Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 28 Jul 2017[PDF]
• Officials Release Latest Details of Strikes Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq AFPS 28 Jul 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 21 strikes consisting of 25 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Afghan forces retake district in Ghor Province from Taliban Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Afghan ground forces backed by the air force have driven out Taliban militants from a district in Afghanistan's western Ghor Province after fierce fighting.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Navy to Commission New Guided-Missile Destroyer Rafael Peralta DoD 28 Jul 2017 -- The Navy will commission its newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), during a 10 a.m. PDT ceremony Saturday, July 29, at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego.
• Pacom Commander Lists Threats, Discusses Strategy in Indo-Asia-Pacific AFPS 28 Jul 2017 -- North Korean nuclear capabilities, Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria making inroads in the Philippines are the three major challenges facing the Pacific community, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said at the 4th Japan-U.S. Military Statesmen Forum here yesterday.
• Eucom, European Partners Work to Deter New Threats AFPS 28 Jul 2017 -- U.S. European Command has been a presence in Europe for more than 65 years. But its missions change -- sometimes dramatically -- when new developments in the region call for a new approach.
• U.S., U.K. Co-Host Carrier Strike Group Exercise AFPS 28 Jul 2017 -- Naval forces from the U.S., U.K. and other Allied and partner countries are supporting Exercise Saxon Warrior 2017 in the North Atlantic Ocean Aug. 1-10 to demonstrate Allied interoperability and collective defense through power projection from the sea, U.S. European Command officials here announced today.
• Special Operators Hone Skills During Exercise Black Swan 17 AFPS 28 Jul 2017 -- The men patrolled their compound surrounded by the thick, green bush common throughout the area, alert for any signs of trouble. Carrying AK-47 rifles and joking quietly, they stood as dangerous warnings to any would-be intruders.
• Diversifying formations and increasing lethality with the airborne National Guard Army News 28 Jul 2017 -- In the classic "The Art of War," author Sun Tzu said, "The skillful tactician may be likened to … a snake … Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by both head and tail."
• Acting Army Secretary: Army needs additional, predictable funding Army News 28 Jul 2017 -- After several years of budget cuts, the Army needs additional and predictable funding, said Acting Secretary of the Army Robert M. Speer. "To be able to meet mission requirements, we need the resources to be able to do that," Speer said during a fireside chat Wednesday with AUSA President and CEO, retired Gen. Carter Ham, at AUSA headquarters. "We are finding emerging near-peer adversaries that potentially out-gun us and out-range us."
• USS Ashland Visits Cairns NNS 28 Jul 2017 -- Sailors and Marines assigned to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) pulled into Cairns, Australia for a routine port visit, July 28.
• Carrier Team One Expands Efforts to get Aircraft Carriers Back to Sea on Time NNS 28 Jul 2017 -- Carrier Team One (CT1), the Navy's team of program staff and technical experts for aircraft carrier maintenance, has developed and implemented a new knowledge-sharing strategy to support consistent on-time delivery of aircraft carriers back to the fleet following maintenance availabilities.
• U.S., NATO Forces Train to Deter and Defend in Saber Guardian 2017 AFPS 28 Jul 2017 -- The Danube River shore was shrouded in mist from smoke grenades as shells fired from naval guns burst in midair and legions of Romanian infantrymen, paratroopers and armored vehicles amassed on the beach. From behind them, a small contingent of U.S. Army Stryker vehicles cleared the way for the troops by raining gunfire down on the beach sands.
• You and Whose Army? UK Forced to Rely on NATO Air Support Due to Budget Cuts Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- It has been revealed the UK relies on air support from NATO allies to patrol and guard its own territorial waters, as a result of scrapping the country's fleet of Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft in 2010, in just the latest demonstration of the country's waning military capabilities.
• Ukrainian Marines to Take Part in NATO Noble Partner 2017 Drills in Georgia Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Ukrainian marines, along with servicemen from 10 other countries, will participate in NATO multinational military exercise Noble Partner 2017 in Georgia, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service said in a statement Friday.
• Russian Pacific Fleet to Get First 2 Varshavyanka-Class Subs in 2019 - MoD Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The Russian Pacific Fleet will get first two Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines (Project 636.3, NATO reporting name Improved Kilo) in 2019, Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Borisov said on Friday.
• Putin signs deal allowing air forces to stay in Syria for 49 years Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Russia's president signs a law enabling the country's air forces to remain in Syria for 49 years as part of a protocol to a 2015 agreement with the Damascus government.
