Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 11 Oct 2011 [PDF]
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 10 Oct 2011
• DOD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Krause via Teleconference from Afghanistan DOD 11 Oct 2011 -- Presenter: International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Michael Krause, Australian Army
• FAST provides security for flights throughout Afghanistan AFNS 11 Oct 2011 -- In desolate areas of Afghanistan, where few roads can be found, C-130 Hercules and C-27 Spartans land on dirt runways to transport personnel and cargo to remote forward operating bases.
• Taliban Have ‘Utterly Failed’ to Regain Ground, General Says AFPS 11 Oct 2011 -- The Taliban have failed to deliver on their promises to recapture population centers secured by NATO forces in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command's chief planner told Pentagon reporters today.
• Tigers take over lead for mentoring Afghan National Police UK MOD 11 Oct 2011 -- 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1 PWRR), known as 'The Tigers', has taken over responsibility for the Police Mentoring and Advisory Group (PMAG) in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province.
• Opium production in Afghanistan shows increase, prices set to rise IRNA 11 Oct 2011 -- Opium poppy-crop cultivation in Afghanistan reached 131,000 hectares in 2011, 7 per cent higher than in 2010, due to insecurity and high prices, it was announced Tuesday.
• UN-backed survey shows increase in opium production in Afghanistan UN News Centre 11 Oct 2011 -- The cultivation in Afghanistan of opium poppies – the crop used to make heroin and other drugs – has increased by seven per cent this year because of continued insecurity and higher prices, a United Nations-backed survey reveals today.
• UN: Afghanistan's Opium Production Set to Spike VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- The United Nations department that monitors global drug trafficking says Afghanistan's opium production may rise by more than two-thirds this year. In a new report, the U.N. warns the resulting increase in profits will translate into even more money to fund insurgent groups in the war-ravaged country.
• Pakistani PM urges militants to renounce violence IRNA 11 Oct 2011 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday asked the militants to shun violence and work for the progress of the country.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Remarks by Secretary Panetta at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C. DoD 11 Oct 2011 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta
• Panetta: DOD Must Preserve Essential Capabilities AFPS 11 Oct 2011 -- The Defense Department must preserve its essential military capabilities as it tightens its belt over the next decade, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.
• Panetta Provides Firsthand Account of Overseas Trip AFPS 11 Oct 2011 -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta issued the following message today providing his perspective on his latest overseas trip:
• Interagency Exercise Hones Rescue Operations AFPS 11 Oct 2011 -- The largest federal interagency exercise for personnel rescue and recovery began at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Oct. 9 with joint, coalition, interagency and international participants all focused on saving lives.
• Army Leadership Discusses Budget Outlook AFPS 11 Oct 2011 -- Additional budget cuts beyond the $450 billion the Defense Department already has planned for the next 10 years would be “catastrophic,” Army Secretary John M. McHugh said yesterday.
• Evasion, conduct after capture training facility opens at Lackland AFNS 11 Oct 2011 -- A one-of-a-kind facility, built specifically to accommodate all Air Force evasion and conduct after capture training, opened and training began Oct 3 here.
• Defense Office Protects Privacy, Liberties of Troops, Civilians AFPS 11 Oct 2011 -- A small and little-known Defense Department office has the big task of protecting service members' and civilian employees' personal information in the digital world, while also getting accustomed to its new charge of protecting their civil liberties.
• 31st MEU begins certification exercise USMC News 11 Oct 2011 -- The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit began its certification exercise Oct. 6,, and upon completion will officially certify that the MEU is ready for operations in the Asia-Pacific area of operations.
• International forces take part in Exercise Joint Warrior UK MOD 11 Oct 2011 -- Land, sea and air forces from ten nations are currently taking part in the two-week Joint Warrior exercise in Scotland, the largest such exercise staged in the UK.
• President renews call for U.S. to sell Taiwan F-16 C/D jet fighters CNA 11 Oct 2011 -- President Ma Ying-jeou on Tuesday repeated his call for the United States to sell Taiwan advanced F-16 C/D jet fighters, saying Taiwan would become confident enough to deepen relations with China only when it has adequate defense capabilities.
