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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 09 Apr 2015 [PDF]
• French, US Navies Integrate Under Operation Inherent Resolve NNS 09 Apr 2015 -- Rear Adm. Eric Chaperon, French Task Force 473 commander, and Rear Adm. Chris Grady, Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group commander and Commander Task Force 50, met aboard French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle (R-91) to discuss interoperability and integration between the two navies, April 8.
• Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 09 Apr 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 Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Second runway increases Bagram capability AFNS 09 Apr 2015 -- After months of planning and construction, the wing expanded its ability to support flying missions throughout the region with the addition of a second operational runway. The ancillary runway provides an alternate site for aircraft taking off and landing should the primary runway be damaged or closed.

Defense Policy / Programs

• In Japan, Carter Reports Progress on Major Issues AFPS 09 Apr 2015 -- In Yokota yesterday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter reported progress in talks with Japanese officials on the U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines for Defense Cooperation and on a proposed regional regulatory and investment treaty called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
• Remarks by Secretary Carter at a Troop Event, Osan Air Base, South Korea DoD 09 Apr 2015 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Remarks by Secretary Carter at a Press Gaggle, Yokota Air Base, Japan DoD 09 Apr 2015 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Remarks by Secretary Carter at a Troop Event, Yokota Air Base, Japan DoD 09 Apr 2015 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Gen. Dunford: III MEF is the rebalance to the Pacific USMC News 09 Apr 2015 -- The Marine Corps' new commandant came to Okinawa, Japan, March 24-26 to talk with Marines across the island.
• Army accepts delivery of first M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer system Army News 09 Apr 2015 -- Military personnel and defense contractors celebrated delivery of the first low-rate initial production M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer to the Army during a ceremony here, April 9.
• Joint-kill exercise covers air space battle Army News 09 Apr 2015 -- Guarding the skies against theater ballistic missiles and air breathing threats is a mission that air defense Soldiers conduct all across the globe.
• Soldiers benefit from new CROWS maintenance training program Army News 09 Apr 2015 -- Tobyhanna Army Depot employees were recognized for boosting educational opportunities for Soldiers and civilians who maintain Army vehicle-mounted weapon systems.
• Network modernization project proceeds at ANAD Army News 09 Apr 2015 -- The Directorate of Information Management is undergoing a massive network upgrade that is being felt installation-wide.
• Ironhorse Brigade moves forward on road to readiness Army News 09 Apr 2015 -- The 1st 'Ironhorse' Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division completed Ironhorse Rampage conducted Nov. 4 to 22, here.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing on Better Buying Power 3.0 in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 09 Apr 2015 -- Presenters: Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work; Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall III
• Work: Better Buying Power 3.0 Strives to Enhance U.S. Tech Edge AFPS 09 Apr 2015 -- The United States must maintain technological superiority over potential adversaries and competitors, and the latest iteration of the Defense Department's Better Buying Power initiative is designed to maintain that edge, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said here today.
• USNS Comfort Arrives in Belize for Continuing Promise 2015 NNS 09 Apr 2015 -- The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in Belize April 9, the first scheduled stop as part of the Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15) mission.
• NWDC Connects Fleet to Design FY16 Experiments NNS 09 Apr 2015 -- Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) hosted a Fleet-wide planning event last week to kick off development of the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Fleet Experimentation (FLEX) execution plan.
• US Military Preparing Unmanned, Robotic Systems Doctrine Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- The United States started to develop a unified strategy, fearing its enemies could deploy robots alongside soldiers first.
• Large-scale US military drill in Europe angers Russia Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- A four-week military exercise by US land, sea and air forces in Europe have raised the alarm bells in Russia which sees the drill as 'an unprecedentedly dangerous step' at its front door.
• CNATTU North Island receives Fire Scout UAV Avionics Trainer NNS 09 Apr 2015 -- The Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) North Island now offers a full spectrum of MQ-8C Fire Scout Vertical Take-off Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) maintenance instruction with the arrival of their avionics training system March 30.
• NATO's new spearhead force conducts first exercise NATO 09 Apr 2015 -- NATO completed the first military drills for its new rapid reaction force, on Thursday (9 April 2015). From Tuesday (7 April 2015) through Thursday, more than 1,500 troops took part in exercise "Noble Jump," designed to test whether troops assigned to NATO's new Spearhead Force, or Very High Joint Readiness Task Force, could be ready to deploy 48 hours after receiving an order-to-move.
• Strategic bombers' flights aimed at demonstrating Russian defense capabilities - top brass TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- Regular international flight of Russian strategic bombers are not in violation of any international regulations and are conducted to demonstrate the capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces, a high-ranking military official said on Thursday.
