Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 15 Jun 2016 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Garver via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 15 Jun 2016 -- Presenter: Colonel Christopher Garver, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman
• Progress Made in Slow, Tough Fight for Fallujah, OIR Spokesman Says AFPS 15 Jun 2016 -- Iraqi forces, backed by coalition strikes, are making "slow but steady" progress in the tough fight to take back Fallujah, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve said today.
• Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 15 Jun 2016 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Poland Could Send Troops to Iraq, Kuwait to Fight Against Daesh Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Poland plans to make a contribution to the international US-led coalition fighting against Daesh terrorist group by sending troops to Iraq and Kuwait, the head of the National Security Bureau, Pawel Soloch, said Wednesday.
• Carter Announces More U.S. Support for Afghan Forces AFPS 15 Jun 2016 -- U.S. forces in Afghanistan now will be able to boost support for Afghan conventional forces with more firepower and by accompanying and advising them on the ground and in the air, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said this morning in Brussels.
• One killed as Afghan-Pakistan clashes resume Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- An Afghan border guard has been killed and five others have been injured in fresh clashes at a border crossing with Pakistan, an Afghan official says.
• Pakistan, Afghanistan Make Efforts to End Border Clashes VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Pakistan and Afghanistan have made diplomatic, political and military contacts to try to de-escalate days of deadly border skirmishes, although officials said the situation was relatively calm on Wednesday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• AF Chief: Joint Force in Excellent Shape, But Needs Resources, Prioritization AFPS 15 Jun 2016 -- The joint force is in excellent shape, but leaders must pay attention to it, Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the Air Force chief of staff, told the Defense Writers Group here today.
• Three Nations Set Sail for Exercise Malabar 2016 NNS 15 Jun 2016 -- Ships from the Indian navy, Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and U.S. Navy departed U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo to conduct the at-sea phase of Exercise Malabar 2016, June 14.
• Pentagon Unleashes Cyber Effort to Counter Militants on Battlefield VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- The Pentagon has launched a new cyber task force to counter the Islamic State group, and officials say it is creating advantages both in cyberspace and on the battlefield.
• Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus Names Virginia-Class Submarine DoD 15 Jun 2016 -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today that SSN 800, a Virginia-class attack submarine, will bear the name USS Arkansas.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's Meeting with Ukrainian Minister of Defense General Stepan Poltorak DoD 15 Jun 2016
• Controlled chaos: Reserve Marines launch ITX 4-16 USMC News 15 Jun 2016 -- With the sun slowly climbing higher in the sky and waves of heat beginning to radiate off the rocky desert floor, a group of Marines step forward, ready to run toward their first objective.
• US Sailors and Marines Aim to Enhance Cooperation with Royal Thai Armed Forces during CARAT 2016 NNS 15 Jun 2016 -- The 22nd annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and the Royal Thai Armed Forces is scheduled to begin June 16 with opening ceremonies at the Royal Thai Naval Base in Sattahip.
• McCain Stands Down: Congress Reaches Compromise on Russian Rockets Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- The Senate war over Russian rocket engines appears to be over, as lawmakers have agreed that an all-out boycott benefits no one.
• China warship shadows US aircraft carrier Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- A US aircraft carrier partaking in tripartite naval exercises with Japanese and Indian naval groups in the Western Pacific has been closely followed by a Chinese observation vessel.
• Press Conference with Secretary Carter at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium DoD 15 Jun 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Balkans Look to NATO as Russia's Influence Wanes VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- As NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels discuss efforts to deter Russian aggression, rising tensions not seen since the Cold War will be on the minds of central and eastern European foreign ministers gathering Thursday in the former Yugoslavia.
• Romania Will Propose Multinational Black Sea Brigade at NATO Summit Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Romania will propose the creation of a multinational brigade for the Black Sea region at NATO's upcoming summit in Warsaw, Poland, Romanian Ambassador to the United States George Cristian Maior said on Wednesday.
• Moscow Slams NATO-Kiev Talks on Increased Military Presence in Black Sea Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Moscow is concerned about NATO-Ukraine discussions on Kiev's role in the Alliance's increased military presence in the Black Sea region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said Wednesday.
