Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• A Decade In The Making: U.S.-Taliban Peace Deal Appears Within Reach RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- In the fall of 2010, U.S. officials secretly met a young Taliban representative outside the southern German city of Munich.
• 'Stop Harming Civilians,' UN Says, After Reports Of Deadly Raid By Afghan Forces RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- The United Nations says it is "gravely concerned" by reports indicating that 11 civilians had been killed in an Afghan security force operation in the eastern province of Paktia.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Hypersonics Remain Top Priority for DOD DoD News 14 Aug 2019 -- A hypersonic weapon moving at five times the speed of sound can travel across the Pacific Ocean in just over 100 minutes. U.S. adversaries are developing such weapons now, said Michael D. Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.
• Harpers Ferry Completes MDVR in Duqm, Oman NNS 14 Aug 2019 -- The amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) completed its mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR) while pierside in Duqm, Oman, Aug. 12.
• US, Japan EOD Forces Complete Exercise 2JA NNS 14 Aug 2019 -- U.S. Navy personnel assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 and their Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) EOD counterparts completed Mine Warfare Exercise (MIWEX) 2JA 2019, July 29.
• Preparing for Tomorrow's Battlefield: U.S. Naval War College Holds Future Warfighting Symposium NNS 14 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Naval War College held its Future Warfighting Symposium Aug. 6-8, the third year of an event focused on cyber warfare, the pace of technological change, space and the impact of social media on conflict.
• U.S., Allied Forces Launch EOD Exercise HYDRACRAB NNS 14 Aug 2019 -- In a first-of-its-kind event, expeditionary forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States arrived in Guam August 14 to conduct Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training in exercise HYDRACRAB.
• Team of Hackers Finds Several Serious Vulnerabilities in US F-15 Fighter Jets Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- A group of hackers assembled by the US Air Force (USAF) has identified a group of new and old system errors that leave the force's critical F-15 system susceptible to hacking.
• Pentagon Vows Swift Review of Its 'War Cloud' Contract as Amazon, Microsoft Prepare for Battle Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Earlier, Microsoft and Amazon were picked as finalists among several major tech companies bidding to provide the US military with cloud computing and artificial intelligence on the battlefield, as part of the Pentagon's Joint Enterprise Defence Infrastructure plan, known as JEDI.
• US Questioning Future of Key Nuclear Treaty in Aftermath of Russian 'Missile Explosion' – Report Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Earlier, commenting on the alleged "failed missile explosion in Russia," and bragging about the US's supposed "similar, though more advanced, technology", US President Donald Trump claimed last week's deadly rocket test in Arkhangelsk region concerned technology related to the 9M730 Burevestnik, an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile.
• US Consults Allies on Asia-Pacific Missile Deployment After INF Treaty Collapse Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has said that he doesn't exclude the deployment of American intermediate range conventional missiles in the Pacific following Washington's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia.
• Pentagon Mulls Deploying F-35 Jets to UK Base Lakenheath - Reports Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- US Air Force European Commander Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian said that the move would allow the United States to increase its operative latitude between the UK and allies who have joined the F-35 program, Russian-based media outlets reported Tuesday.
• 'Significant Progress': Beleaguered USS Ford Finally Has Propulsion System Fixed Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- The US Navy's new bungle-ridden carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, finally got one of the problems delaying it fixed last month: its propulsion system was repaired. Next up: the nuclear-powered ship's weapons elevators.
• NATO Says Russian Su-27 Escort Jets Had No Flight Plans, Turned Off Transponders RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- NATO has provided further details on an incident that occurred over the Baltic Sea a day ago, saying alliance warplanes approached two Russian Su-27 escort jets that were flying without a flight plan and with their transponders shut off.
• Russian Tu-95 Strategic Bombers Conduct Routine 4-Hour Patrol Over Barents, Norwegian Seas Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Two Tu-95MS strategic bombers carried out on Wednesday a routine patrol flight over the Barents and Norwegian seas, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
• Russia Sends 'Nuclear-Capable Bombers' To Base Near U.S. Alaskan Coast In Exercise RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- Russia says it has flown two nuclear-capable bombers to its Far East region across from Alaskan territory, an action state media claim demonstrates the Kremlin's ability to base such warplanes near U.S. radar and missile-launch sites.
