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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 13 Oct 2016 [PDF]
• US troops on the ground in Mosul: Pentagon Press TV 17 Oct 2016 -- The US military has confirmed that its troops are deployed on the frontlines in the offensive to retake the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from Daesh (ISIL) terrorists.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 17 Oct 2016 -- British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh
• Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 13 Oct 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.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 13 Oct 2016 -- Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
• U.S. Responds to Missile Attacks, Targets 3 Radar Sites on Yemen's Coast AFPS 13 Oct 2016 -- The United States yesterday conducted sea-launched cruise missile strikes against three radar sites on Yemen's Red Sea coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters in a news briefing today.
• Strikes Target Radar Sites in Yemen AFPS 13 Oct 2016 -- Early yesterday local time, the U.S. military struck three radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a news release last night.
• US military launches strikes in Yemen, citing retaliation Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- The US military says it has launched strikes on Yemen's three coastal radar sites, citing retaliation for two failed missile attacks on American warships in the Red Sea in four days.
• US Strikes Yemen Sites in Retaliation for Missile Launches VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- The U.S. military said Thursday it struck three radar sites in Yemen in response to missile launches from territory controlled by Houthi rebels that targeted a U.S. Navy destroyer.
• US Strikes Radar Sites in Yemen in Response to Missile Attack on Destroyer Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- The US has targeted radar sites in Yemen in response to missile attacks on the American guided-missile destroyer Mason from the Houthi-controlled territory, a Pentagon spokesperson said.
• UN warns of humanitarian crisis as 7,400 cross Afghan border each day UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- Every day, some 7,400 Afghan returnees cross the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan, prompting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to warn of an escalating humanitarian crisis.
• 24th MEU arrives in Haiti, delivers aid to storm ravaged region USMC News 13 Oct 2016 -- Elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, along with sailors from Expeditionary Strike Group 2, disembarked from USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) Sunday to assess storm damage to the Republic of Haiti's infrastructure and provide initial capabilities for future disaster relief efforts.
• NAVFAC EXWC Seabees Repair Critical Electrical Infrastructure at Port Au Prince Airport NNS 13 Oct 2016 -- Two Seabee technicians from Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC), Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) division, deployed in support of the ongoing relief operations in Haiti.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Strengthening U.S.-South Korea Alliance Focus of Bilateral Meeting AFPS 13 Oct 2016 -- American and South Korean military leaders met at the Pentagon today to discuss the alliance between the two countries and ways to make the alliance even stronger.
• Barnacle Busting: ONR-Sponsored Research Targets Ship Biofouling NNS 13 Oct 2016 -- Individually, tiny barnacles pose little threat to hulking U.S. Navy ships. But when clustered in thick clumps on a vessel's hull -- a natural occurrence called biofouling -- these sticky crustaceans can slow the ship and increase its fuel consumption by 40 percent.
• USS Whidbey Island Visits Jebel Ali, Completes MDVR NNS 13 Oct 2016 -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and embarked Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, after completing a mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR), Oct. 12.
• UK, US Navies Hold Massive War Games to Bolster Robotic Minesweeping Capability Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- The navies of the US and the UK are holding large-scale war games to test cutting-edge robotic technologies in underwater mining.
• Russian Special Ops Plane With Unique Electronics Readied for the Skies Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Russia's brand-new Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A military transport plane will be able to ferry paratroopers and Special Ops troops deep into the enemy's rear totally undetected thanks to its state-of-the-art onboard electronics enabling it to fly just meters above the ground at night and in heavy fog, Izvestia wrote.
• Russian Defense Ministry to Order Some 50 New Tu-160M2 Advanced Bombers Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- The Russian Defense Ministry plans to procure around 50 Tu-160M2 upgraded supersonic strategic bombers, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said Thursday.
• Russian Defense Ministry Can Soon Get Five New Reconnaissance Satellites Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has signed a contract with the Lavochkin Research and Production Association on the development of a radar reconnaissance satellite system, the Russian Izvestia newspaper reports.
• Russian Defense Spending Going Down After Record Growth in 2015 Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Russian national defense spending had a record growth of the post-soviet time last year, surpassing 28 percent, the Russian Vedomosti newspaper reports.
• RFA Mounts Bay resumes arms trafficking patrol UK MOD 13 Oct 2016 -- RFA Mounts Bay has resumed duties patrolling the Mediterranean to counter illegal arms trafficking.
• Russia, India to Sign S-400 Missile System Supplies Deal Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Russia and India will sign a contract on delivering S-400 air defense systems during Vladimir Putin's visit.
• Russia set to seal deal with India on S-400 air defense system Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to seal a deal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the delivery of Moscow's most advanced air defense system to New Delhi, the Kremlin says.
• Promises of 'Destruction': North Korea Calls Naval Drills 'Severe Provocation' Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- North Korea has responded angrily to this week's US-South Korea naval drills, which include exercises targeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, calling them a "severe provocation" that is pushing the peninsula toward crisis.