• NATO steps up support for Ukraine with Comprehensive Package of Assistance NATO 15 Jun 2016 -- Defence Ministers agreed on Wednesday (15 June 2016) to boost NATO's support for Ukraine with a Comprehensive Package of Assistance.
• NATO steps up efforts to project stability beyond its borders NATO 15 Jun 2016 -- NATO Defence Ministers agreed on Wednesday (15 June 2016) to do more to project stability beyond the Alliance's borders.
• NATO Allies Intend to Fund Afghan Defense Forces Until 2020 Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter welcomed on Wednesday the NATO counterparts' commitment to providing financial support to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in the period until the end of 2020.
• Russian Army to Receive Further 55 Multirole Su-30SM Fighters by 2019 Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Russia's Armed Forces will receive another batch of 55 Su-30SM multirole fighters by 2019, the production director of Russia's Irkut Corporation, Sergei Yamanov, said Wednesday.
• Chinese naval fleet sails out for 2016 RIMPAC drills People's Daily 15 Jun 2016 -- A Chinese fleet participating in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational naval exercises set sail for the event Wednesday.
• Core technology of Chinese AEW realized localization People's Daily 15 Jun 2016 -- Multiple models of Chinese airborne early warning aircraft (AEW) such as KJ-500, Kj-2000, and KJ-200 fly over Tian'anmen Square during China's V-Day military parade on Sept. 3, 2015. It was the debut of the KJ-500, which had draw attention from all over the world.
• China has 260 nuclear weapons, fewer than 4% of US People's Daily 15 Jun 2016 -- Global nuclear weapons in early 2016 saw a slight decrease from 2015, with China ranking fourth with 260 nuclear weapons, which is about 3.7 percent of that of the U.S., an annual nuclear forces data report said.
• Pakistan Considers Canceling U.S. F-16 Deal, Buying From Jordan RFE/RL 15 Jun 2016 -- Pakistan is considering buying used F-16 fighter jets from Jordan after a deal to buy eight of the aircraft from the United States stalled because the U.S. Congress refused to finance the deal.
• Good Choice! Belarus Plans to Buy Russian Su-30SM Fighter Jets Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Minsk plans to purchase Russian Su-30SM-type multirole fighters, Belarusian Defense Minister Andrei Ravkov said Wednesday.
• Poland to Send 4 F-16 Jets to Middle East Prior to July NATO Summit Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Poland is likely to send four F-16 fighter jets to take part in a reconnaissance mission in the Middle East prior to the NATO summit scheduled to be held in Warsaw on July 8-9, Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said Wednesday.
• Japan Plans to Improve Defense Against N Korean Missiles Within 5 Years Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Japan plans to improve its defense against North Korean nuclear and missile threat within five years through modernization of Patriot PAC-3 surface-to-air missile system, local media reported Wednesday.
• June 15, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2016
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 6/15/16 The White House 15 Jun 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for June 15, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 15 June 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 15 Jun 2016
• Conflict prevention efforts more effective and sustainable when women participate - Security Council UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- Despite commitments of the international community, inconsistent levels of political will, resourcing, accountability and gender expertise often hinder the full and meaningful inclusion of women in efforts to prevent conflict, the Security Council said today.
• Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2016 -- The Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) is a U.S. Government-funded security assistance program working to strengthen international peacekeeping capacity in support of United Nations (UN) and regional peace operations.
• Global Peace Operations Initiative Promotes International Peacekeeping US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2016 -- The Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and the Department of Defense's Office of the Secretary of Defense are co-hosting the tenth annual Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) Worldwide Consultations at the State Department on June 15-17, 2016.
• Joint stance adopted on sea dispute People's Daily 15 Jun 2016 -- Top diplomats from China and the 10 ASEAN countries agreed on Tuesday that the South China Sea issue should be handled properly, reaffirming the need to "jointly ensure peace and stability" in the area.
• A Quick Vanishing Act at an ASEAN Meeting VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Now you see it, now you don't. The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) conducted a clumsy variation of the magician's sleight of hand act by issuing a tough joint statement on the South China Sea and then trying to make it quickly disappear.
• Japan: Chinese Spy Ship Entered Territorial Waters VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Officials in Tokyo say a Chinese spy ship entered Japanese waters early Wednesday.
• UAE to Withdraw From Anti-Houthi Military Operations in Yemen Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that the United Arab Emirates is withdrawing from the anti-Houthi military operation in Yemen.