• Number of Injured in Blasts at Ammo Depot in Russia's Achinsk Rises to 40 - Medics Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- The number of people injured in a series of explosions at an ammunition depot near the town of Achinsk in Russia's Krasnoyarsk Territory has increased to 40, a spokeswoman to the local healthcare authorities told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• Report: U.S. Thinks Russian Explosion Tied To Cruise-Missile Program RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- A senior White House official echoed President Donald Trump's previous tweets to say that Washington believes a Russian hypersonic cruise-missile program is linked to the deadly August 8 explosion that killed at least five people, Reuters reported.
• China's fighter drones possible with AI use: experts Global Times 14 Aug 2019 -- China's plan to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) for drones would make fighter drones possible, allowing them to fly on their own, identify targets and make decisions to enhance their combat capability, Chinese military experts said on Wednesday.
• US Navy request for HK port visit amid protests may suggest ulterior motives: experts Global Times 14 Aug 2019 -- The US request to have its warships visit amid the Hong Kong protests is inappropriate and could have ulterior motives, Chinese experts said Wednesday as China reportedly turned down the request.
• China, Kyrgyzstan conclude joint counter-terrorism drill People's Daily 14 Aug 2019 -- The joint drill "Cooperation-2019," held by the Chinese People's Armed Police Force (PAP) and the National Guard of Kyrgyzstan, concluded Tuesday in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
• Experts: N. Korea's New Missiles Designed to Dodge Preemptive Strikes VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- The recent missile tests by North Korea, including one Saturday, show potential weapons that are designed to circumvent any preemptive strikes that would destroy them on their launch pads before being fired, experts said.
• US missile deployment to South Korea 'reckless act:' North Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- North Korea has warned against a potential move by the United States to deploy ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in South Korea, saying such a move would spark "a new Cold War" between the regional powers.
• South Korea Vows to Beef Up Military Capabilities Amid North Korean Launches Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- South Korea intends to boost its defence spending over the next years, the country's defense ministry said on Wednesday, Yonhap News Agency reported amid alleged repeated missile tests by North Korea.
• Taiwan to show off indigenous MALE drone at Defense Exhibition CNA 14 Aug 2019 -- An updated version of the Taiwan-made "Teng Yun" (騰雲) drone, which is currently in development, is scheduled to make its public debut at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) Thursday.
• Turkey Building Second Base in Qatar Amid Gulf Tensions - Reports Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Turkey established its first military base in Qatar in 2017, on the basis of a bilateral security agreement signed in late 2015, with the base said to be part of a broader security effort by the two countries to confront unspecified "common enemies."
• Lockheed Martin Wins Maintenance Contract for Standoff Missiles in Poland, Finland - Pentagon Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Lockheed Martin won an almost $100 million contract to provide maintenance and other support for air-to-surface missiles operated by Poland, Finland and Australia, the US Department of Defence announced in a press release.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 14, 2019

Other Conflicts

• Iran's Supreme Leader Calls for Yemen Talks to Prevent Country's Division VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- Fighters loyal to Yemen's Houthis attacked several positions belonging to southern separatists Wednesday, Arab media reported. The attacks occurred a day after a Houthi delegation met with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who reportedly backed a resumption of stalled talks between rival Yemeni groups.
• Dozens of Saudi mercenaries killed in Yemeni missile strike Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- Dozens of Saudi troopers and Saudi-sponsored militiamen have been killed when Yemeni army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Committees launched an offensive against their positions in the kingdom's southern border region of Najran.
• Iran supports unified Yemen, warns of plots to partition war-ravaged country Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- Iran says it supports a unified Yemen, warning against plots aimed at dividing the war-ravaged Arab country.
• Yemen Authorities Set Separatists' Withdrawal from Aden As Precondition for Dialogue Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Last week, government forces clashed with separatists advocating for the Interim Council of Southern Yemen in the city of Aden, where the Yemeni government moved from Houthi-captured Sana'a.
