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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 29 Oct 2008 [PDF]
• Oct. 28 airpower summary: Reaper fires missiles AFPN 29 Oct 2008 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and ISAF in Afghanistan during operations.
• PRESS CONFERENCE: Operational Update: Brig. Gen. David Perkins, Oct. 29, 2008 MNF-I 29 Oct 2008 -- Brig. Gen. David Perkins, Director for Strategic Effects, CJ9, Multi-National Force - Iraq, provides an operational update
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Press Secretary Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon US Dept. of Defense 29 Oct 2008 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell
• Coalition Captures Iranian-Backed Terrorism Suspects AFPS 29 Oct 2008 -- Coalition troops in Iraq captured a suspected financer and 4 others associated with an Iranian-backed terrorist group.
• Security Responsibility Returns to Iraqis in Wasit Province AFPS 29 Oct 2008 -- Responsibilities transferred to Iraqi officials in Wasit province, giving Iraq's government responsibility for more than two-thirds of country.
• French soldiers train for Afghanistan Army News 29 Oct 2008 -- French soldiers with the 70th Engineer Paratrooper Battalion had few issues with mastering the various tasks that go with calling in close air support, it's just the speaking English part that slowed some of them down
• AFGHANISTAN: Urgent need to pre-position food aid IRIN 29 Oct 2008 -- The Afghan government and aid agencies have not so far pre-positioned adequate relief supplies in some of the most vulnerable areas, increasing the risk of a humanitarian disaster this winter, the Afghanistan National Disasters Management Authority (ANDMA) has said
• Syria Warns it May Close US Embassy VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- The US embassy in Syria's capital issued warning to Americans in country to be alert following raid on Syria that Damascus blames on US forces.
• US Embassy in Damascus May Close After Raid VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- The US embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus may be closed to the public indefinitely, following a raid in eastern Syria.
• Over 1,000 foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2001 RIA Novosti 29 Oct 2008 -- Over 1,000 foreign service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since the Taliban regime was toppled in 2001.
• US Rules Out Reconciliation With Taliban Leader Mullah Omar VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- The US government has ruled out holding reconciliation talks with the leader of Afghanistan's Taliban, Mullah Mohammed Omar.
• U.S. Will Support Afghan Reconciliation Efforts, Official Says AFPS 29 Oct 2008 -- US will support Afghan government in efforts to step up its reconciliation with the Taliban and other insurgents, but not with al-Qaida.
• Taliban rejects dialogue offer by tribal council IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- Afghan Taliban rejected dialogue proposal by tribal elders and political leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• US Defends Anti-Terrorist Strategy After Pakistani Protest VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- The Bush administration defended tough decisions in combating terrorism, after a Pakistani protest of reported US missile strikes.
• Pakistan Summons US Ambassador About Missile Strikes VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Pakistan's foreign ministry summoned US ambassador and lodged a strong protest against U.S. missile strikes inside Pakistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. Hopes to Resolve Differences Over Iraq Agreement, Official Says AFPS 29 Oct 2008 -- US hoping issues delaying status of forces agreement will be resolved before UN resolution expires.
• U.S., Iraqi Leaders Work to Secure Forces Agreement AFPS 29 Oct 2008 -- Top leaders working in Iraq to reach agreement that would shape future of US operations there.
• Iraqi Officials: Revised Draft Security Pact Given to US VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- US President George Bush hopeful and confident a security pact on the future of American troops in Iraq will be passed.
• Gates calls for modernization of US nuclear arms IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- SecDef Gates: Unless the US modernizes inventory of nuclear weapons, the atomic arsenal's long-term safety and reliability will deteriorate.
• Air Force 'Moving in Right Direction' on Nuclear Program, Gates Says AFPS 29 Oct 2008 -- SecDef Gates: Broad initiatives within the USAF helping to return its nuclear mission to "the standards of excellence."
• Materiel Command's top civilian outlines goals AFNS 29 Oct 2008 -- Air Force Materiel Command's top civilian here after just one month on the job is already working with the Pentagon and other agencies on establishing a clear civilian development model.
• U.S. forces participate in Hong Kong exercise AFNS 29 Oct 2008 -- American, Hong Kong and Chinese forces joined together for the Search and Rescue Exercise 2008 in mid-October off the coast of Hong Kong.
• Army Awards Three Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Technology Development Phase Contracts Army News Release 29 Oct 2008 -- The U.S. Army announced Oct. 29 the selection of three technology development contracts for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) family of vehicles
• Army awards development contracts for JLTV Army News 29 Oct 2008 -- The Army announced today the awarding of three contracts for technology development on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
• 26th MEU gasses up FARP USMC News 29 Oct 2008 -- Fuel runs moderns armies. It is that simple. Without fuel the war machine grinds to a halt, as surely today as it did during the Battle of the Bulge, when Hitler's attacking tanks and vehicles lay abandoned roadside for lack of gas
• Navy's Shoreline Project is Largest in Chesapeake Bay Watershed Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- The Navy has embarked on the largest shoreline stabilization project in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• USS Shiloh Arrives in Hong Kong for SAREX 2008 Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- The forward-deployed guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) arrived in Hong Kong Oct. 26 for a port visit and to participate in Hong Kong Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) 2008.
