FWIW -
A former Navy Intel Officer, Skip Leonard, provides me with a daily post that addresses real time miliary issues. Wondering if MOA members would be interested in its details?
J.K.
+++++++++++++
Here's Friday's example:
Item Number:1 Date: 03/14/2008 AUSTRALIA - ARTILLERY TROOPS TO FACE COMBAT IN AFGHANISTAN (MAR 14/AUSTRALIAN) THE AUSTRALIAN -- Artillerymen from Australia are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan for their first combat operations since the Vietnam War, reports the Australian. Fifteen gunners from the 8/12 Medium Regiment, based at Darwin, will serve with British artilleryman from the Royal Horse Artillery in Afghanistan's Helmand province as part of an exchange program. The combined artillery teams will operate British 105-mm L118 light guns, which are similar to the Australian Hamel gun. The Australians are completing six months of preparatory training in the U.K.
Item Number:2 Date: 03/14/2008 CANADA - CONDITIONAL AFGHANISTAN MANDATE EXTENDED THROUGH 2011 (MAR 14/GAM) GLOBE AND MAIL -- The Canadian parliament voted to keep troops in Afghanistan's Kandahar province until December 2011, if allies provide reinforcement, the Globe and Mail (Toronto) reports. The measure is conditional, requiring 1,000 additional NATO combat troops, as well as transport helicopters and reconnaissance drones, to arrive in Kandahar by February 2009. The mission was previously mandated through February 2009.
Item Number:3 Date: 03/14/2008 CANADA - DEFENSE DEPT. TAKES ANOTHER LOOK AT COASTAL RADAR (MAR 14/TS) TORONTO STAR -- The Canadian Dept. of Defense has revived a program for a high-tech coastal radar system, reports the Toronto Star. A US$39 million program, canceled in 2006 and involving government scientists and Raytheon Canada, explored the use of a high-frequency surface wave radar to monitor the coast for terrorists and drug smugglers. The Defense Dept. has now sought proposals from companies with experience in developing such radars. The military hopes a new radar system will enable it to save on coastal surveillance costs.
Item Number:4 Date: 03/14/2008 CHAD - PEACE DEAL SIGNED BETWEEN SUDAN AND CHAD (MAR 14/VOA) VOICE OF AMERICA NEWS -- The presidents of Chad and Sudan signed a no-aggression pact on Thursday aimed at ending years of attacks across their mutual border, the Voice of America News reports. The negotiations in Dakar, Senegal, were facilitated by Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade and witnessed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Chadian President Idriss Deby and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir agreed not to support the rebel groups that have frequently launched attacks inside the other's territory. Similar agreements have been struck in the past, with limited success.
Item Number:5 Date: 03/14/2008 CHINA - TROOPS SURROUND TIBETAN MONASTERIES (MAR 14/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- After protests turned violent this week, Chinese security forces have sealed off three Buddhist monasteries in Lhasa, Tibet, the BBC reports. The Drepung, Sera and Ganden monasteries were surrounded following two days of protests by Tibetan monks against the Chinese government, according to witnesses. The demonstrations in Tibet are believed to be the largest in two decades. Chinese officials played down the situation. "In the past couple of days, a few monks in Lhasa have made some disturbances in an effort to cause unrest," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gan. "Thanks to the efforts of the local government and the democratic administration of the temples, the situation in Lhasa has been stabilized."
Item Number:6 Date: 03/14/2008 IRAQ - 1,300 POLICE COMPLETE TRAINING COURSE (MAR 14/S&S) STARS AND STRIPES -- The Furat Iraqi Police Training Academy in Baghdad is scheduled to graduate its largest class of recruits this week, reports the Stars and Stripes. More than 1,300 recruits have just completed a two-week introductory course. The course covers basic law enforcement techniques, including weapons and combat training, building clearing tactics, first aid and defensive tactics. U.S. officials have set a goal of training more than 12,000 recruits from the region.
Item Number:7 Date: 03/14/2008 KENYA - SCORES SEIZED IN MT. ELGON OPERATION (MAR 14/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- Kenyan security forces have rounded up 189 people during a week of operations against a militia group in the Mt. Elgon district, the BBC reports. The army said that it is continuing its offensive against the Sabaot Land Defense Forces in the area. "This operation will continue until the members of the militia are arrested or they surrender," said a local official. Those captured will be charged after investigations are completed, said the official.
