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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 09 July 2010 [PDF]
• Iraqis Arrest 4 Terrorism Suspects AFPS 09 Jul 2010 -- Iraqi security forces arrested four terrorism suspects in recent combined operations in Iraq, military officials reported.
• Officials in Afghanistan Describe Recent Operations AFPS 09 Jul 2010 -- Military officials have provided details on numerous recent operations in Afghanistan.
• Buildup of Afghan Security Forces Continues AFPS 09 Jul 2010 -- The push to build Afghanistan’s security forces to 305,000 members is ahead of schedule, but there are still some obstacles to overcome, a senior officer involved in the effort said yesterday.
• Another British Marine killed in Sangin IRNA 09 Jul 2010 -- A Royal Marine has been killed in an explosion while on a foot patrol in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence announced on Friday.
• Germany Says Afghan Security Takeover To Begin Next Year VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle says NATO troops will begin transfering security responsibility to local forces in three to four Afghan provinces next year.
• Suicide bomber kills 47 in Pakistan tribal region: official IRNA 09 Jul 2010 -- A suicide bomber on Friday blew himself up in a crowd outside the office of a top government official in Pakistan’s tribal region and killed at least 47 people, a top official in the region said.
• Suicide Attack Kills at Least 65 in Pakistani Tribal Village VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- Pakistani officials say twin blasts outside a government office have killed at least 65 people in the country's northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Mattis Named To Command U.S. Forces In Iraq, Afghan Wars RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has nominated four-star Marine General James Mattis to be the new head of U.S. Central Command.
• Survey Will Permit Informed Decisions, Official Says AFPS 09 Jul 2010 -- Survey responses on the possible repeal of the law that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military will allow leaders to make informed decisions, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today.
• MWSS-171 Marines to build schoolhouse in Bangladesh USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- Approximately 40 Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 combat engineers will be deploying to Bangladesh in support of the Bangladesh Interoperability Exercise through the Engineering Civic Action Program, July 7.
• MACS-4 air traffic controllers support station mission USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- With approximately 60 Marines in their detachment, many station members have never even heard of Marine Air Control Squadron 4 Detachment B.
• Through air land, sea: Iwakuni uses sea, air ports to fullest USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- A Grumman E-2 Hawkeye plane was shipped from the air station on a voyage to its new U.S. homeport Naval Air Facility North Island, San Diego, June 28.
• Mighty Shrikes bid farewell to MCAS Iwakuni USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- Under the Unit Deployment Program, many fighter attack squadrons deploy in and out of the Pacific region for six months at a time.
• USS O'Kane Departs Pearl Harbor for a Seven-Month Deployment Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- More than 250 Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS O'Kane (DDG 77) departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam July 9 for a seven-month deployment.
• USS Philadelphia Sails for Final Time into Retirement Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Philadelphia (SSN 690) left her homeport at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., for a final time July 9 to complete the process of being retired from the U.S. Navy fleet.
• Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group Conducts COMPTUEX Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is taking part in a composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) July 7-30 off the East Coast of the United States.
• Navy Medical Research Tests Vaccine Against Bacteria-Caused Disease Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- The Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) will soon begin a study to test a new vaccine that could help eliminate diseases that cripple armies, put travelers in sick beds and cause millions of child deaths in undeveloped countries.
• USNS Comfort Holds Change of Command Ceremony Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) held a change of command ceremony in Baltimore July 8.
• Warrior Transiton Program Dedicates Decompression Tent to Sailors Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- The Warrior Transition Program (WTP) at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, held a dedication ceremony opening the doors to the Cmdr. Charles "Keith" Springle Decompression Tent June 27.
• Truman CSG Strenghens International Ties Through Training Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) concluded air defense interoperability exercises with French destroyer FS Jean Bart (D615) July 9.
• USS Taylor Departs Villefranche Navy NewsStand 09 Jul 2010 -- USS Taylor (FFG 50) departed Villefranche, France, after a four-day port visit July 6.
• Air Guard instructor uses Marine experience AFNS 09 Jul 2010 -- Tech. Sgt. David Butler is a former Marine who's now serving here as an instructor with the Texas Air National Guard.
