Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 30 Sep 2011 [PDF]
• Al-Awlaki's Death Leaves Gap in al-Qaida VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- The death of a senior al-Qaida figure by a U.S. air strike in Yemen leaves a gap in the senior ranks of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
• Al-Awlaki was Prominent Al-Qaida Voice Aimed at West VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Radical cleric and wanted terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in Yemen in what news reports say was a coordinated air strike by the U.S. CIA.
• Obama: Killing of Awlaki a Major Blow to al-Qaida VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- US President Barack Obama says the killing of radical American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki is a significant milestone in the effort to defeat the al-Qaida terror network.
• Panetta: Awlaki Airstrike Shows U.S.-Yemeni Cooperation AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- A U.S. airstrike that killed Yemeni-based terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki early this morning is a testament to the close cooperation between the United States and Yemen.
• American-Born al-Qaida Leader Killed in Yemen VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Radical U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki has been killed in an airstrike in Yemen that news reports say was orchestrated by the U.S. CIA.
• A Look at Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Fighters with al-Qaida's Yemen-based affiliate originated in the ranks of the mujahedin veterans of the anti-Soviet war in the 1980s in Afghanistan.
• Yemeni forces kill 'al-Qaeda leader' RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- Suspected al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki has been killed in Yemen.
• US-Born Preacher With Al-Qaeda Links Killed In Yemen RFE/RL 30 Sep 2011 -- The militant whom Washington considered the biggest threat to its homeland security, Anwar al-Awlaki, has been killed in Yemen.
• American al-Qaida Leader Killed in Yemen VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Officials in the United States and Yemen say radical U.S. born cleric Anwar al Awlaki has been killed, in what reports say was an American airstrike in Yemen.
• Letter from the President regarding a Report on Afghanistan and Pakistan The White House 30 Sep 2011
• Corps' largest aircraft depends on small team of Marines in Afghanistan USMC News 30 Sep 2011 -- The 'K'; in KC-130J Hercules signifies the Marine Corps aircraft's ability to refuel other planes in midair. Refueling attack jets like the AV-8B Harrier while flying increases tactical options for commanders on the ground.
• Amid US Pakistan Rift, Both Sides Look to Beijing VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- U.S. accusations of links between Pakistan’s spy agency and one of the deadliest terrorist networks operating in Afghanistan have severely strained an already tense relationship.
• Pakistan to US: Respect Sovereignty, Solidarity VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Pakistan’s spy chief has told top political leaders of the country that his agency maintains contacts with elements within the anti-American Haqqani network.
• ISAF Helicopter Takes Fire, Makes Landing AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- An International Security Assistance Force CH-47 Chinook helicopter made a precautionary landing after receiving small-arms fire in southern Afghanistan.
• Afghan Air Force spreads its wings NATO 30 Sep 2011 -- NATO International Security Assistance Force coalition partners have been working with Afghan forces to train them to carry out various types of mission necessary to promote stability in their country.
• Report: Afghan Government to Suspend Effort to Bring Taliban to Peace Table VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- A leading Western newspaper reported that the Afghan government plans to suspend an effort to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.
• US spy aircraft kills 3 in Pakistan IRNA 30 Sep 2011 -- A US pilotless aircraft on Friday fired missiles into Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal region and killed three people.
• Six injured in Islamabad hotel blast IRNA 30 Sep 2011 -- Explosion in a four-storey hotel in Islamabad injured at least six people and destroyed one storey of the hotel building.
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 29 Sep 2011
• RAF and Royal Navy continue action against Gaddafi forces UK MOD 30 Sep 2011 -- The Royal Navy and RAF have been in action all week against Colonel Gaddafi's forces in Sirte and Bani Walid.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Army, Pentagon seek small, 'throwable' robots Army News 30 Sep 2011 -- The Army, Marine Corps and the Pentagon's Joint IED Defeat Organization are working to procure and deliver thousands of small, easily transportable'throwable' robots equipped with surveillance cameras designed to beam back video from confined spaces, buildings, tunnels and other potentially dangerous locations, service officials said.
