Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 05 Jun 2015 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Lt. Gen. Hesterman Via Telephone from the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Southwest Asia in the Pentagon Press Briefing room DoD 05 Jun 2015 -- Presenters: Lieutenant General John W. Hesterman III, Combined Forces Air Component Commander
• Coalition Air Power Leads Fight Against ISIL, General Says AFPS 05 Jun 2015 -- Despite facing one of the most complex operational environments in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, coalition air power has enabled nearly every victory on the battlefield, a senior U.S. Central Command official said today.
• US Air Commander: Coalition Airstrikes in Iraq Challenging, but Having 'Profound Effect' VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- U.S. military officials say coalition airstrikes are having 'a profound effect' on Islamic State militants in Iraq and that the coalition is 'taking the enemy off the battlefield in significant numbers.'
• US: Air Strikes Having 'Profound Effect' on IS VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- U.S military officials say coalition air strikes are having 'a profound effect' on Islamic State militants in Iraq and that the coalition is 'taking the enemy off the battlefield in significant numbers.'
• Afghan govt. holds talks with Taliban in Norway Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- Afghan government officials are holding informal talks with representatives of the Taliban militant group in Norway, Taliban sources say.
• US drone strikes kill 17 people in E Afghanistan Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- At least 17 people have been killed in two US assassination drone strikes in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Media Availability with Secretary Carter Enroute to Washington, D.C. DoD 05 Jun 2015 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• VMFAT-501 completes OT-1 on ship USMC News 05 Jun 2015 -- Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 completed the first operational test, known as OT-1, of the F-35B Lightning II, May 29. Jets from VMFAT-501 spent 11 days onboard the USS Wasp in the Atlantic Ocean.
• USS Mitscher Operates With French Frigate L'Hermione NNS 05 Jun 2015 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) received the honor of steaming alongside the replica Concorde-class frigate L'Hermione of the French Navy.
• Djibouti, Kentucky National Guard sign partnership agreement AFNS 05 Jun 2015 -- In a historic first for East Africa, representatives from the Kentucky National Guard (KNG) and the Djiboutian Armed Forces (FAD) ratified a state partnership agreement in a signing ceremony held at the Kempinski Hotel in Djibouti City, June 2.
• Marine Corps proves F-35B's capability at sea, looks over horizon to IOC USMC News 05 Jun 2015 -- The Marine Corps F-35B operational test (OT-1) successfully concluded aboard a U.S. Navy amphibious ship, USS Wasp (LHD-1), on May 29, 2015.
• Marines, French Legionnaires train for African deployment USMC News 05 Jun 2015 -- U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa trained with upwards of 60 French Foreign Legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, 6th Light Armored Brigade, in Nimes, France, May 27-29, as both units continue to deploy their Marines and Soldiers into Africa.
• USS Essex Drops Anchor in Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong NNS 05 Jun 2015 -- The amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) anchored in Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong, for a scheduled port visit June 5.
• USS Shiloh Sailors Strengthen Bonds with Philippines NNS 05 Jun 2015 -- The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) departed Subic Bay, June 2, after a four-day liberty port visit.
• Secretary General thanks Norway for its contributions to NATO NATO 05 Jun 2015 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has thanked Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg for her country's important contributions to the Alliance.
• Progress on AGS with completion of first NATO-owned air vehicle NATO 05 Jun 2015 -- The first of NATO's five unmanned air vehicles rolled off the factory line in San Diego on Thursday, 4 June 2015. The Global Hawk Block 40 is part of the Alliance Ground Surveillance Program (AGS).
• Russia Launches Soyuz Carrier Rocket With Military Satellite Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- The Russian military launched on Friday a Soyuz-2.1a space rocket carrying a military satellite, a spokesman for Russia's Aerospace Defense Forces said.
• US Deployment of Missiles in Europe May Lead to Russia's Exit From INF Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- Russia is fully complying with commitments made under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and does not want to withdraw from it, Viktor Ozerov, the Chairman of the Federation Council on Defense and Security, told RIA Novosti.
• Kremlin Focuses on Alleged US Plans to Aim Missiles at Russia's Nukes Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- Moscow is paying much attention to US press reports about Washington's possible deployment of nuclear missiles that can threaten Russia's nuclear potential.
• Russia starts batch production of ceramic plates for new generation Armata tank TASS 05 Jun 2015 -- A manufacturer in Novosibirsk has started batch production of ceramic armor components for the family of new generation armored vehicles.
• Lawmaker: Moscow can answer possible deployment of US nuclear missiles in Europe TASS 05 Jun 2015 -- Member of the State Duma Defense committee Colonel General Viktor Zavarzin has said that Russia has counter-arguments to the possible deployment of US nuclear missiles in Europe.
• Military Marvel: China Ready to Test Asia's Largest Warship Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- New satellite data reveals that China is getting ready to test Asia's largest surface warship. It will be tested at a landlocked test rig in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in China.
• Russia to deliver Iran's S-300 soon: Lavrov Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- Russia says it will "soon" deliver Iran's S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system.
