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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 04 Aug 2011 [PDF]
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 03 Aug 2011
• Libyan Government Accuses NATO of Destruction in Zlitan VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- The Libyan government has accused NATO of bombing civilian targets in Zlitan, a western town that has been the scene of recent clashes between pro-government and rebel forces.
• DOD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Terry via Teleconference from Afghanistan DoD 04 Aug 2011 -- Presenter: Commander, Regional Command South Maj. Gen. James Terry
• Commander Notes Progress in Southern Afghanistan AFPS 04 Aug 2011 -- Coalition forces in southern Afghanistan have made progress while curbing enemy momentum, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command South said today.
• Marine heavy helicopter squadron transfers authority in Afghanistan USMC News 04 Aug 2011 -- Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 transferred authority of supporting Marines and their coalition partners in southwestern Afghanistan to HMH-464, at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Aug.1.
• US does not pursue Afghan peace plan minus Pakistan IRNA 04 Aug 2011 -- US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman told Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani here Wednesday United States does not contemplate any reconciliation process in Afghanistan without Pakistan.
• Taliban chief presence in SW Pakistan denied IRNA 04 Aug 2011 -- A senior Pakistani government official told the US envoy Thursday that Taliban chief Mulla Mohammad Omar is not in southwestern Balochistan province which borders Afghanistan.
• Afghan, Coalition Force Detains Haqqani Leader AFPS 04 Aug 2011 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Haqqani network leader yesterday during a security operation in the Sperah district of Afghanistan's Khost province, military officials reported.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD News Briefing With Secretary Panetta and Adm. Mullen From The Pentagon DoD 04 Aug 2011 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen
• Debt Reduction 'Sequestration' Concerns Panetta, Mullen AFPS 04 Aug 2011 -- The 'sequestration' mechanism in the nation's new debt-reduction law is unacceptable given the multitude of threats facing America, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.
• Joint Forces Command Cases Its Colors AFPS 04 Aug 2011 -- The need for a joint force hasn't gone away, but the need for a specific command dedicated to 'jointness' has, and the U.S. Joint Forces Command furled its colors today.
• Joint Warfighting Will Continue, Odierno Says AFPS 04 Aug 2011 -- Casing the colors of U.S. Joint Forces Command is not a retreat from joint operations, the combatant command's last commander said today.
• Top US general skips Pakistan visit: report IRNA 04 Aug 2011 -- Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen skipped his last visit to Pakistan before retiring, signaling the continuing stalemate in bilateral military relations because of differences over counter-terrorism strategies, media reported.
• Army announces civilian reductions Army News 04 Aug 2011 -- The Army announced today it will reduce the size of its civilian-employee workforce by more than 8,700 people by Sept. 30, 2012.
• Secretary of Army witnesses Rapid Trident 2011 in Ukraine Army News 04 Aug 2011 -- Secretary of the Army John McHugh visited the International Peacekeeping and Security Center here Aug. 3 to witness the multinational training going on during Rapid Trident 2011.
• Task Force Spartan combat engineers keep the roads safe with new technologies Army News 04 Aug 2011 -- A combat engineer company's standard mission on deployment is route clearance. Typically, a route clearance mission consists of patrolling roads in the brigade's area of operations and clearing them of improvised explosive devices before a convoy uses the road. The purpose of a route clearance patrol is to allow other units to accomplish their mission without obstacles or unnecessary injury or enemy contact.
• Discontinuation ceremony ends APG Ordnance era Army News 04 Aug 2011 -- The 68-year history of the 143d Ordnance Battalion came to an end July 29 as the last Ordnance unit on Aberdeen Proving Ground cased its colors for a final time during a discontinuation ceremony at McBride Parade Field.
• Anniston Army Depot converts Army's M2s Army News 04 Aug 2011 -- Anniston Army Depot is converting the Army's inventory of M2 Flexible machine guns to a new variant, providing a constant stream of work for the installation's Small Arms Repair Facility.