Item Number:8 Date: 03/14/2008 LIBERIA - CODE OF CONDUCT SOUGHT FOR TROOPS (MAR 14/THENEWS) THE NEWS -- President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has submitted a draft law to the Liberian parliament that would hold soldiers accountable for violations of the law, reports the News (Monrovia). The proposed bill calls for a code of conduct for the military that would maintain respect for human rights. Soldiers who broke the law would be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is defined in the new measure. The proposed law also emphasizes the importance of the coast guard and air force.
Item Number:9 Date: 03/14/2008 LITHUANIA - PARLIAMENT SUPPORTS MOVE TO PROFESSIONAL ARMY (MAR 14/INT-AVN) INTERFAX-MILITARY NEWS AGENCY -- The Lithuanian parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to support the transition to a professional army, reports Interfax-AVN (Russia). Lawmakers voted in favor of the introduction of a professional army, while maintaining conscription to ensure sufficient numbers in case of a mobilization. The parliament is expected to approve a yearly limit on the number of those who will be subject to conscription, officials said.
Item Number:10 Date: 03/14/2008 PAKISTAN - NAVY DRILLS WITH NATO IN THE MED (MAR 14/APP) ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN -- Pakistani ships have joined NATO naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time, the Associated Press of Pakistan reports. Turkey is hosting the 10-day Mavi Balina-2008 exercises, which conclude on March 16. The destroyer PNS Tariq and PNS Moawin are participating in the exercises held at the Aksaz Turkish naval base. The warships will call on the port of Antalya following the exercises.
Item Number:11 Date: 03/14/2008 PAKISTAN - U.S. ACKNOWLEDGES STRIKE, CIVILIAN DEATHS REPORTED (MAR 14/LAT) LOS ANGELES TIMES -- The U.S. military acknowledged that it had struck inside the border of Pakistan on Wednesday with precision-guided shells, the Los Angeles Times reports. The munitions landed in North Waziristan, about a mile from the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan's military had lodged a protest against the strike. A Taliban commander, Siraj Haqqani, was said to be the intended target. Four civilians were reportedly killed in the blast. Pakistan was informed of the attack after it occurred, said a U.S. military spokesman.
Item Number:12 Date: 03/14/2008 RUSSIA - CSTO TO AUTHORIZE RUSSIAN NUCLEAR USE (MAR 14/KOMMER) KOMMERSANT -- The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) expects to authorize Moscow to use tactical nuclear weapons to defend other members of the body, reports Kommersant. Under an amended treaty, Russia would extend its doctrine covering the use of tactical nuclear weapons as a deterrence guarantee for all CSTO member states. The Russian-led organization also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Item Number:13 Date: 03/14/2008 RUSSIA - NEW ACADEMY TO TRAIN AIR FORCE PROFESSIONALS (MAR 14/RIC) RUSSIA INFOCENTER -- The Russian government plans to open a new air force academy, the Russia InfoCenter reports. The academy will include two branches: the Zhukovsky engineering academy and the Yuri Gagarin air force academy. The institution will be able to handle as many as 4,614 students.
Item Number:14 Date: 03/14/2008 SOUTH KOREA - BLUEPRINT SET FOR NEW COMMAND STRUCTURE (MAR 14/DN) DEFENSE NEWS -- South Korea will set up its own independent war-fighting command next year, Defense News reports. The new command will have initial operating capability in 2009, and full operational capabilities are expected by late 2011, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The U.S. military has headed a combined force structure in South Korea for decades. The new structure will be a South Korean-led "joint defense system" with separate theater commands for U.S. and South Korea forces.
Item Number:15 Date: 03/14/2008 SPAIN - MULTINATIONAL EUROFIGHTER EXERCISE WINDS DOWN AT MORON AFB (MAR 14/EUROFIGHTE) EUROFIGHTER GMBH -- The air forces from four nations that operate the Eurofighter Typhoon are wrapping up a training exercise at Moron Air Force Base in Spain, reports the manufacturer of the fighter. Twenty Typhoon fighters from Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. have been in taking part in the drills, which covered air combat tactics. Training focused on demonstrating the interoperability of Typhoon fighters and combat drills against different types of aircraft, including Spanish navy Harriers, air force F-18s and Mirage F-1s and Portuguese F-16s.