• Iran Deploys 2 Warships in Yemen's Waters to Protect Naval Routes Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Iran sent on Thursday two warships to the waters of Yemen to ensure safety of merchant ships' navigation from pirate attacks, media reported.
• The Government of Kuwait-Radar Field System DSCA 13 Oct 2016 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait for radar field systems and related equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $194 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• October 13, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 13 Oct 2016
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Pittsburgh, PA, 10/13/2016 The White House 13 Oct 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 13, 2016
• Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company, Delivers 1000th H-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter to U.S. Army Lockheed Martin 13 Oct 2016 -- Sikorsky, A Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT), delivered the 1,000th H-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter to the U.S. Army today in a ceremony held in Stratford, Connecticut. The event was attended by distinguished guests from the U.S. Army, government officials, the Defense Contracting Management Agency, industry suppliers, and Lockheed Martin employees.

Other Conflicts

• 13 October 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Oct 2016
• Yemeni army, Houthi Ansarullah movement warn US against further attacks Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- The Yemeni army and the Houthi Ansarullah movement have warned Washington against further attacks on the war-ravaged nation after the US military carried out cruise missile strikes on the country's coastal radar sites.
• US Attacks on Yemeni Radar Sites 'Unacceptable' - Houthi Rebels Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Yemeni main opposition force, the Houthis, condemned on Thursday the US attack on radar sites located on Yemeni territories under Houthis' control, saying the US move was unacceptable.
• Yemeni Houthis Deny Involvement in Missile Attacks on US Warships Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Yemeni Houthi rebels deny their involvement in the recent attacks on US warships in the Red Sea, local media reported Thursday, citing a military official allied with the Houthi movement.
• Yemeni forces shoot down Saudi reconnaissance aircraft Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Yemeni forces have shot down a Saudi reconnaissance aircraft as they push ahead with their retaliatory attacks against Riyadh's military.
• Yemen army, allies deny targeting US warship Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Yemeni forces have rejected "baseless" US claims of having targeted an American destroyer in the Red Sea, which prompted missile strikes on the Arab country by the United States.
• Turkey: Troops to stay in Iraq as long as needed Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- A top Turkish official says the country's military forces will continue their presence in northern Iraq regardless of Baghdad's repeated protests and escalating tensions between the two neighbors.
• Baghdad summons Turkish envoy to protest troop presence on Iraqi soil Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has summoned Turkey's ambassador to protest the continued presence of Turkish troops on Iraqi soil without Baghdad's permission.
• Syrian army takes back town in Hama province from militants Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Syrian armed forces have liberated a town in the west-central province of Hama in their latest push to win back areas held by foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists.
• Terrorists Continue to Shell Western Aleppo Killing Dozens Daily - General Staff Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Terrorists continue to shell the western part of the Syrian city of Aleppo, which results in dozens of deaths on a daily basis, the Russian General Staff said Thursday.
• West Groundlessly Accuses Russia of Indiscriminate Bombing of Aleppo - Gen Staff Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Western countries have launched a smear campaign against the Russian Aerospace Forces accusing them without any evidence of indiscriminately bombing the Syrian city of Aleppo, the Russian General Staff said Thursday.
• UN receives 'partial' approval from Syrian government on October aid deliveries, envoy reports UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- Unless the deadly violence in Aleppo subsides, the United Nations will be unable to carry out its humanitarian responsibilities to victims of bombardments, shelling and attacks against civilians, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy stressed today.
• Russia vows response to any hostile acts against forces in Syria Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Russia has warned that any threat against its forces in Syria will not go unanswered after a foreign-backed opposition group requested for anti-aircraft arms.
• Johnson: West considering new military options for Syria Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says the West is considering broader military operations against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to protect what he called "the Syrian opposition."
• Militants shell Aleppo school, kill children Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Shells fired by foreign-backed terrorists in Aleppo have hit a school in a government-held area of Syria's second city, killing at least four children.
• Syria Cease-fire Unlikely as Concerns Focus on Preventing Wider Conflict VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- Top diplomats from the United States, Russia, and the Middle East will attempt to salvage a failed Syria cease-fire agreement Saturday with talks in Lausanne, Switzerland, followed by a separate meeting Sunday in London.
• Major Offensive: More Than 60,000 Iraqi Troops Preparing to Retake Mosul Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- Iraqi media reports that at least 65,000 Iraqi soldiers in six divisions are preparing for the battle to retake the city of Mosul from the Daesh forces that have made it their headquarters in Iraq for the past two years.
• Aid Groups Fear Battle for Mosul Will Be Disaster for Civilians VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- More than 62,000 civilians are believed to have fled Mosul in recent weeks as Iraqi forces prepare for a final assault to retake the city from the Islamic State terror group. And there are growing indications they may be among the last to safely escape.
• Over 50,000 Iraqi Gov't Fighters on Standby to Start Liberating Nineveh Sputnik 13 Oct 2016 -- More than 50,000 Iraqi government fighters are on a standby to start a military operation to liberate Nineveh province north of Iraq which has been under Daesh jihadist group occupation for the past two years, Nineveh Deputy Governor, Hasan Allaf told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• French President Hollande urges detailed road map on Ukrainian conflict Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- French President Francois Hollande has called for a detailed road map for the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.
