Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 26 Mar 2015 [PDF]
• Coalition Airstrikes Continue in Syria, Iraq AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• With Aid of Airstrikes, Iraqi Forces Ring Tikrit, Pentagon Says VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Iraqi special forces on Thursday surrounded the city of Tikrit as U.S.-led coalition airstrikes worked to take out Islamic State targets.
• Coalition Forces Conduct 17 Airstrikes in Tikrit AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve operations in support of Iraqi security forces in Tikrit, Iraq, began last night after a request from the Iraqi government of Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials said.
• Iraqi Security Forces Defeat ISIL Attacks AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- Iraqi security forces defeated four separate attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant across Iraq March 24, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials said.
• U.S.-Led Coalition Aiding Iraqi Forces In Battle For Tikrit RFE/RL 26 Mar 2015 -- Iraqi officials said on March 26 that Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition warplanes have struck an area in Tikrit where Islamic State (IS) militants have been holding out for more than three weeks.
• Ghani Sees Taliban as His 'Political Opposition' VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, says the Taliban is a "political opposition" and peace with the Islamist insurgent group is essential for ending the conflict in his country. However, he reiterated that neighboring Pakistan, where Taliban leaders are allegedly sheltering, would play a key role in promoting the Afghan peace effort.
• NATO Chief Backs Slower US Exit From Afghanistan VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has applauded the U.S. decision to slow down its military withdrawal from Afghanistan, while rejecting the notion that ties between the alliance and Washington have become strained.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Blue Ridge Departs Hong Kong, Solidifying Longstanding Friendship NNS 26 Mar 2015 -- U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) departed Victoria Harbor, March 24, following four days of cultural exchanges throughout Hong Kong.
• Navy, Air Force Advocate for Modernizing Combat Aviation AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- Top Navy and Air Force officials today told the House Armed Services subcommittee on tactical air and land forces the president's budget request for fiscal year 2016 will support modernizing combat aviation programs.
• Military Leaders Report Concerns on Long-term Readiness AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- The U.S. military is consuming readiness as fast as it can generate it, and this leaves America vulnerable, uniformed leaders told the House Armed Services Readiness subcommittee today.
• Socom Commander: Success Depends on Total Force Readiness AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command told Congress today that he is "profoundly concerned" about sequestration's impact on the military as a whole.
• Central Command Region Remains Volatile, Commander Says AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility is more volatile and chaotic than ever, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, Centcom commander, told Congress today.
• USS Wasp Is Back In the Fight NNS 26 Mar 2015 -- For various reasons, the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) has not deployed since 2004. But after a highly successful combat systems ship qualification trial (CSSQT), Wasp has sent a clear, concise, and concussive message to the fleet: She is back in the fight.
• USS Farragut Concludes Lisbon Port Visit NNS 26 Mar 2015 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut completed a scheduled port visit in Lisbon, Portugal, March 25.
• 9th-generation GPS satellite blasts off from 'The Cape' AFNS 26 Mar 2015 -- The 45th Space Wing supported the successful launch of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket carrying the Air Force's ninth Block IIF-9 navigation satellite for the GPS March 25, 2015, from Launch Complex 37 here.
• Officials: Space no Longer a Sanctuary; Sequester a Threat AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- The space domain is no longer the relative sanctuary it once was, and growing adversarial threats intend to deny the U.S. national security and economic benefits derived from space access, Defense Department officials told Congress yesterday.
• Carter Calls for 'Full-Court Press' on Security Challenges AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter called for a "full-court press" within government to tackle the pressing national security issues of the day.
• Africom Commander: Africa Home to Threat, Opportunity AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- The U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility is home to growing threats and opportunities, Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez, Africom's commander, said today.
• Army Leaders Urge Congressional Relief From Sequester AFPS 26 Mar 2015 -- The Army's senior leaders today urged Congress to support President Barack Obama's $126.5 billion budget request to preserve modest gains from the past year.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's Meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg DoD 26 Mar 2015
• NATO Chief Dismisses Latest Russian Allegations as More Propaganda VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- The head of NATO is dismissing the latest allegations by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who accused the West of trying to undermine his rule and destabilize his country.
• Russia's New Military Transport Plane Set to Make Its Maiden Flight in 2017 Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- The Ilyushin Il-112, Russia's brand new light military transport plane, is slated to make its maiden flight in 2017, said Yury Borisov, a Russian Deputy Minister of Defense.
