13 August 2019 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 13 Aug 2019 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Syria.

Defense Policy / Programs

US inks deal to purchase Iron Dome missile systems from Israel Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- The US army has formally signed a contract to purchase two Iron Dome missile systems from Israel, according to a report.
SPMAGTF-CR-AF 19.2 executes full mission profile rehearsals from Senegal CSL USMC News 13 Aug 2019 -- Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa 19.2, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, rehearsed operations to establish and operate from a cooperative security location in Dakar, Senegal, July 28- Aug. 10, 2019.
Navy Announces FY-20 General Military Training Requirements NNS 13 Aug 2019 -- The Navy announced fiscal year (FY) 2020 General Military Training (GMT) requirements via Naval Administrative Message (NAVADMIN) 191/19, released Aug. 13.
SNMG 1 Forces Assemble in Brest NNS 13 Aug 2019 -- Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) forces assembled in Brest, France Aug. 4 to begin SNMG1's second semester.
Pentagon inspectors probe 'war cloud' contract Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- The Pentagon has opened an investigation into a disputed $10 billion "war cloud" contract, much sought-after by major US tech companies.
China Denies US Navy Request For Two Upcoming Port Visits - Defense Dept Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- The US Defense Department revealed Tuesday that China has rejected inquiries from the US Navy, requesting permission for two vessels to make port in Hong Kong in the coming weeks.
US Marine Corps F-35B Carries Out First 'Hot Reload' at Sea Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- An F-35B Joint Strike Fighter carried out its first "hot reload" earlier this week, when the US Marine Corps performed successive waves of airstrikes on test targets at sea, returning to the ship to reload and then blasting right back off again.
Subcontractor Slammed for 'Substandard Welding' on Upgraded US Virginia-Class Attack Subs Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Last week, BWX Technologies, one of just two US manufacturers capable of making missile tubes for the new Columbia-class submarine programme, threatened to pull out of the business completely amid ongoing work to repair 12 submarine missile tubes it had welded incorrectly in 2018.

NATO F/A-18 Fighter Jet Chased Away From Russian Defence Minister's Plane Over Baltic Sea - MoD Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- According to the Russian military, the NATO jet approached the defence minister's plane over neutral waters in the Baltic Sea.

Russia boasts nuclear supremacy over US Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Russia says it outrivals all other countries in developing cutting-edge nuclear weapons amid the United States' efforts to magnify a recent accident, which Washington claims involved a Russian nuclear missile.
Russia's top nuclear official says work on new weapons will continue Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Russia's chief nuclear official says the country will continue to pursue the development of new weapons, following the death of five top Russian nuclear scientists in an explosion last week.
Russian Agency Confirms Brief Radiation Spike Near Northern Naval Test Site RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Russia's weather-monitoring agency has reported a measurable jump in radiation levels near the Arkhangelsk naval test site where an explosion and fire last week killed at least five people.
Russians Fully Protected From Radiation Missile Engine Explosion in Arkhangelsk - Kremlin Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, while commenting on possible radiation exposure following a missile engine explosion in Russia's Arkhangelsk Region, has said that people were fully protected.
Trump Comments on 'Missile Explosion' in Russia, Boasts of US Having 'More Advanced Technology' Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Five employees of Russian nuclear energy corporation Rosatom were killed on 8 August in an explosion that happened during testing of a liquid-propellant rocket engine at a military site in the Arkhangelsk Region of northwestern Russia.
Russian jets force NATO jet away from minister's plane Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets, convoying a plane carrying Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, have chased away a NATO F-18 fighter jet that tried to shadow the military aircraft over neutral waters in the Baltic Sea.
Russia Says Its Jets Drove Off NATO Warplane RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Russia's Defense Ministry has said that Russian Su-27 warplanes forced away a NATO F-18 jet after it approached an aircraft carrying Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over international waters.
Russia Vows To Make New Weapons Amid U.S. Suspicion Of Blast That Killed Five Scientists RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Russia's chief nuclear official has vowed to continue developing new weapons while attending a funeral on August 12 of five Russian nuclear researchers who were killed in an explosion in what U.S. experts suspect was a mishandled test of a new nuclear-powered engine.

