19 April 2018 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 19 Apr 2018 [PDF]

Strikes Successful Against Syrian Chemical Weapons, DoD Officials Say AFPS 19 Apr 2018 -- The strikes last week against Syria's chemical weapons arsenal were successful in degrading that country's chemical weapons, research and storage facilities, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson said today.
Department Of Defense Press Briefing By Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White And Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. In The Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 19 Apr 2018 - Presenter: Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White; Joint Staff Director Lieutenant General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.

Taliban Block Cellphone Service in S. Afghanistan VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- Taliban insurgents recently forcibly shut down the services of private telecommunications companies in areas under their control in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province.
Pakistan: Fencing of Border With Afghanistan on 'Fast Track' VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- Pakistan's unilateral fencing and construction of new observation posts on the long border with Afghanistan are "progressing smoothly" despite recent deadly clashes between the two countries and traditional terrain-related challenges.

Defense Policy / Programs

Defense Department Moves Closer to Cloud Computing AFPS 19 Apr 2018 -- The Defense Department's information technology move to the cloud will rapidly deliver advantages to the battlefield by enabling new machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities, Dana W. White, chief Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters today.
Navy to Commission Amphibious Transport Dock Ship Portland DoD 19 Apr 2018 -- The Navy will commission its newest amphibious transport dock, the future USS Portland (LPD 27), during a 10:00 a.m. PDT ceremony Saturday, April 21, at the Port of Portland, Marine Terminal 2 in Portland, Oregon.
Readout of Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis phone call with Brazilian Minister of Defense Joaquim Silva e Luna DoD 19 Apr 2018
3-D printer-capable Marines with 31st MEU print replacement part for F-35B USMC News 19 Apr 2018 -- Marines with Combat Logistic Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, are now capable of 'additive manufacturing,' also known as 3-D printing.
US 4th Fleet Participates in SIFOREX 2018 NNS 19 Apr 2018 -- Silent Forces Exercise (SIFOREX) 2018 began in Lima, Peru Apr. 16. Peru is hosting naval forces from the United States and Colombia for the biannual exercise.
John C. Stennis Completes TSTA / FEP NNS 19 Apr 2018 -- Aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) completed tailored ship's training availability (TSTA), and final evaluation problem (FEP), April 16.
Bonhomme Richard Departs Sasebo, Concludes Forward-Deployed Service NNS 19 Apr 2018 -- Amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) departed Sasebo, Japan, April 18, capping six years of forward-deployed service in the Indo-Pacific.
Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility Assists with Kauai Relief NNS 19 Apr 2018 -- The U.S. Navy in Hawaii is part of a multi-agency team providing relief to hundreds of isolated or displaced residents on Kauai this week after a devastating storm caused several landslides and massive flooding.
Remarks by President Trump After Briefing with Joint Interagency Task Force-South, NORTHCOM, and SOUTHCOM The White House 19 Apr 2018
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Goldfein: Every Airman, beyond the space specialty, must understand the business of space superiority AFNS 19 Apr 2018 -- Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein emphasized the essential role Airmen have when it comes to space superiority during the 34th Space Symposium April 17, 2018, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Statement by the Press Secretary on Arms Transfer and Unmanned Aerial Systems Export Reforms The White House 19 Apr 2018
U.S. Policy on the Export of Unmanned Aerial Systems US Dept. of State 19 Apr 2018 -- The President has approved a new policy on the export of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This policy updates and replaces the previous policy announced February 17, 2015. This policy will apply to all U.S.-origin UAS transfers, whether under the authority of the United States Munitions List (USML) or the Commerce Control List (CCL).
Briefing on Updated Conventional Arms Transfer Policy and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Export Policy US Dept. of State 19 Apr 2018 -- Special Briefing by Tina S. Kaidanow, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and Dr. Peter Navarro, Assistant to the President for Trade And Manufacturing Policy
New US Arms Exports Policy to Reduce Reliance on Russia, Uphold Sanctions Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- The Trump administration's new US arms exports policy will give allied countries better access to US weapons and reduce their reliance on Russian systems, thereby upholding new sanctions on Russia's defense sector, White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy David Navarro said on Thursday.

NATO Not Planning to Increase Military Presence in Baltic Region - Stoltenberg Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- NATO is not planning to increase its military presence in the Baltic region, alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday at a press conference in the Netherlands.
Secretary General thanks the Netherlands for its commitment to NATO NATO 19 Apr 2018 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked the Netherlands for its many contributions to the security of the Alliance during a visit to The Hague on Thursday (19 April 2018). The Secretary General had talks with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, in preparation for the NATO Summit in July. Mr. Stoltenberg also had discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stef Blok, the Minister of Defence, Ank Bijleveld, and other parliamentarians.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte

Russia Launches Heavy Rocket with Military Satellite Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- A Russian carrier rocket with a military satellite blasted off early on Thursday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed.