• Guardian Exercise helps Hunter develop reaction plan Army News 04 Aug 2011 -- A suspicious man is seen jumping the fence onto the installation; an aircraft crashes to the ground on Hunter Army Airfield in a fiery blaze; the installation is put on lockdown … it's all part of a scenario during the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield Stewart Guardian 2011 Exercise, July 26-27.
• Ultimate Building Machine proves to be mobile construction beast USMC News 04 Aug 2011 -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 combat engineer Marines completed a training evolution July 28, building the first Ultimate Building Machine K-span structure on station.
• Japan-based Marines hone CAS skills during Talisman Sabre 2011 USMC News 04 Aug 2011 -- Talisman Sabre 2011 progressed to its final week with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 Black Knights continuing to run training scenarios side-by-side with other American and Australian forces here July 25.
• MWSS-171 trains to provide combat service support USMC News 04 Aug 2011 -- Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 continued to conduct simulated fieldtraining exercises at Penny Lake here July 28.
• Japan-based units close out Talisman Sabre 2011 USMC News 04 Aug 2011 -- Japan-based Marine units brought their portion of exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 to an end here July 27.
• John C. Stennis Strike Group, Carrier Air Wing 9 Depart For Deployment NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSCSG) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 departed Naval Air Station North Island July 29 for a seven-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean and U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, which includes the Arabian Gulf, July 29.
• Cleveland Completes Final Mission; Arrives in San Diego NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- Amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7) arrived in San Diego, Aug. 4, concluding the ship's final mission prior to its decommissioning.
• Construction Begins on Future USS Jackson NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- The Navy authorized the first cutting of aluminum for the sixth littoral combat ship, the future USS Jackson (LCS 6), at Austal's Modular Manufacturing facility in Mobile, Ala., Aug. 1.
• Norfolk Naval Shipyard Returns USS Tennessee to the Fleet NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) successfully completed USS Tennessee's (SSBN 734) engineered refueling overhaul (ERO) Aug. 2.
• Sailors, Marines Join Romanian Counterparts in Exercise Summer Storm NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- Sailors and Marines from the U.S. and Romania concluded Exercise Summer Storm 2011 with a combined amphibious assault demonstration Aug. 3.
• Navy Clarifies Revisions to Post-9/11 G.I. Bill NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- The Navy released revisions to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill policy Aug. 4, providing Sailors, veterans and their families updated information on their educational benefit options.
• Comstock Sailors Lend a Hand in Bahrain NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- U.S. Navy Sailors serving aboard amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) participated in a community relations (COMREL) project with the Regional Institute for Active Learning (RIA), during a scheduled port visit in Bahrain, July 24.
• Destroyer Squadron 50 Changes Command NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 50 held a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity, Bahrain, July 28.
• Navy Explores Waste to Energy Opportunities NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- The first Navy Waste to Energy (WTE) Forum met at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., July 29.
• NAVFAC Washington Awards $145 Million in Contracts to Small Businesses NNS 04 Aug 2011 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington awarded contracts to two small businesses worth $68 million and $78 million for work to be performed at Naval District Washington (NDW) July 28.
• Polish, American sister wings celebrate 1-year anniversary AFNS 04 Aug 2011 -- The 86th Airlift Wing commander visited Poland's 3rd Airlift Wing here Aug. 3, marking the one-year anniversary of the 'sister wing' relationship between the two units.
• Turkish Government Appoints New Military Leaders VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- Turkish President Abdullah Gul has appointed four new military commanders to replace their predecessors, who resigned last week to protest the arrests of fellow officers accused of plotting coups.
• Russia, U.S. prepare new military cooperation deals RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- Russia and the United States plan to sign more military cooperation deals, the deputy chief of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said on Thursday.
• India upgrades 51 Mirage 2000 aircraft IRNA 04 Aug 2011 -- The upgrade of the 51 Mirage 2000 aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet will be completed within the next ten years, said India's Defence Minister, A K Antony.
• Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter aircraft crashes, pilot, girl killed IRNA 04 Aug 2011 -- A Jaguar fighter aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) today crashed in Dilahi Firozpur village in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh state, killing its pilot and a girl working in a field, the second IAF plane to meet with an accident this week.
