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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 25 Feb 2009 [PDF]
• DoD News: DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• On the Ground: Base Transfer, Tank Course, Security Meetings Mark Progress AFPS 25 Feb 2009 -- U.S. and Iraqi forces continue to work together to lay the groundwork for a more secure and self-sufficient Iraq.
• Iraqi Sunni Lawmaker in Hiding as Police Seek His Arrest VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Iraqi officials: Sunni lawmaker on the run from police who are seeking his arrest on charges of orchestrating sectarian violence.
• Britain Refuses To Publish Cabinet Record Of Iraq War Decision RFE/RL 25 Feb 2009 -- The British government has vetoed publication of minutes from ministerial discussions about legality of invasion of Iraq.
• Straw accused of cover-up over Iraq war decision IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- Justice Secretary Jack Straw to used ministerial veto to prevent publication of minutes of key Cabinet meetings in the run-up to Iraq war.
• Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill 10 Militants, Detain Six AFPS 25 Feb 2009 -- Afghan forces, aided by coalition troops, killed 10 militants and detained six suspected insurgent fighters.
• Four British Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Britain's Defense Ministry: Explosion in southern Afghanistan killed 3 British soldiers.
• Security Forces Provide Safety Net for Reconstruction Mission AFPS 25 Feb 2009 -- An infantry officer is in charge of force tasked with keeping the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Paktia province safe.
• Key US Lawmaker Urges Change in Strategy for Afghanistan VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- US Senator John McCain is calling for a change in US strategy in Afghanistan.
• Turkmenistan to open airspace for U.S. supplies to Afghanistan RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- Turkmenistan will open its airspace for the transit of non-lethal cargo to a U.S. military contingent in Afghanistan.
• AFGHANISTAN: Civilian deaths up 40 percent IRIN 25 Feb 2009 -- Last year was the worst for Afghan civilians since the end of major hostilities in 2001 according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
• Clinton Meets Pakistani Foreign Minister on Regional Policy Review VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Secretary of State Clinton met Pakistani FM Qureshi as part of policy review of the Afghan conflict and related unrest in Pakistan.
• Afghan President Considers April Election VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Afghan President Karzai considering holding presidential elections in April, 4 months earlier than date set by the country's Election Commission.
• Struggle in Swat Valley Highlights Pakistan's Counterinsurgency Troubles VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Top Pakistani, Afghan and US officials in Washington to discuss how to counter al-Qaida and Taliban fighters.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon DoD 25 Feb 2009 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell
• Senior Executive Service Appointments DoD 25 Feb 2009 -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the following Department of Defense Senior Executive Service appointments
• Gates Calls for Forthright, Collegial Budget Discussions AFPS 25 Feb 2009 -- Defense Secretary Gates has called for forthright, collegial discussions to make tough choices about fiscal 2010 federal budget.
• President Says Budget Signifies New Way Forward for Defense AFPS 25 Feb 2009 -- Projects resulting from the $7.4 billion Defense Department portion of economic stimulus package visible soon.
• Air Force, Army leaders lay out joint UAS future AFNS 25 Feb 2009 -- Air Force and Army chiefs of staff signed plan taking the 2 services one step closer full spectrum of conflict with multirole unmanned aircraft.
• Tiger team to improve command, control AFNS 25 Feb 2009 -- Command and Control, one of the keystones to modern warfare, is getting a boost thanks to an Air Combat Command-led tiger team.
• UK welcomes US overtures towards Iran IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- The British government has praised the new policy adopted by US President Barack Obama in wanting to engage with Iran.
• Poland sticking to U.S. missile shield commitments - top brass RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- Poland is sticking to its commitments on the deployment of US missile shield elements on its territory.
• U.S., Thailand, Singapore forces to participate in exercise AFNS 25 Feb 2009 -- USAF, USN and USMC, RTAF and Royal Thai army, and RSAF scheduled to participate in Exercise Cope Tiger 2009.
• APS Nashville Begins Training in Ghana Navy NewsStand 25 Feb 2009 -- Africa Partnership Station Nashville kicked off training courses as the ship conducts its scheduled 18-day port visit.
• Red Flag 09-3 exercise begins AFNS 25 Feb 2009 -- Southern Nevada residents may have notice increased military aircraft activity as the latest Red Flag exercise began Feb. 23.
• Marines arrive in Kunsan for exercise AFNS 25 Feb 2009 -- Kunsan Air Base Airmen accepted and processed Marines as they landed on board a KC-130J Super Hercules.
• USS Chafee Departs Pearl Harbor for Western Pacific Deployment Navy NewsStand 25 Feb 2009 -- USS Chafee departed Naval Station Pearl Harbor for a scheduled, 6-month deployment to the Western Pacific.