Item Number:16 Date: 03/14/2008 SWEDEN - METEOR MISSILE PASSES TEST (MAR 14/MBDA) MBDA CORP. -- MBDA has successfully completed another test of its Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, reports the European missile manufacturer. The trial, conducted at the Vidsel Missile Test Range in Sweden, involved the firing of a Meteor from a Gripen fighter at a MQM-107B Streaker aerial target. This was the last of a series of development firings intended to prove the performance of the missile and its guidance, propulsion, datalink and fuse subsystems. The missile was launched, made the transition to ramjet operation, successfully acquired the target and tracked it through to intercept. During the missile's flight, its data link demonstrated communication between the missile and firing aircraft. MBDA will soon begin the pre-production industrialization phase of the program. The Meteor is expected to be procured by France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the U.K., where it will be integrated with Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen fighters.
Item Number:17 Date: 03/14/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - MORE CAPABLE SNIPER SYSTEM INTRODUCED (MAR 14/UKMOD) U.K. MINISTRY OF DEFENSE -- The British army is about to field a new sniper system, reports the U.K. Ministry of Defense. The new L115A3 rifle fires a larger caliber round at a greater range than older sniper rifles. The weapon will also be equipped with a more powerful telescopic sight and all-weather day and night sights. Snipers from the 16 Air Assault Brigade will be the first to use the new sniper rifle operationally when they deploy later this month.
Item Number:18 Date: 03/14/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - MORE SPENDING EARMARKED FOR AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ OPERATIONS (MAR 14/GUAR) THE GUARDIAN -- Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said that the British Treasury will spend an additional 2 billion pounds (US$4 billion) for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, reports the Guardian (U.K.). New funds will include about 900 million pounds (US$1.8 billion) for equipment, including body armor and armored vehicles, according to Darling. Other monies will go towards bonuses for troops, ammunition and maintenance costs.
Item Number:19 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - ARMY SEEKS MORE MRAPS FOR IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN (MAR 14/ARMY) ARMY TIMES -- The U.S. Army now hopes to buy more mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles than previously planned, reports the Army Times. The Army expects to field 10,000 MRAPs in Afghanistan and Iraq by the end of the year and is considering buying up to 15,000 of the vehicles, Army Secretary Pete Geren told a House defense panel. The Marines, meanwhile, recently decided to reduce their MRAP procurement by 40 percent.
Item Number:20 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - AS SAFETY PRECAUTION, SEALS STAND DOWN (MAR 14/NTIMES) NAVY TIMES -- U.S. Navy SEALs and special boat drivers stood down for 24 hours on Thursday to concentrate on training, reports the Navy Times. The order was issued after a series of training accidents that resulted in the deaths of three SEALs over the last two months. Units planned briefings on personal security, finances and alcohol, as well as training operations.
Item Number:21 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - JSF, TANKER INITIATE AERIAL HOOK-UP (MAR 14/AFT) AIR FORCE TIMES -- An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter hooked up with a tanker aircraft in mid-air for the first time this week, the Air Force Times reports. The test held over Texas evaluated the fighter's compatibility with the KC-135 tanker. The next test flight will include an actual fuel transfer. The first F-35s for the U.S. military are currently scheduled to be delivered in 2010.
Item Number:22 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - SATELLITE LAUNCHED FOR NRO (MAR 14/AERO-NEWS) AERO-NEWS NETWORK -- The U.S. military launched a new reconnaissance satellite into space Thursday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Aero-News.net reports. An Atlas V rocket successfully carried a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office into orbit. The launch was the first involving an Atlas V booster taking off from the West Coast.
Item Number:23 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - UNNANNOUNCED RUSSIAN BOMBER FLIGHTS CONCERN NORAD (MAR 14/DENPOST) DENVER POST -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has urged Russia to be more open and cooperative regarding its long-range bomber sorties, the Denver Post reports. Russia renewed bomber flights last year more than a decade after halting them. However, Russia does not officially file its flight plans. The Russian bombers don't have flight plans and "are not complying with the internationally accepted rules of operation," said Air Force Gen. Victor Renuart, commander of NORAD and Northern Command. "In the post-9/11 environment, it is difficult to have unidentified aircraft flying toward your airspace if you don't know who they are or what their plans are." "We've got good military-to-military relations with the Russians," said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen. "My sense is there's no strategic intent to threaten the United States." Mullen did caution that "there's more of a risk of something accidental happening."
