• 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 13 Dec 2005 [PDF]
• FOUR TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIERS KILLED
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• U.S., Iraqi forces keep Baghdad streets safe for election MNF-I 13 Dec 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces detained 13 suspected terrorists and located a weapons cache during pre-election operations in the capitol city Dec. 9-10.
• CENTAF releases its airpower summary AFPN 13 Dec 2005 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.
• Airmen training Iraqi NCOs to lead protection force AFPN 13 Dec 2005 -- Security forces pride themselves on making a good first impression for base visitors. Now they are instilling that same pride and professionalism in Iraqi Airmen.
• Four Soldiers Killed by Roadside Bomb Northwest of Baghdad AFPS 13 Dec 2005 -- Four Task Force Baghdad soldiers were killed today when their patrol vehicle struck a makeshift bomb northwest of Baghdad, officials said.
• Officials in Iraq Report on Recent Mosul-Area Operations AFPS 13 Dec 2005 -- U.S. troops and Iraqi soldiers and police captured dozens of suspected terrorists and seized large caches of weapons during raids and military operations over the past week in and around Mosul, Iraqi's third largest city, military officials reported today.
• Forces tighten security for Iraqi elections Army News 13 Dec 2005 -- Most Iraqis are anticipating the upcoming Dec. 15 national elections with enthusiasm, according to a recent poll, and Coalition forces have been busy conducting pre-election security sweeps to remove terrorists from the streets and ensure a safe election day.
• Iraqi Soldiers seize weapons cache, detain 4 terrorists MNF-I 13 Dec 2005 -- Searching house to house through a neighborhood in west Baghdad, Iraqi Soldiers discovered a bomb-making facility and a weapons cache Dec. 12.
• Shadowhawks Overcome Challenges, Establish Land-Based Prowler Presence in Iraq Navy NewsStand 13 Dec 2005 -- During their current deployment with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), the Shadowhawks of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8’s Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141 have overcome many challeges in establishing themselves as the first Navy Prowler squadron to set up operations at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.
• Afghanistan: UN officials hail justice and reconciliation plan to bury past enmity UN News Centre 13 Dec 2005 -- Citing lessons from truth commissions in other States seeking to surmount troubled pasts, United Nations officials today hailed the Afghan Government's adoption of a plan for justice and reconciliation as a "new and very important dimension" for peace in a country torn asunder by 25 years of war and violence and abuses.
• Pakistan army delegation leaves for Kabul on Wednesday IRNA 13 Dec 2005 -- A top-level delegation of Pakistani army leaves for Kabul on Wednesday on a two-day official visit, the army said on Tuesday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Stennis Begins Sea Trials Following DPIA Navy NewsStand 13 Dec 2005 -- The Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) departed her homeport in Bremerton, Wash., for a weeklong phase of sea trials Dec. 12 after spending more than 11 months receiving extensive equipment and technology upgrades during a scheduled Docked Phased Incremental Availability (DPIA) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) here.
• Navy MCM Divers Conduct Training with French Navy Navy NewsStand 13 Dec 2005 -- U.S. Navy Special Clearance Team (NSCT) 1 participated in a training exercise with the French navy’s mine clearance divers, Dec. 7 off the coast of Point Loma, Calif.
• Vandenberg helicopter crews help seize drugs AFPN 13 Dec 2005 -- The 76th Helicopter Squadron here helped seize $284 million of marijuana while supporting Joint Task Force North counterdrug operations this year.
• Human Rights Expert Accepts U.S. Offer to Visit Guantanamo AFPS 13 Dec 2005 -- A human rights specialist from Europe has accepted the U. S. offer to visit the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
• Directive Boosts Priority of Stability Operations AFPS 13 Dec 2005 -- Stability operations are now a major priority for the Defense Department, on par with combat operations, and will receive more planning and funding, two DoD officials said here today.

