Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 10 Sep 2007 [PDF]
• Task Force Lightning Soldiers attacked
• U.S. Soldier dies of non-battle related injuries
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• Sept. 9 airpower summary: A-10s provide top cover AFPN 10 Sep 2007 -- Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
• Iraqi, U.S. Forces Kill 12 in Helicopter Raid Near Samarra AFPS 10 Sep 2007 -- Iraqi and U.S. forces killed 12 enemy extremists during a helicopter assault raid outside Samarra, Iraq, today.
• Taliban Commander Detained During Afghan Operations AFPS 10 Sep 2007 -- Afghan national police advised by coalition forces detained a Taliban district commander in an operation designed to disrupt insurgent activities in Ghazni province early this morning.
• PRT Assesses District, Medical Centers Navy NewsStand 10 Sep 2007 -- Members of the Khost Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) completed a quality assurance and medical clinic assessment mission in Mando Zayi, a district in Khost in early September.
• 'Martyrdom culture' not major cause of Afghan suicide attacks, UN reports UN News Centre 10 Sep 2007 -- Suicide attackers in Afghanistan, including children, are being coerced or duped into carrying out such operations, and seemed to be motivated by a variety of grievances such as foreign occupation, anger over civilian casualties and humiliation rather than a "martyrdom culture," according to a new United Nations report.
• Taliban Says It's Ready For Talks With Kabul RFE/RL 10 Sep 2007 -- The Taliban said today it is ready for talks with the Afghan government, one day after President Hamid Karzai offered negotiations in a bid to end the ongoing insurgency.
• AFGHANISTAN: WFP suspends food aid deliveries after attack IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has temporarily withheld movement of food in southwestern Afghanistan after a convoy delivering food aid to Afghan deportees from Iran was attacked, WFP told IRIN.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for August 2007 10 Sep 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for the Active and Reserve components for the month of August.
• All Services Meet Active-Duty Recruiting Goals for August AFPS 10 Sep 2007 -- All four services reported strong recruiting success in August, with the Army marking its second consecutive month exceeding its monthly goal, Defense Department officials announced today.
• C-17 alternative fuel research tests to begin AFPN 10 Sep 2007 -- Air Mobility Command's chief scientist is now turning his attention to tests to certify Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to use an alternative fuel mix, which was certified for B-52 Stratofortess Aug. 8.
• AETC Airmen gather at command symposium AFPN 10 Sep 2007 -- More than 2,000 Airmen flocked to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center Sept. 6 and 7 here to attend the 2007 Air Education and Training Command Symposium.
• New mobility commander to continue raising the bar AFPN 10 Sep 2007 -- Air Mobility Command's new commander said he will strive to deliver what America and the command's Airmen deserve: a continued pursuit of excellence in global air mobility.
• Special Operations Official Sets Priorities for Future AFPS 10 Sep 2007 -- Prevailing in the war on terror and building strong foundations for a future joint force are top priorities, the Defense Department official who heads the Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict policy group told Pentagon reporters.
• Kitty Hawk, Allies Complete Malabar Exercise Navy NewsStand 10 Sep 2007 -- The USS Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group and embarked Carrier Air Wing 5 completed exercise Malabar Sept. 9 with USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, Carrier Air Wing 11, and ships from the Indian Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Republic of Singapore Navy.
• Kitty Hawk, Allies Participate in Malabar Photo Navy NewsStand 10 Sep 2007 -- The USS Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group participated in its second group photo opportunity this deployment, joining USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the Indian aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R 22) and 10 other ships in the Indian Ocean's Bay of Bengal during Exercise Malabar which began Sept. 4.
• Pacific Partnership Concludes in Marshall Islands Navy NewsStand 10 Sep 2007 -- The Pacific Partnership team aboard USS Peleliu (LHA 5) concluded its four-month humanitarian mission and departed Marshall Islands Sept. 6.
