Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 28 Apr 2008 [PDF]
• MND-B Soldiers attacked by indirect-fire (Baghdad)
• MND-B Soldier attacked by indirect-fire attack (Baghdad)
• Troops in Iraq Kill Terrorists, Capture Suspects, Seize Weapons AFPS 28 Apr 2008 -- Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 42 members of Iranian-backed "special groups," detained eight terrorism suspects, and seized weapons in Iraq over the past four days, military officials said.
• Iraqi Forces Fight Well in Eastern Baghdad, Basra Battles, Admiral Says AFPS 28 Apr 2008 -- Iraqi security forces fought and performed well during recent battles against insurgents in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Basra, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said yesterday.
• Riverine Squadron Three Deploys to Iraq Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- More than 150 Sailors from Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 3 departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown for the squadron's first deployment to western Iraq, April 27.
• April 27 airpower summary: A-10s provide close-air support AFPN 28 Apr 2008
• Fierce Fighting in Baghdad, 38 Militants Killed VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- The U.S. military says American and Iraqi troops have killed 38 militants in Baghdad in what it characterized as the fiercest fighting in weeks.
• Coalition Treats Afghans in Medical Outreach Effort AFPS 28 Apr 2008 -- Several hundred citizens from a village near Tag Ab Valley in Afghanistan's Kapisa province swarmed a makeshift hospital April 19 during a village medical outreach hosted by Task Force Gladiator servicemembers.
• AFGHANISTAN: IDPs reluctant to return home IRIN 28 Apr 2008 -- Almost a month after the Afghan government launched a fresh effort to encourage the return of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the three largest IDP camps to their home provinces (mostly in the north), only about 130 families have opted to return, the Ministry of Refugees and Returnees Affairs (MoRRA) said.
• Australia Warns of 'Dangerous and Bloody' Year Ahead for Troops in Afghanistan VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- The Australian prime minister has warned his country to expect more combat casualties in Afghanistan following the death of a Special Forces commando
• Pakistani Taliban Leader Pulls Out of Peace Talks VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- Pakistan's top Taliban commander has suspended rare peace talks with the country's new government.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Bataan Successfully Completes Light-Off Assessment Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- Long hours and hard work are the reasons why the engineering department aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) successfully completed the ship's Light-Off Assessment (LOA), April 14-18.
• 'Gold Eagle' Sailors Maintain Complex Network Systems in Shipyard Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- Sailors from the "Gold Eagle" Combat Systems department have been working day and night this April in order to keep up with the fast paced data demands of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier during its scheduled Refueling Complex Overhaul.
• 'Gold Eagle' Electricians Prepare Catapults for Operations Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- Sailors from the "Gold Eagle" steam catapult and arresting gear team began conducting hydraulic electrical check-outs on all Catapult 1 electrical systems on board this April; an evolution that marks the imminent return of the aircraft carrier back to the fleet.
• Airmen can request Afghan, Iraq campaign medal stars AFPN 28 Apr 2008 -- Officials from the office of the under secretary of defense have recently provided guidance on the wear of campaign stars on both Afghanistan and Iraq campaign medals.
• Room for More Ships at Mayport Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) hearing concerning the homeporting of additional surface ships at Naval Station Mayport was held for the general public at Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Deerwood Campus, April 16.
• USS San Francisco Changes Hands Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- Cmdr. Nathan H. Martin relieved Capt. David A. Ogburn as commanding officer of USS San Francisco (SSN 711) during a change of command ceremony held at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor's Deterrent Park, April 25.
• B-1B performs as never envisioned after 20 years AFPN 28 Apr 2008 -- May 2 marks 20 years since the last B-1B Lancer was delivered to the Air Force, and today commanders consider it one of the most valuable aircraft in Iraq.
• Improving network warfare training in exercise AFPN 28 Apr 2008 -- For the first time exercise participants were provided a realistic picture of the results of a network attack on an adversary during a Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment earlier this month.
• Heavily Deployed Brigade's Leaders Reflect on Most Recent Tour AFPS 28 Apr 2008 -- After months of intensive training at Fort Benning, Ga., and a rotation to the National Training Center, in Fort Irwin, Calif., the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team deployed here in March 2007, prepared to accomplish their mission.
• Politicized Military Would Lose Public Trust, Official Says AFPS 28 Apr 2008 -- If the U.S. military lost its politically neutral footing, the armed forces would surrender the public's trust, a senior U.S. military officer who explained a new Defense Department directive on troops' political activity said in an interview.
• DoD Announces New Relocation Tool for Families AFPS 28 Apr 2008 -- It's almost peak moving season again for military families, and Defense Department leaders want families to know new resources are available to help.
• Air Force receives last GPS IIR satellite AFPN 28 Apr 2008 -- The Air Force received the last in a series of GPS IIR(M) satellites from Lockheed Martin during an recent fly-out ceremony at the Lockheed Martin facility in Valley Forge, Penn.
• US Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk Makes Last Port Call VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- The Kitty Hawk is making its first visit to Hong Kong since Beijing refused to let the U.S. aircraft carrier drop anchor in the city last year
• GWCSG Departs Rio de Janeiro, Continues UNITAS Navy NewsStand 28 Apr 2008 -- Sailors of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) departed the South American port city of Rio de Janeiro April 25 after a scheduled four-day port visit and will now begin the operational phase of UNITAS 49-08.