• NT$317.55 billion allocated for 2012 military budget CNA 11 Oct 2011 -- The government has allocated a total of NT$317.55 billion (US$10.45 billion) as defense budget for 2012, according to a budget plan that has been delivered to the Legislative Yuan for approval.
• Iran says still puzzled over scrapped arms deal with Russia RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry has expressed again its surprise over Russia's decision to scrap a deal to deliver S-300 air defense systems to Tehran but said this was unlikely to affect relations between the two countries.
• Kudrin to lose all government posts - Kremlin aide RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Alexei Kudrin, former Russian deputy prime minister and finance minister, will lose all the seats on bodies and organizations he held in his capacity as a Russian government official, presidential aide Arkady Dvorkovich said on Tuesday.
• Korea Secures $1.1 bil Submarine Deal With Indonesia Kim Han-ul, Arirang News. OCT 11, 2011 - Korea has made its first step into the global submarine exports market by securing the country's largest single overseas defense contract. Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering said on Monday that it will sign a contract with Indonesia next month to build submarines.
• Indian Army chief advocates greater synergy among three forces IRNA 11 Oct 2011 -- Considering security situation along India's borders and in its neighborhood, Army Chief General V. K. Singh here Monday advocated greater synergy among three forces and laid emphasis on macro level security issues.
• Indo-French Joint Training Ex Shakti – 11 kicks off IRNA 11 Oct 2011 -- An Indo-French joint military exercise, aimed at enhancing various combat skills, promoting mutual understanding and inter-operability between the two armies kick started Monday at Chaubattia in Ranikhet of Utranchal state.
• October 11, 2011 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 11 Oct 2011
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest aboard Air Force One en route Pittsburgh, PA The White House 11 Oct 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 11, 2011
• EADS North America CEO welcomes call for flight demonstration for Armed Scout helicopter replacement EADS 11 Oct 2011 -- EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe today applauded the Army’s call for a flight demonstration of potential offerings to replace the aging Kiowa Warrior armed helicopters
• General Dynamics’ New Sidewinder Vehicle Mount Turns Military Vehicles into Network Nodes General Dynamics 11 Oct 2011 -- The new Sidewinder Vehicle Mount, built by General Dynamics C4 Systems, cost-effectively equips vehicles that do not have communications capability with tactical radios operating in the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) network.
• Lockheed Martin Awarded $19 Million VNsight Sensor Production Contract for the U.S. Army Apache Helicopter Lockheed Martin 11 Oct 2011 -- The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $19 million follow-on production contract for the VNsight low-light-level TV capability for Apache attack helicopters.
• Lockheed Martin Web-Based Battle Command System Undergoing Limited User Testing in Afghanistan Lockheed Martin 11 Oct 2011 -- Active Army units have been testing a Lockheed Martin web-based system that combines the power of Google Earth, Command and Control web applications and existing tactical communications systems to deliver a common operating picture of the battlefield to any network user with a laptop.
• Northrop Grumman Delivers Rate Sensor Assembly Units for the M1A1 Abrams Tank Northrop Grumman 11 Oct 2011 -- Northrop Grumman Corporationhas begun delivering LRS-2000 Rate Sensor Assembly units to General Dynamics Land Systems for the Stabilized Commander's Weapon Station (SCWS) on the U.S. Army M1A1 Abrams tank.
• Northrop Grumman Demonstrates HAMMR "On-the-Move" Radar at Yuma Proving Ground Northrop Grumman 11 Oct 2011 -- Northrop Grumman Corporationsuccessfully demonstrated the Highly Adaptable Multi-Mission Radar (HAMMR), which is a derivative of the Defense Department's Ground Based Fighter Radar (GBFR), a multi-mission ground tactical radar designed to provide the U.S. Army with counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) as well as air defense capabilities while "on-the-move."