• China 'to continue flights over high seas' Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- The Chinese air force says its combat drills over high seas have become a "routine" practice and will continue.
• China's New Drone-Missile Hybrid Can Fly Under Radar Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Details about China's drone-anti-ship missile hybrid surfaced on Friday.
• US, S Korea conducting live-fire exercise in response to N Korea: Official Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- The United States and South Korea are conducting a military exercise in response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon says.
• UN chief condemns DPR Korea's latest launch of ballistic missile UN News 28 Jul 2017 -- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned today's launch of a ballistic missile of possible intercontinental range by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
• North Korean Leader Claims His Missiles Can Now Reach U.S. Mainland RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on July 29 claimed that the entire U.S. mainland is now within reach of his intercontinental ballistic missiles, while U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to "take all necessary steps" to protect the homeland.
• North Korea Launches Another Ballistic Missile VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- North Korea launched another intercontinental ballistic missile ((ICBM)) Friday, the second such launch in just a few weeks, the Pentagon said.
• Statement by Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis on North Korea ICBM launch DoD 28 Jul 2017 -- The U.S. Department of Defense detected and tracked a single North Korea missile launch today at about 10:41 a.m. EDT. We assess that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile, as had been expected.
• US, S Korea discuss 'military' response to N Korea: Pentagon Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- The United States and South Korea have discussed "military" options in response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Pentagon says.
• Tokyo says North Korea may have fired missile toward Japan Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Japan's prime minister has called for an emergency meeting after North Korea fired what is reported to be a missile, which may have landed in the sea off Japan.
• U.S., Japan Confirm North Korean Ballistic Missile Launch RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was convening an emergency meeting of officials after the launch.
• Pentagon Believes Newly-Launched North Korea Missile Was ICBM, Traveled 1,000 KM Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The US Department of Defense assessed that North Korea's missile launch on Friday was an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile that traveled 1,000 kilometers, the Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said in a press release.
• Japan Believes N Korea Launched ICBM in Violation of UNSC Resolutions - Reports Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The Kyodo news agency reported, citing a government source, that the missile the DPRK launched earlier on Friday was an intercontinental ballistic missile.
• Pentagon Says It Detected Ballistic Missile Launch From North Korea Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The Pentagon said on Friday it had detected a North Korean ballistic missile launch and was carrying out assessments to gather further information.
• South Korean Military Confirms North Korea's New Missile Launch Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- South Korean military has confirmed the DPRK's missile launch on Friday.
• One Third of India's Indigenous Akash Missiles Duds, Says Auditor Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- In a startling revelation, India's top auditor has said more than a third of the home-made Akash missile systems meant for aerial defense along the Pakistan border have failed basic tests.
• India Beefs Up Army's Financial Teeth to Fortify Military Centers Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The Indian Defense Ministry has decided to delegate substantial financial powers to the armed forces for undertaking works for perimeter security of sensitive military installations. The move has been announced following dire need of securing installation after repeated attacks on these camps.
• Japan Defense Minister Resigns Amid Sudan Peacekeeping Mission Scandal Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Tomomi Inada said she had tendered her resignation after South Sudan peacekeeping mission scandal.
• Additional THAAD Missile Launchers to Be Deployed at US Base in South Korea Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in has announced that a new set of missile interception launch platforms will be deployed at a US military base in South Korea, according to public news outlet Yonhap.
• 'Stop Immediately': China Reiterates Protest to US THAAD System in South Korea Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- China reaffirms its strong objections to US plans on deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea, as it may threaten China's national security, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang said Friday.
• S Korea to Conduct New Environmental Survey of THAAD Deployment Site Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The South Korean government is planning to carry out an additional, and more extensive survey of possible environmental impacts the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system will have on the Seongju area, the South Korean Defense Ministry said Friday.
• President Tsai lauds military for response to Chinese maneuvers CNA 28 Jul 2017 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) praised the military's efforts to safeguard the country's national security on Friday, days after China sent military aircraft close to Taiwan on what the Chinese described as training missions.
• Ukrainian Marines to Take Part in NATO Noble Partner 2017 Drills in Georgia Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Ukrainian marines, along with servicemen from 10 other countries, will participate in NATO multinational military exercise Noble Partner 2017 in Georgia, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service said in a statement Friday.
