• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 19 May 2011 [PDF]
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 18 May 2011
• UK pulling out last remaining troops in Iraq IRNA 19 May 2011 -- Britain is withdrawing its last remaining troops -more than 100 Navy personnel – in Iraq, effectively ending its military involvement in the eight-year old war, one of the most controversial in recent history.
• 3rd ID Headquarters to deploy in late fall Army News 19 May 2011 -- Recently, the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, was notified by the Department of the Army that they will deploy late this fall in support of Operation New Dawn in Iraq.
• DOD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Jones via Teleconference from Afghanistan DoD 19 May 2011 -- Presenter: Director, Force Reintegration Cell, International Security Assistance Force Headquarters
• Afghan Reintegration Efforts Grow, Official Says AFPS 19 May 2011 -- Now is time for insurgents in Afghanistan to lay their weapons down and rejoin their communities, a top NATO military official said today.
• Afghan police training going to 8 weeks, RSC commanders told Army News 19 May 2011 -- Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV, commanding general, NATO Training Mission -Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, announced on opening day of the Regional Support Command Commanders Conference May 17 that the Afghan Basic Patrolman Course will increase two weeks for a total of eight weeks of training.
• 'Warhorse' ready for Afghanistan Army News 19 May 2011 -- Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, cased their units' colors Tuesday at Manhart Field in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
• Forces Kill 60 Enemy Fighters in 3-day Operation AFPS 19 May 2011 -- Combined forces wrapped up a three-day operation in the Qiasar district of Afghanistan's Faryab province yesterday, killing more than 60 insurgents, military officials reported.
• Pendleton helicopter squadrons transfer authority in Afghanistan USMC News 19 May 2011 -- The Vipers of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 are scheduled to transfer their responsibility of providing close air support in Regional Command Southwest to HMLA-267, at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, May 19.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Remarks of President Barack Obama: 'A Moment of Opportunity' The White House 19 May 2011
• Obama Addresses 'Extraordinary Change' in Middle East, North Africa VOA 19 May 2011 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has welcomed the 'extraordinary change' taking place in the Middle East and North Africa, but said too many countries have met the calls for change with violence.
• Obama: U.S. Stands with Middle East Nations Open to Reform AFPS 19 May 2011 -- Amid extraordinary changes taking place in the Middle East and North Africa, the United States is responding in ways that advance the nation's values and strengthen its security, President Barack Obama said in a speech here today.
• Obama Delivers Key Speech on Middle East VOA 19 May 2011 -- President Barack Obama has delivered a major address focusing on the situation in the Arab world. Our correspondent looks at a key issue - the search for a lasting peace in that region.
• Obama: US Supports Political, Economic Reform in Mideast, N. Africa VOA 19 May 2011 -- In a major address on historic changes in the Middle East and North Africa, President Barack Obama says the United States stands firmly on the side of people protesting for democratic reform and against violence being used by some governments against protesters.
• Obama's Pledge of Aid Welcomed in Mideast, Politics Less So VOA 19 May 2011 -- Reaction to President Barack Obama's speech on the Middle East has prompted some initial mixed reactions in Egypt. While plans for economic and development aid are being welcomed, hopes for a more consistent stand on regional unrest and a new approach to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict were largely dashed.
• Gates Shares Views on Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan AFPS 19 May 2011 -- During a question-and-answer session here today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates gave U.S. Army Engineer School students his view of the situations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Secretary Urges Careful Thought in Spending Reductions AFPS 19 May 2011 -- Finding $400 billion in additional defense spending reductions over the next 12 years will require careful thought that considers the risks the reductions create, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.
• Challenges Lie Ahead for Army, Gates Says AFPS 19 May 2011 -- With all but its most senior soldiers having known no Army except the one that has deployed relentlessly for a decade, the service faces numerous challenges in the years to come, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.
• Theodore Roosevelt to Leave Dry Dock NNS 19 May 2011 -- USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is scheduled to complete its 20-month dry dock period May 21, when it undocks from dry dock 11 and moves to a pier side location at Newport News Shipbuilding for completion of the aircraft carrier's Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH).
