Af/Pak & Other News (3/25/2021)

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US ‘exploring keeping’ counterterrorism troops in Afghanistan

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/25/us-exploring-to-keep-counter-terrorism-troops-in-afghanistan



Biden Desperate for Last-Ditch Afghan Deal Before Admitting He’ll Miss Trump’s Withdrawal Deadline

https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-desperate-for-last-ditch-afghan-deal-before-admitting-hell-miss-trumps-withdrawal-deadline









IAEA: Reviving Nuclear Deal With Iran ‘Impossible’

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/iaea-reviving-nuclear-deal-iran-%E2%80%98impossible%E2%80%99-181103



Silent Shooters: New Report Challenges How Iranian Nuclear Scientist Was Assassinated

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/03/25/silent-shooters-new-report-challenges-how-iranian-nuclear-scientist-was-assassinated/



Lawmakers Investigate State Department Over $1 Billion Ransom Payment to Iran

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/lawmakers-investigate-state-department-over-1-billion-ransom-payment-to-iran/



Iran fired missile at Israeli ship in Arabian Sea - report

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/iran-fired-missile-at-israeli-ship-in-persian-gulf-report-663208









MBDA cruise missile falls short in Iraq

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/mbda-cruise-missile-falls-short-in-iraq



Coalition Aircraft, Iraqi Forces Continue Large Offensive Targeting ISIS

https://www.airforcemag.com/coalition-aircraft-iraqi-forces-continue-large-offensive-targeting-isis/









Why Yemen’s Houthis turned down Saudi Arabia’s ceasefire offer

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20210324-why-yemen-s-houthis-turned-down-saudi-arabia-s-ceasefire-offer



Battle for Marib: Last city in north Yemen under gov’t control

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/25/battle-for-marib-last-major-north-city-under-yemen-govt-control




Turkey floats out its first AIP submarine “Piri Reis”

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/03/turkey-floats-out-its-first-aip-submarine-piri-reis/









Israel, Slovakia Sign Agreement on Supply of Radar Systems

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29214/Israel__Slovakia_Sign_Agreement_on_Supply_of_Radar_Systems









Stuck ship in Egypt’s Suez Canal imperils shipping worldwide

https://apnews.com/article/egypt-coronavirus-pandemic-asia-suez-canal-africa-d8b6696716ab45794cba583ecf0e4001




Libya demands mercenary pullout as EU top diplomats visit

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210325-libya-demands-mercenary-pullout-as-eu-top-diplomats-visit



Libyan militia leader wanted by ICC for war crimes killed by gunmen

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20210325-libyan-militia-leader-wanted-by-icc-for-war-crimes-killed-by-gunmen




Nigeria, Western Allies Stage Naval Drills in Piracy Hotspot

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/03/24/nigeria-western-allies-naval-drills/









Russia's borders may not be final

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russias-borders-may-not-be-final/ar-BB1eXytH



Russian Navy preps for Zircon hypersonic missile tests in Barents Sea

https://defence-blog.com/news/russian-navy-preps-for-zircon-hypersonic-missile-tests-in-barents-sea.html



U.S. wages psychologicial war on Moscow - Russian defense adviser

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-minds/u-s-wages-psychologicial-war-on-moscow-russian-defense-adviser-idUSKBN2BH1TD



Russia opposition leader Navalny’s health worsens in prison

https://apnews.com/article/germany-moscow-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-d3d79f448100dab11271a50d29ebf73a




Opposition activists gear up for a new round of protests in Belarus

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210325-opposition-activists-gear-up-for-a-new-round-of-protests-in-belarus




The Last Azerbaijan-Armenia War Changed How Small Nations Fight Modern Battles

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2021/03/25/the-last-azerbaijan-armenia-war-redefined-how-small-nations-fight-modern-battles/




Rare USAF spy plane visits Volkel AB, Netherlands

https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/2021/03/rare-usaf-spy-plane-visits-volkel-netherlands.html




Italian Eurofighter Typhoon Flew In “Full Load” Configuration For The First Time Last Week

https://theaviationist.com/2021/03/25/italian-eurofighter-typhoon-flew-in-full-load-configuration-for-the-first-time-last-week/




Why the Narco Submarine Found In Europe Is Not Like Those In Latin America

http://www.hisutton.com/Why-European-Narco-Submarines-Are-Different.html




UK invests £2bn in Tempest combat aircraft project

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-invests-2bn-in-tempest-combat-aircraft-project/



Now The UK Wants To Add Combat Drones To Its Aircraft Carriers, But Is It Really Feasible?