• Russia Successfully Test-Fires RS-26 Ballistic Missile Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Russia carried out a successful test-firing of an RS-26 Rubezh ballistic missile from its southern Kapustin Yar launch center, a military representative said.
• Snap check of Russia's Northern Fleet confirms its combat readiness - defense minister TASS 26 Mar 2015 -- The snap check of Russia's Northern Fleet has made it possible to assess the real level of the troops' combat readiness and confirmed their capability to ensure Russian security in the Arctic, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Thursday.
• Moscow suspects US of planning to deploy nuclear-capable frontline aviation near Russia TASS 26 Mar 2015 -- The US and NATO may be planning to deploy frontline aviation capable of carrying nuclear weapons on Estonia's border with Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
• Russia prepares for Center-2015 large-scale military drills in September TASS 26 Mar 2015 -- Tens of thousands military servicemen from all branches of the Russian Armed Forces will take part in the large-scale combat exercise Center-2015 scheduled to be held in September, a senior military official said on Thursday.
• Russia capable of responding to US missile shield deployment plans - diplomat TASS 26 Mar 2015 -- Moscow warns the countries intending to permit deployment of the US missile shield elements on their territories that Russia has all the necessary means to counter the threat, Alexander Lukashevich, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday.
• Arab League agrees to form joint military force Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- The Arab League member states have unanimously agreed to set up a joint military force against what they call threats against Arab states.
• DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesman Censures U.S. Projected Deployment of THAAD in S. Korea KCNA 26 Mar 2015 -- The U.S. has undisguisedly revealed its ulterior design to deploy at any cost THAAD in south Korea, trumpeting about the missile 'threat' from the DPRK more noisily than ever before.
• Pyongyang slams U.S. plan to deploy THAAD in S. Korea People's Daily 26 Mar 2015 -- The foreign ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday blasted the United States for its plan to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea, the official KCNA news agency reported.
• PLA builds military 'Taobao' People's Daily 26 Mar 2015 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army is building a military-version of Taobao, China's largest online shopping website, in an effort to cut costs and improve efficiency in procurement.
• Poland Requests US Patriot Missiles - US Missile Defense Commander Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Poland has made requests for US Patriot surface-to-air missiles as it moves to complete a $10 billion integrated air and missile defense program, US Army Space and Missile Defense Command Commander David Mann said at a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on missile defense.
• UK troops to train moderate Syrian opposition UK MOD 26 Mar 2015 -- The Defence Secretary has announced that the UK will provide military training to Syrian moderate opposition forces.
• Argentina slams UK over military boost in Malvinas Islands Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Argentina says Britain's move to boost its military presence in the Malvinas Islands, known as the Falklands to the British, is a "provocation" and pre-election stunt.
• 'We must remain vigilant,' Ban urges as Biological Weapons Convention turns 40 UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- The world must continue to remain vigilant against the threat of biological weapons despite the progress made by the international community in preventing their spread, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Birmingham, AL The White House 26 Mar 2015
• March 26, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 26 Mar 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 26, 2015

Other Conflicts

• 26 March 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 26 Mar 2015
• Saudi airstrikes hit Sa'ada, Ta'izz Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Saudi warplanes have carried out fresh airstrikes against Yemen, hitting the northern city of Sa'ada and Ta'izz in the south, local officials and witnesses said.
• Civilians killed as Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen IRIN 26 Mar 2015 -- Saudi Arabia and its allies have been hitting residential neighbourhoods in their bombing campaign in Yemen, according to residents and rights groups.
• Fugitive Yemeni president arrives in Riyadh Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Yemen's fugitive president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi has arrived in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as the Saudi regime pushes ahead with its airstrikes against the homeland of the fugitive president.
• Ban notes Saudi Arabia's military operations in Yemen, urges protection of civilians UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- Noting Saudi Arabia's announcement that, at the request of the Government of Yemen, it has begun military operations in the Gulf nation, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians and emphasized that despite escalation, negotiations remain the only option for ultimately resolving the crisis.
• Yemen Rebels Protest Saudi-led Airstrikes VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Warplanes from Saudi Arabia and its allies continued bombing key military installations in Yemen on Thursday to oust Shi'ite Muslim rebels seeking to overthrow Yemen's president.