Defence Secretary launches £132m Scots sub-hunting aircraft home UK MOD 19 Apr 2018 -- Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson cut the first turf on a £132m facility for the UK's new fleet of submarine hunting Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) at RAF Lossiemouth today.

Chinese military aircraft undertake maneuvers near Taiwan CNA 19 Apr 2018 -- A number of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft carried out an exercise near Taiwan on Thursday, marking the second day in a row China has conducted air drills in the area, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
PLA's live-fire drills in Taiwan Straits a warning to 'independence groups,' US People's Daily 19 Apr 2018 -- The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire military exercises in the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday, with experts saying that the exercises are a clear and tough signal to "Taiwan independence groups" and the US who are damaging cross-Straits ties.S
Chinese navy conducts live fire military drill across Taiwan Strait People's Daily 19 Apr 2018 -- The Chinese navy is conducting large scale live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait.
China bombers, drones fly around Taiwan amid tensions Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- China's air force has flown bombers and reconnaissance aircraft around Taiwan as Beijing conducted a live-fire military drill along its southeastern coast in an apparent warning to the self-ruled island nation and to the United States.

India's Defense Team to Visit Russia to Finalize AK-103 Assault Rifle Deal Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- The proposed deal envisages the licensed production of the assault rifles in India jointly by state-owned enterprises and private industry at an estimated cost of $1.9 billion. The Indian Army alone requires more than 768,000 sets of such rifles.

IRGC censures divisive moves, remarks IRNA 19 Apr 2018 -- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in a statement on Thursday lambasted divisive moves and statements by certain internal elements, saying that safeguarding national security and institutionalizing Islamic Republic's regional power are the outcome of its sincere guarding of the Islamic Revolution.

Turkey to dismiss 3,000 army personnel over links to coup attempt Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Turkish authorities plan to dismiss nearly 3,000 military staff over their alleged links to an attempted coup in July 2016, which Ankara says was orchestrated by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.
US State Dept Warns Turkey of Possible Sanctions Over S-400 Purchase Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- Turkey could face US sanctions if it goes ahead with plans to purchase S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, and it can also affect Ankara's participation in the F-35 program, Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

Japan, Australia to take part in Philippine-US military drills Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Thousands of American, Japanese, Australian and Filipino troops are scheduled to take part in joint military drills in the Philippines.

Mexico - MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters DSCA 19 Apr 2018 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Mexico of MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters for an estimated cost of $1.20 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 18, 2018.

Qatar says attended drills in Saudi Arabia despite diplomatic rift Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Qatar says it took part in the recent multi-nation military exercises in Saudi Arabia despite an ongoing diplomatic rift between Doha and a Riyadh-led coalition of states.

Department Press Briefing - April 19, 2018 US Dept. of State 19 Apr 2018

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for April 19, 2018

Other Conflicts

19 April 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 Apr 2018

Yemen shoots down American drone IRNA 19 Apr 2018 -- The Yemeni air defense units shot down an American MQ9 drone in the western province of Al-Hudaydah Wednesday, Al-Mayadeen news network quoting a military source said. It did not provide further details.
Yemen targets Saudi Jizan airport with missile IRNA 19 Apr 2018 -- Yemeni Army targeted Jizan airport in southern Saudi Arabia with ballistic missile late Wednesday.
Five civilians killed as Saudi warplanes bombard Yemen's Hudaydah Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- At least five civilians have been killed and several others injured when Saudi fighter jets carried out a string of airstrikes against a residential neighborhood in Yemen's western coastal province of Hudaydah as the Riyadh regime continues with its bombardment campaign against its impoverished neighbor.
Yemen: Houthis Claim to Have Hit Saudi Airport with Ballistic Missile Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- With the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen entering its fourth year, Houthi rebels have fired dozens of missiles into Saudi Arabia over recent months targeting a number of locations, including Riyadh's international airport.