• Exercise preps Marne Soldiers for deployment Army News 30 Sep 2011 -- Operations Group Alpha, Mission Command Training Program (MCTP) conducted a Mission Rehearsal Exercise with the 3rd Infantry Division, September 5-16.
• In Africa, capacity building is where Army gets 'bang for buck' Army News 30 Sep 2011 -- The Army sponsored the second in a series of African Defense Attache' roundtables Sept. 29 at the Pentagon to reinforce professional military-to-military relations.
• Panetta, MacKay Note Strength of U.S-Canada Partnership AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay emerged from their first bilateral meeting today touting the countries' long partnership and vowing to work more closely in their own hemisphere.
• Battaglia Takes Oath as Chairman's Enlisted Advisor AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey administered the oath of office to Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia here today to serve as his senior enlisted advisor.
• Remarks by Secretary Panetta at the Change of Responsibility for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Sumerall Field, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va. DoD 30 Sep 2011 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta
• Remarks by Secretary Panetta and Canadian Minister MacKay DoD 30 Sep 2011 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Canadian Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay
• Marines, JGSDF converse USMC News 30 Sep 2011 -- Marines of 3rd Supply Battalion volunteered to help familiarize members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force with English here Sept. 22.
• Nimitz Moves Out of Dry Dock NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- USS Nimitz (CVN 68) moved from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility's Dry Dock 6 to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton's Pier Delta Sept. 29, after completing required out-of-the-water maintenance while in dry dock.
• USS Comstock Returns to San Diego NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) Sailors returned to homeport at Naval Base San Diego Sept. 30, after a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR).
• Boxer Amphibious Ready Group Returns from Deployment NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG) returned to its homeport of San Diego, Sept. 30 after a seven-month deployment to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command area of responsibility (AOR).
• NAVSUP Collaborates to Align Aircraft Carrier Programs NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- Experts in naval shipbuilding and logistics met in for the 14th Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP)-organized PEO Carrier Summit in Washington, Sept. 28.
• US 2nd Fleet Disestablishes, Merges with Fleet Forces Command NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- After 65 years of faithful service to the U.S. Navy, the three-star flag of Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet (C2F) was hauled down for the final time during a disestablishment ceremony Sept. 30.
• GTMO Port Operations Personnel Conduct Coxswain Program NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- Sailors attached to Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba's Port Operations department facilitated the Shore Installation Management Basic Boat Coxswain (SimBoat) program Sept. 26-30.
• Earthquake Exercise Tests Guam's Preparedness NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- The military and various agencies from the government of Guam participated in the Marianas Rumble earthquake drill in Guam Sept. 21-22.
• US, Royal Brunei Navy Return to Sea for CARAT 2011 Exercise NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- The U.S. and Royal Brunei Navies began their 17th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei exercise Sept. 30, with an opening ceremony at Muara Naval Base.
• Fire Scout Completes First Navy Unmanned Flight On Biofuel NNS 30 Sep 2011 -- The Navy reached a milestone in its quest to gain energy independence today, when an MQ-8B Fire Scout successfully flew the first unmanned biofueled flight at Webster Field in St. Inigoes, Md.
• Dempsey Vows to Maintain, Strengthen U.S. Military AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- Navy Adm. Mike Mullen transferred responsibility as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey during ceremonies.
• Mullen: America Can’t Lose Its Military Edge AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- America can ill afford to lose its military superiority, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said today, his last day as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Obama Praises Mullen, Welcomes Dempsey as Chairman AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- President Barack Obama lauded Navy Adm. Mike Mullen during a hail and farewell ceremony.
• Panetta Praises Mullen, Welcomes Dempsey AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- During his tenure as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen was critical to preserving the effectiveness and health of the 2.2 million people.
• Mullen Offers Advice to Dempsey on Chairman Job AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- The job of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is often misunderstood and more than a little confusing, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said here today.
• Veteran US Army General Becomes New Joint Chiefs Chairman VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey has been sworn in as the nation's top uniformed officer.
• Department Issues Guidance on Chaplains, Facilities AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- The Defense Department has issued guidance saying decisions for use of DOD property should be made on a “sexual-orientation neutral” basis.