A former Navy Intel Officer, Skip Leonard, provides me with a daily post that addresses real time miliary issues. Wondering if MOA members would be interested in its details?
J.K.
+++++++++++++
Here's Friday's example:
Item Number:1 Date: 03/14/2008 AUSTRALIA - ARTILLERY TROOPS TO FACE COMBAT IN AFGHANISTAN (MAR 14/AUSTRALIAN) THE AUSTRALIAN -- Artillerymen from Australia are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan for their first combat operations since the Vietnam War, reports the Australian. Fifteen gunners from the 8/12 Medium Regiment, based at Darwin, will serve with British artilleryman from the Royal Horse Artillery in Afghanistan's Helmand province as part of an exchange program. The combined artillery teams will operate British 105-mm L118 light guns, which are similar to the Australian Hamel gun. The Australians are completing six months of preparatory training in the U.K.
Item Number:2 Date: 03/14/2008 CANADA - CONDITIONAL AFGHANISTAN MANDATE EXTENDED THROUGH 2011 (MAR 14/GAM) GLOBE AND MAIL -- The Canadian parliament voted to keep troops in Afghanistan's Kandahar province until December 2011, if allies provide reinforcement, the Globe and Mail (Toronto) reports. The measure is conditional, requiring 1,000 additional NATO combat troops, as well as transport helicopters and reconnaissance drones, to arrive in Kandahar by February 2009. The mission was previously mandated through February 2009.
Item Number:3 Date: 03/14/2008 CANADA - DEFENSE DEPT. TAKES ANOTHER LOOK AT COASTAL RADAR (MAR 14/TS) TORONTO STAR -- The Canadian Dept. of Defense has revived a program for a high-tech coastal radar system, reports the Toronto Star. A US$39 million program, canceled in 2006 and involving government scientists and Raytheon Canada, explored the use of a high-frequency surface wave radar to monitor the coast for terrorists and drug smugglers. The Defense Dept. has now sought proposals from companies with experience in developing such radars. The military hopes a new radar system will enable it to save on coastal surveillance costs.
Item Number:4 Date: 03/14/2008 CHAD - PEACE DEAL SIGNED BETWEEN SUDAN AND CHAD (MAR 14/VOA) VOICE OF AMERICA NEWS -- The presidents of Chad and Sudan signed a no-aggression pact on Thursday aimed at ending years of attacks across their mutual border, the Voice of America News reports. The negotiations in Dakar, Senegal, were facilitated by Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade and witnessed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Chadian President Idriss Deby and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir agreed not to support the rebel groups that have frequently launched attacks inside the other's territory. Similar agreements have been struck in the past, with limited success.
Item Number:5 Date: 03/14/2008 CHINA - TROOPS SURROUND TIBETAN MONASTERIES (MAR 14/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- After protests turned violent this week, Chinese security forces have sealed off three Buddhist monasteries in Lhasa, Tibet, the BBC reports. The Drepung, Sera and Ganden monasteries were surrounded following two days of protests by Tibetan monks against the Chinese government, according to witnesses. The demonstrations in Tibet are believed to be the largest in two decades. Chinese officials played down the situation. "In the past couple of days, a few monks in Lhasa have made some disturbances in an effort to cause unrest," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gan. "Thanks to the efforts of the local government and the democratic administration of the temples, the situation in Lhasa has been stabilized."
Item Number:6 Date: 03/14/2008 IRAQ - 1,300 POLICE COMPLETE TRAINING COURSE (MAR 14/S&S) STARS AND STRIPES -- The Furat Iraqi Police Training Academy in Baghdad is scheduled to graduate its largest class of recruits this week, reports the Stars and Stripes. More than 1,300 recruits have just completed a two-week introductory course. The course covers basic law enforcement techniques, including weapons and combat training, building clearing tactics, first aid and defensive tactics. U.S. officials have set a goal of training more than 12,000 recruits from the region.
Item Number:7 Date: 03/14/2008 KENYA - SCORES SEIZED IN MT. ELGON OPERATION (MAR 14/BBC) BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP. -- Kenyan security forces have rounded up 189 people during a week of operations against a militia group in the Mt. Elgon district, the BBC reports. The army said that it is continuing its offensive against the Sabaot Land Defense Forces in the area. "This operation will continue until the members of the militia are arrested or they surrender," said a local official. Those captured will be charged after investigations are completed, said the official.