Syria hands unexploded US cruise missiles to Russia Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Syria has handed over to Russia two unexploded cruise missiles it discovered in the aftermath of the recent attack by the United States, Britain and France, Syrian sources say.
Militants prevent OPCW access to Syria's Douma: Russia Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Russia's deputy foreign minister says foreign-backed terrorists in Syria have been preventing inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) from reaching the Damascus suburb town of Douma.
Nearly dozen civilians killed in new US-led strikes on Syria's Hasakah Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Nearly a dozen civilians have lost their lives when the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group carried out a series of airstrikes on Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah.
Syria gives 48-hour respite to militants to leave southern Damascus enclave Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- The Syrian army has reportedly given a 48-hours ultimatum to Takfiri Daesh and al-Nusra Front terrorist groups to agree to withdraw from areas south of the capital, Damascus, or face a major counter-terrorism operation in the area.
Russia, Syria Trying To 'Sanitize' Chemical Attack Site, U.S. Says RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- The United States has accused Russia and Syria of trying to "sanitize" the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack in the Syrian town of Douma, while delaying access by experts from the global chemical-weapons watchdog.
UN Says Negotiating With Syria, Russia On Visit To Syria Site RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- A team from the United Nations is discussing security arrangements with Syrian and Russian authorities in Syria to allow experts access to the town of Douma to investigate an alleged chemical-weapons attack, UN officials say.
US State Dept. Accuses Moscow, Damascus of Trying to 'Sanitize' Douma Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- The US Department of State said Thursday that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been prevented from accessing the site in Douma, Syria, where a chemical attack is alleged to have taken place earlier in April.

Iraqi air forces hit Daesh positions in Syria in coordination with Damascus Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- The Iraqi air force says has launched deadly strikes against Daesh positions in Syria as both neighboring countries step up efforts to get rid of the Takfiri terror group's remnants.
Iraqi Air Force Conducts Strike Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria AFPS 19 Apr 2018 -- The Iraqi air force conducted an airstrike near Hajin, Syria, against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorists operating near the Iraq-Syria border today, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials said.
Iraq Air Force Conducts Anti-Daesh Strikes in Syria Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- Daesh troops invaded Iraq in 2014 and seized control of its second largest city, Mosul. Iraq officially declared victory over Daesh* on December 9, 2017, after the last of its fighters were driven from the country and control over the border with Syria was restored.

Number 2 Military Leader in Eastern Libya Survives Car Bomb Attack VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- The second-in-command of eastern Libyan military forces says he survived a car-bomb attack against his motorcade in the eastern capital of Benghazi. The attack comes amid uncertainty about the health of the top eastern Libya commander, General Khalifa Hafter

Myanmar urges repatriation of Rohingya ahead of monsoon season Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Myanmar's Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye says repatriation of Rohingya Muslims who fled persecution in the country to Bangladesh should start as soon as possible due to the coming monsoon season.

Villages Burn as Cameroon Troops Clash With Separatists VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- In Cameroon, officials say eight villages in the English-speaking northwest have been torched and hundreds of residents have fled amid clashes this week between security forces and separatist rebels.

Liberia: Security Council seeks study of role played by UN mission in conflict resolution, political mediation UN News 19 Apr 2018 -- Commending the remarkable achievements made by the people and Government of Liberia to consolidate lasting peace and stability in the wake of a 1999-2003 civil war, the Security Council on Thursday asked the United Nations Secretary-General to conduct a study of the role played by its peacekeeping mission in resolving conflicts and other challenges the country has faced.

UN Mission chief calls Colombia's congressional elections 'a clear step forward' in peace process UN News 19 Apr 2018 -- In a milestone exercise that "transited the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) from weapons to politics," last month's congressional elections drew millions of Colombians to the polls amid a trend towards a reduction of electoral violence, the senior-most United Nations official in the country said on Thursday

News Reports

Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, April 19, 2018 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19 Apr 2018
Trump: New Russia Sanctions To Come Soon As They 'Deserve It' RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that nobody has been tougher on Russia than him and that he will impose new sanctions on Moscow "as soon as they very much deserve it."
U.S. Calls For Probe Into 'Mysterious' Death Of Russian Journalist RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- The United States has joined media watchdogs in calling on Russian authorities to thoroughly investigate the death of Russian investigative journalist Maksim Borodin last week.

Senegal protest against proposed election law turns violent Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Police in Senegal have clashed with people protesting against a proposed law that would demand more strict requirements for presidential election candidates.