UK RAF Fighter Jets Scrambled to Intercept Russian Strategic Bombers in Neutral Airspace Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Russian warplanes have repeatedly conducted routine flyovers in the past, with the country's Defence Ministry emphasising that the military aircraft adhere to all international norms when performing such missions.

Second aircraft carrier can carry 36 J-15 fighters Global Times 13 Aug 2019 -- China's second aircraft carrier can carry at least 36 domestically developed J-15 fighter jets, some 50 percent more than the country's first, China's state broadcaster reported on Tuesday.

Tajikistan, China Hold Counterterror Drills In Gorno-Badakhshan RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- The Tajik and Chinese militaries have kicked off counterterrorism exercises in Tajikistan's mountainous Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region.

Iran unveils advanced MRAP vehicle IRNA 13 Aug 2019 -- Iranian Defense Industries unveiled an advanced 6*6 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored personnel carrier on Tuesday.
Iran unveils new multi-purpose tactical armored vehicles Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Iran has unveiled new types of state-of-the-art tactical armored vehicles, which have been designed and manufactured by experts at the Defense Ministry.
Iran Presents New Domestic Armoured, Tactical Vehicles - Reports Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Iran presented on Tuesday new types of modern armoured and tactical vehicles, which were fully designed and manufactured by domestic specialists, local media reported.

South Korea to Deploy New Batch of Troops to Gulf of Aden - Reports Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- South Korea is due to sent 300 additional troops to the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday as speculations continue about possible Seoul's mission in the Strait of Hormuz near Iran.

Ukraine's Lviv Tank Plant Starts Making Upgraded T-64 Tanks RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- The Lviv Tank Plant has become the second Ukrainian factory to start manufacturing the modernized model of T-64 tanks complete with new thermal vision equipment, digital radio communication, satellite navigation systems, and new explosive-reactive armor, according to an August 12 news release by Ukroboronprom, the state-owned company that oversees the defense industry.

Report: Hypersonic, Dual-Capable Missiles Pose Huge Global Threat VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- New missile technologies, including so-called hypersonic systems capable of traveling at more than 25 times the speed of sound, are fueling a new global arms race, according to a new report from analyst group the European Leadership Network.

Bahrain signs agreement to purchase US-built Patriot missile system Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Bahrain has signed an agreement to purchase an MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system from the US Army.
Kingdom of Bahrain and U.S. sign agreement for Patriot Raytheon 13 Aug 2019 -- The Kingdom of Bahrain signed an agreement to purchase Raytheon's combat-proven Patriot™ air and missile defense system from the U.S. Army.
Bahrain to Purchase US Patriot System to Defend Against Aircraft, Missiles - Raytheon Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Bahrain has agreed to buy the US-built Patriot anti-aircraft and missile interceptor system, the Raytheon Company said in a press release.

Remarks by President Trump Before Air Force One Departure The White House 13 Aug 2019

Defense Industry

Contracts For Aug. 13, 2019

Other Conflicts

Chinese Survey Ship, Escorts Return to Vietnam Waters: Reports Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2019 -- A Chinese survey ship has returned to Vietnam's territorial waters in the South China Sea, according to media reports, days after leaving the disputed Spratly Islands, where it had been involved in a nearly month-long standoff with Vietnamese ships that prompted rare protests in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Leader urges resistance against Saudi-UAE bid to split Yemen Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warns that the Saudi regime and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – which have been leading a military campaign against Yemen – are after partitioning the fellow Arab country, calling for strong resistance in the face of the plot.
Yemen attacks Saudi Arabia's Abha airport with drones Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Yemeni armed forces have targeted the airport of Abha, in Saudi Arabia's southwestern province of Asir, with domestically-developed Qasef-2K (Striker-2K) drones.
Coalition Forces' Joint Command: Coalition to Support Legitimacy, in Yemen: Houthi Terrorist Militia Bobby-Trapped Drone Flew from Sana'a, Fell down in Amran, on Civilian Targets SPA 13 Aug 2019 -- Colonel Turki al-Maliki, the Official Spokesman of the Coalition Forces' Joint Command (Coalition to Support Legitimacy, in Yemen), said that the Iranian-backed terrorist Houthi militia launched this morning a booby-trapped drone from Sanaa Governorate, in an extension of its terrorist operations, but it fell down in Amran Governorate on civilian targets and innocent civilians.
Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Delusional victories of Houthi terrorist militia do not exceed limits of their misleading media for deception and misleading their terrorist elements SPA 13 Aug 2019 -- Colonel Turki Al Malki, the official spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, said that the victories of the Yemeni National Army, supported by the coalition in reality, confused the terrorist militia leaders, and they are using their misleading media and hidden arms to spread illusions.
Yemeni Houthis Reportedly Carry Out Drone Attack on Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- The military wing of the northern Yemen-based movement Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, launched drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's Abha airport, according to Reuters. Saudi Arabian authorities haven't yet commented on the media report.