• Saudi Arabia's invasion of Yemen unwise, illegitimate: Hezbollah Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has slammed as "unwise" and "illegitimate" Saudi Arabia's invasion of Yemen.
• Russia slams Saudi war of aggression on Yemen Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Russia has censured the Saudi military aggression against Yemen, saying the offensive is not the right way to settle the crisis in the Arab country.
• US offers support to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen: White House Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- The United States is supporting Saudi Arabia's military operation in Yemen against the Houthi movement's Ansarullah fighters, according to the White House.
• Kerry commends Saudi airstrikes in Yemen Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry has commended the work of a Saudi-led coalition taking military action in Yemen, a senior US official said.
• Kerry Praises Saudi-Led Air Strikes In Yemen RFE/RL 26 Mar 2015 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has praised military action against Yemen's Huthi rebels in a phone call with Gulf Arab foreign ministers, while Iran and Iraq condemned the air strikes.
• Thousands of Houthis Concentrated Along Yemen-Saudi Border - Tribal Sources Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- The militants are trying to assess the possibility of an adequate response to what they have called an 'aggression on the part of Persian Gulf states,' according to the sources.
• Pro-Government Forces Recapture Airport in Yemen's Aden From Houthi Rebels Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Pro-government forces regained control over the airport in the southern Yemen city of Aden, seized the day before by forces supporting Houthi rebels, Agence France-Presse reported Thursday.
• Houthi Rebels Obtain Secret Data on US Intelligence Operations - Reports Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- The Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen with support from Iran have acquired classified intelligence documents on US counter-terrorism operations in the country, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing unnamed US intelligence officials.
• Saudi Airstrikes in Yemen Contrary to Int'l Law, Violate Sovereignty - Iran Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry demanded an immediate suspension of all military actions in Yemen.
• Ousted Yemeni President Enters Oman on Second Try Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi has entered neighboring Oman, a local security source told Sputnik on Thursday.
• Sudan Confirms Participation in Saudi-Led Operation Against Houthis Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Yemeni army received a request from Saudi Arabia in an effort to help protect the government of Yemen's deposed president from Houthi fighters, Sudanese Armed Forces spokesman said.
• Turkey Supports Saudi-Led Attack on Houthis in Yemen Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Turkey supports the regional military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
• Saudi-Led Coalition Resumes Airstrikes on Yemeni Capital Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- A coalition of Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia resumed on Thursday airstrikes on the Yemeni capital after a several-hour break, a Sputnik correspondent reported from Sanaa.
• UAE Fears Houthi Missile Threat to Gulf States, Joins Airstrikes in Yemen Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia announced a launch of a military operation against the Houthis, who currently control large parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. Houthi militants have reportedly captured large stocks of weaponry from Yemen military sites.
• Warplanes strike Yemen's capital, four killed People's Daily 26 Mar 2015 -- Warplanes raided military camps belonging to the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Thursday, killing four civilians, a defense ministry official told Xinhua.
• Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations Against Houthi Targets in Yemen Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies launched a military operation involving air strikes in Yemen against Houthi fighters, the Saudi envoy to Washington said on Wednesday.
• Yemen Crisis Spurs US Lawmakers' Concern VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- While the Obama administration says the United States is supporting Arab allies that have launched attacks on Yemeni Shi'ite rebels, U.S. lawmakers are reacting with alarm to the latest crisis erupting in the Middle East.
• New UN report shows wars in Syria and Iraq drive highest asylum numbers in 22 years UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- The wars in Syria and Iraq, as well as armed conflicts, human rights violations and deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions elsewhere, has pushed the number of people seeking asylum in industrialized countries to the highest level since 1992 at the beginning of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to a United Nations report released today.
• Iraqi Official: Troops Launch 'Final Phase' of Tikrit Offensive VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Iraqi troops have launched the final phase of an offensive to recapture Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, an official said Thursday, hours after the U.S. launched airstrikes on the Islamic State-held city.
• Iraqi forces continue anti-ISIL operations in Anbar, Salahuddin Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- The Iraqi troops, backed by volunteer fighters, continue their operations against ISIL Takfiri terrorists in two major provinces of Anbar and Salahuddin, Press TV reports.
• Syria destroys three chemical weapons sites Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says Syria has destroyed three chemical weapons production sites.