• 2nd ANGLICO Marines train with British soldiers USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- Marines of 2nd Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force, recently completed a pre-deployment exercise that gave training a whole new meaning. Instead of trudging through the sands of 29 Palms, Calif., the Marines of 2nd ANGLICO trained on grassy fields in the mild temperatures of the English countryside.
• British Commandos practice live-fire exercise at MOUT facility USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- British service members with 30 Commando IX (Information Exploitation) Group, 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, honed their close-combat skills during a live-fire, room-clearing exercise using the Military Operations on Urban Terrain facility aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, July 1.
• English Commando Helicopter Force Invades Station USMC News 09 Jul 2010 -- Elements of the English Central Helicopter Command's Commando Helicopter Force recently arrived aboard the Air Station to participate in combined amphibious exercises with U.S. Marines as part of Operation Auriga 2010.
• 82nd Maintenance trains at Anniston Army News 09 Jul 2010 -- The 82nd Maintenance Company, a component of the Georgia National Guard, came to Anniston Army Depot June 12 for two weeks of training.
• ANAD's speedy M1A2 reset praised Army News 09 Jul 2010 -- A rollout ceremony held here June 29 celebrated the depot's completion of 192 M1A2 System Enhancement Package, version 2, vehicles reset to Army standards and the speed at which that feat was accomplished.
• Stryker reset work continues at ANAD Army News 09 Jul 2010 -- Anniston Army Depot and General Dynamics Land Systems are two months into their second program resetting Stryker vehicles for the Army. This work, along with the continuation of GDLS' new Stryker production and the partners' work to repair battle- and combat-damaged Strykers, puts the installation in a position to be the self-proclaimed "Stryker hub of America," said Dale Williams, Stryker division chief at ANAD.
• Russian Navy expands anti-piracy mission in Gulf of Aden RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- The Russian Navy has extended the convoy route in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden to 380 kilometers, the Pacific Fleet commander said on Friday.
• Russia's air defense 'responds' to all aircraft near its airspace RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- The Russian air defense system is designed so that it responds to all aircraft approaching the state's airspace, a high ranking Defense Ministry source said on Friday.
• Russian army reform after the Vostok-2010 military exercises RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- The large-scale Vostok-2010 military exercises which were conducted over a vast area between the Altai Territory in Western Siberia and Vladivostok in Russia's Far East were the largest war games in post-Soviet Russia.
• Russia sends warship to international naval drills in N.Atlantic RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- The Severomorsk guided-missile destroyer from Russia's Northern Fleet set sail Friday for British shores to team up with NATO warships in an international naval exercise in the North Atlantic, a fleet spokesman said.
• UN gears up for discussions on first-ever arms trade treaty UN News Centre 09 Jul 2010 -- With the first round of United Nations-backed talks on a global, legally-binding treaty on the import and export of weapons set to kick off next week, the official chairing the discussions said today he hopes that the pact will be concluded in 2012.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 09, 2010
• Boeing Submits NewGen Tanker Proposal to US Air Force Boeing 09 Jul 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force to provide the service with a next-generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft. Based on Boeing's 767 commercial airplane, the NewGen Tanker would replace 179 of the 400 Eisenhower-era KC-135 aircraft currently in the Air Force fleet.
• Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle Demonstrator Makes 1st Flight Boeing 09 Jul 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] Silent Eagle flight demonstrator aircraft F-15E1 completed a successful first flight on July 8 from Lambert St. Louis International Airport. During the 80-minute flight, F-15E1 opened and closed its left-side Conformal Weapons Bay, which contained an AIM-120 Instrumented Test Vehicle (ITV) missile. The ITV was not launched.
• Third Airbus Military A400M makes its first flight EADS 09 Jul 2010 -- MSN 3 joins its sister-ships MSN 1 and MSN 2 which were also in the air during this test flight, meaning that 3 A400M were flying at the same time. During the day this fleet also passed the milestone of 100 test flights and 400 flight hours.
