Key Points
Afghan National Army Special Forces (ANASF) missions appear to have become more conventional, as special operations targeting high-value individuals have decreased
While ANASF are well equipped, deployment remains a problem, as land platforms are insufficiently armoured and the Special
Afghan National Army Special Forces: An insider's account
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Yemeni 'Scud' launcher survives Saudi-led onslaught
Amateur video footage released on 17 May suggested that one of the transporter erector launchers (TELs) for Yemen's 'Scud'-type ballistic missiles has survived the Saudi-led air campaign that began on 25 March and has been moved north from its base outside Sanaa.
The video showed a large vehicle
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LANPAC 2015: US hoping for HADR 'activity sets' in Pacific
The US military is in the process of seeking hosts for pre-positioned 'activity sets' of equipment in the Pacific region, according to General Vincent Brooks, head of US Army Pacific (ARPAC).
He envisions the sets for exercises or humanitarian and disaster response (HADR) operations. A similar
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LANPAC 2015: ARPAC end strength holding, for now
US Army Pacific (ARPAC) is planning to either hold or grow its end strength, built up recently via the Asia-Pacific rebalance, but budget caps due to budget sequestration could result in potential cuts.
"The expectation is that we will hold and build [end strength] unless we lose the option of
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Austal USA launches USN's sixth JHSV
The US Navy's (USN's) sixth Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) entered the water on 19 May at shipbuilder Austal USA, officials announced. Brunswick (JHSV 6) was launched at Austal USA's Mobile, Alabama, shipyard and is expected to deliver before the end of 2015.
It joins sister vessel Trenton (JHSV
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USMC confident of CH-53K IOC in 2019 despite setbacks
The US Marine Corps (USMC) is still optimistic about putting the developmental Sikorsky CH-53K heavy lift helicopter into service on schedule in 2019 despite technical difficulties encountered earlier this year, the USMC's top aviator said on 19 May.
"I'm pretty sure we'll make our first
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USAF reduces MQ-1/9 CAPs to ease 'stress' on UAV pilots
Key Points
A reduction in MQ-1/9 operational tempo was approved in April
The USAF is making workforce adjustments to accommodate over-burdened UAV personnel
The US Air Force (USAF) has reduced the number of missions required of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crews in order to alleviate stress
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US approves large guided bomb sale to Israel
The US State Department has approved the sale to Israel of over 20,000 guided bomb kits and 8,650 associated warheads, including additional 5,000 lb 'bunker busters', the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 19 May.
The DSCA notification said the estimated cost of the proposed
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SOFIC 2015: SOF leader seeks tech for counter-IED, 'ideological fight'
Special Operations Forces (SOF) operating in US Central Command (CENTCOM) are seeking industry's help to defeat a range of improvised explosive device (IED) threats and to "win the ideological fight" taking place across that region.
That was one of the messages emerging from a Theater
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SOFIC 2015: SOF chief highlights recent programme successes
General Joseph Votel, commander of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), offered several representative 'vignettes', in unmanned systems and the so-called Ironman suit, to illustrate recent programme successes within the command.
Gen Votel spoke on 19 May at the Special Operations Forces Industry
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IMDEX 2015: AgustaWestland prepares to deliver first four South Korean AW159 helicopters
AgustaWestland will deliver the Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN's) first batch of four AW159 shipborne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters around the third quarter of 2015, a company spokesperson told IHS Jane's on 20 May at the IMDEX 2015 exhibition in Singapore.
"The Maritime Operational
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France, Germany, Italy agree joint MALE UAV project
France, Germany and Italy have agreed to conduct a two-year definition study on a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The three countries signed a declaration of intent (DoI) for the two-year study on 18 May. It is planned that this will be followed by a seven-year
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F-35B operational trials commence
The US Marine Corps (USMC) flew six Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to USS Wasp amphibious assault ship off the US east coast on 18 May to begin the first shipboard phase of operational testing (OT-1) of the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the
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Brazilian Army to receive modernised Urutu AFVs
Technicae Projetos e Serviços Automotivos, a Brazilian operation of Singapore's ST Kinetics, is soon to deliver the first modernised EE-11 Urutu 6x6 armoured personnel carrier to the Brazilian Army.
Final tests of the approved prototype are under way and the platforms are to be re-delivered in
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Boeing touts A-10s for international customers should USAF divest fleet
Boeing is in discussions with the US Air Force (USAF) to sell off the service's Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft to international customers should the fleet be retired from the inventory, a senior company official disclosed on 20 May.
Speaking to reporters at Boeing's
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Analysis: LANPAC 2015 adds subtle focus on India
The Association of the US Army's Land Power in the Pacific (LANPAC) symposium this year included some increased references to the 'Indo-Asia-Pacific' region, underscoring the increasing importance of India as a US defence partner in an area previously referred to as the 'Asia Pacific'.
ANALYSIS
In
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GMD system is top US missile defence priority, but cruise missiles ascend
Key Points
The GMD system is the US' highest missile defence priority
Cruise missile defence, specifically for Washington, is a rising concern
The Pentagon is honing its missile defence priorities and protecting the homeland with the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system is to have
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LANPAC 2015: US Pacific forces working to rebuilt lift capabilities
US forces in the Pacific are hoping to rebuild their strategic and tactical lift capabilities after the military spent years deployed in the same two theatres.
US Pacific Command (PACOM) covers 16 time zones and about 9,000 miles, so lift in the region is an especially difficult and important
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LANPAC 2015: Comms challenging for rapid deployments
The US military in the Pacific faces communications challenges ranging from bulky equipment to lack of interoperability, officials said during a 20 May panel at the Association of the US Army's Land Power in the Pacific (LANPAC) symposium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
From a hardware perspective,
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Turkey downs Syrian air vehicle
A Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Syrian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had violated Turkish airspace on 16 May.
Although there were initially claims by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and other officials that the downed aircraft was a helicopter, the Turkish General Staff subsequently
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