• Syria crisis 'worsening' amid humanitarian funding shortfall, warns top UN relief official UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- The situation on the ground in Syria has "dramatically" worsened as the country enters its fifth year of war amid escalating fighting and targeted attacks against civilians, the top United Nations humanitarian official warned today as she urged the international community to bring the violence to an end.
• Losing sight of Middle East peace akin to 'pouring more oil' on region's flames - UN special envoy UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- As Israeli and Palestinian parties do not appear ready to recommence talks, the international community must consider presenting a viable framework for negotiations, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said today during his final briefing to the Security Council, noting that "this may be the only way to preserve the goal of the two-State solution."
• 2014 'devastating' year for Palestinians, says UN humanitarian report UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- Amid a surge in hostilities and an ongoing blockade, 2014 was a traumatic year for millions of people living in the occupied Palestinian territory, a senior United Nations humanitarian official said today, as the Organization released its latest report on the situation on the ground.
• Security Council renews DR Congo Mission, reduces troop numbers by 2,000 UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- The Security Council passed a resolution today renewing for 12 months the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and endorsing recommendations made in the Secretary-General's report on the strategic review of the mission.
• Central African Republic: Security Council boosts UN mission presence as tensions continue UN News 26 Mar 2015 -- The Security Council has agreed to boost the United Nations peacekeeping presence in the Central African Republic (CAR) amid the country's continuing instability and simmering sectarian tensions.
• Myanmar military claims total control of Kokang region People's Daily 26 Mar 2015 -- Myanmar military has claimed total control of Kokang region in northeastern Shan state, according to the ruling party's Union Daily on Thursday.

News Reports

• Situation around Russia will improve if Moscow stays strong - Putin TASS 26 Mar 2015 -- The situation around Russia will improve if Moscow does not bend to pressure but becomes stronger, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at the meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB) board.
• Putin: Western Intel Services Aiming to Destabilize Russia VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- President Vladimir Putin said Western intelligence services have set it as their goal to destabilize Russia especially during upcoming elections, according to the Kremlin's website.
• Putin Accuses West Of Anti-Russian Plots RFE/RL 26 Mar 2015 -- President Vladimir Putin has accused Western nations of plotting to influence or disrupt Russian elections over the next few years, including a 2018 vote in which he could seek a fourth term.
• Iran's Zarif opposes 2-stage nuclear deal: Source Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is opposed a two-stage agreement in the ongoing nuclear negotiation with the US and EU representatives, rejecting a US daily claim to the contrary, said an Iranian source close to the negotiation team in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Head of AEOI voices optimism about nuclear deal Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has expressed optimism about the signing of a deal between Iran and the P5+1 group on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
• Analysts: Iran's Supreme Leader Has Ultimate Say on Nuclear Deal VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is likely to have the final say on whether or not the country accepts a nuclear deal, if one is reached by month's end, Middle East analysts say.
• Bibi vows to prevent Iran-West nuclear agreement Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again vowed to do his utmost to prevent a nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.
• Truth about Story of North's Hacking at 'Nuclear Power Plant' in S. Korea Laid Bare KCNA 26 Mar 2015 -- The Park Geun Hye group of south Korea let 'the government joint investigation team' release results of temporary interim investigation in which it claimed that the hacking at the nuclear power plant was conducted by the north.
• North Korea rejects South's hacking charge Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- North Korea has rejected allegations of involvement in cyber-attacks against South Korea's nuclear power plant operators, charging that Seoul invented the story in a bid to blame Pyongyang for cross-border tensions.
• IS Likely Trying to Add Al-Shabab to Its Ranks VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Growing divisions within the leadership of the al-Shabab terror organization could soon push some, if not all, of the Somali-based outfit to pledge allegiance to the group known as the Islamic State.
• Maduro slams 'psychological war' against Venezuela Press TV 26 Mar 2015 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused forces in the United States, Colombia, and Spain of waging an international "psychological war campaign" against his country, a media report says.
• U.S., China in regular engagement on anti-corruption cooperation: State Department People's Daily 26 Mar 2015 -- The United States and China are having regular engagement on law enforcement cooperation, including on China's ongoing hunt for fugitive corrupt officials in the United States, the State Department said Wednesday.
• Jonathan, Buhari Pledge to Respect Election Outcome VOA 26 Mar 2015 -- Nigeria's president and his main challenger have released a statement pledging to respect the outcome of Saturday's election as long as it is 'free, fair and credible.'