• EADS Defence & Security celebrates delivery of 300th right Eurofighter wing EADS 09 Jul 2010 -- A ceremony was held this Friday at EADS Defence & Security’s facilities in Getafe to celebrate the delivery of the 300th right Eurofighter wing, in which the workforce on the assembly line played a crucial part. This wing will be integrated in the twin-seat Eurofighter 021 destined for the German Air Force, which will be assembled at EADS Defence & Security's facilities in Manching, Germany.
• Government of Canada Awards LAV III Upgrade Definition Contract to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada General Dynamics 09 Jul 2010 -- The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, announced today that the Government of Canada has awarded a $34.4 million contract to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. Under this contract, General Dynamics will perform trade-off studies, design work, prototype build and testing to define the upgrades that will be incorporated into Canada’s fleet of LAV III vehicles. The resultant upgrade package will enhance LAV III performance in the areas of survivability, mobility and firepower.
• In-orbit delivery: Astrium hands over second communications satellite to German armed forces EADS 09 Jul 2010 -- The second dedicated military communications satellite for the German armed forces is now operational, having completed in-orbit testing on 8 July 2010. The latest series of tests covered the satellite platform, the payload, and the components of the satellite’s secure control system. With this final milestone, the conditions for in-orbit delivery of the second satellite to the Bundeswehr IT Office have been fully met, and today Astrium will be handing over the COMSATBw-2 satellite to its future end user, the German armed forces, only seven weeks after it was launched into space.
• KD Tun Razak, the second Royal Malaysian Navy submarine, sails in homeland waters DCNS 09 Jul 2010 -- The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) second Scorpene submarine, KD Tun Razak, reached the Lumut naval base for an official homecoming ceremony on the 2nd of July. Mid-July, she will sail to Teluk Sepanggar, Sabah, the RMN submarine base
• First launch of Sagem AASM missile with terminal laser guidance a success Sagem (Safran group) 09 Jul 2010 -- On June 17, 2010, Sagem (Safran group) and the French defense procurement agency DGA successfully carried out the first launch of a 250 kg AASM modular air-to-ground weapon with terminal laser guidance, in a demonstrator version

Other Conflicts

• 9 July 2010 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 09 Jul 2010
• KPA Not to Be Bound to Modalities and Methods of Talks KCNA 09 Jul 2010 -- The U.S. forces side sent a notice to the DPRK side on June 26 to the effect that it would explain "results of investigation" into the "Cheonan" case.
• Answer of FM Spokesman Distributed as Official Document of UNSC KCNA 01 Jul 2010 -- An answer given by a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry to a question put by KCNA on July 6 as regards the fact that the U.S. was describing the "Cheonan" incident as an "act of violating the Korean Armistice Agreement" was distributed as official document S/2010/358 of the UNSC on July 8.
• Security Council condemns recent sinking of Republic of Korea ship UN News Centre 09 Jul 2010 -- The Security Council today condemned the recent sinking of a Republic of Korea (ROK) naval vessel, stressing the need to prevent further attacks both against the East Asian nation and in the region.
• UN Security Council Condemns 'Cheonan' Sinking VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- The United Nations Security Council has unanimously condemned the March 26 torpedo attack on the South Korean warship Cheonan, but stopped short of directly condemning North Korea for the attack.
• US Professors Raise Doubts About Report on South Korean Ship Sinking VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- A new study by U.S. researchers raises questions about the investigation into the sinking of a South Korean navy ship. International investigators blamed a North Korean torpedo, raising tensions on the Korean peninsula.
• Army keeps lid on restive Kashmir valley IRNA 09 Jul 2010 -- Tens of thousands of army and paramilitary soldiers were patrolling the streets of capital city for a second day, enforcing a rigid curfew.
• Kyrgyz Officials Put Cost Of Violence At $71 Million RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- Kyrgyz officials say recent ethnic violence in the south of the country caused some $71 million worth of damage, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

News Reports

• American Prisoner Attempts Suicide KCNA 09 Jul 2010 -- American Gomes serving a prison term in the DPRK recently attempted to take his own life, according to information available from a relevant organ.
• Russia, US, Swap Prisoners in Spy Case VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- Russia and the United States have conducted a spy exchange at an airport in Vienna, Austria. Russia swapped four prisoners for 10 members of an alleged Russian spy ring operating in the U.S.
