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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghan government, Taliban exchange prisoners Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- The Afghan government has released 100 more Taliban prisoners, and the militant group has freed 20 captive security forces, as a shaky peace process between the two sides gains momentum in Afghanistan.
• U.S. Envoy Calls Afghan Prisoner Releases 'Important Step' Toward Peace RFE/RL 13 Apr 2020 -- U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated a deal with the Taliban, has welcomed a prisoner exchange between the militants and the Afghan government as an "important step" toward peace.
• Afghan Government Releases 361 Taliban Prisoners - National Security Council Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- The Afghan government has released 361 members of the Taliban movement, National Security Council Spokesperson Javid Faisal said on Monday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD Works to Eliminate Foreign Coronavirus Disinformation DoD News 13 Apr 2020 -- Under the rubric of "not wasting a good crisis," Russia, China and others are using the coronavirus pandemic to spread disinformation to further their goals, Pentagon officials said.
• Navy Sailor Assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt Dies of COVID-Related Complications NNS 13 Apr 2020 -- The Sailor assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam April 9 (local date) died of COVID-related complications April 13.
• First Active Duty US Service Member Dies from COVID-19 VOA 13 Apr 2020 -- A sailor assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier died Monday of complications related to the coronavirus, the first active duty military service member to die from the virus.
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 13 Apr 2020
• DoD Contract for 60 N95 Critical Care Decontamination Units: $415M Contract, Each Unit Can Decontaminate 80K N95 Masks Per Day DoD 13 Apr 2020 -- The Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency, on behalf of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), has awarded a $415 million contract for 60 Battelle Memorial Institute Critical Care Decontamination Systems (CCDS), that can decontaminate up to 80,000 used N95 respirators per system per day, enabling mask reuse up to 20 times.
• Defense Department CIO and Joint Staff CIO Brief Reporters on DOD Communication Efforts Regarding COVID-19 DoD 13 Apr 2020 -- Dana Deasy, Defense Department CIO, and Air Force Lt. Gen. Bradford Shwedo, Joint Staff CIO
• DOD Learns Lessons for Future From Coronavirus Fight DoD News 13 Apr 2020 -- The Defense Department is "all in" for the fight against COVID-19 and to learn from the experience so the department is better prepared when another pandemic strikes, the Joint Staff's director of joint force development said.
• DOD Transports Vital COVID-19 Medical Supplies to Points of Need DoD News 13 Apr 2020 -- Transportation is a key part of the Defense Department's contributions to the whole-of-government effort in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Army selects Anniston Army Depot for AMPV De-processing US Army 13 Apr 2020 -- Today, the Army announced the selection of Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) as the de-processing site for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program. The AMPV has proven through operational and developmental testing to be more effective and survivable than the thousands of M113s it is replacing.
• Growth in DOD Telework Capability May Outlive Coronavirus Pandemic DoD News 13 Apr 2020 -- BY To keep business on track during the fight against coronavirus, the Defense Department has greatly expanded its telework capability with a variety of tools. Once the coronavirus threat has receded, some of those enhancements for telework may continue on in some capacity, DOD's chief information officer said.
• Harry S. Truman Strike Group Conducts Sustainment Underway NNS 13 Apr 2020 -- The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) remains at sea in the Western Atlantic as a certified carrier strike group force ready for tasking in order to protect the crew from the risks posed by COVID-19, following their successful deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.
• U.S. 6th Fleet: Ready, Vigilant, On Watch NNS 13 Apr 2020 -- Two U.S. 6th Fleet Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) destroyers and a P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft are operating simultaneously in different major European Seas, April 13.
• US Navy Says USS Decatur Captain Removed for Filing False Reports on Ship's Location Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- A recently obtained investigation report from the US Navy has revealed the USS Decatur's commanding officer was fired from his position back in January for reporting inaccurate location coordinates to the service.
• U.S. military aircraft fly south of Taiwan after PLA training mission CNA 13 Apr 2020 -- Two United States military aircraft were reported close to Taiwan's southern airspace on Monday, one day after the Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed a Chinese aircraft carrier battle group sailed east of the country.
• NATO Steel Brawler Military Drills to Begin in Latvia Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- The six-day Canadian-led multinational NATO military exercise Steel Brawler is scheduled to begin in Latvia at the Mza Mackevici training ground in the southeastern municipality of Daugavpils on Monday.