• Syrian Government Forces Inch Closer to Key Northern Town VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- The pace of Russian and Syrian government airstrikes and artillery shelling of the northern Syrian province of Idlib, the last stronghold of what remains of secular rebel and jihadist forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad's rule, has picked up, say independent monitoring groups.
• Syrian army takes militant enclaves in significant Idlib advance Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- Syrian government forces, supported by fighters from allied popular defense groups, have taken control of a number of villages in the southern countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib, reaching the outskirts of a major stronghold for foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants there.
• Military Source Confirms Terrorists Down Syrian Air Force Jet in Idlib - Report Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Syrian government forces said earlier this month that they were resuming military operations in the provinces of Idlib and Hama, citing the militants' refusal to observe a ceasefire deal, which had gone into effect on 1 August, by launching several attacks on civilians in nearby areas.
• 'Palpable reduction' in violence following Eid truce says Libya Mission, as UN investigates deadly bombing which left 3 staff dead UN News 14 Aug 2019 -- A UN call for a humanitarian truce over this week's Eid al-Adha religious holiday led to a "palpable reduction" of violence around the embattled capital of Tripoli, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement released on Wednesday.
• India Deploys Elite Commando Unit for Railway Projects on Kashmir and China Border Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Indian Railways deployed an elite commandoes unit to secure at least ten strategically important ongoing projects in Kashmir and other Himalayan states bordering China. The development comes on the backdrop of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir last week.
• Pakistan Claims India Preparing for Cross-Border Attack VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan warned Wednesday rival India is planning a major cross-border military attack "to divert world attention" from its recent crippling crackdown in its part of the disputed Kashmir region.
• Pakistan's PM vows to respond to any aggression in Kashmir Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned India that Pakistan is prepared to respond to any aggression in the disputed region of Kashmir as tensions skyrocketed between the nuclear-armed rivals in the wake of New Delhi's revocation of the autonomy of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region.
• Pakistan Will Respond To Any Aggression In Kashmir, Khan Warns India RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has used a speech marking the country's Independence Day to accuse India of planning military action in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
• Pak Troops, People Ready to Fight India till Last Breath: PM Imran Khan Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan will retaliate with full force if India attacks it. The two nuclear-armed nations are once again at loggerheads after New Delhi stripped Kashmir of its special constitutional status.
• Hamas will shower Israel with barrages of missiles if Gaza comes under attack: Sinwar Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- The leader of Hamas resistance movement in the Gaza Strip has warned the Israeli military against waging a new military campaign on the besieged coastal sliver, stating that his fellow fighters will prevail over Israeli troops if the latter enter the enclave in any future conflict.
• IRGC Says Hezbollah Can 'Wipe the Zionist Regime Off the Map by Itself' in Latest Verbal Escalation Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander claimed that the Lebanese militant group had 100,000 missiles aimed at Israel and ready to fire in the event of war.
• Public Designation of Sudan's Salah Gosh under Section 7031(c) US Dept. of State 14 Aug 2019 -- Today, the United States designated Salah Abdalla Mohamed Mohamed Salih, known as Salah Gosh, the former director general of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2019 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (Div. F, P.L. 116-6), due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights.
• At Least 7 Killed in al-Shabab Attack on Somali Base VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- At least six Somali government soldiers and a cameraman were killed and 13 others were injured Wednesday when al-Shabab militants attacked a military base near the capital, officials say.

News Reports

• Humanitarian assistance to be scaled-up for millions of Venezuelans in need UN News 14 Aug 2019 -- The United Nations humanitarian wing launched a new Response Plan (HRP) on Wednesday, that aims to help around 2.6 million people in Venezuela through to the end of the year, almost half of whom are youth.
• 'Bums, Freaks, And Gypsies' -- How Pro-Kremlin Media Depicts The Moscow Protesters RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- More than 50,000 people joined a rally for fair elections in Moscow on August 10, biting back concerns about arrests and police beatings to show up for what turned out to be the largest anti-government demonstration in Russia since 2011.
