Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 17 Apr 2015 [PDF]
• Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 17 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 Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Anti-ISIL Forces Make Progress in Iraq, Syria AFPS 17 Apr 2015 -- Iraqi security forces and coalition partners are making progress in Operation Inherent Resolve's fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a U.S. Central Command official told reporters here today.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Team Carl Vinson Departs US 5th Fleet NNS 17 Apr 2015 -- The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, departed the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, April 16, after six months of combat operations over Iraq and Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
• Work Discusses Russia with Military, Intelligence Leaders AFPS 17 Apr 2015 -- Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work participated in what he called a wide-ranging and frank discussion with U.S. European Command leaders in Stuttgart, Germany, today, listening to the challenges they face in the theater and how the command plans to balance them.
• Work Salutes U.S. Africa Command's Efforts AFPS 17 Apr 2015 -- The men and women of U.S. Africa Command punch way above their weight class, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said during an interview at the end of his first visit to the command today.
• DoD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for Fiscal 2015, Through February 2015 DoD 17 Apr 2015 -- The Department of Defense announced today recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for fiscal 2015, through February 2015.
• Navy Names Littoral Combat Ship DoD 17 Apr 2015 -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today that the next Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named USS St. Louis.
• Republic of Korea, United States, Japan Defense Trilateral Talks Joint Statement DoD 17 Apr 2015 -- The Republic of Korea, the United States of America, and Japan held a productive and substantive security meeting from April 16-17 in Washington, District of Columbia, to enhance trilateral defense cooperation in light of the evolving security environment in the region.
• USS Gary Returns From Final Deployment NNS 17 Apr 2015 -- U.S. Navy frigate USS Gary (FFG 51) returned to Naval Base San Diego, April 17 from its final deployment, where it operated in the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet and U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations.
• New MANTIS Aircraft Ground Transport to be Tested Overseas NNS 17 Apr 2015 -- Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) Squadron 77 was selected to host the first overseas test of the Multi-Aircraft Nose and Tail Interface System (MANTIS), a next-generation aircraft ground transport for shipboard use.
• Russia to be close to no one in military technical cooperation - Putin TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- Russia will be close to no one in terms of military technical cooperation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a meeting of the military industrial commission.
• Russia's Navy group in Arctic to get universal patrol ice-breaker TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- The group of the Russian Navy in the Arctic will receive a universal ship capable to be simultaneously an ice-breaker, an ocean tug and a patrol ship, Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov told reporters on Friday.
• Crimea to get separate unit of Information Operations Forces this autumn - source TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry is creating in Crimea a separate unit of the Information Operations Forces, a Defense Ministry source told TASS on Friday.
• Russian Northern Fleet's convoy of warships enters Norwegian Sea for drills TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- A convoy of warships of the Russian Northern Fleet, led by the Udaloy class anti-submarine ship Severomorsk, entered the waters of the Norwegian Sea for anti-aircraft and anti-submarine drills, Northern Fleet's press-service chief captain 1st class Vadim Serga told TASS on Friday.
• Black Sea Fleet ships drill marines landing in Crimea - Defense Ministry TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- Russian Black Sea Fleet's (BSF) large landing ships have landed marines on the coast of Crimea during manoeuvres, BSF spokesman Captain 2nd Rank Nikolay Voskresensky said on Friday.
• China stresses discipline for CPC members in military People's Daily 17 Apr 2015 -- The Central Military Commission (CMC) issued a circular requiring efforts to strictly discipline Communist Party of China (CPC) members in the army.
• China, Venezuela to bolster military, technical cooperation People's Daily 18 Apr 2015 -- China and Venezuela took another step Friday to strengthen military and technical cooperation, with a meeting between Venezuelan Defense Minister Gen. Vladimir Padrino and visiting Army Commander of the Lanzhou Military Region, Liu Yuejun.
• April 17, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 17 Apr 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 17, 2015
• Putin approves five new general designers of most complex weapons - Russian deputy PM TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved five new general designers of the most complex types of weapons, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Friday.
• Putin praises Russian defense factories for working at fair pace, with high quality TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised the performance of Russia's defense manufacturing sector last year and in the first quarter of 2015, saying the factories are supplying the Armed Forces with new types of weaponry and equipment at a fair pace.