• Government of Switzerland - F/A-18 Upgrades DSCA 28 Jul 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Switzerland for F/A-18 upgrades. The estimated cost is $115 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Press Gaggle by Senior Policy Advisor Stephen Miller en route Ronkonkoma, NY, 7/28/2017 The White House 28 Jul 2017

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 28, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 28 July 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 28 Jul 2017
• China-Vietnam Oil Dispute in South China Sea Intensifies Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Hanoi has struck back following calls from Beijing to stop oil exploration in Block 136-03 of the South China Sea. China claims a huge section of the sea and has been ramping up construction of defensive installations in some sections, despite competing claims by Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam and other nations.
• Yemeni missile hits Saudi airbase in Ta'if Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Yemeni forces have launched a new missile into Saudi Arabia, successfully targeting an airbase in the southwestern city of Ta'if.
• Syrian army reaches Daesh-held Sukhna town: Monitor Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- A monitoring group says Syrian government forces have reached the last town held by the Daesh Takfiri terrorists on the road to the Arab country's beleaguered eastern city of Dayr al-Zawr.
• Syrian army advances against Daesh in Raqqah: Report Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Syrian government forces and their allies have advanced against Daesh Takfiri terrorists in the countryside east of Raqqah City, a monitoring group says.
• INTERVIEW: Preparing for Tripoli, new UN envoy in Libya seeks to work with Libyans UN News 28 Jul 2017 -- Set to arrive in Libya next week, the new United Nations Special Representative said that he was coming to Tripoli to work with the Libyans, in an attempt to help find a solution out of the political crisis that led to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and pushed the country into a crisis that sees thousands of migrants and refugees fleeing to Europe and other countries in Africa.
• Boko Haram attack on oil exploration team in Nigeria kills over 50: Sources Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- An ambush attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria against an oil exploration team has killed more than 50 people, according to sources, who said the death toll could rise further.
• UN peacekeeping chief warns Security Council about insecurity in Central African Republic UN News 28 Jul 2017 -- The head of the United Nations peacekeeping operations has warned that the increased intensity of attacks on civilians and peacekeepers is bringing Central African Republic (CAR) to the tipping point.
• Libyan Dialogue and Joint Declaration US Dept. of State 28 Jul 2017

News Reports

• House Republicans Give Trump $1.6B in Wall Funding Before Break VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- The U.S. House of Representatives closed its summer session with a key legislative accomplishment Friday that included a gift for President Donald Trump.
• U.S. Attorney General Says He's Not Quitting, Despite Trump Criticism RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on July 27 told news media that he won't quit his post despite President Donald Trump's sharp criticism of his handling of the investigation into Russia's alleged election meddling.
• Despite State Department Turbulence, Tillerson Will Stay On VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- As the U.S. State Department marks its 228th birthday this month, the agency in charge of American diplomacy finds itself at a turning point, facing the threat of deep budget cuts and with many high-profile positions vacant.
• Al-Qaida Announces Establishment of Group in Indian Kashmir VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Indian police say they are investigating a claim by al-Qaida that it has established a new group in Indian Kashmir.
• Russia Orders US to Reduce Diplomatic Staff VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Russia's foreign ministry said Friday it is imposing counter measures on the U.S. in response to new sanctions approved Thursday by Congress. The ministry said the sanctions confirm the "extreme aggression of U.S. in international affairs."
• Russia tells US to cut number of diplomats in retaliation Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Russia has told the United States to cut the number of its diplomats in the country and stop using embassy storage facilities in the capital, Moscow, following the approval by the US Congress of a sanctions bill against Russia.
• Russia Orders U.S. To Cut Diplomatic Staff In Response To Sanctions Bill RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- Russia has told the United States to reduce the size of its diplomatic staff in the country and said it will seize a U.S. Embassy dacha and storage warehouses in Moscow, hitting back after the U.S. Congress passed a bill that would strengthen sanctions against Moscow.
• Russian Reaction to Follow if US Adopts Sanctions Bill Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that if the United States tries to adopt any additional unilateral measures against Russia as part of its "anti-Russian frenzy," Moscow's reaction will follow.
• US Police Say No Evidence to Suggest Ex-Russian Minister Lesin Was Murdered Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Washington, DC police have no evidence to suggest former Russian Press Minister Mikhail Lesin was murdered, police spokesperson Rachel Reid told Sputnik on Friday.
• Venezuela: UN rights wing urges calm ahead of controversial weekend polls UN News 28 Jul 2017 -- The United Nations human rights office expressed deep concern today at the risk of further violence in Venezuela, where elections for a Constituent Assembly convened by President Nicolas Maduro are due to be held on Sunday.