• Yemeni Children in Line of Fire VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Some Yemeni citizens are livid because the United Nations removed the Saudi-led coalition from a list of countries accused of violating children's rights in Yemen. They say bombs continue to fall on civilian homes, hospitals and schools.
• 'We Are Coming': Syrian Army Showers Daesh With Warning Leaflets in Raqqa Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- The Syrian Army and its allied forces, with support from Russian air support and the Syrian Air Force, made advances in the direction of Al-Thawrah in Raqqa province, a source in the Syrian Army told Sputnik.
• Hundreds of Daesh Militants Remain in Manbij Amid Offensive - Pentagon Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Hundreds of Daesh militants are still inside the northern Syrian city of Manbij as the Syrian Democratic Forces backed by the US-led coalition try to recapture the city, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson Army Col. Christopher Garver said on Wednesday.
• Germany Denies Reports of Bundeswehr Special Units Deployed in Syria Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- There are no German troops or advisers present on the Syrian territory, a German Defense Ministry spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• US Warns of 'Consequences' for Syria Cease-fire Violations VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- The United States says its patience is running out and is calling for Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to respect a fragile cease-fire.
• Kerry tells Russia US patience on Assad fate running out Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Russia that American patience on the issue of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's future is running out.
• German, French special forces in Syria 'an aggression' Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- The Syrian government says French and German forces are present in northern Syria, condemning it as an act of "aggression."
• Iraqi Peshmerga Appeal for More Weapons for Anti-IS Fight VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, Iraqi Kurdish fighters known as Peshmerga have been at the front lines of the war against Islamic State extremists.
• Iraqi Security Forces Enter Fallujah VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Iraqi security forces are "inside" Fallujah three weeks after launching an offensive to retake the Islamic State-held city, according to a military spokesman for the coalition battling IS in Iraq and Syria.
• US Lawmakers Mull Train-and-equip Plan to Stabilize Libya VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- As forces backed by Libya's unity government press an offensive against Islamic State's stronghold of Sirte, the U.S. is considering widening its engagement with the country's fragile Government of National Accord, in a bid to oust the militants.
• South Sudan: UN relief wing reports increase in violence against aid workers UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- While thousands of vulnerable people in South Sudan have been reached with assistance and protection in recent months, violent incidents against aid workers increased during the month of May, the United Nations humanitarian wing reported today.
• UN food relief agency to double aid to Niger's conflict-torn Diffa region UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- Faced with a new wave of displacement following recent Boko Haram attacks in Niger's south-eastern Diffa region and with needs on the rise, the United Nations food relief agency plans to double its food and nutrition assistance, aiming to gradually increase its life-saving support to more than 250,000 people in Niger's embattled southern region.
• At Security Council, UN envoy warns LRA shifting focus to more high-profile targets in Central Africa UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- The United Nations is concerned about the impact of Uganda's potential withdrawal from military operations against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the Central African Republic, the Secretary-General's envoy for the region said today, stressing that a departure of Ugandan troops must be well-coordinated.
• Ban urges 'maximum restraint' in wake of reported fighting at border between Ethiopia and Eritrea UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- Deeply concerned by reports of fighting on 12 and 13 June on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is on an official visit to Belgium, met in Brussels today with top officials from both the African countries, with the parties calling for maximum restraint.

News Reports

• Newly-released CIA Documents Cite Invaluable Interrogation Program VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Newly declassified internal CIA documents show agency officials convinced its detention and interrogation program provided "unique and invaluable intelligence," while some expressed deep reservations and cautioned against leaving a trail of documents questioning its legality.
• ISIL-Linked Hacker Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support US Dept. of Justice 15 Jun 2016 -- Ardit Ferizi, aka Th3Dir3ctorY, 20, a citizen of Kosovo, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkemaof the Eastern District of Virginia to providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and accessing a protected computer without authorization and obtaining information.
• What Makes for Effective Counterterrorism? VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- This is the third and final part in a series on violent Islamist extremism in the United States.
• More terror attacks coming: French PM Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says there will be more terrorist attacks following this week's murder of a policeman and his wife by a man who pledged allegiance to Daesh.
• All Koreans Called on to Open Second June 15 Era of Reunification KCNA 15 Jun 2016 -- The North Side, South Side and Overseas Side Committees for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration issued an appeal on Wednesday, the 16th anniversary of the publication of the June 15 joint declaration.
• DPRK FM Spokesman Blasts U.S. Plan for "Precision Air Raid Operation" against DPRK KCNA 15 Jun 2016 -- We will further bolster up in quality and quantity the nuclear deterrence for self-defence in face of the U.S. reckless war moves and thoroughly foil any slightest military provocation of the enemies with the Korean-style mode of merciless counteraction.
• US Seeks African Allies Against Pyongyang's Nuclear Drive VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- The top U.S. nonproliferation official is in Africa to try to align nations against North Korea's nuclear ambitions by urging them to cut ties with Pyongyang. The threat, he says, is not as far away as it seems.
• Spokesman: Iran-US talks just in context of nuclear deal IRNA 15 Jun 2016 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari on Wednesday said Iran's talks with the US are just in the context of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
• Erdogan's Letter to Putin Means 'Ankara Ready to Open New Page' With Moscow Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of Russia's national holiday, sending him a letter in which he expressed hope for the improvement of ties between both countries. In an interview with Radio Sputnik, Turkish politicians from various parties commented on the issue.
• U.S. Ex-Ambassadors Spar Over Russia, NATO, And Ukraine RFE/RL 15 Jun 2016 -- Two former U.S. ambassadors to Russia clashed over past and future assessments of relations between Washington and Moscow, and which country bears the greater responsibility for deepening bilateral tensions.
• Bangladesh police arm villagers against militants Press TV 15 Jun 2016 -- Bangladesh police have armed villagers in the country's western regions with bamboo sticks and whistles to avoid militants' attacks on members of the minorities.
• UN humanitarian coordinator reports more than 26,000 people affected by Myanmar floods UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- Heavy monsoon rains since the beginning of June have caused flooding in five states and regions of Myanmar, resulting in 14 deaths and affecting at least 26,000 people, a United Nations humanitarian coordinator reported today.
• Anomaly in Cygnus Spacecraft Launch Caused by Unexpected Fuel Changes Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- The anomaly that prompted the premature booster shutdown during the Cygnus spacecraft launch on March 22 was caused by unexpected changes in fuel pressure and flow, United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced in a release on Wednesday.
• Russian Producer Makes Changes to RD-180 Engines to Avoid Future Anomalies Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- The producer of Russia's RD-180 rocket engines has made the required changes to avoid engine anomalies in the future, United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced in a release on Wednesday.
• SpaceX Deploys 2 Communications Satellites in Orbit, Fails to Land Rocket Sputnik 15 Jun 2016 -- Advanced rocket manufacturer SpaceX successfully launched on Wednesday two communications satellites into orbit from the Cape Canaveral US Air Force Station in Florida, but failed to land the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket.
• Debate Over Free Press in Ukraine Suffers From Old Stereotypes VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- A heated debate over freedom of the press versus state security erupted in Ukraine after the pro-government hacker group Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) published a list containing the personal information of thousands of journalists who had received accreditation from the separatist, Russian-backed "Donetsk People's Republic" in eastern Ukraine.
• Haiti: UN and partners warn against 'institutional vacuum,' call for return to constitutional order UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- The United Nations and its partners in Haiti have today expressed concern that as the provisional president's agreed 120-day mandate has come to end, "no measures have been taken to ensure institutional continuity" in the island nation, where several key deadlines regarding the political transition process have been missed.
• Security Council urges political solution to Guinea-Bissau crisis UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- Following a briefing yesterday by the head of the United Nations peacebuilding office in Guinea-Bissau, the Security Council has encouraged national actors to abide by the constitution and rule of law, while striving to find a political solution to the crisis in the country.
• Colombia: UN experts urge protection of Afro-Colombian communities against elevating violence UN News 15 Jun 2016 -- Distressed over reports of violence against people of African descent in Colombia, a United Nations expert panel has called on the authorities to take concrete and urgent measures to protect the country's Afro-Colombian communities.
• UN Envoy: Terrorism, Electoral Crises Thwart Central Africa Progress VOA 15 Jun 2016 -- Electoral crises and terrorism are undoing efforts to promote stability and development in Central Africa, the top U.N. diplomat for the area warned Wednesday.