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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 15 Jul 2008 [PDF]
• MND-N Soldier attacked during ongoing operations
• July 14 airpower summary: B-1Bs bomb enemy compound AFPN 15 Jul 2008
• Coalition Forces in Iraq Detain Suspects; Citizen Tips Continue AFPS 15 Jul 2008 -- Coalition forces in Iraq continue to round up terrorism suspects while Iraqi citizens continue providing tips leading forces to weapons caches, military officials reported.
• Suicide Bombers Strike Iraqi Security Recruits VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Security officials in Iraq say at least two suicide bombers staged an attack at a security forces' recruitment facility, northeast of Baghdad, Tuesday morning, killing at least 28 people
• Division Command Change Marks Milestone for Returning Surge Force AFPS 15 Jul 2008 -- Yesterday's change-of-command ceremony at Fort Stewart, Ga., set against the backdrop of near-daily 3rd Infantry Division homecoming ceremonies, marked one of the last milestones for the surge force that's credited with helping to bring about a dramatic turnaround in Iraq.
• Afghan Troops Kill 7 Insurgents in Eastern Afghanistanistan VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- The Afghan Defense Ministry says its soldiers have killed at least seven insurgents near where militants breached a U.S. military outpost in eastern Afghanistan.
• Pakistan Says Afghanistan Promoting 'Artificial Crisis' Through Terror Accusations VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Pakistan is rejecting allegations that its intelligence agencies and armed forces have been behind a recent string of attacks across Afghanistan
• NATO Denies Reports of Troop Movements Near Afghan-Pakistani Border VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- A NATO spokesman in Afghanistan says reports of hundreds of troops massing near the Pakistani border are totally inaccurate.
• Bush Urges Pakistan, Afghanistan to Put Differences Aside VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- U.S. President George Bush is urging Pakistan and Afghanistan to put their differences aside and work together to combat terrorism
• Analysis: As Afghanistan Roils, Pakistan Draws Heat cfr.org 15 Jul 2008 -- Patience with Pakistan appears to be fraying in Washington and Kabul, particularly over Islamabad's response to alleged cross-border infiltration by militants ensconced in its tribal areas
• 302nd AEG conducts its twentieth day of California wild fire support AFPN 15 Jul 2008 -- Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group stand ready to begin their 20th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 15 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Ex-Pentagon Aide Denies Favoring Torture of Prisoners VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- A key former defense official has testified under subpoena about the Bush administration's authorization of harsh interrogation techniques
• Video Released of Canadian's Interrogation at Guantanamo VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Lawyers for a Canadian prisoner at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have released excerpts of his videotaped interrogations, providing a first glimpse into questioning practices at the prison.
• Transcript: A New Strategy for a New World Obama for President 15 Jul 2008
• Navy Names Two Virginia Class Submarines 15 Jul 2008 -- The Navy announced today that the next two Virginia-class attack submarines will be named the USS Minnesota and the USS North Dakota.
• Depot technicians begin using automatic test station AFPN 15 Jul 2008 -- The Versatile Depot Automatic Test Station, or VDATS, was put to the test here July 9 as it examined its first production asset as an Air Force and Department of Defense Family of Testers member.
• A storm of concerns for East Coast Marines USMC News 15 Jul 2008 -- The central focus in today's military is on forward-deployed combat operations, physical fitness and overall combat readiness
• Enlisted medical training to consolidate at Fort Sam Houston AFPN 15 Jul 2008 -- A ceremonial groundbreaking for the Medical Education and Training Campus here July 10 marked another step toward what leaders are calling the largest consolidation of training in the history of the Department of Defense.
• JLOTS Medical Staff Supports Around-The-Clock Operations Navy NewsStand 15 Jul 2008 -- Sailors and Soldiers in the medical field joined forces to support Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) 2008 to optimize health care response in a joint exercise environment.
• Coast Guard Cutter Dallas Conducts At-Sea Exercise with Equatorial Guinea Navy Navy NewsStand 15 Jul 2008 -- U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716) concluded a three-day visit to the West African nation of Equatorial Guinea July 11 which included an at-sea exercise involving five Equatorial Guinean naval vessels.
• Coalition Navy Ships Seize 30 Tons of Drugs Navy NewsStand 15 Jul 2008 -- Royal Navy warships operating in the Gulf region as part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have seized 23 of the 30 tons of narcotics found in the past five months, which might otherwise have helped fund the insurgency fighting coalition forces in Afghanistan.