Dozens of Daesh militants killed in separate attacks across Iraq Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Iraqi government forces, supported by fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units, have carried out separate clean-up operations against remnants of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group across the country, killing dozens of the extremists in the process.

Myanmar Lays Terrorism Charges On Five Rakhines Over Alleged Ties to Arakan Army Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2019 -- Five ethnic Rakhine villagers, including a schoolteacher, arrested last week have been charged under Myanmar's Counter-Terrorism Law and were remanded in custody Tuesday at Buthidaung Township Court in war-ravaged Rakhine state, a military spokesman said.

India says easing restrictions in Kashmir 'in phased manner' Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- The Indian government says it is easing the severe restrictions across Kashmir in a "phased manner," days after it imposed a curfew and communication blackout in the Muslim-majority Himalayan region.
Pakistan Wants Emergency UN Meeting On Kashmir RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan on August 13 called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council following India's decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its autonomy, which Islamabad says threatens international peace and could lead to ethnic cleansing and genocide in the Muslim-majority region.
As Pak Moves Military Equipment near Border, Indian Army chief Says 'Well-prepared' to Strike Back Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Indian and Pakistani armies recently exchanged heavy fire across the border over several days, leaving at least four dead on the Pakistani side and one on the Indian side while nearly 40 others were wounded. Most recently, the revocation of Kashmir's special status has intensified India-Pakistan tensions.
'Pakistan moves military hardware, aircraft to India border' Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan has reportedly begun moving military hardware to forward bases near the Indian border, raising concerns about a potential military confrontation with India over the disputed Kashmir region.

Palestine warns US against backing Israeli annexation bid Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Palestine has warned the United States not to "play with fire" by endorsing an Israeli scheme to annex the settlements the regime has constructed in the occupied West bank in defiance of international law.

News Reports

Venezuelan Constituent National Assembly Strips More Lawmakers of Diplomatic Immunity Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Maduro Creates New Ministry, Appoints Chiefs

Ex-Kyrgyz President Atambaev Accused Of Plotting Coup RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Kyrgyz security officials have accused former President Almazbek Atambaev of plotting to stage a coup after a deadly confrontation with police during his arrest last week.
Ex-Kyrgyz President Atambayev Charged With Murder, Other High Crimes - Prosecution Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, who surrendered to police last week after raids on his residence, has been charged with murder and other high crimes, the head of the Prosecutor General's Office's department for supervision of investigation and prosecution, Zamir Beishekeev, said on Tuesday.

U.S. Efforts To Derail Russian Pipelines To Europe Have Failed Since The 1960s. Will Nord Stream 2 Be Any Different? RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump will fly to Europe later this month to pursue a goal his predecessors going back to John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan failed to achieve - derailing a Kremlin-backed energy-export pipeline.
Wanted Man: Notorious Ukrainian Berkut Commander Gets Second Crack At Protesters - In Moscow RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Sergei Kusyuk is wanted in both Kyiv and Moscow, but in two very different ways.

Czech Intelligence Says Foreign State Behind Ministry Cyberattack – Reports Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- A foreign country is responsible for the June cyberattack on the Czech Foreign Ministry, state television reported, citing the National Cyber and Information Security Agency.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Orders to Promote Military Ranks of National Defense Research Scientists KCNA 13 Aug 2019 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), on Aug. 12 issued Order No. 008 to promote the military ranks of scientists in the field of national defense science research who have made great contributions to bolstering up the military capabilities for self-defence.
North Korea's Missile Tests Fail to Impress at Home Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2019 -- A recent series of North Korean missile tests ordered by national leader Kim Jong Un has left citizens of the nuclear-armed state unimpressed, with many calling the expensive launches wasteful in a country short of food.

Amid Stalled Talks and Missile Tests, South Korea Feeling the Heat VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- Talks with North Korea are stalled yet again. Pyongyang has ramped up its ballistic missile launches. And in the United States, the leading contender to challenge President Donald Trump is threatening a tougher approach toward Kim Jong Un.

Fordow nuclear site one of most active nuclear sites of Iran: Salehi ISNA 13 Aug 2019 -- The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi said, "Fordow nuclear site is one of the most active nuclear sites of Iran and its cooperation with different states, such as Russia is underway within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), providing infrastructural scientific and technical needs of nuclear industry and other industries".
Iran: UK expected to release seized oil tanker in near future Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization says Britain is expected to soon free an Iranian-owned oil tanker that it unlawfully seized last month off the coast of Gibraltar, after the two sides exchanged certain documents to pave the way for the supertanker's release.
U.S. Sanctions Lead To Severe Drop In Iran Trade With Germany RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Falling trade between Germany and Iran indicate that stinging U.S. sanctions are affecting the commercial preferences of countries when deciding on whether to conduct business with Tehran.
Britain Says Iranian Tanker Probe Is A Matter For Gibraltar RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Britain has said that investigations into an Iranian oil tanker its forces captured near Gibraltar was a matter for the government of the British overseas territory to deal with, after an Iranian news agency reported that the vessel would be released on August 13.
Iran Starts Building Isotope Production Centre at Fordow Nuclear Site – Atomic Energy Organisation Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Earlier this day, Mehr news agency reported that Iran inaugurated the construction of an isotope production centre at the Fordow nuclear site near the city of Qom.
Gibraltar Denies It is Due to Release Seized Iranian Tanker VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- Opposing news reports fueled confusion Tuesday over the fate of an oil tanker seized near the British territory of Gibraltar last month.