• Egress technicians keep Raptor pilots covered AFNS 25 Feb 2009 -- A specialized polycarbonate is the main element that separates an F-22 Raptor pilot from threatening and compromising conditions.
• Navy Constructs New Army Wideband Satellite Communication Operations Center Navy NewsStand 25 Feb 2009 -- Hawaiian ground-blessing ceremony held for new Wideband Satellite Comm Operations Center.
• NAVSTA Everett Breaks Ground for New Training Facility Navy NewsStand 25 Feb 2009 -- Naval Station Everett hosted groundbreaking ceremony for new training facility, the Fleet Region Readiness Center.
• Russia to Develop Strategic Nuclear Forces Despite Deficit VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Russian Deputy PM Ivanov: Development of strategic nuclear forces will be the government's top military procurement priority in 2009.
• Russia to continue modernizing its nuclear deterrent RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- Russia will continue developing and modernizing its nuclear triad in 2009 despite the current global economic crisis.
• Russia set to regulate arms prices RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- The Russian government is planning to use price regulation mechanisms for state defense contracts, a deputy prime minister said on Wednesday.
• Three Russian Northern Fleet ships return to home port RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the Admiral Chabanenko destroyer and salvage tug returning to home port after tour of duty.
• Yemen ready to assist Russian warships in anti-piracy efforts RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- Yemen is ready to render assistance to the Russian warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden as part of anti-piracy efforts.
• Diplomats Suspect Syrian Site Now a Missile Facility VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Diplomats say Syria has revealed that a suspected nuclear site destroyed by Israeli warplanes in 2007 is now a missile facility.
• Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 25 Feb 2009
• Briefing by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 2/25/2009 The White House 25 Feb 2009

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for February 25, 2009
• BAE SYSTEMS RECEIVES $107 MILLION CONTRACT FOR MORE THAN 5,100 ARMOR KITS FOR FAMILY OF MEDIUM TACTICAL VEHICLES BAE Systems 25 Feb 2009 -- The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract to supply more than 5,100 armor kits, known as “B-kits”, for the Long Term Armor Strategy (LTAS) configured Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV).
• Boeing Delivers 1st FAB-T Engineering Development Model to US Air Force Boeing 25 Feb 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has delivered the first Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) Engineering Development Model (EDM) to the U.S. Air Force B-2 Program.
• GE to Supply LM2500 Gas Turbines for Royal Australian Navy's Air Warfare Destroyer Advanced Ship Program GE Marine 25 Feb 2009 -- GE Marine reports that it will supply ASC Shipbuilding, Adelaide, Australia, with six LM2500 gas turbines to power three Royal Australian Navy (RAN) advanced Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD).
• Oshkosh Defense Awarded $477 Million Delivery Order for New and Recapitalized HEMTT A4s Oshkosh 25 Feb 2009 -- Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), announced today that its Defense division has received a delivery order for $477 million from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). The delivery order calls for more than 1,350 new and recapitalized Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4s and more than 1,000 Palletized Load System Trailers (PLST).
• Thales and IGG form strategic partnership Thales 25 Feb 2009 -- Thales International Middle East - Abu Dhabi Branch, a subsidiary of Thales, a leading international electronics and systems enterprise addressing security, aerospace and defence markets worldwide, has formed a strategic partnership in the UAE, with IGG (International Golden Group PJSC), a well established company with its basis of operations in Abu Dhabi, one of the leading suppliers to the UAE Government, Armed forces and other Security agencies.
• Oshkosh Defense Unveils New Heavy Equipment Transporter at AUSA Winter Symposium and Exposition Oshkosh 25 Feb 2009 -- Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), today unveiled the newest version of its Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET), known as the HET A1, at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Winter Symposium and Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Completion of the UK’s first Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) wingset EADS 25 Feb 2009 -- A special event took place today at Airbus' Broughton facility to mark the completion of the first Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) wingset.
• Lockheed Martin’s Pathfinder Completes Flight Testing on HH-60L Black Hawk MEDEVAC Helicopter Lockheed Martin 25 Feb 2009 -- The Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] Pathfinder team has successfully completed flight testing on a U.S. Army HH-60L MEDEVAC Black Hawk helicopter in coordination with the Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate.
• United Arab Emirates Selects Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft Lockheed Martin 25 Feb 2009 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has been selected by the United Arab Emirates to provide 12 C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft to modernize the country’s tactical airlift fleet.
• Second Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL Fighter Lockheed Martin 25 Feb 2009 -- Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] second short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B Lightning II accomplished its first flight on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
• ATK Awarded $90 Million Contract for Trident II Solid Rocket Propulsion Systems ATK 25 Feb 2009 -- Alliant Techsystems has received a $90 million contract from Lockheed Martin to produce solid rocket propulsion systems for all three stages of the U.S. Navy's Trident II (D-5) Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM).