• Continuing Promise Mission Rebuilds Hope in Trinidad and Tobago Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- Navy Seabee Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202 and the Prime Base Emergency Engineer Force from the Air Force's 5th Civil Engineer Squadron have partnered with service members from Trinidad and Tobago to renovate a local hostel that provides shelter for women in need Oct. 25-Nov. 7.
• Medical Professionals Build on Maritime Strategy Core Capability Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- More than 100 military and civilian healthcare professionals and planners from across the Pacific Fleet gathered for the 14th biennial Pacific Fleet/Marine Forces Medical Symposium in Pearl Harbor Oct. 22-24 to discuss the future of humanitarian and civic assistance (HCA) missions.
• JTF GTMO Focuses on Quality of Life, Impact on Mission in Cuba Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- The commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) Guantanamo (GTMO) has kept an eye on all aspects of the JTF, from quality of life for the troopers working in the detention camps to the quality of service provided to all JTF troopers.
• Patrol Squadron Celebrates 30 Years of Mishap-Free Flying Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9) executed a major safety milestone for maritime patrol aviation Oct. 26 when Combat Aircrew 11 safely completed an eight-hour mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom surpassing 30 years and 180,000 hours of mishap-free flying.
• Carrier Strike Group 7 Changes Command Navy NewsStand 29 Oct 2008 -- Commander Carrier Strike Group 7 (CCSG 7) held a change of command ceremony aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)Oct. 27, while on deployment in the 7th Fleet Area of Operations.
• Work continues to replace T-38 aileron levers AFPN 29 Oct 2008 -- Workers in the 532nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron meet challenge of building more than 1,000 aileron actuator levers for T-38 aircraft.
• Charleston officials ship vehicles to support warfighters AFPN 29 Oct 2008 -- Charleston Air Force Base officials shipping M1117 armored security vehicles for the Army on board C-17 Globemaster IIIs.
• US, South Korean Troops Plan to Rehearse Massive Amphibious Landing VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- US and S Korean military officials confirm the 2 allied nations planning a major military drill.
• UK cancels 15 military exercises to save money IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth: Britain has been forced to cancel almost 10 percent of its military exercises this year.
• Russian military to receive up to 30 Alligator helicopters RIA Novosti 29 Oct 2008 -- The Russian Armed Forces will receive up to 30 new Kamov Ka-52 Alligator helicopters by 2012.
• Iran plans to use An-140 planes to patrol borders RIA Novosti 29 Oct 2008 -- Iran will need an additional 20 An-140 turboprop aircraft to ensure effective patrols of its national borders.
• Iran plans to build Russian Ka-32 helicopters under license RIA Novosti 29 Oct 2008 -- Iran is planning to manufacture over 50 Russian-designed Ka-32 helicopters under a production license.
• Iran opens navy base in Persian Gulf IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- Iran has opened new naval facilities east of the Strait of Hormuz, on the entrance to the Persian Gulf.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 29 Oct 2008
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Dana Perino The White House 29 Oct 2008

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 29, 2008
• Empire Challenge Validates Technologies to Support Military Networking Northrop Grumman 29 Oct 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) played a major role in a recent joint military demonstration testing increased interoperability between U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and coalition reconnaissance aircraft.
• BAE SYSTEMS – NAVISTAR DEFENSE TEAM SELECTED FOR TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PHASE OF JOINT LIGHT TACTICAL VEHICLE PROGRAM BAE Systems 29 Oct 2008 -- BAE Systems, through its Ground Systems line of business, and teammate Navistar Defense, LLC have been awarded a $40.5 million to participate in a 27-month technology demonstration phase of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program.
• Boeing Selects BAE Systems to Provide Digital Electronic Warfare Suite for International F-15s Boeing 29 Oct 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has selected BAE Systems' Electronics, Intelligence & Support (EI&S) division to provide the next-generation Digital Electronic Warfare Suite (DEWS) for future international versions of the F-15 multirole fighter aircraft.
• General Dynamics and AM General JLTV Team Awarded JLTV TD Contract General Dynamics 29 Oct 2008 -- General Tactical Vehicles (GTV), a joint venture between General Dynamics Land Systems and AM General, has been awarded a $45 million Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) 27-month Technology Demonstration (TD) contract from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command. GTV is one of three awardees to receive TD contracts under this program.
• Lockheed Martin JLTV Team Awarded $36 Million Contract, Advances To Program’s Technology Development Phase Lockheed Martin 29 Oct 2008 -- The U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps today selected Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] as one of three companies to continue development on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program.
• Lockheed Martin Receives $30 Million Contract For U.S. Air Force Self-Awareness Space Situational Awareness Program Lockheed Martin 29 Oct 2008 -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $30 million contract for the development phase of the Self-Awareness Space Situational Awareness (SASSA) technology demonstration program.
