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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 17 May 2010 [PDF]
• Airpower Summary: May 16 AFNS 17 May 2010
• Airpower Summary: May 15 AFNS 17 May 2010
• Airpower Summary: May 14 AFNS 17 May 2010
• Iraqis Help U.S. Troops Recover Helicopter AFPS 17 May 2010 -- A team of Iraqi police and U.S. forces secured and recovered a disabled U.S. helicopter today after it was forced to make a precautionary landing May 15.
• First in, last out: Members of first RED HORSE squadron back in Iraq AFNS 17 May 2010 -- Members of the 200th RED HORSE Squadron have arrived here to draw down the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron from Iraq.
• Forces Kill, Detain Militants, Seize Weapons, Drugs AFPS 17 May 2010 -- Afghan and international forces killed or captured numerous enemy fighters and seized illegal drugs and weapons in operations in Afghanistan.
• First American flies Mi-35 HIND in combat AFNS 17 May 2010 -- An Air Force major from the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Combined Air Power Transition Force is the first American Mi-35 HIND attack helicopter pilot to fly in combat.
• Commander Discusses NATO Contributions in Afghanistan AFPS 17 May 2010 -- NATO allies are in Afghanistan for the long haul and have made both significant progress and significant commitments.
• ISAF Helps Afghans Search for Missing Passenger Aircraft AFPS 17 May 2010 -- The International Security Assistance Force is helping Afghan authorities in their search for a civilian passenger aircraft that was reported missing today.
• Increased cooperation needed on Afghanistan - OSCE chief RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Chair of the OSCE discussed in Kabul initiatives to increase international cooperation and enhance security in Afghanistan.
• Pro-Peace Cleric Assassinated In Afghanistan RFE/RL 17 May 2010 -- A popular Muslim cleric who had called for peace in Afghanistan has been assassinated.
• National Guard links up with multinationals Army News 17 May 2010 -- In preparation for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan with Hungarian Soldiers, Staff Sgt. Timothy Harmon has given himself a crash course in the language.
• Pakistan jets kill 10 militants in tribal area IRNA 17 May 2010 -- Pakistan fighter planes and gunship helicopters bombed hideouts of suspected militants in Orakzai tribal region and killed at least 10 militants.
• UN: Aid Program In Pakistan Under Threat VOA 17 May 2010 -- Last year, more than three million people fled fighting in South Waziristan and other areas in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Area.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD News: DOD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for April 2010 DoD 17 May 2010 -- The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for April 2010.
• Air Force senior leaders take FY 2011 budget request to Capitol Hill AFNS 17 May 2010 -- Air Force's top leaders addressed the service's FY11 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.
• Recalled Helmets No 'Direct Risk' to Soldiers AFPS 17 May 2010 -- The Army recall of 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets is the result of a Department of Justice investigation as well as independent tests.
• Fighters respond to ultralight aircraft AFNS 17 May 2010 -- Two F-16s intercepted an ultralight aircraft in the vicinity of the Southwest Arizona border.
• The Screwtops Return to Enterprise Navy NewsStand 17 May 2010 -- For the first time since December 2007, two E-2C Hawkeyes landed aboard USS Enterprise.
• Mobile emergency units facilitate protection, communication and recovery efforts Army News 17 May 2010 -- Technology enables the Emergency Operation Center to be fully operational and self-sufficient mobile units which can be activated in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
• Busy mobilization training season projected at Fort McCoy throughout FY 2010 Army News 17 May 2010 -- Fort McCoy is projected to train 19 percent of the nearly 60,000 servicemembers programmed by First Army for mobilization in fiscal year 2010 (FY10), said Col. Bas Oskam, Fort McCoy's deputy commander for mobilization.
• The Army Training Concept Army News 17 May 2010 -- The Army Training Concept (ATC) is a new Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) concept capability plan for the future 2012-2020 Modular Force.
• Third Army increases international interoperability Army News 17 May 2010 -- Representatives from the militaries of the U.S. and eight of its partner nations came together for Third Army/U.S. Army Central's fourth-annual International Aviation Symposium May 3 through 7 in Atlanta.