• Russian army to receive more than 130 upgraded MiG-31BM fighters - Defense Ministry TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- The Russian army will receive more than 130 upgraded MiG-31B interceptor fighters, and the first 24 aircraft have already been delivered to the troops, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters on Thursday.
• Russia holds military exercise in Moldova Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- Russian military forces have carried out military exercises in an area in Moldova near Ukraine.
• Russian Military Relocates Su-35s to Primorsky Territory for Drills Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E) supermaneuverable multirole fighters have been relocated from the Khabarovsk Territory to the Primorsky Territory to take part in the tactical flight training, involving fighter jets and assault aviation, Russia's Ministry of Defense said.
• Life cycle of upgraded Russian MiG-31BM jets may be prolonged to 50 years TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- The life cycle of upgraded MiG-31BM interceptors ranges 40-45 years and may be prolonged to 50 years, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters on Thursday.
• Russia's Defense Ministry plans no army downsizing despite budget cuts TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- Russia's Defense Ministry does not plan to reduce the numerical strength of the Russian Armed Forces or expenditures on servicemen's pay, despite budget cuts, Deputy Defense Minister Tatiana Shevtsova said on Thursday.
• Russian Air Force to get 30 MIG-35 fighter jets under rearmament program TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- Russian Air Force will get thirty new MIG-35 fighter jets in the framework of the state armament program slated for the period of up to 2020, Yury Borisov, a deputy minister of defense told reporters on Thursday.
• Putin calls defense potential pre-requisite of calm life, Russia's sovereignty TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- Systematic efforts to enhance Russia's defense potential are a pre-requisite of calm life and Russia's sovereign development, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with newly-promoted senior officers in the Kremlin on Thursday.
• Russian army to get long-range missiles for S-400 air defense systems in 2015 TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- New missiles for S-400 Triumf air defense systems capable of destroying medium-range ballistic missiles in the near-earth space will become operational in the Russian Armed Forces this year, a source in the country's defense and industrial sector told TASS on Thursday.
• Russia to triple production of missiles for air and missile defense in 2015 - source TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- Russia's defense-industrial complex will triple the production of missiles for air defense and missile defense complexes this year in contrast to 2014 parameters, a reliable source at the Defense Ministry has told TASS.
• Russian Missile Operators Brought Up to Speed on Iskander-M Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- Missile operators of Russia's Eastern Military District will undergo a special retraining course to handle the state-of-the-art Iskander-M ballistic missile system.
• US Admiral: Russian Bombers Send a Message, We Do the Same Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- A United States military commander said Russia has increased the number of flights by its long-range bomber fleet to demonstrate its status as a world power – a tactic American forces also use for precisely the same reason.
• PLA weaponry procurement costs 'significantly' less People's Daily 09 Apr 2015 -- Five bidders, both military and civilian, won the first open tender for 2015 organized by the People's Liberation Army(PLA) for weaponry purchase.
• India Launches First of Six New Stealth Submarines Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- India launched its first Scorpéne-class submarine, bringing the country one step closer to creating a stealthy fleet.
• India Successfully Test-Fires Dhanush Missile From Ship Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- The launch was carried out at 11:02 local time off the Odisha state coast. Dhanush is a maneuvering missile and is a naval variant of the Prithvi-II missile. It is capable of carrying a 500-kilogram nuclear payload.
• N Korea Fires Missiles Into Sea Ahead of Pentagon Official's Visit to Japan Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- North Korea has fired two short-range missiles into the sea ahead of the visit by US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter to Japan earlier this week, South Korean TV channel YTN reported Thursday.
• US: North Korea Has Nuclear Warheads for Intercontinental Missiles Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- United States intelligence believes North Korea has miniaturized a nuclear weapon and is capable of mounting it on an intercontinental missile, the head of the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.
• Pentagon Chief: North Korea Missile Tests Reminder of Danger VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has called the latest test-firing of short-range missiles by North Korea a "reminder" of the dangers on the Korean Peninsula and an affirmation of the need to show support of staunch allies in the region.
• Belarus offers to sell arms, equipment to Iraq Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- Belarus has offered to sell weapons and military equipment to Iraq in a deal that could help curb militant threats across the Arab country.
• Sweden to Send Troops to Iraq as Part of Anti-ISIL Coalition Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- Sweden intends to deploy troops to northern Iraq as part of the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition to train and advise security forces in the region, the country's foreign and defense ministers said Thursday.
• US backs bigger defense role for Japan People's Daily 09 Apr 2015 -- Analysts have interpreted the revision of US-Japan defense guidelines as an official endorsement from the US to allow Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense, a step further in Japan's efforts to use military force overseas even when it is not under attack.