• Northrop Grumman Delivers Its 25th Aegis Guided Missile Destroyer Truxtun (DDG 103) to U.S. Navy Ahead of Schedule Northrop Grumman 29 Oct 2008 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) delivered its 25th Aegis guided missile destroyer to the U.S. Navy here last week.
• Raytheon's Deep Siren Solution Addresses Gap in Submarine Communications Raytheon 29 Oct 2008 -- The U.S. Navy has successfully conducted the first large-scale test of Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Deep Siren tactical paging system.
• U.S. General Services Administration Awards $226 Million Task Order to SAIC for U.S. Central Command Support SAIC 29 Oct 2008 -- Company to Provide Enterprise Information Technology Services
• Thales upgrades Austeyr rifle to meet ADF operational needs Thales 29 Oct 2008 -- The upgraded Steyr, known as the F88SA2, will provide greater capability to ADF personnel, particularly for current operations, while filling a short term capability gap.
• Bushmaster milestone as orders top 800 Thales 29 Oct 2008 -- Thales previously announced the DMO was ordering 254 Bushmasters in August 2007. The extra 39 are a recent additional requirement.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT United Nations 29 Oct 2008
• Georgia's Foreign Minister Says Russia Not Constructive RFE/RL 29 Oct 2008 -- Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili has been a key player on issues ranging from Tbilisi's NATO bid to its conflict with Russia over Abkhazia and South Ossetia
• Saakashvili denies South Ossetia war crimes accusations RIA Novosti 29 Oct 2008 -- Georgian President Saakashvili rejected reports by Britain's BBC that his country guilty of war crimes during attack on S Ossetia.
• Russian Parliament Ratifies Treaties With Georgian Breakaway Territories VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Russia's lower house of parliament ratified treaties with the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
• Russia ratifies friendship treaties with Abkhazia, S.Ossetia RIA Novosti 29 Oct 2008 -- The lower house of Russia's parliament ratified friendship treaties with South Ossetia and Abkhazia on Wednesday.
• Russia Steps Up Efforts On Nagorno-Karabakh RFE/RL 29 Oct 2008 -- Russia has stepped up its efforts to find a solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, and at the same time increase its leverage in the South Caucasus region
• Colombian Army Officers Fired in Civilian Deaths VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Colombian President Alvaro Uribe fired at least 24 army officers, including 3 generals, following an investigation into suspected executions initially reported as combat deaths.
• US Sending Top Africa Diplomat to Kinshasa VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Secretary of State Rice sending the top US diplomat for Africa to Kinshasa for talks on crisis in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• UN Seeks More Troops for DRC Mission VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Top UN official in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Peacekeeping force stretched to the limit; asked the Security Council for additional reinforcements.
• DRC: Instability increasing in Orientale province IRIN 29 Oct 2008 -- Airplanes may be needed to help some 6,000 people displaced during attacks by Ugandan rebels in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who are not accessible by humanitarian agencies, officials said
• Fighting in Congo Approaches Goma VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have positioned themselves in areas close to Goma, after beating back government forces.
• Suicide Car Bombings Kill Dozens in Northern Somalia VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Unprecedented wave of suicide bombings killed and wounded scores of people across northern Somalia as leaders met in Nairobi.
• SOMALIA: Suicide bombers strike Bossaso, Hargeisa, killing dozens IRIN 29 Oct 2008 -- Up to 40 people reported killed as near-simultaneous explosions hit Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland, and the town of Bossaso, commercial capital of the neighbouring region of Puntland.
• Tamil rebels stage air attacks on Sri Lankan capital IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- Tamil Tiger aircraft bombed a power plant in the Sri Lankan capital and an army camp in northwestern Mannar, showing a sign of defiance as rebels continued to be under siege.
• CHAD: Armed attacks blocking aid in the east IRIN 29 Oct 2008 -- Rampant armed attacks have forced aid agencies to suspend critical humanitarian assistance to thousands of displaced people in eastern Chad

News Reports

• China Plans Talks With Dalai Lama Envoys VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- China says it will soon hold another round of talks with envoys of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
• PAKISTAN: Over 100 killed in Balochistan quake IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- An early morning earthquake in Balochistan Province left dozens dead and many more injured.
• Over 70 die in strong earthquake in Pakistan IRNA 29 Oct 2008 -- Over 70 people were killed and many others injured when a 'destructive earthquake' jolted southwestern Pakistan early Wednesday.
• Strong Earthquake Hits Southwest Pakistan VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- Pakistani officials say a magnitude 6.4 earthquake has killed at least 170 people in an impoverished area of southwest Pakistan.
• Pro-Democracy Activist Wins Presidential Election in Maldives VOA 29 Oct 2008 -- In Maldives, a political activist who spent years in prison won the country's first democratic election.
• ZAMBIA: Border closed to DRC refugees IRIN 29 Oct 2008 -- The Zambian government has closed its border to any refugees arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fighting intensifies in the east of the country