Bahraini court jails 24 Shias, strips them of citizenship Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- A Bahrain court has sentenced 24 Shia citizens to jail and revoked their nationality as the ruling Al Khalifah regime presses ahead with its heavy-handed clampdown on the majority community in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

North Korean Denuclearization to Top Agenda at NPT Talks VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- North Korea's commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is expected to be a key issue for discussion at next week's 2018 Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.
US Envoy: Trump Intent on Bringing Home Americans Held in N. Korea VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has "made a very firm commitment to work as hard as possible to try to return" American detainees and Japanese abductees from North Korea, said William Hagerty, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.
South Korea Says North Not Imposing Conditions on Nuclear Talks VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in says North Korea is not imposing conditions on upcoming summits with him and U.S. President Donald Trump over banning nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula.
Op-ed: Chinese delegation's DPRK visit implements consensus reached by Xi and Kim People's Daily 19 Apr 2018 -- At the invitation of the International Affairs Department of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), a Chinese art troupe led by Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, paid a visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) from April 13 to 18 for the attendance of the "Spring of April" International Friendship Art Festival held in Pyongyang.
We hope to see the day when two Koreas can live in peace: Trump Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has expressed hope that North Korea and South Korea can one day live in peace, ahead of his planned summit with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.
Trump confirms CIA chief's meeting with DPRK's Kim People's Daily 19 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday morning that CIA chief Mike Pompeo met with Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in a secret visit to Pyongyang last week.

European MPs Implore US to Not Quit Iran Nuclear Pact VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- More than 500 British, French and German lawmakers wrote to their U.S. counterparts Thursday, urging them to support the international pact restraining Iran's nuclear weapons development and to keep President Donald Trump from abandoning it.
Hundreds of European lawmakers urge US Congress to preserve JCPOA Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Over 500 parliamentarians from the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran have called on US Congress to support the accord amid threats by US President Donald Trump to scrap it.
Hundreds Of European MPs Urge U.S. To Support Iran Nuclear Deal RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- Hundreds of lawmakers from Germany, France, and Britain have called on their counterparts in the U.S. Congress to support the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, calling it a "major diplomatic breakthrough."

Diaz-Canel sworn in as Cuba's new president to end Castro brothers' rule Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Cuba's new President Miguel Diaz-Canel has been sworn in as Raul Castro's successor, becoming the first leader of the Caribbean island in six decades who is not named Castro and who was born after the 1959 Cuban Revolution.
Diaz-Canel Named Cuba's New President VOA 19 Apr 2018 -- Miguel Diaz-Canel has been named Cuba's next president, marking the first time in 60 years the communist-run country has had a president outside the Castro family.

NASA's TESS space telescope launches to search for Earth-like planets Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- NASA's state-of-the-art planet hunter, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (dubbed TESS for short), has been launched towards a designated Earth's orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in an attempt to scour our cosmic neighborhood for more exoplanets, rocky worlds outside our solar system that orbit their host stars.
NASA's TESS Satellite Takes Off to Search for Alien Life Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- The $337 million space telescope is no larger than a refrigerator but it has a big mission ahead, as it will search for alien worlds around stars and planets.

Indian Space Agency Claims To Have Saved $120 Mln on Second Moon Mission Sputnik 19 Apr 2018 -- Chandrayaan-2 will be equipped with a land-rover and probe, which will descend onto the surface of the moon, from where they will collect samples of soil, water, etc. to carry back home for detailed analysis and research.

Taiwan will not cave in to Chinese harassment: MAC CNA 19 Apr 2018 -- The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Thursday that the government will not yield to any military threat or other tactics employed by China to suppress or harass Taiwan.
President looks to increased Taiwan presence in Africa CNA 19 Apr 2018 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Wednesday that Taiwan will not be absent in Africa and can make more contributions to Swaziland and elsewhere in Africa.

Belarus Moves To Tighten Control Over Online News, Social Media RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- The lower house of the Belarusian parliament has approved in its first reading draft amendments to the country's media law that would tighten control over online news websites and social-media networks.

Turkish parliament dismisses two pro-Kurdish lawmakers Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- The Turkish parliament has stripped two more lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) of their legislative position as Ankara presses ahead with a clampdown on members of the opposition party.

Protests continue against Armenia's new PM Sargsyan Press TV 19 Apr 2018 -- Hundreds have again taken to the streets of the Armenian capital Yerevan to protest the parliament's election of former president Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister.
More Than 100 Detained As Police Face Off With Armenian Opposition Protesters RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- More than 100 protesters have been detained in downtown Yerevan after scuffles with riot police who had cordoned off a major government building on the seventh day of street protests against the election of longtime former President Serzh Sarkisian as prime minister.

Kyrgyz President Fires Government Following No-Confidence Vote RFE/RL 19 Apr 2018 -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has dismissed the government, hours after lawmakers passed a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of Prime Minister Sapar Isakov, amid an apparent power struggle between Jeenbekov and his predecessor, Almazbek Atambaev.

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