Other Conflicts

• 17 April 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 17 Apr 2015
• Yemen Bombing Intensifies as al-Qaida Advances VOA 17 Apr 2015 -- Heavy airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition continued Friday in Yemen, while al-Qaida made gains in the country's east.
• Al-Qaeda captures key military camp, heavy weapons in S Yemen Press TV 17 Apr 2015 -- Al-Qaeda terrorists in Yemen have captured a strategic military camp in the southern port city of al-Mukalla, seizing dozens of tanks, rocket launchers, and other heavy weapons.
• As Yemen fighting surges, UN humanitarian arm issues urgent appeal for country's civilians UN News 17 Apr 2015 -- The United Nations has launched an urgent appeal for over two hundred million dollars to help Yemen's civilians with critical aid amid the country's intensifying conflict, the Organization's humanitarian wing confirmed today.
• Saddam Hussein Deputy Killed in Tikrit VOA 17 Apr 2015 -- Iraqi officials say a close aide to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, has been killed in a military operation.
• Pentagon: Sunni Tribesmen 'Important' in Anbar Strategy VOA 17 Apr 2015 -- As thousands of Iraqis continue to flee the contested area around Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, the Pentagon says Sunni tribesmen are critical to efforts to secure the area.
• Saddam Hussein Deputy Killed in Tikrit VOA 17 Apr 2015 -- After 12 years on the run as Iraq's most wanted man, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam Hussein's former deputy, was killed, according to top Iraqi officials. Al-Douri is the last top-ranking former Ba'athist leader on the U.S. deck of cards who had not been captured.
• Saddam Aide And Alleged IS Mastermind 'Killed' Near Tikrit RFE/RL 17 Apr 2015 -- Iraqi officials say they believe that late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's former deputy and alleged mastermind of the Islamic State (IS) group was killed in a wide-scale military operation in central Iraq on April 17.
• Syria: UN agency appeals for $30 million to help besieged civilians in Yarmouk camp UN News 17 Apr 2015 -- The United Nations agency tasked with the ensuring the well-being of Palestinian refugees is appealing for $30 million to carry out life-sustaining assistance to 18,000 civilians from besieged Yarmouk refugee camp, including 3,500 children.
• Kremlin Criticizes Arrival Of U.S. Military Trainers In Ukraine RFE/RL 17 Apr 2015 -- Russia has criticized the arrival of 300 U.S. paratroopers in Ukraine to train troops from the National Guard, saying their presence could destabilize the situation in the conflict-torn country.
• Kremlin says US military instructors' presence in Ukraine destabilizes situation TASS 17 Apr 2015 -- The arrival of US military instructors in Ukraine is destabilizing situation in the inter-Ukrainian settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.
• Western troops in Ukraine destabilize situation: Russia Press TV 17 Apr 2015 -- Russia says the presence of Western troops in Ukraine will only further complicate the situation in the country.
• 'Dire' human rights situation in Ukraine likely to deteriorate further - UN UN News 17 Apr 2015 -- The United Nations human rights office said today that it is increasingly worried that the dire situation in parts of the east of Ukraine is likely to deteriorate further due to breaches of the ceasefire and violations of the Minsk Agreement.
• UN says Ukraine death toll exceeds 6,100 Press TV 17 Apr 2015 -- The United Nations says the estimated death toll from the conflict in eastern Ukraine has surpassed 6,100, warning against the worsening human rights situation in the region.
• Burundi: UN refugee agency warns surge in people fleeing pre-election violence UN News 17 Apr 2015 -- The number of Burundians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries has surged in recent weeks following an uptick in pre-election violence and intimidation throughout the African nation, a spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said today.
• DRC Approves New Plan to Stabilize North Kivu VOA 17 Apr 2015 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo's government has signed up for a new plan to stabilize North Kivu, the DRC province with the worst levels of violence and insecurity. The plan's authors say it involves more local consultation than previous plans.

News Reports

• Kenya's anti-terror border wall sparks heated debate IRIN 17 Apr 2015 -- Kenya this week began building a barrier along its entire border with Somalia, in a purported effort to prevent incursions by fighters from al-Shabab, an insurgency based mainly in Somalia which has carried out numerous attacks in Kenya, including the 2 April shooting of 147 students in the Kenyan town of Garissa.
• Last mile of Ebola struggle 'may be most difficult,' Ban says in Washington UN News 17 Apr 2015 -- While there has been important progress over recent months, the Ebola epidemic remains a pressing challenge, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, stressing that on the road to eradicating the scourge the "last mile" may be the toughest.