• Senegalese and Malian soldiers train with U.S. special forces in Mali Army News 17 May 2010 -- Malian and Senegalese soldiers worked with their counterparts taking part in classes on small unit tactics, movements, and convoy vehicle recover drills.
• UAVs a New Addition to CARAT Thailand 2010 Navy NewsStand 17 May 2010 -- CARAT Thailand 2010 provides a unique experience for the US Navy and Royal Thai Navy (RTN).
• Special Boat Team 12 Storage Building Completed Navy NewsStand 17 May 2010 -- Special Boat Team 12 and Navy Region Southwest hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of the new SBT-12 Storage building.
• U.S. Air Force delivers humanitarian cargo to flood-stricken Tajikistan AFNS 17 May 2010 -- An Air Mobility Command C-17 aircrew delivered approximately 100,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to Tajikistan.
• Swift Sailors Deliver Project Handclasp Aid in Jamaica Navy NewsStand 17 May 2010 -- Sailors on board high speed vessel Swift made 2 Project Handclasp aid deliveries in Port Antonio, Jamaica.
• NATO Chief Touts Alliance's New Strategic Concept AFPS 17 May 2010 -- The new NATO strategic concept seeks to help the alliance sort through the challenges of the future and discuss where the alliance is going.
• NATO Experts Recommend Balance Between Global Challenges, Local Concerns RFE/RL 17 May 2010 -- Group of senior experts: NATO must make sure all its allies feel secure as it pursues its aims in the world.
• NATO Unveils Draft of New Mission Blueprint VOA 17 May 2010 -- NATO has unveiled an operations blueprint for the next decade that expands the defense organization's mandate to include counter-terrorism, the war in Afghanistan and missile defense.
• Russian, NATO defense ministers may meet in June RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- The Russia-NATO Council may meet on a ministerial level in the middle of June, the first such gathering since Russia's war with Georgia.
• Russia urges U.S. to revisit draft European security treaty RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Russia is ready to cooperate with the United States on a new European security treaty, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Monday.
• Russian naval base in Ukraine guarantees European security integrity - Medvedev RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Russia's naval base in the city of Sevastopol in Ukraine's Crimea guarantees European security integrity.
• Russia to help Ukraine finish construction of missile cruiser RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Russia has agreed to help Ukraine finish construction on a missile cruiser, which has been stalled for almost 15 years.
• Medvedev hopes to sign important documents during visit to Ukraine RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he hopes to sign a set of documents on cooperation during his visit to Ukraine.
• Russia, India plan to hold peacekeeping drills in fall RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Up to 150 Russian troops will take part in joint peacekeeping exercises with India scheduled for autumn this year.
• Israel interested in relations with Russia despite odds over Hamas RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Israel is interested in maintaining and developing good relations with Russia despite its dissatisfaction over Russian contacts with Hamas.
• India successfully test-fires ballistic missile Agni-II IRNA 17 May 2010 -- India successfully test-fired, the indigenously developed Agni-II from the Interim Test Range.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 5/17/2010 The White House 17 May 2010
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing - 05/17/10 US Dept. of State 17 May 2010

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 17, 2010
• Northrop Grumman Awarded Global Hawk Sensor Suite Repair Capability Contract Northrop Grumman 17 May 2010 -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $50 million firm fixed-price/cost plus fixed -fee contract to provide the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft program with an interim repair capability for its integrated sensor suite (ISS) and the enhanced integrated sensor suite (EISS). The interim repair line, which will be separate from the current production line, will be located and operated at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) in El Segundo, Calif. Raytheon SAS is partnered with Northrop Grumman to provide the EISS imaging system for the Global Hawk Block 20 and 30 systems.
• BAE Systems Receives $10.7 Million Order for Soldier Equipment BAE Systems 17 May 2010 -- BAE Systems has received a $10.7 million order from the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) to manufacture and deliver more than 20,000 Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system sets in MultiCam® camouflage.