• New Northrop Grumman Laser Threat Terminator Aims to Aid Army Missile Seeker Countermeasure Efforts Northrop Grumman 11 Oct 2011 -- Northrop Grumman Corporationrecently delivered its new All Semiconductor Airborne Laser Threat Terminator (ASALTT™) to the U.S. Army's Information and Intelligence Warfare Directorate (I2WD) Seeker Effects Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland where it will be used to support the development of advanced missile seeker countermeasure techniques.
• Raytheon's JLENS Successfully Completes 14-day Endurance Test Raytheon 11 Oct 2011 -- Raytheon Company's aerostat system -- Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Elevated Netted Sensors (JLENS) -- recently completed a successful 14-day endurance test at a range in Utah demonstrating its readiness.
• SAIC Awarded $24 Million Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic Contract SAIC 11 Oct 2011 -- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) today announced it was awarded a task order by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic to provide Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits Integrated Product Team (IPT), Chapter 33 long-term solution (LTS) engineering and program support.
• Lockheed Martin Supplying Upgrades to U.S. Army's Battlefield Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Enterprise Northrop Grumman 11 Oct 2011 -- Sorting through the massive amounts of operational intelligence available to those in theater is becoming easier as Lockheed Martin upgrades the data management and fusion capabilities of the enterprise that disseminates intelligence for the U.S. Army
• Northrop Grumman-led Team Advances Defense Weather Satellite System With Spacecraft Flight Hardware Deliveries Ahead of Schedule Northrop Grumman 11 Oct 2011 -- The Northrop Grumman Corporation-led engineering team building the Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS) spacecraft continues to take delivery of key hardware, making significant progress on satellite fabrication several months ahead of schedule.

Other Conflicts

• 11 October 2011 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 11 Oct 2011
• Libya's NTC Says Battle for Sirte Nears End VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- Libya's revolutionary forces say they are close to taking full control in Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte.
• Israel, Hamas Reach Deal to Free Captured Soldier VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- Israeli and Palestinian officials say the Israeli government has reached a deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas to free captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
• As Liberians head to the polls, UN at the ready to help with security UN News Centre 11 Oct 2011 -- Liberians are voting today in presidential and parliamentary elections seen as a milestone in the country's effort to strengthen peace and democratic governance, as United Nations peacekeepers remain on standby to help local law enforcement forces maintain security during polling.
• Three UN-African Union peacekeepers killed in ambush in Darfur UN News Centre 11 Oct 2011 -- Three blue helmets serving with the joint United Nations-African Union force (UNAMID) in Sudan's Darfur region were killed last night in an ambush at a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), the mission confirmed today.
• Liberians Vote in Second Post-War Election VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- Liberians endured a steady rain Tuesday to vote in the country's second national elections since the end of a 14-year civil war.
• SOMALIA: Thousands displaced as fighting flares in Mogadishu IRIN 11 Oct 2011 -- Hundreds of families are on the move in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, after three days of fighting between government troops supported by African Union peacekeeping troops (AMISOM) and Islamist insurgents, local sources told IRIN.
• SENEGAL: Demining machine clears path for a better future IRIN 11 Oct 2011 -- A new demining bulldozer is speeding up mine clearance in the Casamance region of southern Senegal, where fighting between separatists and government forces has been ongoing since 1982.
• Israel must prevent settler attacks against Palestinian villages, says UN UN News Centre 11 Oct 2011 -- The United Nations human rights office called on Israel today to stop attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, citing a spike in violence in recent weeks resulting in serious physical injury, property loss and damage.
• Kosovo President Urges Serbia To Stop Meddling, Focus Instead On EU Integration RFE/RL 11 Oct 2011 -- Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga has urged Serbia to stop meddling in her country's internal affairs, saying both Pristina and Belgrade must instead focus on the goal of European Union integration.

News Reports

• Two Men Charged in Alleged Plot to Assassinate Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States US Dept. of Justice 11 Oct 2011 -- Two individuals have been charged in New York for their alleged participation in a plot directed by elements of the Iranian government to murder the Saudi Ambassador to the United States with explosives while the Ambassador was in the United States.
• Attorney General Holder Holds National Security Enforcement Press Conference US Dept. of Justice 11 Oct 2011
• U.S. Foils Alleged Iranian Plot To Assassinate Saudi Ambassador RFE/RL 11 Oct 2011 -- U.S. authorities say they have foiled a plot allegedly orchestrated by the Iranian government to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.
