Alleged Hostages RFE/RL 18 Apr 2005 -- Iraq's Army said it found no evidence of hostages after surrounding and entering a small town south of Baghdad today.
• Iraqi Army Finds Explosives, No Hostages In Madain RFE/RL 18 Apr 2005 -- Iraqi security forces raided a town south of Baghdad early today after reports that Sunni militants had kidnapped some 100 Shi'ites. They found no evidence that anyone had been seized.
• Task Force Liberty Soldiers discover, destroy VCIED MNF-I/MNC-I 18 Apr 2005 -- Task Force Liberty Soldiers found and destroyed a potential vehicle-concealed improvised explosive device northwest of Jalula in eastern Diyala Province at about 8:55 a.m. on April 18.
• Iraqi tip leads U.S. Soldiers to terrorist safehouse MNF-I/MNC-I 18 Apr 2005 -- An Iraqi teenager's tip helped Task Force Baghdad Soldiers discover an anti-Iraqi forces safe house and take a terrorist into custody April 16.
• KC-130J aircraft makes first combat aerial delivery USMC News 18 Apr 2005 -- Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 has performed yet another first with their new KC-130J during its combat theater debut.

• Afghanistan: Minister Says Kabul Should Control Aid Flows RFE/RL 18 Apr 2005 -- Afghan leaders have begun to call for a leading role in handling the disbursement of billions of dollars in reconstruction aid. Finance Minister Anwar al-Haq Ahadi says the government can channel such aid more efficiently in projects ranging from education to infrastructure development.
• Afghans Turning in Weapons to Military, Civil Authorities AFPS 18 Apr 2005 -- Afghan citizens, police and soldiers turned in three caches of munitions at separate locations near Bagram April 17.
• Tripartite Commission Holds 10th Meeting AFPS 18 Apr 2005 -- The Tripartite Commission, composed of senior military and diplomatic representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States, held its 10th meeting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan today.
• FAULTY FUEL TANK LIKELY CAUSE OF KANDAHR EXPLOSION CENTCOM 18 Apr 2005 -- A faulty fuel tank is believed to be the cause of an explosion that injured three drivers and destroyed five tanker trunks near Kandahar on Sunday, experts at the scene said today.
• Ousted Taleban Regime Launches Pirate Radio Station VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- Afghanistan's Taleban regime, which was driven from power by U.S.-led forces, has launched a clandestine radio station that is being heard in that country's southern provinces.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD Joint Task Force Making Progress Against IED Threat AFPS 18 Apr 2005 -- Crudely assembled and easy to make, improvised explosive devices are the biggest threat to servicemembers in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the head of a new Pentagon task force looking into ways to better protect troops.
• Language Is Latest Weapon in America's 21st Century Arsenal AFPS 18 Apr 2005 -- Despite the tremendous advances in military hardware and technology on display in the global war on terror, there are still some capabilities only humans can provide.
• DoD Expands Existing Whistleblower Protections AFPS 18 Apr 2005 -- Blowing the whistle on waste, fraud and abuse at work seems like the last thing workers would do if they wanted to keep their jobs and advance their careers.
• WHY DID RUMSFELD RUSH TO AZERBAIJAN AND KYRGYZSTAN? RIA Novosti 18 Apr 2005 -- Why did Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld make his surprise visits to Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan? And what could be the results of these visits for Russia?
• Reserve ROC Learns On-the-Job During TOPOFF 3 Exercise Navy NewsStand 18 Apr 2005 -- Reserve component Commander, Navy Region Northeast Regional Operations Center participated in the Top Officials (TOPOFF) 3 exercise April 4-8.
• NAPRA Takes Aircraft Maintenance to a New Level Navy NewsStand 18 Apr 2005 -- Naval Air Pacific Repair Activity (NAPRA) became the first U.S. Navy overseas location qualified to perform Planned Maintenance Interval (PMI) 2 inspections on U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye aircraft Feb. 1.
• Marine Armor Installation Site fully operational USMC News 18 Apr 2005 -- Brigadier General William D. Catto, commanding general, Marine Corps Systems Command and Col. Jeff Krongaard, officer in charge, Marine Armor Installation Site (MAIS), here, cut a ribbon April 17, signifying the site's full operational capabilities for the installation of Marine Armor Kits (MAK) on the HMMWVA2.
• Kearsarge Sailors, Marines Enjoy Liberty in Palma Navy NewsStand 18 Apr 2005 -- Sailors and Marines from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) stopped for a port visit at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, April 7-13.
• USS Ashland Visits Malta Navy NewsStand 18 Apr 2005 -- The crew of the dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), along with Marines from elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, visited the Mediterranean island country of Malta April 9-13.

