Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 07 Mar 2017[PDF]
• Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq AFPS 07 Mar 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Dunford Discusses Syria With Turkish, Russian Counterparts AFPS 07 Mar 2017 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is meeting with his Russian and Turkish counterparts here today to discuss the situation in northern Syria.
• 'Iran speedboats force US fleet to change course: US Navy official Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- A fleet of American and British warships have been "forced" to change their course after being encountered by a group of Iranian vessels near the Islamic Republic's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, according to a US navy official.
• Pakistan temporarily opens border gates with Afghanistan IRNA 07 Mar 2017 -- Pakistani authorities on Tuesday temporarily reopened border with Afghanistan for two days to allow movement of valid visa-holding nationals amidst tensions, however, trade activities would remain suspended.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Calls China's Objections to Defense System in S. Korea 'Unwarranted' VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- A senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday that China's objections to deployment of a controversial U.S. missile defense system in South Korea were "unwarranted," and he urged China to redirect its response to "a better use."
• US Admiral: Don't Rule Out Military Options Against North Korea VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- Amid reports that the White House is reviewing its policy toward North Korea, the former head of the U.S. Pacific Command says it's crucial to consider a full range of options – including the use of military force, if necessary – to deter the growing nuclear threat from Pyongyang.
• THAAD Deployment Begins Amid Increasing Tensions Between China and South Korea VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- The U.S. deployed the first elements of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to South Korea Tuesday, one day after North Korea launched at least four ballistic missiles, three of which landed within 350 km of the Japanese mainland.
• Pacom Deploys Defensive Anti-Missile System to Korean Peninsula AFPS 07 Mar 2017 -- U.S. Pacific Command has deployed the first elements of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, known as THAAD, to South Korea, implementing the U.S.-South Korean alliance's July decision to bring the defensive capability to the Korean Peninsula.
• First parts of THAAD system arrive in ROK, incense Chinese citizens People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- The deployment of a U.S. missile shield in South Korea has gotten underway with the arrival of part of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, Seoul's defense ministry said on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
• S.Korea launches de facto THAAD deployment despite continued oppositions People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- South Korea has hurriedly launched the process of deploying a U.S. missile shield to its soil despite continued, repeated oppositions from neighboring countries and residents.
• THAAD deployment in S.Korea begins with arrival of part of battery amid protest People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- The deployment of a U.S. missile shield in South Korea has begun with the arrival of a part of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, Seoul's defense ministry said Tuesday.
• China, Russia slam US missile system deployment in South Korea Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- China and Russia have slammed the deployment of a US missile system to South Korea, with Beijing vowing to defend its security interests.
• Seoul, Washington Accelerate THAAD System Deployment Amid Pyongyang Provocations Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- The United States and South Korea started to speed up deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, following the current aggravation of the situation in the region, with parts of THAAD arrived at the Osan Air Base, Gyeonggi province, on Monday.
• S Korean Opposition Slams Gov't Over 'Unilateral' Decision to Deploy THAAD Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- South Korean opposition parties on Tuesday criticized the government's "unilateral" decision to install the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the territory of the country.
• US Deploys First Elements of THAAD to South Korea VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- The U.S. has deployed the first elements of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea to counter North Korea's aggressive behavior, U.S. Pacific command officials said late Monday.
• Trump Accuses Obama of Releasing 'Vicious Prisoners' From Guantanamo VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- President Donald Trump lashed out again at his predecessor, using Twitter Tuesday to criticize former president Barack Obama for allegedly releasing 122 "vicious prisoners" from the Guantanamo Bay military detention center who "returned to the battlefield."
• Readout of Secretary Mattis' Meeting with Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman DoD 07 Mar 2017
• AF's 1st HC-130 takes its final flight to retirement AFNS 07 Mar 2017 -- After more than 50 years of faithful service and rescue missions spanning the globe, King 52, the first HC-130P/N configured for Air Force rescue in 1964, retired March 6, 2017.
• Pilots eject from A-29A Super Tucano AFNS 07 Mar 2017 -- Two pilots from the 81st Fighter Squadron ejected safely from an A-29A Super Tucano aircraft during a routine training flight near Homerville, Georgia, at about 2:50 p.m., March 6, 2017.
• Task Force Southwest completes full mission rehearsal prior to Afghanistan deployment II Marine Expeditionary Force USMC News 07 Mar 2017 -- Task Force Southwest completed a full mission rehearsal in preparation for an upcoming deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, at Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Feb. 27 to March 3.