• USS Whidbey Island Completes Port Visit to Italy NNS 19 May 2011 -- Sailors from amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and embarked Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed a port visit to Taranto, Italy, May 13-18.
• U.S. Fleet Forces Hosts Chinese General, Staff for Tour of Ships, Squadrons NNS 19 May 2011 -- Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF), Adm. J.C. Harvey, Jr., hosted Chief of the General Staff, People's Liberation Army, People's Republic of China, Army General Chen Bingde and his official party May 19, for a variety of tours and briefings as the official guests of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Keel Laying Ceremony to be Held for Newest Submarine NNS 19 May 2011 -- Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), will host a keel laying ceremony May 20, for the new submarine USS Minnesota (SSN 783), the third U.S. Navy ship named for the North Star state.
• USS Monterey Visits Piraeus NNS 19 May 2011 -- Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) anchored off the coast of Piraeus, Greece, for a scheduled port visit, May 13-18.
• ONR Delays Online Wargame Due to Surge in Public Interest NNS 19 May 2011 -- The Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced May 19 that it has delayed the launch of its internet wargame exercise due to overwhelming interest and a surge in player registrations.
• Stennis Carrier Strike Group Conducts Simulated Strait Transit NNS 19 May 2011 -- The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group conducted a simulated strait transit off the coast of Southern California, May 18.
• Pacific Partnership Team Arrives in Papua New Guinea NNS 19 May 2011 -- Amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7), the flagship for Pacific Partnership 2011, anchored off the coast of Lae May 19, to begin the third phase of the mission with representatives from Australia, Canada, Spain, France and the United States.
• Nebraska Blue Crew Welcomes New CO NNS 19 May 2011 -- USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) (Blue) held a change of command ceremony at Deterrent Park aboard Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., May 13.
• Naval Special Warfare Training Building Opens in Coronado NNS 19 May 2011 -- Naval Special Warfare Center and Navy Region Southwest hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of the new Naval Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC) Training Center of Excellence on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif., May 17.
• Contract Awarded for Fitness Center at Naval Station Mayport NNS 19 May 2011 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $24.4 million contract May 13 to Sauer, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., for the design-build construction of a fitness center addition at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.
• Crew Escapes Aircraft Crash at Point Mugu NNS 19 May 2011 -- The three crew members aboard an Omega Air Boeing 707 tanker that crashed on the evening of May 18 from Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Point Mugu escaped with minor injuries.
• JTACs show off new capability during digital demo AFNS 19 May 2011 -- Joint terminal attack controllers with the 607th Air Support Operations Group here recently showed off new digital capabilities during a demonstration with members of the South Korea air force.
• AMCOM Announces Restructure Army News 19 May 2011 -- Maj. Gen. Jim Rogers, AMCOM Commanding General, announced here Monday that Lisha Adams, Senior Executive Service Director of AMCOM's Integrated Materiel Management Center, will be moving to the Army Materiel Command's G-4 (Logistics) Deputy Director position Sunday June 5, 2011.
• Army tells senators: FY12 to feature squad analysis Army News 19 May 2011 -- The Army will conduct an analysis of its 'fundamental fighting unit,' the squad, to ensure everything is being done to prepare those Soldiers for the fight.
• 409th CSB holds European Contracting Conference Army News 19 May 2011 -- Army contracting professionals gathered together here, April 18-20, for the European Contracting Conference or EURCON 2011. The event was hosted by the 409th Contracting Support Brigade and marked the first time the entire brigade was brought together as one.
• Mass casualty exercise tests city, military medical capabilities Army News 19 May 2011 -- The scenario started out May 17 with a number of tornadoes tearing through populated areas of Oklahoma, resulting in casualties that overwhelmed the local medical capabilities. It quickly became necessary to airlift some injured persons to San Antonio for medical care.
• National Guard supports final Endeavour flight AFNS 19 May 2011 -- Air National Guard members from Illinois, New York and Virginia were on hand for the final launch of NASA's space shuttle Endeavour here May 16.