• US Expedites Military Equipment to Saudis, UAE for Yemen Offensive Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- In the end of March, a coalition headed by Saudi Arabia launched a military operation against Houthi rebel positions in Yemen.
• April 9, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 09, 2015
• Sweden's Saab to Upgrade Norway's Weapon Locating System Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- Saab, one of the world's leading defense and security companies, announced that it received a $13 million order from the Norwegian Defense Logistic Company for a prototype of an upgrade of its current Arthur weapon locating complex.
• Russian firm to replace Germany's Rheinmetall as supplier of equipment for military center TASS 09 Apr 2015 -- The Russian firm Garnizon will complete equipment supplies for the Mulino army training range in the Nizhny Novgorod in the Volga area instead of Germany's Rheinmetall, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Thursday.

Other Conflicts

• Civilians in Yemen 'willfully abandoned to misery,' says Ban, urging immediate political solution to crisis UN News 09 Apr 2015 -- Countless civilians are being "willfully abandoned to misery" in Yemen, amid a rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian crises inflamed by escalating violence, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at United Nations Headquarters today.
• Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen's Defense Ministry in Sana'a Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- Saudi warplanes have bombed the headquarters of Yemen's Defense Ministry in the capital city of Sana'a, reports say.
• Rouhani urges regional states to end aggression against Yemen Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has warned of the adverse consequences of the ongoing military campaign against Yemen, calling on regional countries to stop aggression and establish a ceasefire in the impoverished country.
• Kerry Warns Iran Over Yemen Rebel Support RFE/RL 09 Apr 2015 -- The United States has warned Iran over its alleged support for Shi'ite Huthi rebels in Yemen, saying it will not 'stand by' and let Tehran destabilize the region.
• Iran's Ayatollah Calls Saudi-led Airstrikes in Yemen 'Genocide' VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- Iran's supreme leader called the military intervention by its main regional rival, Saudi Arabia, in Yemen as genocide, sharply escalating Tehran's rhetoric against the two-week-old campaign of airstrikes.
• Iraqi State TV: IS Fighters Kill Dozens of Prisoners VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- Iraqi State TV reported Islamic State militants killed dozens of prisoners Thursday in the border town of Qaim, in what some say is possible retaliation for government claims that it will soon liberate Anbar province.
• IS loses control of oil fields in Iraq: German intelligence service People's Daily 09 Apr 2015 -- The Islamic State (IS) group has lost control over large oil fields in Iraq, which could deprive the terrorist group of an important income source, a German newspaper reported on Thursday.
• UN chief urges 'concerted action to save lives, restore measure of humanity' in besieged Yarmouk camp UN News 09 Apr 2015 -- Briefing members of the international press this afternoon at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the "epic humanitarian catastrophe" facing the 18,000 Palestinian refugees and Syrians being held hostage by extremist militants in Yarmouk camp.
• UN Chief: Syria's Yarmouk Beginning to Resemble 'Death Camp' VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Thursday that civilians in Syria and Yemen are being "willfully abandoned to misery." He is urging the international community to press for an end to the violence and better protection of civilians.
• Syrian Army, Palestinian Militia Set to Free Refugee Camp Near Damascus Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- The Syrian army together with Palestinian groups are readying a joint plan to free the Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus that is currently occupied by Islamic State (IS) militants, a source in the Syrian army told RIA Novosti Thursday.
• Women have 'very important role' in Libyan peace process, says UN envoy UN News 09 Apr 2015 -- Libyan women have a crucial role to play in resolving the crisis in their country, a senior United Nations official said in an address to 250 Libyan women gathered in Tripoli, at a dialogue aimed at including women from all walks of life in the political process.
• Pro-Russia leader warns war may resume in east Ukraine Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- The head of Ukraine's self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) has accused Kiev of ignoring the truce deal it inked with pro-Russia forces in February, warning that fighting might resume in the country's volatile east.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on April 9, 2015 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 09 Apr 2015
• China urges U.S. not to take sides on territorial issues People's Daily 09 Apr 2015 -- China on Thursday urged the United Statesnot to take sides on territorial issues, voicing anger against U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, who said Diaoyu Islandsfall under the scope of the Japan-U.S. security treaty.
• China reaffirms right to disputed islands Press TV 09 Apr 2015 -- China once more proclaims Beijing's sovereignty and right to construction on its sovereign islands in the South China Sea.
• Beijing Details Plans for Artificial Islands in South China Sea Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- China revealed detailed plans on Thursday for the islands it is creating in the disputed South China Sea, saying that construction will not only bolster military defense, but will also provide civilian services for neighboring countries.
