Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• American Adviser Killed in Afghan 'Insider' Attack VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- Afghan and NATO officials say a female Afghan police officer has killed an American adviser in the Afghan capital, in the first known 'insider' attack by a woman.
• Afghan Policewoman Kills Foreign Trainer, Local Cop Kills Colleagues RFE/RL 24 Dec 2012 -- An Afghan policewoman has been detained in Kabul after shooting dead a foreign civilian contractor working to train the Afghan National Police.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Peleliu Hosts Amphibious Squadron 3 Change of Command Ceremony NNS 24 Dec 2012 -- Amphibious Squadron (COMPHIBRON) 3 held a change of command ceremony in the forecastle of amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5), Dec. 20.
• No US Airbase in Kyrgyzstan - President Atambayev RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev on Monday reiterated that Manas international airport, which currently hosts a US airbase, is to be a purely civilian facility after the US base closes.
• NATO Extends An-124 Airlift Contract Until 2015 RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- NATO will continue chartering Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy lift transport planes until at least December 31, 2014, Ukraine's Antonov design bureau said on Monday.
• Lavrov: Turkey's Patriot Missiles to Counter Iran Threats RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- The deployment of NATO's advanced surface-to-air Patriot missiles is intended to counter threats not only from Syria, but from Iran as well, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
• China's new guided missile destroyer ready for debut: report CNA 24 Dec 2012 -- The appearance of a picture of China's second 052D guided missile destroyer on the Internet recently has aroused speculations in China that the country's most advanced version of the warship is ready for the sea.
• No Decision on Mistral Ships Yet – Rogozin RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Russia will decide on whether to build two Mistral class ships only after evaluating their performance, role and status as part of the Russian Navy, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday.
• Airborne Forces to Get New Command Control Systems in 2013 RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Russia's Airborne Assault Forces (AAF) will start taking delivery of new Andromeda-D automated command and control systems (CCS) next year, the Defense Ministry said on Monday.
• Russian Aerobatic Teams First to Get Su-30SM, Su-35C RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Russian aerobatic teams the Swifts and the Russian Knights will receive new Su-30SM and Su-35C fighter jets ahead of regular Russian Air Force units, the force's commander Viktor Bondarev said on Monday.
• Russian Army Blamed for $1 Bln Landfill RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- An illegal landfill site established by the Russian Defense Ministry next to Moscow's water supply could have caused 30 billion rubles ($1 billion) of damages, police said on Monday.
• India, Russia ink 10 pacts including defence deals of around USD 4 bn IRNA 24 Dec 2012 -- India and Russia Monday inked as many as 10 pacts, including defence deals worth around USD four billion, as their leaders undertook an extensive review of bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of nuclear energy here today.
• India, Russia ink deal on air-launched BrahMos missile IRNA 24 Dec 2012 -- Ahead of the visit of President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia have signed a deal for working together to develop the air-launched version of the 290-km-range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which would be fitted to the Su-30MKI combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Russia Seals Major Arms Deal with India RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Russia is to supply India with combat helicopters and warplanes worth $2.9 bln under a deal signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi on Monday.
• India, Russia Seal Defense Deals Worth Billions VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- India and Russia have sealed defense deals worth billions of dollars during a visit by the Russian president, in a move which reaffirms the long-standing strategic alliance between the two countries.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Kremlin's Syria Policy Hurts Russia's Position in Arab World VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- In the days of the Soviet Union, Moscow was a major player in the Arab world. But in the last two years, the Kremlin has repeatedly backed the losing sides in the Arab Spring.
• Kuwait to Host Conference on Syria's Humanitarian Crisis VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- The Kuwaiti government has announced that it plans to host an international conference next month on helping solve Syria's growing humanitarian crisis.
• LEBANON: Meagre job prospects for Syrian refugees IRIN 24 Dec 2012 -- For the roughly 120,000 registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon winter means not just freezing temperatures but also fewer jobs, especially in rural areas.
• Syria Unlikely to Use Chemical Weapons - FM Lavrov RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Syrian authorities are unlikely to use chemical weapons as it would be a 'political suicide' for them, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
• Russian Military Denies Sending Commandos to Syria RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- The Russian Defense Ministry denied on Monday media rumors about sending commando units, air defense systems operators and military equipment to Syria.
• Syria: UN-Arab League envoy holds talks on crisis with President Bashar Al-Assad UN News Centre 24 Dec 2012 -- The Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, met with President Bashar al-Assad today for further talks on the situation in the war-torn Middle Eastern country.
• Assad Meeting Does Nothing to Alleviate UN Envoy's Concerns VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- International peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says he remains worried about Syria's civil war after meeting President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
• Chinese official's unification remark inappropriate: security chief CNA 24 Dec 2012 -- Taiwan's intelligence chief said Monday it is not appropriate for a visiting Chinese official to speak about unification between Taiwan and China.
• China, Japan new heads predicted to seek dialogue over Diaoyutais row CNA 24 Dec 2012 -- China's new leader and Japan's new prime minister would seek dialogue in an effort to address the territorial dispute over the Diaoyutai Islands, despite tension in the region, Taiwan's security chief predicted Monday.
• S.Sudan Authorities Unable to Reach UN Chopper's Crash Site RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- Representatives of South Sudanese authorities have not yet reached the crash site of a UN helicopter that was shot down last Friday, a local official said on Monday.
• DRC Civil Society Backs Calls for National Dialogue VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- Civil society groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have backed a call by several opposition parties for a national dialogue, or conference. Large parts of North Kivu province are currently controlled by M23 rebels or other militias, and civil society groups say a dialogue is needed to help unite the country. The government has hinted that it might organize such a conference, so this now seems likely to happen. But it may not be enough to end the war.

News Reports

• No Date Set for Egyptian Referendum Results VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- Egyptian authorities say no date has been set for official results of this month's two-stage referendum on an Islamist-backed draft constitution, as authorities investigate opposition complaints of fraud.
• Pakistan's Parliament Nears Milestone VOA 24 Dec 2012 -- Parliamentary elections in Pakistan are expected between March and May 2013. They would mark the first time in the nation's history that a democratically-elected government completed its full term and transferred power to a successor. Previous elected governments have either been deposed in military coups or dismissed by presidents allied with the powerful army.
• Bushehr nuclear power plant to start full operation in 2013: Rosatom IRNA 24 Dec 2012 -- Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is expected to be commissioned by mid-2013, Sergey Kirienko Director General of Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation 'Rosatom' said here on Monday.
• Defense minister rejects claims about Iran-North Korea missile cooperation IRNA 24 Dec 2012 -- Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi here on Monday rejected claims made by some countries that Iran and North Korea are cooperating in the field of missile.
• India to Complete 2nd NPP Unit in 2013 - Prime Minister RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- India expects to complete the construction of Unit 2 of its Kudankulam nuclear power plant, being built under a joint Russian-Indian project, next year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Monday.
• Iran Foreign Ministry warns Canada over turning into a terrorist hub IRNA 24 Dec 2012 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry warned Canada over turning into a terrorist hub.
• US Firm Launches Reusable Space Rocket RIA Novosti 24 Dec 2012 -- The private US space engineering firm SpaceX released a video over the weekend showing its Grasshopper rocket making a short but important journey that could take space exploration to new heights: reusable rockets that can lift off and land back on Earth vertically, to reduce the cost of commercial space travel.