Item Number:8 Date: 03/14/2008 LIBERIA - CODE OF CONDUCT SOUGHT FOR TROOPS (MAR 14/THENEWS) THE NEWS -- President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has submitted a draft law to the Liberian parliament that would hold soldiers accountable for violations of the law, reports the News (Monrovia). The proposed bill calls for a code of conduct for the military that would maintain respect for human rights. Soldiers who broke the law would be subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is defined in the new measure. The proposed law also emphasizes the importance of the coast guard and air force.
Item Number:9 Date: 03/14/2008 LITHUANIA - PARLIAMENT SUPPORTS MOVE TO PROFESSIONAL ARMY (MAR 14/INT-AVN) INTERFAX-MILITARY NEWS AGENCY -- The Lithuanian parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to support the transition to a professional army, reports Interfax-AVN (Russia). Lawmakers voted in favor of the introduction of a professional army, while maintaining conscription to ensure sufficient numbers in case of a mobilization. The parliament is expected to approve a yearly limit on the number of those who will be subject to conscription, officials said.
Item Number:10 Date: 03/14/2008 PAKISTAN - NAVY DRILLS WITH NATO IN THE MED (MAR 14/APP) ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN -- Pakistani ships have joined NATO naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time, the Associated Press of Pakistan reports. Turkey is hosting the 10-day Mavi Balina-2008 exercises, which conclude on March 16. The destroyer PNS Tariq and PNS Moawin are participating in the exercises held at the Aksaz Turkish naval base. The warships will call on the port of Antalya following the exercises.
Item Number:11 Date: 03/14/2008 PAKISTAN - U.S. ACKNOWLEDGES STRIKE, CIVILIAN DEATHS REPORTED (MAR 14/LAT) LOS ANGELES TIMES -- The U.S. military acknowledged that it had struck inside the border of Pakistan on Wednesday with precision-guided shells, the Los Angeles Times reports. The munitions landed in North Waziristan, about a mile from the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan's military had lodged a protest against the strike. A Taliban commander, Siraj Haqqani, was said to be the intended target. Four civilians were reportedly killed in the blast. Pakistan was informed of the attack after it occurred, said a U.S. military spokesman.
Item Number:12 Date: 03/14/2008 RUSSIA - CSTO TO AUTHORIZE RUSSIAN NUCLEAR USE (MAR 14/KOMMER) KOMMERSANT -- The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) expects to authorize Moscow to use tactical nuclear weapons to defend other members of the body, reports Kommersant. Under an amended treaty, Russia would extend its doctrine covering the use of tactical nuclear weapons as a deterrence guarantee for all CSTO member states. The Russian-led organization also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Item Number:13 Date: 03/14/2008 RUSSIA - NEW ACADEMY TO TRAIN AIR FORCE PROFESSIONALS (MAR 14/RIC) RUSSIA INFOCENTER -- The Russian government plans to open a new air force academy, the Russia InfoCenter reports. The academy will include two branches: the Zhukovsky engineering academy and the Yuri Gagarin air force academy. The institution will be able to handle as many as 4,614 students.
Item Number:14 Date: 03/14/2008 SOUTH KOREA - BLUEPRINT SET FOR NEW COMMAND STRUCTURE (MAR 14/DN) DEFENSE NEWS -- South Korea will set up its own independent war-fighting command next year, Defense News reports. The new command will have initial operating capability in 2009, and full operational capabilities are expected by late 2011, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The U.S. military has headed a combined force structure in South Korea for decades. The new structure will be a South Korean-led "joint defense system" with separate theater commands for U.S. and South Korea forces.
Item Number:15 Date: 03/14/2008 SPAIN - MULTINATIONAL EUROFIGHTER EXERCISE WINDS DOWN AT MORON AFB (MAR 14/EUROFIGHTE) EUROFIGHTER GMBH -- The air forces from four nations that operate the Eurofighter Typhoon are wrapping up a training exercise at Moron Air Force Base in Spain, reports the manufacturer of the fighter. Twenty Typhoon fighters from Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. have been in taking part in the drills, which covered air combat tactics. Training focused on demonstrating the interoperability of Typhoon fighters and combat drills against different types of aircraft, including Spanish navy Harriers, air force F-18s and Mirage F-1s and Portuguese F-16s.
Item Number:16 Date: 03/14/2008 SWEDEN - METEOR MISSILE PASSES TEST (MAR 14/MBDA) MBDA CORP. -- MBDA has successfully completed another test of its Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, reports the European missile manufacturer. The trial, conducted at the Vidsel Missile Test Range in Sweden, involved the firing of a Meteor from a Gripen fighter at a MQM-107B Streaker aerial target. This was the last of a series of development firings intended to prove the performance of the missile and its guidance, propulsion, datalink and fuse subsystems. The missile was launched, made the transition to ramjet operation, successfully acquired the target and tracked it through to intercept. During the missile's flight, its data link demonstrated communication between the missile and firing aircraft. MBDA will soon begin the pre-production industrialization phase of the program. The Meteor is expected to be procured by France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the U.K., where it will be integrated with Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale and Gripen fighters.
Item Number:17 Date: 03/14/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - MORE CAPABLE SNIPER SYSTEM INTRODUCED (MAR 14/UKMOD) U.K. MINISTRY OF DEFENSE -- The British army is about to field a new sniper system, reports the U.K. Ministry of Defense. The new L115A3 rifle fires a larger caliber round at a greater range than older sniper rifles. The weapon will also be equipped with a more powerful telescopic sight and all-weather day and night sights. Snipers from the 16 Air Assault Brigade will be the first to use the new sniper rifle operationally when they deploy later this month.
Item Number:18 Date: 03/14/2008 UNITED KINGDOM - MORE SPENDING EARMARKED FOR AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ OPERATIONS (MAR 14/GUAR) THE GUARDIAN -- Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said that the British Treasury will spend an additional 2 billion pounds (US$4 billion) for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, reports the Guardian (U.K.). New funds will include about 900 million pounds (US$1.8 billion) for equipment, including body armor and armored vehicles, according to Darling. Other monies will go towards bonuses for troops, ammunition and maintenance costs.
Item Number:19 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - ARMY SEEKS MORE MRAPS FOR IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN (MAR 14/ARMY) ARMY TIMES -- The U.S. Army now hopes to buy more mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles than previously planned, reports the Army Times. The Army expects to field 10,000 MRAPs in Afghanistan and Iraq by the end of the year and is considering buying up to 15,000 of the vehicles, Army Secretary Pete Geren told a House defense panel. The Marines, meanwhile, recently decided to reduce their MRAP procurement by 40 percent.
Item Number:20 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - AS SAFETY PRECAUTION, SEALS STAND DOWN (MAR 14/NTIMES) NAVY TIMES -- U.S. Navy SEALs and special boat drivers stood down for 24 hours on Thursday to concentrate on training, reports the Navy Times. The order was issued after a series of training accidents that resulted in the deaths of three SEALs over the last two months. Units planned briefings on personal security, finances and alcohol, as well as training operations.
Item Number:21 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - JSF, TANKER INITIATE AERIAL HOOK-UP (MAR 14/AFT) AIR FORCE TIMES -- An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter hooked up with a tanker aircraft in mid-air for the first time this week, the Air Force Times reports. The test held over Texas evaluated the fighter's compatibility with the KC-135 tanker. The next test flight will include an actual fuel transfer. The first F-35s for the U.S. military are currently scheduled to be delivered in 2010.
Item Number:22 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - SATELLITE LAUNCHED FOR NRO (MAR 14/AERO-NEWS) AERO-NEWS NETWORK -- The U.S. military launched a new reconnaissance satellite into space Thursday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Aero-News.net reports. An Atlas V rocket successfully carried a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office into orbit. The launch was the first involving an Atlas V booster taking off from the West Coast.
Item Number:23 Date: 03/14/2008 USA - UNNANNOUNCED RUSSIAN BOMBER FLIGHTS CONCERN NORAD (MAR 14/DENPOST) DENVER POST -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has urged Russia to be more open and cooperative regarding its long-range bomber sorties, the Denver Post reports. Russia renewed bomber flights last year more than a decade after halting them. However, Russia does not officially file its flight plans. The Russian bombers don't have flight plans and "are not complying with the internationally accepted rules of operation," said Air Force Gen. Victor Renuart, commander of NORAD and Northern Command. "In the post-9/11 environment, it is difficult to have unidentified aircraft flying toward your airspace if you don't know who they are or what their plans are." "We've got good military-to-military relations with the Russians," said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen. "My sense is there's no strategic intent to threaten the United States." Mullen did caution that "there's more of a risk of something accidental happening."