Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 03 Jan 2008 [PDF]
• MND–C Soldier attacked by IED (Zanbrania)
• MND-N Soldiers attacked by small-arms fire (Diyala)
• Jan. 2 airpower summary: Predators on the prowl AFPN 03 Jan 2008
• Troops Kill 2, Capture 21 in Iraq AFPS 03 Jan 2008 -- Iraqi and coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists and detained 21 others in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.
• Sewer Project Helps East Baghdad Clean Up Streets Army News 03 Jan 2008 -- Thousands of families in east Baghdad will soon have their neighborhoods free of raw sewage in the streets.
• PRESS CONFERENCE: Operational Update, Maj. Gen. Bergner, Jan. 2, 2008 MNF-I 03 Jan 2008 -- Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, Multi-National Force - Iraq spokesman, provides an operational update, including information about al Qaeda in Iraq, Concerned Local Citizens and Iraqi Security Forces
• Afghan Troops Disarm Roadside Bombs, Save Lives AFPS 03 Jan 2008 -- Afghan national security forces saved the lives of Afghan civilians and coalition forces when they found two improvised explosive devices placed on commonly used routes in the Sangin district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province last week, military officials reported today.
• Afghan Forces Provide Medical Aid to Villagers AFPS 03 Jan 2008 -- Afghan national security forces and Public Health Ministry personnel, assisted by coalition forces, treated 56 Afghan citizens Dec. 30 at the Khas Village clinic in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province.
• UK arming Afghan tribes will not work, warns US commander IRNA 03 Jan 2008 -- British plans to equip tribes to defend their villages against the Taliban will not work in the region of Afghanistan in which UK forces are responsible, according to the top US general commanding NATO forces in the country.
• Deadly Suicide Attack in Afghanistan Targets Road Workers, Police VOA 03 Jan 2008 -- A suicide attack in southwestern Afghanistan Thursday killed six police officers and an Indian construction engineer, and wounded a dozen others.
• AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN: Pakistanis seek refuge, relief in southeast IRIN 03 Jan 2008 -- Sectarian clashes between Shia and Sunni extremists in Kurram Agency, in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, have displaced hundreds of families to neighbouring Afghanistan, Afghan officials and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on 3 January.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Authorization Act Impasse Poses Challenge to Recruiters AFPS 03 Jan 2008 -- Recruiters, particularly in the Army, have a new challenge to deal with because the enlistment bonuses they count on to attract new recruits won’t apply until the legislation that authorizes them passes into law.
• Battlemind Prepares Soldiers for Combat, Returning Home Army News 03 Jan 2008 -- Today, every Soldier headed to Iraq and Afghanistan receives Battlemind training, but few know the science behind it.
• Kearsarge Visits Haifa Navy NewsStand 03 Jan 2008 -- The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and embarked elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC) began a visit to the port of Haifa, Israel Jan. 2.
• Submarine Force Announces Battle "E" Winners Navy NewsStand 03 Jan 2008 -- Commander Submarine Force, and Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, announced the winners of the Battle Efficiency competition within the submarine force Jan. 1 in separate messages to the submarine fleet.
• Special Fund Aids Albania-U.S. Munitions Destruction Project Washington File 03 Jan 2008 -- The recently completed U.S.-Albania munitions destruction project marked another success in the effort for disarmament and nonproliferation of weapons.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 03 Jan 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 03, 2008
• Boeing Submits Final KC-767 Advanced Tanker Proposal to U.S. Air Force Boeing 03 Jan 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today submitted its final KC-767 Advanced Tanker (AT) proposal for the U.S. Air Force's KC-135 Tanker Replacement Program.
• Boeing and Airborne Laser Teammates Achieve Final 2007 Milestone Boeing 03 Jan 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency have achieved the final 2007 milestone for the Airborne Laser (ABL) program, capping a successful year for the revolutionary airborne directed energy weapon system.
• Northrop Grumman Achieves Two Milestones Toward Integrating High-Energy Laser With Missile Defense Agency's Airborne Laser Aircraft Northrop Grumman 03 Jan 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has achieved two milestones that helped prepare the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft for integration of the Northrop Grumman-developed high-energy laser.
• Saudi MODA places order for EADS A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) for the future air-to-air refuelling aircraft of the Royal Saudi Air Force EADS 03 Jan 2008 -- The Saudi MODA has decided the acquisition of the A330 MRTT as the new air-to-air refuelling aircraft for its Royal Saudi Air Force as a result of the competition process started in early 2006.