• US Senate Panel to Vote on Controversial UN Ambassador Nominee Tuesday VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tuesday is to vote on whether to send President Bush's controversial nominee for U.N. Ambassador, John Bolton, to the full Senate for confirmation. The vote is expected to be close.

• State Department Briefing, April 18 Washington File 18 Apr 2005 -- Publication of patterns of global terrorism report/statistical data, flow of information to the Secretary of State/Role of senior managersU.S. Outreach to Muslim Countries, confirmation process for Karen Hughes as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs & Dina Powell as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Nomination on John Bolton as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations/Status of Congressional Vote, North Korea, Israel/Palestinians, Cyprus, NATO, Iraq, Belgium
• White House Daily Briefing, April 18 Washington File 18 Apr 2005 -- North Korea, Bolton nomination to the U.N., Social Security, Israel/Palestinians

Defense Industry

• BAE SYSTEMS Awarded $58 Million U.S. Navy Contract BAE Systems 18 Apr 2005 -- ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The U.S. Navys Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR), Charleston, S.C., has awarded BAE Systems a $58 million technical services contract, which could reach $314 million if all options are exercised.
• Boeing Team to Perform Navy P-8A MMA Fire- Suppression Tests Boeing 18 Apr 2005 -- Survivability is critical for tactical aircraft, and the U.S. Navy's P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) is no exception.
• EADS CASA Defence and Security Systems Delivers the 100th Eurofighter Series Production Right Wing EADS 18 Apr 2005 -- EADS Defence and Security Systems in Spain has delivered the 100th series production right wing to the Eurofighter final assembly line at EADS Manching / Germany. This was reported by EADS on Monday.
• General Dynamics Awarded $138 Million for 99 Additional Stryker Combat Vehicles General Dynamics 18 Apr 2005 -- The U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) a delivery order valued at $138 million for 99 additional Stryker combat vehicles. The vehicles will be used to meet Army materiel requirements. This increases the Army’s Fiscal Year 2005 Stryker procurement from 576 to 675 vehicles; deliveries will begin in 2006 and continue through 2007.
• Lockheed Martin Joint Common Missile Successfully Performs in F/A-18 E/F Wind Tunnel Tests Lockheed Martin 18 Apr 2005 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has successfully completed initial F/A-18 E/F integration wind tunnel tests of its Joint Common Missile (JCM). The JCM will provide pilots a precision, all-weather, low-collateral damage weapon required to counter unconventional threats of the 21st century battle environment.
• Northrop Grumman's ASTAMIDS Program Increases Mission Capability Northrop Grumman 18 Apr 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Airborne Standoff Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS) program is being expanded, at the request of the U.S. Army, beyond its initial counter-mine mission to include reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) and target designation applications.
• Raytheon Awarded $26.9 Million DARPA Research Contract for Gallium Nitride Semiconductors Raytheon 18 Apr 2005 -- Raytheon Company's Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) has been awarded a three-year, $26.9 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract with a potential award value of $59.4 million if all program options are exercised.
• Raytheon Receives $32.5 Million Contract Award for U.S. Air Force and Navy Towed Decoys Raytheon 18 Apr 2005 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has received a $32.5 million contract award from the U.S. Air Force Electronic Warfare Product Group, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga., for the ALE-50 towed decoy system.
• CARACAL – a new tactical vehicle for the Bundeswehr Rheinmetall Defence 18 Apr 2005 -- Rheinmetall and Iveco Magirus have agreed to work together in the field of wheeled, 6 to 8 ton-class armoured vehicles for the German market. As part of this agreement, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH of Kiel, the Land Systems division of the Rheinmetall Group, has obtained the German rights to Iveco's newly developed Light Modular Vehicle (LMV).

