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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 24 Oct 2008 [PDF]
• DoD News: DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty
• Oct. 23 airpower summary AFPN 24 Oct 2008 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the ISAF in Afghanistan during operations.
• Forces Capture Suspected Terrorists, Discover Weapons Caches AFPS 24 Oct 2008 -- Coalition forces continued to disrupt al-Qaida in Iraq car bomb networks, capturing 8 suspected terrorists during operations.
• RIVRON 1 Ready to Deploy to Iraq Navy Newsstand 24 Oct 2008 -- Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1 completed training for deployment and is set to deploy in November in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Coalition Troops Kill Three, Detain Four Militants in Paktika Province AFPS 24 Oct 2008 -- Coalition forces killed 3 armed militants and detained 4 others during an operation targeting terrorist network in Paktika.
• Kordan: No Taliban militia in Iran IRNA 24 Oct 2008 -- Iran's Interior Minister Kordan: No Taliban militia is in Iran and in custody there.
• U.S Navy Ships Team with Allied Partners During Joint Warrior Navy Newsstand 24 Oct 2008 -- Ships led by DESRON 24 learned about interoperability while participating in Joint Warrior Course multinational exercise.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force to Establish New Nuclear Major Command AFPS 24 Oct 2008 -- The Air Force will stand up a new major command specifically to manage its nuclear assets.
• US Air Force Creates Global Strike Command for Nuclear Weapons VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- The US Air Force announced plans to put American nuclear-armed bombers and land-based missiles under new command.
• Air Force Nuclear Enterprise Roadmap report calls for new command, headquarters agency AFPN 24 Oct 2008 -- Establishment of Global Strike Command and a Headquarters Air Force staff agency to handle Air Force nuclear assets some of the recommendations found in the Nuclear Enterprise Roadmap.
• Air Force leaders work to develop cyberspace roadmap AFPN 24 Oct 2008 -- USAF leaders to create roadmap of service's cyberspace mission while adjusting to new organizational construct outlined in October.
• New Organization to Help Combatant Commanders Manage Acquisition AFPS 24 Oct 2008 -- New organization housed by DLA will provide acquisition support for joint operations involving the DoD and other government agencies.
• Neptune Response 2009 Increases Contingency Readiness in Europe Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- Commander, Navy Region Europe (CNRE) hosted its annual training exercise Neptune Response 2009 (NR09) Oct. 22-24 at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples, Italy.
• Deadline Approaching for Commands to Review Post Deployment Health Assessments Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- All commands have until October 31 to complete a one-time screening of medical records to check if their Sailors have competed Deployment Health Assessments (DHA) and reassessments as required by NAVADMIN 207/08.
• DOE Awards Navy, Marine Corps for Conservation Initiatives Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- After completing a major water reclamation project, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS), Calif., is saving 97 million gallons of water, translating to a cost savings of $860,000 per year.
• Carl Vinson Readies for Cat 3, 4 Tests Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- The USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Air Department has prepared for a three-day test launch of the ship's third and fourth catapults, slated to begin on board Oct. 24.
• Hangar Upgrades Bring NAF El Centro Facilities into 21st Century Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- An $18 million Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest construction project to bring hangars at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro into the 21st century began construction Oct. 17.
• Carl Vinson Team Saves Navy $3.5 Million Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- In its effort to get USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) out of the shipyards on time and under budget, the level of effort (LOE) team aboard has saved the Navy about $3.5 million.
• Seabees, Bulgarian Engineers Form Partnership, Renovate School Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4, Detachment Romania and five Bulgarian engineers wrapped up a joint effort of renovations at a local kindergarten school here Oct. 16.
• Navy Commands' Harbor Survey Aids in Maritime Security Ops Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- The Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center (NOMWC) and the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), in conjunction with the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), completed a harbor survey of the Hampton Roads area.
• 7th Fleet Reserve Detachment Gets New Skipper Navy NewsStand 24 Oct 2008 -- Navy Reserve Commander, 7th Fleet, Detachment 111 held a traditional Navy change of command ceremony at Navy Operational Support Center Fort Worth Oct. 18.
• Gates Gets Update on Army Special Ops Capabilities, Challenges AFPS 24 Oct 2008 -- Commander of Army Special Operations Command updated SecDef Gates about missions and growing the force.
• F-35 completes air-start test at Edwards AFPN 24 Oct 2008 -- The prototype F-35 Joint Strike Fighter AA-1 completed an air-start test validating the aircraft's ability to shut down and restart its engine in flight Oct. 23.
• MDA Breaks Ground on New Headquarters Facility MDA 24 Oct 2008 -- Lieutenant General Henry "Trey" Obering III, Missile Defense Agency director, announced today the Agency has broken ground on its new Headquarters Command Center (HQCC) at Fort Belvoir, Va
• Iranian Cleric Alleges US Nuclear Blast In First Gulf War VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- A senior Iranian cleric has raised allegations the US used a small nuclear weapon in the first Gulf War, a charge the U.S. denies.