• General Dynamics Receives $99 Million for Mine-Protected Vehicle Work General Dynamics 03 Jan 2008 -- General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has received a $99 million work order from Force Protection Inc. to produce 183 Cougar vehicles for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program.
• L-3 Wins Australian LHD Communications Systems Subcontract L-3 Communications 03 Jan 2008 -- L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced today that it has signed a competitively-bid contract, valued at US$109 million, with Australian defense contractor Tenix to become the suppler of the communications systems for the Australian Defence Force's two new amphibious ships.
• SAAB’S 9LV COMBAT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OPERATIONAL IN LOCKHEED MARTIN CANADA’S NAVY COMBAT SYSTEM INTEGRATION LAB Lockheed Martin 03 Jan 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and Saab Systems announced today that Saab’s 9LV Combat Management System is operational in Lockheed Martin Canada’s Combat System Integration Lab in Montreal
• LOCKHEED MARTIN RECEIVES $141 MILLION CONTRACT TO UPGRADE PORTUGUESE AIR FORCE P-3C MARITIME SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT Lockheed Martin 03 Jan 2008 -- The Portuguese Ministry of Defense has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a direct commercial sale contract valued at $141 million (€99.7 million) to upgrade the mission system avionics on five P-3C maritime surveillance aircraft.
• Northrop Grumman Submits KC-X Final Proposal Revision to U.S. Air Force Northrop Grumman 03 Jan 2008 -- Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) announced today that it has submitted its Final Proposal Revision (FPR) for the U.S. Air Force KC-X Tanker Program.
• Northrop Grumman Receives Type Approval for Ship Navigation Systems Northrop Grumman 03 Jan 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Sperry Marine business unit has received type approval from the U.K. certification body, QinetiQ, for its new-generation VisionMaster FT(tm) suite of marine navigation systems.
• Raytheon Receives $18.2 Million to Support Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment Systems Raytheon 03 Jan 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded two U.S. Army contract modifications worth $18.2 million to provide Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment, or RAID, systems that protect U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.
• Saudi Selects CF6 Engines for its A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport GE Aviation 03 Jan 2008 -- The Royal Saudi Air Force has selected the GE CF6-80E1 engine (72,000 lbs/320 kN thrust) to power three Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in early 2009.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 03 Jan 2008
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON JANUARY PROGRAMME OF WORK United Nations 03 Jan 2008
• New round of UN-led talks on Western Sahara to start next week UN News Centre 03 Jan 2008 -- The United Nations will lead a third round of talks on Western Sahara, bringing together representatives from Morocco and the Frente Polisario, next week outside of New York City.
• DR Congo: UN mission supporting security planning for upcoming peace talks UN News Centre 03 Jan 2008 -- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is supporting the Government in security preparations for an upcoming conference aimed at bringing peace and development to the troubled eastern region of the vast African nation.
• Bush To Push for Mideast Peace in Regional Visit Washington File 03 Jan 2008 -- Setting out for the Middle East, President Bush hopes to build on the success of the November 2007 Annapolis Conference to keep up momentum toward a two-state solution for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the end of 2008.
• Israeli Air, Ground Attacks on Gaza Kill At Least 9 Palestinians VOA 03 Jan 2008 -- Israeli soldiers patrol Palestinian side of fence between Israel and northern Gaza Strip, 2 Jan 2008
• Sri Lanka's Government to Withdraw From Truce Agreement VOA 03 Jan 2008 -- The government of Sri Lanka says it is withdrawing from a cease-fire agreement with Tamil rebels because the pact has become meaningless

News Reports

• Ban Ki-moon shocked by deadly wave of violence in post-election Kenya UN News Centre 03 Jan 2008 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced his shock at the deadly outburst of violence that has gripped Kenya following the announcement of election results last week and has reportedly claimed the lives of 300 civilians, including dozens who were burned to death inside a church.
• Turkmenistan: 'Gas-Rich' Residents Shiver In The Cold RFE/RL 03 Jan 2008 -- As Russia, Iran, China, and Europe all vie for a piece of Ashgabat's natural-gas pie, many ordinary Turkmen have been left shivering out in the cold -- despite official promises of free gas.
• Pakistan Opposition Demands UN Investigation of Bhutto Assassination VOA 03 Jan 2008 -- The party of the slain Pakistani opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, is demanding the United Nations lead the investigation into Ms. Bhutto's assassination