• China builds intelligence command system for celebration of 70th founding anniversary Global Times 14 Aug 2019 -- China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has requested local-level police organs speed up efforts in building an effective intelligence command system to prepare for the upcoming celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
• Russian Scientists Complain New Rules Would Sharply Restrict Foreign Interaction RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- Scientists say the Russian authorities have ordered new restrictions limiting the interaction between Russian scholars and their foreign counterparts.
• Russia defends new security decree, saying its scientists targeted by spies '24/7' Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- The Kremlin has defended a new security decree, saying foreign spies are observing Russian scientists at all times.
• National-Security Council Chief: Ukraine's Spy Agency Is Top Reform Priority RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- The reform of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) was high on the agenda at the August 13 meeting between the head of the National Security and Defense Council (RNBO) and an international advisory group composed of representatives of the European Union, NATO, and the United States.
• Arch of Triumph, Grand Monument KCNA 14 Aug 2019 -- The Arch of Triumph located at the foot of Moran Hill in Pyongyang, the capital city of the DPRK, is a grand monumental edifice built by the Korean people to convey forever the feats of President Kim Il Sung who returned home in triumph after leading the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to victory and achieving the historic cause of Korea's liberation (August 15, 1945).
• President Kim Il Sung Won Victory in Anti-Japanese War by All-People Resistance KCNA 14 Aug 2019 -- The 20-year-long anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle ended in the victory of the Korean people on August 15, Juche 34 (1945). Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule was the outcome of the heroic resistance war waged on a nationwide scale.
• KCNA Blasts S. Korean Authorities for Becoming Bullet-Shield KCNA 14 Aug 2019 -- The structural remodeling is now in progress at full swing at the THAAD base in south Korea under the baton of the U.S.
• Iran strongly defends interests in territorial waters: Commander warns Israel Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- The head of Iran's Passive Defense Organization has warned against possible Israeli presence in a US-led coalition in the Persian Gulf, stressing that the Islamic Republic is dead serious when it comes to defending national interests in its territorial waters.
• Iran to start oil exports from east of Hormuz by early 2021: Official Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- Iranian officials say oil exports from the east of the Strait of Hormuz, where over 30 percent of the global seaborne oil traffic is handled, will be possible by early 2021 thanks to a major pipeline project which aims to pump crude to the eastern end of the waterway.
• Senior cmdr. warns enemies against trying Iran's military might, preparedness Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- The commander of the Iranian Army's Air Defense Force says enemies do not dare try the Islamic Republic's defense might and preparedness.
• Ready for US face-off, China 're-engages' Iran on projects Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- China has "re-engaged" Iran on three key energy projects which the world's biggest oil buyer is adamant to carry on with their implementation despite US sanctions, a report says.
• Rouhani scoffs at prospect of Israel presence in Persian Gulf Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani scoffs at an Israeli plan to join a US-led maritime "security" coalition in the Persian Gulf region, saying the regime is not even capable of securing the areas it has occupied.
• Report: Gibraltar To Release Seized Iranian Tanker RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- The British overseas territory of Gibraltar will on August 15 release an Iranian oil tanker that Royal Marines seized in July on suspicion that it was violating EU sanctions on Syria, the Sun newspaper reported, citing sources in Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo's inner circle.
• Iran to Give Nuclear Deal Signatories 60 More Days to Fulfill Demands, Save Accord - President Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- If Iran proceeds to the third stage of reducing its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it will give the signatories of the nuclear pact 60 more days to fulfill its demands and save the deal, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.
• Order Returns to Hong Kong Airport, Protesters Apologize VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- Operations at the Hong Kong Airport returned to normal Wednesday after a judge granted an interim order to limit anti-government protests that crippled one of the world's busiest air hubs for two days and sparked frantic clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
• US 'Concerned' by Reports of Chinese Military Movement Near Hong Kong Border VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- The United States says it is "deeply concerned" by reports of Chinese paramilitary movement along the border with Hong Kong, the Chinese territory that has seen 10 consecutive weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations.
• Judge Grants Order to Limit Anti-Government Protests at Hong Kong Airport VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- The Hong Kong Airport Authority announced Wednesday that a judge granted an interim order to limit anti-government protests that crippled one of the world's busiest air hubs for two days and sparked frantic clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
• HK chaos shows why some press become rioters' accomplices Global Times 14 Aug 2019 -- Last night, our colleague Fu Guohao was besieged, assaulted by rioters and beaten to the ground in the Hong Kong International Airport during the second consecutive illegal protest that paralyzed one of the busiest transport hubs in the world.
• China condemns 'near-terrorist acts' at Hong Kong airport Press TV 14 Aug 2019 -- China has condemned the "near-terrorist acts" by protesters at the Hong Kong International Airport, urging the city's authorities to hold perpetrators to account.
• Hong Kong Airport Reopens After Court Order Forbids 'Obstructions,' Limits Protests Radio Free Asia 14 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong's international airport reopened for business on Wednesday after a court order banning demonstrations, and amid a general ban on non-passengers, on a day that ended with riot police firing tear gas through the streets of Sham Shui Po.
• Satellite Images Show Chinese Police Vehicles Inside Sports Arena Near Hong Kong Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- Newly obtained satellite images from Maxar Technologies appear to show dozens of Chinese military-style vehicles stationed inside the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, which is located inside the Chinese province that borders Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong airport paralyzed for 2nd day Global Times 14 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong airport was seriously disrupted again on Tuesday by illegal assemblies as all check-in services for departing flights were suspended after 4:30 pm as announced by airport authorities.
• China's Recent Squeeze on Taiwan Could Backfire VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- China's recent squeeze on the Taiwan economy and its international profile is expected to backfire by making Taiwanese ever angrier and endearing them to leaders who oppose Beijing.
• Nahid 1 satellite ready to be released into orbit of 250km above earth ISNA 14 Aug 2019 -- Nahid 1 sattelite will be handed over to Iran's Defense Ministry in upcoming days and the ministry has planned to launch it, Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said.
• India's Chandrayaan-2 Leaves Earth's Orbit, Heading Towards Moon Sputnik 14 Aug 2019 -- India's ambitious lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 successfully left Earth's orbit on Wednesday morning. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the spacecraft entered a Lunar Transfer Trajectory. The spacecraft is expected to reach the moon's orbit on 20 August.
• Ukraine's Government Backs Away From Fight With Kyiv Mayor Klitschko RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- Ukraine's government says it will not seek to take away part of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko's executive powers, at least for now.
• Court Gives Green Light For Ukrainian Ex-President To Take Lie-Detector Test RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- A Kyiv court has granted permission for authorities to administer a polygraph test to former President Petro Poroshenko in a tax evasion case, a spokeswoman for the State Bureau for Investigations (DBR) told Interfax on August 13.
• Two More Charges Brought Against Jailed Former Kyrgyz President Atambaev RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- Prosecutors in Kyrgyzstan have added two more charges against former President Almazbek Atambaev, a week after a siege of his residential compound left one police officer dead and scores injured.
• From Hero To Zero: Kyrgyz Deputy Minister Who Detained Atambaev Fired For Betrayal RFE/RL 14 Aug 2019 -- Kyrgyz Deputy Interior Minister Kursan Asanov, who personally negotiated former President Almazbek Atambaev's surrender last week after two days of deadly resistance, has been fired for allegedly "betraying the interests of the Kyrgyz police and losing confidence."
• Jordan Seeks Middle Ground in Mideast Rift VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- A diplomatic rift in the Middle East is deepening with Qatar and Turkey on one side, and Saudi Arabia, other Gulf Arab states along with Egypt on the other. Divisions have been growing over how to contain Iran's widening sphere in the region and the latest crisis on Gulf waterways, as well as the ongoing conflict in Syria and disputes over support of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
• Opposition Says Documents Will Prove Haiti's Moise Broke Law VOA 14 Aug 2019 -- Twenty opposition politicians are raising the stakes in their drive to impeach Haitian President Jovenel Moise by demanding documents that they say will prove he has routinely violated the constitution.