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 18 Apr 2005
• CHECHEN INTERIOR MINISTRY DEALS WITH "TURNCOATS IN EPAULETTES" RIA Novosti 18 Apr 2005 -- The Interior Ministry of Chechnya is taking resolute "ranks cleansing" measures.
• CAN RUSSIA, EU AGREE ON CHECHNYA? RIA Novosti 18 Apr 2005 -- Chechnya seems to have ceased to be the apple of discord in Russia-EU relations. In the past, the EU accused Moscow of human rights abuses in Chechnya, while the Kremlin said the EU used double standards, dividing international terrorists into bad (those who threatened the West) and good (those who operated in Chechnya).
• FSB CONDUCTING SPECIAL OPERATION TO DESTROY THE REST OF CHITIGOV'S TERRORIST GROUP IN CHECHNYA RIA Novosti 18 Apr 2005 -- The Federal Security Service (FSB) is conducting a special operation to destroy the remainder of Rizvan Chitigov's (killed on March 23, 2005) terrorist group in Chechnya's Shali district, Major General Ilya Shabalkin, spokesman for the regional HQ for the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying.
• A MILITANT FROM BASAYEV'S GANG ARRESTED IN CHECHNYAS RIA Novosti 18 Apr 2005 -- A militant from the Shamil Basayev-led group who shot a man from Achkhoi Martan to intimidate the local population was arrested, reports the press center of the regional headquarters for the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus.
  
  
• UN Security Council Expands DRC Arms Embargo VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- The U.N. Security Council has broadened the reach of an arms embargo on rebel forces operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Security Council extends arms embargo in DR of Congo UN News Centre 18 Apr 2005 -- Calling the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a continuing threat to international peace and security, the United Nations Security Council today extended an arms and military financing embargo to "any recipient" in the country and it froze the assets of sanctions violators as the UN peacekeeping mission carried out cordon and search operations.
• DRC: Three killed, thousands displaced as army takes on militia group IRIN 18 Apr 2005 -- Two militiamen and a civilian died on Friday after a seven-hour shootout between Congolese national army troops and Union patriotiques de congolais (UPC) militias in a gold-rich territory of the northeastern district of Ituri, displacing thousands of people.
  
  
• Israel Announces Controversial Settlement Expansion VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- Israel plans to build 50 new homes in the West Bank settlement of Elkana.
• Nepal Rebel Chief Rules Out Peace with Government, Predicts Maoists' Victory VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- Nepal's Maoist rebel leader Prachanda has ruled out peace talks or a cease-fire with the government, saying he has confidence in the rebels' ultimate victory.
• Colombian Troops Attack Leftist Rebels, Killing 15 VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- At least 15 leftist rebels have been killed in clashes with Colombian troops.
• UN reports no security improvement in Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region UN News Centre 18 Apr 2005 -- Clashes between the Government and rebels in Sudan's western Darfur region, attacks against international aid workers, rape and the persecution of its victims, abuse of children, and torture by security forces, underscored a continuing dire situation, according to the latest United Nations report on the region, which was released today.
• TOGO: Six dead and dozens injured in pre-election violence IRIN 18 Apr 2005 -- At least six people were killed and dozens were injured in weekend clashes between government and opposition supporters in Lome, the capital of Togo, as tension mounted ahead of presidential elections that will usher in a new era after four decades of rule by the late Gnassingbe Eyadema.
• WEST AFRICA/ REFUGEES VOA 18 Apr 2005 -- Some ten thousand Nigerian refugees who fled ethnic conflict, nearly three years ago, are starting to return home from Cameroon. Although the violence in a part of Taraba State has stabilized, there are still concerns for the refugee's security.
• UGANDA: ICC could suspend northern investigations - spokesman IRIN 18 Apr 2005 -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) could suspend its ongoing investigations into possible war crimes committed in the northern Ugandan war between the government and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), an ICC spokesman said.

News Reports

• WHO: Marburg Outbreak Not Over; Death Toll Climbs to 235 VOA News 18 Apr 2005 -- The World Health Organization says the outbreak of deadly Marburg fever in northern Angola is not yet over.

• RUSSIAN CITIZENS IN KYRGYZSTAN ARE ASKED TO AVOID PANIC RIA Novosti 18 Apr 2005 -- Russian Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Yevgeny Shmagin appealed to Russian citizens residing on the territory of the republic not to yield to panic.
• Kyrgyz Protest Calls For Speaker's Resignation RFE/RL 18 Apr 2005 -- A small crowd of people demonstrated outside the government building in Bishkek today, calling for speaker of parliament Omurbek Tekebaev to resign.

• Sea Launch Sets Sail for DIRECTV's Spaceway Mission Boeing 18 Apr 2005 -- The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander departed Sea Launch Home Port last week for Sea Launch's second mission of the year. The Sea Launch team is preparing to launch the Spaceway F1 broadcast satellite for DIRECTV, Inc., on April 26, at the opening of a half-hour launch window, at 12:31:30 am PDT ( 07:31:30 GMT).