• Talks to start to OK Japan's use of Philippine base: Aquino People's Daily 05 Jun 2015 -- Philippines President Benigno Aquino said here on Friday that his country is to start talks that may allow Japan's military aircraft and naval vessels to use bases in the Philippines for refueling and picking up.
• June 5, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 05 Jun 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for June 05, 2015
• HII Awarded $3.35 Billion Contract for Detail Design and Construction of Aircraft Carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) HHI 05 Jun 2015 -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) received a $3.35 billion contract award for the detail design and construction of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers.
• Tank maker seeks to increase exports on land armaments People's Daily 05 Jun 2015 -- In an effort to increase sales of its tanks in the face of declining global demand, China North Industries Group Corp, the country's biggest developer and maker of land armaments, is turning to a popular smartphone social networking app.
• Lockheed Martin Awarded $1Bln to Build F-35 Jets for Production Testing Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- The US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth more than $920 million to manufacture 94 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets for production testing.

Other Conflicts

• 5 June 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 05 Jun 2015
• 'What China is doing fully within scope of our sovereignty', Ambassador Cui Talks to CNN People's Daily 05 Jun 2015 -- just to build facilities that will mainly help ships of China and other countries. Of course we have some defense facilities there but it's only for defense.
• Aquino compares China to Nazi 'totally unacceptable': Chinese Ambassador People's Daily 05 Jun 2015 -- China's top diplomat to the Philippines voiced on Friday great discontentment over Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's recent remarks likening China to Nazi Germany, saying, 'It's totally unacceptable.'
• Beijing Hopes US Will Cool Down on South China Sea Rift Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- China encouraged the United States to take essential steps to reduce mounting tensions over Beijing's reclamation project in the South China Sea.
• Yemen Army announces capture of Saudi forces Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- Yemen's Army says it has captured a number of Saudi soldiers during border clashes as the Riyadh regime continues with its military camping against its impoverished southern neighbor, Press TV reports.
• Iraq army destroys ISIL bomb-making factories Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- The Iraqi army has destroyed two bomb-making factories used by ISIL Takfiri militants in the country's western Anbar province.
• IS Reduces Flow Of Euphrates To Iraqi-Held Areas RFE/RL 05 Jun 2015 -- Islamic State (IS) militants have closed some dam gates on the Euphrates River near Ramadi in western Iraq, reducing the vital flow of water to government-held areas while giving the militants greater freedom to attack government forces downstream.
• Iraqi forces tighten grip on Beiji IRNA 05 Jun 2015 -- The Iraqi security and Hashd al-Shabi (volunteer) forces continued their advances in the Beiji city and are now only 100 m away from al-Fattah mosque in city center of Beiji to the North of Tikrit and they hoisted Iraq's flags over government buildings.
• Syria: Security Council 'outraged' by intensifying attacks against civilians UN News 05 Jun 2015 -- Amid surging violence in Aleppo, the United Nations Security Council today expressed "outrage" at all attacks against civilians in Syria, as well as indiscriminate attacks.
• Hezbollah fighters retake area near Syria border from al-Nusra Takfiris Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- The fighters of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah have managed to wrest control of a strategic area in Lebanon's southern border town of Arsal, and drive al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorists from the territory.
• Libya Dawn Blames UN for Stalled Peace Deal VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Top members of the unofficial government in Tripoli run by Libya Dawn forces say a breakthrough is highly unlikely when U.N.-backed peace negotiations aimed at forming a unity government resume June 7 in Morocco.
• Libyan political dialogue round set for Monday in Morocco - UN mission UN News 05 Jun 2015 -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced today that the next round of Libyan political dialogue sessions in Skhirat, Morocco, will commence on Monday, 8 June.
• At Security Council, senior UN official urges continued political efforts to resolve Ukraine conflict UN News 05 Jun 2015 -- The tremendous human cost of the Ukraine conflict must be first addressed through mutual respect of the Minsk ceasefire agreement and the fulfilment of its political, economic, social and humanitarian provisions, the top United Nations political official affirmed today as he briefed the Security Council on the situation in the conflict-torn Eastern European country.
• Poroshenko: Ukraine Will 'Do Everything' To Retake Crimea RFE/RL 05 Jun 2015 -- President Petro Poroshenko has vowed to seek Crimea's return to Ukrainian rule, and reiterated that his country faces the threat of a major Russian invasion in the east.
• OSCE Calls for Urgent Negotiations Amid Intensifying Fighting in Donbass Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- The OSCE mission noted increasing ceasefire violations in Ukraine's eastern Donbass region.
• Donetsk Leader Reports 'Huge Losses' of Kiev Forces Amid New Clashes Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- New clashes erupted in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday after Kiev troops had launched an offensive against local independence supporters along the separation line in eastern Ukraine.
• US Defense Officials to Meet on Ukraine Following New Fighting VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Top U.S. defense officials and diplomats are gathering Friday in Stuttgart, Germany, to discuss how to counter Russian military actions in Ukraine and address concerns among allies about Moscow's aggression, following an upsurge of fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed rebels.