• Pacific Partnership 2017 Makes Inaugural Mission Stop in Sri Lanka NNS 07 Mar 2017 -- Pacific Partnership 2017 made its initial mission stop in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, March 7, with the arrival of Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport USNS Fall River (T-EPF 4).
• Continuing Promise 2017 Completes Honduras, Tops 12,900 Patient Encounters NNS 07 Mar 2017 -- U.S. military personnel departed Trujillo, Honduras, after completing a 10-day mission stop in support of Continuing Promise 2017 (CP-17).
• Bataan ARG Enters US 6th Fleet NNS 07 Mar 2017 -- The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), with the embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, March 7, as part of a routine deployment in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe, NATO allies, and European and African partner nations.
• Russian Navy's Long Arm: Antey Nuclear Subs to Carry Kalibr Cruise Missiles Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- Russia plans to upgrade its fleet of Antei-class nuclear-powered missile submarines with Kalibr long-range cruise missiles, Sputnik reported, citing Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov.
• Russian Aviation Company to Deliver 12 Ka-52s Within State Orders in 2017 Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- Russia's Progress Arsenyev aviation company will deliver 12 Ka-52 attack helicopters to the Russian Defense Ministry as part of state orders this year, Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Borisov said Tuesday.
• S. Korean acting president has phone talks with U.S. president over DPRK missile launches People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting president, held telephone talks with U.S. President Donald Trump over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s missile test-launches, Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday, citing multiple government sources.
• Trump speaks with Japanese, South Korean leaders on DPRK's latest missile tests People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday spoke separately over phone with leaders of Japan and South Korea to discuss the latest test-launch of ballistic missiles by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to the White House.
• Navy to play bigger role People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- China will further strengthen its navy by both expanding its personnel and improving its vessels to safeguard the country's maritime rights and promote its maritime interests, said a retired PLA Navy admiral on Sunday on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.
• Chinese warships return home after high sea drill People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- A Chinese naval fleet on Tuesday returned to a port in Sanya city on Hainan Island after a high sea drill.
• Germany to Purchase US-Made MQ-4C Triton Drones Instead of Euro Hawk Aircraft Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- Germany will purchase three MQ-4C Triton aerial surveillance drones manufactured in the United States instead of its initial plans to acquire RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance aircraft because of their high price, local media reported Tuesday, citing sources from the German Defense Ministry.
• Iranian Official Says 2,100 Fighters Killed In Syria, Iraq RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- More than 2,000 fighters sent by Iran have been killed in conflicts in Syria and Iraq, according to the head of the Iranian veterans' affairs office.
• Iran's strong presence safeguards Caspian Sea security: Navy Comdr IRNA 07 Mar 2017 -- Iran's pivotal role is the main factor in maintaining stability and security in the Caspian Sea, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said.
• Navy commander says no need to foreign equipment IRNA 07 Mar 2017 -- Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says that the naval forces do not need to buy any equipment from the Western countries.
• Iran flotilla sets sail for Russia's Dagestan Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- A flotilla of Iranian warships has left the country's northern territorial waters for Russia in a bid to convey the Islamic Republic's message of peace and friendship.
• Iraqi Air Force cmdr.: Iran continues to be Iraq's number one supporter IRNA 07 Mar 2017 -- Commander of Iraqi Air Force General Hamid al-Maliki said on Tuesday that Iran continues to be Iraq's number one supporter in the fight against terrorism.
• Kosovo Moves to Establish Army, Defying Belgrade VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- In a move likely to anger neighboring Serbia, Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci on Tuesday filed a draft law to convert the country's lightly armed security forces into a national army.
• Department Press Briefing - March 7, 2017 US Dept. of State 07 Mar 2017
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, 3/7/2017, #18 The White House 07 Mar 2017

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for March 07, 2017
• BrahMos Aerospace to Be Indian DRDO's Commercial Wing Abroad Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- The Indo-Russian company is being chosen after DRDO found that government-owned defense firms were not committed to increasing exports.
• Iran unveils new multi-purpose helicopter Saba 248 ISNA 07 Mar 2017 -- Iran has unveiled a new multi-purpose helicopter designed by Iranian helicopter modernization experts.
• Saba 248 national helicopter unveiled IRNA 07 Mar 2017 -- The Saba-248 national helicopter was unveiled in a ceremony attended by Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and Vice President for Scientific and Technological Affairs Sourena Sattari on Tuesday.

Other Conflicts

• 7 March 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 07 Mar 2017
• Turkey won't plan Manbij attack without US, Russia coordination Press TV 06 Mar 2017 -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says his country will not plan an attack on the Kurdish-held city of Manbij without the coordination of US and Russia.
