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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 16 Sep 2008 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• PRESS CONFERENCE: New MNF-I Commander Gen. Ray Odierno, Sept. 16, 2008 MNF-I 16 Sep 2008 -- New Multi-National Force - Iraq Commander Gen. Ray Odierno discusses the direction of MNF-I under his command and the continuation of successes his predecessor was able to achieve
• Sept. 15 airpower summary: C-17s transport troops, cargo AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
• Iraqi, Coalition Soldiers Take Weapons Off Streets AFPS 16 Sep 2008 -- Iraqi and coalition soldiers seized several weapons caches and captured a suspected criminal in operations throughout Iraq yesterday and today, military officials reported.
• Odierno Assumes Command of Coalition Forces in Iraq AFPS 16 Sep 2008 -- Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno assumed command of Multinational Force Iraq from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus during a ceremony at al Faw Palace here today.
• Petraeus Ends Momentous Command Tour in Iraq VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- The coalition commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, has left his post after a momentous year and a half, during which he is widely credited with turning around the fight against a variety of insurgent groups
• CLB-6 returns home from Iraq USMC News 16 Sep 2008 -- The last group of more than 700 Marines and sailors from Combat Logistics Battalion 6, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, returned home, Sept. 15, after a combat deployment to Iraq.
• US Defense Secretary in Afghanistan as Top Commander Calls for More Troops VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- As U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Kabul Tuesday, the top U.S. and NATO commander there said he needs well over 10,000 more troops, in addition to several thousand President Bush announced last week
• UN rights chief urges protection amid sharp rise in Afghan civilian deaths UN News Centre 16 Sep 2008 -- The top United Nations human rights official has called for ensuring the protection of Afghan civilians, as new figures show an almost 40 per cent increase in conflict-related deaths in the first eight months of 2008 compared to the same period last year.
• Afghan Directive Aimed at Eliminating Civilian Casualties AFPS 16 Sep 2008 -- NATO and American officials in Afghanistan believe that one civilian casualty is too many, the NATO International Security Assistance Force commander said here today.
• McKiernan Charts Course Forward in Afghanistan AFPS 16 Sep 2008 -- NATO's International Security Assistance Force, U.S. troops and Afghan security forces are in a tough fight in Afghanistan, but Army Gen. David D. McKiernan is convinced the people of the country do not want extremists back in power.
• US Defense Secretary Makes Unannounced Trip to Afghanistan VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan, as Afghan leaders express concern about civilian casualties due to U.S.-led air strikes.
• Workhorse of the Amphibious Fleet Assists with Haiti Disaster Relief Navy NewsStand 16 Sep 2008 -- The crew of Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 2 completed eight missions as of Sept. 14, carrying approximately 240 tons of cargo to the remote areas of Haiti delivering lifesaving food and water to the men, women and children.
• AAFES supports troops bringing relief to Ike victims AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- As troops bring help to the Houston area in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Army & Air Force Exchange Service officials are currently doing their part to support them with a Mobile Field Exchange.
• Reserve rescue team pulls 17 from floodwaters AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- Air Force reservists assigned to the 331st Air Expeditionary Group, a inter-agency search and rescue unit based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, rescued 17 people from Hurricane Ike flood waters Sept. 13 in a small Texas town.
• Press Gaggle by Scott Stanzel and FEMA Administrator David Paulison The White House 16 Sep 2008
• U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard Capture Drug-Running Semi-Submersible Navy NewsStand 16 Sep 2008 -- Sailors from USS McInerney (FFG 8) and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 404 (LEDET) intercepted a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) carrying seven tons of cocaine Sept. 13.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Ribbon-Cutting for the Joint Ballistic Missile Defense System Training and Education Center MDA 16 Sep 2008 -- Lieutenant General Henry "Trey" Obering, Missile Defense Agency director, announced today that the Joint Ballistic Missile Defense System Training and Education Centers' (JBTEC) new facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado is completed and open for training
• Guard unit makes final preparations for Predator flights AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- Members of the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing here are now ready to begin training the Airmen on the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system.
• Gen. Schwartz addresses Air Force future AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- The chief of staff of the Air Force addressed Air Force Association Air and Space Technology Convention delegates Sept. 16 here to share his vision for the future of the service.
• Five nations begin 'Cooperative Spirit' in Germany Army News 16 Sep 2008 -- American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand ground forces held an opening ceremony for "Cooperative Spirit 2008" Friday at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany.
• Army Reserve partners with transportation firm Army News 16 Sep 2008 -- The Army Reserve and transportation firm Schneider National Inc. entered into a partnership during a ceremony Friday.
• Joint patrol provides Airmen with valuable knowledge AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- It's been more than 30 years since the Vietnam War ended and since the Air Force has been solely responsible for a base's defense in a war zone, but that's all about to change at Joint Base Balad by the end of September.
• AF leaders issue joint mission message AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- In their first joint Letter to Airmen, the acting secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff focus on the Air Force mission to fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace.