• Pakistan receives two F-16s fighter planes: official IRNA 13 Dec 2005 -- Pakistan on Tuesday received two F-16s fighter jets from the United States, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) announced here.

• White House Briefing, December 13 Washington File 13 Dec 2005 -- War on Terror/fourth speech, Iraq/troop withdrawal, anti-torture amendment, race relations, polls on the war, Iraq/security, status of Katrina victims, Iran/Israel, alternative minimum tax, Medicare/drug benefits

Defense Industry

• Belgium Selects the NH90 Helicopter EADS 13 Dec 2005 -- It is the intention of Belgium to acquire the NH90s and relative support through the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA), which represents the Governments that launched the Design and Development of the NH90 Helicopters in 1991, namely France, Germany, Italy, and The Netherlands, joined by Portugal in 2001.
• Korean Government Selects Eurocopter EADS 13 Dec 2005 -- In this major 6-8 billion dollar defense program, Eurocopter was competing against the Italian constructor Agusta Westland and the US manufacturer Bell. "The Korean Government's decision is proof of Eurocopter's expertise in major international cooperative ventures and the company's technological lead in the military helicopter sector," said Eurocopter President Fabrice Bregier.
• General Dynamics to Acquire FC Business Systems, Inc. General Dynamics 13 Dec 2005 -- General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) today entered into a definitive agreement to acquire FC Business Systems, Inc., a privately held information technology (IT) services firm headquartered in Fairfax, Va. The acquisition, approved by the boards of both companies, will be immediately accretive to General Dynamics. Terms were not disclosed. Subject to normal regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2006.
• LOCKHEED MARTIN RECEIVES $21.7 MILLION SUPPORT CONTRACT FOR S-3 Lockheed Martin 13 Dec 2005 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] was recently awarded its second S-3 Prime Vendor Support (PVS) program contract by the U.S. Navy. The contract is valued at $21.7 million with a ceiling of $28.5 million which includes four years of fleet engineering support and two years of depot maintenance and material support. If all options are exercised, this latest contract will coincide with the decommissioning of the last U.S. Navy S-3 Viking squadron in 2009.
• GREECE AND THE UNITED STATES SIGN AGREEMENT FOR SALE OF ADDITIONAL LOCKHEED MARTIN ADVANCED F-16 BLOCK 52+ AIRCRAFT TO GREECE Lockheed Martin 13 Dec 2005 -- The governments of Greece and the United States have signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the sale of 30 additional Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Advanced F-16 Block 52+ aircraft to Greece, with an option for an additional 10 aircraft.
• Northrop Grumman Advanced Information Architecture Concepts Highlighted in Joint Demonstration with U.S. Marine Corps Northrop Grumman 13 Dec 2005 -- During a joint U.S. Marine Corps/Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) demonstration here this week, the company will provide air, ground and command elements with real-time data and communications over a collaborative network. Northrop Grumman's Advanced Information Architecture(tm) (AIA) will link commanders at all levels during a demonstration known as "Agile Lion."
• Northrop Grumman Receives U.S. Air Force Contract to Protect Network-Security Applications Northrop Grumman 13 Dec 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a contract to develop information warfare technology applications that will provide early warning alerts and enable active response to information-security threats for the U.S. Air Force and coalition partners worldwide, as well as intelligence operations and law-enforcement agencies.
• Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems Opens Athena Fusion Center Raytheon 13 Dec 2005 -- Demonstrating an affordable and proven capability to strengthen America's port security, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) officials and Rhode Island legislative leaders recently commemorated the opening of the Athena Maritime Domain Awareness Fusion Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
• Sikorsky S-92 Helicopter Selected for UK Offshore Search-and-Rescue Missions Sikorsky 13 Dec 2005 -- Sikorsky Aircraft has signed a contract to provide four S-92 helicopters to CHC Helicopter Corporation to perform commercial search-and-rescue (SAR) missions for the United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) beginning July 1, 2007. Sikorsky is part of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
• Boeing Australia and IAI Win Australian UAV Contract Israel Aerospace Industries 13 Dec 2005 -- The Boeing Australia and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) team will provide Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) capability to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for airborne surveillance in land operations.
• Boeing Leads Team to Successful Ground-based Midcourse Defense Flight Test Boeing 13 Dec 2005 -- The Boeing-led [NYSE:BA] Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Team, along with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, announced today the successful execution of a flight test, marking a critical milestone for the program.
• Northrop Grumman Plays Critical Role in Successful Missile Defense Test Northrop Grumman 13 Dec 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) battle management software and launch control equipment, developed for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system, successfully performed tonight during Flight Test 1. These systems play a vital role in launching the ground-based interceptor and orchestrating the overall engagement sequence.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT United Nations 13 Dec 2005
• U.N. Prosecutor Gathering Evidence of Darfur Crimes Washington File 13 Dec 2005 -- Evidence gathered by investigators for the International Criminal Court (ICC) presents a picture of "particularly grave events involving high numbers of killings, mass rapes and other forms of extremely serious gender violence" in the Darfur region of Sudan that shows someone commanded and controlled the operations, the court's chief prosecutor says.
• Sudan: witness protection vital for probe into Darfur rights abuses, UN reports UN News Centre 13 Dec 2005 -- The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), entrusted by the United Nations Security Council with investigating human rights abuses in Sudan's Darfur conflict today reported good progress in gathering facts but stressed that an effective system of witness and victim protection, at present non-existent, is vital.