• Syrian soldiers, allied fighters recapture 18 villages in Aleppo Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- Syrian forces have regained control over more than a dozen villages in the country's northern province of Aleppo.
• US-Led Coalition Troops in Syria's Manbij Ensure No Persistent YPG Presence Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- The US-led coalition has sent additional troops to Syria's Manbij on a deterrence mission and to ensure the forces of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) are not constantly present in the area, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson told Sputnik on Tuesday.
• UNSC Vote on Resolution on Chemical Weapons Use in Syria 'Provocative' - Moscow Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- Moscow considers the situation with voting in the UN Security Council on a draft resolution on alleged chemical weapons use in Syria provocative, Director of the Foreign Ministry Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Mikhail Ulyanov told Sputnik on Tuesday.
• 'Turkey, Russia, US military chiefs meet in Turkish city' Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- The Turkish army says its chief of the general staff has met with his Russian and American counterparts in Turkey, discussing the situation in Iraq and Syria among other things.
• Armed Forces Chiefs Meet in Turkey Over Syrian Kurdish Tensions VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- The U.S. top general, Joseph Dunford, along with the chief of Russia's general staff, Valery Gerasimov, were hosted by their Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya. According to officials, the meeting sought to find ways to avoid potential confrontations among the forces operating in Syria.
• Iraq's prime minister visits troops in Mosul airport Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has paid an unannounced visit to troops deployed in the north of the country amid a fierce battle to recapture the second largest city of Mosul.
• 'Iraqi elite forces retake government building in Mosul' Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- Iraqi special forces have reportedly reclaimed the government's headquarters in the northern city of Mosul, the last urban area controlled by Daesh in Iraq.
• UN agency expanding camps around Mosul to cope with surge in displacement UN News 07 Mar 2017 -- Amid a spike in new displacement triggered by the Iraqi military offensive to recapture western Mosul, the United Nations refugee agency is setting up new camps and expanding existing ones to shelter new arrivals, many of whom are visibly traumatized, hungry and dehydrated.
• Libyan Fighters Say They Aim to Take Benghazi VOA 06 Mar 2017 -- Militias in Libya who recently captured two key oil terminals around Benghazi say they want to extend their fight to try to capture the entire city of Benghazi.
• Thousands flee as clashes erupt in Myanmar-China border town Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- Thousands of people are fleeing a town in Myanmar bordering China after dozens of people were killed in a recent intense fighting between the military and armed ethnic rebel groups.
• Russia rejects Ukraine 'terrorism' claims at UN court Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- Russia has flatly rejected claims made by Ukraine that Moscow is "sponsoring terrorism" through alleged providing of money and arms for pro-Russia forces in the war-scarred country, describing the allegations as "neither factual nor legal."
• Russia Tells UN Court It Has No Jurisdiction In Ukraine Case RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- Russia says the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has no jurisdiction to issue an order Ukraine seeks to halt Moscow's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine and Crimea.
• Ukrainian FM Says Tillerson Pledges U.S. Support Against 'Russian Aggression' RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin says U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has assured him that Washington will continue to support Kyiv in its standoff with Russia.
• Kiev Fails to Prove at ICJ Russia Discriminates Against Crimean Tatars Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- Ukraine failed to support its allegations that Russia discriminates Crimean Tatars with evidence, a deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights, representing Russia at the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), said Tuesday.
• UN migration agency seeks $25 million to aid families in Eastern Ukraine UN News 07 Mar 2017 -- To meet the emergency needs of 180,000 people in Eastern Ukraine, the United Nations migration agency today announced plans to provide aid ranging from blankets to money to cover electricity costs and psychological support at a cost of $25 million.
• UN Chief Makes Surprise Visit to Somalia to Focus on Famine VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says Somalia needs "massive support" to prevent a repeat of the 2011 famine that killed 260,000 people.
• Somalia humanitarian crisis amounts to nightmare: UN chief Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Somalia to discuss a hunger crisis which he described as a "nightmare" in the East African country.
• Former South Sudanese general forms anti-government rebel group Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- A former South Sudanese army general, who resigned last month, has formed a new anti-government rebel group, pledging to topple President Salva Kiir.
• South Sudan Renegade General Calls for Overthrow of Kiir VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- A renegade South Sudanese general says President Salva Kiir is destroying the East African nation and must be overthrown.

News Reports

• Russia Probes Top agenda At Hearing For Justice Department Nominee RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- A U.S. federal prosecutor who is poised to oversee Justice Department investigations into alleged connections between Russian officials and White House aides during the 2016 presidential election campaign has said he isn't aware of any reason for him to recuse himself from those probes.