• Nigeria to continue fighting Boko Haram despite release of 21 Chibok girls Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- The Nigerian government says the military operation against Boko Haram will continue even though the Takfiri militant group released several of girls who had been held captive for more than two years.
• Nigeria Says 21 Chibok Girls Released VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- Nigerian officials say 21 of the "Chibok girls" kidnapped by the militant group Boko Haram in 2014 have been released.
• AMISOM Troops Struggle to Counter IED Threat in Somalia VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- A platoon of African Union soldiers patrol a village outside Mogadishu.
• Fresh violence in CAR kills 30, injures dozens more Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- A series of new skirmishes involving the ex-Seleka fighters in the Central African Republic has claimed the lives of at least 30 people while leaving 57 others injured.
• UN refugee agency condemns rising violence against civilians in Central African Republic UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- The United Nations refugee agency today condemned attacks on civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR), where clashes between rival groups have forced thousands of people to flee their homes and disrupted vital humanitarian aid operations.
• Security Council dispatches UN special envoy to Burundi for talks on political crisis UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- The Security Council will dispatch senior a United Nations envoy to consult with officials in Burundi to "find a way forward on all issues related to peace and security and UN activities in the country," after the Government earlier rejected a Council resolution on establishing a police officers' component there and amid reports that it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
• Security Council extends UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti for six months UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- Accepting Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's recommendation, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti for six months at the current force and police strength.

News Reports

• Statement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand DoD 13 Oct 2016
• Thai king, world's longest-serving monarch, dead at 88 Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, has died at the age of 88, casting uncertainty over the Southeast Asian state's political future.
• After Thai King's Death, Son Will Wait to Ascend VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- The death of the world's longest reigning monarch, Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the age of 88, is a stunning blow for the kingdom of 67 million people, most of whom have known no other sovereign.
• António Guterres appointed next UN Secretary-General by acclamation UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- The General Assembly today appointed by acclamation the former Prime Minister of Portugal, António Guterres, as the next United Nations Secretary-General, to succeed Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on 31 December.
• Portugal's Guterres Formally Approved as Next UN Chief VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- The United Nations has formally approved its next Secretary-General. Antonio Guterres of Portugal will become the world body's ninth leader on January first, succeeding Ban Ki-moon, who leaves office at the end of this year.
• Turkey Questions Historical Treaty Defining Regional Borders VOA 12 Oct 2016 -- A dispute continues to deepen between Ankara and Baghdad over the presence of Turkish soldiers near the Iraqi city of Mosul.
• Detained Syrian refugee found dead in German prison Press TV 13 Oct 2016 -- A Syrian refugee man who was under custody on suspicion of planning a bomb attack at a German airport has been found dead in his prison cell in eastern Germany.
• Ethiopian Opposition Wants 'Real Change' But Views on Tactics Differ VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- Insisting the demonstrations in Ethiopia's Oromia region during the past year are a mass movement, not just two or three protest groups, Merera Gudina, the chairman of Ethiopia's opposition Oromo Federalist Congress, is calling for the government to listen to the people's demands.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, October 13, 2016 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 Oct 2016
• Bashneft Sale To Rosneft Provides $5.2 Billion For Kremlin Budget RFE/RL 13 Oct 2016 -- Russia's state-run oil firm Rosneft bought a majority stake in Bashneft for $5.2 billion, providing a major cash infusion to fill deficits in the Kremlin's budget.
• Kazakhstan's Kashagan Starts Up...Again RFE/RL 13 Oct 2016 -- Production at Kazakhstan's enormous Kashagan oil and natural-gas field has started again. Already more than a decade behind schedule, and billions of dollars overbudget, the project once seen as Kazakhstan's ticket to El Dorado is now just hoping to alleviate some of the economic pain the country is experiencing and break even before too many more years pass.
• World's first quantum satellite to finish in-orbit testing People's Daily 13 Oct 2016 -- The world's first quantum satellite is currently in the middle of in-orbit testing, and will carry out additional scientific tests after November, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced on Oct. 12. Nicknamed "Micius," the satellite, Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS), was launched in China in August.
• China to launch spacecraft with two astronauts on Monday People's Daily 13 Oct 2016 -- The manned Shenzhou-11 spacecraft will be launched on Monday, China Central Television reported.
• Iran Disrupts IS Plot to Bomb Religious Commemorations, State Media Says VOA 13 Oct 2016 -- Iran has disrupted an Islamic State bombing plot targeting the Shi'ite religious commemoration of Ashoura, according to state media reports on Thursday.
• Political will, preventive actions needed to counter terrorism and address evolving nature of ISIL, Security Council told UN News 13 Oct 2016 -- Briefing the Security Council today, the top United Nations political official said that while the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and its affiliates have continued to face military setbacks, they continue to pose a significant and diversified threat.