• 21st TSC units support world's biggest coalition communication exercise Army News 30 Sep 2011 -- The 23rd Ordnance Company and the 635th Movement Control Team joined together to assist the United States European Command in hosting the World's largest coalition communication exercise.
• MCIPAC activates to optimize support USMC News 30 Sep 2011 -- A new Marine Corps command, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, headquartered in Okinawa, is scheduled to activate to oversee and manage all Marine Corps installation commands in the Pacific region.
• Troops Should Budget Wisely in Face of Fluctuating COLAs AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- Pentagon officials are reminding service members stationed overseas to leave out cost-of-living pay when planning their personal budgets, due to fluctuations in the rate.
• Demolition takes Dedication USMC News 30 Sep 2011 -- Marines demolished five temporary buildings on the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma flightline Sept. 21.
• Fort Drum announces additional family housing construction Army News 30 Sep 2011 -- Fort Drum, New York announced an additional phase of construction will add 166 homes to the Mountain Community Homes portfolio over the next 33 months.
• New TRICARE Prime Enrollees Pay Adjusted Annual Fees AFPS 30 Sep 2011 -- Military retirees enrolling in the TRICARE Prime health plan after Oct. 1 will begin paying slightly higher annual fees.
• NATO-Russia summit possible in 2012 - Rasmussen RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- A NATO-Russia summit could be held next year in Chicago if the parties can agree on a substantive agenda.
• No truth behind Russian-Iran missile shield - NATO envoy RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- Russia's envoy to NATO dismissed as "false" media reports that Russia and Iran planned to set up a joint missile defense shield.
• Russia tests new ballistic missile RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- Russia carried out on Thursday a successful test of a new sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile.
• No plans to retire Typhoon class subs soon - Russian military RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- A high-ranking source in the Russian Defense Ministry has denied rumors of a planned scrapping of Typhoon submarines.
• Captain, sailor acquitted over sub disaster RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- A jury has dropped negligence charges against the captain of a Russian nuclear submarine in which 20 people died three years ago.
• India test fires Agni-II missile IRNA 30 Sep 2011 -- India's nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-II ballistic missile, with a strike range of 2000 kms, was test-fired as part of user trial by the army.
• Royal Navy redundancies UK MOD 30 Sep 2011 -- As part of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme, and following on from the Army and the RAF earlier this month, today the Royal Navy is notifying personnel selected for redundancy in Tranche 1 of the programme.
• Ma renews call for F-16C/D fighter sale CNA 30 Sep 2011 -- Taiwan President Ma renewed calls for the United States to sell advanced F-16C/D fighters and diesel submarines to Taiwan.
• Towards NATO’s Chicago Summit by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen NATO 30 Sep 2011
• Flying saucers of the sea NATO 30 Sep 2011 -- The small craft, known as an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), is used to carry specialised sonar equipment in a NATO-led research project that is the first of its kind.
• September 30, 2011- U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 30 Sep 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 30, 2011
• Brazilian Minister of Defence welcomes first P-3 Orion modernised by Airbus Military into the Brazilian Air Force fleet EADS 30 Sep 2011 -- The first P-3 Orion aircraft to be modified by Airbus Military for the Brazilian Air Force was baptised today by Brazilian Minister of Defence, Celso Amorim, in the presence of the Commander of the Air Force, Juniti Saito, during an official ceremony at the airbase BASV in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.

Other Conflicts

• 30 September 2011 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 30 Sep 2011
• Palestinian statehood bid goes to expert committee RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- The Security Council handed Palestinian Authority's UN membership request to an expert committee.
• Palestinians likely to get UN observer status - Russia's UN envoy RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- The Palestinians are likely to receive observer status at the UN rather than full membership.
• Gaddafi’s spokesman captured outside Sirte: Report IRNA 30 Sep 2011 -- Spokesman of Libya’s fugitive leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Moussa Ibrahim was reportedly captured outside of Sirte.