• JTFEX 08-4 "Operation Brimstone" Flexes Allied Force Training Navy NewsStand 15 Jul 2008 -- More than 15,000 service members from four countries will participate in Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 08-4 "Operation Brimstone", July 21-31 in North Carolina and off the eastern U.S. coast from Virginia to Florida.
• Italian Submarine Visits Naval Station Mayport, Marks First U.S. Visit Since WWII Navy NewsStand 15 Jul 2008 -- Italian submarine ITS Salvatore Todaro (S 526) pulled into Naval Station Mayport, July 11, the first visit by an Italian submarine to the United States since World War II.
• New Era In Defense Computing Begins At Central Pa. Navy Base Navy NewsStand 15 Jul 2008 -- The Defense Enterprise Computing Center (DECC) Mechanicsburg held a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mechanicsburg July 11.
• Language Program Launches Web Site to Aid Deploying Troops AFPS 15 Jul 2008 -- A Defense Department program that provides cultural and linguistic training to soon-to-deploy military personnel has activated a new Web site.
• AfriCom Partners With African Nations to Promote Stability, Security AFPS 15 Jul 2008 -- U.S. Africa Command works in partnership with African nations to help make the continent more secure against terrorism and criminal enterprises and to promote prosperity, a senior defense official said at a Capitol Hill hearing here today.
• 'Immediate Response' underway in Republic of Georgia Army News 15 Jul 2008 -- About 300 Georgia National Guard Soldiers arrived in Tiblisi, Georgia, Monday for Immediate Response 2008, a three-week international exercise to help build relationships with coaliton partners from several Eastern European nations.
• U.S., Georgia start joint drills near Tbilisi RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- A joint Georgian-U.S. military exercise, Immediate Response 2008, has started near Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, and will continue throughout July, the Georgian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
• DoD News Briefing with Lt. Gen. Obering from the Pentagon 15 Jul 2008 -- Presenter: Director, Missile Defense Agency Lt. Gen. Henry Obering
• Iranian Threat Justifies Missile Defense, General Says AFPS 15 Jul 2008 -- Iran's launch of a missile with a 2,000-kilometer range last week is a concrete example of the threat the world faces from missile proliferation, the chief of the Missile Defense Agency said here today.
• Pentagon Says 'Aggressive' Russian Statements on Missile Defense Not Justified VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- The head of the U.S. missile defense program says Russia's sharp rhetoric about the system is not justified, and installations planned for Europe would not be any threat to Russia or its defenses
• Russia begins active stage of Caucasus 2008 military exercise RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- Russia began the active stage of large-scale military exercises in several regions of the Southern Federal District, which includes the highly volatile North Caucasus republics, a senior military official said.
• Russia says U.S. missile shield will harm European security RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday that the placement of a U.S. missile shield in Europe will harm regional security.
• Iran's Air Force to stage large-scale war games RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- Iran's military will hold a major air exercise soon to demonstrate its military and defense capabilities, the commander of Iran's Air Force said on Tuesday.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 15, 2008
• ATK and RUAG Aerospace Sign Teaming Agreement to Provide Upgrades for AIM-9P Sidewinder Missiles ATK 15 Jul 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) and RUAG Aerospace of Emmen, Switzerland have signed a teaming agreement to provide full-service and upgrade support of the AIM-9P-3/4/5 Sidewinder family of infrared air-to-air missiles
• Lockheed Martin F-35 Charts Progress As Services Anticipate 5th Generation Capabilities Lockheed Martin 15 Jul 2008 -- With two of its three variants now in flight test, the 17 remaining pre-production aircraft in assembly, the first two production aircraft in fabrication, another 12 production jets fully funded and early funding approved for an additional 18 airplanes, the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 program is taking off - both literally and figuratively.
• Boeing Completes Communications Modification on Saudi AWACS Aircraft Boeing 15 Jul 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has completed a major communications upgrade on the first of five Saudi E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft as part of a $49.2 million contract.