• Russian Army Receives Its First Backfitted T-90M Tanks Codenamed 'Breakthrough' Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- The new modification of the T-90A tank has a highly automated fire control system and a Kord 12.7 mm heavy machine gun that can be operated remotely.
• Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning conducts exercises in South China Sea: PLA Navy spokesperson Global Times 13 Apr 2020 -- The Chinese Navy recently organized the Liaoning aircraft carrier group in a cross-regional mobilization, which saw the flotilla led by the aircraft carrier crossing through the Miyako Strait, Bashi Channel and entering the South China Sea for exercises, the PLA Navy announced on Monday.
• Chinese aircraft carrier task group conducts regular training in South China Sea PLA Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- The task group of Chinese PLA Navy's aircraft carrier Liaoning recently sailed through the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel and headed toward the relevant waters of South China Sea for training, according to a written statement by the PLA Navy Spokesperson Senior Colonel Gao Xiucheng on April 13. This is a routine arrangement within the PLA Navy's annual training plan, and also conforms to international law and related conventions. In the future, the Chinese PLA navy will continue to conduct such training activities as planned, in a bid to accelerate the upgrading of aircraft carrier task group's combat capability, said the statement.
• China's latest aircraft wind tunnel completes major test Global Times 13 Apr 2020 -- China's wind tunnel project remains in development which is expected to reshape the country's future warplanes, and hit another milestone after running a main compressor test, project developers said on Saturday.
• China starts military conscription for second half of 2020 PLA Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- China has officially started the military recruitment registration for the second half of 2020 in April. Affected by the COVID-19, the recruitment for the first half of the year has been postponed to the second half, with the tasks merged to be completed in one lump.
• Chinese peacekeepers to Sudan transport UNAMID emergency supplies PLA Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- A helicopter with the marking of UN and the national flag of China from the 3rd China Medium Utility Helicopter Unit (CMUHU03) arrived at the mission point in Golo of Darfur after one-and-a-quarter hours' flight. The helicopter brought 1.7 tons of urgently needed living and medical supplies for the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) personnel stationed in Golo. The mission has greatly improved the local pandemic prevention and control capability and is highly recognized by peacekeepers from various countries.
• Naval pilot cadets for shipboard helicopter take leaps in training PLA Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- Four pilot cadets of main attack helicopters assigned to the PLA Naval Aviation University successfully completed their first solo shipboard landing and takeoff training in early April.
• PLA Air Force's first female flight instructors begin teaching pilots PLA Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- The People's Liberation Army Air Force's first female flight instructors began training students late last month, the Air Force said in a statement released on Friday.
• Western Media Cries Foul After Chinese Carrier Makes Planned Transit of International Waterway Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning took several warships through the Miyako Strait on Saturday, part of a journey to the South China Sea for regular drills. However, the Taiwanese government and Western media have tried to paint the trip as a provocative maneuver amid the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
• Taiwan developing military-use powered suit for production in 2023 CNA 13 Apr 2020 -- Taiwan's military is planning to spend millions of dollars to design and build its own military-use powered exoskeleton suit that is expected to begin production in 2023, according to the Defense Ministry's budget proposal for fiscal year 2020.
• India - MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes DSCA 13 Apr 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India of sixteen (16) MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes (LWT); three (3) MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes (MK 54 LWT Kit procurement required); and related equipment for an estimated cost of $63 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• India - AGM-84L Harpoon Air-Launched Block II Missiles DSCA 13 Apr 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India of ten (10) AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $92 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Pakistani Fighter Jet Crashes During Training RFE/RL 13 Apr 2020 -- A Pakistani fighter jet has crashed during a routine training mission in the eastern Punjab Province, killing both the instructor and the trainee pilot on board, the country's military said on April 13.
• Pakistan Army Plane Crashes in Gujarat, Killing Both Pilots Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- This is the fourth major crash for the country's Air Force this year and the second in just over a month after an F-16 crashed on 11 March while rehearsing for the "Pakistan Day" parade in Islamabad.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For April 13, 2020
• Boeing to Reportedly Restart 'Limited Operations' at Military Aircraft Plants in Washington State Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- According to a report by the Seattle Times, Boeing has put some of its factory workers in Washington state on notice that "limited operations" could soon begin, particularly on the KC-46 Pegasus and P-8 Poseidon manufacturing lines.

Other Conflicts

• 13 April 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Apr 2020
• China Deploys Aircraft Carrier as US Senators Criticize South China Sea Conduct Radio Free Asia 13 Apr 2020 -- China has sent an aircraft carrier battle group to the East and South China Seas, according to statements from governments in the region and satellite imagery. The maneuvers come at a time of increasing tension in the South China Sea and a denouncement of China's recent sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel by members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
• Financial toll of Saudi-led war on Yemen's telecom sector exceeds $4bn: Ministry Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- The Yemeni Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology says the financial toll on the country's telecom sector five years after a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia began bombing the impoverished Arab state stands at billions of dollars.
• Militants Attack Settlement in Syria's Idlib - Russian Military Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- Militants of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* terrorist organization have attacked the Miznaz settlement in the Syrian province of Idlib, Oleg Zhuravlev, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for the Syrian reconciliation, said during a briefing on Monday.
• Libya's unity govt recaptures two strategic cities from Haftar forces Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- Forces with Libya's internationally-recognized government say they have taken control of two coastal cities between Tripoli and the Tunisian border from forces under the command of renegade General Khalifa Haftar.
• Libya's GNA Claims Control Over Sabratha City West of Tripoli - Spokesman Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) forces have taken control over the city of Sabratha, located to the west of the country's capital city of Tripoli, and are continuing the offensive, Mohamed Gnounou, the GNA military spokesman, said on Monday.
• Four civilians killed in exchange of fire between India, Pakistan troops in Kashmir Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- At least, four civilians, including a two-year-old boy, have been killed during an exchange of fire between troops of Pakistan and India across the restive Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between the two countries.
• Two Officers Reportedly Killed as Suspected Militants Open Fire at Police Unit in Kashmir Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- The reports come as Indian and Pakistani forces continue clashing near the Line of Control (LoC), exchanging heavy artillery fire. Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire, while the death toll in the recent incidents continues to grow.
• One Killed, Four Injured as Artillery Firefight Continues Between India, Pakistan Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- The two South Asian foes have been engaged in firefights and shelling for the past several days following the killing of five Indian troops near the Line of Control (LoC).
• Myanmar Artillery Shells Kill 8 Civilians in Rakhine, as War Displaced Face Food Shortages Radio Free Asia 13 Apr 2020 -- At least eight civilians were killed and 17 injured Monday by artillery shells fired by Myanmar forces in conflict-ridden Rakhine state, with wounded villagers forced to wait at military checkpoints for two hours before receiving permission to go to hospitals for treatment, local residents and relief volunteers said.
• Israeli drones violate Lebanese airspace, buzz over Beirut, southern suburbs Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- Lebanon says Israeli reconnaissance aircraft have entered the country's airspace and flown over the capital Beirut and its southern suburbs in flagrant violation of a UN Security Council resolution.

News Reports

• Attorney General Barr Issues Guidance to Protect Facilities from Unmanned Aircraft and Unmanned Aircraft Systems US Dept. of Justice 13 Apr 2020 -- "Today, Attorney General William P. Barr issued Guidance to Department of Justice components regarding counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) actions authorized under the Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018 (the Act)."
• OPEC, Russia Approve Oil Production Cut Amid Pandemic RFE/RL 13 Apr 2020 -- OPEC, Russia, and other oil-producing countries have finalized an agreement on an unprecedented oil-production cut in the hope of bolstering global prices that have collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic and a price war.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on April 13, 2020 PRC MofA 13 Apr 2020
• Subsidies For Han Settlers 'Engineering Demographics' in Uyghur-Majority Southern Xinjiang Radio Free Asia 13 Apr 2020 -- As authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) send ethnic Uyghurs to other parts of the country to work in factories, a quasi-military organization is luring Han Chinese settlers to the region's south as part of a policy experts say amounts to demographic engineering.
• China's assistant foreign minister assures African envoys of equal treatment of foreigners amid pandemic Global Times 13 Apr 2020 -- China's Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong met with ambassadors or representatives from more than 20 African countries in China Monday, according to a statement on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
• Chinese FM spokesperson's remarks on Guangdong's anti-epidemic measures concerning African citizens in China People's Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Sunday made remarks on Guangdong's anti-epidemic measures concerning African citizens in China. The remarks were as follows.
• China's economy expected to recover from COVID-19 while risks lingering - economists People's Daily 13 Apr 2020 -- China's recovery from the worst of novel coronavirus outbreak will have positive spillovers for the Asian region as it is the largest trading partner of most economies in Asia, an economist said.
• Chinese space industry insiders debunk Western media claims launch failures due to US chip restrictions Global Times 13 Apr 2020 -- Chinese space industry insiders on Monday debunked Western media claims that attest China's recent rocket launch failures to US chip export restrictions on China, pointing out that the country's rocket control systems have mastered complete localization for a long time, and China's space development sector is independent of any Western influence.
• Taiwan's WHO Ambitions Get Boost from Coronavirus Success VOA 13 Apr 2020 -- Taiwan's long-running campaign for a role in the World Health Organization is getting fresh backing in response to its successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has included assistance to other suffering nations.
• Kim Jong Un Makes New Secret Organization to Fight Military Corruption in North Korea Radio Free Asia 13 Apr 2020 -- North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has set up a secret organization, referred to as the "Military Government Guidance Department," with the intent of reining in military corruption, sources in the reclusive country said.
• N Korean Media Says Annual Parliament Session Held Without Kim's Attendance Sputnik 13 Apr 2020 -- North Korea held a meeting of its Supreme People's Assembly on Sunday, two days later than originally scheduled, and the event took place without the attendance of the country's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Monday.
• Third Session of 14th SPA of DPRK Held KCNA 13 Apr 2020 -- The third Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Sunday.
• Implementation of State Budget for Juche 108 (2019) and State Budget for Juche 109 (2020) KCNA 13 Apr 2020 -- The state budget for Juche 108 (2019) was successfully implemented according to the state budgetary report submitted to the 3rd Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly(SPA).
• Report on Work of DPRK Cabinet for Juche 108 (2019) and Its Tasks for Juche 109 (2020) KCNA 13 Apr 2020 -- According to the report on the work of the Cabinet delivered at the Third Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly(SPA) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), last year the Cabinet organized a drive of putting the overall national economy on a new higher stage with a main emphasis put on accomplishing the sustained economic development, ensuring the local production of equipment, raw and other materials and revitalizing production by boosting the capability of independent development of the country, true to the important tasks set forth by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in his report at the Fourth Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and in his historic policy speech at the First Session of the 14th SPA.
• Bushehr nuclear plant successfully passes WANO assessments IRNA 13 Apr 2020 -- Bushehr nuclear plant has successfully passed World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) experts' assessments, Director of Bushehr nuclear plant Reza Banazadeh said, adding that the achievement indicates the capability, expertise and sense of commitment responsibility of staff of the power plant.
• US imperialism more dangerous than coronavirus for international community: Iran president Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says US imperialism is a virus, which is "more dangerous" than the new coronavirus for the international community.
• Rouhani: US imperialism a more dangerous virus than corona IRNA 13 Apr 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani described US imperialism as a virus which is more hazardous than coronavirus to human community, saying that bullying and excessive demands of US statesmen have always put pressure on independent and freedom-loving nations such as Iran and Venezuela.
• Political Situation in Iraq US Dept. of State 13 Apr 2020 -- "The United States looks forward to the formation of a new Iraqi Government capable of confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, ameliorating the country's current economic distress, and bringing arms under state control."
• Saudi Arabia submits to oil output cut after US threat Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- OPEC and other large oil producers led by Russia have approved a deal to cut output, after the US threatened to take measures against Saudi Arabia over its crude price war with Moscow.
• Turkish court indicts 20 Saudis for murdering Khashoggi Press TV 13 Apr 2020 -- A Turkish court has accepted an indictment brought against 20 Saudis, including two former associates of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for the brutal murder of prominent dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018.
• Ukraine Wildfires Approach Chernobyl Nuclear Plant RFE/RL 13 Apr 2020 -- Fires raging for more than a week in Ukraine are less than a kilometer from the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant, but emergency services say the situation is under control.
• China's Mekong River Dams Compounded 2019 Drought, US-Funded Study Claims Radio Free Asia 13 Apr 2020 -- China compounded a drought that devastated fishing and farming communities on the Mekong River last year by restricting the flow of huge amounts of water downstream from 11 of its dams, a U.S. research firm said in a study released Monday.
• United States Continues U.S. Foreign Assistance for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras US Dept. of State 13 Apr 2020 -- "Today I informed Congress of the Administration's intent to continue additional targeted U.S. foreign assistance for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras."