• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghan 205th Corps Increases Capabilities with Quick-Response Company AFPS 18 Jul 2018 -- More than 100 soldiers from the Afghan army's newly established Eagle Strike Company, a quick-response company, finished six weeks of training and exercises and received their graduation certificates July 5 during a ceremony at Camp Hero here.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Boeing Granted $3.9 Billion to Build Air Force One Replacements Sputnik 18 Jul 2018 -- The White House confirmed on Wednesday that the US Air Force has awarded Boeing $3.9 billion to "design, modify, test, certify and deliver" two flight-ready 747-8 Air Force One replacement planes.
• Colombian Kfirs fighters train with the A-10, F-16 AFNS 18 Jul 2018 -- Six Colombian Air Force Kfir fighter jets on their way to Red Flag 18-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, stopped at Davis-Monthan AFB from July 5-16, to train with A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons.
• 24th Air Force joins Air Combat Command, welcomes new commander AFNS 18 Jul 2018 -- Twenty Fourth Air Force was reassigned to a new major command and welcomed a new commander during a ceremony, July 17, 2018.
• US, Japanese, Indian Forces Begin Annual Mine Countermeasures Exercise NNS 18 Jul 2018 -- U.S. Navy mine countermeasure (MCM) units, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) MCM units, and Indian Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) units commenced 2JA mine countermeasure exercise 2018 near Ominato, Japan, on July 18.
• Secretary General: NATO is united in support for Georgia's security NATO 18 Jul 2018 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (18 July 2018). The Secretary General praised Georgia's contributions to the Alliance's training mission in Afghanistan and the NATO Response Force. He also reiterated NATO's support for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. "At the Summit last week, all 29 Allies reaffirmed that Georgia will become a member of NATO. This is in line with the decision we made at our Bucharest Summit in 2008," he said.
• NATO Chief Says Georgia, Not Russia, Must Decide On NATO Membership RFE/RL 18 Jul 2018 -- BRUSSELS -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has defended Georgia's right to decide for itself whether it wants to join NATO, saying that Russian pressure against Tbilisi on the issue is "totally unacceptable."
• Patriot North Exercise Prepares Military, Civilian First Responders AFPS 18 Jul 2018 -- Natural disasters cause a great amount of devastation each year. They can happen any time, to anyone and in any area in the world -- they do not discriminate. A quick and decisive response to these tragedies can help mitigate their impact.
• India's Top Auditor Begins Scrutiny of Controversial French Fighter Jet Sale Sputnik 18 Jul 2018 -- India's apex auditor body has started the scrutiny of a Rafale fighter jet deal worth 7.87 billion Euros amid allegations of financial misappropriation to the tune of $5.5 billion.
• Indian Air Force MiG-21 Crashes in Himalayas: Pilot Dead Sputnik 18 Jul 2018 -- The fighter jet was on a routine sortie and it took off from Pathankot Air Force Station at 12:20 p.m. At around 13:21 p.m., the jet crashed in the village of Mehra Palli under the Jawali police station in Kangra, according to the local police.
• Knesset revokes Israel PM's power to declare war alone Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- The Israeli parliament (Knesset) strikes down a law passed earlier this year, which would enable the regime's prime minister and minister of military affairs to declare war on their own.
• Department Press Briefing - July 18, 2018 US Dept. of State 18 Jul 2018

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 18, 2018
• Aero and IAI introduced multirole F/A-259 Striker aircraft Aero Vodochody 18 Jul 2018 -- Aero, the biggest Czech aircraft manufacturer, and Israel Aerospace Industries, world leader in defense systems technologies, introduced cost-effective, combat proven fighter attack aircraft. The F/A-259 Striker is a multirole aircraft for close air support, counter-insurgency operations and border patrolling with interception capabilities.

Other Conflicts

• 18 July 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 18 Jul 2018
• UN-African Union partnership 'not a choice but a necessity', Security Council hears UN News 18 Jul 2018 -- A stronger partnership between the United Nations and the African Union is "not a choice but a necessity" in tackling today's complex peace and security challenges in Africa, a senior UN official said on Wednesday.
• Taiwan reiterates claim over Diaoyutai Islands CNA 18 Jul 2018 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Wednesday reiterated Taiwan's claim over the Diaoyutai Islands in the disputed East China Sea after Japan's government announced a plan to teach high school students that the island chain belongs to Japan.
• Yemen will allow UN supervision if Hudaydah assault ends: Houthi chief Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- The leader of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement says he will not reject the United Nations' supervisory role in Hudaydah if the Saudi-led coalition ends its weeks-long aggression against the Red Sea port city.
• Yemeni forces fire drone, hit Aramco refinery in Saudi capital Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- Yemeni army, backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees, has attacked a refinery of the Saudi oil company Aramco in the capital Riyadh using a new drone unveiled on Wednesday, with the kingdom confirming a fire at the plant.
• 7000 citizens return to al-Naima town in Daraa countryside IRNA 18 Jul 2018 -- Thousands of citizens returned to their homes in al-Naima town in the eastern countryside of Daraa after it was liberated by the Syrian Arab Army, SANA reported.
• Funding shortfalls threaten health services for a million vulnerable Iraqis, says UN health agency UN News 18 Jul 2018 -- Almost one million vulnerable Iraqis will have to go without basic medicines and other life-saving healthcare if funding is not found to save critical health facilities, the United Nations health agency said on Tuesday.
• South Sudan Foes Fail to Reach Power-Sharing Deal VOA 18 Jul 2018 -- The South Sudanese warring parties meeting in Khartoum on Wednesday failed to agree to a power-sharing deal.
• UN Reports Alarming Surge of Violence in Mali's Mopti Region VOA 18 Jul 2018 -- The United Nations Human Rights Office reports an alarming surge of intercommunal violence in Mali's central Mopti region. The U.N. says hundreds have been killed in recent months as Fulani herders and Bambara and Dogon farmers fight over land and water resources.
• UN warns about surge in Mali communal violence Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- The United Nations (UN) has expressed concern about an "alarming" rise in communal violence between Mali's rival militant groups, which has left hundreds of civilians dead so far this year.

News Reports

• Trump Promises 'Big Results' From Controversial Putin Summit RFE/RL 18 Jul 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is promising that "big results" will eventually come from his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and says that Moscow "has agreed to help with North Korea."
• Russia urges US to produce evidence for vote hacking claims Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- The United States should provide proof that Russia interfered in its 2016 presidential election, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has said, days after a seemingly amicable summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
• Trump backpedals, now says Moscow meddled in US election Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- US President Donald Trump has gone back on his earlier remarks in Finland about Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, a day after he ignited a nationwide and bipartisan furor by siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Browder: Trump May Have Agreed To Help Russian Prosecutors Pursue Him RFE/RL 18 Jul 2018 -- British-American investor and rights activist William Browder says U.S. President Donald Trump may have made a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their summit to help Russian law enforcement pursue him.
• Nicaragua police move against opposition stronghold Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- Nicaraguan security forces have launched an operation to clear barricades set-up by opposition protesters near the city of Masaya, with reports of clashes between the government and anti-government forces.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, July 18, 2018 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jul 2018
• Trump Says Russia No Longer Targeting U.S. Elections, Contradicting His Intelligence Chief RFE/RL 18 Jul 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Russia is no longer interfering in U.S. elections, contradicting remarks by his chief of national intelligence who has warned that Russia is continuing to try to influence the 2018 U.S. congressional elections.
• Butina Pleads Not Guilty To Violating U.S. Foreign-Agent Law, Held Without Bail RFE/RL 18 Jul 2018 -- A Russian woman has pleaded not guilty in a U.S. federal court to charges that she violated the U.S. foreign-agent law as part of a Russian effort to infiltrate the U.S. political system.
• Iran ready to boost uranium enrichment if JCPOA fails: AEOI spokesman ISNA 18 Jul 2018 -- Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi says Tehran is prepared to increase its uranium enrichment to higher levels if nuclear deal salvaging with the EU fall through.
• Iran to overhaul, manufacture up to 800 tanks: Defense Ministry Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- Iran's Defense Ministry says it plans to overhaul and manufacture up to 800 tanks as part of the country's plans to boost its defense power.
• Iran builds new rotor factory for centrifuges Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- Iran's nuclear chief says the country has completed the construction of an advanced factory specializing in the manufacturing of centrifuge rotors in order to enhance its uranium enrichment capacity without violating the limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Iran Says It Will Build, Upgrade As Many As 800 Battle Tanks RFE/RL 18 Jul 2018 -- Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Reza Mozaffarinia says Tehran has plans to manufacture or upgrade 700 to 800 battle tanks.
• Trump Asked Eight Times to Meet Iran President at UN Last Year – Official Sputnik 18 Jul 2018 -- The relations between Washington and Tehran have significantly deteriorated after President Donald Trump announced the US's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
• Beijing reports major drop in trade with Pyongyang as sanctions hold Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- Latest trade figures show China's imports from North Korea in June plunged by 92.6 percent compared to the same period last year with officials blaming UN sanctions against Pyongyang for the record low level of trade between the two countries.
• Trump says 'no time limit' for North Korea denuclearization Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- US President Donald Trump says he does not want to rush to denuclearize North Korea under a deal he reached with Kim Jong-un last month, a shift in tone from when the US leader said the process would begin very soon.
• Rights Groups Fear Egypt's Military Targeting Dissidents VOA 18 Jul 2018 -- As Egypt is cracking down on militants across the country, particularly in the country's Sinai region, some experts and rights groups have voiced concerns that the country's security forces are using counterterror measures to target dissidents.
• Turkish court gives life sentences to over two dozen over 2016 botched putsch Press TV 18 Jul 2018 -- A court in Turkey has handed down aggravated life sentences to more than two dozen people on charges of involvement in the failed July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which the Ankara government accuses to have been masterminded by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.
• Pakistan's Khan Tells VOA His Party Well Placed to Win Polls VOA 18 Jul 2018 -- Imran Khan, a leading candidate to become Pakistan's next prime minister, says he is hopeful about his party's chances of winning the July 25 national election.