• Revised US Travel Ban Triggers Mixed Reaction VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- Iraq, now removed from U.S. travel restrictions, praised the new executive order President Donald Trump signed Monday, while Sudan, still included in the ban, reaffirmed its opposition to the measure.
• US Spy Agency Staggers, But Still Standing After Latest WikiLeaks Dump VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- The latest alleged bombshell meant to send shockwaves through the U.S. intelligence community is stoking renewed fears about the ability to secure classified information. But former intelligence officials say, at least for now, it is unlikely the apparent leak will do significant damage to U.S. cyber capabilities.
• Wikileaks says it has published CIA hacking secrets Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- The whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks says it has obtained and published thousands of documents by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that reveals the US spy agency's hacking secrets, including its ability to penetrate encrypted communications.
• WikiLeaks Claims Exposure of CIA Hacking Program in New Document Dump VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- The online whistleblower organization WikiLeaks has published thousands of pages of what it says are confidential CIA documents that expose a massive hacking program employed by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
• Former Kyrgyz President Bakiev Calls 2010 Ouster 'Armed Coup' RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- Kyrgyzstan's former President Kurmanbek Bakiev has described his 2010 ouster as "an armed coup."
• Hungary Approves Detention Of All Asylum Seekers RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- Hungary's parliament has overwhelmingly approved the automatic detention of all asylum seekers in container camps at the borders, despite criticism from rights groups.
• Malaysia bars DPRK citizens from leaving following Pyongyang's similar ban People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday that he had instructed the police to ban all citizens from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) from leaving the country after Pyongyang announced a similar ban.
• Pyongyang temporarily bans exit of Malaysian in DPRK People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is temporarily banning all Malaysian citizens from leaving the country until safety of its diplomats and citizens in Malaysia is fully guaranteed, the official news agency KCNA reported on Tuesday.
• North Korea, Malaysia ban each other's citizens from leaving Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- North Korea has barred Malaysian citizens from leaving the country, prompting Kuala Lumpur to quickly respond with a similar ban amid rising diplomatic tensions between the two sides over the assassination of the North Korean leader's half-brother in Malaysia.
• Zarif says had no contact with Tillerson ISNA 07 Mar 2017 -- According to Supreme Leader and government's measure, Iran was in a situation that could easily ramp its nuclear program back up but its preference was continuation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iranian foreign minister Mohammad JavadZarif said during his interview with ISNA.
• IAEA must continue role in developing peaceful nuclear technology: Iran Press TV 07 Mar 2017 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must maintain its key role in developing sciences related to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, says the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations and the current chairman of the Vienna Chapter of Group of 77.
• Settlement Agreement between the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control and Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation US Treasury 07 Mar 2017 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced a $100,871,266 settlement agreement with Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as well as with ZTE Kangxun Telecommunications Ltd. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively referred to as "ZTE"), to settle ZTE's potential civil liability for 251 apparent violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 560 (ITSR).
• Chinese Telecom to Pay US $892M for Violating Iran Sanctions VOA 07 Mar 2017 -- A Chinese telecommunications company has agreed to pay $892 million for violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, settling a case that resulted in increased tension between the U.S. and China.
• China Seeks Space Rockets Launched from Airplanes Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- The Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology is breaking ground on techniques to send satellites into space via rockets shot from airborne Chinese planes, China Daily reports.
• China to launch Mars probe satellite in 2020 People's Daily 07 Mar 2017 -- China plans to launch a probe satellite to Mars in July or August of 2020, according to Wan Weixing, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, on March 6.
• EU Successfully Launches 5th Satellite of Copernicus Observation Program Sputnik 07 Mar 2017 -- EU launched the fifth satellite of the Copernicus observation program on Tuesday.
• Premier seeks to build up cross-strait goodwill CNA 07 Mar 2017 -- Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said Tuesday that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has clearly outlined the nation's stance on cross-strait relations and expressed hope that both sides of the Taiwan Strait will continue to build up goodwill on that basis.
• Courthouse Drama: Jailing Of Ukraine Tax Chief Could Signal Watershed In Fight Against 'Corrupt Untouchables' RFE/RL 07 Mar 2017 -- A ruling by a Kyiv district court to place Ukraine's top tax official under arrest pending trial on embezzlement charges is being heralded as a landmark win for the country's independent anticorruption agency and civil society as a whole in its uphill battle against entrenched graft.