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39922/now-the-uk-wants-to-add-combat-drones-to-its-aircraft-carriers-but-is-it-really-feasible



Two pilots survive military jet crash in England

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-crash/two-pilots-survive-military-jet-crash-in-england-idUSKBN2BH1GG



Crowsnest early warning helicopter enters service

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/crowsnest-early-warning-helicopter-enters-service/









Uruguayan Air Force Helicopter Carrying Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccines Crashes In Rocha

https://fighterjetsworld.com/latest-news/aircraft-crash/uruguayan-air-force-helicopter-carrying-pfizer-covid-19-vaccines-crashes-in-rocha/24946/



Bolivian K-8VB crashes, one woman killed

http://alert5.com/2021/03/25/bolivian-k-8vb-crashes-one-woman-killed/









Counterintelligence agents for the Western powers told us what China and Russia pay their double-agents

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-china-pay-spies-price-europe-us-2021-3



China confirms Z-10 attack helicopter crashed in Hunan province

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/china-confirms-z-10-attack-helicopter-crashed-in-hunan-province.html



Copycat J-16 Jet "Much Superior" to the Su-30: Chinese PLA Pilot

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29210/Copycat_J_16_Jet__Much_Superior__to_the_Su_30__Chinese_PLA_Pilot



Chinese Media Strategy Against the Uyghurs

https://sofrep.com/news/chinese-media-uyghurs-genocide-human-rights/





Taiwan says has begun mass production of long-range missile

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-defence/taiwan-says-has-begun-mass-production-of-long-range-missile-idUSKBN2BH0IT





EXPLAINER: What N Korean missile tests mean for US relations

https://apnews.com/article/what-north-korea-missiles-tests-mean-us-relations-e27c50a6b3c61a5e524e8f81c6825276



Disillusion, Despair and Disloyalty

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/korea/articles/20210325.aspx



North Korea Positioning Itself to Play ‘Nuclear Blackmail’

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/24/panel-north-korea-positioning-itself-to-play-nuclear-blackmail





Singaporean contractor to build a supersonic combat drone

https://dronedj.com/2021/03/25/singaporean-contractor-to-build-a-supersonic-combat-drone/





Philippines deploys more patrol ships amid rift with China

https://apnews.com/article/south-china-sea-philippines-china-manila-asia-pacific-dba8fa4e06c486991439bcff29259f42










UFO report might miss deadline, Sen. Rubio says

https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/ufo-report-might-miss-deadline-sen-rubio-says/



UFO's or Drones: What Is 'Swarming' U.S. Navy Warships?

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ufos-or-drones-what-swarming-us-navy-warships-181110



Today's Cyberattacks Foreshadow Wars to Come

https://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/aerospace/military/todays-cyberattacks-foreshadow-wars-to-come



U.S. military must accelerate use of artificial intelligence, JAIC chief says

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/03/24/us-military-must-speed-artificial-intelligence-development-groen/8851616617045/



Air Force Investing in Alternative Energy Sources

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/3/25/air-force-investing-in-alternative-energy-sources



A Marine F-35B Fighter Jet Accidentally Shot Itself With Its Own Gun Pod

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39920/a-marine-f-35b-fighter-jet-accidentally-shot-itself-with-its-own-gun-pod



Navy T-45C Crashes in Texas, No Fatalities

https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/2549470/navy-t-45c-crashes-in-texas-no-fatalities/



Pink And Green Forever

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlead/articles/20210325.aspx



US Army Increasingly Preparing Soldiers for Arctic Missions

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/03/24/us-preparing-soldiers-arctic-missions/



Bell has completed 30% of 360 Invictus for US Army FARA programme

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/bell-has-completed-30-of-360-invictus-for-us-army-fara-programme/143035.article



Bell sees its APT cargo UAV as being attritable in combat

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/bell-sees-its-apt-cargo-uav-as-being-attritable-in-combat/143032.article




US Army, Marines, Special Forces Eye Israeli ‘Hero’ Attack Drones

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/us-army-marines-special-forces-eye-israeli-hero-attack-drones/



Dozens Of AH-1Z And UH-1Y Helicopters Will Be Retired As Part Of The USMC's Force Redesign

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39925/marines-set-to-retire-dozens-of-ah-1z-and-uh-1y-helicopters-as-part-of-force-redesign



Operation Porcupine: The Air Force plan to rescue downed F-16 pilots

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/operation-porcupine-the-air-force-plan-to-rescue-downed-f-16-pilots/



CIRCM, Sky Viper And The Other Technologies Northrop Grumman Is Pitching For The Future Vertical Lift Program

https://theaviationist.com/2021/03/24/circm-sky-viper-and-the-other-technologies-northrop-grumman-is-pitching-for-the-future-vertical-lift-program/



Bell sees V-280 and V-247 having ‘synergy’ with US Navy FVL Maritime Strike

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/bell-sees-v-280-and-v-247-having-synergy-with-us-navy-fvl-maritime-strike/143034.article