• Eritrean Officials Refuse to Meet with UN Envoys VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- United Nations officials say the Eritrean government has refused to meet with U.N. envoys hoping to dissuade Asmara from expelling Western peacekeepers.

• Martic Goes on Trial Before The Hague Tribunal VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- The former head of a self-proclaimed Serb republic in Croatia has gone on trial before The Hague tribunal on charges of war crimes and violating the laws and customs of war.
• Hague Tribunal: No Division of Milosevic Case VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- The United Nations war crimes tribunal has decided against separating the Kosovo section of the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic from that involving Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

• UN Tribunal Convicts Ex-Rwandan Army Officer of Genocide VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- A United Nations tribunal has convicted a former Rwandan army officer of genocide and extermination in connection to the country's 1994 massacres.

• Israeli Forces Kill 2 Palestinians in Separate Incidents VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- Palestinian witnesses say Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinian civilians in separate incidents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip Tuesday.

News Reports

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY HEAD OF INVESTIGATION INTO ASSASSINATION OF FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER United Nations 13 Dec 2005
• US: UN Should Keep Pressure on Syria VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- The White House is urging the United Nations Security Council to keep pressure on Syria, after a report further implicated senior Syrian officials in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
• New evidence points to Syrian involvement in Hariri murder - UN report UN News Centre 13 Dec 2005 -- Latest evidence reinforces preliminary findings of both Lebanese and Syrian involvement in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to a new United Nations report citing burned Syrian documents, pressure on a witness to recant and the need for Damascus to be more forthcoming.
• Lebanon request to broaden Hariri murder probe will go to Security Council, Annan says UN News Centre 13 Dec 2005 -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan told journalists in New York today that he has discussed with Lebanon's leaders the possibility of expanding the United Nations independent investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to include other murders, and that the Security Council would have to take a decision on the matter.
• UN Probe Cites New Evidence of Possible Syrian Link to Hariri Killing VOA 13 Dec 2005 -- Investigators probing the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri say fresh evidence has reinforced their suspicions of official Syrian and Lebanese involvement.
• LEBANON-SYRIA: Second UN report on Hariri killing slams Syrian non-cooperation IRIN 13 Dec 2005 -- Syria has burned all intelligence documents relating to Lebanon and attempted to hinder a UN inquiry that found further evidence of the involvement of the Syrian intelligence services in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to the second report into the killing.