• Venezuela's Opposition Escalates Protest Calls VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Despite a new government ban on national protests, leaders of Venezuela's political opposition are urging people to take to the streets in mass demonstrations against an election Sunday that many fear could tip their country from democracy to dictatorship.
• Venezuela bans protests, opposition remains defiant ahead of vote Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Venezuela's government has banned street protests as the opposition has called for massive rallies ahead of a vote this weekend to elect a congress to rewrite the constitution.
• Pakistan's Sharif resigns after disqualification by Supreme Court Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan has resigned following a Supreme Court ruling that disqualified him from office over corruption charges.
• Pakistan's Sharif Resigns After Supreme Court Orders His Removal RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on July 28, ordering his removal from office in connection with corruption charges stemming from the Panama Papers leak in 2016.
• Pakistan Defiant as US Ponders South Asia Strategy VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Days after the Pentagon announced it is withholding $50 million intended for Pakistan as part of its Coalition Support Fund, the South Asian country's ambassador hinted at potential retaliation, possibly coaxing Washington to renegotiate access to the country's air corridors, which Islamabad suggests have been taken for granted.
• Pakistan Supreme Court Disqualifies Sharif; He Steps Down VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office and ordered him to step down immediately.
• China opposes unilateral sanctions imposed by Japan against Chinese companies People's Daily 28 Jul 2017 -- China opposes any unilateral sanctions imposed by any country outside the framework of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.
• Critics: Hong Kong Sets Bad Precedent With Mainland Police in Rail Station VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- The joint checkpoint plan introduced by the city government of Hong Kong earlier this week that would allow mainland Chinese police at the terminus of a new high-speed rail line is expected to meet strong opposition when it next goes through a legislative review.
• US Urges Nuclear Suppliers Group Members to Back India Membership Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The administration of US President Donald Trump has urged the 48 members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to support New Delhi's long-pending application, but the move is really a reiteration of the country's old stand, not a real turnaround in India's chances of getting into the 48-member elite club that controls the nuclear trade.
• Unlike US Iran complied with nuclear deal: FM IRNA 28 Jul 2017 -- Iran, unlike the United States, has complied in good faith with the letter and spirit of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA), the Iranian Foreign Minister says.
• US Treasury slaps sanctions on Iranian companies after rocket test Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- The US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Iran over what it called Tehran's "continued provocative actions," including Thursday's successful test of a satellite-launch rocket.
• Iran complying with JCPOA letter, spirit in good faith: Zarif Press TV 28 Jul 2017 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic has completely kept to the commitments it made under the landmark nuclear agreement signed between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.
• Iran to Never Allow US Inspection of Military Sites Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- Iran will never let the United States inspect its military headquarters or missile sites, local media reported on Friday citing Qasem Jasemi, a member of the Parliament (Majlis) National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.
• Aiming High: India Looks at More Satellite Launches With New Facility From 2018 Sputnik 28 Jul 2017 -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will get a major capacity boost from early 2018 as an additional launch pad is fast nearing completion. With the new launch pad, ISRO can achieve its target of sending 12 rockets into space in a year from the seven at present.
• Saakashvili's Options Limited After Losing Ukrainian Citizenship RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- One-time Georgian president, former Ukrainian governor, and current U.S. denizen Mikheil Saakashvili is a man without a country.
• Rwandan President Heads Toward Re-election in August Vote VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Normally, African election campaigns like the one taking place in Rwanda generate a lot of "noise," meaning tension and worries of unrest, according to Moody Awori, head of the East African Community team tasked with observing the August 4 presidential vote.
• Aging Zimbabwe President Challenged to Pick Successor -- By His Wife VOA 28 Jul 2017 -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is already the world's oldest living head of state. The 93-year-old says he is fit enough to run for re-election next year, and has batted away whispers about who he will choose to follow him when he inevitably succumbs.
• Romania Blocks Russian Deputy PM From EU Airspace RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- Romania has confirmed that it blocked a commercial flight from its airspace that was transporting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin on an official trip to Moldova.
• Karimova Is In Custody, Uzbek Prosecutor-General's Office Says RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- The Uzbek Prosecutor-General's Office says Gulnara Karimova, eldest daughter of the late longtime President Islam Karimov, is in custody following a 2015 conviction and faces additional charges in a continuing investigation.
• Saakashvili's Options Limited After Losing Ukrainian Citizenship RFE/RL 28 Jul 2017 -- One-time Georgian president, former Ukrainian governor, and current U.S. denizen Mikheil Saakashvili is a man without a country.