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 25 Feb 2009
• Israel carries out airstrikes on tunnels between Egypt and Gaza RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- The Israeli Air Force has bombed several tunnels used by Palestinian smugglers between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
• As War Nears End, Sri Lankans Weigh Peace Dividend VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- With Sri Lanka's economy stifled by 25 years of war, many weighing benefits of a peace dividend.
• Lanka will not bow to calls for truce under international pressure IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- Sri Lankan government: Would not bow to calls for a truce as the rebels were on the brink of total defeat.
• US Senate Panel Discusses Sri Lanka VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- US Senate committee focused its attention on the situation in Sri Lanka, where the military is engaged in an intense battle with Tamil Tigers.
• Bangladesh Agrees to Pardon Rebel Border Guards if They End Mutiny VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Bangladesh's government is granting amnesty to mutinous border guards in exchange for them agreeing to peacefully return to their barracks.
• Bangladesh Launches Negotiations to Quell Border Guard Mutiny VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Bangladesh's government is negotiating with mutinous border guards who clashed with their Army superiors.
• Indian Border Security Force on high alert along Bangladesh border IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- India's Border Security Force went on high alert following a rebellion by soliders of Bangladesh Rifles in Dhaka.
• Heavy casualties feared as intense gunfire rocks BDR headquarters IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- Heavy casualties are feared as intense gunfire rocked the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka after a mutiny broke out.
• Heavy gun battle erupts in Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- A rebellion apparently broke out in para-military Bangladesh Rifles Headquarters in Pilkhana area in Dhaka.
• Bangladeshi border guards stage mutiny in Dhaka HQ RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- Bangladeshi border guards mutinied on Wednesday, taking senior officers hostage at their headquarters in the capital, Dhaka.
• Nigeria Delays Troop Deployment in Somalia VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Nigeria says it is reluctant to send troops to bolster the African Union peacekeeping force (AMISON) in strife-torn Somalia, because of relentless attacks on peacekeepers.
• Clerics Condemn Somali Insurgents for Violating Islam VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Somali Islamic scholars have condemned Islamist insurgents for launching an attack on pro-government forces and African Union peacekeepers Tuesday in Mogadishu.
• Rwandan Troops Pull Out of DRC VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Rwandan troops have begun withdrawing from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after joining forces with the Congolese army last month to hunt down Rwandan Hutu rebels.
• South Sudan Accuses Army of Seeking New Civil War VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- The government of Sudan's semi-autonomous southern region has accused the national army of trying to provoke a new civil war.
• Ogaden Group Accuses Addis Ababa of Atrocities VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- The Ogaden National Liberation Front is accusing the Ethiopian government of committing genocide against the people of the Ogaden region.
• NIGERIA: Uneasy calm in Bauchi after deadly clashes IRIN 25 Feb 2009 -- Calm has returned to the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi following two days of sectarian clashes that killed 14 people.

News Reports

• Russian Navy officials suspected of trying to smuggle arms to China RIA Novosti 25 Feb 2009 -- A group of Russian Navy officials are suspected of attempting to smuggle missiles and bombs to Tajikistan for sale to China.
• US Rights Report Cites Abuses in China, Russia, Iran VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- State Department's annual report on human rights includes sharp criticism of China.
• US State Department Rebukes Cuba, Venezuela in Rights Report VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- The new State Department human rights report criticizes two anti-U.S. countries in Latin America, Cuba and Venezuela.
• Pakistan ex-PM Sharif accuses President of masterminding his disqualification IRNA 25 Feb 2009 -- Former PM Sharif accused President Zardari of masterminding his disqualification from contesting election.
• Pakistani Court Bars Sharif Brothers From Office VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court maintained a ban that prevents opposition leader Nawaz Sharif from seeking elected office.
• ZIMBABWE: Hardliners frustrating release of detainees IRIN 25 Feb 2009 -- Zimbabwe Attorney-General's office frustrating agreement reached between President Mugabe and PM Tsvangirai for release of political activists.
• Madagascar Opposition Leader Breaks Off Talks With President VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Madagascar's opposition leader: breaking off talks after President Ravalomanana failed to show up for the latest round of negotiations.
• Thai Protesters Rally at Foreign Ministry VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Thousands of Thai protesters surrounded the government compound in Bangkok for a second day Wednesday as others demonstrated outside the foreign ministry.
• Sierra Leone Rebel Leaders Guilty of War Crimes VOA 25 Feb 2009 -- Sierra Leone's war crimes tribunal has convicted former rebel chiefs of crimes against humanity.