• Russian arms trader links U.S. sanctions to rising weapons sales RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport linked sanctions imposed by US with growth of arms exports.
• U.S. uses sanctions to punish Russia for arms sales to Iran - MP RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- US sanctions against Russia's state-run arms exporter are retaliation for Moscow's cooperation with Iran.
• Russia Criticizes US Sanctions on Russian Arms Exporter VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- Moscow: US sanctions on Russia's state arms exporter enacted for sharing technology with Iran violate international law.
• Russia slams U.S. sanctions against Russian arms exporter RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- Lavrov: Sanctions imposed by US on Russia's state-run arms exporter will affect ties with Washington.
• Russia military reforms focus on fate of warrant officers RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- Sweeping reforms of Russia's military are to focus on reorganizing the rank of warrant officer in the country's Armed Forces.
• Ukraine says Russian Navy must get ready to leave Crimea RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- Russia should start preparing to withdraw Fleet from bases in the Crimea now, because process could take 8 years.
• Gov't makes no concessions on diplomatic, defense fronts: president CNA 24 Oct 2008 -- President Ma Ying-jeou: Administration has not done anything harmful to the country's sovereignty and dignity.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 24 Oct 2008
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Dana Perino The White House 24 Oct 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 24, 2008
• Raytheon, U.S. Navy Demonstrate Unmanned Aircraft System Capability for Submarines Raytheon 24 Oct 2008 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport, demonstrated an unmanned aircraft system capability for submerged submarines Sept. 10
• Eurocopter delivers the first EC120 B Colibri helicopter to HeliDax EADS 24 Oct 2008 -- The EC120 B Colibri will replace the current fleet of Gazelle (SA341 and SA342) helicopters.
• Pratt & Whitney Awarded $78M F135 Long Lead Production Contract Pratt & Whitney 24 Oct 2008 -- Pratt & Whitney was recently awarded a $78 million production contract for F135 engines, powering the F-35 Lightning II.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 24 Oct 2008
• EU Rejects Russian, South Ossetian Claims Of Georgian Border Attacks RFE/RL 24 Oct 2008 -- EU monitors say they have found little evidence to support Russian and South Ossetian allegations of Georgian attacks against border outposts in the separatist region
• The Morning After Georgia's 'Day Of Joy' RFE/RL 24 Oct 2008 -- "Be good and be generous," then-French President Jacques Chirac told participants of an international donors conference for Lebanon in January 2007
• Explosion Destroys Key Bridge in Georgia VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- An explosion has destroyed a key bridge linking Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia with the rest of the country.
• Ukraine says Russia fueled Georgia conflict with arms sales RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- Ukraine has accused Russia of supplying arms to both Abkhazia and Georgia before 5-day conflict.
• Russia appoints envoys to S.Ossetia, Abkhazia RIA Novosti 24 Oct 2008 -- Russia's president appointed ambassadors to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, cementing support for the Georgian separatist regions.
• Amnesty Offered For Rebels In The Niger Delta Of Nigeria VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- In Nigeria, the government of Rivers State in the Niger Delta offered amnesty to several militant groups, if they stop attacking gov't facilities.
• First batch of UN-trained Chadian forces to be deployed to east of country UN News 24 Oct 2008 -- The first contingent of UN-trained Chadian army troops begin their deployment to the east of the country.
• CAMEROON-NIGERIA: Bakassi's displaced in flux, peninsula vulnerable IRIN 24 Oct 2008 -- A rebel attack on the Bakassi peninsula exposes the region's continued vulnerability to "insurgency, piracy and unruliness."
• UGANDA: Displaced first by war, now by elephants IRIN 24 Oct 2008 -- Marauding elephants in northern Uganda have added to the challenges faced by civilians trying to rebuild their lives in the wake of 20 years of civil war, destroying their crops and prompting some to return to displaced people’s (IDP) camps they had only recently left

News Reports

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE United Nations 24 Oct 2008
• Turkish Court: Ruling Party Exploits Religion VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- Turkey's highest court accused Islamic-rooted governing party of exploiting religion for political ends, but says no evidence party promoting violence.
• Zimbabwe PM-Designate Tsvangirai to Attend Monday Negotiations VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- Zimbabwe's PM designate Tsvangirai will attend meeting of regional leaders in Harare after he boycotted the last session because he had no passport.
• Early Elections Likely in Israel After Coalition Talks Flop VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- There is political turmoil in Israel after negotiations on forming a new government collapsed.
• Key Israeli Party Rejects Coalition Government VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- Israel's ultra-Orthodox Shas party will not join coalition government led by PM-designate Tzipi Livni, increasing the chances of snap elections.
• S. African Opposition Dismayed by Dissolution of Crime Fighting Unit VOA 24 Oct 2008 -- In South Africa, opposition leaders reacting with dismay to dissolution of elite crime fighting unit.