• Military touts effective cyber-security measures CNA 04 Aug 2011 -- The military has taken many steps to ensure the security of its computer networks, Ministry of National Defense (MND) officials said Thursday.
• Greece digs 120-km 'defensive' trench at border with Turkey RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- Greece has been in the process of digging a 120-kilometer water-filled trench along its northeastern border with Turkey intended to avert a possible ground attack from Turkey and stop the flow of illegal immigrants, Greece's Vima daily said on Thursday.
• August 4, 2011 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 04 Aug 2011
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 8/4/2011 The White House 04 Aug 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 04, 2011
• First GE38 Engine Delivered for Marine Corps CH-53K Program GE Aviation 04 Aug 2011 -- GE has delivered the first engine for the Sikorsky CH-53K Ground Test Vehicle culminating two years of successful testing that has convincingly demonstrated the engine's ability to provide the increased mission capability required for United States Marine Corps (USMC) missions.
• Bell Boeing Submits V-22 Osprey Multiyear II Contract Proposal Boeing 04 Aug 2011 -- The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Bell Helicopter – Textron [NYSE: TXT], announced today that it has submitted its proposal to the U.S. Navy for a second multiyear procurement (MYP II) contract for the production and delivery of V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
• 5 More Boeing Super Hornets Arrive at RAAF Base Amberley Boeing 04 Aug 2011 -- Five new Boeing [NYSE: BA] F/A-18F Super Hornets have arrived at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley, expanding the RAAF's fleet of the advanced multirole fighters to 20. Three aircraft landed at the base on July 14 and were joined by two additional Super Hornets on Aug. 3.
• Lockheed Martin Delivers Morocco's First Advanced F-16s Lockheed Martin 04 Aug 2011 -- The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) unveiled the first four of 24 Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-16 aircraft in a ceremony today at Ben Guerrir Air Base in Morocco. Senior representatives from the Moroccan and U.S. governments and air forces were present for the historic event.
• CACI Awarded Prime Contract on $12 Billion, Multiple-Award IT Transformation Program for Department of Veterans Affairs CACI 04 Aug 2011 -- CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) announced today that it has been awarded one of 15 prime contracts to support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4) program.
• Ghana orders two Airbus Military C295 aircraft EADS 04 Aug 2011 -- The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Ghana has signed a contract with Airbus Military for the acquisition of two C295 aircraft.
• Raytheon and Tobyhanna Army Depot Enter a Public-Private Partnership Raytheon 04 Aug 2011 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and Tobyhanna U.S. Army Depot have signed a pledge of commitment for a public-private partnership to support various electronic and radar systems.
• Boeing Selects Atlas V Rocket for Initial Commercial Crew Launches Boeing 04 Aug 2011 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced it has selected the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket to launch the Boeing Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft from Florida's Space Coast.

Other Conflicts

• 4 August 2011 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 04 Aug 2011
• Press Conference by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations United Nations 04 Aug 2011
• Outgoing UN peacekeeping chief hails achievements of blue helmets UN News Centre 04 Aug 2011 -- The outgoing head of United Nations peacekeeping today outlined the achievements of his department's numerous missions around the world, saying peacekeepers had protected civilians and brought stability to many countries where they were deployed.
• KENYA-SOMALIA: Women and children suffer the most as famine spreads IRIN 04 Aug 2011 -- Even as the UN announced that famine had spread to more areas in south-central Somalia, reports from the capital, Mogadishu, indicate that the suffering of the drought-displaced, mostly women and children, was increasing, with reports that government forces and Al-Shabab militia were hampering aid distribution in areas under their control.
• ICRC Scales Up Emergency Relief for More Than 1 Million Somalis VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is dramatically increasing its emergency operations in central and southern Somalia to assist more than one million people affected by drought and conflict. The organization is appealing for $86 million in additional funding, bringing its total budget for Somalia this year to more than $155 million.
