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Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 16 Jul 2008 [PDF]
• MNF-W Marine dies of wounds (al Anbar)
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• PRESS CONFERENCE: 'Iraqi First' Economic Programs: Maj. Gen. McHale, July 16, 2008 MNF-I 16 Jul 2008 -- Maj. Gen. Tim McHale, Director of Personnel, Logistics and Resources for MNF-I, discusses 'Iraqi First' contracting and purchasing programs that are stimulating the development of Iraqi businesses and job creation for Iraqis
• Coalition, Iraqi Forces Detain 18, Find Weapons AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- Coalition forces detained 18 suspected terrorists and discovered weapons caches during recent operations in Iraq, military officials said.
• Bradley Mechanics Keep Missions on Track AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- On a sweltering hot July morning, the soldiers of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, are hard at work on two of the company's Bradley fighting vehicles.
• Economic Reconstruction Programs Boost Iraqi Payrolls, Businesses AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- Two U.S.-military sponsored economic reconstruction programs are helping to put thousands of Iraqi citizens into productive jobs while boosting the country's business activity, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said today.
• July 15 airpower summary: F-15Es disrupt enemy activities AFPN 16 Jul 2008
• Top US Officer Sees More US Troop Cuts in Iraq VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- The top U.S. military officer says if current trends continue he expects to recommend further U.S. troop reductions in Iraq
• Multinational Force Transfers 10th Province to Iraqi Control VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- The U.S.-led Multinational Force turned over security responsibility for Qadisiyah province, also known as Diwaniyah, to Iraq on Wednesday
• Officials Seek More MRAPs for Afghanistan AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- Commanders in Afghanistan have asked for more of the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles the military calls "MRAPs," the Pentagon's press secretary said today.
• US, Afghan Troops Abandon Base Overrun by Militants VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- U.S. and Afghan troops have pulled out of an outpost in eastern Afghanistan where militants killed nine American soldiers this week.
• Pakistan rejects Karzai's statement on violence IRNA 16 Jul 2008 -- Pakistan has rejected the statement of Afghan President Hamid Karzai that Pakistani intelligence agencies and the army are behind attacks in Afghanistan.
• Coast Guard provides maintenance support to 302nd AEG AFPN 16 Jul 2008 -- Coast Guardsmen from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento opened their hangar doors for maintainers from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group, making it easier for them to work on the modular airborne fire fighting system-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft that are assisting with fighting wildfires in California.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Transcript: DoD Press Briefing with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen from the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 16 Jul 2008 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen
• Air Force doctors begin medical exercise in Panama AFPN 16 Jul 2008 -- Air Force and Panamanian doctors began seeing patients here at a local school as part of Medical Readiness Training Exercise-Panama July 14.
• BHR Repair Capability Opens the Gate for RMPAC Training Readiness Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- USS Bonhomme Richard's (LHD 6) (BHR) machinery repairmen assisted one of the partner-nation ships participating in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2008 exercise by repairing a much-needed part for amphibious operations.
• Army lengthens family time with newborns, newly adopted Army News Release 16 Jul 2008 -- The Army announced today, July 16, a policy change that will lengthen the current deployment deferment period to six months for military mothers of newborns and certain military parents adopting a child.
• Training tool deploying for first time in August Army News 16 Jul 2008 -- A team in Germany is preparing to deploy a tool in early August that promises to make training easier, more efficient, and more meaningful for units preparing for Iraq.
• LCAC OPS Critical Part of BHR's Mission Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- Sailors from USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) and Assault Craft Unit 5 (ACU-5) are conducting amphibious operations as part of the ongoing Rim of the Pacific 2008 exercise (RIMPAC).
• Airframes transform to save lives AFPN 16 Jul 2008 -- Fixed wing aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker and C-17 Globemaster III, can transform into aeromedical evacuation, or "aerovac," airframes, allowing medical personnel to care for larger patient loads, over longer distances, at higher altitudes, with a greater ability to care for the seriously injured.
• Gates Recommends McKinley to Be Guard's First Four-Star General AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has recommended the Air National Guard's director for a promotion that would make him the first four-star general in National Guard history.
• Pacific Commander, Chinese General Agree to Promote Bilateral Training AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- The top U.S. commander in the Pacific reported today that he and a top Chinese commander agreed last night to work toward bringing their militaries together for two bilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster response exercises.
• Pre-eminence, Partnerships Define U.S. Policy in Pacific AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- The top U.S. commander in the Pacific has two buzzwords for U.S. military policy in the region: pre-eminence and partnerships.
• Army announces new RCI partner at Fort Leonard Wood Army News Release 16 Jul 2008 -- The U.S. Army announced that Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC will replace American Eagle Communities Midwest as its partner with Leonard Wood Family Communities, LLC (LWFC).
• Department of Defense Partners With Universities For Social Science Research 16 Jul 2008 -- The DoD has launched a university-based social science initiative to support basic research in topic areas of importance to current and future U.S. national security.