• US Thwarts Alleged Iranian Plot on Saudi Envoy VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- The U.S. Justice Department says it has broken up a plot involving an elite Iranian military unit to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington. An Iranian-born U.S. citizen is in custody in connection with the alleged plot, for which the Iranian government denies involvement.
• Syrian opposition says no dialog with Assad RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- The opposition Syrian National Council will not hold talks with the authorities, the council's interim head, Burhan Ghalyoun, said on Tuesday.
• Syria's Assad to set up constitution committee 'within two days' RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will establish a special committee within the next two days to draw up a new constitution, Syrian newspaper al-Watan said on Tuesday, quoting Muhammed Buheytan, deputy head of the Syrian ruling Ba'th party.
• Ukraine Court Sentences Tymoshenko To Seven Years In Jail RFE/RL 11 Oct 2011 -- Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been jailed for seven years and penalized tens of millions of dollars over abuse-of-office charges in a verdict the European Union says could have 'profound implications' for relations.
• Tymoshenko sentenced to seven years in abuse of office trial RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was given a seven-year prison sentence after being found guilty on Tuesday of abuse of office over her signing of a gas deal with Russia in 2009.
• Russia and West condemn Tymoshenko verdict RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Russia and the West were united in condemnation of Ukraine on Tuesday over the guilty verdict and seven year sentence handed to former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
• Putin 'puzzled' by Tymoshenko verdict RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he does not understand why former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was found guilty and handed a seven-year prison sentence for forcing through a gas deal with Russia.
• UK deeply concerned by Tymoshenko conviction – Foreign Office RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Britain is deeply concerned by the conviction of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and considers this ruling an obstacle to Ukraine's European integration, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Tuesday.
• Russia considers Tymoshenko case politicized - Lavrov RIA Novosti 11 Oct 2011 -- Russia considers the case of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko politicized, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.
• Moscow Calls Ukraine's Sentencing of Tymoshenko 'Anti-Russian' VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- Russia has criticized Ukraine for sentencing former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko to seven years in prison for abusing power in relation to a gas deal she brokered between the two neighbors in 2009.
• Security in Yemen deteriorating dramatically, UN envoy warns Council UN News Centre 11 Oct 2011 -- The top United Nations official on Yemen briefed the Security Council today on the “very serious” situation there amid continuing battles between supporters and opponents of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
• EGYPT: Timeline of sectarian violence IRIN 11 Oct 2011 -- Some historians say Egypt's sectarian strife started as far back as 1798, sparked by anger among the majority Muslim population against a Christian businessman who was thought to have financially supported French occupation forces.
• Analysis: What the 'sectarian' clashes say about Egypt's revolution IRIN 11 Oct 2011 -- Clashes between Christian protesters and military policemen in Cairo this week have been portrayed as 'sectarian' - but in fact, they say much more about Egypt's revolution than they do about Muslim-Christian tensions.
• UN calls for independent probe into latest Egyptian clashes UN News Centre 11 Oct 2011 -- The United Nations human rights office today voiced its regret over the loss of life in the violent clashes on Sunday in the Egyptian capital and called on authorities to carry out an impartial and independent investigation into the incident.
• Anger at Egypt's Military Leaders Grows VOA 11 Oct 2011 -- As Egypt's Copts bury their dead from Sunday's violence in Cairo, members of the interim civilian Cabinet have offered to resign. But the move is unlikely to lessen the anger that has spread beyond the Christian community and is aimed at the country's military leadership.
• Premier defends ROC's 'unwavering existence' CNA 11 Oct 2011 -- Premier Wu Den-yih rejected Tuesday a comment by an opposition lawmaker that the Republic of China on Taiwan is a 'government in exile,' saying the ROC is a country that has been in 'unwavering existence' since its foundation in 1912.
• Iran Bushehr N-plant joins national grid with 50% capacity ISNA 11 Oct 2011 -- Iranian first nuclear power plant joined the national grid with the capacity of 450 MW.