Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 19 Mar 2007 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• March 19 airpower: Refueling the mission AFPN 19 Mar 2007 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for March 19.
• Ike Returns to Persian Gulf to Support OIF, MSO Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), flagship of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG), entered the Persian Gulf on March 15, accompanied by the guided-missile destroyer USS Anzio (CG 68).
• 18 Detained, Weapons Cache Discovered; Suicide Bomber Killed AFPS 19 Mar 2007 -- Coalition forces nabbed 18 suspected terrorists, discovered a weapons cache and killed a potential suicide bomber in Iraq over the past few days.
• Paratroopers, Iraqi Police Provide Medical Aid in Sadr City AFPS 19 Mar 2007 -- March 17 was a hectic day inside a makeshift clinic in the desperately poor Sadr City neighborhood here.
• Field Artillery Fires New Modular Artillery Charge System on Taji Army News 19 Mar 2007 -- While many artillerymen get the opportunity to fire artillery pieces only in training, Soldiers from the 82nd Field Artillery Regiment's Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, have already fired more than 1,100 rounds in real-world missions to engage enemy targets in support of combat operations in theater.
• At Least 20 Killed in Bomb Blasts in Kirkuk and Baghdad VOA 19 Mar 2007 -- Iraqi authorities say nearly 20 people have been killed in separate bombings Monday.
• Fresh troops assume battle space in Baghdad MNF-I 19 Mar 2007 -- Fresh troops have arrived in western Baghdad and have assumed control in their area of operations.
• International community must help Afghanistan consolidate peace - UN report UN News Centre 19 Mar 2007 -- While progress has been made in Afghanistan in coordinating national and international efforts for development and countering the insurgency in the south, mounting violence from an emboldened insurgency, popular alienation and human rights issues put the country and its partners at "a critical juncture," according to a new United Nations report.
• Coalition forces conduct, supervise training exercise AFPN 19 Mar 2007 -- Amid a mountainous landscape, students at the Afghan National Army's Officer Candidates School particpated in a medical training exercise at the Kabul Military Training Center March 15.
• Merkel, Karzai Stand Up Against Kidnappers' Demands RFE/RL 19 Mar 2007 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Berlin today for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the security situation in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air power purchasing process continues to improve AFPN 19 Mar 2007 -- Air Combat Command's award-winning acceptance team in Marietta, Ga., is setting the precedent on how the Air Force accepts airplanes.
• Airmen streamline F-15 transfer process AFPN 19 Mar 2007 -- Airmen at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., are teaming with their Air National Guard counterparts there to incorporate Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century principles in hopes of speeding the process of transferring F-15 Eagles.
• Common Core Course to be Requirement for Captains' Career Courses Army News 19 Mar 2007 -- The Captains' Career Common Core Course will become required for graduation from all branch Captain's Career Courses beginning June 1.
• Enterprise Returns From Carrier Qualifications Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65)(Big E) returned to its homeport of Norfolk on March 15 after successfully completing two weeks of carrier qualifications (CQ) in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Truman Completes CART II Phase Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- USS Harry S. Truman's (CVN 75) Afloat Training Group (ATG) held Command Assessment Readiness Training Phase II (CART II) from Feb. 20-23 to assess the ship's needs for the upcoming Final Evaluation Period (FEP).
• Essex Aces Tailored Ship's Training Availability & Final Evaluation Period Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- USS Essex (LHD 2) successfully completed a Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) and Final Evaluation Problem (FEP) during an at-sea period March 11-15 off the coast of Sasebo, Japan.
• Kenya MEDCAP Delivers Aid Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- Medical personnel from the USS Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) and members of the Kenyan Navy successfully conducted a Medical Civil Actions Program (MEDCAP) March 7-8 while participating in Exercise Edged Mallet 2007.
• ADM Fallon Assumes Command of CENTCOM Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- Adm. William J. Fallon took charge of U.S. Central Command here March 16 replacing the retiring Gen. John P. Abizaid.
• Carrier Air Wing 3 Gets New Commander Navy NewsStand 19 Mar 2007 -- Capt. Fredrick Pawlowski relieved Capt. James Cook as the Commander of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 during a change of command ceremony aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) on March 1.
• Press Briefing by Tony Snow The White House 19 Mar 2007
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 19 Mar 2007

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 19, 2007
• U.S. Marine Corps Awards General Dynamics $144 Million Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle Contract General Dynamics 20 Mar 2007 -- The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va., has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $144 million contract modification for the continuation of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program
• LOCKHEED MARTIN RECEIVES $376 MILLION CONTRACT FOR PAC-3 MISSILE PROGRAM Lockheed Martin 19 Mar 2007 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received a $376 million contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) for hardware and services associated with the combat-proven Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile program
• Boeing JDAM Scores Direct Hit in Extended Range Tests Boeing 19 Mar 2007 -- Two Boeing [NYSE: BA] Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) weapons, each equipped with an Australian-designed and -built modular wing kit, were successfully released from a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornet during recent flight tests.
• L-3 BT Fuze Products Receives $22 Million 105mm Ammunition Contract from the U.S. Army L-3 Communications 19 Mar 2007 -- L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced today that its BT Fuze Products (L-3 BT Fuze) division has been selected by the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) to produce 105mm M1040 Canister Cartridges under a $22 million firm-fixed-price contract.
• BAE SYSTEMS TO OVERHAUL U.S. COAST GUARD CUTTER BAE Systems 19 Mar 2007 -- BAE Systems has been awarded a $1.7 million contract for the routine overhaul of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Munro (WHEC 724).
• ATK Precision Guided Mortar Munition Scores Direct Hit in Guided Flight Test ATK 19 Mar 2007 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) has successfully demonstrated the robust design, mission effectiveness, and accuracy of its Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM).
• General Dynamics Awarded $45 Million U.S. Army Contract for MK 80 Series Bomb Bodies General Dynamics 19 Mar 2007 -- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a $44.8 million contract for production of MK 80 Series bomb bodies by the U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill.
• Northrop Grumman Wins Defense Department IT Infrastructure Support Task Order Northrop Grumman 19 Mar 2007 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a task order to help maintain a secure and accessible information technology operating environment for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).
• Raytheon to Provide Threat Protection Systems for RAAF F/A-18 Raytheon 19 Mar 2007 -- A Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) radar warning receiver has been selected by the Royal Australian Air Force for its F/A-18 tactical aircraft fleet as an integral part of the Hornet Upgrade Program.
• Thales to equip Austrian forces with TRC 4000 34 Mbps tactical LOS radio Thales 19 Mar 2007 -- Thales has signed a contract with ESL Advanced Information Technology of Austria to supply the TRC 4000 34 Mbps line-of-sight (LOS) radio for the Austrian armed forces. Deliveries will begin in mid-2007 and will continue through to 2008.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 19 Mar 2007
• Norway Eases Diplomatic Boycott of Palestinian Authority VOA 19 Mar 2007 -- A senior Norwegian official has met with the leader of the ruling Palestinian militant group Hamas, easing a diplomatic boycott
• Ban Ki-moon confers with key Middle East peace brokers on Palestinian unity cabinet UN News Centre 19 Mar 2007 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held a conference call today with his key international partners in efforts to broker a Middle East peace to discuss a joint approach to the new Palestinian unity government between the Fatah and Hamas movements.
• Rice Says U.S. Will Aid Palestinian People, Deal with Abbas Washington File 19 Mar 2007 -- The United States will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people and deal with President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says, despite the fact that the newly formed Palestinian national unity government led by Hamas has not renounced violence and remains unwilling to recognize Israel's right to exist, as called for by members of the international community.
• Rice Presses Hamas to Renounce Violence VOA 19 Mar 2007 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday the new Palestinian unity government should unequivocally renounce violence to gain international recognition and enter peace talks with Israel
• SUDAN: Darfur camps reaching capacity IRIN 19 Mar 2007 -- Camps for internally displaced persons in the western Sudanese region of Darfur are almost at full capacity due to a continuing influx of people fleeing violence, an assessment report compiled by the United Nations and other aid agencies said.
• UN Secretary-General: Sudan Must Accept Darfur Peacekeepers VOA 19 Mar 2007 -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Sudan must accept a strong international peacekeeping force in its war-torn Darfur region
• UN envoy warns against delays to decision on Kosovo's final status UN News Centre 19 Mar 2007 -- Any delay to the process of determining Kosovo's final status could make a sustainable solution impossible to attain, the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission to the Serbian province (UNMIK) told the Security Council today.

News Reports