Chinese Authorities Ramp Up Rhetoric Against Hong Kong Protesters VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- Beijing appears to be losing patience with pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, ramping up its rhetoric this week by saying that demonstrations have shown "signs of terrorism."
Police Clash with Protesters at Hong Kong Airport, Forcing More Flight Cancellations VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- Riot police clashed with pro-democracy demonstrators at the Hong Kong's international airport Tuesday evening, with all departing flights cancelled for a second straight day.
Protesters Force Hong Kong Airport to Cancel Flights for Second Day VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- All departing flights from Hong Kong's international airport have been cancelled for a second straight day Tuesday after pro-democracy demonstrators once again took over the facility's main terminal.
Color revolution aims to ruin HK's future Global Times 13 Aug 2019 -- Is a color revolution taking place in Hong Kong? We think so, although this one is somehow baffling.
Hong Kong must make a choice: stability or turmoil? Global Times 13 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong's recent protests and riots have shown obvious characteristics of a color revolution. A few rioters even used gasoline bombs against Hong Kong police on Sunday, causing injuries. The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Monday strongly condemned these acts, saying that they have shown "signs of terrorism."
HK residents shouldn't miss China's global rise Global Times 13 Aug 2019 -- For both leisure and work assignments, I have been on the road - or more precisely in the air - for the past few weeks, travelling from Asia to Europe to Africa. While the endless flight hours and constant changes in time zones were a challenge, what really bothered me throughout my journey was one question:
Commentary: Clamp down on riots in Hong Kong with law People's Daily 13 Aug 2019 -- Any attempt to endanger national sovereignty and security, challenge the power of the central government and the authority of the Basic Law of the HKSAR or use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland is an act that crosses the red line, and is absolutely impermissible, said Chinese President Xi Jinping at the meeting celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
Hong Kong's leader asks protesters to 'calm down' Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam has urged the protesters in the city to calm down and not push it into the "abyss."
Riot Police Intervene After Protesters Bring Hong Kong Airport to a Standstill Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2019 -- Riot police stormed the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday, clashing with protesters after several thousand people occupied the facility and caused the mass cancellation of flights for the second day in a row, amid growing public anger over police violence and government plans to allow extradition to mainland China.
Hong Kong Residents Turn to Taiwan as Local Gas Mask Stocks Run Low Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- As anti-extradition bill protests continue and police clashes escalate in Hong Kong, Taiwan has proved itself to be a useful supplier of gas mask filters for demonstrators and everyday Hong Kongers.
China Blasts UN Rights Boss Over Hong Kong Meddling, Sending 'Wrong Signals to Criminal Offenders' Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Earlier in the day, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called on Hong Hong authorities to act with restraint and investigate cases of tear gas firing at demonstrators.
Anti-Gov't Protesters Return to Hong Kong Airport Day After All Flights Cancelled - Reports Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- Hundreds of anti-government protesters returned to Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday, a day after the airport, which is one of the busiest in the world, cancelled more than 300 flights as a result of a massive sit-in, local media reported.
'Act with restraint' UN urges Hong Kong authorities and protestors, as airport is disrupted for a second day UN News 13 Aug 2019 -- After two consecutive days of chaos at Hong Kong International Airport, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Michelle Bachelet expressed her concern and condemned "any form" of violence or destruction of property and urged the demonstrators to "express their views in a peaceful way".
US Delays New Tariffs on Some Chinese Exports VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- The United States on Tuesday said it is delaying a new 10% tariff on some key Chinese imported consumer products that President Donald Trump had been set to impose on Sept. 1.

Congolese Mother and Child's Recovery Offers Hope in Ebola Fight VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- After 29 days at an Ebola treatment center in eastern Congo, fighting for their lives, a mother and her young son were discharged Tuesday amid applause and laughter.

Iran to test new solar panels on Nahid 1 satellite: Minister Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- Iran's minister of communications says that country's scientists will test a new technology for operating solar panels in the space once the Nahid 1 satellite is placed into orbit.

India Orders Russian Equipment for First Manned Space Mission - Russian Manufacturer Sputnik 13 Aug 2019 -- India has ordered Russia's space equipment as it is preparing to send its first manned mission to orbit, according to Sergey Pozdnyakov, general director and chief designer of Research & Development Production Enterprise Zvezda, a Russian company manufacturing life-support systems for human spaceflights.

Bolton says Washington favors a no-deal Brexit Press TV 13 Aug 2019 -- US National Security Adviser John Bolton has said the United States "enthusiastically" supports a no-deal Brexit.
Trump Official: US Ready to Seal Trade Deal with Britain Post-Brexit VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the visiting British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Aug. 7 that the U.S. will be ready, "pen in hand," to sign "a new free trade agreement at the earliest possible time."

Zelenskiy Signs Decree To Fast-Track Citizenship For 'Persecuted' Russians, 'Defenders' Of Ukraine RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has simplified naturalization procedures for foreigners and stateless people who have "defended Ukraine" and for Russians facing "political persecution" at home.

Western Powers Urge Restart Of Serbia-Kosovo Talks, Call Current Situation 'Unsustainable' RFE/RL 13 Aug 2019 -- The United States and four Western European countries have called on Serbia and Kosovo to restart European Union-sponsored talks aimed at normalizing their relations "with urgency," saying the current status quo is "simply not sustainable."

Italy's Salvini Aims for Top Job VOA 13 Aug 2019 -- Italian senators don't often interrupt their summer vacations but thanks to the firebrand populist Matteo Salvini, the country's deputy prime minister and head of the Lega party, they had to return to a scorching hot capital Tuesday to discuss when to hold a formal vote of no-confidence in Italy's tempestuous 14-month-old coalition government.

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