• Ten Killed in Clashes Between Army and Islamists in Philippines Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- Eight Islamists and two Philippine soldiers were killed in an offensive against the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) in the southern province of Sulu, spokesman for the Philippine army Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said Thursday.
• Nigeria: UN launches appeal for refugees as Boko Haram violence continues UN News 09 Apr 2015 -- The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has issued an urgent funding appeal as it seeks to provide tens of thousands of people fleeing the violence in north-eastern Nigeria with critical assistance and protection.
• Mali parties must seize 'historic opportunity' to resolve crisis – UN peacekeeping chief UN News 09 Apr 2015 -- The international community must continue to support dialogue between Malian stakeholders to achieve a political solution to the crisis, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the Security Council this morning, calling on all parties to the conflict to seize this historic opportunity to reach a settlement.

News Reports

• Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei Cautious On Nuclear Accord RFE/RL 09 Apr 2015 -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he neither supports nor opposes a framework deal reached with global powers on Tehran's nuclear program, adding that he will wait till it is finalized.
• Iran Calls For Treaty On Global Nuclear Disarmament RFE/RL 09 Apr 2015 -- Iran has accused the world's five nuclear powers of failing to eliminate their stockpiles and called for talks on a treaty aimed at nuclear disarmament by a target date.
• US Senator: Airstrikes Could Eliminate Iran Nuke Sites VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- A Republican U.S. senator, who authored an open letter to Iran asserting Congress' ability to override a nuclear accord, now says a military strike against Tehran's atomic facilities, could be achieved quickly through a bombing campaign lasting only "several days."
• Khamenei Ties Nuclear Deal to Lifting of Sanctions VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded international economic sanctions imposed against Tehran be lifted as soon as final agreement is reached on Iran's nuclear development program.
• Polish President, In Rada, Pledges Support For Ukraine RFE/RL 09 Apr 2015 -- Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski voiced strong support for Ukraine in a speech in the neighboring country's parliament on April 9, urging Western nations to back Kyiv as it struggles against Russian interference.
• Poland Supports Sending Peacekeepers to Ukraine - President Sputnik 09 Apr 2015 -- Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said Wednesday that Warsaw supported the idea of sending a UN peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.
• Ukrainian Parliament Bans Communist, Nazi Propaganda RFE/RL 09 Apr 2015 -- Ukraine's parliament has voted to ban 'propaganda of the totalitarian communist and Nazi regimes,' a major rebuke to the country's Soviet-era masters in Moscow and to Russia.
• Ebola lockdowns: Anything to "get to zero" IRIN 09 Apr 2015 -- As part of Sierra Leone's bid to combat Ebola, the entire population of more than six million people has been obliged to stay at home for up to four days straight on two occasions over the past year.
• Somalia Offers Rewards for 11 Al-Shabab Leaders VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- Somalia's government has placed bounties on the heads of 11 al-Shabab leaders, including the militant group's top leader and the alleged mastermind of last week's massacre in Kenya.
• DPRK anounces minor personnel changes in leadership People's Daily 09 Apr 2015 -- Deputy Pak To Chun was recalled on Thursday from as a member of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's National Defence Commission due to his transfer to other post.
• Third Session of 13th SPA of DPRK Held KCNA 09 Apr 2015 -- The Third Session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) of the DPRK took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Thursday.
• SPA Session Reviews Cabinet Work Last Year and Advances Its Tasks for This Year KCNA 09 Apr 2015 -- Deputy Pak Pong Ju, premier of the Cabinet, delivered a report on the work done by the Cabinet last year and tasks facing it this year at the Third Session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) of the DPRK Thursday.
• SPA Session Reviews Implementation of State Budget for 2014 and Sets forth State Budget for 2015 KCNA 09 Apr 2015 -- Deputy Ki Kwang Ho, minister of Finance, made a report on the review of the fulfillment of the state budget of the DPRK for Juche 103 (2014) and the state budget for Juche 104 (2015) at the Third Session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly on Thursday.
• French TV5 Says Hacked by Islamic State VOA 09 Apr 2015 -- A French television channel says it was hacked Wednesday by operators claiming to be part of the Islamic State terrorist group.
• Oil-rich Delta poses first big test for Nigeria's new leader IRIN 09 Apr 2015 -- An early test for Nigerian president-elect Muhammadu Buhari is how his incoming administration will handle the volatile oil revenue-generating Delta, where former militia commanders pledged their support to Goodluck Jonathan, their clansman, who was emphatically beaten in the 28 March presidential election.