• EADS Defence & Security and Frequentis contracted to supply two Control and Reporting Centres to German Air Force EADS 15 Jul 2008 -- Via their consortium 'KOFA - GIADS', EADS Defence & Security (DS) and Frequentis Nachrichtentechnik GmbH have received an order from the Federal Office for Information Management and Information Technology of the Bundeswehr (IT-AmtBw) for the delivery of two Control and Reporting Centres (CRCs) for the German Air Force.
• CURRENT LOCKHEED MARTIN F-16 VERSIONS ARE MOST ADVANCED MULTI-ROLE FIGHTERS AVAILABLE TODAY Lockheed Martin 15 Jul 2008 -- The two versions of the F-16 being delivered to customers today are the most advanced multi-role fighter aircraft types currently available on the international market and are building on the F-16's reputation for effectiveness and value, the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] vice president for the program said today.
• New C-130J Super Hercules Configurations And Technologies Unveiled At Farnborough Air Show Lockheed Martin 15 Jul 2008 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] officials briefed reporters today at the Farnborough Air Show about new configurations and new technologies for the C-130J Super Hercules
• Northrop Grumman's MQ-8B Fire Scout Successfully Completes Demonstration Aboard U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Destroyer Northrop Grumman 15 Jul 2008 -- A cooperative effort between the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) resulted in the first ever demonstration of an MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer
• Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Achieves 125th Flight Milestone Northrop Grumman 15 Jul 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) E-2D Advanced Hawkeye System Development and Demonstration Program has successfully completed its 125th test flight, flying out of the Northrop Grumman East Coast Manufacturing and Flight Test Center in St. Augustine, Fla.
• Northrop Grumman Completes Environmental Testing of New B-2 Bomber Radar Northrop Grumman 15 Jul 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully completed a battery of tests designed to prove that new radar units developed for the U.S. Air Force's B-2 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) will perform properly under all environmental conditions the aircraft is likely to experience.
• Joint Statement by the CEOs of Northrop Grumman and EADS Northrop Grumman 15 Jul 2008 -- The Chief Executive Officers of Northrop Grumman and EADS -- Dr. Ronald Sugar and Louis Gallois -- have reaffirmed their joint commitment to provide the United States Air Force with the most capable aerial refueling tanker in the world.
• Raytheon's Tactical Control System Is the First Conforming NATO Standard Unmanned Ground Control System Raytheon 15 Jul 2008 -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Tactical Control System has been certified as the first NATO standard unmanned ground control system
• Raytheon Awarded $38.5 Million to Upgrade Patriot for South Korea Raytheon 15 Jul 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has received a $38.5 million contract from COMLOG to upgrade Patriot missiles for South Korea.
• Raytheon Awarded $156 Million to Upgrade Kuwait's Patriot Air and Missile Defense Capabilities Raytheon 15 Jul 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has received a $156 million Foreign Military Sales award from the U.S. Army to provide the State of Kuwait with Patriot Configuration-3 radar upgrade kits and related engineering and technical services.
• MTU Aero Engines Takes 18 Percent Stake in GE38 Helicopter Engine GE Aviation 15 Jul 2008 -- MTU Aero Engines has set another first: Germany's leading engine manufacturer has secured for itself an 18 percent role as a program participant in the GE38 helicopter engine.
• Hamilton Sundstrand A400M propeller system fully functional on C-130 test bed Hamilton Sundstrand 15 Jul 2008 -- Hamilton Sundstrand's FH386 propeller system, specifically designed for the Military Transport A400M, is installed on Marshall Aerospace's C-130 flying test bed. Hamilton Sundstrand is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
• Hamilton Sundstrand NP2000 propellers flying on C-130 test program Hamilton Sundstrand 15 Jul 2008 -- Hamilton Sundstrand NP2000 propellers, installed on a Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 aircraft, are currently undergoing flight testing for certification on U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard C-130 aircraft. Hamilton Sundstrand is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
• Thales shows off its new Lightweight Multi-role Missile Thales 15 Jul 2008 -- A complete departure from typical missile development programmes, LMM has been designed from the outset with low cost being the key driver. Based on proven technol­ogies and off-the-shelf com­ponents, LMM has been optimised to take on a wide range of targets on the ground, in the air and at sea.
• UK Ministry of Defence announces landmark teaming with industry for complex weapons Thales 15 Jul 2008 -- A new approach to purchasing the UK armed forces’ complex weapons took a step forward today with the launch of an Assessment Phase for Team Complex Weapons (Team CW), an innovative partnership between the Ministry of Defence, MBDA (UK), Thales UK, QinetiQ and Roxel UK Ltd.