• US, China Seek Harmony in Military Ties VOA 19 May 2011 -- The United States and China held their highest-level military talks in seven years this week in Washington, during the visit of the chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army, General Chen Bingde. While military ties between the two countries have long lagged behind stronger relations in business and other areas, and pointed differences of view remain, the two sides say the frank talks have helped build understanding.
• PLA chief: No ballistic missile deployment targeting Taiwan CNA 19 May 2011 -- The chief of general staff of China's People's Liberation Army said in the United States Wednesday that China does not have ballistic missiles deployed in coastal areas targeting Taiwan.
• U.S. law governing Taiwan arms sale hard to change, official says CNA 19 May 2011 -- Most members of the U.S. Congress support the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) - the U.S. law that obliges Washington to sell defensive weapons to Taiwan - and it would not be easy for China to alter the status quo in this regard, Deputy Foreign Minister Thomas Hou said Thursday.
• US, Pakistan Continue Push to Repair Ties VOA 19 May 2011 -- Top U.S. officials are holding talks with Pakistani leaders in a push to repair ties further strained by the U.S. raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
• India set to sign $2.4bn Mirage deal with France IRNA 19 May 2011 -- Faced with a dual threat from China and Pakistan, which have even come together to manufacture fighter jets, India is really cranking up military aviation contracts.
• Germany to step up global military intervention role IRNA 19 May 2011 -- Germany is to boost its international military intervention role, Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere told the German public television network ZDF on Wednesday evening.
• May 19, 2011 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 18 May 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 19, 2011
• Northrop Grumman HART On-Demand Intelligence System Proves Beneficial to Warfighters, System Moves Closer to U.S. Army Theater Deployment Northrop Grumman 19 May 2011 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully demonstrated that its Heterogeneous Airborne Reconnaissance Team (HART) system increases warfighter situational awareness during a recent Spiral 7 DARPA field exercise conducted March 7-18, 2011, at Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah.
• Raytheon Achieves Major Production Milestone for Air and Missile Defense Radar Raytheon 19 May 2011 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has produced the first group of S-band transmit/receive (T/R) modules for the U.S. Navy's Air & Missile Defense Radar program.
• BAE Systems Awarded £23.8M Contract to Continue Supporting the UK's Hawk Jet Trainer Aircraft BAE Systems 19 May 2011 -- BAE Systems has been awarded a twelve month contract extension worth £23.8m from the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) to support and maintain the UK's fleet of Hawk TMk1 jet trainer aircraft.
• BAE Systems Wins Contracts to Maintain Typhoon's Front-Line Capability BAE Systems 19 May 2011 -- BAE Systems has been awarded long term contracts worth a total of £39m by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide support services to ensure that Typhoon continues to maintain its ability to operate in all types of environments.
• Northrop Grumman Awarded $48.7 Million for Continuing Operation of Battlefield Airborne Communications Node Northrop Grumman 19 May 2011 -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $48.7 million contract modification for continuing operations and support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) system.
• SAIC Awarded $53 Million Contract to Support the TRICARE® Military Health System SAIC 19 May 2011 -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) (NYSE: SAI) announced today it was awarded a prime contract by the Department of Defense to provide information technology (IT) services and electronic health record systems support to the TRICARE® Management Activity Military Health System (MHS). The contract has a one-year base period of performance, three one-year options, and a total value of $53 million if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in Falls Church, Va. and San Diego, Calif.

Other Conflicts

• 19 May 2011 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 May 2011
• NIGER-LIBYA: 'In Libya you face bombs, but in Niger you face death' IRIN 19 May 2011 -- Migrants who have fled the conflict in Libya to return to Niger say they are having to beg, steal, or sell off remaining animals or plots of land to survive, so as not to burden their already impoverished families, most of whom are struggling with food insecurity.
• Obama Aligns U.S. With Arab Protesters, Endorses 1967 Borders For Israel RFE/RL 19 May 2011 -- In a major speech that laid out his vision for the U.S. role in the increasingly tumultuous Middle East, President Barack Obama said the 'shouts of human dignity are being heard across the region' and acknowledged that if the United States fails to respond to the 'aspirations of ordinary people' it will deepen the belief that Washington's interests in the region are self-serving.