• Signing of Czech-U.S. radar deal delayed - Czech Foreign Ministry RIA Novosti 28 Apr 2008 -- The signing of a treaty on the deployment of a missile-defense radar station in the Czech Republic has been postponed, a Czech Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
• Press Briefing by Dana Perino The White House 28 Apr 2008
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 28 Apr 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 28, 2008
• Japan Coast Guard's first two Eurocopter EC225 helicopters in operation missions EADS 29 Apr 2008 -- Following the delivery of their first two EC225s in Search and Rescue (SAR) configuration a month ago, these helicopters will be launched into operation by the Japan Coast Guard today at the Kansai International Airport
• LOCKHEED MARTIN DELIVERS MILESTONE C-130J SUPER HERCULES TO AIR MOBILITY COMMAND Lockheed Martin 28 Apr 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] yesterday delivered the 100th C-130J Super Hercules to the U.S. Government
• Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won -- Greater Range Northrop Grumman 28 Apr 2008 -- The U.S. Air Force found Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) bid to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers superior to Boeing's in four of the five most important selection criteria.
• BAE SYSTEMS RECEIVES $31.6 MILLION CONTRACT TO MANUFACTURE NEW MK 14 MISSILE LAUNCHING CANISTERS FOR THE U.S. NAVY BAE Systems 28 Apr 2008 -- BAE Systems has received a $31.6 million contract to manufacture Mk 14 Mod 2 Tomahawk missile launching canisters for the U.S. Navy. The canisters will house, safely transport and enable loading of the U.S. Navy's Tactical Tomahawk Missile for firing from the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS).
• BAE SYSTEMS-LED TEAM TO DEVELOP MINIATURE ROBOTS FOR MILITARY USE BAE Systems 28 Apr 2008 -- BAE Systems will lead a team of scientists that will develop miniature robots to improve military situational awareness.
• CACI Awarded Two Task Orders Valued at $36 Million to Support U.S. Army Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate CACI 28 Apr 2008 -- CACI International Inc (NYSE:CAI) announced today that it has been awarded two task orders, each for two years and totaling an estimated $36 million in value, under its Strategic Services Sourcing (S3) contract with the U.S. Army.
• Lockheed Martin Joins Northrop Grumman Team Competing for GPS OCX Phase B Contract Northrop Grumman 28 Apr 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) announced today that Lockheed Martin has joined its team competing for the U.S. Air Force's Global Positioning System (GPS) Next Generation Control Segment (OCX) Phase B contract.
• Raytheon Awarded $86.7 Million to Upgrade Satellite Communication Terminals Raytheon 28 Apr 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has won an $86.7 million contract to produce and install upgrade kits for the Army's Secure Mobile Anti-jam Reliable Tactical Terminal, or SMART-T.
• Northrop Grumman Awarded Translation and Interpretation Services Subcontract Northrop Grumman 28 Apr 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) was awarded a subcontract as part of the Global Linguist Solutions LLC (GLS) team to provide management of translation and interpretation services for the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Northrop Grumman to Provide New STARLite Radar for U.S. Army Unmanned Vehicle Application Northrop Grumman 28 Apr 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected by the U.S. Army Communication-Electronics Life Cycle Management Command to produce the new multi-function radar for the Extended Range/Multi-Purpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Radar program.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 28 Apr 2008
• ISRAEL-OPT: Food distribution halted, cooking gas running out in Gaza IRIN 28 Apr 2008 -- The UN has stopped distributing food in the Gaza Strip as its main agencies have run out of fuel for vehicles
• ISRAEL-OPT: Movement restrictions limiting benefits of aid - World Bank IRIN 28 Apr 2008 -- The World Bank has said that the Palestinian economy will not improve over the next year due to the Israeli restrictions on movement in the West Bank and the blockade on the Gaza Strip, despite efforts by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and international donors to boost the local economy
• Israel Tank Shell Kills Palestinian Family in Gaza VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- Five members of a Palestinian family and a passerby have been killed by Israeli tank fire in the Gaza Strip
• Kosovo duo facing trial at UN tribunal over alleged intimidation of witness UN News Centre 28 Apr 2008 -- Kosovo's ex-minister for culture, youth and sport and a former newspaper editor will appear tomorrow before the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after being charged with contempt of court for allegedly trying to intimidate a witness in a war crimes trial.
• UN officials deny cover-up over peacekeeper probe in DR Congo UN News Centre 28 Apr 2008 -- The United Nations has rebutted allegations that there was a cover-up of an internal investigation into alleged misconduct by UN peacekeepers working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• SUDAN: "I have a mine in my living-room, what should I do?" IRIN 28 Apr 2008
• 26 Tamil Tigers among 30 killed in Sri Lanka IRNA 28 Apr 2008 -- At least 26 Tamil Tigers and four soldiers were killed in intense clashes in embattled northern Sri Lanka as fighter jets targeted a building close to a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) runaway in the rebel stronghold, official said today.

News Reports

• Alarmed by post-election violence in Zimbabwe, UN rights chief urges restraint UN News Centre 28 Apr 2008 -- The United Nations human rights chief, alarmed at reports of continuing post-election hostilities in Zimbabwe, has called on the country's political leaders to restrain their supporters and renounce the use of threats, intimidation and violence against opponents.
• Zimbabwe Opposition Reunites, Calls on Mugabe to Quit VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- The two factions of Zimbabwe's opposition party have reunited, and have called on President Robert Mugabe to concede defeat in last month's elections.
• Prolonged presidential stand-off in Lebanon must end, UN report stresses UN News Centre 28 Apr 2008 -- Lebanon's people "have a unique opportunity to open a new chapter in their difficult history" and they and their political representatives must rise to the occasion and elect a president without any preconditions other than those outlined in the national constitution, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his latest report on the troubled country.
• Candidates to Verify Zimbabwe Presidential Results VOA 28 Apr 2008 -- Zimbabweans are waiting for the release of results from last month's presidential election, which state media say could be coming soon.