• Indian Army launches massive counter-insurgency operation in NE India People's Daily 05 Jun 2015 -- The Indian Army Friday launched a massive counter-insurgency operation in the northeastern state of Manipur, a day after 20 soldiers were killed and 11 others injured in an ambush near the border with Myanmar, sources said.
• Citing 'horrifying acts of cruelty' in Nigeria, UN rights chief urges justice for victims UN News 05 Jun 2015 -- The human rights situation in Boko Haram-held areas of northern Nigeria is one of "absolute terror" and "grave" violations, the top United Nations human rights official said today amid a wider call for Nigerian authorities to thoroughly investigate reports of abuses committed by the country's armed forces.
• Dozens Killed in Nigeria Market Blast VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Officials in Nigeria said more than 30 people have been killed in a bomb blast in Yola, the capital of Adamawa state, in Nigeria's northeast where the militant group Boko Haram is active.
• UN Wants Investigation Into Alleged Killings by AU Troops in CAR VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- The United Nations' top human rights official says he is 'deeply concerned' that no action has been taken over allegations that African Union peacekeepers killed 11 people in the Central African Republic last year.

News Reports

• US Data Breach Shows Lacking Cyber Security VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- New questions are emerging following Thursday's announcement of a massive cyber-attack that targeted the private records of some four million current and former U.S. federal employees.
• Chinese Hackers Break Into US Federal Worker Database VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- U.S authorities are investigating a massive cyber attack by alleged Chinese hackers on the federal agency responsible for collecting background information on, and issuing security clearances for millions of government employees.
• Turkey's Election Outcome Difficult to Predict VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's ruling party looks as if it will remain in the majority in parliament in this weekend's elections, with polls indicating it has a strong lead over its rivals.
• Romania president urges premier to resign amid corruption allegations Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- Romania's President Klaus Werner Iohannis has called for the resignation of Prime Minister Victor Ponta over corruption allegations, including tax evasion, forgery and money laundering.
• Romania On Edge After Premier Refuses To Quit Over Corruption Charges RFE/RL 05 Jun 2015 -- The Romanian president's fears of a political crisis could be realized now that the country's prime minister has rejected calls to step down after he was indicted for corruption.
• Mideast, Ukraine Crises Likely in G7 Lens VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized countries convene their annual summit this weekend in Germany, where they are expected to discuss current crises, such as the wars in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya, and long-term issues like climate change and the economy.
• Nigeria's Jonathan Seen in Quiet Role, Post-presidency VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Nigeria's former president Goodluck Jonathan made history by conceding defeat and handing power to his opponent in the March presidential election. Now that he has left office, analysts say Jonathan likely will not live much of a public life, at least in Nigeria.
• Iran Armed Forces will not allow inspections of military sites: Cmdr. Press TV 05 Jun 2015 -- A high-ranking Iranian commander says the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces will not allow any inspection of the country's military sites.
• Greenwald: Australia Surveillance Program One of World's Most Aggressive Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- Australia conducts one of the most aggressive surveillance programs in the world, Glenn Greenwald, the US journalist who first reported NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations, said.
• Surveillance vs. Privacy Rages On, 2 Years After Snowden VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- It's been two years since former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden stole and leaked hundreds of documents to the media about the United States' spy and surveillance programs. His actions made headlines around the globe — and prompted changes in the way governments spy on their people.
• Obama secretly expanded NSA spying in 2012: Documents Press TV 04 Jun 2015 -- Two leaked documents suggest that in 2012 the Obama administration empowered NSA to expand its web surveillance on Americans without any warrant.
• German Lawmakers Block 2 Surveillance Operations Amid Spying Row - Reports Sputnik 04 Jun 2015 -- A German parliamentary commission overseeing activities of the German spying agency BND stopped two intelligence operations at home after the government failed to provide the lawmakers with the list of US surveillance targets in Europe, the German TV Channel ARD reported Thursday.
• Former Saddam-Era Official Tariq Aziz Dies RFE/RL 05 Jun 2015 -- Tariq Aziz, a top official during the reign of former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein, has died in a hospital in Iraq at the age of 79.
• Myanmar's Suu Kyi to Make First Visit to China VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Myanmar's opposition leader and democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi will visit China for the first time next week, Beijing and her party said Friday, amid strained relations between the two countries.
• Angara Rocket to Launch First Manned Spacecraft From Vostochny in 2023 Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- The first launch of a new manned spacecraft on an Angara heavy rocket carrier from Russia's Vostochny Space Center is scheduled for 2023, the head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos said Friday.
• Russia Launches Soyuz Carrier Rocket With Military Satellite Sputnik 05 Jun 2015 -- The Russian military launched on Friday a Soyuz-2.1a space rocket carrying a military satellite, a spokesman for Russia's Aerospace Defense Forces said.
• UN health agency dispatches team to Seoul after fourth death reported from MERS UN News 05 Jun 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that in light of the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, resulting in four deaths in the Republic of Korea, it will send a team to Seoul to conduct a joint mission to look into the situation and assess public health response efforts.