• BAE Systems and Portendo Sign IED Threat Detection Agreement BAE Systems 17 May 2010 -- BAE Systems and Portendo AB have signed an agreement to co-operate on civil and military detection systems for improvised explosive devices.
• CACI Awarded Prime Position on $1.5 Billion, Multiple-Award Contract to Support U.S. Special Operations Command CACI 17 May 2010 -- CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) announced today that it has been awarded one of four prime contracts to support the United States Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM) Global Battlestaff and Program Support (GBPS) effort. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of $1.5 billion and a period of performance that consists of a three-year base period and a two-year option period.
• Airbus Military A330 MRTT refuels second A330 MRTT EADS 17 May 2010 -- To-date three such flights have been performed, the latest one being part of the certification flight trials. This type of operation further illustrates the capability of the new-generation A330 MRTT tanker to refuel any kind of large receiver, even wide-body aircraft like another A330 MRTT or receiver aircraft with complex aerodynamics such as the E-3 AWACS tested in February. It also demonstrates the capability of the aircraft as a receiver and means that the A330 MRTT is now both the largest aircraft to have refuelled an A330 MRTT and the largest to have received fuel from it.
• EADS Defence & Security commissioned to deliver further basic units of the Future Soldier System to the Bundeswehr EADS 17 May 2010 -- EADS Defence & Security has been commissioned by Germany’s Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) to deliver a further 220 units of the Future Soldier System (Infanterist der Zukunft) in its basic version (IdZ BS). This is part of an immediate procurement measure to meet the needs of the Bundeswehr forces deployed in Afghanistan in the context of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission. It means that another 220 Bundeswehr soldiers will be supported by the tried and tested soldier system for mission preparation and execution. This new delivery will raise the Bundeswehr’s total number of IdZ BS equipment sets to about 2,500.
• Lockheed Martin Launches Prepar3d ™ to Provide Richer Training Experience for Warfighters Lockheed Martin 17 May 2010 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has released its new Prepar3D ™ software that enables rapid creation of medium-fidelity simulations for training exercises.
• Lockheed Martin F-35 Fighters Arrive Together At Edwards AFB Lockheed Martin 17 May 2010 -- Two Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters flew nonstop from their final-assembly site in Fort Worth, Texas, to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., today, signaling a further expansion of F-35 flight test operations. The arrival is the first in a series that will increase the Edwards F-35 test fleet to at least eight aircraft.
• SAIC Awarded $24 Million Contract to Support Air Traffic Control & Landing Systems at Tinker Air Force Base SAIC 17 May 2010 -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) (NYSE: SAI) today announced it has been awarded a prime contract by the U.S. Air Force (AF) to deliver deployable tactical air navigation (D-TACAN) systems to the Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (ATCALS) program office at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Okla. The new contract has a three year period of performance and is valued at more than $24 million. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif.

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General - 05/17/10 United Nations 17 May 2010
• SOMALIA: Government infighting "good for insurgents" IRIN 17 May 2010 -- The widening rift between Somalia's leaders could weaken the transitional government and its ability to deal with problems facing the country.
• Somalia: UN supports President's efforts to form new cabinet after speaker resigns UN News Centre 17 May 2010 -- Top United Nations envoy for Somalia declared full support for President Sheikh Ahmed’s efforts to form a new, “more effective,” cabinet.
• SUDAN: Disarmament doubts in Lakes State IRIN 17 May 2010 -- Southern Sudanese authorities have stepped up efforts to collect illegal weapons in Lakes State, but critics say the process is prone to abuse and has left some communities unprotected.
• UN forum focuses on how to better meet humanitarian needs in Darfur UN News Centre 17 May 2010 -- Security and political developments, as well as cooperation to better serve the humanitarian needs of the people of Darfur on the agenda at meeting.
• Back from DR Congo, Security Council set to review mandate of UN force UN News Centre 17 May 2010 -- Members of the Security Council have wrapped up what they called an “extremely intense” listening tour in the DRC.