• White Knights Spread Goodwill in Kuwait Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- The AV-8B Harrier detachment for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165 (Reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), is conducting a series of bilateral training exercises through mid-July with their Kuwaiti Air Force counterparts as part of exercise Eager Mace 2008.
• Joint Navy, Army Operation to Salvage Sunken Former Soviet Sub Nears Completion Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- U.S. Navy Expeditionary Combat Salvage divers and a small contingent of U.S. Army divers have worked since June 1 near Providence, to raise the former Soviet submarine K-77. also known as Juliet 484.
• Navy Begins Final Construction Phase for First DoD/VA Health Care Center Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- The first completely integrated Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) federal health care center officially entered its final phase of construction near Naval Station Great Lakes July 14.
• U.S. Marines, Malaysian Rangers Exercise Care in Beach Landing Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- U.S. Marines and Malaysian Army Rangers performed an amphibious beach landing during a combined training exercise near Bukit Tioman Dara July 15.
• OPS Find It and Fix It Team Revives 'Gold Eagle' Berthing Navy NewsStand 16 Jul 2008 -- USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Sailors are making preparations this July for the upcoming crew move aboard evolution (CMA) with the assistance of the ship's Find It and Fix It (FIFI) team.
• Gates Highlights Role of Diplomacy, Development in U.S. Foreign Policy AFPS 16 Jul 2008 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates yesterday said diplomacy and development should lead American efforts abroad, and he warned against a "creeping militarization" of U.S. foreign policy.
• India to dispatch 3 warships to shield PM during SAARC meet in Lanka IRNA 16 Jul 2008 -- India will not take any chances when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Colombo early next month for the South Asian Association Cooperation (SAARC) summit.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 16 Jul 2008
• Press Briefing by Dana Perino The White House 16 Jul 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 16, 2008
• ATK, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Announce Teaming Agreement to Jointly Pursue Future Multi-Role Weapon Programs ATK 16 Jul 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LM) and the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced that they have signed a teaming agreement to jointly pursue the emerging market for advanced capability multi-role weapons
• BAE SYSTEMS AND MBDA KEEP SEAWOLF POINT DEFENCE MISSILE SYSTEM OPERATIONAL INTO THE NEXT DECADE BAE Systems 16 Jul 2008 -- BAE Systems has been awarded a £141m contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to maintain the Seawolf air defence system on board the Royal Navy's. Type 22 and Type 23 Frigates.
• T-50 Golden Eagle Delivers Disciplined Performance In Training For Next Generation Fighter Pilots Lockheed Martin 16 Jul 2008 -- Training for future generations of fighter pilots is now a reality, as the T-50 Golden Eagle looks forward to graduating additional classes of Korean air force student pilots this year.
• Boeing and AgustaWestland Announce CH-47F Chinook Helicopter Industrial Agreement at Farnborough Airshow Boeing 16 Jul 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, today signed an agreement for the joint manufacture of new CH-47F Chinook helicopters for the Italian Army in a ceremony held at the Farnborough Airshow.
• Boeing KC-767 Tanker Cost Advantage Grows as Fuel Prices Soar Boeing 16 Jul 2008 -- As the U.S. military expresses concern over escalating fuel costs stressing defense budgets, Boeing [NYSE: BA] reports that the U.S. Air Force could pay as much as $44 billion more in fuel bills over 40 years to operate a fleet of 179 Airbus A330-200 aerial refueling tankers, compared with a similar number of tankers based on the Boeing 767-200ER.
• ATK, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Announce Teaming Agreement to Jointly Pursue Future Multi-Role Weapon Programs Lockheed Martin 16 Jul 2008 -- Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LM) and the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced that they have signed a teaming agreement to jointly pursue the emerging market for advanced capability multi-role weapons
• LOCKHEED MARTIN PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY TO ENHANCING MILITARY READINESS Lockheed Martin 16 Jul 2008 -- A senior Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] official told reporters attending the Farnborough Air Show today that Lockheed Martin partnerships around the world are providing military customers with enterprise support solutions to challenges brought on by increasing operational deployments, tightening budgets and aging weapons systems.
• Northrop Grumman to Equip U.K. Royal Air Force Tankers With Infrared Countermeasures Systems Northrop Grumman 16 Jul 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected to provide its laser-based Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures Systems (LAIRCM) for the U.K. Royal Air Force's (RAF) air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft.
• Northrop Grumman Mine Detection System Takes Flight Northrop Grumman 16 Jul 2008 -- Another of Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) line of airborne mine countermeasures products has successfully completed its first flight.
• EADS Selects Northrop Grumman to Provide Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulators for A400M Program Northrop Grumman 16 Jul 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected to provide eight Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) systems to support the Electronic Warfare (EW) self-defense ground station, of the EADS A400M transport aircraft.
• Raytheon Completes Captive Carry Test of Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range Raytheon 16 Jul 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has completed captive carry testing of the Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range.