• Air Force and Air National Guard partner for new mission AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- The Air Force and Air National Guard officials have agreed to establish a temporary mission qualification training detachment for the RC-12 aircraft at Key Field in Meridian, Miss
• Chairman Says U.S.-Turkish Relationship 'Very Strong' AFPS 16 Sep 2008 -- Wrapping up his first visit to Turkey as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff here yesterday, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said he and Turkish leaders reaffirmed "a very strong military-to-military relationship."
• Defense Spokesman Reaffirms Good U.S.-Pakistan Relationship AFPS 16 Sep 2008 -- The United States and Pakistan are allies, and news reports saying Pakistani border troops would fire on U.S. forces are in error, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
• Pathfinder Identifies Two Sunken Vessels During At-Sea Demonstration Navy NewsStand 16 Sep 2008 -- Military Sealift Command (MSC) oceanographic survey ship USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) identified two sunken vessels during a joint, at-sea capabilities demonstration in Ukrainian territorial waters.
• USNS Grasp Wraps-up Partnership Mission in the Eastern Caribbean Ocean Navy NewsStand 16 Sep 2008 -- Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS Grasp (T-ARS 51) departed Grenada Sept. 10 and began its journey home to Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., after completing a successful 90-day deployment.
• USS John S. McCain Focuses on Combat Readiness Navy NewsStand 16 Sep 2008 -- Six instructors from the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) embarked guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) provided tailored shipboard training for tactical watchstanders Sept. 4-15.
• Acting Secretary Donley speaks at AFA conference AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- From uniforms to deployments, nuclear priorities and the service's future, acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley spoke of a variety of topics at the Air Force Association convention here Sept. 15.
• Acquisition official outlines challenges facing ISR community AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- Command, control, computers, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, collectively referred to as C4ISR, is a very large business, Martha Evans told a government-industry crowd that assembled here Sept. 11.
• Air Force develops plan for filling unmanned aircraft system positions AFPN 16 Sep 2008 -- Air Force leaders are taking a two-pronged approach to address the increasing need for pilots of unmanned aircraft systems in Afghanistan and Iraq, an Air Force official said recently.
• U.S. intelligence gathering ship enters Sevastopol harbor RIA Novosti 16 Sep 2008 -- The U.S. Pathfinder ship entered on Tuesday the Sevastopol harbor that is home to the Ukrainian navy and Russia's Black Sea Fleet, a Russian naval source said.
• NATO Chief: Georgia Must Implement Reforms to Gain NATO Entry VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has urged Georgia to actively implement democratic reforms if it hopes to gain NATO entry.
• NATO Chief Says Road to NATO 'Wide Open' For Georgia VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says the road to joining the alliance is "wide open" for Georgia - despite Russian opposition.
• Russian bombers conduct patrols along South American coast RIA Novosti 16 Sep 2008 -- The two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that landed in Venezuela last week have successfully carried out a patrol mission along the South American coast, a Russian Air Force spokesman said on Tuesday.
• Russian Military Alliance With Iran Improbable Due To Diverging Interests RFE/RL 16 Sep 2008 -- The Georgia crisis and the U.S. deal with Poland to locate part of its missile-defense system on Polish soil have revived a Cold War mentality among some observers in both Russia and the West
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 16 Sep 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 16, 2008
• CACI Awarded Prime Position on Commercial Enterprise Omnibus Support Services Blanket Purchase Agreement With Marine Corps CACI 16 Sep 2008 -- CACI International Inc (NYSE:CAI) announced today that it has been awarded a contract to provide engineering and scientific support to the Marine Corps System Command (MCSC) Acquisition Center for Support Services (ACSS) as one of ten prime positions on the Commercial Enterprise Omnibus Support Services (CEOss) blanket purchase agreement.
• Orbital Completes Minotaur IV Launch Vehicle Pathfinder Operations At Vandenberg Air Force Base Orbital Sciences Corp. 16 Sep 2008 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) today announced that it has completed the full-scale "pathfinder" ground operations of the Minotaur IV space launch vehicle in preparation for its inaugural flight that is currently scheduled to take place in early 2009
• Boeing Delivers Software-Defined FAB-T Radio Prototype Boeing 16 Sep 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has moved a step closer to linking military ground, air and space assets with the delivery of its next-generation Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) prototype to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Mass.
• Northrop Grumman Completes Integration of Third Payload Module for Advanced EHF Military Communications Satellites Northrop Grumman 16 Sep 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has completed integrating all electronic units of the payload module for the third Advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) military communications satellite.
• BAE SYSTEMS LAUNCHES NEW VARIANT OF SOUTH AFRICA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL EXPORT MINE PROTECTED VEHICLE BAE Systems 16 Sep 2008 -- BAE Systems has launched the newest version of its acclaimed RG series of mine resistant personnel carrier vehicle, the RG31 Mk6E, which will make its debut at the African Aerospace & Defence 2008 show in Cape Town (17-21 September).