• Obama: Palestine-Israel Solution Must Be Based on 1967 Borders VOA 19 May 2011 -- President Barack Obama says lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians must be based on two states, with Israel in its 1967 borders, with conditions. In a major speech on U.S /Mideast policy, the president prodded both sides to return to negotiations.
• UN Middle East envoy urges mutual trust to end 'paralysis' in peace process UN News Centre 19 May 2011 -- The widespread calls for political change across North Africa and the Middle East will have an impact on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, a senior United Nations official said today, voicing concern that no credible initiative exists to end the impasse in talks aimed at resolving the conflict.
• Sudan: UN envoy demands immediate release of staff detained in Darfur UN News Centre 19 May 2011 -- The head of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) today called for the immediate and unconditional release of two civilian members of staff arrested by Sudanese authorities.
• UN urges governments to recommit to protecting refugees and stateless people UN News Centre 19 May 2011 -- As the 60th anniversary of the landmark global pact on the status of refugees approaches, the United Nations refugee agency is urging States to make new commitments to protecting the rights of asylum-seekers and refugees and find ways of addressing displacement as a result of non-traditional causes.
• Côte d'Ivoire: UN peacekeepers receive arms collected in Abidjan after political crisis UN News Centre 19 May 2011 -- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) today announced that it has received crates of weapons and ammunition collected by French Licorne forces during patrols in the country's commercial capital, Abidjan, in the days after the end of the post-election crisis in the West African country.

News Reports

• Obama Tells Syria's Assad to Lead Transition or Leave VOA 19 May 2011 -- In his Middle East policy speech, President Barack Obama said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces the choice of either leading a democratic transition in his country or getting out of the way. The comment came a day after the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on the Syrian leader and key aides.
• Syrian Troops, Tanks Ease Grip on Defiant Border Town VOA 19 May 2011 -- Witnesses say Syrian troops and tanks have started pulling out of a town near the Lebanese border, one of the latest enclaves to join in a two-month old anti-government uprising.
• Syrian Troops, Tanks Fire on Town Near Lebanon Border VOA 19 May 2011 -- Syrian troops and tanks have fired on a town near the Lebanese border where residents have defied the government as part of a two-month old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.
• Arab leaders not doing enough to meet public demands for reform – Ban UN News Centre 19 May 2011 -- Arab leaders who have faced popular uprisings in their countries this year have been too slow to make the necessary reforms and compromises to meet the demands expressed by the public, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.
• Bin Laden Praises Middle East Uprisings in Posthumous Message VOA 19 May 2011 -- Al-Qaida has released an audio recording in which its slain leader, Osama bin Laden, praises the protest movements that have swept across the Middle East.
• Polish court rejects Russian spy's appeal RIA Novosti 19 May 2011 -- A Warsaw appellate court upheld on Thursday a prison sentence to a Russian citizen convicted last year of spying for Moscow, Polish media reported.
• Moscow confirms Israeli military attache expelled for spying RIA Novosti 19 May 2011 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday Israeli military attache Col. Vadim Leiderman was caught receiving secret information from a Russian national on May 12 and expelled from the country.
• Iraq Trying To Expedite Identification Of Saddam Victims RFE/RL 19 May 2011 -- The Iraqi government is spending millions of dollars to develop its forensic capability so that bereaved families can give a proper burial to the tens of thousands of people whose unidentified remains have been recovered from mass graves, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) reports.
• More Questions Than Answers At Russian President's Press Conference RFE/RL 19 May 2011 -- In a 2 1/2-hour press conference on May 18, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev fielded 34 questions. But observers say that he answered very few of them.
• UN's 'life-saver' fund breaks $2 billion barrier in backing emergency relief efforts UN News Centre 19 May 2011 -- The United Nations-managed fund set up to assist the victims of conflicts and disasters in their immediate aftermath today passed the $2 billion milestone in the amount of money it has disbursed to humanitarian agencies.