• U.S., Russia Complete Spy Swap RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- The U.S. government has confirmed that a spy swap took place between 10 suspected Russian spies in U.S. custody and four people imprisoned by Russia for alleged ties to Western intelligence services.
• Ten Russian Spies Fly Out Of United States RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- All 10 suspected Russian spies who pleaded guilty in a federal court in New York have been flown out of the United States and are now headed for Russia.
• Britain mulls cancelation of citizenship of two Russian spies convicted in U.S. RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- British authorities are considering the urgent cancelation of UK citizenship from two convicted Russian spies in the United States, a source at the UK Border Agency said.
• Convicted U.S. spy may seek political asylum in Britain RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- U.S. spy Igor Sutyagin, one of the four participants of the U.S.-Russian spy swap deal, may seek political asylum in Britain, International Intelligence Limited' s CEO, Alex Bomberg said on Friday.
• Russian spies deported from U.S. arrive to Moscow from Austria RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- Ten convicted Russian spies deported from the United States arrived on Friday at Moscow's Domodedovo International Airport on a Russian Emergency Ministry plane, the airport said.
• Convicted Russian spies fly on to Russia from Austria RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- Ten convicted Russian spies were flown out of Vienna on Friday on a Russian plane after arriving on a charter flight from New York, a Russian special service source said.
• Russian diplomats to help spies' children travel to Russia RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- Russian diplomatic missions abroad will help the children of the Russian citizens convicted of spying in the United States return to their parents, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
• Commentary: Why The Russia Spy Story Really Matters RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- Invisible ink, instructions concealed in images posted on the Internet, a laptop in a Barnes & Noble flashing messages to a passing van: the high-tech spycraft used by the 10 now-confessed Russian intelligence agents arrested last month intrigue us because it rings of good old spy fiction -- and the exchange of the spies for four Russians convicted of spying for the West only adds to that feeling -- but it's less astounding than the farce.
• Spy scandal adds drama to the reset RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- The U.S.-Russian spy scandal has been gaining momentum for nearly two weeks now. It has even spilled over into the UK. But it's still not clear if it is serious enough to warrant the media hype.
• Lebanon: Security Council calls for freedom of movement of UN peacekeepers UN News Centre 09 Jul 2010 -- Strongly deploring recent incidents directed at United Nations blue helmets in Lebanon, the Security Council today called for ensuring the safety and freedom of movement of the peacekeepers serving there.
• Tajikistan Hands Over Two Terrorist Suspects To Kyrgyzstan RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- A Kyrgyz police official says two men detained by Tajik law enforcement officials and returned to Kyrgyzstan are members of terrorist groups, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.
• Ex-premier Tymoshenko says Russia swallowing Ukraine RIA Novosti 09 Jul 2010 -- Ukraine risks losing its sovereignty as it is being swallowed by its giant neighbor, Russia, Ukraine's former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko told the BBC Ukrainian Service on Friday.
• Guinea's Presidential Runoff Pushed to End of July VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- Guinea's electoral commission says that a runoff in the country's presidential election will not take place before the end of July after the Supreme Court has ruled on challenges to first-round results brought by many of the 24 presidential candidates.
• Mugabe: Zimbabwe Does Not Need Western Aid VOA 09 Jul 2010 -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe says his country does not need Western aid to rebuild its shattered economy.
• UN agency opens up access to largest database of hunger statistics UN News Centre 09 Jul 2010 -- The world’s largest and most comprehensive database on food, agriculture and hunger is now open to the public, free of charge, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced today.
• Tehran Bazaar Dispute May Herald New Regime Crackdown RFE/RL 09 Jul 2010 -- If ever an institution typified the blend of social and religious conservatism wrapped up in Iran's Islamic Revolution, it is the Tehran bazaar -- home to an array of carpet sellers, textile traders, and food merchants instinctively suspicious of the alien values of Western commerce.
• UN rights chief welcomes Cuba’s planned release of political detainees UN News Centre 09 Jul 2010 -- United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay has welcomed the announcement that Cuba plans to release 52 political detainees, her spokesperson said today.