• Libya's Provisional Government Gets Support From Italy VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Libya's provisional government leaders have met with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
• Security Council calls for increase in African peace force in Somalia to 12,000 UN News Centre 30 Sep 2011 -- The Security Council called on the AU to urgently increase the strength of its peacekeeping force in Somalia.
• Al-Shabab Fighters Attack Somali Border Town VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Heavy fighting broke out Friday near Somalia's border with Kenya, as al-Shabab fighters attacked a town controlled by forces loyal to Somalia's transitional government.
• Explosion Rocks Southern Turkey VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- An explosion near a paramilitary police station in southern Turkey has left one person dead and two wounded.
• Is Cyprus Gas Row Feeding Turkey's Regional Ambitions? VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Turkey has threatened to intervene militarily if the Greek Cypriots continue with their gas exploration plans.
• In Brief: Tracking the LRA IRIN 30 Sep 2011 -- Detailed updates about the activity of the Lord's Resistance Army are now available in near real-time, thanks to a partnership between two US-based NGOs.
• Jailed Serb leader loses bid to have UN war crimes court end case against him UN News Centre 30 Sep 2011 -- The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has rejected a request by the leader of the Serb Radical Party to discontinue proceedings against him.

News Reports

• Wave of change in Middle East shows ‘immense power’ of non-violence – Ban UN News Centre 30 Sep 2011 -- The political transitions over the past year in various Middle Eastern and North African countries are examples of the power of non-violent methods to achieve peaceful change.
• UN Commission to Investigate Crimes in Syria VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- A U.N. commission is hoping Syrian authorities will grant permission to enter the country to investigate reports of human rights violations.
• Anti-Government Protests Swell in Syria VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Thousands of protesters in Syria have renewed calls for President Bashar al-Assad's departure.
• 7 Syrian Troops Killed in Operation Targeting 'Terrorists' VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Seven soldiers and police personnel were killed in an operation targeting what Syrian officials described as "terrorists" in Homs province.
• UN Human Rights Inquiry Demands Access To Syria RFE/RL 30 Sep 2011 -- A UN-backed rights commission is urging Syria to let it into the country to investigate reports of killings and torture amid protests against President Bashar al-Assad.
• UN Security Council fails to agree draft resolution on Syria RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- Members of the UN Security Council have not yet reached a compromise on the text of a draft resolution on Syria.
• Bahrain: UN rights office concerned at sentences given to medical staff, activists UN News Centre 30 Sep 2011 -- The UN human rights office voiced concern at what it called the harsh sentences handed down this week by a court in Bahrain.
• UN Condemns Bahrain’s Harsh Sentences Against Protesters VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- The U.N. Human Rights Office condemns the harsh sentences handed down by military courts in Bahrain this week against medical workers and dozens of protesters.
• Protestors to rally in Cairo to 'reclaim revolution' RIA Novosti 30 Sep 2011 -- Hundreds of protestors gathered on Friday morning in Cairo's central Tahrir Square for a rally dubbed "A Friday to Reclaim the Revolution."
• Secretary Clinton Statement on Iran's Continuing Human Rights Violations US Dept. of State 30 Sep 2011
• S. Korean Ruling Party Boss Makes Brief Visit to North VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- The leader of South Korea’s governing political party made a quick visit north of the demilitarized zone on Friday.
• Liberia Considers Presidential Candidate Eligibility 2 Weeks Before Election VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Liberia's Supreme Court says it is still considering the eligibility of the leading presidential candidates, including incumbent Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
• Ugandan Members of Parliament say it’s Time for Museveni to Retire VOA 30 Sep 2011 -- Members of the Ugandan ruling party are calling for the restoration of presidential term limits, which were abolished six years ago.
• EU Condemns Minsk Crackdown, Voices Concern Over Ukraine's Tymoshenko RFE/RL 30 Sep 2011 -- EU leaders have condemned Belarus over its crackdown on the political opposition and expressed their concerns to Ukraine over the trial of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
• Armenian Opposition Calls For 'Nonstop Rallies' RFE/RL 30 Sep 2011 -- Armenian opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian declaring the start of what he described as "nonstop rallies" to put more pressure on government officials to resign.