• Officials release revised ABU wear policy AFPN 10 Sep 2007 -- Now that the Airman battle uniform is on the shelves of some military clothing sales stores, Air Force uniform officials here released a revised ABU wear policy message Sept. 5 to ensure Airmen are aware of the standards for the new uniform.
• Indian, US Naval Exercises Herald New Era VOA 10 Sep 2007 -- India has just concluded its most ambitious naval exercise. Called the Malabar Exercise, it included the participation of military vessels and aircraft from the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 10 Sep 2007
• Press Briefing by Tony Snow The White House 10 Sep 2007

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 10, 2007
• BAE SYSTEMS BRINGS IN NEW TECHNOLOGY IN FOCUS ON QUALITY MUNITIONS BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- BAE Systems has taken quality control at its Glascoed munitions facility to a new level with the introduction of a world-leading X-ray imaging process that can detect air pockets as small as 1mm in diameter within explosives.
• M777 SOON TO DEPLOY ON OPERATIONS WITH U.S. MARINE CORPS BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- M777, the BAE Systems 155mm lightweight towed howitzer now in full rate production for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), will be deployed over the next few months with the U.S. Marines into Afghanistan and Iraq, leading to urgent operational requirements and field service support which BAE Systems will be providing.
• BAE SYSTEMS MINE RESISTANT VEHICLES SET TO SAVE TROOPS' LIVES BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- BAE Systems is playing a major and increasing role in protecting front-line troops in Iraq and Afghanistan from roadside bombs and ambushes.
• PANTHER LEAPS AHEAD AFTER TRIALS SUCCESS BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- BAE Systems' Panther command and liaison vehicle has successfully passed its UK MOD reliability qualification trials after a rigorous test of its capabilities.
• DARING SEATRIALS SUCCESS CONTINUES AS TYPE 45 COMBAT SYSTEMS INTEGRATION PICKS UP THE PACE BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- Following the outstanding success of the stage one sea trials for the first-of-class Type 45, Daring, the programme to build the world's most advanced warship for the Royal Navy has continued to deliver against a tough schedule, with testing and re-testing of the ship's most complex systems before she next goes to sea.
• MOTHERSHIP FOR UNMANNED VEHICLES LOOKS TO THE FUTURE BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- BAE Systems has developed a new concept warship, the UXV Combatant, designed to operate in a future battle space dominated by land, sea and air unmanned vehicles.
• BAE SYSTEMS LAUNCHES NEW PINZGAUER VEHICLE AT DSEi EXHIBITION BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- BAE Systems has unveiled details of the new Pinzgauer II, the next generation of all-terrain wheeled vehicle, which combines mobility with increased payload, additional protection and more performance.
• ASTUTE SUBMARINE TRAINING SYSTEM READY FOR USE BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- The Astute Submarine Command Team Trainer (ASCTT), a key element of the Astute submarine training solution, has been approved by the UK MOD as "ready for training".
• TALISMAN SURGES THROUGH SEA TRIALS BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- Development of Talisman M, the BAE Systems unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), is surging ahead following its inaugural sea trials in August
• BAE SYSTEMS LAUNCHES FACILITIES PROTECTION SYSTEM AT DSEI BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- BAE Systems launches a system designed to detect, deter and delay hostile activity at Defence Services Export International (DSEi) this week, strengthening its capability in land border and coastal solutions in homeland security.
• ROYAL NAVY CREW GAINS EXTRA TRAINING ON EARLY COMMAND DECK MODULE BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- Early completion of the largest and most complex module for the second-of-class Astute submarine - Ambush - has opened up new opportunities to use the equipment for training its sister vessel's Royal Navy crew at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow.
• 'CONCEPT SUB' SHOWS LATEST STEALTH TECHNOLOGIES BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- A 'concept submarine' on the BAE Systems stand at DSEi 2007 showcases the advanced technologies which will help submarines become more stealthy.
• MULTI-SKILLED TRAINING FOR ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- A new training programme that will produce the first multi-skilled Tornado aircraft technicians for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is up and running at BAE Systems Warton.
• TARANIS UAV TAKES BIG STEP NEARER REALITY BAE Systems 10 Sep 2007 -- The £124m Taranis unmanned air vehicle (UAV) technology demonstrator programme led by BAE Systems, has moved closer to reality.
• Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Built by Northrop Grumman, Gets a Lift From Marine Corps KC-130T Hercules Northrop Grumman 10 Sep 2007 -- A cooperative effort between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) resulted in the first ever transport of a Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Take-off and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) in a Marine Corps KC-130T aircraft, flown by Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234, Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas.
• General Electric Power Plant for Northrop Grumman's KC-30 Tanker Completes One Million Takeoff and Landing Cycles Northrop Grumman 10 Sep 2007 -- The General Electric CF6-80E1 engine destined for Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) KC-30 Tanker recently completed one million takeoff and landing cycles, illustrating the engine's reliability on the A330 aircraft.
• Northrop Grumman Delivers First Unit of Its Newest Navigation System for Flight Testing On U.S. Navy F-5 Adversary Fleet Support Fighter Northrop Grumman 10 Sep 2007 -- The first unit of Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) newest fiber optic gyro-inertial navigation system, the LN-260, has been delivered to the U.S. Navy for flight testing on its F-5 Tiger II Adversary Fleet Support Fighter
• LOCKHEED MARTIN ACHIEVES KEY INTEGRATION MILESTONE ON FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND MISSILE WARNING SATELLITE Lockheed Martin 10 Sep 2007 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that it has successfully mated the spacecraft bus and the payload for the first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO-1) satellite.
• Raytheon to Provide Counter-Narcoterrorism Programs and Operations Support Raytheon 10 Sep 2007 -- Raytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC) LLC, a subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), has been awarded a five-year, indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contract to support the Department of Defense's counter-narcoterrorism activities
• LOCKHEED MARTIN DELIVERS SECOND PRODUCTION REMOTE MULTI-MISSION VEHICLE (RMMV) TO U.S. NAVY Lockheed Martin 10 Sep 2007 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently delivered the second production Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV) to the U.S. Navy to further enhance the mine countermeasures capability for both DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).
• Northrop Grumman Completes Demonstrations of Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Program System Level Performance Northrop Grumman 10 Sep 2007 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully completed a program of simulations, demonstrations and tests designed to provide the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) program with low programmatic and technical risk.
• Raytheon Delivers to Keep Zumwalt on Schedule Raytheon 10 Sep 2007 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has achieved a significant milestone with the early delivery of critical vendor furnished information to Northrop Grumman, one of the shipbuilders for the U.S. Navy's Zumwalt Class next generation destroyer (DDG 1000).
• ATK and KEI Missile Defense Team Successfully Test Fire First-Stage Rocket Motor ATK 10 Sep 2007 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) completed a successful test firing late last week of a first-stage rocket motor for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI), bringing the program closer to a high-tech defense system that will protect our homeland, deployed troops and allied forces.
• GE LM2500 Gas Turbines to Power Spanish Navy's F105 Frigate GE Marine 10 Sep 2007 -- GE Marine reports that it will supply Navantia, A Coruna, Spain, with two LM2500 gas turbines that will power the Spanish Navy's next-generation F105 frigate, to be named Roger de Lauria. Navantia is building the frigate at its Ferrol shipyard.
• Thales Australia refits HMAS Success Thales 10 Sep 2007 -- Norman Gray, Managing Director, Thales Australia said, "this is an important contract for us as it is the first of the Navy's new approach to refit contracting Modified Procurement Model (MPM) for Major Surface Ship Repair and is being evaluated for Navy-wide implementation."
• FFG Upgrade - Successful Missile Test Thales 10 Sep 2007 -- This inaugural firing represents the culmination of many months of detailed development and integration of the FFG Upgrade Baseline Build 2 software, including the Thales Australia Distributed Architecture Combat System (ADACS), Mk92 Mod 12 Fire Control System and the Mk41 Vertical Launching System (VLS).

Other Conflicts

• Israeli and Palestinian Leaders Try to Narrow Differences VOA 10 Sep 2007 -- Israeli and Palestinian leaders have held a summit meeting in a bid to push the peace process forward
• Fatah al-Islam leader not among dead in camp assault - prosecutor RIA Novosti 10 Sep 2007 -- The leader of Islamist movement Fatah al-Islam was not among scores of militants killed when the Lebanese army seized control of a refugee camp in early September, the country's chief prosecutor said.
• Israeli, Palestinian leaders agree on joint negotiating teams RIA Novosti 10 Sep 2007 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to set up joint negotiating teams to resolve key points of contention in the lead-up to a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference in November.
• LEBANON: Local people against rebuilding of Palestinian refugee camp IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- All three men were family from Bibnin, a village overlooking north Lebanon's Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, and, said cousin Rawa Fiyad after praying for the dead Lebanese soldiers, all were proud to sacrifice their lives fighting for their country.
• LEBANON: UNRWA optimistic over aid pledges for Palestinian camp IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- The UN Palestinian relief organisation, UNRWA, has expressed optimism over initial donor pledges after an appeal for US$55 million to fund the first year of rehabilitation and emergency aid to Palestinians displaced from the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon.
• UN blue helmets help Congolese soldiers and families escape latest fighting UN News Centre 10 Sep 2007 -- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has helped more than 100 army soldiers, along with their wives and children, to evacuate from a town in the volatile far east of the country that has been the scene of fresh violence between armed groups at the weekend.
• Congo Rebel Leader Says Violence On the Wane VOA 10 Sep 2007 -- Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda says violence is easing in restive eastern Congo after days of heavy fighting forced tens of thousands of people from their homes
• DRC: Fresh clashes reported in North Kivu IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- Even before civilians who fled fighting between the national army and forces loyal to dissident General Laurent Nkunda in North Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, could return to their homes after a truce, another outbreak of violence was reported in the area.
• Darfur: Ban Ki-moon says peace talks must be 'final phase' towards settlement UN News Centre 10 Sep 2007 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in New York today following an intensive, week-long visit to Sudan, Chad and Libya, vowed to maintain his focus on ending the conflict in Darfur and said the region's leaders agree that next month's peace talks to try to resolve the crisis there must serve as "a final phase for a final settlement."
• Secretary-General welcomes peaceful run-off elections in Sierra Leone UN News Centre 10 Sep 2007 -- This weekend's presidential run-off election in Sierra Leone was generally orderly and peaceful despite the violence and tensions preceding the polls, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, urging the country's people to resolve any future disputes through legal channels.
• Somalia Contact Group Discusses Security in Region VOA 10 Sep 2007 -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, attended a meeting in Rome Monday of the International Contact Group on Somalia
• Turkey Says Israeli Aircraft Dropped Fuel Tanks Near Turkey-Syria Border VOA 10 Sep 2007 -- Turkish authorities say they believe Israeli aircraft dropped two fuel tanks found last week near Turkey's border with Syria.
• BURUNDI: Rebel activity displaces hundreds in Bubanza IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- Residents of 700 households, or about 4,000 people, have fled their homes in the northwest Burundi province of Bubanza following raids by suspected members of the country's last active rebel group, a government official said.
• CONGO: Peace process to benefit from ex-rebel leader's presence in capital IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- Congo's former rebel leader, Frédéric Bintsangou, alias Pastor Ntoumi, is to take up his position in the government and participate in efforts aimed at restoring stability.

News Reports

• NEPAL: Some 60,000 Bhutanese refugees could settle in USA "soon" IRIN 10 Sep 2007 -- Nearly half of the 108,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal will soon be resettled in the USA with the help of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), officials from the Nepalese government, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the IOM have told IRIN.