• BAE SYSTEMS SECURES CONTRACT FOR RG12 ARMOURED VEHICLES FROM DUBAI POLICE BAE Systems 16 Sep 2008 -- BAE Systems has secured a contract for ten RG12 Mk4 armoured personnel carriers from the Dubai Police. The police force already has six RG12 vehicles in service.
• Naval Surface Warfare Center Awards General Dynamics $27 Million Information Technology Services Contracts General Dynamics 16 Sep 2008 -- General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded three Seaport-e task orders by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD), in Philadelphia
• L-3 Selects IBM for Special Operations Command Logistics Support Contract Team L-3 Communications 16 Sep 2008 -- L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that it has selected IBM Global Business Services (NYSE: IBM) as a partner in its plan to retain its logistics support contract with the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
• Lockheed Martin JLTV Team Responds to U.S. Army, Marine corps Request for Information on Light Combat Vehicle Lockheed Martin 16 Sep 2008 -- The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Team led by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has responded to a Request for Information for a lighter, more maneuverable military vehicle that also provides protection comparable to the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicle.
• Raytheon Cost Cutting Drives Down Supersonic Strike Missile Price Tag to Industry Low Raytheon 16 Sep 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will soon complete a major cost reduction initiative for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Destruction of enemy air defense Attack Module (HDAM).
• SAIC Awarded $48 Million Task Order by Naval Surface Warfare Center - Crane Division SAIC 16 Sep 2008 -- Science Applications International Corporation [NYSE: SAI] today announced it has been awarded a task order by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) -- Crane Division to provide engineering, technical, and management services
• Raytheon Develops Unmanned Aircraft System Ground Solution to Meet Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Needs Raytheon 16 Sep 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has developed an advanced common ground control system, or CGCS, for the U.S. Air Force to address mission capability needs for the Predator unmanned aircraft system.
• Thales unveils a new reconnaissance sub-system for combat vehicles Thales 16 Sep 2008 -- Thales UK's naval business has today agreed terms, worth £134 million, for the second phase of its 10-year contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the in-service support of all Royal Navy (RN) major sonar systems.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 16 Sep 2008
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF SIXTY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY United Nations 16 Sep 2008
• PRESS CONFERENCE BY OUTGOING GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT SRGJAN KERIM United Nations 16 Sep 2008
• Observer mission in Georgia to cost EU 31 mln euros a year RIA Novosti 16 Sep 2008 -- The annual cost of deploying an international monitoring mission in Georgia will cost the European Union 31 million euros ($44 mln), a European diplomatic source said on Tuesday.
• 'The Main Question Remains Whether The Crisis Was Preventable' RFE/RL 16 Sep 2008 -- Former Georgian parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze, a former ally of President Mikheil Saakashvili and now considered a possible successor, says that "the time to ask questions has come."
• Lebanon Holds National Reconciliation Talks VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- Lebanon's top political leaders are meeting at the presidential palace in a bid to reach a national reconciliation pact among feuding factions
• Israel to Replace Olmert as Uncertainty Grows Over Peace Process VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- Members of Israel's ruling, centrist Kadima party will head to the polls Wednesday to pick a new leader to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
• UN, Aid Agencies Withdraw from War-Battered Northern Sri Lanka VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- International aid agencies are withdrawing from Sri Lanka's war-battered northern region, as fighting intensifies between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels
• SRI LANKA: UN completes relocation from Tamil Tiger areas IRIN 16 Sep 2008 -- UN agencies have relocated all international staff and offices from areas under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north to areas under government control, with the last convoy of UN vehicles leaving on 16 September.
• UN-backed special security unit begins mission to eastern Chad UN News Centre 16 Sep 2008 -- A special security unit of the Chadian army composed of national police and gendarmes responsible for the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) today began its first reconnaissance visit to eastern Chad, ahead of its deployment to the region, the United Nations announced today.

News Reports

• EU, Kazakhstan Discuss Relations RFE/RL 16 Sep 2008 -- EU and Kazakh officials have met in Brussels to discuss energy cooperation, the Russian-Georgian conflict, and other issues of mutual interest.
• Ukraine's Future In Doubt As 'Orange' Coalition Dissolved RFE/RL 16 Sep 2008 -- Ukraine, which has spent much of the past four years mired in political squabbles, has once again cast its democratic future in doubt with the formal dissolution of its governing coalition.
• Ukrainian Coalition Collapses Amid Political Infighting VOA 16 Sep 2008 -- Political infighting has led to the collapse of Ukraine's governing coalition, raising the prospect of difficult negotiations to form a new government or a third parliamentary election in as many years
• Ukraine's pro-Western ruling coalition dissolved RIA Novosti 16 Sep 2008 -- Ukraine's parliamentary speaker announced on Tuesday the collapse of the country's ruling pro-Western coalition, paving the way for possible early parliamentary elections.