• Russia completes flight tests of 4 MiG-27 warplanes for Serbia RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- Russian aircraft maker MiG said on Tuesday it had completed a flight test program on four MiG-27 Flogger ground-attack aircraft for Serbia's Air Force.
• Thales's TUAV ISTAR programmes support current & future UK operations Thales 15 Jul 2008 -- WATCHKEEPER will provide real-time imagery and situational awareness enabling com­man­ders on the ground to gain a detailed picture of the battlespace and to make timely decisions accordingly.
• Russia may export new Su-35 fighters to India, Malaysia, Algeria RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- Russia is ready to export the new state-of-the-art Su-35 Flanker multirole air superiority/strike fighter to India, Malaysia and Algeria, Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Tuesday.
• Northrop Grumman Successfully Completes Flight Testing of VADER System Northrop Grumman 15 Jul 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully completed the first test flight of a new Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) system under a contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 15 Jul 2008
• Strong link between child soldiers and small arms trade, UN experts say UN News Centre 15 Jul 2008 -- The trade in small arms is a major factor behind the worldwide phenomenon of child soldiers, according to United Nations experts who gathered today in New York to discuss the impact of the weapons trade on society.
• Small Arms Proliferation Fuels Conflict VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- The new study warns that global arms proliferation is fueling violence, crime and insurgency
• Israeli government approves prisoner swap with Hezbollah RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- The Israeli government gave the final go-ahead Tuesday for a prisoner exchange with the Islamic group Hezbollah, a government spokesman said.
• Israeli Cabinet Approves Prisoner Swap with Hezbollah VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Israel has given a green light to a controversial prisoner exchange with the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
• ISRAEL-OPT: Palestinian herders on brink of water crisis - ICRC IRIN 15 Jul 2008 -- Herders in the West Bank are facing an "acute water shortage" and are on the "brink of an emergency", the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has warned, saying it was stepping in to provide immediate assistance, although a long-term solution was needed to fix the problem.
• Situation in Sudan calm following ICC announcement, UN missions report UN News Centre 15 Jul 2008 -- The two United Nations peacekeeping missions in Sudan have reported that the situation there is calm, following yesterday's announcement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he is seeking an indictment against President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes committed in Darfur.
• Situation in Sudan calm following ICC announcement, UN missions report UN News Centre 15 Jul 2008 -- The two United Nations peacekeeping missions in Sudan have reported that the situation there is calm, following yesterday's announcement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he is seeking an indictment against President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes committed in Darfur.
• Ban hopes truth panel's report will foster justice, reconciliation in Timor-Leste UN News Centre 15 Jul 2008 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the commitment made by the Presidents of Indonesia and Timor-Leste to follow up on the final report of the panel set up to look into the violence that accompanied the latter's bloody struggle for independence in 1999.
• SOMALIA: Attacks on aid workers "intolerable" - top UN official IRIN 15 Jul 2008 -- The UN has expressed grave concern over the rapidly deteriorating security situation for humanitarian workers in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
• Concern Growing in Sudan over Attempt to Charge President VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Demonstrations are expected in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to protest the decision of the International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor to bring war crimes charges against President Omar al-Bashir
• China Expresses Concern About ICC Charges Against Sudan's President VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- China has expressed concern about the decision to seek an arrest warrant in the International Criminal Court for Sudan's president
• Indonesia Regrets Violence in East Timor VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Indonesia and East Timor have accepted a report on violence that marred East Timor's vote for independence in 1999
• Human Right Watch Accuses Indian Anti-Maoist Group of Human Rights Abuses VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- A human rights group has accused a state-backed, anti-Maoist group of widespread rights abuses against villagers in central India

News Reports

• Bush displeased with Russian veto of Zimbabwe sanctions in UN RIA Novosti 15 Jul 2008 -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Tuesday he was "displeased" with Russia for blocking a UN Security Council resolution on Zimbabwe last week.
• Zimbabwe Opposition Activists Poisoned as Political Violence Continues VOA 15 Jul 2008 -- Three people from central Zimbabwe, under police guard in a state hospital in Harare, say they were not only beaten, but forced to drink poison when they were attacked earlier this month