• Metaltec Awarded AU$2 Million F136 Contract by GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team GE Aviation 16 Jul 2008 -- Metaltec Precision International, based in Victoria, Australia, has been awarded an AU$2 million contract to manufacture assembly tooling for the engine that will power the world's most advanced combat aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II. The tooling will be used for engine components manufactured by Rolls-Royce.
• CFM56-7B Powerplant for P-8A Poseidon on Schedule for September Certification GE Aviation 16 Jul 2008 -- CFM International's advanced CFM56-7B powerplant for the U.S. Navy's P-8A Poseidon has successfully completed extensive ground tests and is on schedule for engine certification in late September 2008.
• GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team Completes STOVL Testing GE Aviation 16 Jul 2008 -- The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team has successfully completed Short Take Off, Vertical Landing (STOVL) testing on an F136 engine at the state-of-the-art GE testing facility at Peebles, Ohio.
• Canadian Supplier Magellan Delivers to GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team GE Aviation 16 Jul 2008 -- The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team has received the first deliveries of front fan frames from Magellan Aerospace in Canada for the F136 engine which will power the F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
• Hamilton Sundstrand to provide UMS for Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter Hamilton Sundstrand 16 Jul 2008 -- Sikorsky Aircraft has chosen Hamilton Sundstrand to supply the Utility Management System (UMS) for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter, which is under development for use by the U.S. Marines. Sikorsky and Hamilton Sundstrand are both subsidiaries of United Technologies Corp.
• Rheinmetall receives $61 million order for "green" training ammunition Rheinmetall Defence 16 Jul 2008 -- Rheinmetall Defence announced today that the U.S. Marine Corps placed a new $61M delivery order for MK281 cartridges with the Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall Group. The new delivery order signifies the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) continued commitment to align its procurements with the Department of Defense's initiative to field safer, "Green" training ammunition.
• Infrared terminal guidance version of AASM successfully completes final qualification firing test Sagem (Safran group) 16 Jul 2008 -- On July 9, 2008, French defense procurement agency DGA (Délégation Générale pour l’Armement) successfully complete the third and last qualification firing test of the infrared terminal guidance version of the AASM modular air-to-ground weapon at its missile test range in Biscarosse,

Other Conflicts

• Ban encouraged by prisoner exchange between Israel and Hizbollah UN News Centre 16 Jul 2008 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed today's long-anticipated prisoner exchange between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah, following months of United Nations-backed mediation efforts.
• Five Prisoners Freed by Israel Welcomed in Lebanon VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- Hundreds of people in Lebanon have welcomed the arrival of five former prisoners in the capital, Beirut, following their release from Israel as part of a prisoner exchange.
• Israel, Lebanon start landmark prisoner swap RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2008 -- Hezbollah returned to Israel on Wednesday the bodies of two dead soldiers whose capture in July 2006 sparked a 34-day war between the Jewish state and the radical Islamic group.
• Israel, Hezbollah Swap Prisoners VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- Israel and the Lebanese Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah carried out a prisoner exchange Wednesday - swapping five Lebanese prisoners for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers
• Tbilisi pins hopes on German plan to resolve Abkhaz conflict RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2008 -- Tbilisi hopes that a German plan for the resolution of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict will receive wide support, a senior lawmaker said on Wednesday, adding that if it did not then the former Soviet state would be forced to take unilateral steps.

News Reports

• Preliminary Power-Sharing Pact Eludes Zimbabwe Ruling Party, Opposition VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- Preliminary talks on power sharing between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change continued Wednesday as negotiators worked on a draft memorandum of understanding setting the ground rules for talks on establishing either a government of national unity or a transitional authority
• Global shortfall of $3.4 billion in humanitarian aid at mid-year point, UN says UN News Centre 16 Jul 2008 -- The United Nations, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and 239 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need an extra $3.4 billion to respond to the world's most severe crises for the rest of the year, they announced today.
• Mugabe's Party, MDC to Sign Deal on Talks VOA 16 Jul 2008 -- Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition are expected to sign an agreement soon that could lead to substantial talks on ending the country's ongoing political crisis.
• ZIMBABWE: Talking about the talks about talks IRIN 16 Jul 2008 -- Once the talks between the ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) begin in earnest they are likely to mirror the current civil society debates on a solution to Zimbabwe's debilitating political and economic crises.
• Moscow refuses to extradite Yushchenko poisoning suspect to Kiev RIA Novosti
• 16 Jul 2008 -- Russia has refused to extradite a former Ukrainian security service deputy head suspected of involvement in the poisoning of President Viktor Yushchenko in 2004, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said Wednesday.
• Medvedev Unveils Little New In Russia's Foreign-Policy Course RFE/RL 16 Jul 2008 -- When Dmitry Medvedev became Russian president in May, many wondered whether the soft-spoken young lawyer would find ways to set himself apart from his domineering predecessor, Vladimir Putin.