• India Maoists Blamed for Fatal Bus Attack Killing Dozens VOA 17 May 2010 -- India's government blames the rebels for planting explosives below the pavement of a rural road that destroyed a passenger bus.
• Police: Maoists Blow Up Bus in Central India VOA 17 May 2010 -- Police say Maoist rebels have blown up a bus in central India, killing at least 20 people, including police officers.
• Sri Lanka Marks First Anniversary of Civil War End VOA 17 May 2010 -- Sri Lanka holds a series of ceremonies this week to mark the first anniversary of the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels and the end of a quarter-century of civil war.
• Lack of communal reconciliation in Kosovo risks social unrest, UN envoy warns UN News Centre 17 May 2010 -- The absence of a significant process of reconciliation between the communities in Kosovo continues to present the risk of social unrest.
• Internal displacement at highest level since mid-1990s, finds UN-backed report UN News Centre 17 May 2010 -- More than 27 million people were uprooted by violence within their countries in 2009, the highest number since the mid-1990s, according to a new United Nations-backed study.

News Reports

• Russia to help Kyrgyzstan recover from riots RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Russia has prepared a package of measures to ensure stability in Kyrgyzstan after a series of deadly riots.
• Kyrgyz Communist Leader Jailed For Two Months RFE/RL 17 May 2010 -- A Bishkek court ruled that Communist Party leader Masaliev should be detained for two months in connection with the takeover of government buildings last week.
• Kyrgyz security service blames ex-deputies over new unrest RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- Kyrgyzstan's national security service: Former deputies in the parliament dissolved by the interim government behind last week's uprisings.
• Constitutional Crunch Time In Kyrgyzstan RFE/RL 17 May 2010 -- Is Kyrgyzstan about to re-establish its image as the most democratic state in Central Asia, or will the interim government only worsen the spirit of discontent?
• Kyrgyz Civilian Patrols Expand Security Role RFE/RL 17 May 2010 -- Less than two months ago, Daniyar Terbeshaliev was a private entrepreneur running a small business not far from downtown Bishkek.
• Support Spreads Beyond the Poor in Thailand's Red-Shirt Heartland VOA 17 May 2010 -- Many of the so-called Red-Shirt protesters come from the country's rural poor and urban working class.
• Thailand: UN rights chief calls on Government, protestors to ‘step back from brink’ UN News Centre 17 May 2010 -- Top United Nations human rights official called on anti-Government protestors and the security forces to pull back from the brink.
• Thai Protesters Defy Government Deadline as Clashes Continue VOA 17 May 2010 -- Thai protesters have defied a government deadline to leave their encampment in central Bangkok.
• More Speculations About Nigerian President's 2011 Ambition VOA 17 May 2010 -- Speculation about whether Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan will seek re-election in 2011 continues to grow.
• Liberian President Sirleaf Visits the U.S. VOA 17 May 2010 -- Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has arrived in the United States for what aides are calling a combination of both private and official visit.
• LIBERIA: Land-rights tensions not abating IRIN 17 May 2010 -- Since the civil war ended in 2003, the combination of returning refugees, population growth, and ongoing land tenure tensions dating back 25 years has led to at least 250 land dispute deaths.
• Violence Mars Burundi Election Effort VOA 17 May 2010 -- The central African country of Burundi is scheduled to hold a series of elections.
• 2005 Ethiopian Election: A Look Back VOA 17 May 2010 -- Next week, Ethiopia holds its fourth national polls since the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front overthrew the 17-year-old Marxist government of Mengistu Hailemariam.
• Hong Kong Democrats Win Bittersweet Election Victory VOA 17 May 2010 -- Although democracy advocates in Hong Kong have taken 80 percent of the vote in by-elections, there are questions about the significance.
• Soviet WWII veteran loses Strasbourg court case against Latvia RIA Novosti 17 May 2010 -- A former Soviet partisan who was convicted by a Latvian court for war crimes, has lost his case against Latvian authorities.