• Logistics Complicate Food Aid Transport to Somalia VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- The logistics of transporting aid to famine-stricken Somalia is daunting. Meticulous planning and funding are needed for such a massive effort. Kenya is serving as a transit point for the emergency and longer-term supplies being into Somalia, with the past month seeing a stream of shipments by air, road, and sea.
• WFP: Ethiopia's Emergency Food Reserve Near Zero VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- The head of the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) in Ethiopia says the country's emergency food stocks are almost completely exhausted, with drought conditions expected to worsen before they improve. There are also growing concerns about food shortages in Ethiopia's reclusive neighbor, Eritrea.
• YEMEN: Warnings of 'Somalization' IRIN 04 Aug 2011 -- As violence in Yemen continues and the death toll mounts, observers see not only threats to the country's emerging democracy, but also the possibility of all-out civil war.
• Sudan delayed evacuation flight for wounded peacekeepers – UN official UN News Centre 04 Aug 2011 -- Sudanese authorities threatened to shoot a helicopter trying to medically evacuate three seriously injured United Nations blue helmets in Sudan's troubled Abyei area, causing a three-hour delay in the rescue mission, the outgoing head of UN peacekeeping said today.
• Côte d’Ivoire: UN official meets with detained ex-leaders to foster reconciliation UN News Centre 04 Aug 2011 -- In an effort to promote reconciliation in Côte d'Ivoire, a senior United Nations official is meeting with former president Laurent Gbagbo and other detained members of his regime to ensure that their human rights are respected.
• LIBERIA-COTE D'IVOIRE: Refugees look for long-term solutions IRIN 04 Aug 2011 -- As refugees look set to stay in eastern Liberia for some time to come, they are starting to lay the foundations of new lives in their temporary home, while aid agencies and donors try to revamp their aid responses to address longer-term needs.
• Serbia, KFOR draft deal on Kosovo border crisis RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- Serbian representatives and NATO's Kosovo force (KFOR) signed a draft agreement on a resolution of the border crisis in northern Kosovo, national media reported on Thursday.
• Hamas leader Yousef released after six years in Israeli jail RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of the founders of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, was released on Thursday after almost six years in Israeli prisons, local media reported.

News Reports

• Clinton: Syria Death Toll Exceeds 2,000 VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday that U.S. officials believe more than 2,000 people have been killed in the Syrian government's months-long crackdown on dissent. Meeting her Canadian counterpart, Clinton appealed for a 'louder, more effective' international response to the violence.
• UN 'may go further' after condemning Syrian crackdown - France RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- The United Nations Security Council may take a tougher stance on Syria if the ruling regime fails to halt its deadly crackdown on protesters, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Thursday.
• Moscow warns against interference in Syrian conflict RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned against outside interference in the Syrian conflict, saying the country's citizens should solve their problems themselves.
• At least 45 killed in Syrian security forces crackdown in Hama RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- At least 45 people were killed in an overnight attack by Syrian government forces on protesters in the eastern city of Hama, local media reported, quoting witnesses and rights activists.
• Syria's Assad Promises Reforms as Crackdown Continues VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- Syrian President Bashar al Assad says he will allow a multi-party political system, one day after the United Nations Security Council condemned his government's crackdown on popular protests. But human rights groups says at least four more people have been killed as troops try to put down the uprising.
• Mubarak Aide Returns to Cairo Court VOA 04 Aug 2011 -- Former President Hosni Mubarak's interior minister and six police commanders have been returned to an Egyptian court to face charges of ordering security forces to shoot at protesters during the uprising that ousted Mr. Mubarak in February.
• U.S. Bans Rights Abusers, Signals Tougher Response To Atrocities RFE/RL 04 Aug 2011 -- U.S. President Barack Obama today issued a proclamation barring the entry of individuals said to be involved in systematic violence, war crimes, and other severe rights violations.
• Russian cosmonauts complete spacewalk outside ISS RIA Novosti 04 Aug 2011 -- Two Russian cosmonauts, Alexander Samokutyayev and Sergei Volkov, completed their 6-hour spacewalk on Thursday with a 40-minute delay and returned to the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS).