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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 02 Aug 2016 [PDF]
• Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 02 Aug 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.
• Centcom Officials Announce More Counterterrorism Strikes in Yemen AFPS 02 Aug 2016 -- The U.S. military conducted two additional counterterrorism strikes in July against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula near central Yemen, U.S. Central Command officials announced today.
  U.S. Central Command
• U.S. Strikes Accelerate Gains Against ISIL in Libya AFPS 02 Aug 2016 -- U.S. precision airstrikes on Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant targets in Sirte, Libya, that began yesterday at the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord have allowed GNA-affiliated forces to accelerate the fight to expel ISIL from the Libyan city, a Pentagon spokesman said today.
• US Gives No Details on Bases Used for Libya Strikes Due to Operational Security Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- The United States declines to reveal details on military bases used to conduct US airstrikes against Daesh in Libya due to the operational security, Pentagon spokesperson Michelle Baldanza told Sputnik on Tuesday when asked about the possibility of using military bases in Italy for the recently launched campaign.
• US May Be Allowed to Use Italy's Military Bases for Anti-Daesh Campaign in Libya Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Tuesday did not rule out the possibility of providing access to the country's military bases to Washington to support the recently launched US campaign against the Daesh terrorist group in Libya.

Defense Policy / Programs

• AF declares the F-35A 'combat ready' AFNS 02 Aug 2016 -- The F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft was declared 'combat ready' by Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of Air Combat Command, Aug 2.
• US Air Force's F-35A Conducts Successful 'Kill' Test Against Drone Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- In the lead up to being declared combat ready, the US Air Force carried out a "kill" test with the fifth-generation fighter against a UAV.
• F/A-18C Crashed, Pilot Ejected Safely NNS 02 Aug 2016 -- An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Wing Pacific, Detachment Fallon, crashed into an open field near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, at approximately 10:50 a.m. PDT. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft, was recovered by emergency response personnel, and has been transported to medical facilities on the air station for evaluation.
• 'America's Squadron' defend themselves during Exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 USMC News 02 Aug 2016 -- U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, based out of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, completed the culminating event during exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, July 29, 2016.
• Pitch Black 16 launches flight operations USMC News 02 Aug 2016 -- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 commenced air operations for Exercise Pitch Black 2016 alongside the Royal Australian Air Force at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 1, 2016.
• Mount Whitney Returns from Successful Underway NNS 02 Aug 2016 -- The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in Gaeta, Italy, July 30, after completing BALTOPS 2016 with NATO counterparts.
• US, Timor-Leste Begin Bilateral Training NNS 02 Aug 2016 -- U.S. Navy units from Commander, Task Force 75, U.S. Marines, and Forsa Defesa Timor-Leste (F-FDTL) service members kicked off the 4th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Timor-Leste during a opening ceremony at Port Hera Naval Base, Aug. 1.
• US, Indonesian Navies Host CARAT Indonesia Bilateral Exercise NNS 02 Aug 2016 -- The U.S. and Indonesian navies will come together for the 22nd Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia bilateral exercise and exchange, Aug 3-8.
• USS Patriot Returns to Sasebo after 2JA MCM Exercise NNS 02 Aug 2016 -- The Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Patriot (MCM 7) returned to Sasebo, after a routine patrol in U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, Aug. 1.
• Department of the Navy Celebrates Virginia Solar Deals NNS 02 Aug 2016 -- The Department of the Navy (DON), the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dominion Virginia Power (Dominion) celebrated an agreement today to construct a 21 megawatt (MW) direct current (DC) solar energy facility at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana.
• Future is Here: Russian Army Already Uses Several Types of Laser Weaponry Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- The Russian Armed Forces have been equipped with laser weapons, the country's deputy defense minister said.
• Russian Military Gets Customized Il-96-400 'Doomsday Plane' Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has handed a customized airborne command system Il-96-400, also known as the 'doomsday plane', over to the national Defense Ministry, Ilyushin aircraft manufacturer announced.
• Beijing holds massive naval maneuver in East China Sea ISNA 02 Aug 2016 -- The Chinese navy launched a massive "live ammunition" drill in the East China Sea, which has been the subject of a longtime maritime dispute between Beijing and Tokyo.
• China's defense minister stresses preparedness for "war at sea" People's Daily 02 Aug 2016 -- Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan has warned of offshore security threats and called for substantial preparation for a "people's war at sea" to safeguard sovereignty.
• Editorial: THAAD deployment puts South Korea at risk People's Daily 02 Aug 2016 -- South Korea will become a puppet of US policy in Northeast Asia if it finally deploys the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system on its soil, the People's Daily warned in an editorial published on Monday, urging Seoul to think twice.
• THAAD in S Korea Not Actually Aimed at Preventing Threat From Pyongyang Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea would threaten the stability of East Asia, an expert said, adding that China and Russia's concerns about the US missile defense installations in the Korean Peninsula are justified.
• Washington to Focus on Upgrading Patriot Anti-Missile Systems in South Korea Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Washington will concentrate on upgrading its Patriot PAC-2 air defense systems in South Korea to PAC-3 systems.
• Iran capable of manufacturing Navy equipment: Commander IRNA 02 Aug 2016 -- Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said in this city in northwestern Tehran on Tuesday that supplying the Navy equipment would pave the way for presence of Navy forces in the international waters.
• Iran still ready to send arms aid to Lebanon IRNA 02 Aug 2016 -- A senior Iranian lawmaker announced here that Iran is still ready to send military aid to Lebanon's Army to fight against Zionists and Takfiri terrorists.
• Estonian Military Instructors Leave for Iraq to Provide Anti-Daesh Training Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- A group of six Estonian military instructors left for Iraq on Monday to provide anti-Daesh training to national troops, the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces said in a statement.
• North Korea Launches Missile into Ocean VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- South Korean military officials say North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into the ocean off its eastern coast, the latest in a series of missile tests.
• Mass Walk-Out? Hundreds of Soldiers Resign From German Army Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Over 400 German soldiers have filed applications for resignation from the country's armed forces, Rheinische Post reported.
• US, African Troops Train for Peace VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- The U.S. Army is training southern African soldiers involved in peacekeeping missions and disaster relief operations.
• August 2, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 02 Aug 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for August 02, 2016
• AG600 finishes assembly, joins C919 and Yun-20 in China's jumbo jet arsenal People's Daily 02 Aug 2016 -- The AG600, the first giant amphibious airplane developed and manufactured by China, has finished its final assembly and rolled off the production line in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province. The aircraft fills a gap in China's national emergency rescue system, and it is now set to enter the debugging and commissioning stage.

Other Conflicts

• 2 August 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 02 Aug 2016
• Beijing Warns of Security Threats in South China Sea VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- China has announced stiff penalties for people caught illegally fishing in Chinese waters, including those it describes as its sovereign areas in the South China Sea.
• Japan warns China over 'coercive' actions in disputed waters Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- Japan has slammed what it called China's "coercive" measures in the South China Sea, warning that Beijing's resolve to push ahead with its "unilateral demands" in the disputed waters could have "unintended consequences."
• South Korea Denounces Japan's Revived Claim to Liancourt Rocks Islands Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Seoul condemned Tokyo's renewed claim to Liancourt Rocks islands and warned it would decisively react to its sovereignty violation, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said Tuesday.
• South Korea denounces Japans claims to Dakdo islets Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- South Korea has warned Japan over its renewed claims to the disputed Liancourt Rocks Islands, vowing a firm response against any attempt to challenge Seoul's "sovereignty" of the islet chain.
• UN's Ban Stresses Need to Protect Yemeni Children From Saudi Airstrikes VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- The U.N. secretary-general said Tuesday that he still had "very strong concerns" about protecting Yemen's children from airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition fighting there.
• UN chief concerned about Saudi killing of Yemeni children Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern about the number of fatalities among Yemeni children as a result of Saudi Arabia's deadly military aggression against the impoverished country.
• Syrian Army Repels Major Daesh Attacks on Deir ez-Zor Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- The Syrian army, supported from air, managed to repel the attacks of the Daesh militants in the west of the city of Deir ez-Zor, a source told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
• Kremlin Dismisses Claims of Using Toxic Gas Bombs at Mi-8 Downing Site in Syria Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed on Tuesday accusations of toxic gas dropped in the Syrian province where a Russian helicopter was downed the previous day as an unfounded information attack.
• Aid Workers Report Toxic Gas Attacks in Northern Syria VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- Aid workers in Syria's war-ravaged northwest said Tuesday that a helicopter dropped barrels of toxic gas on a town near the besieged city of Aleppo.
• Syria: UN 'deeply disturbed' by reports of airstrikes on hospitals, other civilian infrastructure UN News 02 Aug 2016 -- Deeply disturbed by reports that five hospitals and a blood bank have been hit by airstrikes in Syria, the United Nations today reiterated its call on all parties to the conflict to end the destruction of medical facilities and other civilian infrastructure.
• Battle for Syria's Aleppo Heats Up as Rebels Press Offensive VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- Despite more than 80 consecutive days of sustained bombardment of rebel-held Aleppo, civilians are barely using humanitarian corridors to flee the war-shattered Syrian city.
• Syria army advancing in militant-held parts of Aleppo Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- The Syrian army forces are pushing terrorists back in militant-controlled areas of Aleppo as part of a military operation aimed at fully liberating the embattled northwestern city from the grip of extremists, Press TV reports.
• 'Opposition' rejects UN bid for political settlement of Syria crisis Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- Syria's main foreign-backed so-called opposition group, known as the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), has once again dismissed a proposal by the United Nations to resolve the conflict in the Middle Eastern country.
• Iraqi Military Demonstrates New Skills in Mosul Campaign AFPS 02 Aug 2016 -- Military personnel unfortunately are all too familiar with the IED – improvised explosive device – and the VBIED – vehicle-borne IED. But not too many service members are familiar with the TreeBIED or the FridgeBIED.
• Violence left 759 Iraqis dead in July: United Nations Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- The United Nations (UN) says nearly 760 people lost their lives and more than 1,200 others sustained injuries as a result of acts of terrorism and violence in Iraq in the month of July.
• Libyans Advance on Sirte With More US Airstrikes VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- The U.S. military launched more strikes against Islamic State targets Tuesday as Libyan forces said they were advancing inside the terror group's stronghold of Sirte.
• In battle against Daesh, Libya fighters advance inside Sirte Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- Fighters affiliated with Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) say they have advanced inside the city of Sirte, the stronghold of the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in the North African country.
• Ukrainians Denounce Trump's Comments on Ukraine, Crimea VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- It is probably no surprise that the recent comments by U.S. Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump about the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, including Moscow's annexation of Crimea, have not been well received by Ukrainian politicians and analysts.
• In South Sudan, UN humanitarian chief calls on all parties to work together for peace UN News 02 Aug 2016 -- United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien today called on all actors in South Sudan, including the international community supporting the country, to work together for a peace that will enable the nation and its people to realize their hopes for a better future.
• South Sudan Facing Huge Humanitarian Crisis, UN Says VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- South Sudan is facing a massive humanitarian and displacement crisis, with thousands of refugees fleeing to neighboring countries and many more becoming internally displaced.
• Former Leader of S. Sudan's Ruling Party Seeks International Intervention VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- The former secretary-general of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement has formed an advocacy group to spearhead efforts to bring peace to South Sudan under U.N. administration.
• South Sudan's leading opposition minister resigns Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- An influential South Sudanese minister and opposition figure has resigned, dealing a major blow to the country's fragile peace deal.
• Some 60,000 flee recent South Sudan violence, bringing exodus to 900,000 since 2013 - UN UN News 02 Aug 2016 -- Some 60,000 people have fled South Sudan's recent violence in the capital city of Juba, bringing the overall number of South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries since December 2013 to nearly 900,000, the United Nations refugee agency said today.
• Nigerian forces deflect Boko Haram attack Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- Nigerian army forces and local fighters have stymied an attempt by the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group to attack a northeastern city, killing five of the militants in the process.
• AU Soldier in Somalia Sentenced for Selling Military Supplies VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- An African Union peacekeeper in Somalia has been sentenced to a year in prison and demoted in rank for selling military supplies and fuel in the black market in Mogadishu.
• Colombia peace accord offers chance to 'close chapter of war once and for all' - UN envoy UN News 02 Aug 2016 -- The head of the new United Nations political mission in Colombia today pledged the world body's steadfast support for the full implementation of the accord reached by the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP), which seeks to bring an end the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere.

News Reports

• US Responds Coolly to Turkish Accusation That West Supports Terror VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- U.S. officials Tuesday responded dispassionately to accusations made by an angry Turkish leader, who last month survived a coup attempt, that "the West is supporting terror and standing by the coup plotters."
• Pakistan Leans Toward Curbing Activities of Group Linked to Gulen VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- Pakistan assured Turkey on Tuesday it is exploring legal measures against educational and other institutions linked to Fethullah Gulen, whose followers Ankara blames for last month's abortive coup.
• Turkish deputy PM says Ankara is to overhaul intelligence services Press TV 01 Aug 2016 -- Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus says his government is to overhaul the structure of its intelligence services in a move aimed at preventing future coup attempts.
• Erdogan accuses West of 'supporting terror' in Turkey Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the West on Tuesday of "supporting terror" in Turkey and backing those who masterminded the abortive coup of July 15.
• Erdogan Maintains Turkey Coup Plotted from 'Outside' VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan restated that the failed coup attempt last month was plotted outside the country.
• 'Security Belt' to Be Set Around Yamal Anthrax Contamination Zone Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- A "security belt" will be set around the anthrax contamination zone on the Yamal Peninsula, Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said Tuesday.
• Nearly 90 People Hospitalized in Russia's Siberia Amid Anthrax Outbreak Sputnik 02 Aug 2016 -- A total of 86 people, including 51 children, in the Yamalo-Nenets District area affected by the anthrax outbreak known as the 'Siberian plague' are under observation in hospital, spokeswoman for the district's governor Nadezda Noskova said on Tuesday.
• P5+1 not fully abiding by JCPOA: Rouhani IRNA 02 Aug 2016 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the P5+1 group of countries is not fully carrying out its obligations under the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.
• Iran may launch advanced enrichment program: MP Press TV 02 Aug 2016 -- An Iranian lawmaker says the country may launch an advanced enrichment program in case Washington continues to ignore its commitments under last year's nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, including the United States.
• Most North Korean Defectors Avoid Asylum Seeking in China VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- The South Korean Foreign Ministry, during its weekly press briefing on Tuesday, did not address the reported defection of a North Korean national who is reportedly seeking asylum in Seoul's diplomatic mission in Hong Kong.　
• Sarkisian Calls For 'National Accord' Government Excluding 'Terrorists' RFE/RL 02 Aug 2016 -- Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian promised to form a government of "national accord" within months, but vowed it would not include "terrorists and their defenders," in an apparent reference to an armed opposition group that surrendered after a two-week standoff with Yerevan police.
• Rich People Will Now Be Able to Fly Into Space teleSUR 02 Aug 2016 -- The new ship, dubbed Unity, was rolled out of its hangar for its first taxi test at the Mojave Air and Space Port. Richard Branson's space company, Virgin Galactic, has been granted an operating licence to fly the world's first passenger rocketship for paying tourists, the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday.
• Egypt-Turkey Relations Sour Post-Failed Coup VOA 02 Aug 2016 -- The Egyptian media erupted in excitement during the coup attempt in Turkey, prematurely declaring it successful. A headline on one prominent paper read, "The military force's message: relationships with the world will continue."